never understood why people think the 4th season of community is the worst when geography of global conflict is literally in season 3

Edalyn Clawthorne: A Loner Created Through Tragedy

     Seeing what happened to Edalyn’s father in Knock Knock Knockin’ on Hooty’s Door greatly explains why she looked so saddened by Lilith talking about hanging around their dad more by Keeping Up A-Fear-Ances conclusion. She harbors a lot of guilt in scratching his face up badly from years ago. After an incident like that for someone around an age that young in their life definitely contributed to Eda’s resolve of keeping herself away from others not just solely because of her own ideals about magic and how to properly use it, but also to prevent more people from getting badly hurt because of the owl curse, too. It’s sad to look back on what Lilith said to her mother, “Mom, I heard you, but I couldn’t stop myself.”, because that’s exactly what Eda went through when she attacked her dad. 

     No matter what her father could’ve said it wouldn’t have reached Edalyn, due to not having much experience with controlling the curse at that time. The amount of guilt running through Edalyn’s mind after coming back to her senses must’ve been unbearable as Hell. It’s already bad enough when hurting random people under a nasty spell, but to injure someone who helped bring you into the world? Anyone would want to put a large gap between themselves after such an awful experience of this magnitude. Season 2 of The Owl House has been doing a lot of great things in its story, such as showing more of Eda’s vulnerability being the point of my post I’d like to delve more into about.

     Eda’s development of opening up emotionally more in Season 1 was certainly good, however we didn’t get a real look into what makes Edalyn who she is as a whole. Season 2 has been allowing more in-depth exploration about why she guards herself as frequently as possible from others. It isn’t a matter of, “I like being a loner, who lives by their own rules about how our world operates.”, rather it centers around, “I’m a bad influence and don’t want to hurt others I care deeply about, or even possibly could grow to, because of my cursed affliction.”. Gwendolyn stating her curse was something that should be cut it out if need be certainly didn’t help in contributing to Eda’s loner nature she develop onward. These moments made her feel ashamed as if she didn’t deserve to be apart something greater like a family, having friends, or finding her own respective lover to boot.

     Eda’s long amount of solitude made her into a more powerfully independent and capable person, magically speaking, but it came at a serious cost of something important, one’s own self-esteem. The curse stunted Eda’s emotional growth for a very long while in having to take up the mantle of being unable to face her fears head on. Even in spite of her lesson to Raine about not running away from your own demons, the saying of practice what you preach rang unfortunately true here. Edalyn has been a very closed off person for so many years, where the idea of having to present yourself to someone else, warts and all, scared this witch away into living in seclusion at her Owl House. Despite gaining a family eventually through Luz & King, Eda never told them about her curse until it happened, wasn’t big on showing affection, and struggled with teaching Luz consistently in a good chunk of Season 1.

     Eda’s biggest challenge to overcome has been actually letting people into her life which costed her a healthy social lifestyle, became distant toward the Clawthorne family tree, and resulted in Raine calling off their romantic relationship. They were tired of Eda’s distant attitude in not being able to commit emotionally with expressing more of her compassion, vulnerability, or love either. This is something problematic Eda’s Requiem did explore too when King wanted to speak with Eda, yet she kept on either changing the subject last second, or made up a convenient excuse to hold off on discussing this matter. Edalyn was afraid of change because she had finally become used to King being around for so long. Knowing Luz would have to leave inevitably hurt already, so now finding out King possibly wanted to go find his actual father and stay there with him instead scared Eda outta her mind in facing a reality without the both of them. 

