#this show is so unintentionally funny even if the biggest emergencies
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“COACH ME THROUGH IT?”
“it’s okay, he’s done it before.”
“WHEN??”
#this show is so unintentionally funny even if the biggest emergencies#I can’t wait for tonight#911#911 abc#911 fox#911 tv show#911 spoilers#911 on abc#911 season eight#911 season 8#911 s8#911 show#athena grant#athena grant nash
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The Stars Made Us (Part 8)
Prompt: In this world, you’re one of the “lucky” ones who got a soulmate, but what if the universe gives you more than you bargained for?
(Prompt challenge – You live in a world where your soulmate can write on their skin and you will get the writing on your own and vice versa. Where they can wash away the ink on their own skin, however, the writing is forever scarred onto your skin until you meet face to face)
Word Count: 2606
Warnings: angst and language throughout
Notes: This was supposed to be for @sorryimacrapwriter and their challenge like a year ago, I think? I still loved the prompt though and have been working on this story for quite some time. This aesthetic was made by @dontshootmespence, thank you so much! Beta’d by @like-a-bag-of-potatoes, couldn’t have done it without you, as well as @carryonmyswansong and @arrow-guy and @mrs-dragneel-stark-solo
Also, I’ve never really liked the whole soulmate AU thing idea, but this felt so right and it was amazing to write. I hope y’all love it too!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It had been a week now since you arrived at the Xavier residence.
You were successful in getting him to back off the alcohol until 5 pm. You had gotten him to eat a real meal at least once a day, which meant emerging from his room for some social interaction. Unintentionally, you two had spent quite a bit of time together. You were walking near the pond, reading when he appeared beside you. He began to ask you what you thought of the book and you two got into a long discussion over books you loved and hated. The next time was while you were cleaning the kitchen after breakfast and he was watching you. You didn’t know it at first until he spoke and you jumped slightly.
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t see you there,” you noted, wringing out the sponge in the sink before going back to work.
“No, I should apologize, I was the one staring. I just… I’m not used to anyone being in here, well not like this. Growing up I had a chef and a full kitchen staff. My mother never stepped foot in a kitchen in her life.”
“Ah, so I’m a strange sight then, hmm?” you asked as you worked away.
“Just a little bit. But I like it… It’s refreshing.”
“Really? Typically men want a woman just like their mother.”
“My mother was an exceptional woman, she had very few faults, but I think it’s essential for everyone to know how to cook, and cook well.”
“Oh,” you noted, huffing out some air as you finished scrubbing and wiping the counter. “So, do I? Cook well, that is. You’ve had my food now for a few days. What do you think?”
“Well some of the flavors and dishes are new to my taste, but I have yet to eat anything I outright don’t like.”
“Progress then,” you said with a grin.
“Yes, it would seem so.”
The next time was when you were working on something your colleague had sent in. It was on a patient of yours and they had questions about it. You asked if you could use his study privately to talk to her and do some work. He granted you the room but he lingered in the doorway. He must’ve thought you couldn’t tell because your back was turned, but you knew he was there. After your brief two hour work session, you emerged and he approached you.
“You sound as if you really care for your patients,” he commented.
“I do. They’re my patients. They look to me to feel better, to ease their symptoms, to make their life easier. Why wouldn’t I care for them? You cared for your students, yes?”
“Absolutely.”
“Then I imagine it’s the same thirst to make sure they’re properly cared for.”
“I suppose it is, yes. Sorry for eavesdropping I just--”
You put your hand on his arm and smiled. “It’s fine, Charles. I understand.”
He smiled and nodded.
Of course you understood. He missed a year of you, you missed a year of him. You two were desperate to know every little thing about each other. Whether or not he was at fault for losing that year, he still wanted to know you, know about you, know how you ticked, and what made you tick.
He still misused his serum, but thankfully, Hank had finally gotten the first batch ready to try on him.
“Are you sure it’s ready?”
“I’m pretty sure this is it. It might need some minor tweaking, but this should do it.” He handed you a fresh needle and serum.
You nodded, huffing out.
“You ready?” Hank asked. He knew this would be the biggest feat yet. Getting Charles to eat wasn’t hard, everyone had to eat. Getting him up at a reasonable hour, no problem. Even limiting his alcohol was relatively easy.
But asking him to accept the voices which he desperately seemed to want to forget -- this would be your biggest mission.
“I guess as I’ll ever be.”
You took the needle and serum and found him in his study.
“Hey, Charles, time for your meds,” you announced, trying to hide your nervousness.
“Ah, thank you, it was starting to wear off,” he noted with a grin. He took the serum and needle from you and began to load the needle.
Part of you honestly wanted him to take the serum and see how he reacted, but every ethical part of you was saying that was wrong.
“Uh, before you take it, you need to know it’s a new kind.”
He was just finishing loading the needle and pulling his sleeve up when he stopped to look at you. “I’m sorry, new? What do you mean?”
“It’s…” you began wringing your hands, “it’s supposed to make you walk, and use your powers.”
He immediately put the bottle and syringe down on his desk and faced you, his expression one of confusion and anger.
“And why is this new?”
“Because I asked Hank to make it.”
“Why in the bloody hell would you do that?” he demanded, whipping around and pacing behind his desk. “The other serum was fine, it was perfect. It got rid of the pain--”
“And made you forget what living is like,” you countered.
“How would you know what my life was like?” he argued, clearly angry.
“Because like it or not, I know you. We talked for ten years, and you can bullshit me all you want that you showed me what I wanted to be seen. All I know is you went from being educated, compassionate, funny, sweet, eloquent, to an asshole who sits around all day doing nothing. I know that the man I loved was amazing and I envied him for all his hard work and dedication. You inspired me. When med school got too hard, I turned to you. Sometimes you sent me words of encouragement, other times I told myself ‘If he can do it, so can I’. I know it hurts. I know you lost friends and practically your sister. I know you’ve had a lot of shitty luck in your life, you told me so. I’m not denying that you should be angry, or hurt, or feel grief. I’m saying it shouldn’t stop you from living your life, from feeling the pain.”
“What the fuck would you know about pain? Do you have any idea what it’s like living with this power?”
“No. So why don’t you tell me?” you demanded, getting closer to him, less than arms length apart.
“It’s excruciating. It’s like a thousand screaming, helpless voices in your head. Would you want that? Would anybody want that?”
“No, but you dealt with it before, so why does it bother you now?”
“Because it’s hard, alright?”
“No, Charles, you handled these powers for nearly twenty years, so why now? What is so hard about controlling them now?”
“Because I can’t handle them,” he stressed, his hands gesturing desperately towards you. “Don’t you get it? I can’t. I don’t have the ability to quiet them any more. It’s just so loud, there’s so much pain--”
You closed the gap between you two as you put your hands on the side of his face.
“You did it once, you calmed it once, you can do it again. I’ll help you. You won’t be alone this time. Hank and I will both help you. I know it’ll be hard. I know it’s scary. I know the easy road is to just shut them out and not face the pain, to wall yourself inside this fortress and shut everything else out. But I’m giving you the option to stop the physical pain and accept who you really are. Your powers are a part of you. You shouldn’t shut them out. If you shut them out, you’ll be living a lie. You won’t be allowing yourself to be who you were born to be.”
