#tota fandom

[princeloww]

Takin' Over the Asylum fandom!!!!!!

My friend @jaykinarts and I were talking about how some characters in TOTA are very underrated - especially compared to Campbell and Fergus - when they really deserve just as much love.

This conversation led to an idea.......

So, Jay and I would like to present:

TAKIN OVER THE ASYLUM APPRECIATION WEEK

(11th - 16th of December)

Monday 11th-> Rosalie Garrity

Tuesday 12th-> Francine Boyle

Wednesday 13th-> Eddie McKenna

Thursday 14th-> Fergus Mackinnon

Friday 15th-> Campbell Bain

Saturday 16th-> Donna Franceschild and TOTA in general (as a show/play).

How to participate?

- Post about the chosen character for each day on that day. You don't have to do it every single day, and it doesn't have to be much - but just try to post anything about that character on that day. It can be screenshots/photos, headcanons, random thoughts, general appreciation, short textposts, fanfiction -- literally anything you want. It is entirely up to you how you participate.

What's the point?

- Filling the Takin' Over the Asylum tag with appreciation for the other characters as well, instead of just Campbell. (I love Campbell, I'm guilty of talking only about him too, but) Let's show everyone a bit of love.

Tag your posts with "#TOTA Takeover" so we can see how it goes.

Spread the word!!! :D Reblog this post!!!

[jaykinarts]

TOTA TAKEOVER DAY 4 — FERGUS MACKINNON

I LOVE FERGUS SM , genuinely his character arc and everything was so tragic and yet so really well done and the way they depicted the sheer frustration he experienced really made it gut wrenching. Love this man.

[nyx-knacks-writes]

Snow

A short TOTA ficlet set before Campbell was admitted to St. Jude's. Trigger warning for suicidal thoughts.

It’d happened again. Campbell sat outside in the dark, ruminating on his newest argument with his father. Something was wrong. Something was deeply, desperately wrong. He knew it was. His dad knew it was. Everyone knew that something was wrong. It writhed and tumbled angrily in his stomach, the knowledge and feeling of wrongness, biting and scratching until Campbell wanted to throw it up, expel it from his stomach and watch it splatter against the snow, the black tar of the cursed knowledge burning and bubbling until it simply burned away, choked by its own deep-rooted venom. 

But alas. There he sat, the creature rolling over and making him dizzy and nauseous while fiery anger burned up his chest. What would it take to make his father understand? Clearly he knew that his son wasn’t normal. Clearly he knew that the mood swings, sharp as shards of glass, weren’t normal. How many times had he told Campbell to control himself? How many times had he told the poor boy to calm down, mind his volume, think rationally? How many times had he told his own son to muscle through, stop being lazy, just get up and do something? Too many times.

A warm, wet tear traced a line down Campbell’s face, followed by another. And another. And he broke, tears flowing down his cheeks in slippery rivers, frigid air and a deep loneliness joining forces to choke him even as a pained howl forced its way out among the glittering snowflakes. Campbell raked his hands through his hair, melting the delicate flakes that had woven themselves into the golden strands until his head was wet and burning cold. He opened his eyes, looked down, and saw a beast rather than a boy. After all, weren’t beasts incapable of controlling their emotions? Weren’t beasts ruled by what they felt rather than what they thought? Was that all he was? Just a slave to whatever it was that happened to be wrong in his brain? Was there any chance of getting better when nobody seemed to believe that Campbell needed help?

The sharp blades of the wind swung around him, cutting his cheeks and shredding through his clothes to get to the skinny body beneath. In his fit of upset, he hadn’t thought to bring a coat. As the last few sobs wrung themselves out of his gangly teenage body, Campbell reached up to brush the wet, sticky snow from his body, to no avail. The stuff had melted slightly, just enough to freeze to his clothes in massive clumps. Great. As though it wasn’t enough to have run out on his own into the all-consuming darkness of winter in the middle of a storm with nothing in the way of warm clothing, Campbell would be melting all over the floor of the house. His mom wouldn’t be happy. His dad would be angry. 

For a moment, he was tempted to just stay outside. Let the snow pile up, close his eyes and fade away into the dark. He’d never achieve any of his dreams anyway. Pop star prince? Nah. He couldn’t sing. Racing jockey? Scared of horses. Actor? Couldn’t remember lines. For fuck’s sake, he couldn’t even stick to a hobby! Three years now he’d been trying to learn to play the guitar, and he couldn’t even get all the way through a single song! What was he even good at? What was he even good for? He laid down on his side in the snow, letting the glittering white crystals nip and bite at his skin as he stared listlessly at the forest just a few short meters away. Where even was he, again? Oh yeah . . . he’d come to the park . . . 

He remembered this park. He remembered being just a wee lad, coming out with his mother to blow bubbles and have picnics and run around like a wild boy while she laughed on at his seemingly endless energy until he finally plopped into her lap and asked to just stay there a while. He remembered having his sixth birthday party at the playground nearby, demolishing a cake with his little primary school friends before they were all set loose on the play structure as their parents watched and laughed to see their innocent joy.