     Change is a word for Eda that’s a thing she never wants to hear. It’s why she makes the decisions that went on to define her serious solitude. Eda is used to being alone without having to rely on much of anyone else, but that doesn’t mean she obviously has enjoyed it, either. Edalyn only lived in seclusion because she thought it was necessary for safety reasons not outta love for a hermit lifestyle. The tragedy of Eda’s personal background is she allowed this curse to rule over her life for those three decades. Now, to be fair, Gwendolyn contributed to Eda’s baggage with viewing her curse as a disgusting attribute does indeed share the blame here in these events, but regardless Edalyn made unwise decisions she clearly regrets. The biggest ones being not letting anyone, as seen with Raine, get closer to her and avoiding changes to a status quo in Eda’s complicated life. What happened to Eda’s dad was obviously not her fault whatsoever, as it was entirely out of her control. However, Eda’s choice to live in seclusion away from many, make things impossible for a healthy honest relationship work with Raine, and running away from King’s possible separation in Requiem’s story paints a different picture on Eda’s loner nature. 

     Eda may try to carry herself as this loner with a sassy attitude, but it’s all just a facade to mask deeper issues of self-esteem, loneliness, and regrets. I find it so beautiful in how she didn’t want Luz running away from her feelings to Amity because she didn’t want her to make the same mistake, like what happened with Raine. Eda let her fear of commitment get to herself and it caused nothing but a mountain of regrets, so she’s correcting this flawed mindset through helping Luz & Amity’s romance. Like, real talk, the way Owl House has explored LGBTQ+ has been simply excellent in building organic romances with Luz/Amity & Eda/Raine, but still giving important development to their characters in making sure their sexuality isn’t the only defining trait they have. That’s been like a pet peeve of mine when incorporating representation for this community of people. I’m all for seeing this kind of equality in fictional entertainment, but don’t make this the only thing that defines their characterization as a whole and Owl House totally understands this about using LGBTQ+ related content.

     Season 2 of Owl House has been greatly expanding upon Eda’s emotional dilemmas around her curse, which I love as it deepens this character’s motivations on bettering herself. Edalyn has become a super relatable mentor figure in these recent episodes taking time to showcase the complexities of Clawthorne’s family dynamic being shaken by Eda’s curse and how she finally comes to term with it here in Knock Knock Knockin’ on Hooty’s Door. Rather than viewing it as a monster to be afraid of, Eda is viewing this creature as another living thing deserving to be treated as an equal and not a threat thanks to the help of those elixirs she drinks on a daily basis. I thought Knock Knock Knockin’ on Hooty’s Door would be a serious comedic breather, but instead it gave us more insight on this cast of main protagonists. Edalyn’s backstory revelations were such an amazing surprise, as I didn’t think we’d be getting to see her father this soon and what caused a big rift between the two, as well.

Knock Knock Knockin’ on Hooty’s Door exceeded my expectations in more ways than one. Season 2 of The Owl House has been continuing to impress me. 

THE GIANTS OF THAI BL 2020 AKA SHOWS STEALING MY HEART IN NOVEMBER

UPDATE AND UPCOMING ANALYSIS NOVEMBER 2020

It's the moment I've been waiting for since the excruciating silence of Thai BLS during the lockdown. It's November, the month of thanksgivings, the month of pre-Christmas jitters, nanowrimo and the month that has finally made me realise we are so close to ending this godforsaken year. Still, most of all, November means that we are getting buttloads of shows that are about to take my breath away. This year has been such an exciting year for BLS because of the increasingly amount of companies and directors willing to produce and release different types of BLS. In this list, we have awaited sequels, delicious plotlines and shocking comebacks. But most of all we have lots and lots of romance and men. Which of these have you been waiting for? Let me know. Let's squeal about it. November is going to be so great!

Ratings: From 1 to 5 (1 being least excited to watch, 5 being most,) how excited am I to delve into these shows?

