#this is purely based on the new doctor episodes

[ineffableshitpost]

Crowely and the 14th doctor if they ever got to meet each other:

Crowley: Hi-

Doctor: STAY BACK! I HAVE SALT!

Crowley: Wait wha-

[morganski-19]

Alright, in-depth theory time because it's all I could think about at work today.

This will be about what I think will happen in the next two episodes purely on the promo for ep 7, what I know from certain interviews, and the episode titles. None of this is based on anything really, it's all for some fun.

Cool, here we go.

Hotshots is going to deal with a lot of "Hot Shot" related emergencies, including the one on the actual Hotshot set. So a lot of people doing dumb shit, thinking that it will make them look really cool, but they get injured during it. And then the actual Hotshot rescue will happen somewhere near the mid-point of the episode, like the well emergency did in 8x06, which was also second in the promo.

Non-emergency related plots that will be happening during this episode, Madney going to the doctor which is why they need Buck to watch Jee. Buck going through it and starting to deal with his breakup. Eddie continuing his journey of finding joy in his life, and starting to figure some stuff out. Bobby getting almost stalked by Brad, because that man has some insane tendencies. And then Athena dealing with that new rookie that they mentioned in the synopsis.

To bring in some of the stuff from the articles, Buck is going to be looking at the past while Eddie is going to be carefree and looking at the future, a complete role reversal. I think that is going to be mostly this episode, where we see Buck overthinking everything in his relationship, and Eddie just being a more carefree version of himself.

However, I will say, that I don't think the carefreeness is going to be for very long, because eventually, he will have to acknowledge the whole Chris situation and get dragged back into all of those feelings again.

That is a hell of a lot to put in one episode, but they've done it before, they will do it again.

Now, this is where it will get a bit crazy, because I have nothing to base any of this information on, it's pure fan theory.

8x08's name "Sob Stories", was changed to "Wannabes". I'm not sure if that means "Sob Stories" will be moved to the spring premiere of the season, like how "No Place Like Home" was moved from episode 3 to 4, it's too early to know that. I am going to go off of the assumption that it isn't.

A "Wannabe" is someone who tries to be like someone/something else to fit in with a particular group. Since the episodes tend to be named after the emergencies that occur in those episodes, I can assume that the emergencies are going to surround that.

However, it could also be plot-related as well. I can see three possibilities of what Wannabes could mean with the characters specifically.

Buck continues to unravel what Tommy said to him in the breakup, realizing that he was a "Wannabe" in the relationship. It could bring everything back to when they first got together, and Buck's jealousy of Tommy and Eddie's friendship, and he could realize that it was never Tommy's attention he was trying to get, but Eddie's. Do I think that means he will be smart enough to fully understand his feelings for Eddie, absolutely not. That will take a few more episodes. But I can hope.

Eddie gets a call from Chris/his parents (or maybe Abuela, since she lives in Texas now), and realizes that his parents are the "Wannabes" because they want Chris as their redo child. It would play into my hopes of the mid-season break cliffhanger being bringing Chris home. Or at least starting the process of bringing Chris home. (if we want to continue with Eddie, even though I think it's going to be a plot in 8b, he might realize he is a "Wannabe" because he isn't straight)

And now here's the big one.

Brad is the big "Wannabe", as he is stalking Bobby and possibly hijacking some of the emergencies throughout the episodes. Brad is a spark fuse, he has anger issues, and would not be happy about Bobby's move from Hotshots in general, and also his rejection of that invitation to his cabin. He might even ask Bobby to come back to the set of Hotshots, because I can't see him liking Gerrard very much. This could go south fast, as the actor commented something along the lines of "you're not going to like Brad for too much longer" back when the first three episodes were airing.

So, he's were it gets really insane. All week we've been talking about the allusions to Buddie NDE, and how we think there is going to be one in the mid-season finale. I really like this theory, and think that this show would absolutely do something like this, especially as it keeps viewer attention over the break.

This NDE can be completely inconsequential and just out of the blue, much like some of the other NDE's have been. However, since the shooting is the only NDE not accounted for right now, I'm going to be focusing on that one.

There are some BTS pictures with some SWAT cars, I think that's a red herring. Everyone is going to make it out of there alive.

Given that the shooter was targeting first responders, specifically firefighters, we can take that fact and apply it to the possible NDE.

That being, Brad only knows one other member of the 118, Buck. He wants revenge against Bobby for leaving him alone on Hotshots, so he does something to Buck. I think Brad will be a recurring figure in ep 8, and in the last few minutes, the accident will occur.

What I want that to be, is Brad following Buck around and hitting him with his car. It could then be a redo of the Shannon death, where Eddie is the only one who can save Buck, and thus give him a reason to work through all of that trauma that has not been mentioned in the show since.

Do I think Buck will be saved in that episode, I really have no clue. It could go one of two ways, the screen blacks out with a flatline, or Buck is saved and Eddie realizes something. I don't think he can realize anything in the last few minutes (or possibly seconds) of the show, but it could start it.

I have more thoughts about why I think a car accident NDE for Buddie would be the way they bring up the whole Shannon thing again, but that is a whole other theory. So send me an ask if you want me to explain that more.

As far as what Tim said about bringing it all back to the beginning of the season, I think it will either Chris calling Eddie and saying he wants to go home, or Buck getting hit by the car (since he almost got hit by one when he was on the highway in ep 3)

I also really want Hen to have a storyline in the next two episodes, but I'm not sure if there is 1. time or 2. a good idea that doesn't involve family problems, since the writers can't seem to think of anything else for them.

(the only think i can think of, though, does play into my forbidden theory. it's forbidden because I both don't want to speak it and don't want it to happen, but these writers like to play with my emotions too much, so I know it's a large possibility. it may involve a miscarriage and dealing with the loss of a wanted child, something that hen has experienced in her own way the the hell of an adoption process her and Karen have gone through, where she can be there for chim. but again, I really don't want that to happen.)

Anyway, here's my crackpot theory. Don't know if any of that is going to happen, but we'll see.

[artoatsblog]

Half-Life/portal/tf2 crossover but it's a 2000's cartoon au

Gordon Freeman is our blank slate protagonist, he's 11 and just moved to town, He's bullied and doesn't have any friends until he finds out he has superpowers and it's his job to save his new town.

Chell is a goth girl who acts as (essentially) Gordon's moral compass.

Wheatley is a Mr crocker type teacher who hates Gordon and helps Caroline take over the town.

Caroline is the principal whose alternate supervillain form (named GLaDOS) main power is summoning "the all powerful nine".

They may or may not be based on the Mercs from tf2

Speeding sound (scout) is a black and white cartoon character put into the modern day, he dresses like a baseball player and in the first episode he appears in the main way of defeating him is not giving him any attention.

Powerful patriot (Soldier) is the most """Noble""" of the nine he has a skewed sense of justice and looks like a 6 ft raccoon wearing teared up army clothes he found in the dumpster probably.

Innocent inferno (Pyro) just wants to make everyone happy, granted this happiness comes from being hypnotized, but it's the thought that counts, he's/she's/they're a unicorn that looks like they're being taken over by dragon DNA, although only the unicorn parts can be seen when they're pals (victims) hypnotized to have a more "friendly" look.

Almighty alpha (demo) is a beach bum because that's the closest I can get to a PG alcoholic, He's also a wolf because... I needed another word that started with a, instead of being just connected to wizards he is one, he mostly uses his powers to hypnotize people to like him because he is very lonely and sad.

Dreaded dyr (Heavy) rarely comes to earth himself because he finds conquering humans child's Play, closest thing to a leader the nine have and looks like whatever a fat/jacked skeletor would look like.

Boastin' bronco (engineer) thinks that all humans are inferior to him, acts "real nice" to them but secretly hates every single one, he's a robot cowboy because why would you expect him to be anything else.

Medical malpractice (medic) is no angel despite his looks, similar to bronco he finds humans weak however unlike bronco he wants to improve humans by taking his favorite parts of the animal kingdom and forcing humans to be just a bit more like them, he has a human body but dove like wings, a eyeball for a head and a doctor's coat design to look like an angel's robe.

Sharp shooter (sniper) is a croc from the down under(world) doesn't talk to people and mainly stays up high to avoid being touched, He's literally just sniper but a crocodile in terms of appearance.

And finally, Shimmering shadow (spy) has the ability to possess anyone with the only downside being that the right arm is all under control of the original person he possessed, he is a pure black shadow in 2D.

[lastweeksshirttonight]

Did you want my notes on Strike Force Five episode one? No? TOO BAD! YOU'RE GETTING THEM!

(Heavy spoilers for episode 1 if you plan on listening soon!)

- I love the show's overall vibe and the "roles" that all of the guys play. It's definitely a free-wheeling, off the rails kind of show, where everyone is rambling over each other; the personalities involved can make or break this kind of podcast, and everyone thankfully is playing to their strengths.

Kimmel serves as the overall show runner and is seemingly the only one endeavoring to keep anything on track, which is a slightly thankless job with this group, but he's got a soundboard and all his radio experience guiding him. Colbert also leans into being the other "elder statesman", as it were, but is much easier to derail (and provides his own episode eclipsing derail I'll talk about later). Fallon is surprisingly reserved and a bit awkward - I'm not the hugest fan of Fallon, but in this podcast, that energy serves him pretty well. Kimmel introduces Seth as "the cute one" and he seems the most neutral so far, just there to ask questions and crack jokes. And John is their super sarcastic "evil teammate" who occasionally interjects to just destroy everyone. Perfect dynamics, 10/10, no notes.

- Seth qualifies his eyes as ocean blue. John says they're Gatorade blue. I don't think I've ever laughed harder at a description of someone's eyes.

- There's a point where I assume there must have been a really blunt edit, because Fallon changes the topic abruptly to having a doctorate. Otherwise, I love the image of Fallon just sitting on that revelation and WAITING, BURSTING to talk about how he has a doctorate, while everyone else talks about Kimmel getting paid summers off.

- Everyone mention multiple times that they have sponsors and are doing this show to help pay their staff during the strikes, which is lovely. This does not mean they aren't taking the piss out of their sponsors. I never thought I'd hear worse ad copy reading than I do on The Jeff Gerstmann Show (I love Jeff, don't get me wrong, but his ad copy screaming is hilariously bad), but the Casamigos ad in this is something else. John spends most of his reading time shitting on a bleeped-out competitor that he calls "not fit for human consumption", Stephen says "you're gonna wanna wipe your ass with it" and likens it to the smoothness of sheets you make love on, there's a disembodied "woo" at some point, Seth stumbles all over a few Spanish words, and Fallon delivers his lines in his awful fake French Timothee Chalamet puppet voice. It's pure chaos and I love it so much.

