#typical office comedy plot

[duckapus]

Sick Day

Manifest gets hit by some nasty -though thankfully nonfatal- malware, and has to go through a thorough examination and repair of her code, followed by a few days of recovery. This results in everyone finding out the hard way just how much she does to keep things running smoothly up in Adminspace.

Meanwhile, Mario and Luigi come down with a bad case of Koopa Fever, and the crew quickly discovers that while a sick Mario is surprisingly simple to deal with, a sick Luigi is a fucking nightmare.

[hotvintagepoll]

Peter Lorre (The Maltese Falcon, Arsenic and Old Lace, Casablanca)—to me he DEFINES scrungle hes the first person i think of every time the term comes up! i want to fold him up like a paper accordion and put him in my pocket. guy that spawned a million voice artists and impersonators. they made a ghost version of him for halloween cereal staple boo berry. bewitched by his nervous mania and tooth gap <3 (for the purposes of propaganda im linking a photo from his extremely short appearance in muscle beach party bc ive been obsessed w it for years and i couldnt find any video for it :/ anyway imagine youre frankie avalon spending the whole movie battling a bodybuilder faction thats taking over your beach and your girl and then you find out this fucking guy is their mastermind mystery leader and hes stronger than all the bodybuilders combined. like Huh. What.)

Tony Randall (Lover Come Back, Pillow Talk)—he's SO TIRED he's three-wheeling ALL THE TIME on rock and doris's shenanigans and he is always SMALL. PATHETIC. INHERENTLY FILLED WITH ENNUI. i feel like all these 60s comedies are very Straight Laced and Heterosexual and yet somehow tony randall is always there having the worst day ever.

This is round 1 of the contest. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. If you're confused on what a scrungle is, or any of the rules of the contest, click here.

[additional submitted propaganda + scrungly videos under the cut]

Peter Lorre

he's pretty much the archetype of the scrungly little guy. the blueprint. the example by which all other scrungly little guys are judged

The perfect sniveling character actor, “scrungly” is the first word that comes to mind when I think of him.

The entire point of his iconic role in Casablanca (apart from introducing the central plot mcguffin) was to be LITTLE and SCRUNGLY to make Bogie look even cooler. And Maggot in Corpse Bride - the littlest scrungliest guy in that film - was a parody of him.

I think Arsenic and Old Lace is his quintessential "scrungly" performance. He's so put-upon and tired...all he wants is sleep and some schnapps! I love the way his shoulders fall slowly when he thinks he's caught (he looks like a sad puppy!), only to gleefully sprint out the door when he realizes how dumb those police officers are.

Between his big eyes, wheezy laugh, short stature, and expressive faces, Peter Lorre achieved icon status as the scrungliest, littlest guy in Hollywood. His scrungly little guy energy was often contrasted with the more typical masculinity of the leading man, but whether this contrast was meant to make him seem especially sinister, comedic, or pathetic, it always left an unforgettable impression!

I'm sure somebody else has already submitted him (if not then ???) but he's a cute kind of scrungly little guy. He's got a distinctive nasal voice with an accent that is instantly recognizable and often imitated. His later horror movies are so much fun, especially when he's playing off of Vincent Price. He's so good at being unhinged, creepy, or manic, but also pathetic and sympathetic.

Classic scrungly hollywood golden age little guy who was friends with Humphrey Bogart and still played some of the wettest most sniveling characters ever committed to celluloid (complimentary) there is a deep despair and darkness in many of his characters that enhances his scrungly

To be clear, I am one of those people who will argue that Lorre is one of the most underrated film actors, but the POINT is that he's also just a scrungly delight. A delightfully pocket-sized man. Somehow endearing even when he is being actively amoral (see esp. Casablanca. "I found myself much more reasonable!") The faces he makes while doing the Russian cossack dance with a butter knife between his teeth in Silk Stockings make me laugh just thinking about them.

Wikipedia described his typical characters as "timidly devious", lots of weird little villains and evil sidekicks that are pretty horrifying but still manage to be sort of pathetic and the very definition of "poor little meow meow". His look and voice and mannerisms are so iconic they're still imitated

Cartoons for the next century have and will continue to include Peter Lorre-esque characters when needed to up the scrunge factor (see Bugs Bunny and so many more).

[editor's note on below link: I'm not actually sure how many of these characters are directly influenced by Peter Lorre, so take with a grain of salt. tw for suicide.]

The poster boy for Scrungly. Everyone who wants to draw a scrungly guy draws Peter Lorre. Gomez Addams of The Addams Family was based on him

Tony Randall

"you had everything going for you! poverty!! squalor!!!!" "girls again!!! what's this obSESSion you have with giRLS???"

[ladycaramelswirl]

It Happened in Texas

Aaron Hotchner x Fem Reader ❤︎ Chapter 1: Apparently you have a magnet for shitty bosses

series masterlist

A/N: For plot purposes, Haley is not in the picture, but Jack does appear later in the story. Also I gave Strauss some of Linda Barnes’s personality so she’s really annoying :)

Tags/Warnings: mentions of violence typical to Criminal Minds. This becomes a comedy in chapter 2, but chapter 1 is very world/character-buildy, sorry 😭 It gets funnier I swear 🤡

The case in this chapter is loosely based on s3e8.

word count: 2k

Enjoy! 🤍

❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎

“Absolutely not”.

The dark-haired man tries to rein in his barely concealed anger at his boss, who, honestly, you weren’t exactly a huge fan of right now either. He gestures to you.

“I don’t know anything about her. It’s my job to decide whether someone is a good fit for the team”, he scowls. Frankly, you’re impressed that he hasn’t exploded.

“Agent Hotchner, I have hired her because I think she’s perfectly capable of doing the job”. 

You swallow a scoff. Sure. That’s why.

“My decision is final. And you have a case to get to”, Strauss snaps.

Agent Hotchner glares at her as she walks away. Then he turns his stare to you. 

“We’re leaving for a case in 10 minutes. Do you have your go bag?”, he asks, not unkindly.

“Yes sir.”

He nods and walks towards the BAU bullpen. You follow him. 

“I trust you’ll keep this altercation between us”, he tells you. “I don’t want the team to be distracted”.

“Yes, sir”.

“Just call me Hotch.”

“Yes, s- Hotch”.

He’s being pretty nice given the situation he’s been put in. But you wonder, not for the first time today, if you should have turned down this job.

————————————

15 minutes ago

“Come in”.

You step into the office of the blonde woman you’d interviewed with. She had been quite pleasant then.

“Assistant Director Strauss”, you greet her.

“Agent. Take a seat. I’d like to discuss some things before I introduce you to your unit chief”.

You wonder what the unit chief is like. You’d heard great things about Aaron Hotchner from your former colleagues. 

“As I’m sure you know this position at the BAU is a highly coveted opportunity”, she starts.

“Yes ma’am”.

“I’d like you to be comfortable here, so I hope we can work together to make that happen”.

Oh?

“Thank you ma’am. I’ll do my best.”

“Excellent! I’ll be expecting an additional personal report for all of your cases.”

“I’m sorry?”

She smiles at you like you’re stupid.

“Agent Hotchner might run a tight ship, but it’s my job to make sure it runs smoothly”, she tells you. “So I just need you to give me details about your cases. No need to mention it to Agent Hotchner, just write the report and send it straight to me.”

“You want me to report on the team? Without telling them?”

This was not what you signed up for.

She laughs mirthlessly. 

“It’s just a report agent. Think of it as a … peer evaluation. I just want to make sure there’s no issues. I’m sure you would understand. Especially after what happened in Houston?”

You grit your teeth. Of course she knew.

“Yes ma’am”.

You try to smile.

“I knew I was right to hire you”, she says. 

You both know you’re only here because she was the only one who accepted your transfer request. 

“Agent. If this conversation leaves this room, you’ll have to understand why I can no longer keep you on this team”.

Fantastic. You were already getting threatened on your first day. 

You plaster on a smile.

“Of course.”

She smiles back, just as fake.

“Great. Now I’ll introduce you to Agent Hotchner. You’ll have to forgive him for his … attitude”, she says contemptuously. “He’s going through a rough time”.

And now your boss was moody too? You were regretting come here by the second. 

Strauss presses the intercom button on her phone.

“Send him in”.

The door is opened by a tall, handsome man. He’s maybe in his late 30s, and he’s well dressed. He has authority figure written all over him, but he looks confused to see you.

“Assistant Director?”, he greets. You suspect it’s not often that he’s walked into a situation where he doesn’t know what’s happening. An exception being right now.

“Agent Hotchner, come in. I’d like you to meet Agent Y/L/N”.

He stretches a hand forward and you shake it. 

“Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise”.

He looks at Strauss. 

“What is this about?”

Strauss looks like she’s holding back a grin. 

“She’ll be joining the BAU effective immediately”.

Agent Hotchner looks like he’s just been handed a bomb.

———————————— 

Present

He doesn’t talk to you at all as you’re climbing into the jet. The team don’t pretend to hide their shock at your arrival. Hotch quickly introduces you and then takes a seat at the back. You politely smile at their wide eyes, but inside you try to fight the urge to turn around and go kick Strauss in the shin. She didn’t even tell them she was hiring you. Unbelievable. This day could not get any worse. The team starts asking you all sorts of questions. Hotch cuts them off.

“That’s enough. Brief us on the case JJ”.

They all follow his directive immediately. A pretty blonde woman who must be JJ hands everyone on the team a file. There’s a pause as everyone realises you don’t have one, because she didn’t know you would be here. A dark haired woman who introduces herself as Emily offers to share hers with you. You smile at her gratefully and try to be invisible as JJ briefs the team. 

—————————

Your first case is in Bridgewater, Florida. A girl has been found with her body eaten by alligators, her fingers cut off and a pentagram carved into her chest. It’s not exactly a great first day welcome. Hotch comes back from the coroner’s office with news that the victim had been force fed fingers before her death. And that none of them were hers, and six of them are index fingers. Remember when you thought your day couldn’t get any worse? This was definitely worse. You wince at the news and Emily looks at you with concern.

“You okay?”

You nod, but notice JJ and Agent Morgan discreetly share a dubious look. The latter turns to face you. 

“Field offices aren’t exactly the same as the BAU. If you’re not up to it-“

“I’m fine. I’d just like to catch the guy that did this”, you tell him. 

You refuse to look weak or feed into the suspicion that you don’t deserve to be here. Morgan stares at you before nodding in agreement and moving away to look over some files. You do the same to avoid any more conversation, and then notice something strange. You pull out a photo.