“I...I don’t know if I can.”
“You can, I know you can. You’ve got two Ph.Ds. You committed yourself to a phantom for ten years. You are not a quitter. I’ll be with you every step of the way…” You pursed your lips in thought. There had to be a compromise here. He didn’t want to return to normal, but you needed him to at least try. So you proposed something. “And, if you take this dose, and you just can’t withstand what happens… we’ll go back to the other serum. Is that a deal?”
He eyed you up and down as you let go of him, peering at him with hope and pleading in your eyes.
“One time, and then we go back to the other one if it doesn’t work?”
“Absolutely. I’m not here to put you in agony, Charles.”
He nodded. “Alright, darling, I’ll try… Once.” He lifted the syringe, found the vein, and then peered at you while he injected the serum. Neither of you said a word as the medicine took effect.
After thirty seconds, his face went from a calm serene mask to an expression of anguish.
“It’s...so...painful,” he rasped out as his hands slowly slid to his head.
“It’s alright. It’s okay. Just focus on me, focus on my voice,” you encouraged. He began to stumble back, gripping his head as he sat in his leather swivel chair. His eyes on yours as it looked as if he were about to cry.
“I--I--I can’t,” he cried out. “I need the other one.”
“Charles, please? Please,” you begged, kneeling before him, your hands on his knees. “It’s alright. You did this for years. Focus on one thing. Focus on me, my face, my voice.”
His breathing started to even out as he stared at you.
“That’s it,” you encouraged with a grin. “My voice, just think about it. Focus on the sound.”
“You really did miss me,” he suddenly said, his brows furrowing as he stared at you. He was talking as if he was only speaking to himself. He continued to stare at you as his hands loosened their grip around his head. “You thought I was dead. You cried yourself to sleep every week… You thought you did something wrong.”
You frowned, realizing what he was doing. This hadn’t really occurred to you, stupidly. Of course when he got his telepathic powers back, he’d be able to read your mind, why wouldn’t he? It was a bit unsettling, but he needed this. Swallowing your pride and discomfort you let him read your mind, as if you really had any other choice.
Eventually, his face smoothed out.
“There you go. There you are.”
He stared at you, his breathing finally back to normal.
“Are you okay? Is it as overwhelming as you thought it would be?”
He shook his head and swallowed. “No, no… I think I can… I think I can stand it.”
“You sure?” you urged. “Because if you can’t, we’ll go back to the other one if--”
“I’m fine. You’re right. I can’t pretend to be something I’m not.”
You smiled at him. “I’m glad. We’ll help you. It’ll get easier with every day.”
“I’m sorry I, uh--”
Shaking your head you waved him off as you stood up. “No, it’s fine. Your powers, they do that. I knew that. I just… I forgot. It took me aback, for a second, that’s all. Well, I’ll let you get to the rest of your day. Remember, no alcohol until 6 pm.”
“I don’t want any. If I’m going to kick the bad habits, I need to do it right. I can’t lean on the alcohol for a crutch while my powers are going.”
“That’s good,” you agreed, nodding. “I’m proud of you. I’m not sure if that means anything or not.” You gave a soft smile and left him for the day.
You worked on cleaning, worked a little bit on patient files sent to you in your bedroom, and by nightfall, you were telling Charles and Hank goodnight.
-----------------------------
By nightfall three nights later, you were in Charles’s room, telling him goodnight as you helped him tidy up. He was done dusting his books and said he was ready to hit the hay. He climbed into bed as you waited for him to get rested.
“How are you feeling?” you asked, referring to his third day on the new serum.
“I’m coping… getting through it,” he assured. “It’s like muscles you haven’t flexed in a long time.”
A slow nod came to you. “I’m glad you’re working them out,” you said with a slight laugh.
“Me too.”
“Well, goodnight, sweet dreams,” you bid before walking to his door. You opened the door, just about to step out when suddenly he said something to stop you.
“I missed you too, you know?” he remarked, his heart and tone full of sadness.
You turned back to him, your hand still on the handle to the door.
He continued, not giving you a chance to talk. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted to talk to me. I’d been so successful so far, I had so much to offer you. Then suddenly, I was a man with nothing. No legs, no powers, no school, no ambition, no future. I had nothing to give you. I was so afraid that if I did tell you the truth, you’d reject me. I knew in my heart you wouldn’t, you’re not like that. It didn’t stop me from thinking the worst though. And I knew if I told you about everything else, I’d have to tell you about my mutation and I really wanted to wait until we met in person.”
“I… don’t blame you. I can understand. I just missed you, that’s all.” You walked toward the bed, sitting down on the empty side.
He let out a sorrowful laugh. “I missed you more than words can say. Who knows, maybe if I had talked to you I wouldn’t have fallen into this depression. In fact, I’m sure if I hadn’t ignored your texts, I would’ve been fine, relatively speaking.”
“I wish I could’ve been there for you.”
“I know you do,” he said with love in his voice as he reached his hand out, and you took it happily. “You don’t have to be here, by any means. You’re not obligated to be here. I was just a coward when it comes down to it--”
“Charles,” you started, shaking your head, objecting.
“No, it’s true. You’ve been nothing but open and honest with me and I didn’t return the favor. I just...abandoned you. You had no one, no one who understood what you were going through. You were all alone. I, at least, had Hank.”
“It’s okay,” you assured.
“No, it’s not. You deserved better. You do deserve better, and I’m so sorry for that. I can’t make up for what I took away from you, for what I took away from us.”
You cast your eyes down, unsure what to say.
“But we can salvage what we have, right? We can still try to make up for lost time, right?”
“Right,” you agreed with a smile, tears brimming your eyes.
“Good. I’d like to at least try.”
“Me too.”
“Thank you for being here, I truly appreciate it. I know you’re here for me, not for some destiny fulfillment. I know you care for me. I know that.”
“Good, don’t ever forget it,” you chided with a grin as you squeezed his hand.
“Never again,” he promised before pulling your hand up to kiss the back of it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Forever Tag:
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#the stars made us#charles xavier x reader#charles xavier fic#charles xavier#stephen strange fic#stephen strange x reader#stephen strange
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I liked you first
Part 3
“It’s alright, Gar. I promise it’s fine. Just please don’t lose the key again. We can get a copy tomorrow.” Her friend and colleague, Garfield kept apologizing in the phone for losing his keys of the shelter. So she had to make a detour to give him hers. Now she was unintentionally running late. “It’s fine. Please, don’t worry, I can still make it. Text me if you have any questions.” She said softly before ending the call. A lie.
Rachel bit her lip as anxiety filled her. Obviously she didn’t make it. She was late. Just my luck she thought. She had been waiting for this moment the whole week.
Regrettably, the universe decided, once again, that it wasn’t meant to be. This persistent, deep-rooted illusion in her mind, that maybe Damian would finally see her, the real Rachel, her hopeless, childhood dream would come true. Right. Earth to Rachel. It’s a foolish fantasy.
And for an infinitely, brief, nonexistent moment, she wished she wasn’t sitting inside this taxi, dressed up for date with Damian Wayne. She should’ve said no. She could have but she didn’t.