- Kimmel referring to "the despicable Matt Damon" made me so happy.

- John has never done a deposition. Kimmel saying "I'm surprised you're not in prison" gets lost which is sad, that's a fucking hilarious joke.

- Fallon tells an amazing story about his mom being a nun for a week. She left after being reprimanded for taking Lifesavers into the nunnery and then left. My late aunt and best friend, who was also a nun, probably would have loved Jimmy's mom, as she was always going on wine tastings and picked the order she joined entirely based on who would let her continue to drink after taking her vows. Jimmy also has a picture of his mom dressed as a nun holding a doll dressed as a nun, which is absurd and adorable.

- This leads to everyone but Seth confessing that they'd all thought about becoming priests at some point. That doesn't shock me about Stephen at all, tbf, knowing how religious he is.

- I have to shamefully admit that when John mentioned that he told his father he wanted to be a vicar, my brain went to an extremely Fleabag place and I had to rewind the podcast once I snapped out of it and realized I'd missed like 3 minutes of jokes (including a fantastic one from Seth about John having a doll of himself as a child, like Fallon's mom's nun doll).

- "Don't you want a whole new crop of relatives to visit and entertain?" "Do you wanna get cancelled?! :D" The two Jimmys everyone.

- Stephen reveals who he has everyone saved as in his phone, to prevent people from figuring out who his contacts are if his phone gets stolen. John's is Joliver, which 1) was his name as written on TDS scripts to differentiate him from Jon Stewart, and 2) as everyone points out, is a VERY easy code to crack. Don't really need Sherlock for that one.

- ONE OF US ALERT: Stephen collects weird late night shit, like a hat from The Chevy Chase Show (John literally goes "WOW") and a silk jacket from The Pat Sajak Show. I am very jealous of this collection.

- Next episode everyone will talk about first episodes. I cannot wait to hear John talk about how all over the place his first episode is.

- The big story, running joke, and completely wild admission from this episode - Stephen Colbert has a pair of Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza's pants. Fallon asks how no one outbid him, and it turns out his MOTHER had them BECAUSE SHE DATED HIM. His uncle went to LaSalle Military Academy with Somoza, and Somoza stayed with them during holiday breaks. Everyone else in the room picks up on the idea that Stephen's mom probably slept with a dictator (or as Kimmel says, "made love to a murderer"), Seth claims his mom drinks coffee out of Ferdinand Marcos' skull, and every other male figure Stephen brings up for the rest of the episode is assumed to be someone his mom slept with.

If you asked me before listening to this podcast if I thought there were going to be a pile of elevated "your mom" jokes holding it together, I would have pretty strongly said "no". Surprises at every turn in this pod.

The beginning of this story also captures John SO STRONGLY, and he wants to hear everything about it. Definite Bugle vibes there, this man will never not want to hear about weird dictator facts. He also manages to completely kill Seth by saying "Anastasio Somoza's pants, brought to you by Casamigos".

- Finally, I have already sent an email to the show asking about Planet of the Bass, to make up for my complete failure to ask at the Q&A. I got y'all, we'll get this answer some day.

[accio-victuuri]

Yuli Entertainment’s interview SBMS exclusive interview with Xiao Zhan ☀️

Xiao Zhan: I have some questions about Shengyang

"The value of an actor lies in using his work to speak and having a very real feedback connection with the audience."

At the end of 2019, Xiao Zhan had just celebrated his 28th birthday. He received the script of "The Sun Is With Me" and met the 26-year-old Sheng Yang in the script.

About the same age and having similar work experiences, there seems to be some wonderful connection between Sheng Yang and Xiao Zhan. Coupled with the lively and lovable characters in the script, it seems to be an obvious choice to take on the drama.

In Xiao Zhan's work resume, he has played the roles of a lonely and cold prince, a young man with infinite sincerity, a soldier who strives to break through himself, a doctor who is cold on the outside and hot on the inside, etc. These roles have given Xiao Zhan different life experiences. But he still seems to be missing a life-flow work - after Sheng Yang met the audience, this role filled the gap.

The script took more than three years to write. Xiao Zhan also experienced some of his own growth during these three years, which made him have some doubts about his firm choice of Shengyang, "I At 31 years old, how can I play the role of a young brother who is new to the world and has no experience in the world? Can I convince the audience?" In his heart, Xiao Zhan asked himself repeatedly.

Xiao Zhan told screenwriter Li Xiao all these questions.

The original Sheng Yang was lively and innocent, with endless energy. In Li Xiao's words, "He was a sunny and light character." This was also Xiao Zhan's initial feelings about Sheng Yang, but such a character was very Soon there was a round of challenges.

After writing more than 20 episodes of the script, Li Xiao's emotional life has changed, and he has a deeper understanding of the love story between his younger brother and his older sister. "The younger brother who really wants to fall in love must be very mature in his Temperament and ideas." Li Xiao said.

26-year-old Sheng Yang actually has several years of work experience. Should he still be a big boy who doesn't understand the world? Is it possible that I admired Jian Bing for ten years because of an advertisement ten years ago? Should Sheng Yang be a completely straight-forward and passionate character? Can I fall in love with my sister Jian Bing just based on pure love?

These questions seemed to have different answers in Li Xiao's mind. At this time, Xiao Zhan met Li Xiao for the first time at the script planning meeting.

Xiao Zhan's doubts and Li Xiao's thoughts collided at the same time, "Sister Li Xiao and I have met each other late." In Xiao Zhan's eyes, Li Xiao is a person who is very serious about work. The two people's thoughts about Sheng Yang We hit it off right away at the first script meeting.

Xiao Zhan was worried that he might not interpret well the "image of a fledgling, inexperienced younger brother" that was almost overthrown by Li Xiao, and he transformed into a more resolute character, a bit stubborn, and a more serious Sheng Yang. He is no longer a novice in the workplace, but a character with strong personal abilities, inner aspirations, and a sense of maturity.

When encountering difficulties, Sheng Yang is responsible; he also has his own persistence when he extends an olive branch to Jian Bing after losing his job; choosing to start a business is not a young and energetic impulse or a hothead, "We want the audience to believe that Sheng Yang After everything he has gone through, I believe in the decisions he has made," Xiao Zhan said.

Xiao Zhan participated in such script meetings three times in total. The communication with Li Xiao also extended from the script itself to the two people's taste in art. "We will talk about some of the works we have watched recently, and she will recommend many to me." I also saw interesting movies, TV series, and even FM and audio books through her recommendations, and I saw a lot of good works that I had never seen before.”

It is in this atmosphere that Sheng Yang's image becomes more and more full-in Xiao Zhan's heart, Sheng Yang is no longer just a cold description like words, but outlines a complete character portrait. All Sheng Yang's choices The motivations become clear. Only by convincing yourself can the audience have the possibility to believe. Sheng Yang's changes finally gave Xiao Zhan the confidence to perform.

"Now Shengyang has a clear growth line, and the family atmosphere is also clearer. His sense of responsibility and ability, as well as his ability to withstand stress, have improved. His relationship with Jian Bing has also become more grounded and more capable. Make people believe it." In the three years of script creation, Sheng Yang, like Xiao Zhan, has grown up.

"SBMS" was filmed in Chongqing, a city where Xiao Zhan has lived and can give him a sense of security. It may be easier to find the "sense of life" desired in the play in such a city.

Even so, Xiao Zhan was still a little nervous before joining the group, "What I'm particularly worried about is actually that I want to interpret the character of Sheng Yang in a very life-like and natural way. If I can make everyone feel that Xiao Zhan is not acting, but If he is Sheng Yang, then it will be successful."

How to interpret a life-like character is a lesson that Xiao Zhan must complete.

Director Song Xiaofei once took Xiao Zhan to Shengyang's home. After entering Shengyang's room, Xiao Zhan first stopped and looked around to familiarize himself with the environment. Then he went to tidy up the quilt and pillows he was going to sleep on. He sat on the sofa again, then got up, came to the desk, and adjusted all the ornaments on the desk to where he could easily reach them.

"I particularly like the Shengyang family. The art teachers in "SBMS" are very good. They made the Shengyang family very life-like. So when I walked in, I didn't feel like I was acting at all. Instead, it felt like I had already I’ve lived here for a long time.”

In Shengyang's room, Xiao Zhan seemed to see the house where he lived when he was a child. Whether it was the living atmosphere or the environment, everything was too similar.

With such an atmosphere, Xiao Zhan wants to show the role of Sheng Yang better. Therefore, he is always a little nervous, "I have never acted in such a life-oriented drama, and I will be a little uneasy." From the first day of filming, Xiao Zhan would send the director a message every day. information.

"Director, do you think there are any adjustments today?"

"Director, do you think this is okay?"

"How do you feel?"

"How about the scene tomorrow?"

Xiao Zhan likes the feeling of being in the sun on the set of "SBMS". He communicates, discusses, and creates with the director every day. For Xiao Zhan, this is a way to make progress.

On the first day after joining the group, Xiao Zhan's first scene was the scene where Sheng Yang met Jian Bing in a restaurant ten years later. Song Xiaofei deliberately put this important scene on the first day of filming in order to retain Xiao Zhan's character. The feeling of just getting to know Bai Baihe is exactly what the character needs.

Recalling the first day of filming, Xiao Zhan thought it was "quite fun." On the second day, when filming the scene where Jian Bing was drunk and Sheng Yang took care of her in the hotel, Bai Baihe's acting skills brought some touches to him. .

"The plot of that part was that Jian Bing asked for a song. Sheng Yang asked what the title of the song was. Jian Bing looked at Sheng Yang and said, "I really love you." What impressed me deeply was the look in Sister Bai's head when she raised her head. This was very shocking to me at the time. I saw the light in her eyes and her whole state directly and closely, and I really learned a lot."

The excellent performance of the opponent actor also inspired Xiao Zhan's energy. In the subsequent scenes where Sheng Yang muttered to himself, Xiao Zhan's performance was more refined than when he was walking.

Director Song Xiaofei is always good at capturing the impromptu reactions of actors under the camera, and that reaction is the most real and the most touching to the audience. Xiao Zhan said: "In the play "SBMS," I Just do subtraction, don’t think too much about the design or anything else, it’s enough to just immerse yourself in the character.”