“This crime scene shows the books the victim was carrying were arranged into a neat row. This specific placement could suggest the unsub was at some point in a mental institution”.

Morgan looks doubtful, but still takes a look. 

Agent Reid springs up. “Of course! When the severely mentally ill are institutionalised, they’re taught to keep things clean and neat to promote order, exactly like the books in that photo!”

You’re a little speechless at his enthusiasm, but it seems his confirmation convinces the team, who now look a little less skeptical about your abilities. They call Garcia to check for names and update Hotch. Garcia calls back about a specific mental institution for a case like the one you’re looking for. Hotch immediately stands up to leave.

“Reid, let’s go”, he orders. The young genius scuttles after him. 

They find a name for the unsub, Floyd Feylinn Ferrel - a cannibal that believes he’s possessed by a flesh eating demon. He was also at the search party earlier to look for a missing girl. The team finds him, but one victim is still missing - Tracy Lambert. Floyd refuses to talk without Father Marks, the priest at his church. They bring him into the interrogation room with Morgan while you and Rossi pore over the sign in sheets from the search party. You frown. 

“Somethings wrong”, you mutter. The older agent looks at you in confusion.

“He signed the volunteer sheet, but not the search team sheet. It doesn’t make sense”, you say, handing him the papers. Usually unsubs joined the search team. Why would he just volunteer to be there?

“Father, I feel so alone. Like God has abandoned me”, Floyd laments. 

The priest shakes his head kindly. “You are not alone, my son. God is in all of us”.

Your stomach drops as you see exactly what Floyd had volunteered for - the food station. 

“We need to stop the interview”, you panic, flinging open the interrogation room door. 

Floyd stares right at you and grins. 

“So is Tracy Lambert”.

—————————

The plane ride back is quiet. You thankfully hadn’t eaten anything at the search, but you still feel nauseous. Is this what all BAU cases were like? Maybe it wasn’t too late to reapply somewhere else? Your unit chief interrupts your thoughts.

“Good job today Reid, we wouldn’t have caught him if you hadn’t noticed the books”, he says. You freeze in your seat, but the younger agent doesn’t notice your discomfort. In fact he barely looks up from his book to correct the unit chief. 

“Actually it wasn’t me that figured it out. It was y/n”.

Hotch looks taken aback and he turns to you, which leads to some awkward eye contact. He looks pained, but he gives you a nod and then moves to the back of the plane. 

Emily nudges your elbow from her seat next to yours. 

“You did good today. He’ll come around”, she tells you. 

“I really didn’t know that no one was informed of my transfer-”, you try to explain, but she stops you.

“I know better than anyone how you feel right now. As long as you do your job and are loyal to the team, everything’s going to be fine”. 

You nod. 

“Look, today was a rough case. We’re going for drinks when we land. Want to come?”, she offers.

You think about the report you’re about to write for Strauss tonight, detailing everything that just happened today. It’s going to take you hours to make sure it doesn’t incriminate anyone on the team. 

“No, I’m tired, but thanks. You guys have fun”.

On the drive home, you realise that you won’t ever be friends with them. You were a spy, even if you didn’t want to be. 

You had come here to escape. Instead, you had just traded one prison for another. 

————————————

Emily enters Penelope’s office to pick her up before drinks.

Penelope greets her with a guilty look.

“Ok. I did something, but don’t be mad. I looked into her file”.

“Pen!”

“What? She’s new, I don’t like new. And we don’t know anything about her. Don’t you want to know how she got hired without Hotch’s approval?”

Emily raises an eyebrow.

“I was hired without Hotch’s approval.”

Penelope gives her puppy eyes and Emily gives in.

“Fine. What did you find?”

The analyst practically lights up.

“Ok, so she graduated the FBI academy with high scores. Went straight to the Houston field office and she was very good at her job - excellent peer reviews and high scores on all of her evaluations”, Penelope starts, putting all of your personal data onto her screen. “Almost everything about her is perfect. Except-“, she clicks on a file. “About two months ago she suddenly requested a transfer to basically every department that was hiring and got rejected by almost all of them. Except ours”. 

Emily frowns. “She has stellar performance evaluations but no one wants to hire her? And why was she so desperate to transfer?”

“Yeah, I thought that was weird too, so I looked into it, but there’s nothing. Except that in her last month at Houston, she isn’t listed on a single one of their cases.”

“None?”

“It’s like she didn’t exist, but she was there every day, I checked her attendance and it’s flawless”.

Emily presses her lips together. She remembers how much she had tried to seal her own history. 

“I don’t think we should be looking anymore. If whatever happened isn’t in the database, then we aren’t meant to see it. She’ll tell us when she’s ready”.

Penelope looks apprehensive, but she closes the files. 

“She’s really nice! And she’s good, she helped us solve the case today”, Emily tries to convince the IT specialist. 

“I’m telling you something is fishy”.

Emily might not say it out loud, but she definitely agreed.

❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎

Chapter 2

[basketonthedoorstepofthefbi]

"obstinate, headstrong girl" part 2 - aaron hotchner x fem!reader

read part 1 here

wc: 3000

cw: mentions of food and alcohol! enemies to lovers! poorly researched medical information lmao i am a liberal arts girly i just need it for the plot. typical bau meddling, reader is lowkey a bully but dw bc hotch is still a little bitch, part 3 to come c: 

a/n big fat thank you to my bestie @cerisereids for all her help workshopping / brainstorming with me! i also got the BEAUTIFUL dividers from the immensely talented @saradika-graphics

You. 

With your red dress and your attitude, throwing back amaretto sours like they’re tequila shots - who gets drunk on amaretto sours? They’re basically safe to drink while pregnant. To be fair, you didn’t get sloppy, or even really that drunk. By the end of the night, your eyes appeared just a bit heavy, like someone had tied miniature weights to your eyelashes. 

Your eyelashes. Aaron had never found eyelashes, of all things, to be attractive, but here he is, in the middle of a work day with a report half-finished (and half-assed, at that), and he’s thinking about your eyelashes. 

He’s thought of basically every part of you already today. Your knees, your dress, what’s underneath it. You have been sucking him into a black hole all day long, and he’s to the point where he’s halfway wishing for a serial killer so he can focus on something else. 

He plows his hand through his dark hair, shaking off the overwhelming thoughts of you. He checks the silver Rolex on his wrist. It’s nearly time to leave. Aaron doesn’t usually do this, but he decides to leave this report for tomorrow, when he can look at the letters on the page and not see your face, hear your voice. 

Just as he starts packing up, there’s a knock on his open office door. Aaron’s dark eyes flicker up to see Garcia standing in the doorway, Morgan’s tall frame looming behind her. “Hotch, you got anything going on tonight?” 

Aaron shakes his head. For once, he actually doesn’t. “Jack’s at a sleepover,” he says. “What’s up?” 

“We’re taking Spence and Jacqueline to this nighttime vendor market thingy,” Penelope says, scrunching her nose up with a smile. “You remember Jacqueline?” 

It’s been a week since Derek’s birthday, when Jacqueline and Spencer were introduced. More relevantly, since Aaron laid eyes on you. “I remember.” 

“You wanna come with us?” Penelope asks with bright eyes. Aaron opens his mouth the decline almost immediately, but Penelope beats him to it. “Y/N’s not coming.” 

Aaron arches a brow. “What makes you think I care if Y/N’s coming or not?” he asks. 

“Oh, c’mon, Hotch,” Derek puts all his weight on the doorjamb. “We saw you staring at her at my birthday. It’s about time you moved on from Haley, any-”

“If I say I’ll come out, will you stop talking?” Aaron cuts him off, grabbing his briefcase. 

Derek ponders this for a second, even looks to Penelope as if to ask permission. He shrugs his shoulders in what Aaron suspects will be the first little white lie of the evening. “Yeah.” 

How anyone was able to sprain their ankle while shopping for books is beyond you. Leave it to Jacqueline, the wide-eyed, quirkily clumsy ingénue of her very own romantic comedy, to trip over a curb while gazing starry-eyed at the oh-so dreamy Dr. Reid. She called you from the emergency room with a shrill panic lining her voice, and you immediately leapt up from the couch. You didn’t even bother pausing your show on the TV, just slid some shoes on, grabbed your bag, and bolted out the door. 

You’re taking extra long strides, your flip-flops smacking obnoxiously against the linoleum tiles of the hospital floor. When you spot Jacqueline sitting up in the bed, still in her own clothes, you feel instant relief. At least she’s not panicking anymore. Spencer sits diligently by her side, fidgeting with the edges of the sheets. Jacqueline’s right leg is elevated atop several pillows, with a meek smile on her face once her eyes meet yours. 

“Spencer, you’re supposed to keep an eye on her at all times,” you joke with a weak laugh, sighing as you plop down in the empty chair beside Spencer’s. 

“She saw something shiny and wandered off,” Spencer shrugs, and Jacqueline glares at the both of you. 

“This whole talking about me like I’m not here, thing? Not my favorite,” she deadpans. There’s the Jacqueline you know and love. In crowded social settings, she can be reclusive and difficult to open up. But with only a few people around - especially people she’s comfortable around - Jacqueline is a completely different person. 

You’re glad she feels comfortable around Spencer after just a week of knowing him. They’re not even officially dating, per se, but tonight they went out with Penelope and Derek to test the waters. You think it’s cute - like two fifth-graders on a chaperoned outing to the movies, with their parents sitting a row behind them. 

You were invited to tag along, but you didn’t want to be the fifth wheel. You also were having a really long, insufferable week, and you simply needed some recharge time. So you politely declined. 

“Oh, shush, you’ve got bigger fish to fry,” you tell Jacqueline playfully, eyes darting down to her elevated foot. “So, what’s the damage?” 

“Sprained ankle, possibly fractured,” Spencer rattles off. “Usually an x-ray isn’t required, but since Jacqueline’s having pain in her malleolar zone - that is, the top part of the ankle that connects to the tibia - the doctor ordered one. We’re waiting on the results to come back, but I think they’ll just put her in a brace for a few weeks. Statistically speaking, only about 15% of sprained ankles result in significant bone fractures.” 

You release an awkward little chuckle, very nearly overwhelmed by the amount of information Spencer just dumped on you. Jacqueline shrugs her shoulders a little, like this is just how he is, and I love it. 

You blink a few times as you absorb all of Spencer’s ramblings. “So.. she’s gonna be fine?” 