She rolls down the window and sticks her head out, to get a better look, as expected they weren’t moving. She heard horns, people complaining, the traffic congestion. But no signs of movement. She covered her face with her cold hands then dropped them in her lap. Nervous and desperate, she groaned, her heart sinking. Damian would never forgive her. He hated tardiness. It was a flaw in his eyes. She would look at her with those enigmatic green eyes, scowling, and he’d go on saying it’s unacceptable, irresponsible, she didn’t want to imagine the rest. Her mind diverted, agonizing over the situation when, she heard her phone was ringing. Richard. Oh gods. This was really bad. She gulped and answered the incoming call.
“Dearest Rachel. If it’s possible, would you like to tell me where are you? My charming little brother is about to lose his temper.” He said with a calm voice but curious about her whereabouts.
“Dick, I’m sorry. I swear I had a justifiable reason. It was an emergency.” She tried to explain, guilt in her voice. “I’m currently stuck in a traffic jam. Let him know I’ll be there in 3 minutes. I’m a few blocks away, I can run.” She was interrupted by a high pitches laughter through the line. Great, Richard found her miserable situation funny.
“Are you planning on running to your date wearing your crystal heels Cinderella?” He joked. “This could have been prevented, when I offered to send a car to pick you up.” He had to rub it on her face and treat her like a child.
“And I declined because it wasn’t necessary. I’m an independent and capable woman.” She remarked defensively. Her mouth twisting in an unconscious pout. “Remind me again why I agreed to this.” The words left her mouth questioning him. Trying to deny those mixed feelings whenever she heard his name. Hoping he would say anything but the truth, both already knew.
“Because I’m not blind. You’ve had a crush on my grumpy little brother since you were a kid. Also, I enjoy meddling in my siblings affairs like a good brother.” Richard said in a playful tone, teasing her. “You two would look perfect together. Kori even mentioned it.”
“I didn’t know about your side job as a matchmaker.” She muttered sarcastically. She was hopeless everyone knew about her feelings. Was it that obvious? She sighed. “I’m nothing like the girls...” Richard cut in
“That’s precisely why I arranged this. Rachel, you’ve become a smart, diligent, compassionate and beautiful woman, and so much more. You’re everything he needs. I know it.” He wasn’t joking or laughing. Nothing but raw honesty in his voice. Nerves fluttered in her stomach. It was her opportunity to stop running away. She was lost in thoughts when Dick whispered ‘It’s your decision to let him see it.’
“Two minutes and text him I’m there. I’ll be there.” She said determined and she hung up.
She paid to the taxi driver the right amount, thanked him for the drive and as soon as she opened the door of the cab, she ran full speed, adrenaline and confidence running through her veins. She’d have time to apologize when she got there, nothing was stopping her now. No fear or uncertainty. She pushed aside her feelings for a long time. She remembered her father’s words ‘Rachel, you fight for what you believe in, what you love, there’s always going to be obstacles but the biggest hurdle to overcome is yourself. Giving up before you even start.’ And she had no doubt that she was willing to fight and give everything for Damian Wayne.
When she got to Bellemore she stepped inside and let a hostess know she was there to see Damian Wayne. The hostess offered to show her the way to his table but she declined, she already knew where it was. His usual table. The Wayne’s table. She needed air, she was breathing too fast, her heart pounding out of control, her stomach fluttering. Too many emotions at the same time.
She tried to fix her hair, hoping it wasn’t a birds nest. She had decided to wear a halter cris cross neck chiffon dress, dark purple, knee length, her shoulders and back bare, showing enough cleavage. Donna had said it was adequate. She compliment her outfit with black 3-inches heeled sandals. Her dark hair down, cascading in waves. Donna assured she looked beautiful, but Damian was used to other type of women. Models, women with a perfect figure, that spent her time shopping for lingerie, wearing the latest fashion. Not studying or volunteering at shelters. Insecurities again.
She walked to the hall and spotted his table. She was sure her heart skipped a few beats, she bit her lower lip harder than ever. She’d seen him in pictures, magazines, articles but they didn’t do full justice to this Greek God. Always showing disinterest, whenever Jon brought him up. He was frowning as she expected, looking at his phone. But God, his perfect,tanned, beautifully sculpted face, high cheekbones and full lips. She stared, open mouthed for several heartbeats. His broad shoulders and big hands, wearing his expensive tailored suit. He lifted his face and she found his eyes. His alluring emerald eyes, casting a spell on her. She straightened herself, took a deep breath and tried her best to conceal her insecurities. Walk with confidence, Rachel. You aren’t a little girl anymore. Ready or not it was her moment.
I’m not even sorry 🙈🙈🙊🙊🙊🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️
#damirae#demon birds#damian wayne#raven roth#raven is a kent#clark kent#jon kent#alternative universe#blind date au#my writing#dick grayson#jason todd#bruce wayne#barbara gordon#tim drake#koriand'r#garfiend logan#dc fandom#dc universe#part 3#lois lane#batfamily#superfamily#fluff#eventual smut#teen titans
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hello friends , i’m admin ris but you can call me that Big Dumb if you want ! i play TWO characters –– my little demon RONAN ACOSTA and my sweet forrest princess COSIMA CHASE who’s on her own main blog , so i will probably double like everything possible bc ....... support and love. anyway !!! below you will find some information about ronan including wanted connections , but feel free to LIKE THIS if you’d like me to come plot w/ you or just feel free to slide into my dms + u get bonus points if u tell me a joke :~)
shawn mendes. twenty-two. cismale. he/him. shawn mendes. | i can’t believe i just saw RONAN ACOSTA walking out of cadence records. they’re a single POP/POP ROCK artist who’s been in the industry for SIX YEARS. the tabloids love to focus on their WITHDRAWN nature , but they’re also pretty CHARISMATIC and they seem to give off a vibe that reminds people of SUNGLASSES & BALL CAPS TO AVOID THE CAMERA , SURPRISED REACTIONS , & HIDDEN CHAOTIC BEHAVIOR. | admin ris. 21+. est. she/her.
𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬.
loose, un-gelled curls , hidden hickeys , hiding from paparazzi , sweet, completely faked smiles , a room full of laughter , bad boys who look like good boys , broken hearts , hidden agendas , honest moments behind closed doors.
𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 ��𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬.
full name : ronan mateo acosta / orientation : pansexual / style : relaxed. jeans , tight fitted t-shirts , put together but casual. / family : angelo & cynthia acosta , musicians. / tattoos : butterfly on shoulder , guitar on foreman inside , family surname on ankle , song lyrics ( his moms ) foreman inside , traveling music notes around wrist , heart outline side of middle finger. / hometown : los angeles , ca. / zodiac : aries.
𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲.
