Tumgik
#bbc ghosts something to share
golyadkin · 4 months
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Redraw of an oldy in light of final series developments
1K notes · View notes
bawdiestrhymester · 9 months
Text
Before “I’m”…
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
After “…unable to think of anything that would merit sharing”
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
278 notes · View notes
natjennie · 11 months
Text
the fact that the six idiots are like known for playing multiple characters in the same show and pointedly do not do that for ghosts (aside from the plague pit ones) but DO for kitty's backstory is sooooo interesting. like, if it was a Thing they did for the ghost's life flashbacks or death scenes, had the others play ancillary characters, it would be one thing. but they specifically don't do that. and yet, when kitty recalls her family, ben willbond is her dad and charlotte richie is her sister. and only in the good memories. like... the idealized version of her past has been pasted over with people she's come to view as her family and her real family only poke out once she realizes the truth of what happened I just.... it's one of the only times the actors are cast as other people and it is literally because kitty is casting those figures as her family to make her memories more pleasant...
247 notes · View notes
howicked · 11 months
Photo
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
You often mention your sister. Yes, we were very close. She was terribly pretty and terribly nice. A bit like you, actually.
Lolly Adefope & Charlotte Ritchie as Kitty & her sister in BBC GHOSTS (2019-) | 3.05 (Something to Share?)
+ kitty with the better sister
Tumblr media
325 notes · View notes
spineless-lobster · 1 year
Text
The moment Kitty learns the term “girlypop” the grounds of Button House will know no peace. She will use it ALL the time and giggle profusely when she does (good for her!)
Alison goes along with it but is internally screaming, Robin and Julian find it hilarious but the difference is while Julian snorts Robin laughs uncontrollably. Humphrey absolutely loves it and giggles with Kitty whenever she says it, the Captain doesn’t acknowledge the nickname but he doesn’t stop her either. Fanny is mortified and rants about “the King’s English” while scoffing and rolling her eyes, Pat enthusiastically plays along and is chuffed whenever Kitty calls him girlypop. Thomas says nothing but is internally grateful because trans femme Thomas is real and you can’t tell me otherwise
65 notes · View notes
baynton-nation · 2 years
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Mathew Baynton as Thomas Thorne in every ‘BBC Ghosts’ cold open (Series Three)
2021
‘BBC One’
86 notes · View notes
deviatedfromtheplan · 2 years
Text
mathew baynton and jim howick writing the best episode of ghosts:
41 notes · View notes
luuuna-rambles · 2 years
Photo
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Eleanor’s pale pink dress
Requested by anonymous
23 notes · View notes
ginevralinton · 1 year
Link
Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Ghosts (TV 2019) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Alison/Mike (Ghosts TV 2019) Characters: Mike (Ghosts TV 2019), Alison (Ghosts TV 2019), Robin (Ghosts TV 2019), Julian Fawcett, Pat Butcher (Ghosts TV 2019), The Captain (Ghosts TV 2019), Mary (Ghosts TV 2019), Lady Fanny Button, Thomas Thorne (Ghosts TV 2019), Humphrey Bone's Head, Kitty (Ghosts TV 2019) Summary:
In which Mike makes a New Year's Resolution, with varying degrees of success
2 notes · View notes
gayness-and-mayhem · 2 years
Text
On the Ghosts and TV note actually, I desperately want Robin to be obsessed with Quatermass (for no particular reason other than that I think he would find it fascinating) and Fanny to be absolutely appalled by it. Particularly Quatermass and the Pit.
12 notes · View notes
wileys-russo · 9 months
Note
We’ve seen that Tooney and Lessi are doing an escape room on bbc.
Would it be possible for you to do a fic where the reader goes for one with alessia but a really scary one?
They can be going to the escape room as a date or as friends that have been secretly in love with each other?
jumpscare II a.russo
"hello!" you jumped as a pair of cold hands grabbed at your hips, warm lips ghosting your ear, startling you as you dropped your phone from the shock, the device thankfully landing on the soft carpet beneath your feet.
"alessia! don't do that." you exhaled shakily and smacked her on the arm, turning to face the grinning blonde who bent down to grab your phone, quick to snatch it back off of her with a roll of your eyes.
"where's tooney?" the striker asked having known ella had driven you here, glancing over your shoulder and looking around for her partner in crime. "oh hi y/n, how are you? oh i'm so good thank you for asking alessia, how are you? oh you're well, thats fantastic!" you mocked her lack of greeting sarcastically, it now being her turn to roll her eyes.