“Yeah, she’ll be fine,” Spencer cracks a smile, and his thumb brushes affectionately over the top of Jacqueline’s hand. Your friend blushes furiously, ever-so-clearly under the fluorescent lighting. 

“So what exactly happened?” You ask. 

Before either of them get to answer, imposing footsteps grow louder, and you hear a familiar voice say, “Okay, coffee acquired.”

Smooth like the neat whiskey he was throwing back the night you met him, Aaron’s voice drags down your spine. Your belly does acrobatic flips. You visibly tense up for a second before turning around to see Aaron with a cardboard drink carrier in his hand containing three to-go cups of coffee. 

“Oh, hi, Y/N. When did you get here?” Aaron’s voice goes flat, and he meets your eyes civilly. 

“While you were getting coffee, I presume,” you deadpan, and you swear you see one of those imposing brown eyes twitch. 

“Right,” Aaron hands Jacqueline her coffee, and then has to lean over you so he can give Spencer his. You catch whiffs of pine and espresso and dark leather. His chest is basically in your face for a solid three seconds. God, he’s broad. He’s also in a suit, save for the jacket and tie, and your eyes catch the crinkly lines in his white dress shirt, no longer crisp from being worn all day. They look like rivers on a map. “Well, I guess I’ll be going. Glad you’re okay, Jacqueline, that was quite the fall.” 

“Oh, no, Aaron, you don’t have to go!” Jacqueline pipes up, holding her coffee with two hands. “I mean, only if you need to, but, we’re still waiting for my X-ray to come back, and I know I’d love the company.” 

You look at Jacqueline with a bewildered expression. “I mean, I’d love the company of all of you,” Jacqueline corrects, her cheeks pinkening. 

You cross your ankles, suddenly aware that you’re in your loungewear - beige linen shorts and a blue Georgetown sweatshirt - and your hair sits in a haphazard knot on top of your head. You have to remind yourself that you don’t care. That Aaron Hotchner’s opinion of you does not matter. 

Aaron seems momentarily frozen in place, standing at the foot of Jacqueline’s bed. His eyes dart to you as if to silently ask permission to stay, and you give a subtle, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shrug and tilt of your head. He inhales and you see his nostrils flare. He clears his throat and says, “Let me find a chair, then.” 

There’s something humorous about a man as tall and imposing and draconian as Aaron Hotchner looking for a chair in the emergency room bay of a hospital. Shoulders hunched so he doesn’t inconvenience anyone. You hope he feels embarrassed and humbled by the experience. A muted smirk rests upon your lips as you watch him most unhelpfully, not even bothering to move from your seat. 

Eventually he finds a free chair in the corner and drags it to the other side of Jacqueline’s bed, keeping a respectful distance. He looks across the bed at Spencer, who sits beside you. “Did you tell her that Garcia basically pushed Jacqueline over the curb?” 

Fluorescent lighting had never been so flattering before. Under its clarifying spotlight, Aaron gets to see details of you he’d missed at the bar where you first met. The texture of your skin, an extra little sliver of thigh from those linen shorts he wasn’t privy to before. 

And when he leaned over you to give Reid his coffee? He caught your intoxicating scent and now he fears it will either be stuck in his nostrils forever, or it will fade too quickly, before he can commit it to memory. 

“Penelope did what?” You’re asking, looking at Reid, then Jacqueline, brows creasing in the middle. 

Aaron folds his left leg atop his right, then nods with an amused smile. It’s clear you still don’t like him - might even hate him for how cold he was to you at the bar the other night. He can tell by the way you refuse to look at him unless absolutely necessary, how your jaw visibly tenses every time he addresses you directly. 

“I have no solid proof,” Aaron begins, offering the information as an olive branch. Your eyes snap to his and he’s jarred for a second, then he continues, the corners of his lips ticking up into an amused smile. “But one second, I see Garcia and Morgan at least three feet behind where Jacqueline’s walking, and the next thing I know, she’s on the ground and Garcia’s apologizing profusely.” 

“Why isn’t she here?” You laugh softly, and Aaron’s chest thrums. He can’t diagnose his reaction to it, but your laugh, no matter how strained and merely polite it might be at this moment, could be the thing that kills him. 

“Something about feeding JJ and Emily’s cat while they’re on vacation,” Jacqueline chimes in. Aaron clocks the younger woman’s eyes and how glued they are on Reid. She’s been so closed off every time Aaron’s around, so this tidbit of information coming from her surprises him. Aaron’s wondered this whole time if she truly likes Reid or if she’s just being kind. 

You nod in understanding and lean back in your chair. Little wisps of your hair fall into your eyes and you brush them back delicately with your index finger. 

Jacqueline pipes up again, her voice still timid and maybe a little tired. “Would you mind maybe getting me a snack?” She asks you. 

Aaron watches the softening of your expression as you look at Jacqueline fondly. You would do anything for her, and he can tell. “Of course,” you squeeze Jacqueline’s uninjured leg as you rise from your seat. 

“And maybe Aaron can go with you? Since Spence is pretty hungry, too, right, Spence?” Jacqueline proposes. 

Your soft expression twists into one of slight irritance. 

Aaron knows exactly what Jacqueline is up to, but it takes Reid a lingering moment to catch on. “What - oh, yeah, I’m starving,” the good doctor adds, even going to far as to pat his stomach, as if to say it’s hollow in there. 

Your eyes shrink in annoyance, and you seem to plaster a sickly sweet smile onto your lips, one that would make demons shake in their boots. You lock eyes with Aaron, as if to say, well? What’s it gonna be? 

Aaron asks Jacqueline and Reid what they want, then leads the way out of the ER and towards the cafeteria. The hospital’s signage is fairly easy to follow, and Aaron slows his usually long strides so you don’t have to struggle to keep up.

He gestures to your Georgetown sweatshirt. “You graduated from Georgetown?” He asks. 

“No, I just like to wear merchandise for schools I didn’t attend,” you deadpan, and there’s that goddamn attitude again. 

Aaron considers laying it all out - right here, right now. You’re not even thirty yet, from what Garcia’s told him. He shouldn’t be attracted to you, but he is, and god, is it killing him. Instead, he just furrows his brows and doesn’t say anything. 

“Yeah,” you soften a little, shoving your hands in the pockets of the sweatshirt. You seem to be cutting Aaron a little bit of slack, for whatever reason. “Yeah, I went to Georgetown.” 

Aaron holds the door open for you when you reach the cafeteria. You feel a little bad for your snarky comment in the hallway. You were not raised to be outwardly rude. You were raised to hoard your resentment like a precious flower, nursing it so it grows big and strong. 

“Jacqueline made it really sound like an emergency, huh?” Aaron asks, following you to the line. You shoot him a quizzical brow, and he gestures to your ensemble. 

“Oh, excuse me for not wearing an Armani suit to the hospital,” you roll your eyes, but they linger on the wrinkles in his dress shirt. “You just went out right after work, then? In your fancy suit?” 

Aaron smooths his fingertips over the white cotton. The color reminds you of freshly cleaned bedsheets. “Yeah, and it’s not Armani, for your information.” 

“Sorry, Mr. FBI. What is it, then, Dolce & Gabbana? Ralph Lauren?” 

“Tom Ford.” 

“Like that’s any less pretentious,” you scoff. 

“Hey, I can spend my money however I choose,” Aaron says, and you know he’s right. That doesn’t mean you’re not going to give him shit for it. 

“Must be nice to just burn cash,” you say dryly. “I’m sure your wife loves that.” 

“I don’t have a wife.” You look at him over your shoulder and his eye twitches a little when he says this. 

You’re not sure why you mention a wife anyway. Maybe you’re merely curious, but then again, you’ve already clocked that he’s not wearing a wedding ring. “Girlfriend, then,” you correct. “Do men your age call them girlfriends, or do you prefer the term mistress?” 

“Men my age?” Aaron laughs bitterly. “I don’t have a girlfriend,” he says. His voice is stringent, right on the line of annoyance. You smirk to yourself and grab a tray so you can carry the food. “Even if I did, I wouldn’t call her my mistress, because I don’t have a wife to cheat on with her.” 

“Bachelors in the 1800s called their girlfriends mistresses,” you point out, though your facts are coming from Bridgerton, so you’re not sure if they’re entirely accurate. “I don’t know how old-fashioned you are.” 

“I’m not,” Aaron says simply as you load an individual-size veggie pizza on your tray for Jacqueline, then grab a bag of chips and a soda for yourself. Aaron grabs the sandwich Spencer requested, and you lead the way to the checkout. 

The cafeteria worker punches in your items, and then Aaron’s. “Oh, we’re not together,” you correct politely. 

“It’s fine,” Aaron insists, pulling a silver AmEx out of his wallet. You reach for your own wallet to try and beat him, but he’s already swiped by the time you even get it out. 

You thank the cafeteria worker before gathering everything in your hands. “You didn’t have to do that,” you say as you and Aaron head out of the cafeteria. He holds the door open for you, again. 

“It’s not a big deal,” Aaron says as you walk through the open door. “Chivalry is still alive, as far as I’m concerned.” 

“Not old-fashioned, huh?” You smirk as you look up at him, feeling your cheeks redden a bit. Wait, when did this become playful jesting rather than straight-up bullying? 

“Maybe a little old-fashioned.” Aaron’s lips hint at a smile, and you feel your mouth go dry. 

“Shocking that you’re still on the market,” you say, admittedly because you’re curious about what Penelope said the other night at the bar. Something about Aaron going through a hard time. 

“My job requires a lot of my time,” Aaron explains. Your footsteps slow a little and he matches your pace. “Even if I found someone worth all the trouble, I don’t think I’d have the time to dedicate to a relationship.” 

“Worth all the trouble?” You repeat, a scoff lining your voice like a thousand tiny needles. Aaron resists the urge to visibly wince at your reaction. 

Why you’re prompting all this relationship discussion is beyond him. He’s a profiler, for Christ’s sake, but he can’t pin you down, for some reason. He lays the brickwork down and builds his walls up again. For a moment, back in the cafeteria, he was starting to let you in. 

But, no, it doesn’t matter how god-forsakenly adorable you are when you scrunch your nose or call him out on his bullshit. Aaron’s not ready for this kind of thing yet, so iciness is necessary. It protects him, it protects Jack, but - and, maybe most importantly - it protects you. 

You’re young and you’re willful. You’re a goddamn hurricane, a force to be reckoned with, but your stubbornness is a house of cards. Aaron Hotchner knows that if he hurts you, the cards will fall. And he could never forgive himself for something like that. 