○ ronan grew up in the public eye , though his parents attempted to keep him very humble and out of the spotlight until he was ready. his parents are both famous musicians , his dad originating in protugal and his mom in the states , he moved to los angles after he met her and it was a true , sappy love story. they really did attempt to keep ronan’s life private but he was always Known like any famous celebrity’s child. ○ ronan was a pretty SWEET as a kid –– though he was definitely spoiled. his parents thought that giving him everything he wanted would keep him ... behaved ? i don’t know why they thought that. but they did. give the boy what he wants and he’ll listen to us. and at first , it was working because he was still young + didn’t have his own access to their money. yet. however , as he started getting more and more , he was getting more and more stingy + pretentious. ○ and then ronan starts to want to do his own music. he learned guitar , piano , and even the violin and begins to find his voice. as his voice finds itself and he finds his love for much , ronan & lachlan forms –– a duo group via youtube with his best friend when ronan was 15 going on 16. because of famous background , they quickly took off and because of how ronan’s parents wanted him to be seen , ronan was formed into a very pure + angelic mold and his best friend was pulled into this mold too. except , things didn’t work out being forced into a kid friendly mold for the duo as they got older , and they split about three years ago. ○ after the split of ronan & lachlan , ronan began putting out his own music and that’s when Demon Ronan really comes out –– except , his music is mostly pg and clean and appeals to a Youngerish crowd , and he’s still keeping up with the same imagine as he was before. ronan’s music basically matches shawns with the exception of some songs + a little bit of an added rock element ; although my favorite song to put to ronan is nervous bc it’s literally the OPPOSITE of him + one of his biggest hits. his image and sound is very sweet and pure with a soft hint of ... thirst trap thrown in to keep people interested. at first , ronan didn’t really mind this and then after the split of his group + finding himself as a teen , ronan realized he REALLY didn’t fit the mold the world wanted him to. ○ so you’d think that he’d start emerging as his true self , except his manager urges him he needs to keep him imagine pure or it might crash his career –– he’s popular to younger fans and can use this image to support things he cares about and to stay relevant. however , as time goes on , ronan just gets worse. partying , drinking , all that fun stuff all while hiding from any camera that comes in the room. it begins to be a game for him –– how long can he keep this up ? rip to all this team who had to clean up after him. gd mess. ○ anyway ! the general SUM UP of ronan is that on the outside , he’s PURE and sweet and kind with a simple addition of towering 6′2 height and perfectly sculpted arms + abs and thanks to the occasional wet shirt , the people get to see just enough to toggle the line between innocent and thirst trap. it’s definitely a thirst trap. don’t let him fool you. however , when you see the real ronan he’s a MESS who’s partying on private jets , getting drunk in the middle of the day , and having his messes cleaned up for him constantly. ○ personality wise , ronan is FUN , no matter which side of him you may know. if you’re introduced to the fake , public eye ronan –– he’s sweet and kind and funny , but if you really known ronan –– he’s flirtatious , Wild , always offering unsolicited advice , a Pure Comedian , and a hot freaking mess and u know what ? he’s the worlds hot mess.
𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬.
○ ronan is publicly pansexual and talks about it openly on social media & is happily an ally and support to his lgbt+ fans. this was something his manager advised against and then he was spotted kissing a Boy and took to an interview to talk about it and regularly advocates for lgbt+ youth. though there was some backlash against this , he was still coming out of his duo phase and highly regraded as a good role model + used his platform to advocate which just Progressed his pure image. it’s the one thing that’s not fake tbh.
○ ronan also talks openly about current events + issues but is careful to make sure he was research and doesn’t heavily share too much across platforms but does like to show his support for certain things. it almost feels like it would be part of his Sweet facade but he really does care about some things. believe it or not. ○ ronan has very few close friends , though he was have some people who completely call him out on his bullshit. it’s really a surprise that the world still thinks ronan is so pure and angelic because this boy is .... a freaking ........ mess. he’s got PLENTY of party friends who happily don’t give a shit about his hannah montana style life but not many friends who .... do care that he’s a messy lil demon who’s fooling the whole world. ○ he comes off as super humble but this boy ..... is not. not humble at all. name brand everything. best everything possible. ○ he's actually not a terrible person despite being a demon , he’s just got super chaotic energy but hopefully like ur chaotic fav chaotic energy :~) ○ in my head , ronan is slowly starting to chip away at his innocent front –– partly intentionally + unintentionally. his new music is less innocent + his thirst traps are getting Thirstier and people are starting to realize the make up that’s always caked onto his neck and the glazed look in his eyes in the middle of the day. he can’t really get away from people noticing. his manager is going through extremes to preserve his imagine instead of having his morph into a new one.
𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
○ he’s got a pr relationship / stunt wanted connection on the main. they are currently “ dating ” and honestly it’s hilarious. pls take this so ronan can text them stupid fake couple things and they can laugh n be dumb together. i do feel like they’re surprisingly close + this muse backs ronan up when he’s almost caught being chaotic. they got together on the nudge of ronan’s management team - why your muse as chosen can be discussed ! but they help better his image + they so really Look like a couple but they’re just friends :~) ○ other things include fwb , exes , friends , party/bad influence friends , etc. specially , i would love a close friend , the closest thing ronan would say to best friend. they get him and his chaotic energy. they just get each other and he’s comfortable around them. ○ would also really love some type of will they / won’t they who likely thinks ronan is in an actual relationship but they also know ronan is a hot mess and this person is NOT his type + they suspect it’s a stunt but he refuses to tell them the truth.
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Midsommar (2019) Review
“It’s time to keep your appointment with the Wicker Man!”
Plot: A couple travels to Sweden to visit a rural hometown's fabled mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.
I’m not a fan of Hereditary. There, I said it. Minus that one intense car scene I found the movie fairly dull and pointless with an ending that brought the entire thing down to forgettable tosh. Now Ari Aster is back with his second directorial feature, and though it has been getting solid reviews, I walked into it with a feeling of skepticism, since Hereditary also got rave reviews yet I already said how I feel about that one.
Midsommar is better than Hereditary. That being said it is a bit all over the place and has huge pacing issues. I get that you have to develop tension and give a feel of the setting, but being over 2 hours this film could have easily been cut down without loosing any effect and heck even gaining from it. So much so that with Aster’s persistence in making certain points and moments makes for a movie that at times feels very pretentious. Also the inevitable chaotic ending full of anarchy that this movie builds to is both at parts satisfying but also really messy and over-done.
There is a lot to appreciate here. For one, you can tell that Ari Aster is a director with his own distinct voice, especially when it comes to horror, as a big motive for him in terms of making this film was to stray away from generic horror clichés like scenes that happen in the dark and the annoying over-done clichés. Instead, we have a rare time where a horror films is mostly set at daytime, thus the horror comes more from the situation and themes rather than cheap jump-scare gimmicks which are nowhere to be seen here thankfully. In fact, though The Wicker Man angle (out to new extremes) is very much present as we see the proceedings of this strange Swedish pagan group’s celebrations, from drug use to offering pubic hair-filled pies and chorally assisted ritualistic sex, this movie is front and foremost about loss and break up, and the acceptance of those two things.