Sheng Yang's lines are life-like, but they also convey viewpoints. To be able to express these views without preaching is a test of the screenwriter's creative ability, and it is also a test of the actor's line performance.

Director Song Xiaofei does not ask the actors to say their lines exactly according to the script, which makes it seem a bit rigid. Most of them do not deviate from the original settings of the script, and the actors can handle it as they feel comfortable. "This is similar to the costume dramas I have made before. There are still some differences. For costume dramas, there is his own way of segmenting lines and saying words." Xiao Zhan said.

In addition to family, love and other story lines, Sheng Yang's work scenes are also very important. When walking into Shengyang's office, Xiao Zhan, who had also been a designer, even had a sense of time travel. "Those work stations, hand-drawn tablets, pens, and even the office and design software in the computer are all too familiar." Sitting at Shengyang's workstation, Xiao Zhan will feel relaxed.

"Although these software are not commonly used now, and the technology is a bit degraded, it is still possible to make some pictures and cut some short films when filming." While waiting for the scene on the set, Xiao Zhan would occasionally make two random sketches on the draft paper. , this sense of atmosphere created an inexplicable connection between him and the character Sheng Yang.

In "SBMS", there is a scene that moved the audience and called out the truth: Sheng Yang lost his job due to a certain project accident, but he did not complain to his parents. Instead, he behaved as usual every day and went out to find a job at the designated time. , go home on time to accompany your parents.

Xiao Zhan fully understands Sheng Yang who reports good news but not bad news, because the way he gets along with his family is similar to Sheng Yang. Xiao Zhan likes the noisy but harmonious way of getting along with each other in the play, " Parents will quarrel and have arguments, but they love each other very much, are very happy, and are very beautiful." During the filming of "SBMS", Xiao Zhan's parents visited him twice. For Xiao Zhan, This is also a kind of happiness.

The audience said that "Sheng Yang is Xiao Zhan in the parallel world." Sheng Yang, a Chongqing native and designer, has a high degree of similarity with Xiao Zhan. Xiao Zhan himself also felt that "in the process of playing Sheng Yang, I will It's a little bit unconscious." For example, Sheng Yang and Xiao Zhan would scratch their heads when they were shy.

"But I'm also afraid that everyone will feel this way." Xiao Zhan said, "I'm afraid that the audience will project their feelings and emotions towards Xiao Zhan onto this character. Although Sheng Yang and I have the same career, in fact we are in the same profession. The personalities are still different, Xiao Zhan may be quieter and more stable, while Shengyang is more outgoing."

There will definitely be some connection between the character and the actor himself. The real reaction given during the filming may include Xiao Zhan's own temperament in some of Sheng Yang's scenes, but this does not mean that Sheng Yang is the actor. Xiao Zhan.

If the audience feels that Sheng Yang seems to be truly living in a certain time and space, it may also mean that Xiao Zhan's interpretation of this character has achieved a landing effect. The "sense of life" he wants to show has been The audience approved.

Broadcasting three TV series in one year is a very rare achievement for an actor. Xiao Zhan also knows clearly, "The value of an actor lies in using his works to speak and having a very real feedback connection with the audience." In the future, TV series are still Xiao Zhan’s main development direction, what will be his next work?

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

For Taskmaster s18e03, I said I’m not liveblogging that one, because I was exhausted after a long and shitty week that involved a significant spike in anxiety, and once I’d finally reached the weekend and could have some blessed relief from trying to go to work through this, I just wanted to curl up under my weighted blanket and passively consume my comfort show. The week of Taskmaster s18e04, there was no liveblogging because I didn’t watch the episode that week, because I was busy dealing with a significant escalation in the sudden spike in anxiety issues, having panic attacks at work, terrified of losing my job, getting called into a meeting with my boss to discuss my “performance issues” such as [list of anxiety symptoms that included “hand wringing” and “rapid breathing” and other things that I normally try incredibly hard to cover up at work but it turns out that two weeks of being too burned out and anxious to mask is enough to ruin everything], became unable to function for a bit.

Anyway, today there will be liveblogging, because I saw a doctor, got a prescription for new anxiety meds and a note for six weeks of medical leave from work, so suddenly, I have a ridiculous amount of time on my hands, enough time to easily make watching Taskmaster take 2 hours instead of 1 (which is what happens when I stop to liveblog, for some reason, even though it doesn’t seem like it should take that long). My life is an absolute mess, but bright side, there’s time for Taskmaster!

I’ve started and abandoned several different posts in which I explain what’s happened lately, because venting on Tumblr is a go-to resource when I'm having a bad time and want to express that, but while I was in the middle of it I didn’t have the energy to write anything – hence the lack of any posts for a little while – and this one sort of feels too real-world big to share on Tumblr (…I reserve the right to go back on that if I feel differently later this week and want to write a post about how hard it is to be a therapist for autistic and often anxious kids, while trying to appear to be a person who does not have any of these problems of my own). So instead, I’m going to return to Tumblr posting with:

Thoughts on Taskmaster s18e04, written as I watch it (five days late):

- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the insulting intros where Greg Davies implies Alex Horne is right-wing in a really specific way are the funniest ones.

- My immediate thought after hearing the prize task category: Cobra Kai DVDs. I know a lot of people who say “badass” unironically (I may… occasionally, in the right environment, which is not Tumblr, be one of those people myself), and they all talk exactly like Johnny Lawerence. Karate Kid movies would work as something that actually are badass, but no one uses the word there (the good guys would never use such a word because they’re too busy using the force, which is magical in an only slightly racist way, while the bad guys are too purely evil to say fun stuff like “badass”), Cobra Kai drops some excellent uses of the word in an accurate context.

…I wrote that whole paragraph before remembering that Cobra Kai was released way too recently to be out on DVD. Burn them yourself, then, that’s even better. Piracy is badass.

- Emma Sidi’s prize has big “owned this anyway, wanted to bring it in, found the prize category where she could most easily shoehorn it” energy. But fair enough. If I owned a statue of a baby angel with sunglasses on, and I got called up to Taskmaster, I would do the same.

-

[Sam Campbell voice] I've got nothing but love for the boys from above...

- I get Babatunde's slang ("ends") that confused Greg, because I have seen Ahir Shah's latest stand-up show. I am still unimpressed by sneakers, but I'm pleased that I apparently know more British slang terms than Greg Davies. I feel very cultured.

- Rosie Jones' prize initially had me thinking "I'm sorry, but Josh Widdicombe ruined tattoo-based task fulfillment for everyone else, way back in season one. This would be fine out of context, but in context, no temporary tattoo will ever look any good next to his permanent sacrifice for Taskmaster." But by the end of her explanation, she had me more on board. Threatening to kill someone for a couple of prize task points is pretty good.

-

This has always been true. I'm just sorry it took the TV industry until you were almost 50 years old to realize it, Zaltor the Merciless (by the way, let's bring back that nickname).

- Bad art of a bad ass. I knew you wouldn't let me down, Zaltor. Four episodes in, and his prizes are a sea of lies, puns, and one that's just an historical reference.

- Not fair scoring. Emma and Babatunde's prizes were both better than Jack's.

- Ed mentioned on the podcast that there was a continuous argument with Andy Zaltzman about how far to take the costume, when he wanted it into the realms of the impractical. It appears he won on this day, as he enters the task with not just the helmet on but the face mask down, gloves on, bat in hand. Good day to be Zaltor.

- Oh, I like this. Nice simple task with lots of different ways to interpret it, a bit more time than usual (half an hour is a lot for the UK version, this days). This has the "vibe" of one of the NZ tasks, in a good way.

-

...Jack, are you under the impression that the stuff you've already said about how "identity politics" and "cancel culture" and "mental health problems becoming too fashionable these days" (I might be particularly annoyed about that last one at the moment) are ruining society isn't enough in that direction to make people dislike you? You probably don't need to push the envelope a lot further than that, we get the idea.

-

- I've recently re-watched the TV show Starstruck, and I'm pleased to see that Emma Sidi in real life is the same person as her character on that show.

- ...Zaltor, I would like to apologize for not having assumed that your full costume was complete with the jock strap. Obviously that was there too.

- I like Emma's literal interpretation, but this seems like a case where you maybe do want to steal from previous seasons, perhaps Rob Beckett with the pea. Just put the envelope in a wheelbarrow and push it around the garden for the whole time. Or, if you want to argue that "farthest" means it ends up far away and not just that it moves a lot, leave the grounds and push it down the sidewalk for 30 minutes.

- Now that I know Emma's outfit is meant to be Cluzo, I can see it so clearly. Like I said before, it's a perfect character to invoke. Hey, I've just remembered I have a ridiculous amount of time on my hands for a while, I should actually re-watch those movies.

...Oh God, they're going to be racist, aren't they? I remember that when I was a kid, because I loved the Pink Panther movies so much, my dad showed me another Peter Sellers movie The Party, and I know I definitely should not go back to that one, the racism in that one was overt enough to be quite clear even in my memory ~25 years later. Pink Panther can't be as bad as that, can it? I might have to find out. I'm sure Jack Dee would say that even asking this question is ruining society.

- Oh look! Rosie Jones is making chocolate milk (apparently, according to those barbarians in Britain).

- Oh, no, according to Greg in the studio, it's actually a smoothie. I was joking about it being chocolate milk because it's not actually that, but it's definitely not a smoothie either. British people need to sort out their drinks labels.

- This is a bit weird, but for some reason, this shot of the house before Jack Dee comes outside is the first time since I've started watching this season that I've had a moment of: "Oh my God! I know that place! I saw it! I saw that house!"

Taken when I was in London on July 30, 2024:

I saw it! The little TM on the door! I walked beside those hedges! That's so cool!

- ...I'm not a fan of Jack Dee, and therefore, I'm not a fan of having to admit that he is doing exactly what I saw a few minutes ago I thought would be the correct way to do this task. Down to using the wheelbarrow. Fine, he gets credit for that.

I am, however, a big fan of getting to say: I saw this! I saw that road he's walking down! I walked all along there! If you follow that along the river for about 25 minutes, you get to the bandstands where they did location tasks in the earlier seasons!

Jack Dee:

Taken by me on July 30, 2024:

Annoyingly I don't have a picture of the exact spot where Jack is walking in that picture, slightly further along. But it's pretty close.

- Jack Dee:

My picture:

I mean, that's fucking cool. It's a lovely walk.

- ...Yeah, Jack Dee's attempt was fun. The editors get some credit here too though, nice choice with the music and shooting it like a reflective movie scene.