So when you look at him for some kind of explanation, throwing him an arched brow and the opportunity to explain himself, he doesn’t take it. Instead, he watches as you pick up your pace and walk ahead of him, leaving a hell of a view and a frustrated, fully-grown man in your wake.

[quinnyundertow]

About Me

Quinny F/30, She/Her

On Hiatus

Obsessions: Jujutsu Kaisen, Genshin Impact, Pokemon, Gundam/Mecha, My Hero Academia, Yuta Okkotsu, Figure collecting, Writing.

Quinny's Masterlist

AO3 Account

My Works Below

Series

Title “Picking up the Pieces” (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Choso x Reader Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy ending, strangers to lovers.

Manga Spoilers - Battle vs Sukuna is over

Words: 12,000+

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5

Title "When I Catch You Gege " (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Summary Reader is Isekai'd into JJK with the determination to change canon and make sure she rights the wrongs of Gege. Oh and enjoy her time there...yeah that too. No manga plot spoilers. Reader x everyone. All characters 18+ unless otherwise stated.

Content Warning: Canon typical violence, torture, suicide, Non-con, extreme bullying, angst with a happy ending.

Pairings: Reader x Nanami Kento, Haibara Yu, Gojo Satoru, Geto Suguru, Junpei Yoshino, Okkotsu Yuta, Toji Fushiguro

Genre Fix It, Reverse Harem, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Angst w/ Happy Ending Status Ongoing Length 40 Chapters / 180,000 + Words Chapters Chapter 1 Chapter 2

Title Sanity's Last Stop (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Summary Forced to work after the death of her father y/n finds themselves filling a nurses role at Hillsboro Asylum for the Criminally Insane. The patients and workers alike have her questioning her own sanity in this new insular world during WWII.

Ryoumen Sukuna has become a fixture in solitary confinement for the last seven years. His sanity was barely there before but now it is frayed beyond redemption. A good will gesture brings him and y/n into a strange secret relationship

Okkotsu Yuta swears he isn’t insane he didn’t hurt anyone it was Rika who killed those people. Just because no one else can see her doesn’t mean she isn’t there. You believe him right?

Pairings: Reader x Ryoumen Sukuna, Reader x Yuta Okkotsu

Genre Horror, Angst, Eventual Smut, Angst w/ Happy Ending Status Ongoing Length 5 Chapters, 18,000 Words Chapters Chapter 1 Chapter 2+ on AO3

Title Cult Leader’s Quarry (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Summary You’re living an average non-sorcerer office workers life when you catch the eye of a certain unstable cult leader. The more you pull away the more trapped you become.

The first time Suguru Geto saw you was also the first time he wondered if the girls needed a mother figure in their lives. Not that he was considering you. No, never, his lip curled at the very notion. Even the passing thought of a monkey like you around his precious daughters was enough to make him feel ill.

Pairings Suguru Geto x Reader, Slight Gojo Satoru x Reader

Status Ongoing 14,000+ Words

Chapters Chapter 1 , Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4 Chapter 5

One Shots

Title Kick-Off - Goalies Turn (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Genre Comedy, Fluff, Smut, Soccer AU

Pairing Reader x Choso

Fic Recommendations

Jujutsu Kaisen

The Gallery (Fanart & Commissions for my Fics)

[bemusedlybespectacled]

so, I'm thinking a teensy bit more about character death and, specifically, the death of a main character in a comedy show that I'm actually okay with. I'm talking about Death in Paradise.

Just as a primer for people who weren't raised by teaboos, it's a murder mystery comedy show, the premise of which is that there is one white British detective inspector guy who solves murders with his group of local cops: basically Midsomer Murders but on a fictional Caribbean island.

The comedy is always that he's some kind of socially awkward nerd who clashes in some way with his otherwise-entirely-Caribbean office, especially his black female second-in-command, even though they've at this point had four different DIs and I don't know how many changes of supporting characters.

The first two seasons, with DI Richard Poole, are your typical cozy murder-of-the-week-type mysteries. And then the third season starts, and the first mystery of the season is who killed DI Poole.

Like, it literally opens exactly like a normal episode, with a cold open establishing the suspects and showing us the murder victim before cutting to the jaunty theme tune and opening credits. It's just that this particular murder victim is the main character.

And then the plot progresses in exactly the same way, with a different white British nerd guy leading the investigation, because THE PROTAGONIST FOR THE PAST SIXTEEN EPISODES IS DEAD.

Now, some key differences between this show and OFMD:

It's a murder mystery show, so the rules are inherently different. No Muppet physics here: people die all the time and they die in totally normal ways, like getting stabbed with an ice pick or drowned in a fish tank or turned into a science class skeleton.

While this was the first time a main character was killed off, it was not the first time the DI had been killed. The pilot had Richard solving the murder of the previous DI, only for it to be revealed that his black female second-in-command of that episode was the murderer (Camille Bordey, his actual #2, isn't assigned to him until the very end of that episode). Like, shocking twists about characters you thought were "safe" was established in the very first episode.

The death actually affected the fucking characters and the fucking plot.

It's been like ten years since this episode aired and I still really like this episode, even though it gutted me the first time I watched it (and I don't like the later seasons nearly as much). Like, it's not my favorite (that's 2x06), but it's definitely in my top three. Because even though this is the episode they killed off DI Blorbo From My Britbox, it's also an episode about him.

The comedy is toned way down because the entire office is gutted by his loss. They have to do mundane things like call his parents to tell them he died and review CCTV footage and wait for lab data like it's just a normal case when it's not. At every step, there's a "what would Richard have done?" moment. And even though this is the episode that introduces the new DI, Humphrey Goodman, the summation at the end is entirely about Richard, with this pretty sweet line:

You know, bizarrely, I'm the only one who never met Richard Poole. But during this case, I… I feel as though I've got to know him a little. Mostly by the effect he had on those around him. But it seems we all forgot one very crucial thing: he was a detective. A good one. I think he made a discovery, had a theory about what he discovered, and then sent home for evidence to corroborate that theory. And in doing so, he has, in essence, solved his own murder.

His presence is felt throughout the entire episode, even though he's only alive for the first three minutes or so. His death is disappointing (especially for those of us who shipped him with Camille), but it actually has an impact.

So when they brought back Camille in S10, years after she was written out, they also brought back Richard: Camille imagines having a conversation with him when she’s worried that her mother is going to die, and he gives her advice and comforts her. And that scene makes me cry every time I watch it, because it's clear that she misses him as much as the audience does.

We didn't get that in OFMD. We didn't get an acknowledgement of how Izzy impacted the other characters (except Ed, in the weakest way possible), or even them looking sad for longer than two minutes. We sweep past it immediately and go directly to a wedding and then Stede and Ed settling down together.

There’s no gravity to it. There’s no time to process the loss. Hell, for the characters, there ISN’T a real loss. And if the characters don’t care, why should we?

[mycatwantstoeatpins]

Favourite MoShang fics

I’ve read something like two hundred MoShang fics in the last couple of weeks (RIP my sleep schedule) and these are some of my favourites.

bureaucratic processes (Restricted) by tciddaemina. Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Post-Canon, Oblivious Shàng Qīnghuá, Demon Courting, Demon Politics, POV Mòběi-jūn, Cultural Misunderstandings, Marriage, Bad Communication, Crack, Explicit Sexual Content, Shang Qinghua is Empress of the Northern Demon Realm, posessiveness, Shang Qinghua is Loud

how to face your high school crush after 7 years by revesdelimonade. Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe – Office, Getting Together, First Kiss, Jealousy, Mutual Pining, Happy Ending, Oblivious Shàng Qīnghuá, Childhood Friends, Moshang Events Secret Santa 22

How to Tell if a Demon Wants you Dead: the Unhelpful Guide by Esora247. Tags: 5+1 Things, Fluff, Attempt at Humor, Oblivious Shàng Qīnghuá, Courting Rituals, Gift Giving, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, No Beta We Die Like GongYi Xiao, Post-Canon, Canon-Typical Violence, < basically violence stemming from demon lords being protective (possessive) of their humans, Mobei-Jun is whipped he just shows it in his own special way

Husband (Imaginary) by diamondbruise. Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempted divorce, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, extremely poor communication from all parties involved, Angst with a Happy Ending, although is it angst if it's just straight up stupid

in the stripped club. straight up "jorking it" by Volatilevore. Tags: Overstimulation, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting

no more choose than rivers (Restricted) by Val Mora (valmora). Tags: Cultural Differences, Marriage Proposal, Courtship, Misunderstandings, dowry/betrothal gift/bride price, Classism, Discussion of mpreg, historically-inspired sex education, awkwardness about sex, Fade to Black, comparative cuisine, Weddings, Canon-Typical Fantasy Racism

of love, war, and romantic reconnaissance (Restricted) by dalairei. Tags: Fluff, Misunderstandings, Humor, Demon/Human Relationships, Human Courting Customs, Demon Courting Customs, Getting Together, Oblivious Shàng Qīnghuá, Soft Mòběi-jūn, Moshang Events Big Bang 2023 (Scum Villain)

The Shang Qinghua Effect by Yuu_chi. Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Romantic Comedy, Fluff and Humor, Background Bingqiu – Freeform, cucumberplane friendship, Shang Qinghua isn't undesirable he's just dumb

Stay Acting Brave by Pip (Moirail). Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Magic School, Demon Summoning, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Rimming, Oral Sex, Size Kink, Size Difference, Loss of Virginity, accidental boyfriend acquisition

The Subtle Art of Trying to F*ck by firesandpixies. Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe – Showbusiness, Social Media, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Crack, Alternate Universe – Actors, Mobei-Jun being oblivious to his feelings, Bingqiu is a side pairing, PiningDirty Jokes, Bad Jokes, Bad Puns, Puns & Word Play

[wavesmp3]

i know, you know - masterlist

Looking for answers that no one seems to have the answers to? Caught up in a crime, way in over your head, searching for someone to help you make sense of it all? Look no further-- Psych is here! Local psychic, Lee Hyunjae, and his partner Kim Younghoon, are certified in their line of business and experts in all things unknown. They are the official psychic consultants in Mount Pier and have helped solve over 150 cases with Mount Pier Detective's Office. Visit them at their office on the boardwalk or call them anytime at 111-222-3333 to inquire about their services. No matter the issue, Psych, can help.

pairing: hyunjae (the boyz) x reader, other tbz characters and possible ocs (less likely) sprinkled throughout genre: comedy, fluff, mutual pining, maybe some thriller/crime moments or chapters warnings: an attempt at comedic writing again (specific warnings will written for each chapter/installation, but i imagine there won't be anything too crazy just anything you might find in a typical crime show!) notes: inspired by the show psych ! which i watched a lot of in middle school for some reason i cannot explain and periodically rewatch cause it is seriously such a funny show and because shawn and gus are comfort characters for me at this point. this will be written sort of like an anthology. as in the parts won't rely on the previous parts very heavily, but i do plan on writing this somewhat chronologically with a plot that flows as such. on that note, i don't have a set number of parts that i plan on writing. i have a couple stories i would like to tell in this universe but other than that, who knows! also i will not be making a taglist for this! apologies if anyone was hoping for one

more under the cut !

character intros!