"i said hello." the striker defended with a teasing smile, pulling you into a tight hug. "no you scared me and on purpose! you know i already don't want to be here." you grumbled into her shoulder, the taller girl rubbing your back comfortingly, ella having somehow convinced a group of your team mates to do a horror themed escape room on your day off.
"it'll be fine! it's just a bit of fun." alessia assured you as the two of you pulled apart, alessia secretly wishing she didn't need to let go.
the blonde having had a mild gigantic crush on you pretty much ever since she laid eyes on you when you'd been signed at the beginning of the season a few months ago.
however she treasured your fast developing friendship much more, and had spent weeks now trying to swallow the flutter of butterflies that erupted in her stomach every time you even looked in her direction.
don't get her started on when you smiled at her, laughed at something she said or did, fell asleep on her shoulder on long bus rides, the striker swooned at the simplest of interactions with you, and it killed her that the more she tried to push down these feelings the stronger they only seemed to grow.
though somehow unbeknownst to her, you were struggling with the same problem, too fearful confessing your feelings would push the blonde away and you'd rather be her friend than nothing at all.
both your mutual pining however did not go unnoticed by your friends and team mates, almost all of whom had tried to individually encourage the both of you to just ask the other out on a date.
but both of your insistence that the other would not share your own feelings meant mary and millie having to physically wrestle ella to the ground on a number of occasions to stop her from meddling and telling the both of you of the others privately confessed feelings to try and speed up the process.
though that didn't stop ella from meddling in her own more subtle ways, and with some convincing she had roped in maya and lucia to help her, and it was safe to say it was no mere coincidence that ella had suggested this specific escape room.
it was why she had forgotten failed to mention to the two of you that each of the rooms only allowed 6 people in each, and so making sure to check your group of 8 in ahead of time, it had meant you and alessia would be in your own room, alone.
though her plan was coming along (in her mind) brilliantly smooth, it didn't take long for mary to catch on as she stood beside the younger girl, assisting checking in your group.
"tooney we told you not to meddle." the goal keeper sighed, sending the brunette a pointed look of disappointment. "oh come on mary not the mum look!" ella rolled her eyes, sending the attendant a thankful smile and calling out to the rest of your group to come over so he could explain the rules, mary wincing at the volume of her shouts and sending an apologetic smile to an older couple who looked over unimpressed.
admittedly you hadn't paid very much attention when the attendant was explaining the rules, too busied with glancing at alessia out of the corner of your eye as the blonde rested her head on her fist, freshly dyed blonde hair tied back into her usual neat ponytail.
she was dressed quite casually, clad only in a pair of black leggings and a light blue denim jacket with a grey hoodie underneath, however she somehow made them look runway worthy, the girl could wear a bin bag and you'd still stare at her with your usual love sick gaze.
what you somehow failed to miss, was that with every fleeting moment your gaze was drawn back to the attendant and away from alessia, alessias own piercing blue eyes would flicker toward you.
a soft smile settled on her face as she watched you nod along with the attendants words, chewing on your bottom lip as the blonde knew you often did when trying to concentrate, a habit she'd tried to break you out of but it was to no use.
alike to her you were also dressed quite casually, clad in a pair of ripped blue jeans and an oversized black nike jumper, alessias smile softening as she noticed you tuck your hands into the sleeves which were a few centimeters too long.
the girls eyes wandered over your form, lingering a few seconds too long on the slivers of tanned skin that peeked out from the small distressed rips on the tops of your thighs, mary having already taken the mick out of you for the choice of pants, particularly the gaping holes around your knees. the older girl mockingly assuring you if you so desperately needed some new jeans she would buy you a proper pair, millie joining in and teasing she would bring over some bug spray to kill the moths in your closet which had obviously been feasting on your clothes.
you simply shoved them at their comments with a playful roll of your eyes, the attendant walking the eight of you over to the rooms. "well, good luck girls!" mary clapped both you and alessia on the back, neither you nor alessia having heard the attendant explain that due to their numbers policy the two of you had been nominated to do a different room alone.
"what?" the two of you echoed in sync, eyebrows furrowed into a confused frown. "only six to a room so we're in here, you two in there. same rules for each room just different challenges and back stories." mary explained with a shrug, hurrying off into the door beside you after the others, it closed behind her with a gentle thud as both you and alessia looked to one another with wide eyes.