Shows already airing

1.I TOLD SUNSET ABOUT YOU/ INTERPRET, MY LOVE, WITH YOUR HEART

Genre/Themes: Romance, Melodrama, Coming of Age, Angst, Drama, Childhood friendship

Country: Thailand

Verdict: So finally I rise from the memories of poorly produced bls, and pains of bad acting, and toxic writings, and traumas of stiff actors and homophobic agendas to finally say that without a doubt. Nadao has produced another masterpiece after my other favourite (Non) BL; Greater Man academy. Nadao stuns me, and for a very long time, I couldn't understand that this was how everyone was feeling, one because I wasn't fully educated or in the know about the company, I only saw tv shows in Thailand that were produced by GMMTV and to be honest I didn't think there was anything else above that standard in shows apart from Lakorns and Movies. (I know Sacrebleu) Getting to know and watch Nadao shows has been an experience, and for BL, I am hooked and ready for what else they have to offer. The only qualms that prevent me from gushing about the show are how international fans are treated. It took me a very long time to forgive ITSAY for its subbing platform (and price range), and that's why I refused to watch it with positive feelings. After episode 2 though, I'd be a fool to hold on to resentment when there is no doubt that this BL (despite not knowing if it's a sad ending. I'd hate if it is but it wouldn't change anything) is the best BL of this year. With ridiculous, incredible production, outstanding breathtaking cinematography, beautiful and talented actors and writing so good it blows me away. Episode 2 left my heart in pieces, but in a good way, I haven't recovered from the angst.

Ratings: 4.5/5 Would have been a 5/5 if the pricing made sense but also I'm terrified about a sad ending which I won't be too happy about.

2. FRIEND FOREVER/ OUR LOVE IS SICK

Genre/Themes: Romance, Music, Coming of Age, Angst, Drama, Childhood friendship, Rich vs poor,  Bullying 

Country: Thailand

Verdict: It's a pity this show is not available for international fans. Because I think people would actually love this show the way I do. It's so precious, reminds me so much of my first ever BL Lovesick (made by the same production team so makes sense) but better. What can I say about this show, really adorable cast, actually so good on the screen, great chemistry, and good storylines that keep me hooked. I am so in love with surprisingly one of my favourite couples this year Tin and Sea. I have such a great time watching this show, and I enjoy also analysing and just piecing together some of the mysteries in the show. It's been so good so far, and I can't wait for more. The first episodes are a little slow-paced, but it gets better as you keep watching it. I'd advise you to watch the director's cut because that has all of the storylines in the episode instead of the tv version which is more censored and has a lot of deleted scenes that mess with the flow of the storyline. Still, one of my favourite Thai shows right now. 

Ratings: 4/5  I think 4/5 is a fair score just because of some confusion when trying to watch it internationally and getting the right version and I do think the story feels like a whiplash between the different styles of writing of the main two couples. Go watch this though if you haven't, dm me and I'll show you how. 

NON-THAI

3. GAYA SA PELIKULA

Genre/Themes: Romance, Drama, Comedy, Angst, LGBTQ+ Education, Contract relationship, Haters to lovers

Country: Philippines 

Verdict: Normally with verdicts, I have so much to say about a show, also when I analyse I can write essays and essays of information. When it comes to this show, I'm speechless. I'm in awe; I'm crying just even trying to explain how great this show is. How great Fridays are because of this show. How upsetting and damaged I am when the end of the episode occurs, I literally mourn waiting for the next episode the next week because it's too long. This show pulls you in, and it never lets you go. I'm mindblown by the writing of this show, mindblown by the acting, by the production, music, but most of all I have become a mess because of this meta in this show. I have cried so much because of how much I care about this show, the characters are all fleshed out, are so powerfully written, and emotionally tugs at your heartstrings whilst still educating and representing LGBTQ community fantastically. I don't know what we did to deserve a show like this. Maybe its because after years of waiting for something to finally show up and just be unproblematic and be so great with no questions, no confusions, no struggle, this show is just that. And I will be forever thankful to the whole team that brought this to us

Ratings: 5/5 I would give this more than 5 if I could. That's how much this show means to me. 