1. that i’m not telling the truth

2. they just don't have any proof

3. embrace the deception

4. learn how to bend

5. your worst inhibitions tend to

6. psych you out in the end

last updated on 5/10/2024 !

[sakuyafanclub]

I Stole the First Rankers Soul (Manhwa) - by LEE JUNG - (6/10)

Synopsis

Genres: action, romance, comedy

Moa Son, your everyday office woman, wakes up to find herself trapped alone in a dungeon. She escapes and awakens as a hunter, only to fall into the dungeon again. She is rescued by the strongest hunter, Jihan Seo, who dies in the process. She obtains his soul and he is bound to her as a result. He promises to make her strong under the condition that she beats every boss monster of every dungeon in the world.

Plot

Dungeon crawling, stat raising manhwa are a dime a dozen nowadays. However, this is the only one I’ve ever seen with a female lead. That automatically gives it some points in my book. Otherwise, the plot is pretty decent. It’s pretty typical to how these stories usually go, but the world building is enjoyable when they eventually get to it. It is all dropped at once in one monologue though. What makes this manhwa enjoyable is the relationship with the leads and its pretty good action scenes. If you’re itching for some action with a dash of romance, this might be for you.

Art

The art in this manhwa is really nice. The action scenes in particular are really well done. It also has some really cool monster designs. The only thing I can complain about is that sometimes Moa’s face specifically can look a little off. I think it’s because her eyes are so big that she looks a little bug-eyed at times.

Characters

Moa is enjoyable as a main character. She’s capable, compassionate, and pretty smart. She is however, quite naive and reckless, and she makes some actions that make me question why she wouldn’t think a little more about possible consequences before she acts.

Jihan starts off as a nice yet distant battle maniac. He ends up growing into a huge softie for Moa. He is good at teaching her how to operate as a hunter and is very overprotective of her. While he is overprotective, he does acknowledge her strength.

Both characters shine more as a pairing rather than as individuals. They physically cannot be apart, so we don’t see them act individually too often. Towards later chapters, they come off a bit like a married couple with Moa as the working wife and Jihan as her avid househusband. It’s quite cute.

There are few important side characters in this manhwa. The first is Eundam Yu. He’s the #2 ranker and leader of one of the most powerful guilds in South Korea. He’s mischievous towards his allies and ruthless towards his enemies. He enjoys flirting with Moa for the sole purpose of messing with Jihan. He’s a fun character.

Another is Ban Seohu. He’s the #3 ranker and is the leader of a separate guild. I’m not the most fond of him. They build him up to be a no-nonsense, unyielding, powerful man but he then proceeds to be fooled and bent to the will of other characters pretty easily. It’s a bit underwhelming. They also try to simultaneously portray him as stone-hearted and a bit of softie. I understand that characters should have multiple sides to them, but he changes back and forth so quickly that it’s jarring. Luckily, he isn’t that important.

Overall

I enjoyed this series. It’s not my favorite of its genre (shout out to My S-Class Hunters) but it’s still pretty good. Definitely a fun series to binge in one day and never touch again.

[kanghera]

Some completed manhwas that I have read *may contain spoilers*

***I’ll keep editing this post***

My gently raised beast 

Length: 93 chapters + 13 side stories Art: good, one of the best ones Genre: supernatural characters (beast), fantasy, European themed (duke, emperor, princess etc) Recommendation: swoon worthy, good plot and backstory would recommend Notes: initially it can get a little disinteresting as for 30 something chapters the ML and the FL are just young children however the build up is worth it

The tainted half

Length: 40 chapters Art: absolutely beautiful Genre: ancient Korean or Chinese themed, concubines, kings, some supernatural phenomenons, fantasy, contains sexual themes Recommendation: definitely recommend, very unique plot different from typical historical manhwas, also it’s short and easy to follow  Notes: the ML and the antagonist are twin brothers hence they essentially have the same facial features however the hair, plot, direction and dialogue makes them distinct. The ML is also extremely swoon worthy and one the best long haired ones in a while (don’t worry even though they’re twins the antagonist is nothing in comparison)

The double agent 

Length: 73 chapters + 3 side stories  Art: definitely pretty, we love platinum hair MLs Genre: modern historical manhwa, detectives, spies etc. European themed, tragic themes, contains sexual themes  Recommendation: if you enjoy plots with tragedy some action and vague romance, would recommend  Notes: can be disturbing initially, but the conclusion from the MLs pov is beautiful, does contain toxic themes but we love little bit of that, it’s kinda like trust the process but not quite 

Beware the villainess 

Length: 92 chapters + 36 side stories  Art: extremely beautiful, the outfits are amazing and the ML is the best long blue haired in all of manhwas Genre: European themed, transmigration, fantasy, supernatural (wolves?) Recommendation: would recommend for the romance since it’s expressed little but it’s swoon worthy. May become lengthy after a stretch however there is a strong plot that is followed  Notes: one of the reasons I didn’t drop this manhwa was bc it was already completes including the side stories. The only thing motivating me to continue was to see more romance between the ML and FL and also the ML is stunning and down bad. Also there are very few mahwas about wolves or animal transformations so I kept reading this one.  I really wanted some more skin ship but felt like it was too little and expressed too and late.

Love advice from the great Duke of hell

Length: 131 chapters + epilogue + afterwords Art: wasn’t impressed at first but honestly it’s pretty neat for being sketch like and adds to the humour and aesthetic  Genre: the true definition of supernatural meets romance meets comedy. And this shit is funny. Like funny funny. I’ve had to suppress my laughter funny. The plot is unpredictable af.  Recommendation: Highly recommended for all readers. It’s just simply peak in its game. I believe all readers that like action, supernatural (devil, duke, occult etc.) romance and humour will enjoy this  Notes: the only manhwa that I wish I had been following along as the chapters were released usually I like to binge the whole manhwa but this one was honestly a ride with all the cliffhangers strategically put to make to continue scrolling. Also one of the best ending I’ve read extremely unpredictable. One of my most highly recommended manhwas even to new readers. The laughs are amazing.

Him & him & him 

Length: prologue + 16 chapters + 6 side stories Art: it’s good the MLs are cute  Genre: it’s smut, heavily sexual themes, sex partners, threesomes etc. the FL leads a typical office life, reverse harem  Recommendation: if you want some smut with a vague plot, or if you prefer short smut stories Notes: I wanted a better ending, although it remains harem. The smut had a potential to be way more kinky (since I’ve read many more creative ones). Two of the MLs are twins and the other one is their uncle which may sound weird but with the hot art and smut it’s not.

Mythical errand 

Length: prologue + 83 chapters Art: I love it. It’s pretty distinct and unique, the blushes are too cute, and the MLs blushes are 😩 Genre: historical (Korean era), mythical, college students, mythical beings, modern setting, comedic elements and romance  Recommendation: It’s really funny and entertaining, for a person new to webtoons and mythical creatures it’s a fun experience. But if you’re looking for harem ending then I have to reveal that it’s not one. Notes: the first season was amazing I had been obsessed, however it went downhill from then onwards. It’s alright to pick a ML from the two however the ending for the second ML was not satisfactory and it felt rushed and forced. Also the moments with the ML were not enough. In fact I had been thinking of way more creative continuations as I had been waiting for daily pass.  My dear cold blooded king

Length: chapter 0 + 161 chapters + afterword  Art: stunning, the MLs are hot Genre: historical, some action, romance obviously, certain mature themes Recommendation: yes, one of the og emperor trope manhwas. There’s a ML and a second ML and fortunately she ends up with whom I wanted her to. Nota damsel in distress FL  Notes: it’s been too long since I read this, one of the first manhwas I ever read. Was already concluded when I read it so was fun binging though the less interesting chapters quickly 

Rewriting the villainess

Length: 62 chapters + afterword

Art: pretty, the characters are too cute, the only green(?) haired FL manhwa that I know as of now

Genre: Korean school setting, also a little medieval, body switching typa isekai I’m not sure, the FL like switches with a character of the manhwa she wrote, so it’s supernatural, romance and fantasy 

Recommendation: I do recommend reading if you enjoy an average looking FL

Notes: A little different from the plot lines of other villainess manhwas but not too crazy, it’s short, although I didn’t expect how long the manhwa would actually run for as I had been following it (catched up again after skipping a few weeks). I wish they explored the other lead and his attachment to Liza.

Lullaby 

Length: 48 chapters + afterword 

Art: pretty, the FL could have been prettier, her hair seemed almost grey in certain panels, the FL is extremely hot, his facial features are like the typical back haired FL in manhwas (which is one reason why I began reading this) and that panel of him in the traditional Korean clothes is hawt hot (the second reason)

Genre: fantasy, demons, supernatural, ceo, employee, office, romance 

Recommendation: for binge reading some fantasy, could get a little stretchy or rushed at times

Notes: you could totally just binge read the chapters where the ML and FL interact or just scroll to the outfits that I was talking about earlier.

Romantic flow 

Length: 50 chapters

Art: good, very professional, the ML is really fucking hot

Genre: romance, office romance, misunderstandings, ceo, lawyer, contains sexual references

Recommendation: short, easy to follow, recommended if you want some plot with hot ML, or if you like dark straight haired FLs

Notes: I personally only read this for the kissing panels and sexual panels and otherwise just skimmed through the rest

There must be happy endings

Length: 109 chapters + 3 side stories

Art: very beautiful, almost too pretty

Genre: time rewind, married, ceo, company stuff, angst, domestic abuse(only referred)

Recommendation: classic for a time rewind manhwa or if you like pretty art or you if want to read about married leads

Notes: initially began reading this having no idea that it’s a time rewind, I just thought the that the characters were too pretty to be ignored. I especially loved the concept of the möbius strip.