Florence Pugh gives her most dedicated and best performance to date, which is saying something as her roles in indie Lady Macbeth and this year’s Fighting with My Family have already proven she is one of the biggest young actors to look out for in the current ever expanding movie industry medium, and she already has promising future projects on the line like Greta Gerwig’s next directorial outing Little Women where she will be starring alongside Emma Watson, Timothy Chalamet and no other than Meryl Streep and then there’s talk of her rumoured role in the yet-to-be-officially-announced Black Widow film for Marvel. But thus far here in Midsommar is where she shines most, giving such a disarming performance full of raw broken emotion that one wonders how come Pugh still has not received her BAFTA for Best Rising Star. Not to be overlooked though are other cast members with the likes of Free Fire’s Jack Reynor and William Jackson Harper leaving an impression but it is Will Poulter who walks away with a scene stealing role that reveals the actor to be one who has quite a bit of comic chops under his belt. In fact, Midsommar is a surprisingly funny film, both purposely with how Aster in some ways mocks and pokes fun at the ridiculousness of said situation and cultural differences, but also unintentionally where the film’s third act gets so engulfed in its chaotic madness that certain parts of horror and gore become laughably filled with cringe.
From a technical aspect Midsommar is show-stopping with gorgeous lighting and cinematography, and masterful editing, with a stand out element emerging with as the movie’s plot descends into its lunacy and characters get more affected by shrooms and other psychedelics the scenery around them begins to wave and twist creating a somewhat ecstatic dream world...all why gruesome imagery is thrown in your face. But as I said, Midsommar has huge flaws, within its overdone slow pace, messy plot, its selfless attempt to act more clever than it actually is, and the laughably overdone finale really make this picture one to be appreciated, but not fully respected.
Overall score: 6/10
#midsommar#ari aster#horror#summer solstice#pagan#paganism#sweden#midsommar review#hereditary#drama#mystery#thriller#film#movie#movie reviews#film reviews#2019#2019 in film#2019 films#florence pugh#jack reynor#William Jackson harper#vilhelm blomgren#will poulter#isabelle grill#the wicker man#a24#cinema#indie#shock value
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House Guest S1E27
This episode is just... cringeworthy. Following the events of “Ocean Gem” Pearl is examining the wreck of Greg’s van which she insists is just a simple, human, machine she can figure out in no time. Greg rolls over in a rolling chair and suggests duct tape which he claims can fix anything in a pinch. Steven apologizes for the broken van and Greg’s broken leg, but Greg optimistically focuses on the positive fact that he got to spend more time with Steven. Amethyst suggests Steven uses his healing powers instead of having Greg come live at the beach house. Steven tries to use his healing spit but Greg still cannot stand up. Garnet seems a bit suspicious but Greg moves in with Steven anyways. They spend the afternoon remembering when Steven used to live with Greg, singing the song “Dear Old Dad”
“Dear Old Dad” is a duet between Greg and Steven, and the most notable part is how Greg sings “in this world of Gems there’s no one like you” easily referencing both Stevens half-human nature as well as unintentionally hinting that Diamonds are rare even for Gems. Amethyst is hanging out with Steven and Greg when Pearl comes back, covered in grease, finished fixing the van. Garnet immediately directs the team that they need to go fix the cracked Geode. Garnet tells Steven to come along as well. Greg is disappointed and starts acting pathetic and helpless to manipulate Steven. Pearl gives him a warp whistle to alert the gems should anything go wrong. Steven and the gems warp to the Geode and before Pearl can explain the giant rock in a crater, the warp whistle activates and Steven heads back to check on Greg. The call was a false alarm to check that the whistle works. Steven heads back and before Pearl can finish explaining the warp whistle activates again. Steven goes back and Greg asks for the remote. Steven goes back to the Geode again and says it was important. Pearl quickly finishes explaining the danger of the Geode and Garnet tells Steven to use his healing power on it to contain the storm. Steven is uncertain but the Gems are supportive as he steps up to lick the rock.
Steven’s healing spit fails and he backs away, acutely aware that if his powers never develop he may never get to be a true Crystal Gem. The others try to comfort him but the warp whistle activates once again and the whole group heads back, Steven worried that this time something bad has happened. They get back and Steven rushes to a Greg that looks passed out, who promptly sits up to tell Steven about a funny dog food commercial. Steven gets upset because the whistle is for emergencies. Greg apologizes and asks for a snack from the Big Donut. Amethyst reassures Steven about his powers and asks for a snack as well. A very flustered Steven heads out and turns around quickly, realizing he doesn’t know what donuts Greg wants. He walks back in to find Greg dancing around the kitchen on his broken leg. Steven is furious as Greg realizes he’s been caught and tries to fake the broken leg again. Steven blames Greg for not being able to use his healing power on the Geode. Greg claims he just wanted to live with Steven again and never meant to mess with Steven’s confidence. Steven storms out upset but quickly turns around to apologize just in time to watch Greg use the warp whistle to warp to the Geode. He jumps into the stream just in time.
The storm around the Geode has gotten worse as the crack has widened. Greg insists this is his fault for messing with Steven’s power. Steven reassures him that he knows how to heal and Greg tells Steven to try again. Steven tries this time with both hands covered in spit but the Geode remains cracked. Greg suggests they try duct tape, which works perfectly and dissipates the storm. Later Pearl is showing Greg all the fixes she made to the van and he is amazed at how good it looks. That night he and Steven shout good night to each other as Greg remains parked on the beach to spend the night closer.
The biggest parallel in this Story is how Greg faking his injury impacts Steven in a similar way to how Pink’s shattering affects Blue. Blue was never able to fully return to effective leadership, grieving Pink for millennia. “Feeling Blue” on the surface is Yellow chiding Blue for her inability to act for the greater good of her court. Steven loses his confidence in his ability and fails on a mission that could be deadly because of Greg’s lie. Otherwise, this episode is cringy with Greg’s pathetic misbehavior. Other episodes where he isn’t being a stellar dad or friend are endearing and forgivable but this scenario is odd and feels out of character with the man we’ve met so far in the series. It also starts the odd precedent of characters lying to spend more time with others, as Pearl does to Garnet to form Sardonyx. At least the episode is a suitable step back from “Ocean Gem”, continuing continuity with the episode but allowing the stakes to fall back down to daily life levels. Greg may normally be a much more supportive and caring person, but at least when he gets selfish it’s because he wants to spend time with his son.
You sit on a throne of lies.
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Warning: This article contains spoilers for Bojack Horseman.
What do you see when you look into the eyes of Bojack Horseman?
Do you see anxiety? Do you see dysfunction and excess and addiction? Do you see yourself?
The creators of Bojack Horseman hope to conjure all these thoughts and more—but before the show even really begins. The 40-second title sequence, shown at the top of each episode, is instrumental in building the show’s tone and mythology. It changes subtly over the seasons and even from one episode to the next, exposing emotional subtexts and foreshadowing plot points. “It’s tremendously important—I definitely think it’s affected the show,” Bojack creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg tells TIME.
But the title sequence’s biggest impact isn’t uncovered until the show’s penultimate episode, which was released on Netflix on Jan. 31. In that episode, it’s revealed that the show’s climactic moment has been hiding in plain sight from the very beginning. This long payoff, six years in the making, is just another small but key example of how Bojack has been one of the smartest and most transgressive shows on television in recent memory.
Lost-in-life feeling
While Bojack is now widely revered, its fate was much less certain when the filmmaker Mike Roberts was brought on to direct the title sequence in 2014. For the most part, adult animation was confined to a specific lane—largely consisting of crude jokes aimed at teenage boys—and the first few episodes of Bojack hewed dangerously close to that standard.