Maybe that was what he was good at. Making people smile. Maybe if he kept making people smile, then everything would be okay. It was worth a shot, right?

At last, Campbell picked himself up again, trying to brush off what little snow he could before beginning the trek back home. One foot in front of the other, leaving a path of footprints behind him in the snow. 

Four months later, at the very beginning of May, he would be admitted to Saint Jude’s Mental Hospital, smiling through it all. Just keep on smiling. Keep them smiling. It was his talent, after all.

[flightlessosprey]

Francine is a character I got attached to very quickly on a deeply emotional level. When were first meet her she’s sort of separated from the main group and doesn’t seem to have many friends but she slowly warms up to Eddie and the others and becomes a core part of the show.

I love how when Eddie is told that he shouldn’t get into a relationship with her because she’ll keep ending up in the hospital he decides to accept her for who she is and make it work anyway, and she in turn accepts him for who he is, and chooses to make the relationship work knowing he’s an alcoholic and even if he gets better he will probably relapse from time to time. I love that they accept each other for their flaws and choose to love each other anyway.

[lestatslestits]

I’m late for Day 5 of TOTA Takeover, but I couldn’t let the week end without writing a little something from Campbell’s perspective.

Personally, I really struggle to believe that Campbell’s “fake” manic episode didn’t have some truth behind it, which is the basis for this ficlet.

And since this piece references Campbell’s joke just before he is sedated, I think it deserves to be preserved for posterity as it’s quite hard to hear in the show. The full joke, from the play:

There’s this loony! Walks into a pub with his dog and the barman says; “Hey! Nae dogs in here, pal!” But, the loony tells him it’s a talking dog and says, “Look, if I can make him answer three questions, can he stay?” The barman says, “Right, let’s see then.”

So the loony says to the dog, “What is the texture of sandpaper?” And the dog says “Rough!” And then the guy asks, “Who was Scotland’s goalkeeper in the 1978 World Cup?” and the dog says, “Rough!” And then, “Who was the greatest American baseball player of all time?” and the dog says, “Ruth!”

The barman’s definitely not impressed! He grabs the loony by the collar and throws him into the street! He grabs the dog by the collar and throws him into the street!

And as they’re lying in the gutter the wee dog looks up with tears in his eyes and says, “diMaggio?”

I’m going to try to get one more thing posted for Day 6 (although it may be a day or so late), but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy this!

This is the first time in the last several days that Campbell Bain has felt more or less himself, not trapped under a heavy blanket of medicinal fog. He can tell Fergus, doing vigil by his bedside, has been holding onto the question for a while, waiting for this moment, when he finally asks, “So why did you lie?”

“I didn’t lie!” He yelps indignantly; crossing his arms over his chest. “About what?”

Fergus snorts. “So McKenna came to the idea you were ‘acting’ on his own?”

Oh. That.

“Well, aye, I told him that, but it was no a lie.”

“No?” He can tell by the tone that he’s on the receiving end of his friend’s judgment. And while it’s not unkind, he doesn’t like it.

“I had to do something, didn’t I? I couldnae go to Perth.” He had been to Perth on holiday throughout his childhood and hated every second of each trip. His aunt thought good children were quiet and cheerful, and he had never managed to be more than one of those things at a time. “You know I couldnae go to Perth.”

“And I know you’re not a good enough actor for all of that,” Fergus says with a trace of a smile on his face.

“That’s no very nice,” he says crossly. It’s true, maybe, but not very nice. Then, because he can’t help himself, “When did you realize?”

Fergus considers. “I knew something was coming when your da left,” he says after a moment. Wouldn’t have let you do the show, if it was up to me.”

“Traitor,” Campbell says, although it’s primarily in jest.

“But mostly, you don’t like heights. Always telling me I’ll fall, when I’m escaping. Didn’t think you’d have opened that window if you didn’t think, just for a minute, that you might fly.”

He feels suddenly exposed, far too visible. Shifting under his blanket, he pulls his knees to his chest. “Aye.”

“So then why try to cover it up to McKenna?”

Because he needs it to be an act. Not Eddie, him. Because he had thought the drugs were finally working. Because he doesn’t know how to admit that he’s afraid of who he would have become in Perth, that he’s safe within these walls. Because he thought he was better. Because he needs to be better. Because he needs someone, anyone, to believe that he isn’t forever balancing on a knife’s edge, hanging on for dear life to anything that makes him feel a bit more in control.

But he can’t find words for any of that. So he says the closest thing he can think of.

“Because sometimes you just have to look someone in the eye and tell them the truth that should be, instead of the truth that is.”

That’s not bad, he thinks. Maybe he’ll use that again some day.

Fergus seems less impressed, but he doesn’t push. He sits in Fergus-typical silence for a bit, then says, “You know, the joke about the dog is terrible.”

“I know,” Campbell says.

[leon-swedfinqs]

okay, so, like…

Eddie was one of the main reasons I decided to join my college’s radio station and work to get cleared to be a DJ.

The love for the craft, getting to share something you love to anyone willing to listen. Helping others through music. Forming connections through music. Finding what builds you up through it.