Dahae’s Dream

Length: 34 chapters + authors note

Art: Stunning, the FL could be prettier, but all the MLs are stunning

Genre: (don’t worry there’s one endgame if you’re not into harem), there isn’t an actual reverse harem, she does not sleep with multiple men at once, but she does sleep with them consequently. Its obviously smut, it’s obvious but I didn’t see the genital visuals closely, you know, like the other manhwas. Is a little supernatural. Office romance, there’s also a cafe trope, director trope and celebrity trope.

Recommendation: definitely, it’s super hot and sexy and it’s short, but I feel like the story could have more, like it’s not over yet, we didn’t get enough of the endgame.

Notes: I wish the drawings were more explicit, bc the characters are hot af and it would be better if they had a more defined ending. And of course it’s too short. Like I just binged this in half a day and to immediately write down its review. Other manhwas that ill review in the future are the ones that I read like almost 2 years ago.

[leohtttbriar]

I would have loved to see Jadzia central episodes after she got together with Worf, and ones that's didn't focus on their relationship only. There was so much more to her before and then it seemed like being very immersed in everything Klingon was one of her very few traits.

yes--I absolutely agree. probably not the first to say it. she becomes this quirky, hot sidekick/girlfriend in season 5. how they wrote worf and dax getting together was cute and "screwball comedy" but they sort of tried to keep up that energy but not as successfully (screwball banter is cute only when both parties are getting jabs in equally, and dax seems to just smile like worf is being cute when he accuses her being ridiculous all the time)(like i said, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't)(it's just when it doesn't, worf comes across as annoying and dax comes off as Not a person). she's around quite a bit, offering her quips and support and playing her role in other people's journey's...

but episodes that are about her and depend on some issue she has within herself are not present after the romance. not like "rejoined" or the episode where she's being accused of murder bc of curzon. of course, of the episodes that are about her in previous seasons, all of them except "rejoined," arguably, are about her struggling with some past self. while i think the character can go beyond that simple sci-fi-what-if design (like, for example, i think spock goes beyond the alien-conceit in most of the spock-centric episodes), i found myself missing even that watching everything after she and worf get together. if they had even drawn out that romance and showed her genuinely trying to get worf's attention for more than one or two episodes, that would've been more interesting then what ended up happening.

i also sort of get that ds9 isn't so much the "new world" part of star trek as the "new civilization"---that is, it's mostly focused on ongoing diplomacy and war plots with the same handful of richly made-up peoples. but they managed in previous seasons to still write episodes about discovery and scientific work. in season 5, scientific work all seems to be focused on julian, due to the exigency of his role, rather than dax, or both of them. like, within the typical star trek roles to play, the science officer drives the fun discovery and new-weird-stuff plots. instead of episodes about any of that in season 5, though, there's a lot of quark and odo and sisko and julian and worf all juggling their various definitions of identity. (miraculously, dax never seems to waver in that regard. with kira, it's debateable.) which. fine. it was all interesting.

i do think that the show still manages to show dax as someone particular and complex--the writing just doesn't genuinely explore any of it after writing the worf/dax relationship. the moments she does have in episodes not about her are for the most part very good and very interesting and she provides context and wisdom and motive in the way her role dictates. but the fact that i think her character is so fascinating and has so many rich options for sci-fi storytelling only makes the absence of stories focused or driven by her all the more frustrating to me. there's only so many episodes about odo's feelings i can retain interest in.

maybe give jadzia a planet to explore with a bunch of geode formations that emit a protein that causes mutations within biological creatures to cease which somehow causes changelings to crystallize while the protein is in their system and jadzia has to fight on behalf of the planet to just exist so it's not turned into a super-weapon against the dominion and this turns into a struggle with basically her and julian against everyone (they're the most idealistic) and causes real tension between kira and dax for the first time ever and sisko has to say something about how life is sacred and resources are sacred and one has to choose and then dax does something that can't be taken back and the creatures give her a small geode/collection-of-geode-creatures in thanks and she carries it around like she carries all her past-selves.

(which would then justify the way worf constantly seems to characterize her as impulsive and impractical or whatever. bc she did this one dramatic thing that no one can now forget about her. and she just takes it bc she would do it again. and the audience just doesn't know who to agree with.)(but that would make her person with deep conviction and interiority and some perhaps truly un-likeable traits. instead of the hot, smirky-quirky jester that gets men 18-24 to tune the fuck in once a week.)

[inamindfarfaraway]

The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals Pitch Meeting

[Should be experienced imagining the voice and acting of Ryan George, who is linked to above.]

Producer Guy: So, you have a musical for me?

Screenwriter Guy: Yes sir, I do. It’s called The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals because the main character, Paul Matthews, doesn’t like musicals.

PD: He doesn’t?

SG: No, he can’t stand them. Watching one is his own personal hell. And that isn’t a throwaway quirk, it comes up several times and is integral to the plot.

PD: Isn’t the protagonist typically meant to be relatable to the audience?

SG: Yeah.

PD: And won’t the audience be full of people who like musicals?

SG: Yeah.

PG: Bit of a weird choice, but okay then. So other than the musical thing, what’s Paul like?

SG: Oh, not much.

PG: What?

SG: Yeah, he’s the most average, boring, white middle-class American everyman you can imagine. No desires, ambitions or hobbies; he never expresses much passion for anything except things he doesn’t like. He has an office job at a company that’s so generic, I didn’t even think of what it does. He’s not particularly nice either. Like, when his best friend Bill asks him to help him reconnect with his teenage daughter Alice, he refuses to avoid his own discomfort despite having nothing else to do. And when his other friend Charlotte right next to him is clearly upset because she’s in a miserable marriage to a neglectful, cheating husband, he doesn’t bother to comfort her.

PG: Isn’t the protagonist typically meant to be likeable and interesting?

SG: Yeah, but we’re not gonna do that I decided. So another important character is Emma Perkins, this barista Paul has a crush on. She’s the only reason he keeps going to this crappy café.

PG: And what’s her deal? Is she kind and friendly to balance out Paul being so apathetic?

SG: No, she’s also rude, but she has better reasons for it. She hates her job and has really annoying, mean coworkers her boss favours over her, who just won’t shut up about how great musical theatre is. They all love it so much that there’s a new rule that if they get tipped, they have to perform a whole song and dance routine.

PG: But working for every tip negates the point of a tip!

SG: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like I said, it's a crappy café.

PG: I gotta say, though, you’re presenting musical fans in quite a negative light there. They are the people whose money we want.

SG: (aside) You haven’t seen anything yet. Anyway, Emma and Paul bond over not liking things and people - it’s cute. But then at the end of the day, a meteor crashes down in a big storm and lands right in the town’s theatre, which is putting on a musical. And the meteor turns out to have evil alien life inside it!

PG: Oh my God. What happens to everyone in that theatre?

SG: Well, it’s offstage, but we find out later that the alien works by taking over your body like a virus and killing you to use you as a vessel for its hive mind. So that probably happens to most of the people. Bill and Alice get out okay, but a lot of people are dead now.

PG: This escalated very quickly!

SG: Yeah, this show does that. It’s a horror comedy; it’s like a sitcom where anyone could brutally die. But here’s the thing: the alien hive mind makes the Infected sing and dance like they’re in a musical, so all the fun, catchy songs are actually it controlling people’s corpses. That’s how everyone knows the lyrics and can move in time to music nobody’s playing. You only hear the music if you’re Infected. And it spreads really fast, so this mindless musical obsession could literally destroy humanity!

PG: That’s so dark and tonally dissonant. But I have concerns about the villain essentially being a living musical, in a musical. Won’t that kinda alienate the audience? As in ‘make them not like it’, not ‘make them aliens’.

SG: No, it’ll be fun. The first song after the intro is very entertaining. There’s this really funny part with a silly, crazy homeless guy.

PG: Ah, yes. Making fun of the homeless and mentally ill is tight!

SG: Not what I… (moving on) and, and, we can cleverly parody musical tropes. For example, Paul’s boss tries to get him to sing an “I Want” song because the Hive want him to be the protagonist of their ‘musical’, but he doesn’t want anything so he’s a terrible protagonist.

PG: Oh, that was on purpose! I thought you were just a bad writer.

SG: Yeah, no, I’m setting up an arc. So the Hive take over most of the town - which is on a island and the bridge gets pulled up, so there’s no way off - including Emma’s café. But she escapes with Paul and they meet his friends from work, plus this obnoxious asshole Charlotte’s cheating with called Ted, who's the worst. But then the Infected police show up, including Charlotte’s husband Sam. She begs him to snap him out of it ‘cause she still loves him, but he pulls a gun on her.

PG: Oh no.

SG: Fortunately, Ted knocks him out.

PG: Oh, good.

SG: But he hits him too hard and his brain falls out!

PG: Wait, even putting aside how unlikely it is that his flesh and skull were broken open wide enough that his whole brain could fall out, isn’t the brain… attached? That’s a very implausible injury.

SG: I’m gonna need you to get all the way off my back about that.

PG: Well, okay then.

SG: So Charlotte has a mental breakdown and Emma suggests they go to her biology professor, Henry Hidgens. He’s an eccentric doomsday survivalist who somehow predicted this exact incredibly specific apocalyptic situation and has a huge house with top-notch security. And he's a biologist, so he might be able to study the alien infection if they bring him Sam.

PG: It’ll be hard to get there safely with the town swarming with alien zombies, especially carrying a dead man.

SG: Actually, it’ll be super easy, barely an inconvenience.

PG: Oh, really?

SG: That part just happens offstage.

PG: So they get to shelter?

SG: They do, so they start to relax for a bit. Except Charlotte, she’s dying inside and stays with her tied-up dead husband. Bill and Ted have this funny argument where Bill threatens to kick Ted’s head, which, you know, is a stupid threat.

PG: It is?

SG: Yeah, because you’d have to kick really high and most people can’t do that.

PG: I thought you would just push the person to the ground with your arms and then kick their head. Most people can do that.

SG: True.

PG: And it would be highly effective. You could kill someone that way.

SG: (getting an idea) You could, couldn’t you? (writes that down)

PG: What are you writing?

SG: Nevermind. Emma and Paul have a nice heart-to-heart where she reveals her backstory. Turns out she had a sister, Jane, who lived a great life, dream job, true love, kid, everything, while Emma left home at eighteen and travelled around being aimless and irresponsible. But then last year Jane died and that’s why Emma came back and is studying, to try to do something with her life now that Jane can’t anymore.

PG: Aw, that’s sad.

SG: Even a zany horror sitcom has its serious moments. So she and Paul bond some more, until Charlotte and Sam burst in.

PG: Wait, what?