"go on girls, times started!" the attendant encouraged with a nod of his head as both your gazes flickering up to the thirty minute timer above your head, the man hurrying the two of you inside with a clap, the door closing behind you before you'd even had time to process what was happening.
"oh god i hate this already." you forced yourself to take a deep breath, eyes slowly adjusting to the dimly lit room. "jesus christ!" you jumped as the tv on the wall snapped on, an elderly man with a deep bloodied cut across his neck slowly explaining how he was one of the many residents murdered here in the asylum, kick starting the story of your room and setting into motion what your challenge was.
"we're already five minutes in we best get to it." alessia nodded to a small door which had swung open from inside the fireplace, stepping one foot inside as your anxiety escalated.
"less I really don't know if i can do this." you shook your head firmly, feet rooted to the ground as you balled your fists by your side, heart hammering in your chest as your eyes darted nervously around the room.
"you'll be fine, come on!" alessia held out her hand toward you, wiggling her ring clad fingers expectantly as you quickly shook your head, stood still where you were.
you jumped again as a loud wicked cackle sounded throughout the room, shooting over towards alessia and grabbing her hand as alessias breath hitched, a bolt of electricity shooting through her as your fingers intertwined with hers.
"hey, look at me." she squeezed your hand gently, your eyes flickering to hers which shone with obvious concern. "if you want to we can leave and just wait for the others outside, i won't make you do anything you're not comfortable with." alessia promised softly, not having realised how terrified you actually were until this very moment.
hearing the sincerity in her words your face softened and once more you swooned, memory flickering back to how excited alessia was about doing the escape room at training yesterday. and just as she didn't want you to do this if you were scared, you didn't want her to have to miss out just for your own sake.
"no it's okay, you were really looking forward to this less and i don't want to be a buzzkill. i'll be fine, i just might have to break your hand." you smiled guiltily, holding up your intertwined fingers as alessia grinned.
"we could do another one that isn't themed on a murder in a mental asylum, please don't feel you have to do this for my sake." alessia assured but you shook your head, affirming you would be okay.
"come on, we've only got twenty minutes and if tooney beats us we won't hear the end of it." you joked, alessia firmly agreeing with a laugh, the two of you making your way into the next room.
"oh fuck me dead." you mumbled to yourself, eyes widening at the statues surrounding you, your anxiety peaking as you wondered if any of them were real people which would in time jump out at you.
doing your best to swallow that fear you followed alessias lead, the two of you searching around for four small keys to unlock your next clue. you let out a scream and shot backwards as a toy doll shot out of the small wooden jewellery box you had opened, strong hands wrapping around your waist to save you from falling.
"thanks!" you exhaled nervously, skin burning where alessias hands had just touched you beneath your jumper, the blonde quick to let you go after you'd steadied yourself.
"oh got the last one!" the striker announced happily as she grabbed the key out of an abandoned dusty gumboot, unlocking the chest and wincing as it opened to be full of fake severed limbs and heads. "er that's rank." you cringed, the girl quickly snatching out your next clue and slamming the chest shut.
mumbling the clue over and over to herself her blue eyes scanned the room, brightening as she spotted what she was after, hurrying over to the book case in the corner, yanking on an encyclopedia as an alarm sounded and it split in half.
"secret door!" alessia grinned at you excitedly, and you melted at the sincere happiness in her face, grabbing her hand as she offered it to you and following her into the next room.
"how is this worse!" you whispered in shock as you stepped out from into what appeared to be a meat locker. "thank god we're not vegetarians." alessia joked playfully, trying to lighten the mood as she began to look around for your next clue.
she nearly fell over as you let out a blood curdling scream, a man with a bloodied apron, slasher mask and a chain saw jumping out from a hidden door in the wall, yelling at the both of you as he waved the chainsaw around in your direction.
quick to react alessia pulled you in behind her, an arm wrapping tightly around your torso as the man let out a loud twisted laugh and disappeared back where he had come from, the lights cutting out only leaving a faint red glow from the LED strips lining the roof.
"are you okay??" alessia asked softly, turning around and gently placing her hands either side of your face, forcing you to look at her as you nodded, pale as a sheet. "i think we should lea-" alessia started to speak until you let out a gasp and smacked her on the shoulder.