4. CHERRY MAGIC 

Genre/Themes: Romance, Comedy, Supernatural, Office drama, Slice of Life

Country: Japan

Verdict: Kurosawa and Adachi. That's it. That's the reason for the 5/5 stars when it comes to watching this show. First of all, I like Japanese romantic comedy shows, and anime, and manga. So seeing cherry magic come to life as this amazing form of that makes me so happy. Typically with Japanese BL, everything feels so serious sometimes, and then sometimes it feels too crazy and over the top. But Cherry Magic just feels like a warm hug when you watch it; you can't help your self but to smile and giggle at Adachi's adventures realising that he can read minds because he's a virgin at 30 years old. To add to that, he is given Kurosowa this incredible, amazing, wonderful non-toxic man who absolutely adores him and unconditionally is there for him. I just like what? Where do I get my own Kurosawa? Like it just feels so unfair haha. But really cherry magic is full of great acting, fantastic plot and unique as well. Every character is also written well, and all have interesting dynamics. We also have another side couple who is so funny and ridiculous but also just cute and heartwarming. I have a great time watching this show and the fact that it's ending on Christmas day? Already tells you what this show is, a gift and its a great one. 

Ratings: 5/5 I want my own Kurosawa. That's it. That's all I want Universe.

Shows Upcoming

5. THARNTYPE 7 YEARS OF LOVE

Genre/Themes: Romance, Drama, Comedy,  Mature, LGBTQ+ Representation, Internalised homophobia, Sequel

Country: Thailand

Verdict: This is a complicated show to gush about. First of all TharnType, the series in 2019 was one of my favourite shows that brought me back to this BL thing. I absolutely adore all the actors, and I also loved the storyline like I said before there's something about Mame's writing that I appreciate, I think most of her strengths is found in TharnType. Because of this, this sequel is one of my most anticipated show this year. However, I feel conflicted because I hate sequels. I hate couples having to go through the weird-ass, shallow, conflicts that just end up ruining the meaning of their previous show and leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth about the couple I once loved (Looking at you Together with me the next chapter still traumatised honestly). Enough of the negatives, Tharn and Type from the trailer looks like it's going to be a wild ride, I can even see the great chemistry that made me fall for MewGulf, and I'm so excited to see the new couples and characters. I also am so excited to see TECHNO again and laugh with him every Friday. We also know that the awaited wedding between our couple is also going to be in this show. And that's going to make me bawl like a baby. Let's hope we don't have too many toxic or troublesome storylines, let's hope we don't have too many breakups and fights (because that hurts so much seeing Mew cry) and let's hope we finally have a sequel that is better than its predecessor. 

Ratings: 4.5/5  This is how I feel about it, I don't think I can rate it as 5/5 because of all the worry and anxiety at what the storyline entails—still a great show to look forward to. 

6. MANNER OF DEATH

Genre/Themes: Romance, Crime, Mature, Angst, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Haters to Lovers

Country: Thailand

Verdict: Think about it. Why wouldn't this be number one on everyone's list of upcoming BLS? We have the return of one of the best actors in this genre MaxTul the actual godfathers of Thai BL; we have an incredible team here with a director that has won multiple awards, with a storyline that is unique to Thai BL, we're getting crime, detective, mystery BL with mature characters who are not in university? As if that's not enough, we also have a really incredible plotline about this forensic doctor who falls in love with someone who we are not sure if we should trust because he could be a murderer! Like oooh yes please, the drama, the angst, the thrill?? I'm ready for this; I am so prepared to give my whole heart and attention on this show. I want it to be so good, to defeat the shows of 2019 that came and took our hearts away, to be the best BL ever. It's so difficult not to raise my expectations when it comes to this show when I know we have a great cast, great chemistry, non-stiff acting, and just a really non-toxic author as well. I look forward to this so much. Only issue/question? Where is the trailer? Hello WETV, where is our teaser? Why don't we know the date for when this is coming out? I want it out now. But I'll try and be patient okay? 

Ratings: 5/5 I can't think of how this show won't be good. And that's really worrying. But for now, I'll keep my expectations high and wait.