SG: The Hive made her think he’d come back to life and manipulated her into letting him go. Then he just killed her.

PG: Dick move.

SG: Massive dick move! So now Ted gets beaten up by the possessed corpse of the woman he loves, after the last things he said to her were mean because he’s the worst. Fortunately, Hidgens kills the zombies.

PG: Oh, good.

SG: But Alice calls Bill and she’s under attack at her school!

PG: Oh no.

SG: If Bill goes to save her alone he’ll almost definitely die. But Paul volunteers to go with him.

PG: So he won’t be nice to his friends in everyday life, but he will risk his life for them?

SG: Precisely, this is really bringing out his inner hero. But when they get there, Alice is already Infected. She sings a whole song about what a terrible father Bill is and he's so guilty that he failed her that he tries to kill himself with the gun they brought. Fortunately, Paul takes the gun off him.

PG: Oh, good.

SG: But he drops it on the ground, so Alice just shoots Bill herself.

PG: Oh my God! Why did he let go of the gun? That was a very poor decision!

SG: Extremely poor, yes. Alice nearly kills Paul too, but the army rescue him. Specifically this secret special unit that I made up called PEIP that deals with supernatural stuff like magic and aliens that most people don't know about. They're ordered to kill everyone to keep the weird stuff secret, but the leader, General John MacNamara, is a good person so he doesn't do that.

PG: So he lets Paul live?

SG: He does, and he sends a helicopter to take him and Emma off the island.

PG: Paul tells him about Emma?

SG: Uh-huh. He realizes that he's in love and finally does want something: to be with her.

PG: Cool, cool, cool.

SG: Meanwhile, Hidgens and Emma are studying the Infected. Emma theorizes that if the brain of the Hive is in the meteor, they could take out all of them by destroying it.

PG: Is that true?

SG: There's no reason it couldn't be! But Hidgens changes his mind about the Hive being evil, knocks Emma out and ties her and Ted up. Then he opens his house's gates because he wants the Hive to get in.

PG: Why does he think the Hive isn't evil?

SG: Well, he's thinking that since humans are so immoral and harmful we're killing the planet and each other constantly anyway, but the Hive will bring peace and harmony. And he loves musicals.

PG: Oh, he does?

SG: Yeah, he's even written his own awful one, and he plays a song he wrote and composed to lure the Infected inside. He's willing to die and doom humanity for his twisted, irrational love of musical theatre.

PG: Really slamming your audience again. Hey, why wasn't he at the musical the theatre just put on?

SG: I don't know.

PG: Fair enough.

SG: So Paul comes back, frees Emma and Ted and they escape, but General MacNamara kills Ted because the soldiers are Infected now!

PG: And this is all onstage?

SG: Yes.

PG: Then it's gonna be hard to get past a division of fit, armed zombie soldiers who can survive not even having brains in their heads.

SG: No, it isn't. Emma shoots MacNamara in the shoulder and that makes him just give up.

PG: What about all the other soldiers?

SG: Please ignore them.

PG: Okay.

SG: So Paul and Emma get to the helicopter and think they've made it, but the pilot is Emma's mean coworker from earlier and makes them crash.

PG: Why is she Emma's coworker and not just the army pilot, if the Hive got there first?

SG: Because.

PG: That works. Are they okay after the crash?

SG: Paul is, but Emma's too hurt to walk. Paul says they should find a boat -

PG: Wait. There are boats? Or does Paul just think there might be?

SG: I have more notes on this town and it has a boating society, so there are boats.

PG: Then why haven't the Infected got in the boats and gone to mainland? Shouldn't they have done that by now?

SG:

SG: ...You're right. I didn't think about the implications. Oh my God, I didn't think about it!

PG: Whoops!

SG: Whoopsie! So anyway, Emma tells him her theory and he goes to blow up the meteor with a grenade.

PG: But then he could die, and right when he actually cares about something. That is heroic. Do he and Emma have a touching maybe-last goodbye?

SG: Kinda. They try to kiss, but she coughs up blood in his face. The Hive knows Paul is coming and lets him in order to infect him. He does his best to resist its control, but it makes him sing and dance and have an existential crisis.

PG: Oh no.

SG: But at the last possible moment, he pulls the pin, blows up the meteor and saves the day!

PG: Wow, wow, wow. Wow.

SG: So we cut to two weeks later. Everyone else in the town is dead, but Emma was saved by the army reinforcements and she's getting out of hospital on the mainland and ready to start a new life.

PG: Well, at least she survived and the Hive is defeated. That's what Paul wanted. But it's still a shame he died.

SG: That's what Emma thinks... until he walks in!

PG: (excited) What?

SG: Yeah, he's okay and he gives her this soft smile and she's the happiest we've ever seen her and they hug.

PG: That's such a sweet ending. After everything they've been through, getting to be happy together feels earned, and I really have warmed up to them both.

SG: And then Paul starts singing.

[Beat. Producer Guy's relieved expression turns to confusion, shock, sorrow and horror as he processes that information and its implications. He stares at Screenwriter Guy, betrayed.]

PG: But that means he's... (SG nods, proud of himself) and Emma's theory was wrong, and... (SG nods again) the Hive is on the mainland now, so the entire world is... (SG nods again) oh, a very depressing ending!

SG: Set to a very cheerful song! The cast even stay in-character for the bows; the Infected bow while Emma screams and cries and begs the audience for help before being dragged away. So what do you think?

PG: That ending will haunt my dreams. But as creative as the premise is and as emotional as it gets later on, I don't know if this will be that big of a hit. The tone changes so fast and jarringly, the main characters aren't that likeable at first and it all just seems pretty niche. And it spends so much time mocking its own genre and audience. I can see it becoming a cult classic, but I don’t think you’ll be able to launch a series with it or anything.

[sophie-st-2002]

Roundtable Presentations 2: The Monkees, Episode 19, Find the Monkees

The Monkees (1966-1968) is a comedic sitcom with musical elements, follows the adventures of the real American rock band, The Monkees, as they navigate humorous and absurd situations while striving for success in the music industry. In episode 19, "Find the Monkees," the band's quest for recognition intensifies when they learn about a TV producer auditioning rock bands for his new show. Desperate for an invitation, they resort to unconventional methods, leading to comedic mishaps. Meanwhile, the producer becomes determined to locate a mystery band, resulting in unexpected outcomes.

How does the series use dual-focus narrative as a strategic storytelling tool beyond heteronormative romantic pairings?

In “Find the Monkees”, the series utilizes a dual-focus narrative free from heteronormative romantic pairing, particularly in the dynamic between television producer Hubbell Benson and the band, The Monkees. While the primary plot revolves around The Monkees humorous misadventures and attempts to gain recognition from Benson in order to get onto his new TV show. The subplot involves Benson’s frantic search for the mystery band, which is of course The Monkees, who he heard and wants for his show. The dual-focus narrative highlights both sides of the equation: Benson's persistent efforts to locate the band responsible for the captivating recording he heard, and The Monkees' unwitting involvement in Benson's search while pursuing their own aspirations. This narrative technique not only enhances the comedic elements of the episode but also underscores the interplay between the characters and their respective goals, ultimately driving the storyline forward.

The producer, Hubbell Benson.

What are the “inevitable” couplings within the series and how are they accentuated through “cinematic” similarities and contrasts?

In episode 19  the " inevitable” coupling is between the television producer Hubbell Benson and the four main characters – Davy, Mikey, Peter, and Mike– is emphasized through specific visual motifs, camera angles, and editing techniques. The producer is depicted in basic formal office attire, visually contrasting with the bright color and patterns of clothes worn by The Monkees. One similarity that they share is the red tie Hubbell wears and the bright red shirts of The Monkees. Red is a very prominent color in this episode.

The attire of The Monkees helps with the comedic and whimsical tone of the show. Humorous editing techniques like jump Cuts or visual gags enhanced comedic moments, further accentuating the contrast between the professional producer and the amateurish  main characters. These visual and technical elements contribute to the episode's comedic tension, the cat and mouse chase between the two.

How does the series use musical numbers within and beyond the narrative world to replicate fairy tale, backstage, or folk musicals?

It’s difficult to classify The Monkees'  as a TV musical due to its deviation from conventional musical formats. While it bears resemblance to backstage musicals, it evades simple categorization by blending elements of comedy, musical, and television sitcom. Inspired by The Beatles' film "A Hard Day's Night," the series integrates musical performances seamlessly within its narrative. However, unlike typical jukebox musicals, the music serves as a promotional tool for the real-life band's albums rather than an integral part of the storyline. The band was formed for the television show and later left NBC to create their own music as a group, foregoing the fictional version of themselves. The on-screen musical scenes lack immersion, with evident dubbing of final tracks over the performance of “Sweet Young Thing”,

and montage sequences with no reality within the narrative of the show with shots of performances reminiscent of The Ed Sullivan Show as seen in the number “Papa Gene’s Blues”,

Yet, the narrative utilizes musical numbers to showcase the band's talent and appeal to potential viewers and buyers. Furthermore, the lengthy epilogue tag featuring an interview with the band and producer Robert Rafelson discussing real-life events adds another layer to the show's complexity. This blurred line between reality and fiction underscores the band's status as both performers and characters within the comedic sitcom setting, contributing to the show's unique status within this discussion.

[dankdungeonsrpg]

Big Trouble and the Mythic Underworld

Have you seen the 1986 John Carpenter masterpiece Big Trouble in Little China? ...Because you should.

Briefly, Big Trouble is a fantasy adventure film about a man trying to find his truck.

As you may have seen before on this blog, I'm a big fan of a small family of RPG podcasts, including Keep Off The Borderlands. Currently, this show does a monthly movie call in episode. As you may have guessed, the most recent was about Big Trouble.

This film excels at a lot of things but my favorite is its portrayal of a Mythic Underworld.

Briefly, a Mythic Underworld is a (typically underground) place where reality gets pushed aside. The deeper you go, the more fantastic it gets. IE: a dungeon.

John Carpenter discussing the film on set in a behind-the-scenes interview available to watch on YouTube.

One of most fun bits of this is that it is set in modern-day (1986) San Fransisco, so the introduction of magic and monsters gets wild. We also have the advantage of our audience perspective character, Jack Burton, being an outsider. So he and the audience get to be flabbergasted together when a ghostly sorcerer passes through his big rig.

Some Fun Ideas (d6)

With this in mind, I thought it would be fun to come up with a table of plot hooks that can take us from the ordinary to the fantastic in our RPGs, specifically focused on the modern world and comedy.