"next clue!" you managed to spit out, gently removing her hands from your face and turning her around, nudging her to look at the ceiling where there was a number of arrows made of glow sticks pointing in different directions.
"is there a wheel or a lock or something we can turn?" you wondered aloud, fumbling your way around the walls trying to find something as alessia followed your lead, crying out victoriously as she found a loose brick she was able to turn.
"left, right, down, left, up!" you recited as you hurried to her side, the blonde twisting the brick in the desired directions as a loud hiss sounded and the wall began to part.
"you did it!" alessia beamed proudly, grabbing your hand and squeezing tightly as the two of you hurried into the next room, the attendant announcing you only had ten minutes remaining.
"we're looking for the jars of tablets with these five symbols on them, then we need to place the jars in that safe over there and close it, that'll open the next door." alessia informed as her eyes scanned over the instructions on the wall, the two of you hurrying to frantically search around.
"times nearly up girls!" another actor jumped out from the door you had both just came from, this one clad in a white lab coat smeared with blood, a machette in his hand as he smacked the large knife a few times against the safe with a menancing grin and lunged at the two of you before running back the way he came.
both caught off guard you let out screams, frantically grabbing one another. though of course alessia, clumsy as ever, tripped over the book she had dropped from her grip and stumbled, falling to the floor as she tugged you with her, you landing on top of her with a soft grunt.
"sorry!" alessia apologized quickly, cheeks flushing rosy pink with embarrassment, both at her own actions and at the close proximity you were both squished into in the dimly lit room.
"i told you i needed to wrap you in bubble wrap." you teased with a soft chime of laughter, the stumble having actually helped ease your nerves, able to find amusement in the blondes consistently clumsy behaviors.
alessias heart began to hammer hard in her chest, your faces so close to one another she could count the freckles which dotted the bridge of your nose. "less." you breathed out softly, a hot blush creeping down the back of your neck as the amusement was replaced with nerves as you also registered the situation you were in.
"can i kiss you?" you blurted out suddenly, tips of your ears burning bright red as the reality of what you'd just said dawned on you. with a mortified shake of your head you tried to stand, alessias arms quick to wrap around you, tugging your body back down to press tightly against her own.
"please." the older girl almost begged, eyes frantically searching yours for any hint that you didn't mean what you'd just said. not wasting another second you closed the small gap between the two of you, pressing your lips to hers.
if alessia felt butterflies when you looked at her, the feeling of your warm lips pressed against hers sent her mind and body into a catastrophic meltdown.
her calloused hands slid up the back of your jumper, gripping at the bare skin of your back as if you could disappear at a moments notice if she didn't keep a firm enough hold on you.
right as alessia's tongue began to explore your mouth the two of you beginning to fight for control of the kiss, a loud siren sounded and you quickly pulled away, sitting up and placing hands over your ears at the intrusive noise.
alessia did the same, trying to ignore the wildfire raging away in her stomach from the kiss she had yearned over for months now.
"time's up girls." the attendant informed awkwardly over the PA, the siren cutting off as the lights turned back on and your cheeks burned bright red as you realized the position you and alessia were in.
hurrying to your feet you held out a hand, assisting her up as the two of you made your way back to the beginning, not a single sound uttered between the two of you the entire way.
you let out a breath you hadn't realized you were holding in as the two of you stepped out of the first room, quick to notice the rest of your friends waiting a few feet away chatting among themselves.
"losers! looosers!" tooney began to chant tauntingly as you and alessia joined them, wagging her finger in your faces as you smacked her away.
"arcade time girls, lets go!" maya called out over her teasing, slinging an arm over the midfielders shoulder and dragging her away from the two of you, the others following and again leaving you and alessia in only one anothers company.
"i don't really feel like the arcade. do you want to maybe go get dinner?" alessia asked quietly, nervously fiddling with her ring as your eyes widened in surprise. "as in we leave them here and we go to dinner, just the two of us?" you asked slowly, alessia nodding with a small smile.
"like a...date?" you asked again though this time much more hesitantly as you played with the sleeves of your jumper, feeling a bit like a school girl speaking to her crush for the first time on the playground.
"yeah, a date." alessia confirmed with a nervous smile, cheeks flushed rosy pink.
"yeah actually, I'd really like that less."