- This could be a Bugle monologue. The stuff Andy Zaltzman is shouting at that inanimate object, I could absolutely see a character in his Bugle lies shouting that at something. It turns out that Zaltor the Merciless has been pushing the envelope for years!

- Interesting choice for Babatunde to put milk in the envelope and then reveal that he can't drink milk.

- I can't get over how much fun Andy Zaltzman is having on this show.

Closest we'll see Andy come to breaking apart a cow, given that he wasn't there on that one night in 2003.

- That should have been one point for Baba and two for Emma. Emma did push it, just not very far. Baba hardly did anything. A bowl isn't even that different from an envelope, he didn't push it literally and he barely pushed it metaphorically.

- I'd have gone five points to Andy and four to Jack because Andy pushed it in two different ways ("pushed the envelope" into telling him the information, the way a cop might "push" any suspect into a confession; and "pushed the envelope" by using extreme rule-breaking methods to get that confession) while Jack only used one. But they were both good, to be fair, I don't have a big problem with doing it the way Greg did.

- Going with the hot dog costume on a location task, that's an interesting choice. I'd speculate about the logic behind that choice if I thought there was any rhyme or reason to Baba's decisions on this show.

- How appropriate. A creepy Halloween-type task for the creepy abandoned theme park location (since the first episode, I have learned that it is Thorpe Park, which is definitely not abandoned, but they've still done a very good job so far of making it look like a creepy abandoned theme park in the location tasks - a place that seems like enormous fun to run around doing tasks, probably less fun to attend as an actual theme park).

- Laugh all the time and don't walk too fast - I need to take back what I said about them not adapting the tasks for Rosie Jones. This one was clearly created to just be what she does anyway. Good stuff.

- Where are they? Does Thorpe Park have an actual maze, or house of mirrors or something, where they're doing this? Or did they build a whole creepy maze just for this task?

- I love Emma having no time for Alex's bullshit. Nope, not playing your creepy maze game. Let's get out of the horror movie.

- A few attempts in, and I'm getting the impression that this task isn't great for opportunities for the cast to be funny or show creativity, but is mainly made for a lot of opportunities for creepy shots of various people walking around a maze like an horror movie. Which is also fun. Sometimes the editors have to have fun too.

- Wait, they're letting Babatunde get away with that? I watched to the end of the task before writing this, since I assumed they'd penalize him. That was definitely running in the maze, he broke that rule hard. Andy sped up for maybe two seconds right at the end, Baba sped up for ages. They could all have done it in thirty seconds if they'd been allowed to run like that (...except possibly Rosie). Absolute bullshit, especially as it's getting doubled.

- I like "It's a wind-up" turning into a catchphrase for Emma Sidi. Good Taskmaster catchphrase.

- I also enjoy the running theme of Emma Sidi being incredibly supportive of Rosie Jones, all the time, no matter what Rosie is yelling about. I noticed it several times over the first few episodes.

- This is one of those tasks where the criteria is about number of errors rather than "fastest wins", so I'd take ages trying to guess the pattern before starting, and probably run into the fifteen-minute time limit. I'd probably also run around the house looking for clues before picking anything.

- I see Baba and Jack are also borrowing from early seasons, going for the Frank Skinner with the pie approach. Just try to magically sense what's in there with no strategy whatsoever.

- Ohhh, I see. Don't trust sound people and make-up artists becuase they're sneaking a locket into your pocket. To be fair to Baba and Jack I don't know if I'd have gotten that any faster; I was thinking there would be some alphabetical pattern.

- Rosie Jones straight-up robbing the crew. That's why they booked her.

- Oh, that's rough for Rosie, getting penalized for picking five pockets of her own, even after working out that it was on her, before finding the locket. Basically losing out because she happened to choose an outfit that's full of pockets.

- Well I'm pleased that this time it was Andy, not Jack, who had the same instinct as I did. Run around outside the lab, looking for clues, before picking any pockets at all. Unfortunately, it appeared to yield nothing. Good try by bringing in a bit of wood and seeing if he can claim it's a locket, though. I like Alex sounding slightly annoyed when replying "It's not a locket and it wasn't in a pocket." Like he's had enough of Andy's bullshit throughout these tasks.

- Oh, they brought back the Richard Red Herring from season 13! That's fun.

- Alex rolling his eyes after Andy announces "I'll use [my remaining 4.5 minutes] wisely" is pretty funny too. Come on, Zaltor, you can do it! You're so close, by saying you know it needs to be "an alternative pocket".

- This image should be the Taskmaster promo poster:

- Andy's slow journey from being sure he can find useful clues, to trying to come up with lateral locket definitions, to saying he never liked lockets and giving up, is even more of a "tragic old man reflective movie scene" than Jack's walk along the river.

- Emma! Yes, you go, Emma! That's actually quite an Inspector Cluzo move, to not do anything but just accidentally fall into getting the correct answer. I was thinking that during the earlier attempts, too - there must have been time between the crew sneaking it into their pockets, and when they started filming this task. Did these people just never put a hand in their pocket in the intervening time? I'm constantly reaching in my pockets to make sure all my stuff is where it should be. Fucking right, Emma.

- I was thinking this was quite a classic Andy Zaltzman approach, trying to come up with a new definition for "locket", but I had no idea how Zaltzman he'd gone until he revealed in the studio that he considered checking in a snooker club.

This was what I wanted when the season 18 names were first announced - to get the joy of seeing people who don't already know Andy Zaltzman, react to Andy Zaltzman. But I was thinking about seeing that on Tumblr, and maybe occasionally having a peek at the subreddit. It hadn't thought about how much fun it would be just to look at the contestants' faces, such as these ones when Andy explains that he thought the answer might be snooker:

I've been hugely enjoying Emma in the studio throughout this season. Her defences of her own prizes and task attempts are always fun, very eager and earnest and insistent. I also like how quick she is to jump in and defend Rosie Jones all the time. And it's fun how she seems to frequently be the opposite of Andy, just shocked that he could ever think any of this is a good idea. (A view that she confirmed on last week's podcast, saying she called Andy a prick in the studio even though she basically agreed with him, but "He was annoying me.")

- Even more references to older seasons in the live task, with Patatas the cat being back once again. I briefly wondered if that monster is the one from the season 10 live task, but I've checked that task description and it's not the same.

- ...Have now finished watching the live task, still don't really understand what was meant to happen. I guess they were supposed to take longer than that to get to 22. I also guess that live tasks are the only ones they can't drop from the edit if they turn out not to work. All right. These things happen.

- Well that was a good time. Can't wait to hear Andy on the podcast explain why he never puts his hands in his pockets. And the nice thing about having a breakdown that delays my Taskmaster watching by five days is I only have to wait two for the next one! That's good.

[bluegalaxygirl]

Old Friends (Zosan X reader) P4

Plot: Reader is the 9th doctors old assistant but soon moved on to other things, joining the straw hat pirates and falling in love but now their paths cross again (only he has a new face, 10th Doctor) when they go to see an old friend in a strange hospital. Unfortunately there's some one else there that wants to start trouble.

One piece and Doctor who cross over (10th doctor), its based off the new earth episode. i thought since David tenant as the doctor is coming back in November it would be good to get this idea out.

Reader is Female (Sorry), Zoro X Sanji X reader, Poly relationship, established relationship.

Warning: Illness, Death, Bad language and Violence.

P1 - P2 - P3 - P5 - P6 - P7 - P8 - P9 - P10 - P11 - P12 - P13 - P14 - P15

Getting into the pure white elevator Chopper goes to press a button only to realize there isn't any, you pat his head with a small laugh "Floor 26" The doctor calls out, the elevator dinging and closing its doors starting to move "Don't freak out about the disinfectant ok?" you keep chopper close to you as he nods at you, without warning liquid showers you all down from the ceiling, it smells very strong of medication and disinfectant but you've been though this before letting it happen and keeping your mouth closed while the doctor leans back a bit running a hand through his hair. Once it stops Sanji sighs moving his hair out of his face while Chopper shivers a little "Cold" You rub the reindeer's head as the drys turn on, warming up the elevator and drying you all off in seconds. Choppers fur puff up making Zoro laugh and bend down to help pat the reindeer's fur down. The doctor can't help but let out a laugh only for you to elbow him in the side "Sorry, sorry" The doctor puts his arms up in defense as the elevator doors open. Sanji takes your hand and walks out the elevator with you and the others, the hallway has white walls and a nurses station along with a few large rooms lining the halls with big windows in them. "Can i help you?" A sweet voice calls out from the desk seeing you all approach "Were here to see the face of Boa" The doctor takes the lead as Zoro walks up next to you and rubs your back to sooth you, anxiety wells up inside as the Nurse walks you all into a large room with multiple hospital beds lining the wall but right at the end you see him. The sleeping giant head in a large tank filled with light gas a rack of bags at his side all linked up to the back of his tank "He's been in and out for a while but there's nothing more we can do for him, i'm glad he at least has some visitors, I'll leave you all too it, if you need anything I'll be outside" The nurse bows at you all before leaving.

Chopper's eyes widen in wonder walking over to the rack full of bags looking them over and trying to read the labels on them, you let go of Sanji's hand and walk over to the tank kneeling down in front of it as the Doctor joins you. The big head doesn't look well at all, he has dark bags under his eyes along with pale skin and the once bright blue orbs on his tentacles are now almost white. Sanji takes Zoro's hand, you told them about the head but it still shocks him to see a living head in a tank. Zoro notices the cook tense up and let's go of the mans hand to wrap it around his waist pulling the blonde man into him. Placing your hand on the cold glass the heads eyes open sensing your presence "Hay, I'm here, i look different but it's the doctor and Y/n's here too" The doctor smiles seeing his old friend awake and looking at the two of you "Doctor... Y/N" The heads voice is deep but smooth like always but you can tell its hard for him to speak with his breathing being so heavy and jagged "It's ok, you don't have to talk, were right here" You whisper to him letting a small smile show "You came" Boa smiles a little his large thick lips curling up only to fall back again "Of course, I can't say no to you big guy" You smile wider as Boa moves his head slightly to touch where your hand is still pressed against the glass "Tell me.... about your adventures" The head forces out his eyes shifting to you then the doctor "Oh we have so much to tell you" The doctor laughs placing a hand on you shoulder "But we haven't been working together for a while so you better stay alive long enough to listen" You laugh at the Doctors words, tears well up in your eyes "There's so much i have to tell you" you take in a shaky breath trying to clam yourself.