7. TONHON CHONTALEE 

Genre/Themes: Romance, Coming of Age, Angst, Comedy, Childhood friendship, GMMTV

Country: Thailand

Verdict: Podd and KHAOTHUNG, (my sun, my heart, my favourite person ever) Sorry just gushing over my two faves. GMMTV has shocked me this year with the announcement of this show. First of all, Khao gets to have a show where he's the main lead. I've been waiting for this, and I'm so proud and excited for him. Not only that obviously, but TonTonChontalee looks really good with a vibe of a  comedic spin to one of my favourite shows Theory of love. I am ready to see Podd act so stupid as Ton and at the same time sob when he finally realises that Chon is the one. I'm so ready to see Khao act his socks off, and the show looks so funny, so fun and just like the chemistry between two is definitely a winner. I cannot wait for this next Friday. And it also has Mike and Toptap! What's not to love? Seriously though I'm praying this is successful, and it helps both Podd and Khao to dominate GMMTV. Let's find out next Friday.

Ratings: 5/5 For Podd and Khaothung. Just worth the rating.

8. GEN Y THE SERIES

Genre/Themes: Romance, Drama, Comedy, Angst, 2moons Fanfiction, Haters to Lovers

Country: Thailand

Verdict: First of all 2 MOONS Reunion! What?? Very shocked to see this show tbh one because it's like a direct copy of 2moons the series; the same cast, the weird alternations to the same name, the same kind of plot as well. Channel 3 has finally decided to invest in BLs,  one of the biggest companies in Thailand, so the budget is high, the actors are known and famous, the production is good. This is so exciting to see. Also, 2moons was one of my favourite past BLs the whole time it was airing, and I had a massive affinity for Kimmon and Copter, so it's great to see them play their characters again but with a better budget and now glow up and grown. Their acting seems to have improved, Kit and Ming's storyline being the main focus is also really lovely to see. I also love seeing Bas and the other actors from other Bl series (The Moment actors) and I'm excited to know more about the new cast as well. So yeh this show has a great potential to win my heart as well, and the competition is not easy at all. But with a great company behind them and an exciting premise, this can also be a winner. 

Ratings: 4/5 I'm intrigued by this show, and I look forward to seeing what it brings.

November is such an exciting month for someone like me who just loves watching tv and analysing and just seeing romance bloom. These couples, stories and actors have a great potential to be the best things of 2020 so far, each of these shows holds evidence that they're worth paying attention to and honestly I've missed seeing Thai BLs that make me so excited so much. I've missed these actors, I've loved each and every one of them, and I can't wait to see them this month on my screen. What about you, guys? What do you look forward to? Who are your favourites? What are you worried about when it comes to these comebacks. Let's discuss.

AWAE 1x6 rewatch: thoughts and reactions

It’s been literal months since my last rewatch, and you guys were obviously not satisfied with my randomly dug-up first impression of the show that I posted a couple of days ago to make up for the lack of reviews, so here I am with another one. Today we’re delving into the penultimate episode of the first season. I have completely forgotten what to expect, so this will be almost like a first time watching. Here we go:

Oh, that’s right. I remember now. This is one of the parts that I loved most from the original book, and it’s a really important moment in the show as well, one of the parts that were satisfyingly closely adapted. It’s the time when Minnie May is ill and Anne is the only one who can help. A very dramatic scene, and a crucial one for DiAnne’s friendship after they were forbidden to fraternise in the previous episode. 

Wait, Aunt Josephine was there? This is the situation in which she appears first? I had forgotten and I honestly thought it would have been something different. Apparently I’ve forgotten that at first she didn’t act like the cool old lady we’ve since come to love.

I’ve always thought it was incredibly impressive how Anne immediately knew what was happening to Minnie May from just a vague description of the symptoms. Her difficult childhood experience comes in handy sometimes, I guess. That’s at least a slight silver lining to it. 