456 notes · View notes
bawdiestrhymester · 9 months
Text
His face. 💔
He’s finally ready and he’s shut down. 😭
72 notes · View notes
natjennie · 1 year
Text
holy fuck ghosts has some hardcore lines that actually make me want to weep. I just remembered "I'm sorry you lost the sister you never had" "you're the sister I never had" and I was OVERCOME.
204 notes · View notes
howicked · 10 months
Photo
Tumblr media Tumblr media
BBC GHOSTS (2019-) | 3.05 (Something to Share?)
188 notes · View notes
squimp · 14 days
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Im not someone who makes gifsets like literally ever so these look a bit shit but i needed to immortalize pat in drag from bbc ghosts s3e5 'something to share' . I needed it on my blog Please. Please. I feel ill. I mean Who said that. Where am i. Hello
122 notes · View notes
capswarmedals · 4 months
Text
BBC GHOSTS: DEEP DIVE
"You're a bloody fool, James!" - Ben Willbond, Inside Ghosts: A Christmas Gift.
CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR CHRISTMAS EPISODE AND SEASON 5. BE WARNED.
Okay, just before we start, I WILL be referring to BOTH James and The Captain. Wait and see, your poor little dumplings.
We all know The Captain. Brave, stern, always has a stiff upper lip and of course, most obviously, he's an ABBA loving star. Joking (not really though)!! The most obvious part is that he is gay, but he hides it deep down inside himself. You'd have to kill him to find out or well, you know what I mean (/ref). That part deep down inside himself is James. James. The real person, the person under the mask, the villain, the mastermind of it all. Except that... James isn't really anything like The Captain. James is not brave, not stern, never has a stiff upper lift, but he's still an ABBA fan and gay. Incredibly, incredibly gay.
We know that he had a very, VERY strong crush on Havers (Anthony as I will be referring to) as evident in the Cricket Report in the Button House Archives and in Redding Weddy/Carpe Diem. Throughout the series, we see James fall for men. Mike ("Yes, he'd make a very fine soldier."), Adam, the director ("Yes, though I might just... Check."), Pat (even though it's not as obvious, but it's certainly there).
Many people, including myself, head canon James/The Captain to be autistic, and I can very much add some reason and proof to these reasons.
1. A very strict routine. This man will NOT let go of routine, and it is clear in 4x02 (Speak As Ye Chooses) where he states: "It's all very well saying 'At ease', but what do you do for the rest of the day?" and visible expression of shock and anger to finding out that a club was cancelled. As we come to the end of episode, where we see the man casually without his jacket on, he says "We've got forever" before immediately re-settling himself into his strict routine when being reminded of Film Club. But of course, this could be either that James is attracted to Captain America or is just reminded of his strict routine. This links into another point about change. In 3x05 (Something To Share?), this silly man agrees with Pat about how it is frightfully important to have an extremely strict routine. DON'T get me started on his almost coming out. (I will talk about this.)
2. Hyperfixations. This man has a hyperfixation/special interest in tanks, birds and basically anything remotely military related. He made a club solely dedicated FOR birds. He values his hyperfixations over secrets ("This is outrageous, I'll simply have to tell Fanny-" "No more war documentaries, then." "Your secret is safe with me, she'll have to kill me first- Well- You know what I mean."). 1x02, watching Hitler's Secret Superweapons "It's Christmas! I mean, it's Christmas Morning!" and when Mike turns it off... "What the bally heck do you think you are doing? Where the bally hell are the tanks?" "If you were dead, I would thrash your bottom, sir!". As like other autistic people, such as myself, taking away our hyperfixations isn't a good thing. We don't like that.
3. Masking/easily overwhelmed. (Basically what this deep dive is about). James is the true individual. The Captain is his mask, his shell. And he's been living in it for far too long now. He does not like change, and hates loud noises. This is clear when a club is cancelled in 4x02, and when he realizes the Queen's speech is televised in 2x07. He stress stims by using his swagger stick (Or Anthony's) and twirling it around in his fingers, he bounces a lot, he hums a lot, and whenever he matches about the place, he swings his arms depending on what arm the swagger stick is under (usually the right), and yes, I know that military marching is very exaggerating on the arms, but STILL, it's an output of energy that he does CONSTANTLY. I don't think I've seen anybody talk about the fact he hums. He does it SO MUCH.
4. Tone. Because of his ridiculous amount of gayness inside of him, this man cannot always understand straight jokes. 5x04, where they play Blankety Blank and he does not understand the word "saucy" (I mean, it is late 20th century/early 21st century slang...) and does not approve of the meaning. He gets jokes late, but that's alright because I do too.