“The first three episodes didn’t give everyone the full picture of how serious and dark and thematically deep the show goes,” Roberts tells TIME. “The main thing was to let the audience know that it wasn’t just this typical show—that there was some depth coming.”
In creating the title sequence, Roberts hoped to take viewers on a tour of Bojack’s everyday life—just like the introduction to The Simpsons and Scooby Doo—but from a peculiar vantage point: as if a GoPro was locked facing Bojack’s head. Roberts says he was primarily inspired by YouTube travel videos and how unintentionally strange they are: “It has this weird sensation of being there but also not being there, because the person is such a large part of the frame,” Roberts says. “We wanted this lost-in-life feeling, as if you were on a vacation somewhere exotic but stuck in your life that you kind of hate.”
The sequence shows Bojack walking through his house, going to the supermarket, partying with friends, and falling into a pool. But while his day is action-packed, he doesn’t seem to be in control—his body drifts automatically through space, wobbling slightly. “We wanted to feel like the day was running away from him,” Roberts says.
The sequence also communicates a disconnect between Bojack and those around him. Because Bojack faces the viewers, he can’t actually see the people that populate his house, and thus mostly doesn’t react to them at all. While he moves fluidly, the other characters flicker in stop-motion, as if they they’re not quite real to him. The amount of space Bojack’s own face takes up in the frame also reflects his narcissism and his inability to see the world outside of himself.
And the sequence not only gives the viewer clues about Bojack’s disorienting headspace, but forces us into it. Bojack’s blank stare has a startling mirroring effect, as if you were staring at your own reflection through the window of a moving train. “The feeling of the camera being locked to you while the background is moving is so surreal and weird,” Roberts says. “In some ways, it feels a bit like being drunk or being high.”
While the visual sequence was arresting on its own, the accompanying music would also be crucial in signaling the show’s tone. After culling through options, the creative team ultimately came down to two pieces: an instrumental by Patrick and Ralph Carney propelled by braying saxophones, and a melancholic ditty by Grouplove. “The Carney song was intense—almost a film noir kind of thing, while the Grouplove song was scary-funny in a Lynchian way,” Roberts said. “As we overlaid them, it was obvious which one fit.” They chose the Carney song, with its sinister haziness, for the top of each episode, and then moved the Grouplove song to the end credits as a pitch black resolution.
“You’d feel the momentum”
Bob-Waksberg loved Roberts’ concept: “It illustrated what the show was going to be even when the show itself was not illustrating that,” he says.
But he wasn’t completely satisfied—and he asked that the sequence reflect another key aspect of the show. “One of the things that set us apart early on, as opposed to other animated shows, was the fact that Bojack was continuous and serialized,” Bob-Waksberg says. While other animated sitcom protagonists, like Homer Simpson, Peter Griffin and Sterling Archer, perform reckless actions that are mostly wiped clean at the end of each episode, Bojack’s life doesn’t reset; his decisions have devastating consequences to himself and those around him.
Bob-Waksberg wanted to use the title sequence to underscore those continuing repercussions—”so you’d feel the momentum of the series.” So Roberts and his team worked to implement small changes to the background of each episode’s title sequence. Some of the changes are little more than fun easter eggs: when Todd jumps on Bojack’s bed and breaks it, for example, his bed is propped up by books the next episode.
But other changes are far heavier: they document the end of relationships (with Wanda and Gina quietly disappearing) or show how Bojack’s actions have affected the outside world (after he gets the director Kelsey Jannings fired from Secretariat, she’s summarily replaced in the sequence by Abe D’Catfish). Before it’s revealed that his mother Beatrice has been drugging his sister Hollyhock through coffee, Beatrice is shown pouring a cup for her at the beginning of each episode.
And as the series goes on and Bojack devolves deeper into addiction and narcissism, the title sequence changes even more drastically. In season four, the segment that previously showed Bojack finally leaving his house is replaced by a kaleidoscopic montage of characters, signifying his past and present collapsing, his mental grip on reality spiraling out of control. (The sequence is triggered by Bojack drinking coffee, which also could be a nod to Beatrice’s sleight of hand.) “We wanted to have a trip-out kind of moment to show that he’s losing it,” Roberts says.
Bojack’s disconnect from reality is brought to its logical end in the season six title sequence, which was designed by Peter Merryman. Rather than showing Bojack meandering through his day, he instead wallows in his most entrenched and devastating memories, whether being confronted by his dying ex-friend Herb or eulogizing his mother. The sequence serves an unsettling double function: showing how Bojack has become locked in a prison of his own memories, and as a quasi-curtain call for the show’s most memorable episodes. “You’re watching a part of show that reminds you of watching a show that was about a guy that was in a show,” Merryman says. “You can peel that onion for a long time.”
A downer ending
Over time, the title sequence wormed its way into the show’s ethos and plot. In season three, for example, Bojack chooses a mirror-based ad campaign for his film Secretariat that looks eerily similar to the sequence.
But its significance rises another level in the penultimate episode, when a relapsed and depressed Bojack returns to his old house and flatlines in his pool. To Roberts, the possibility of this ending had been looming from the start: “The sequence implies that Bojack could fall into a pool, drunk and high, and maybe not come out,” he says.
Bob-Waksberg says this wasn’t by grand design—he had no idea when or how Bojack would end when he began writing the series. But he says that “the motif of swimming versus drowning gradually accumulated a lot of poignancy—and part of that is because it’s in the main title sequence. When someone brought up the idea while pitching, it felt so perfect and appropriate.”
Bob-Waksberg and the writing team then added another devastating connection to the title sequence. While the viewer might expect Diane to come to Bojack’s rescue—given that she perennially and anxiously hovers over his fall—this time, she fails to pick up his call. The fact that he will not be saved by his best friend means that the cycle shown in the title sequence—where he emerges from the pool scot-free from his mistakes—has truly been broken.
That climactic moment was widely hailed by critics and fans—and its emotional impact surely would have been dulled to anyone who uses the “Skip Intro” button on Netflix. Bob-Waksberg wishes that the button would be removed entirely. “I think it’s useless and it hurts the show,” he says. “Especially when you’re binging, it builds up anticipation and gives you a moment to think about the episode you saw and the episode you’re about to see. If I didn’t think that, I wouldn’t have included it in the show that I delivered to Netflix.”
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Warning: This article contains spoilers for Bojack Horseman.
What do you see when you look into the eyes of Bojack Horseman?
Do you see anxiety? Do you see dysfunction and excess and addiction? Do you see yourself?
The creators of Bojack Horseman hope to conjure all these thoughts and more—but before the show even really begins. The 40-second title sequence, shown at the top of each episode, is instrumental in building the show’s tone and mythology. It changes subtly over the seasons and even from one episode to the next, exposing emotional subtexts and foreshadowing plot points. “It’s tremendously important—I definitely think it’s affected the show,” Bojack creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg tells TIME.
But the title sequence’s biggest impact isn’t uncovered until the show’s penultimate episode, which was released on Netflix on Jan. 31. In that episode, it’s revealed that the show’s climactic moment has been hiding in plain sight from the very beginning. This long payoff, six years in the making, is just another small but key example of how Bojack has been one of the smartest and most transgressive shows on television in recent memory.