I love how fiery, passionate Anne transforms into a sound, sane, level-headed nurse when Minnie May needs to be taken care of. It just popped into my mind - does Gilbert know about this? And how come it was never brought up in later seasons?

In my commentaries on the third season, I've said more than once that Minnie May was like God - she often fixed whatever trouble and misunderstandings the older characters would get in. Now I see she’s doing it again, in a way - her illness and Anne helping her get over it is what convinced Diana’s parents that Anne is a very good person and a suitable friend for their daughter after all. I wonder where everyone would have been without this little one. 

“It’s a big world, son.” It is indeed, and Gilbert will see at least some of it - but at what cost, really, at what cost? Having never lost a parent, nor a loved one of another kind, I can’t possibly imagine the pain this boy would go through later in the series. Now, seeing John Blythe on his deathbed breaks my heart. 

It’s amazing how much some people need to forgive. Accidentally get her daughter drunk, and you’re the devil. Save her other daughter’s life, and you’re suddenly a saint. I was never a big fan of Eliza Barry, and, well, this case is not helping. I mean, it took so much for her to forgive Anne’s minor innocent mistake. I can’t help but wonder - how much would Jerry have had to do to get her approval, had things not turned out the way they did (I’m referring to both his eventual falling out with Diana and the unjust cancellation of the series here #renewannewithane)? How many favours would he have to do her family before she would have been able to forget his origin? I guess we’ll never find out now. Unless... #renewannewithane

Anne seemingly equating herself and Diana to Josephine and her “companion” makes me suddenly see why people ship them romantically, although I personally don’t. I mean, neither Anne nor Diana knew at the time what exactly Josephine’s relationship with her partner was like, but still, for me as a second-time viewer, the subtext is certainly there. 

Diana’s prospective future as the wife of some “wealthy, handsome gentleman” could very well have been foreshadowing to her eventual marriage to Fred Wright in the books, but it is a bit of an ironic statement in the series where she first went for Jerry, who, to quote Aunt Jo from earlier, is “one, but not the other”. But I’m getting carried away here. 

Listen, I dislike Mr. Philips as much as the next person, but he’s sort of (unwittingly?) acting as a matchmaker for Anne and Gilbert, like teachers sometimes do. By making none other than Anne go give him his school materials every day, he is making them interact even when Anne might otherwise have chosen not to. So that is one good thing he’s ever done. I’m keeping score from now on. 

Anne’s sudden realisation that when Gilbert comes back to school, he will likely be an orphan, reminds me of her reaction later when it happened. And it’s not so much later either. Having been an orphan all her life, she seems not to realise quite how much he’s going through. Gilbert has been forced to become an adult all of a sudden by his father’s death, but Anne still has a lot of growing up to do.

John Blythe’s funeral is an odd contrast to Mary’s Easter which would come later - both are people Gilbert loves dearly, both deaths make him grow as a person, both die of an illness - but while his father’s funeral and the days before it are gloomy, dark and achromatic, Mary goes with a smile on her face, surrounded by her big family, in the middle of a colourful festivity. I don’t know why I’m commenting on this right now, I just suddenly became aware of the parallel and simply had to point it out. 

The snowflake that thaws on Gilbert’s palm and slowly rolls down reminded me of a tear - a tear that didn’t roll from his eyes. It might as well have been meant to symbolise that precisely. If that’s the case, job well done.

The blue ribbon that Anne wears now - John Blythe gave it to Marilla... I wonder if Anne was ever made fully aware of what exactly went on between her adoptive mother and Gilbert’s father when they were young. I mean off-screen, of course. 

Much better off than you were? I don’t think so, Anne. I mean, of course she might be right to a degree, but right now Gilbert’s pain is something she can’t comprehend. She shouldn’t try to. She shouldn’t assume she does. Being an orphan is not something to pass on “extensive knowledge” about. It’s an experience that everyone goes through differently. Saying Gilbert is lucky was definitely not the right thing to do. Not right now at least. But I should stop saying how I think Anne should have reacted, or I might come off as hypocritical. I’ve never experienced what either of them has, after all. Moving on.