ANYWAYS. Back to his pining.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
In the first GIF, you see James check Adam out. This also happens in another scene with the quote "Do you find yourself to be distracted?" where he takes the moment to check Adam out yet again. In this second GIF, you see James slightly creep out when he realizes that he's openly saying he'll miss a man, with that look down, almost ashamed of himself.
But why does he fall for these men of order? Because it reminds him of Anthony, not because they're bossing everyone about - it's as if they're doing the bossing about for him, so he can relax and be himself. During Redding Weddy, we see Anthony order the unit around whilst James is looking outside the window (suppressing stims, but bouncing slightly on his feet) trying to spot Germans. I could see why James fell for Anthony. Despite everyone else, Anthony does not see these stims as annoying or his remarks to be unfunny. We see him SMILE when James makes a joke.
As we know, their love for each other was mutual.
Tumblr media
He knew.
Tumblr media
Anthony smiles after saying "James" and saying "I know". Why? He knew he was dying, he knew that James loved him, he knew why James was here. He wanted to be by James' side as he died to comfort him. To just be together, maybe once. Maybe twice. We don't know if they've held hands, kissed, but still. This is a very significant moment.
Additionally, Anthony's knowledge of James' intense crush is during their talk in James' office in Redding Weddy as it starts to reach a conclusion. Anthony subtly hints to the fact that if James should say anything, the moment is now ("Well, if that's all?").
He raises his eyebrow slightly, communicating to James that he is eager to hear what he really says, and that it's okay to be them because they're alone together. But no. The Captain completely hides James away. Anthony understands, he always has. The Captain probably hid James away because of Anthony's reaction to "I shall miss you, Havers." (his smile drops).
But... "I say, Havers?"
The way Anthony turns around. SO QUICK.
Tumblr media
Tumblr media
His smile. It's so ridiculously warm. But he knows because he saw that hesitancy, he saw James' sad expression. James is bally well sad that Anthony is leaving!!
Masking is clearly shown in this conversation. The Captain is preventing James from speaking the truth. And just like how he buried the limpet mine, he too, buried his feelings. And it became a ticking time bomb to Carpe Diem, where that emotional bomb finally explodes.
He leaves it to the last second. Literally. Let me show you proof.
Tumblr media
Ben is absolutely AMAZING at micro-expressions, one of the many reasons I love to delve into The Captain so much. Carpe Diem (5x05) is an excellent example of some of the best James scenes.
Right here, what I am personally reading is that James is attempting to unmask, or is in the process of doing so. He deciding whether he should tell his story or not. This frame is important as it comes just after the quote "When I died, I never got to be surrounded by the people I loved." Blatant foreshadowing here because well, it shows that James loved Anthony and still does, despite it being 83 years since Anthony left of that year, he still holds him very dear to his heart. Of course, he has Anthony's swagger stick, which I love because he's always been there with James to help him out through moments. I love that and I love everything about that. How I ADORE Simon Hynd's directing here of the camera position, openly hinting to the fact that James died with Anthony next to him. God, everyone in that show is a mastermind!!
I also think that he is remembering here. Perhaps remembering the good memories? That Sunday afternoon stroll, or that certain Cricket Report? He's trying desperately to remember Anthony so he doesn't forget him when he moves on. For all he knows, he doesn't even know if Anthony thinks of him. All he knows is that he knew, and is most probably dead. He doesn't know what's beyond the veil. He doesn't know if he'll see Anthony. It's worth it.
This "desperate searching" facial expression is the same as the expression he had when glancing at the gate a few scenes prior to this, eyebrows furrowed and mouths slightly agape. It cuts to the gate, where we know, that in Redding Weddy, Havers walked out of. Anthony. Yet again, he's remembering him. James is obsessed with the memory of Anthony, the good times they had yet the good times they never were really good as laws about homosexuality were extremely strict. You could even say he is clingy.
Another thing is that, The Captain is one of the most favourite characters and people have been demanding to see how he died for ages! Why is it near the end of the last season? Well. I may have an idea to why it is in the last season.
James leaves things until the last second, he leaves the real explanation to things until it's too late. I saw someone on tiktok quote that James is as pretty as poppies because his love sprouts up in the wrong times and wrong places, which I think is amazing. I personally believe that his death was purposely the last one because you needed to see that he's more than just a stern WW2 CO with no feelings. He's an anxious man who's terrified of the real world so decides to seclude himself in a time and place where he was loved. World War 2. 1940. When Anthony loved him. We needed to see this inner secluded character within him to make the death sadder, which is what Ben likes, the silly man.