And by following that example, I’ve made new friends and a new home I can go to and relax and just. Be comfortable.

Thank you, Ready Eddie McKenna :))

[arospec-dragon]

RAHHH

I was gonna draw Rosalie but i never got around to it and am feeling very shitty about my art right now

Anyway

I love her, shes such a fun character and such a real character

[butchtwelfthdoctor]

rosalie from takin over the asylum is so wonderful <33 ajsnash i love her

of all of them her story was so heartbreaking, and ashhkjkasahs when she actually wore the dress and you didn't realise until she turned around that it was on backwards ough my heart broke then. when she's so excited to be moving into a proper apartment and won't let anyone ruin it for her, and finds ways around her ocd so she can do new things, the way she organises the entire open day radio fundraiser essentially by herself *and pulls it off* :D lots of love for rosalie

[monochromemoomin]

no guys the atlitw brainrot is catastrophic. i don’t think i’m gonna survive finishing the only light left burning because once i finish that book that’s it there’s no more of them. but i NEED more andrew and jamie content. i may have to start writing fanfiction. they consume my every waking thought. and i have NO ONE to talk about this dumb book duology with so i have to make all the content myself. this is getting out of hand please someone else talk to me about them or at least listen to me talk about them because every post i have made abt it has got little to no notes and i know why but PLEASEEEE

[crowleys-dark-sunglasses]

I've never seen anyone talk about this picture but I love it so much

The amount of sass it holds, the bitchiness. I love it.

[princeloww]

Thinking about Rosalie calling Campbell Robbie (again).

It seems like such an intimate thing???

People call others the wrong name all the time. Like when kids call their teachers "mum", or I accidentally call my friends my brother's name -- it's almost like a sort of automatic habit.

But when do we, typically, do that? Kids when their teacher is talking like their mother? Me when my friends are being particularly annoying?

We call people the wrong name (typically) when they are doing something we associate with that other person.

Rosalie calls Campbell her dead son's name. The obvious implication is that Campbell reminds her of Robbie - in what way, we don't know. Perhaps they act or talk similarly, or perhaps it's just because she is acting in a maternal role to Campbell. She is helping him. She is being what we would consider -- well -- a mother. She is making lists and sorting out all the things he needs. She is sorting out all the materials for his school project he forgot to mention until Sunday night.

Rosalie acts as a maternal figure to Campbell, and in the scene where she is the most maternal, where it is the most intimate (whispering, bonding - she is asking him for help in return, and opening up about her husband), she calls him her son.

IT'S JUST SO SWEET??? WHY DON'T WE TALK ABOUT THIS MORE??? SHE IS LITERALLY HIS MOTHER IDC??? Half the fics on AO3 are Eddie parenting Campbell---FORGET EDDIE (until Wednesday), ROSALIE IS THE BEST PARENTAL FIGURE IN THIS SHOW???

AND THEN SHE OPENS UP TO HIM FURTHER, ABOUT ROBBIE - it's CAMPBELL she tells. She is closer to Campbell than anybody else. They clearly knew eachother already before the show started, too --- Campbell got Rosalie to help him clean the station. He talked to her and asked her to do that. THEY KNEW EACHOTHER ALREADY. WHY R THERE NOT MORE FANFICS OF THESE 2????? (I'd write them if I wasn't so insanely busy this month)

Eddie is the sad uncle. Rosalie is the tired mother who has to figure out how tf to make a 4 week long homework project in 20 mins.

Campbell is the kid asking for ingredients for his home economics practical at 00:02 the night before. Rosalie is the mother calling around her friends' houses to see if anyone has the correct ingredients for lasagne.

I will NOT be corrected.

Campbell and Rosalie have the STRONGEST bond on this show.

APPRECIATE ROSALIE. SHE DESERVES IT

(Also I'm pretty sure she calls him Robbie TWICE in the play)

[jaykinarts]

TOTA TAKEOVER DAY 2 —FRANCINE BOYLE

oh she is ADORABLE!! I LOVE FRANCINE WITH ALL MY HEART LOOK AT HER SMILE 🥺 SHE SHOULD SMILE MORE IT SUITS HER ALOT

[ebenelephant]

so starved for content from the show I'm obsessing over that I'm actually considering reinstalling tiktok just bc I know theres a fanbase there.

[flightlessosprey]

I forgot to do tota takeover yesterday so here’s yesterday’s post today.

I love Eddie’s arc of going into the hospital radio probably with the assumption that the patients would be radically different from himself or people considered “sane”, but that assumption is quickly challenged and he becomes very close with the people in saint judes and eventually is able to admit to himself and Francine that he has an alcohol problem.

I love how through Eddie we are shown that mental illness is not a moral failing and that the line between healthy and mentally ill is very blurry.

[lestatslestits]

Here are all of my TOTA Takeover fics gathered in one place for anyone who wants them! I had a great time writing them and hope everyone enjoys!

[slydiddledeedee]

Light-tober, Week 1

Week 2 - One Piece Week 3 - Disco Elysium Week 4 - Pokemon Black and White