Astute readers may recall I did a similar thing with my call in to an earlier Movie Monday podcast episode, and encapsulated that in an article on 1963's The Raven. These kinds of lists are meant to be a reference to the Sword Breaker podcast, which I miss dearly.

d6 modern supernatural story hooks:

Congratulations! You’re the new owner of a historic colonial home. One issue, the flagstones were placed in such a way as to create a door to the spirit realm every equinox. This tends to dramatically reduce market value so it wasn’t disclosed in the sale and your inspector missed it…sorry!

Turns out, one of those early a-bomb tests tore open a rift to the 9th dimension. So that cross country road trip took you from route 66 to between the atomic structure of solid matter. Avoiding the aliens living in there, pretty easy, getting back to our reality…a bit more difficult.

Due to an ancient prophecy the high rise office building you work in is now zoned over a ley line. So you’re gotta have to meet your corporate deadlines while sorcerers from across time battle over the property, but that’s just life in the big city for ya.

Those suburban homeowners associations? Satanists. I know, not really that surprising but in order to fulfill your new neighborhood obligations you will have to seek out Belial, do battle with his 80 demonic legions and/or 50 spirit legions afterward presenting a virginal sacrifice.

Government bureaucracy may seem totally soulless, but that’s because it actually is a giant machine that sorta just tabulates everything. So to renew your license there’s a whole labyrinth of mechanized dead traps to fight through for that to be approved.

The cosmic forces of law and chaos hold a tournament for control of the universe every planetary conjunction. The game itself and the champions representing mortals are determined by one of our competitions which happens to start at the time of the conjunction. All this is to say congrats on your bowling league making the finals, but they’re gonna be a bit different this year.

[wanderinginksplot]

What to watch during the ongoing WGA strike

As the WGA strike keeps going, put the pressure where it belongs: on big companies, not the writers working for better conditions.

While we wait for new content (after an equitable agreement), here are some lesser-known movies, along with the (US) streaming services where they can be found. Feel free to add on with a title, short description, and where it can be found!

(Television show version here!)

Films listed under the cut!

Netflix:

The Gray Man (2022) - Rated R. A CIA spook known only as Sierra Six (Ryan Gosling) is assigned to kill a former Sierra member... only to find himself at the center of a conspiracy. At the same time, he becomes the target of a sadistic ex-CIA mercenary (Chris Evans).

Genre: Action/thriller. There are likely to be more Gray Man films coming in the near future, along with a television show based on Chris Evans's chillingly villainous Lloyd Hansen.

Rocky (1976) - Rated PG. Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) is a washed-up boxer who works as a Mafia enforcer. He gets an unexpected chance at glory when boxer Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) wants to fight an unknown.

Genre: Drama/sports. If you don't know the story behind Rocky, it's almost as good as the movie itself!

The Imitation Game (2014) - Rated PG-13. The story of Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch), particularly his work in World War II to decode Enigma transmissions intercepted from the Axis powers.

Genre: Biographical drama. The Imitation Game is the story of Alan Turing's life, both triumphs and tragedies. It contains themes of hidden homosexuality, cruel and unusual punishment, and suicide.

Max:

Triple Frontier (2019) - Rated R. An ex-Delta Force soldier (Oscar Isaac) asks his prior teammates to come on one final mission, with the promise of an incredible payout.

Genre: Action/adventure. Triple Frontier is a typical action/adventure movie with some interesting effects and a cast (Isaac, Ben Affleck, Pedro Pascal, Charlie Hunnam, and Garrett Hedlund) that elevates it a little further.

Parasite (2019) - Rated R. The Kim family struggles to make ends meet until Ki-woo is referred to tutor a rich teenager. Through manipulation and daring, the entire Kim family ends up employed by the unknowing Park family.

Genre: Black comedy/thriller. Full of fascinating dynamics and an interesting look at divisions of wealth in South Korea, it's clear to see why Parasite gained such acclaim.

Casablanca (1942) - Rated PG. Casablanca, Morocco is a popular departure point for people fleeing the Nazis. Jaded nightclub owner Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) must decide whether to risk his life to help his ex (Ingrid Bergman) and her husband escape.

Genre: Romance/drama. Casablanca is considered by many to be the greatest movie ever made. If you haven't seen it, try it. Keep an eye out for dry humor and the way the director uses shadows to keep the black and white film interesting!

Ex Machina (2014) - Rated R. Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson) wins an office lottery to help the company's CEO (Oscar Isaac) test his new AI (Alicia Vikander).

Genre: Sci-fi/psychological thriller. With incredible effects, a labyrinthine plot, and uncomfortable questions about what makes us human, it's easy to see why Ex Machina is considered one of the best sci-fi films of the last decade.

Hulu:

The Last Action Hero (1993) - Rated PG-13. Film fan Danny (Austin O'Brien) goes to see the latest in his favorite franchise, he finds himself pulled into the movie, working alongside his hero Jack Slater (Arnold Schwarzeneggar).

Genre: Fantasy/action/satire. Think of every action trope you associate with Arnold Schwarzeneggar, mix it with a vibe like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and add some self-aware humor, and you have The Last Action Hero. This is not a popular film among internet aggregators, but I enjoyed it!

Palm Springs (2020) - Rated R. Reluctant maid of honor Sarah (Cristin Milioti) is fascinated by a wedding guest (Andy Samberg) who seems to know more than he should. When she follows him from the wedding, she finds herself stuck with him in a time loop.

Genre: Sci-fi/rom-com. Though Palm Springs has some real COVID-19 quarantine vibes, the plot keeps it from feeling like a time capsule.

Whiplash (2014) - Rated R. Talented drummer Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) is identified for an elite jazz band by sadistic and manipulative conductor Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons).

Genre: Drama. Though Whiplash is not a horror movie, it is partially produced by Blumhouse Productions. That darkness really shines through in Fletcher's abusive behavior.

Role Models (2008) - Rated R. After a disastrous, drunken day at work, Danny (Paul Rudd) is assigned community service in a big brother program. He is assigned to awkward teenager Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) and accompanies him during his favorite activity: LARPing.

Genre: Humor. Though Role Models can get a little close to cringe comedy, it's got enough genuine humor and heart to get away with it... and even be a little sweet.

Amazon Prime:

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) - Rated R. An author tells the story of Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), the owner of a once-grand hotel in the former country of Zubrowka, using several frame stories.

Genre: Drama. Wes Anderson's films have a very characteristic style. The Grand Budapest Hotel features stunning sets, a ton of cameos, and enough quirky humor to keep you entertained!

Hot Fuzz (2007) - Rated R. London police officer Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is reassigned to the small town of Sandford. He's frustrated by the small town at first, but a string of murders make him suspect something more is going on...

Genre: Action/comedy. Hot Fuzz is the second installment of the Cornetto Trilogy. It is a satirical look at the cop film genre - and thus has a lot of overdramatic violence - but it manages to stand on its own at the same time.

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) - Rated PG. Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves) are two teens more interested in their band than their studies. But if they don't pass their history final, Ted will be sent to military school. A mysterious stranger gives them a time machine, sending them off to write the best essay of all time!

Genre: Comedy/sci-fi. If you're used to Keanu Reeves as a broody hero, you're in for a shock and a treat to see him at his surfer/stoner/slacker best!

The Iron Giant (1999) - Rated PG. In 1957, 9-year-old Hogarth Hughes finds a 50-foot tall robot in the woods. He befriends the giant and the two work to evade the government, who suspect it is an attack on the United States.

Genre: Family/adventure. The Iron Giant is one of the most recognizable and emotional animated films of the 1990s - extra impressive considering it's a Warner Bros film that came out in the middle of the Disney Renaissance!

Disney+

The Boondock Saints (1999) - Rated R. Irish Catholic brothers Connor (Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy (Norman Reedus) living in 1990s Boston are sick of the crime on the streets. They decide to take matters into their own hands.

Genre: Crime/drama. The Boondock Saints has low scores on almost every film aggregator site, but is widely considered a cult classic. (Edit: warnings for insensitive portrayal of homosexuality and transgenderism.)

Feel free to reblog this and add your own lesser-known film suggestions! Support the WGA strike!

The Reluctant Dragon (1941) - Rated G. Robert Benchley wants to sell a movie idea to Walt Disney. As he searches for Walt, he wanders through the studio and sees how many of the magical movie effects are done.

Genre: Family/fantasy. I'll admit, this film was included on purpose. Not because it's amazing (it's interesting at best), but because of the story behind it. The Reluctant Dragon was released three weeks after the majority of the animators went on strike. (And most of the "workers" in the film are actually actors, another sore spot.) Disney fired all of the strikers before eventually agreeing to let them unionize and rehiring those who wished to return. (You can read more about the strike here.)

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

You Are A Freelance Creator in Gotham

by AkardKiwi You have multiple skills. Some you are good at, some still needs improvement, but you have multiple skills nonetheless. On the skills you are good at, you make a living out of. One of these skills catches the attention of a family friend with a successful clothing business in America, and you are hired to work for his company. Your main office is now situated in Gotham. You decided to jump at the opportunity of making a living out of your home country, Philippines. Not because you needed the money, nor because you believe that America is a better place, but because you have a really embarrassing past that you REALLY want to escape from. You're even willing to ignore Batman's "No Metas" rule just for the sake of starting fresh. Unfortunately, in a place like Gotham, everyone's past will catch up to them eventually. You are no exception, no matter how much of a well-prepared civilian you are. Yet you'll fit right in. Not with the civilians, but with the misfits that you try so hard to avoid. Words: 1841, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, Justice League - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: Gen Characters: Reader, Joker (DCU), Batman Ensemble, Tim Drake, Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne, more characters to be tagged as fic progresses, John Constantine Relationships: TO BE DETERMINED - Relationship Additional Tags: Filipino Character, Reader-Insert, Minor Injuries, Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Joker (DCU) Has Issues, Comedy, BAMF Reader, incompetent reader, you'll see why - Freeform, reader is a meta, reader has ADHD, Author has ADHD, Author has never read a full comic of Batman, I only read bits and pieces but I'll edit as I read more to match the characters' speech patterns, Not Beta Read, We Die Like a Gotham Citizen, Reader Works in Gotham, Reader Has Multiple Skills, Bruce Wayne Angst, Tim Drake Angst, John Constantine Needs A Hug, I have plans for Constantine and Reader's interactions, both funny and sad, This work is not planned, Semi-episodic chapters, Semi-plot, author has not written a proper fic in 4 years, i'm an animation major not a writer via https://ift.tt/2oX6CdT