The head moves back up his eyes heavy "I'm glad.... i sent two" You nod at Boa happy that he did as well, you know why he would do that. The doctor gets a lot of letters so tends not to open them so if something is very important you'll get sent one to pass onto the doctor, its annoying at times but your glad for it. Boa closes his eyes falling back asleep neither you nor the Doctor stopping him, you wait for a minute before standing up only to feel hands around your waist. Turning you see Zoro pulling you into his chest for a hug while Sanji strokes your hair. You hug the swordsman back laying your head on his shoulder "Is there anything we can do?" You ask lifting your head off the green haired mans shoulder to look over at the doctor who stands and runs a hand through his hair "No... i don't think so" Chopper walks over to the Doctor and pats his leg as a sigh of comfort making the brown haired man smile down at him before looking over at the rack of bags "Do you know what they are?" The doctor asks walking over to rack followed by Chopper who trys to explain what he thinks they are. "Do you need anything love?" Sanji asks rubbing your back as he leans against Zoro "No but thank you for being here" you smile up at them leaning up to place a soft kiss on their cheeks before pulling away to look at Boa.

Boa would wake up and either you or the Doctor would sit with him telling his story's about your different adventures until he fell back asleep, the head seemed to enjoy them a lot never taking his eyes off the one who was talking but after an hour the Nurse came back in with more bags putting them up and attaching tubs back of the tank "What are they?" Chopper asks from his chair close to the rack, the cat nurse turns to him with a smile "Mostly electrolytes and Pain killers, we can cure a lot here but.. Not old age, unfortunately all we can do is make him comfortable" Her sweet voice made you all a lot calmer but you could tell the doctor was tense for some reason watching her every move. You always did wonder how they can cure every sickness with just fluid bags but just put it down to alien science that you wouldn't understand. Leaning back in your chair your eyes are mainly on the Doctor wondering what he's up to while Zoro leans on the back of your chair his hands on your shoulders lightly rubbing your back with his thumbs "You ok baby?" The swordsman leans down to whisper to you "Yea, thanks hunk" You reach a hand up and place it on his hand while leaning your head back to look up at him. Sanji rubs your leg while sitting in the chair next to you his eyes fixed on the view outside.

The nurse soon leaves wishing you all well before she goes "Y/n, do you ever wonder how they cure everything?" The doctor ask now standing in front of the rack of bags looking them over "I know where your going with this but their doctors and nurses, come form a planet of highly intelligent beings, i'm sure it just some kid of science stuff we can't understand. At the end of the day where here for Boa so please don't go running off and starting trouble" you sigh crossing your arms over your chest giving the doctor a stern look, the brown haired man looks over at you knowing that face too well "I mean it, i'm not getting kicked out of here because of you" The doctor sighs backing away form the rack "You right sorry" The man rubs the back of his head avoiding eye contact with you, Sanji holds in a laugh and squeezes your leg while Zoro leans down and kisses your cheek "That's my girl" The swordsman whispers earning a side eye form you only for him to laugh a little at it. Sudden coughing caught all your attentions, Boa coughed hard as the thin smoke in his tank started get thinner "I'll get the nurse" You jump up running out the room as Chopper and the Doctor try to help the head in some way, Sanji and Zoro step closer to Boa watching the doctor and Chopper try and calm the head down.

Running up to the nurses station you spot a cat nurse "Hay, Boa's coughing and his smoke is getting really thin, he won't be able to breath" you panic a little only for the nurse behind the desk to call out into one of the rooms, two other nurses walk out and nod heading into the ward with Boa in it "Don't worry, they can take care of it" That sweet voice again comes from the nurse behind the desk who leans over and places a gloved hand on your shoulder "We don't know much about Boa but you and your doctor friend seem to know about him quite a bit, we knew the smoke was important, but we didn't know it helps him breath" As the nurse explains you nod, there is only one of Boa in the entire galaxy so people are bound to only know his legend and nothing else. You calm down a bit and nod looking back to see the nurses working on the back of his tank "Since we don't know much i was wondering if you could give us some information on him" you turn back to the nurse as she speaks and nods "Yea, i'm more than happy to help. What do you need to know?" The nurse walks around the desk to be in front of you "You'll have to go down to the records room, i can't do it up here unfortunately, its on floor 5" You nod at her wrapping your arms around yourself while giving the nurse a small smile "Ok, could you tell them where i went, so they don't get worried" The nurse nods then bows to you before heading into the ward where Boa is while you go to the elevator.

Getting in you sigh and call out the floor, the elevator dings starting to go down but you close your eyes and keep your mouth shut as the disinfection wash starts. After getting dried the elevator opens and you step out only to look around in confusion, The hallway is very thin, lined with pipes and wires. The elevator doors close before you can get back in making you groan and press the button on the side waiting for it. A clattering noise echo's through the thin hallway causing you to jump a little at the sudden sound "Hello?" you call out seeing someone down the hall in a white hospital gown running into another hallway. It could be a lost patient but this doesn't seem like a place a patient would be "You ok? Do you need help?" you call out staying where you are hoping the elevators will open but it gives you no sigh that its coming back for you. The person form before peaks around the corner, he has black hair but almost pure white skin along with raised markings on his face and hands "Please.. Don't hurt me" The man cowers his voice shaky "It's ok, i'm not going to hurt you. are you lost?" you ask taking a step closer only for him to run away "Hay wait" you call out looking form the elevator back to where the man went "Your gonna get yourself killed one day Y/N" you groan to yourself speed walking down the hallway and round the corner the man went through only for something to spray in your face. Holding your mouth your back hits the wall while you cough feeling very light-headed and your vision becoming bury. A bury image of the man from before walks closer grabbing your arms lightly stopping you from falling onto the floor but now all you can see is blackness.

[strangesthirdeye]

LOST IN TIME AND SPACE ⟬ MCU x The Doctor! Female Reader ⟭

Disclaimers: This story is purely fictional and credit for the Characters and Storylines used goes to Marvel Studios and BBC Doctor Who and Y/n is you. This story has nothing to do with life or death. If anything, it's a coincidence. Some of the storylines I added in this story are mine.

Warning: mention of death, blood, regeneration, bad memories, injuries, wars, murder, betrayal, aliens, lots of aliens, Android, mind controlling, fluff, love, platonic , romantic, and more because its a lot of warnings.

As usual, forgive me if there are any language mistakes or confusing storylines.. also forgive me if there are grammatical mistakes.. English is not my first language. No hard feelings.

-Dhani

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:⠀ *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆*.: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆*.: ⋆*･ﾟ: .☽

Summary: She is the last of her kind. She was the only one survivor. The Lonely Time Lady, if you say so. Armed with a sonic screwdriver and a smart brain, nothing can stop her from saving the universe. Meet Y/n or better known as The Doctor. A Time Lady who joins the Avengers as soon as she sets foot on Earth with several companions who will be with her in various adventures.

Starting from The Avengers 2012.

Prologue: RUN!

Chapter 1: NEW BUDDIES!

Chapter 2: THAT BIG UGLY BUILDING?

Chapter 3: LION AND DEER

Bonus Chapter: Christmas special

Chapter 4: DIRTY PLANS

Chapter 5: TRUST ME, I'M THE DOCTOR

Chapter 6: When Joans meet L/n

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ:⠀ *⋆.*:･ﾟ .: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆*.: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆*.: ⋆*･ﾟ: .☽

This. Is. Important! Read. This. Or. You. Will. Be. Deleted! 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

So for this series It will be based on MCU and Doctor Who but for Doctor Who only a few episodes same goes to MCU because I want to make sure the Marvel Timeline is accurate. So in this series there are 'Big Changes' and 'Big Additions'.

For example, the big change is that the Daleks are not evil and the one who destroyed Gallifrey is the Mad Titan (Thanos) and the Daleks in this universe are good and they are the ones who help Gallifrey survive but Gallifrey is still destroyed and some Daleks are almost destroyed and yes Time lord, Time Lady and more Timey people are all extinct. BUT! Daleks are still there and yeah they are good.. not the EXTERMINATE! no.

Cyberman is still evil and still wants to make humans more advanced so there is not much change.

Sontarans.. umm I'm not sure yet.. maybe I'll make them some good or some bad.. not sure yet. ( don't cancel me.. Sontarans is my favorite potato sooo.. THEY SO UGLY BUT I LIKE THEM.. Idk why)

Weeping Angel is big no no for me.. they evil.. because of them I can't see Amy and Rory anymore... And they are so evil SO! no big change for this one.

And all the aliens that will be in this series I will make them either good or bad so that this series can run smoothly.

NOW! we go to the favourite part. So you are The Doctor in universe 616. Where the other Doctors is from another universe. So you are the 616 Doctor. yes, I use code universe from DSMoM because it's easy to label. And Big changes are, you regenerate as usual but you don't change your body and face.. just change your attitude or for healing process. But you can still die if you get stabbed or shot in both of your hearts during or before regeneration... Poisoned.. Drowned... Or Delete.

Yeah, like a period mood swing. So! Whether you change your behavior, be nice or rude, use nice language or use rude language, or whether you are gentle or aggressive is based on me ( cause I'm the Writer.. Your life in this story is in my hand). Whether I want to make you all nice or rude is all up to me....Now that part regeneration is finished.

So you're like a mix of 10th and 11th... you are hugely energetic, occasionally flirtatious, manic, full of life, and very expressive and you like round things. and fezs... Or bowties.. Or ties.. Or- anywayyyyy

You have a Robot named Bounty (basically like Wall E and Wall E is the cutest robot i ever seen) and your Companion is my OC. heh...

[nutty1005]

Xiao Zhan: About Sheng Yang, I have some questions

Original Article: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/OCkDuZW1tVMamPrWn__SYw Original Author: 肉英 Translator’s note: The original author is part of Yuli Studio, this article is published in Yuli Studio’s Weixin Official Account on 14 Sep 2023 as a part of “Behind the Screens” Volume 1107.

At the end of 2019, Xiao Zhan had just celebrated his 28th birthday. He had received the script of “Sunshine By My Side” and met the 26-year-old Sheng Yang in the script.

Around the same age and having similar work experiences, there seemed to be some wonderful connection between Sheng Yang and Xiao Zhan. Coupled with the lively and lovable characters in the script, it seemed to be an obvious choice to take on the drama “Sunshine By My Side”.

In Xiao Zhan’s work resume, he had portrayed the roles of a lonely and cold prince, a young man with infinite passion and sincerity, a soldier who strove to breakthrough himself, a doctor who was cold on the surface but passionate inside, etc. These roles had given Xiao Zhan different life experiences, but he still seemed to be missing a slice of life work – after Sheng Yang met the audience, this role filled the gap.