This also explains why he says "Is it? Is it, Alison?" during Redding Weddy because, well, with his mindset and attitude, he doesn't believe the war is over. He wasn't very good at keeping a unit of alive people under control, but perhaps he could try at keeping a whole bunch of dead people under control to keep himself busy from accepting the fact that Anthony is gone and he should emotionally move on.
In 4x04 (Gone Gone), the episode where Mary moves on, we see that James' coping mechanism is to keep himself busy. Keep himself busy so he doesn't have to focus on his feelings, but when he's given the time to pause and process it... He completely breaks down. Imagine that with Anthony when he left for North Africa.
But why does he like Pat?
Well. It isn't canon. But, the most recent Christmas special definitely hints at it. Pat introduced James to the amazing thing of baby talking, attempting to teach him just as Mia is put to bed. But once again The Captain's hard shell is back again and gives him a monotone voice and tone, rather making him seem like a robot. But at the end of the episode. He learned, and the glance he takes towards Pat is "Did I do it?" and Pat gives him a warm smile and a subtle nod. HUSBANDS I TELL YOU!
The Woodworm Men (3x03): Pat outbests The Captain with camping, yet they are still both very keen. The Captain trudged back though!! In this episode, James is awarded the teamwork badge from Pat, and when you see the scene, you can tell that he is smitten and in love. Because, now rewatching that scene with the context of his death, he must've been the happiest he had been in a while to achieve and properly earn a badge. James, I think, personally likes Pat because he still has all the leading roles (being a scout leader) and that reminds him a lot of Anthony hence why we see them working together in a lot of episodes (2x06, 2x02, etc). It all leads back to Anthony. Who knows what would've happened if they didn't meet.
I also think that Getting Out (1x06) is a good episode that represents self growth as well as debating with the issue of being mocked, as James is mocked in the episode.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
This is him overhearing the conversation. Confusion. Anger. This episode is where James learns that not everybody will adapt themselves for him, not everybody will accept the way he acts. It's pretty clear that he cannot control this mindset he has, it was probably drilled into him, the poor soul. The way he brings himself back into the group is through a secret weapon (Kitty, because she's the most likeable and their relationship is mwah).
This episode is also important because of the scene in the library with James and Kitty.
Tumblr media
"What matters more? Keeping Alison here, or letting her be happy?"
Now imagine that question but Anthony. James has sacrificed his life and soul towards Anthony, and even has a piece of him with him. This man is obsessed with Anthony. Crazily in love. He can't control his feelings for people. It just... Happens.
After Carpe Diem, it took me only a fraction of a second to see how comfortable he was. He was free to love who he wanted! I was stimming so crazily when the last scene of Season 5 (disregarding the Christmas special) was him being gay. Fanny comforted him after he came out, and every one supported him. He feels safe now.
The mirror and the draw in the intro.
Personally, I believe that the mirror represents the fact that his medals are the right way, meaning that the man in the mirror is The Captain and the man looking at his reflection is James. He's looking what he could've been. A hero. Yet now that he's come to terms with himself, James knows that he can be himself now. Free of judgement. Free of secluding himself away. I believe that the drawer represents him ever searching for more memories to grasp onto, more things about Anthony to remember. I also think it represents the fact that there is something inside of him that is worth looking for, and that thing deserves to be looked for and looked after. The draw is pulled out as far as it can go, so this could point to the fact that there is something buried within the house that needs to be found and given back to him. Could be the limpet mine. Or perhaps that William letter truly was a love letter.
OVERALL:
James is a different man to The Captain. The Captain is merely a costume or a nickname James wears knowing full well of the man he is underneath those perceived images of him. James is a coward. James is obsessed with Anthony. His heart has bled so much he has to rely on the small amount of attention from someone so he can carve it out and then offer it to those people who attention has been wasted on him. Ben is an amazing actor and writer who threads things together so subtly and sneakily it's insane. James won't let go of the military mindset, just incase he meets Anthony when he moves on. He thinks that no one will fall in love with the present him so he tries his best to act like his old self. Ben is right. You certainly are a fool, James. But oh, how I love your character.
182 notes · View notes