Lost-in-life feeling
While Bojack is now widely revered, its fate was much less certain when the filmmaker Mike Roberts was brought on to direct the title sequence in 2014. For the most part, adult animation was confined to a specific lane—largely consisting of crude jokes aimed at teenage boys—and the first few episodes of Bojack hewed dangerously close to that standard.
“The first three episodes didn’t give everyone the full picture of how serious and dark and thematically deep the show goes,” Roberts tells TIME. “The main thing was to let the audience know that it wasn’t just this typical show—that there was some depth coming.”
In creating the title sequence, Roberts hoped to take viewers on a tour of Bojack’s everyday life—just like the introduction to The Simpsons and Scooby Doo—but from a peculiar vantage point: as if a GoPro was locked facing Bojack’s head. Roberts says he was primarily inspired by YouTube travel videos and how unintentionally strange they are: “It has this weird sensation of being there but also not being there, because the person is such a large part of the frame,” Roberts says. “We wanted this lost-in-life feeling, as if you were on a vacation somewhere exotic but stuck in your life that you kind of hate.”
The sequence shows Bojack walking through his house, going to the supermarket, partying with friends, and falling into a pool. But while his day is action-packed, he doesn’t seem to be in control—his body drifts automatically through space, wobbling slightly. “We wanted to feel like the day was running away from him,” Roberts says.
The sequence also communicates a disconnect between Bojack and those around him. Because Bojack faces the viewers, he can’t actually see the people that populate his house, and thus mostly doesn’t react to them at all. While he moves fluidly, the other characters flicker in stop-motion, as if they they’re not quite real to him. The amount of space Bojack’s own face takes up in the frame also reflects his narcissism and his inability to see the world outside of himself.
And the sequence not only gives the viewer clues about Bojack’s disorienting headspace, but forces us into it. Bojack’s blank stare has a startling mirroring effect, as if you were staring at your own reflection through the window of a moving train. “The feeling of the camera being locked to you while the background is moving is so surreal and weird,” Roberts says. “In some ways, it feels a bit like being drunk or being high.”
While the visual sequence was arresting on its own, the accompanying music would also be crucial in signaling the show’s tone. After culling through options, the creative team ultimately came down to two pieces: an instrumental by Patrick and Ralph Carney propelled by braying saxophones, and a melancholic ditty by Grouplove. “The Carney song was intense—almost a film noir kind of thing, while the Grouplove song was scary-funny in a Lynchian way,” Roberts said. “As we overlaid them, it was obvious which one fit.” They chose the Carney song, with its sinister haziness, for the top of each episode, and then moved the Grouplove song to the end credits as a pitch black resolution.
“You’d feel the momentum”
Bob-Waksberg loved Roberts’ concept: “It illustrated what the show was going to be even when the show itself was not illustrating that,” he says.
But he wasn’t completely satisfied—and he asked that the sequence reflect another key aspect of the show. “One of the things that set us apart early on, as opposed to other animated shows, was the fact that Bojack was continuous and serialized,” Bob-Waksberg says. While other animated sitcom protagonists, like Homer Simpson, Peter Griffin and Sterling Archer, perform reckless actions that are mostly wiped clean at the end of each episode, Bojack’s life doesn’t reset; his decisions have devastating consequences to himself and those around him.
Bob-Waksberg wanted to use the title sequence to underscore those continuing repercussions—”so you’d feel the momentum of the series.” So Roberts and his team worked to implement small changes to the background of each episode’s title sequence. Some of the changes are little more than fun easter eggs: when Todd jumps on Bojack’s bed and breaks it, for example, his bed is propped up by books the next episode.
But other changes are far heavier: they document the end of relationships (with Wanda and Gina quietly disappearing) or show how Bojack’s actions have affected the outside world (after he gets the director Kelsey Jannings fired from Secretariat, she’s summarily replaced in the sequence by Abe D’Catfish). Before it’s revealed that his mother Beatrice has been drugging his sister Hollyhock through coffee, Beatrice is shown pouring a cup for her at the beginning of each episode.
And as the series goes on and Bojack devolves deeper into addiction and narcissism, the title sequence changes even more drastically. In season four, the segment that previously showed Bojack finally leaving his house is replaced by a kaleidoscopic montage of characters, signifying his past and present collapsing, his mental grip on reality spiraling out of control. (The sequence is triggered by Bojack drinking coffee, which also could be a nod to Beatrice’s sleight of hand.) “We wanted to have a trip-out kind of moment to show that he’s losing it,” Roberts says.
Bojack’s disconnect from reality is brought to its logical end in the season six title sequence, which was designed by Peter Merryman. Rather than showing Bojack meandering through his day, he instead wallows in his most entrenched and devastating memories, whether being confronted by his dying ex-friend Herb or eulogizing his mother. The sequence serves an unsettling double function: showing how Bojack has become locked in a prison of his own memories, and as a quasi-curtain call for the show’s most memorable episodes. “You’re watching a part of show that reminds you of watching a show that was about a guy that was in a show,” Merryman says. “You can peel that onion for a long time.”
A downer ending
Over time, the title sequence wormed its way into the show’s ethos and plot. In season three, for example, Bojack chooses a mirror-based ad campaign for his film Secretariat that looks eerily similar to the sequence.
But its significance rises another level in the penultimate episode, when a relapsed and depressed Bojack returns to his old house and flatlines in his pool. To Roberts, the possibility of this ending had been looming from the start: “The sequence implies that Bojack could fall into a pool, drunk and high, and maybe not come out,” he says.
Bob-Waksberg says this wasn’t by grand design—he had no idea when or how Bojack would end when he began writing the series. But he says that “the motif of swimming versus drowning gradually accumulated a lot of poignancy—and part of that is because it’s in the main title sequence. When someone brought up the idea while pitching, it felt so perfect and appropriate.”
Bob-Waksberg and the writing team then added another devastating connection to the title sequence. While the viewer might expect Diane to come to Bojack’s rescue—given that she perennially and anxiously hovers over his fall—this time, she fails to pick up his call. The fact that he will not be saved by his best friend means that the cycle shown in the title sequence—where he emerges from the pool scot-free from his mistakes—has truly been broken.
That climactic moment was widely hailed by critics and fans—and its emotional impact surely would have been dulled to anyone who uses the “Skip Intro” button on Netflix. Bob-Waksberg wishes that the button would be removed entirely. “I think it’s useless and it hurts the show,” he says. “Especially when you’re binging, it builds up anticipation and gives you a moment to think about the episode you saw and the episode you’re about to see. If I didn’t think that, I wouldn’t have included it in the show that I delivered to Netflix.”
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Link
February 12, 2020 at 09:53PM
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Bojack Horseman.
What do you see when you look into the eyes of Bojack Horseman?
Do you see anxiety? Do you see dysfunction and excess and addiction? Do you see yourself?