The script of “Sunshine By My Side” took more than three years to create, and during these three years, Xiao Zhan had also experienced some of his own growth, and this gave him some doubts about his previously firm choice of Sheng Yang, “I’m already 31 years old, how can I play the role of a younger man who is new and has no experience in the society? Can I convince the audience?” In his heart, Xiao Zhan asked himself repeatedly.

All of these questions, Xiao Zhan told screenwriter Li Xiao.

01

The original Sheng Yang was lively and innocent, his body was filled with endless energy. In Li Xiao’s words, “He was a sunny and light character.” This was also Xiao Zhan’s initial feelings about Sheng Yang, but soon, such a character experienced a round of challenges.

After writing more than 20 episodes of the script, Li Xiao’s emotional life had changed, and she had a deeper understanding of the love story between this younger man and older lady. “The younger man who really wants to properly fall in love must have a very mature temperament and thoughts.” Li Xiao said.

The 26-year-old Sheng Yang actually already had several years of work experience, should he still be a naive big boy? Is it possible that for him to admire Jian Bing for 10 years because of an advertisement 10 years ago, and should Sheng Yang be a completely straightforward and passionate character? Could he fall in love with the older lady Jian Bing just based on pure love?

These questions seemed to have different answers in Li Xiao’s mind, and it was also at this time, Xiao Zhan met Li Xiao for the first time at the script planning meeting.

Xiao Zhan’s doubts and Li Xiao’s thoughts collided at the same time, “Sister Li Xiao and I have met each other too late.” In Xiao Zhan’s eyes, Li Xiao is a person who is very serious about work, both of their thoughts about Sheng Yang hit it off right away at the first script meeting.

The “image of a fledgling, inexperienced younger man”, which Xiao Zhan was worried that he might not be able to interpret well, was almost overthrown by Li Xiao, and he was transformed into a more resolute character, a bit obstinate, and a more serious Sheng Yang. He was no longer a novice in the workplace, but a character with strong personal abilities, inner aspirations, and some sense of maturity.

When encountering difficulties, Sheng Yang was responsible; he also had his own persistence when Jian Bing offered her assistance after losing his job; his choice to start a business was not a decision of a youthful impulse and a hotheadedness, “We want the audience to believe that everything Sheng Yang has gone through, believe in the decisions he made,” Xiao Zhan said.

Xiao Zhan participated in such script meetings three times in total. The communication with Li Xiao also extended from the script itself to the two persons’ tastes in art. “We would talk about some of the works we have watched recently, and she would recommend many interesting movies, drama series, and even radio and audio books, and I saw a lot of good works that I had never seen before.”

It was in this atmosphere that Sheng Yang’s image becomes more and more rounded — in Xiao Zhan’s heart, Sheng Yang was no longer just a cold description of words, but there was an outline of a complete character portrait, all of the motivations behind Sheng Yang’s choices became clear. Only after oneself is convinced then the audience have the possibility to believe, Sheng Yang’s changes finally gave Xiao Zhan the confidence to perform.

“The Sheng Yang now has a clear growth path, and the family atmosphere is also clearer, his sense of responsibility presented, as well as his ability to withstand stress, have all improved. His relationship with Jian Bing has also became more grounded and more believable.” In the three years of script creation, Sheng Yang, like Xiao Zhan, had grown up.

02

“Sunshine By My Side” chose its filming location in Chongqing, a city where Xiao Zhan had lived before and could give him a sense of security. It might have been easier to find the “sense of life” desired in the drama in such a city.

Even so, Xiao Zhan was still a little nervous before joining the drama, “What I’m particularly worried about is actually that I want to interpret the character of Sheng Yang in a very life-like and natural way, if I can make everyone feel that Xiao Zhan is not acting, and he is Sheng Yang, then it will be successful.”

How to interpret a life-like character was a lesson that Xiao Zhan must complete.

Director Song Xiaofei once took Xiao Zhan to Sheng Yang’s home, and after entering Sheng Yang’s room, Xiao Zhan first stopped and looked around to familiarize himself with the environment, then he went to tidy up the quilts and pillows he was going to sleep on. He sat on the sofa again, then got up, came beside the desk, and adjusted all the ornaments on the desk to where he could easily reach them.

“I particularly like the Sheng Yang’s home. The art directors in “Sunshine By My Side” were very good. They made the Sheng Yang’s home very life-like. So when I walked in, I didn’t feel like I was acting at all. Instead, it felt like I had already lived here for a very long time.”

In Sheng Yang’s room, Xiao Zhan seemed to see the house where he lived in as a child. Whether it was the living atmosphere or the environment, everything was too similar.

With such an atmosphere, Xiao Zhan wants to do even better in showing the character of Sheng Yang. Therefore, he is always a little nervous, “I had never acted in such a life-oriented drama, and I was a little uneasy.” From the first day of filming, Xiao Zhan would send the director a message every day.

“Director, do you feel there are any adjustments today?”

“Director, do you think this segment is alright?”

“How do you feel?”

“How about the scene tomorrow?”

Xiao Zhan liked the feeling of being Sheng Yang on the set of “Sunshine By My Side”. He communicated, discussed, and created with the director every day. For Xiao Zhan, this was a way to for him to progress.

On the first day after joining the drama, Xiao Zhan’s first scene was the scene where Sheng Yang met Jian Bing in a restaurant 10 years later. Song Xiaofei deliberately put this important scene on the first day of filming in order to retain that feeling where Xiao Zhan and Bai Baihe just knew each other, and this was also the condition the characters needed.

Recalling the first day of filming, Xiao Zhan thought it was “quite fun”, and on the second day, when filming the scene where Jian Bing was drunk and Sheng Yang took care of her in the hotel, Bai Baihe’s acting skills touched him.

“The plot of that part was that Jian Bing asked for a song and Sheng Yang asked what the title of the song was, then Jian Bing looked at Sheng Yang and said, ‘I really love you’. I had a very deep impression of the look in Bai Baihe’s gaze when she raised her head, it was very stunning to me at that time, I saw the light in her eyes and her whole state directly and closely, and I really learned a lot.”

The excellent performance of the partnering actress also inspired Xiao Zhan’s energy. In the subsequent scenes where Sheng Yang muttered to himself, Xiao Zhan’s performance was more refined than when he was rehearsing.

Director Song Xiaofei was always good at capturing the impromptu reactions of actors under the camera, and that reaction was the most real and the most touching to the audience. Xiao Zhan said: “In the drama ‘Sunshine By My Side’, I just do subtractions, don’t think too much about the plan or anything else, it’s enough to just immerse yourself in the character.”

03

Sheng Yang’s lines were life-like, but they also conveyed viewpoints. To be able to express those views without preaching was a test of the screenwriter’s creative ability, and it was also a test of the actor’s lines performance.

Director Song Xiaofei didnot ask the actors to say their lines exactly according to the script, which made them seem a bit rigid. Most of them did not deviate from the original settings of the script, and the actors could handle it as they felt comfortable. “There were still some differences from the costume dramas I have filmed previously. For costume dramas, there was its own way of segmenting lines and saying words within.” Xiao Zhan said.

In addition to family, love and other story lines, Sheng Yang’s work scenes were also very important. When walking into Shengyang’s office, Xiao Zhan, who had also been a designer, even felt like he time traveled. “Those workstations, drawing pads, pens, and even the office and design software in the computer were all too familiar.” Sitting at Sheng Yang’s workstation, Xiao Zhan would feel relaxed.

“Although these software were not used frequently now, and my skills have degraded a little, it was still possible to photoshop some pictures and edit some short clips when filming.” While waiting for the scene on the set, Xiao Zhan would occasionally make randomly sketch on the draft paper, this sense of atmosphere created an inexplicable connection between him and the character Sheng Yang.

In “Sunshine By My Side”, there was a scene that moved the audience and they exclaimed it as the reality: Sheng Yang had lost his job due to a certain project accident, but he did not complain to his parents. Instead, he behaved as usual every day and went out to find a job on time, going home on time to accompany his parents.

Xiao Zhan fully understood Sheng Yang, who only reported good news but not bad news, because the way he got along with his family was similar to Sheng Yang. Xiao Zhan liked the family of three’s noisy but harmonious way of getting along with one another in the drama, “The parents would bicker and have arguments, but they loved each other very much, were very happy, and were very wonderful.” During the filming of “Sunshine By My Side”, Xiao Zhan’s parents visited him twice and to Xiao Zhan, this is also a kind of happiness.

The audience said that “Sheng Yang is Xiao Zhan in the parallel world.” Sheng Yang, a Chongqing native and designer, has a high degree of similarity with Xiao Zhan. Xiao Zhan himself also felt that “in the process of portraying Sheng Yang, I would subconsciously immerse myself.” For example, Sheng Yang and Xiao Zhan would scratch their heads when they were shy.

“But I’m also afraid that everyone will feel this way.” Xiao Zhan said, “I’m afraid that the audience will project their feelings and emotions towards Xiao Zhan onto this character. Although Sheng Yang and I had the same profession, our personalities are still quite different, Xiao Zhan may be quieter and more stable, whereas Sheng Yang is more outgoing.”

There would definitely be some connection between the character and the actor himself, the real reactions given during the filming might have merged Xiao Zhan’s own temperament in some of Sheng Yang’s scenes, but this did not mean that Sheng Yang is Xiao Zhan.

If the audience felt that Sheng Yang seemed to be truly living in a certain time and space, it might also mean that Xiao Zhan’s interpretation of this character had achieved a realized effect . The “sense of life” he wants to show had been acknowledged by the audiences.

Broadcasting three television drama series in one year is a very rare achievement for an actor and Xiao Zhan also that knows clearly, “The value of an actor lies in using his works to speak, and having a very real feedback connection with the audience.” In the future, television drama series will still be Xiao Zhan’s main development direction, so what will be his next work?

[lowcountry-gothic]

Other Minds and Hands

fI strongly feel that anyone with an opinion (positive or negative) on The Rings of Power and/or Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films should listen to Other Minds and Hands, a subseries of the Tolkien Professor podcast specifically aimed at studying adaptations. There’s a lot of undeserved vitriol recently around The Rings of Power, and a lot of unreflective, purely positive nostalgia about the Jackson films as the ideal form of adapting Tolkien, and these two scholars do a great job of covering the nuances between the extreme poles of opinion.

The podcast is hosted by Dr. Corey Olsen of Signum University, formerly of Washington College, a professor who’s spent decades of academic work on Tolkien studies and medieval studies; and Dr. Maggie Parke, who did her doctorate on adaptations and the many challenges of translating a story from one medium to another. Together, they’re striving to create a new set of criteria and terminology for effectively and critically evaluating and classifying adaptations, since the way people discuss them is often reflexive and unthoughtful, based primarily on nostalgia.

(In case you don’t get the reference the title is making, it’s to one of Tolkien’s letters in which he imagines describes Middle-earth and its stories in their ideal finished state, “and yet [leaving] scope for other minds and hands, wielding paint and music and drama.” In other words, Tolkien expressed hope that other people would add to the legendarium in other ways and in other mediums.)

Together, these two have been discussing adaptations of various works, from The Rings of Power to A Christmas Carol, from Dune to the Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings trilogy. They have future plans to cover other adaptations as well, like the new Dungeons & Dragons and Barbie films, among others. But the episodes I think Tolkien fans should listen to in particular are the ones about Peter Jackson’s trilogy. In the hands of these two very thoughtful scholars, they discuss how Jackson actually took quite a few significant liberties with the story, and not just the ones everyone always talks about (Faramir and Treebeard, for example).

To show how fairly and unbiased they are, there have been moments when they’ve made disclaimers of “We’re not saying the Peter Jackson films suck!” and moments when they’ve had to say “We’re not saying the Peter Jackson films are flawless!”

Below are the episodes I’ve found particularly relevant (I’ll try to update this list as new episodes are released):

#34: The adaptation of Elrond in the Peter Jackson films.

#36: The adaptation of Galadriel in the Peter Jackson films.

#37: The adaptation of Aragorn in the Peter Jackson films.

#39: The adaptation of Legolas and Gimli in the Peter Jackson films.

#44: Tolkien’s own continually changing ideas about dwarves.

#45: The adaptation of Sauron and the Nazgul in the Peter Jackson films.

#46: The adaptation of Saruman and Orcs in the Peter Jackson films.

[syrinsappho]

I'm going to say something slightly controversial about 13 and Yazmin...

I had recently watched a video essay about how Thasmin (the 13th doctor and Yasmin Kahn) was queerbating, and I have some of my own strong opinions on the topic. Spoilers ahead:

Firstly, Yaz isn't the first queer character in the series, nor the first queer companion. I can only speak on New Who since I haven't seen all of the classic stuff yet, but that goes to Jack. You could argue Jack wasn't a companion perse, but even then, Bill was literally the season before 13's meeting with Yaz.

Secondly, just because something seems retroactive doesn't mean it is, was, or is bad even if it was. Yaz's build up to obsession over the doctor is very much apparent throughout her second season, and only grows stronger throughout all of Flux. The way people show emotion and compassion are different for everyone, so while some people may pick up on things immediately, others may miss them entirely. Though I saw it coming from earlier on then others, not everyone did see it coming, but that's not a bad thing either.

"If this was straight..." is an argument heard a lot, and for me personally it's a stupid one (more about that later), but if you look at their relationship from the perspective of a straight one, it wouldn't be as shocking, and no one would say anything about this being left field. Queer people can have a "straight" attraction to someone of the same gender. (See *1)

The shortcomings from their relationship is common amongst LGNTQIA+ relationships, and expected amongst any relationship with the doctor. Internal rejection is very much something a lot of queer people face, myself included. Especially queer people on the ace spectrum, which many people believe the doctor to be on. And while the doctor admits to having those feelings, she is scared of losing her. That fear is not something she gets over. She let's it take over and they end off with a bittersweet goodbye.

I don't argue that who had used queer baiting in the past, but I do argue that this arc is very much NOT queer baiting. The connection feels genuine and worried about from both sides. The doctor even questions what they are in one of the earlier episodes (Arachnids in the UK anyone?) 13 has always been closed off, when she gets emotional she pushes away. She knows that about herself, and also knows that she will change. She knows that she's lost people in the past, and will continue to do so in the future. Her backing away, even though she loves Yaz, is the most expected outcome in their connection, because if she didn't it would only result in them both being hurt in the long term. The worst part about the doctor will always be regeneration. (See *2)

As a person on the aro/ace spectrum, this is the kind of representation I love in queer media. The kind where it is "baiting" by being replaceable, because it's still a love story. I like representation where the heavy words are the love story, and the queer is just an adjective. Stories where queer people are just people are just as good representation as stories where queer people are overly queer.

Oh and, most importantly... YAZ SAYS SHE LOVES THE DOCTOR. And the doctor is also non-gendered, galifrey doesn't really use gender like we do anyways.

There is a sort of understood difference between loving someone in a "gay way" and loving someone. It's a hard explain, but it's one you understand if you do. People love in different ways, and the way that love gets shown is often times decided to be based on whatever type of relationship they're in, but people can also break those standards. I think we shouldn't call it gay way and love because that's semi homophobic, but pure love breaks gender, doesn't care about anything. And it feels like that love for the doctor is pure, obsessive, but pure. As Clara would put it, the doctor is an addiction.

The doctor can't always grow from past mistakes. Because of how regeneration works, a character arc doesn't mean the character will stay that way *coughs* Missy anyone? *coughs* Regeneration will always change the doctor, and its not just physically. So the doctor often times has to relearn emotions and how to process them. We see this most notably with Capaldi and Clara. Regeneration is a renewal, and sometimes renewing something means pulling out the old cpu for a non outdated one. Change is good, but the doctor can't always keep effort they put into one regeneration to the next. They can hope they will, but hope isn't the same as knowing.

Either way, I personally believe it isn't queer baiting, though I can understand how people do see it that way. Not meaning to invalidate anyone's opinion on the matter, I'm just stating my own point of view on it. I think their relationship is toxic and harmful and poorly timed, but I also think it's real. Which makes the bittersweet even more bitter. I would love to hear others opinions on this though!

[localebra]

Hench Women of Mr Freeze

Glacia Glaze

First appearing in the 1967 Adam West Batman Show episode 93 Ice Spy and later 94 The Duo Defy. Glacia was a world famous ice skator who helped Mr Freeze kidnap Professor Isaacson the ship the S.S. Gotham Queen. While preparing at the Bruce Wayne Ice Rink, she was interupted by Bruce Wayne and Harriet Cooper while talking to Mr Freeze through her radio. She explained it away as a strange music box she got in Switzerland. After Mr. Freeze has trapped tje dynamic dio them in a Sub-Zero Temperature Vaporizing Cabinet Glacia questions him about vaporizing them. He tells her not to get cold feet, activating the vaporizer. Seemingly vaporizing the dynamic dio, Mr. Freeze gives Glacia a chose between her career as an ice skater or him. She chooses him and as they leave we see Batman and Robin survived. After Mr. Freeze and her get the secret frozen ice formula out of Professor Isaacson's they completes the thermodynamic ice ray. Using it to freeze parts of the City, and to pull various icebergs into Gotham Harbor. Mr. Freeze's homing seal named Isolde having lead Batman to his hideout. Ater the fight her and Mr. Freeze were apprehended by Commissioner Gordon and Chief O'Hara.

Ms. B. Haven

1997 Batman & Robin Ms. B. Haven was only seen in Mr. Freeze's hideout in an abandoned ice cream factory. She is attracted to Mr Freeze and makes advances at him, Mr. Freeze turnd her down. Expainling that his heart only thaws for his wife, who he is seeks the cure for her MacGregor's Syndrome.

Ms. B Haven only really exists because of Sugar & Spice in the previous film.

Ice Maidens

Apearing the same year in The New Batman Adventures, hired by Mr. Freeze to destroy their dreams of the citizens of Gotham. First destroyed an ancient dinosaur skeleton along with the scientist's dreams. Fighting the dark knight one of the maidens leg are frozen to the floor after attacking him, the other two escaping. Next Mr Freeze targeted Wayne Manor, breaking in and slowly freeze Alfred. Batgirl arrived knocking the freeze gun out of Mr. Freeze’s hand while Bruce and Tim fought the Ice Maidens. The Ice Maiden knocks out Batgirl and Tim. They took them back to the laboratory and kept the doctors as hostages to find out their boss’s condition. After Mr. Freeze leaves, Batgirl disarms the Ice Maidens and takes them to custody.

It is interesting to see how many women Victor has in his life besides his wife. A solitary character constantly surrounding him self with women he doesn't care for. Maybe he picks them because they look like, sound like or remind them of his wife. The simplest way to introduce Glacia Glaze & Ms. B. Haven is to have them be members of the Ice Maidens. There are rumours that two were base off them, but nothing confirmed. The most interesting idea I can see is these women joining him because of love. All hearing about what he is trying to do and considering it the most romantic and pure mission. The can think he is the last true romantic, have lost there partner or have a parter with MacGregor's Syndrome. They want him to be reunited with Nora, He is stoic and they are anything but. A great contrast waiting to happen.

[basmathgirl]

In your opinion, which are the most ridiculous episodes of New Who?

Hello kind Anon

Oooh, the first episode that sprang to mind was the Christmas special: The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe -S7

It started off well, with the Eleventh Doctor meeting young Cyril but quickly slipped into "I wanna be in Narnia" territory; with boring aliens (who seemed to have escaped from their giant chessboard for the night), and a hugely sentimental ending with the figther pilot dad (I'm guessing Moffat was playing with his childhood fantasies of being an RAF WWII pilot with this one).

It was so awful, my eldest son (my official watch-buddy) got up and stormed out the room, refusing to see any more of it.

How awful was it? Let's just say that it didn't manage to match any of the war-based dramas we have watched over the years. A decent cast absolutely wasted.

The problem is that, generally after this, I lost all interest in watching Doctor Who. And I wasn't desperate to see it until the Twelfth Doctor appeared. Not that I was avid to watch S6, please note; and I often missed the beginning of episodes so had no idea what was going on.

Let me see what else I can think of.

I wasn't keen on "Fear Her" - S2. It was a mistake to force a child to carry that much of the acting; and the storyline would have fit The Sarah Jane Adventures a lot more. There's also the much hated episode "Love & Monsters" - S2. Again, an excellent cast give a dubious script (unless you like the idea of a man having a romantic relationship with a paving slab) some life. Blue Peter may have helped choose the design of the Abzorbaloff but it was RTD who came up with the story. BUT Elton's loss of his mother did make me cry in sympathy AND it introduced my sons to the music of ELO, so I can't hate it.