The creators of Bojack Horseman hope to conjure all these thoughts and more—but before the show even really begins. The 40-second title sequence, shown at the top of each episode, is instrumental in building the show’s tone and mythology. It changes subtly over the seasons and even from one episode to the next, exposing emotional subtexts and foreshadowing plot points. “It’s tremendously important—I definitely think it’s affected the show,” Bojack creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg tells TIME.
But the title sequence’s biggest impact isn’t uncovered until the show’s penultimate episode, which was released on Netflix on Jan. 31. In that episode, it’s revealed that the show’s climactic moment has been hiding in plain sight from the very beginning. This long payoff, six years in the making, is just another small but key example of how Bojack has been one of the smartest and most transgressive shows on television in recent memory.
Lost-in-life feeling
While Bojack is now widely revered, its fate was much less certain when the filmmaker Mike Roberts was brought on to direct the title sequence in 2014. For the most part, adult animation was confined to a specific lane—largely consisting of crude jokes aimed at teenage boys—and the first few episodes of Bojack hewed dangerously close to that standard.
“The first three episodes didn’t give everyone the full picture of how serious and dark and thematically deep the show goes,” Roberts tells TIME. “The main thing was to let the audience know that it wasn’t just this typical show—that there was some depth coming.”
In creating the title sequence, Roberts hoped to take viewers on a tour of Bojack’s everyday life—just like the introduction to The Simpsons and Scooby Doo—but from a peculiar vantage point: as if a GoPro was locked facing Bojack’s head. Roberts says he was primarily inspired by YouTube travel videos and how unintentionally strange they are: “It has this weird sensation of being there but also not being there, because the person is such a large part of the frame,” Roberts says. “We wanted this lost-in-life feeling, as if you were on a vacation somewhere exotic but stuck in your life that you kind of hate.”
The sequence shows Bojack walking through his house, going to the supermarket, partying with friends, and falling into a pool. But while his day is action-packed, he doesn’t seem to be in control—his body drifts automatically through space, wobbling slightly. “We wanted to feel like the day was running away from him,” Roberts says.
The sequence also communicates a disconnect between Bojack and those around him. Because Bojack faces the viewers, he can’t actually see the people that populate his house, and thus mostly doesn’t react to them at all. While he moves fluidly, the other characters flicker in stop-motion, as if they they’re not quite real to him. The amount of space Bojack’s own face takes up in the frame also reflects his narcissism and his inability to see the world outside of himself.
And the sequence not only gives the viewer clues about Bojack’s disorienting headspace, but forces us into it. Bojack’s blank stare has a startling mirroring effect, as if you were staring at your own reflection through the window of a moving train. “The feeling of the camera being locked to you while the background is moving is so surreal and weird,” Roberts says. “In some ways, it feels a bit like being drunk or being high.”
While the visual sequence was arresting on its own, the accompanying music would also be crucial in signaling the show’s tone. After culling through options, the creative team ultimately came down to two pieces: an instrumental by Patrick and Ralph Carney propelled by braying saxophones, and a melancholic ditty by Grouplove. “The Carney song was intense—almost a film noir kind of thing, while the Grouplove song was scary-funny in a Lynchian way,” Roberts said. “As we overlaid them, it was obvious which one fit.” They chose the Carney song, with its sinister haziness, for the top of each episode, and then moved the Grouplove song to the end credits as a pitch black resolution.
“You’d feel the momentum”
Bob-Waksberg loved Roberts’ concept: “It illustrated what the show was going to be even when the show itself was not illustrating that,” he says.
But he wasn’t completely satisfied—and he asked that the sequence reflect another key aspect of the show. “One of the things that set us apart early on, as opposed to other animated shows, was the fact that Bojack was continuous and serialized,” Bob-Waksberg says. While other animated sitcom protagonists, like Homer Simpson, Peter Griffin and Sterling Archer, perform reckless actions that are mostly wiped clean at the end of each episode, Bojack’s life doesn’t reset; his decisions have devastating consequences to himself and those around him.
Bob-Waksberg wanted to use the title sequence to underscore those continuing repercussions—”so you’d feel the momentum of the series.” So Roberts and his team worked to implement small changes to the background of each episode’s title sequence. Some of the changes are little more than fun easter eggs: when Todd jumps on Bojack’s bed and breaks it, for example, his bed is propped up by books the next episode.
But other changes are far heavier: they document the end of relationships (with Wanda and Gina quietly disappearing) or show how Bojack’s actions have affected the outside world (after he gets the director Kelsey Jannings fired from Secretariat, she’s summarily replaced in the sequence by Abe D’Catfish). Before it’s revealed that his mother Beatrice has been drugging his sister Hollyhock through coffee, Beatrice is shown pouring a cup for her at the beginning of each episode.
And as the series goes on and Bojack devolves deeper into addiction and narcissism, the title sequence changes even more drastically. In season four, the segment that previously showed Bojack finally leaving his house is replaced by a kaleidoscopic montage of characters, signifying his past and present collapsing, his mental grip on reality spiraling out of control. (The sequence is triggered by Bojack drinking coffee, which also could be a nod to Beatrice’s sleight of hand.) “We wanted to have a trip-out kind of moment to show that he’s losing it,” Roberts says.
Bojack’s disconnect from reality is brought to its logical end in the season six title sequence, which was designed by Peter Merryman. Rather than showing Bojack meandering through his day, he instead wallows in his most entrenched and devastating memories, whether being confronted by his dying ex-friend Herb or eulogizing his mother. The sequence serves an unsettling double function: showing how Bojack has become locked in a prison of his own memories, and as a quasi-curtain call for the show’s most memorable episodes. “You’re watching a part of show that reminds you of watching a show that was about a guy that was in a show,” Merryman says. “You can peel that onion for a long time.”
A downer ending
Over time, the title sequence wormed its way into the show’s ethos and plot. In season three, for example, Bojack chooses a mirror-based ad campaign for his film Secretariat that looks eerily similar to the sequence.
But its significance rises another level in the penultimate episode, when a relapsed and depressed Bojack returns to his old house and flatlines in his pool. To Roberts, the possibility of this ending had been looming from the start: “The sequence implies that Bojack could fall into a pool, drunk and high, and maybe not come out,” he says.
Bob-Waksberg says this wasn’t by grand design—he had no idea when or how Bojack would end when he began writing the series. But he says that “the motif of swimming versus drowning gradually accumulated a lot of poignancy—and part of that is because it’s in the main title sequence. When someone brought up the idea while pitching, it felt so perfect and appropriate.”
Bob-Waksberg and the writing team then added another devastating connection to the title sequence. While the viewer might expect Diane to come to Bojack’s rescue—given that she perennially and anxiously hovers over his fall—this time, she fails to pick up his call. The fact that he will not be saved by his best friend means that the cycle shown in the title sequence—where he emerges from the pool scot-free from his mistakes—has truly been broken.
That climactic moment was widely hailed by critics and fans—and its emotional impact surely would have been dulled to anyone who uses the “Skip Intro” button on Netflix. Bob-Waksberg wishes that the button would be removed entirely. “I think it’s useless and it hurts the show,” he says. “Especially when you’re binging, it builds up anticipation and gives you a moment to think about the episode you saw and the episode you’re about to see. If I didn’t think that, I wouldn’t have included it in the show that I delivered to Netflix.”
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