Another epidsode I won't rush to watch again is "It Takes You Away" - S11. Nothing wrong with the premise, but I found the pace a bit boring.

Although, looking through the list of episodes on Wikipedia, I must admit that it made me think that I ought to rewatch a lot of them, because I hardly remember anything that happened without a lot of mental prodding. For instance, I've still no idea why there were dinosurs on a spaceship, or how the Doctor survived the Pandorica purely because he did.

As you can tell, there's an awful lot of stuff I missed from the end of S5 up to the end of S7. So I'm going to end with the episode "The Name of the Doctor" - S7. It all just seemed so stupid; what with Clara becoming Supercompanion by jumping into the time stream, to become the Doctor's one-man-band-survival-motivation-trainer. I'll admit that this is the main reason why I liked Chibnall's 'Timeless Child' theory; because Clara begging the Time Lords to extend the Doctor's life would then mean f*ck all. Yes, I really hated that bit by the crack in the wall.

Was it Moffat's intention to turn Clara into a manic pixie fairy godmother? Because that's what we ended up with. As you can tell, I'm not a fan of this.

I suppose I should state at this point that I have seen many ridiculous storylines in Doctor Who over the past 60 years. The actors involved have, on the whole, been the best quality you can find. Most of the time it hasn't mattered about the cardboard scenery, the repeated running down the same corridor, the dodgy made-up science, or them finding yet another quarry. If the acting is watchable, I'll keep with it.

As you can tell, I just won't necessarily watch it again.

[verloonati]

A very funny thing about a good man goes to war is that like on paper, the idea of the doctor going all out and calling in all of their debt to fight overwhelming odds and save a friend sounds amazing. It's like, in a at the time 50 years old show this shit writes itself.

But instead of focusing this episode on Amy's trauma (Wich barely ever comes up after that given howuch of it is used purely for the sake of the twist and not like character stakes) moffat chose to focus it on the doctor "rising higher and falling lower than ever before". Wich uh, should not be the point of this story.

Instead of giving us a meaningful reunion of well loved characters, (like stolen earth/journey's end did two series before) they just brought back the pirates from that very forgettable episode and the airplane guy from that Churchill wankfest episode. A gimmick that moffat already used in the opening sequence of Pandorica opens where everyeaningful side characters of the season (and at this point the era) pass along that painting that barely have any impact on the plot (by Wich I mean it could easily have been anything else that initiate the plot and make as much sense). So because he already did this he has to introduce new characters Wich well if you're gonna play out the doctor calling in their debt, using said debt to introduce more than half side characters of the episode and introduce them as if the viewer was anticipating their return is a definitely weird move.

Instead of giving us a real enemy to fight, the church of the silence never really feels that intimidating. The headless monks are clearly just there so the doctor can hide under a hood. And having rory destroy a whole cyber legion just for kicks undermines the threat level of the church in comparison (that man can threaten a whole ass cyber legion what are some human soldiers on a teeny tiny base gonna do?). Where journey's end gave us daleks with a whacky plan to destroy reality, with internal conflicts and dynamics, a good man goes to war never feels that much like the church is actually that powerfull. All they got is an hostage

Of course a lot could be said about the way this episode threat homosexuality in side characters as a comedic punchline. Wether it's the nameless soldiers that get beheaded or vastra and Jenny first appearance their homosexuality is supposed to be laughed at.

And then again there's the "rise higher and fall lower than ever before" shit Wich Is? Very fun in the broader context of the show? The episode end with a tiny base evacuated with no casualty and a baby kidnapped. When you consider the shit the seventh doctor pulled against the old gods, and how far he went to manipulate his companion, what the eighth and war doctor sacrificed and the atrocities they commited in the war In heaven and the time war, the shit 8 pulled in the divergent universe. How desperate 5 was on androzani, how 4 faced the guilt of allowing the daleks to exists, how 6 got put on trial and made to believe he failed to save his friend. How ten almost become fucking rassillon 2, how twelve chose to wait in a torture chamber for 4 billions year and the moment he got out fucked up his whole society and his own laws to save his friend, how ten got gollumified for a whole year before getting up by a genkidama powered by the trust and love of his friend telling people about him, even how thirteen faced the litteral embodiment of time whilst her parent set the universe on fire for the hell of it. How litteraly seven episodes before eleven got trapped in a box by his enemies and had to manually turn off and then on again the timeline. Yeah I don't think winning a rock and losing a baby that you still know will be fine is that special among all of this.

[septicmomma]

The Problem with Gallifrey (and how to fix it)

Gallifrey is kinda boring…by that, I mean it's as boring as it has been written to be.

I think Gallifrey can be tough to have stories on because majority of the time it serves a lot of plot functions that don’t add up to it being a particularly coherent or grounded place. Which is to say that when it’s been televised that seems to be ALL it’s there to do.

It’s been stuck in this weird limbo position of writers having to base stories purely within the Citadel or use it as a pretence for other stories, we almost never get to meet the people outside of that or spend much time digging into political machinations of their civilisation. Instead, writers have to create arbitrary situations and throw the Doctor into them.

Because their way of life is so alien, part of me thinks it’s out of fear of delving into deep would remove the mysticism that comes from them. Considering there's basically no tangible constrains on what they can do it basically gives anyone free reign to come up with whatever mad conceptual idea their hearts desire. It’s Simultaneously beyond human and extremely human; it’s said to be fantastical but when we see it it’s presented as extremely mundane.

New who especially I think has failed to reach a concurrent middle ground. You either have disgruntled civil servant types spouting out typical political jargon or roaming around Gallifreyan residential areas that suspiciously resemble huts. Classic who had a similar issue too, by spending far TOO much time on Gallifrey, mostly being confined within the Citadel walls straining itself into a chokehold that’s never been allowed to breathe outside of the limited boundaries it set itself. andd the budget being about 10p.

I always think in a society where someone can regenerate into anybody else is quite unlikely to resemble the stuffy world of pompous old duffers we’re use to seeing, although from a mythic perspective it kind of needs to look like that, but the show shouldn’t be strictly beholden to that association otherwise you have the dilemma DW has been in since the War Games.

Big Finish/NAs on the other hand, have created a vast expansive history. You get stuff like the Divergent Universe where the TimeLord's mastery of the cosmos came at a terrible cost that comes back to bite them. They have sentient houses for crying out loud! The expanded media is rich with ideas and weird lore to spawn a sloth of interesting stories.

Unfortunately, the problem with Gallifrey is that it’s a big epic sci-fi/fantasy setting designed ought to have big epic narratives built around it. But these types of narratives don’t really fit into the format of the show. Big Finish’s Gallifrey series is great outlier, because they can have seasons worth to delve into the mythology and intrigue surrounding it. Any Gallifrey story that has to be encompassed in one or two episodes is bound to leave wanting more.

However, we’re now in the rather unique (or redundant) position where Gallifrey is gone, but given the events/time when this happening occurred were left incredibly vague, it's now open to opportunities to carry on without the overplayed time war angst story, without completely undoing Chibnall’s contribution.

Most people I’ve seen feel the need to remove TTC from canon, simply because they don't like it. Whatever anyone thinks of it, the Timeless Child happened. Trying to headcanon it as “The Master/Matrix lied, Susan/The Master/Yaz is TTC instead” doesn't solve anything as there is no way it will stand as a valid argument when the next series rolls around and next one after that, which may or may not choose to cross paths with it.

Personally, I think a good direction to follow would have the scattered survivors be forced to move on in the wake of their planet’s destruction. Perhaps some TimeLords managed to escape and are now scattered across the universe. Potentially have ppl come across the ravaged remains of the Citadel, scavenging for weapons and technology or have the Doctor and CO occasionally run into a Timelord just living life on an alien world.

Essentially Nomads wondering throughout the universe. Have them adjust to new surroundings/environments. Gallifrey has been such a crutch for the Timelords, its stunted them from allowing to grow and evolve as actual characters as well as a society, other than stuffy bureaucrats in daft headgear.

If they wanted to commit to the idea of it being destroyed but want it to feel distinct from the post-time war arc, then this is the way to move forward. Bringing it back for the sake of satisfying disgruntled fans is NOT the right direction.

Bring them back down to feeling beyond our understanding. Make them feel otherworldly. Conceptually Gallifrey can be interesting but DW has rarely capitalised on that. They need to focus on the Time Lords as a mystical powerful force, not the planet itself. Having the status quo reset AGAIN is pretty tiresome as well as pointless, there’s so much story potential in having them be an active presence for once.

They’re much more engrossing when used conceptually and thematically. Russell had Gallifrey/Timelords represent a traumatic period in the Doctors life, Chibs used them as a colonial allegory, Moffat…had them exist I guess.

Now better than ever is the perfect time to reinvent them, wether its dealt with in S14 or 10 years from now. It’s time to move forward.

[alex-the-moss]

Had you finished all new dw? Or had you dropped it?

If you watched magician's apprentice/witch's familiar(season 9, I guess?), what is your opinion on this episode?

Yep, I have finished it! I love this universe too much to just drop New Who.

So about Witch’s familiar (and magician’s apprentice), I like how it’s literally a film based on that line from Genesis about "the child". I was very excited when I watched it for the first time. Tho I was a bit skeptical as it was neither my favourite season nor Doctor&companion duo. Eventually I’ve most enjoyed scenes between Davros and Doctor and how gradually but persistently those have escalated. And also Missy, she was gorgeous as always. Regarding escalation, I’m still not over Doctor tossing Davros out of his life-support chair and taking it for himself. This looked so savage and I love it. But then where did you fit your long beautiful legs Doc??

Overall I think the importance of an idea that "Doctor had created his own enemy" is too exaggerated in these episodes.. I also feel like it doesn’t fit Davros’ history (even the pure canon one from the series) that well. I think his character was mostly shaped by 1000yo war and we shouldn’t forget about that. The idea that Davros is fighting because he’s scared is great to have as a point of view on character, I find it a pretty interesting take, but it’s a bit oversimplified in my opinion (Especially considering the work done by authors of I,Davros).

And I sure love that these episodes have confirmed that Davros has blue eyes, my colour palette’s been approved xd

Also the "last chair on Skaro" line was priceless

Then in my head I love to combine the way these episodes picture young Dav with his life in the Innocence🌚 And it’s like

HOW THE HECK did he manage to ran away into the fields of wastelands?!

Was it the day Calcula went grey???

Did she actually become overprotective for a reason, like her son lacked basic self-preservation instincts at some point?

And If Doctor helped little Davros get home did he receive a personal slap from *the mother* as he usually does?