It seems Aunt Jo has become the cool old lady we know and love. Her conversation with Anne in the clubhouse reminds me so much of the one they had at the end of season 3. I think that one was, in a way, meant to parallel this one. Of course, I’m not going to try and reinvent the wheel here, I just think it’s beautiful how subtle this show is when it comes to foreshadowing and callbacks, even to a viewer who goes into it having read the books first. I’m glad I get to rediscover this now when I’m rewatching it, and my reactions get to be a mix of re-encountering forgotten details, judging earlier episodes with regard to what happens in later ones, and just overall basking in the magic of AWAE once again. 

Anne wanting to be a bride but not a wife is so novel yet so relatable all at once. I mean, don’t get me wrong - I don’t want to be a wife, nor a bride myself, but I can definitely see why a girl, especially in Anne’s time, but even today as well, would want to walk down the aisle wearing a white dress without being burdened with the conservative version of a wife’s duty. 

Anne’s first encounter with Aunt Jo happens in such a different way from the book, but it’s even better, the way I see it. 

Anne is so unapologetically feminist and I’m all in for it. This character is so important even today, and it was so horrific to see her story cut short over trivial issues. #renewannewithane

As both Anne and Ruby are rambling away and Diana is trying her best to say the proper things, I figure Gilbert must think, at least for a moment, about how weird and incomprehensible girls are. And with Anne’s especially apropos mention of the word “wife”... I can just see his eyebrows doing the confusion dance - you know, despite the pain he must be in. 

I just love how Gilbert never even remotely hides his great respect and admiration of Anne. And even though there are underlying feelings of a different kind here, I’m quite sure he would respect and admire just as much any other intelligent, independent young woman deserving of it. Meanwhile, Billy has shown that he’s just a misogynist of the worst kind, no matter if the girl is an “ugly” orphan or a conventionally attractive girl with both parents alive and a substantial wealth. I don’t mean to deem anyone incorrigibly bad, but I do think Billy might as well be. 

What about “Gilbert’s father just died and you’re still acting like the petty little misogynist you are” doesn’t Billy get? I know what Gilbert did was sinking to his level, but I believe he deserved every bit of it. 

I wonder - I might have forgotten - if Gilbert knew before this conversation with Marilla, about the kind of relationship she and his father had. I wonder how much of it he found out from this conversation.

Ah, here we go, the Shirbert written communication begins. And it doesn’t begin very smoothly - as if to foreshadow how many bumps on the road its future holds. 

See, Josephine would have liked very much to be married to Gertrude - only the times she lives in wouldn’t allow it. She is of the marrying kind - just not of the conventional wife kind. And that’s beautiful, and exactly what Anne aspires to be - and will be one day, of course. She has done a good, nay, brilliant job choosing a role model.

To sum up this episode: Minnie May’s illness brings DiAnne back together; Aunt Jo’s first appearance is a meaningful one, as expected; John Blythe’s last days and the aftermath of his death; an important detail of Marilla’s past; thoughts on what it is to be a wife; Shirbert’s written communication begins, very clumsily, of course. 

My favourite Charmed episodes - Top 10 of all time

This is the ninth part of my Favourite Charmed Episodes meta series all posts in the series will be tagged as #favecharmedeps

Since I finished selecting my favourite episodes from each season, I wanted to follow up with my top 10 all time favourite episodes from across the season. I won’t write much about any of the episodes I choose since I’ve already done an in-depth analysis of them in the previous posts. So check out the tag if you want to read my full thoughts on these episodes. 

In total, throughout this series I selected 44 episodes out of 178 as my favourites, so narrowing those 44 down to 10 was not an easy choice. My top 10 list includes one episode from season 1, one episode from season 2, two episodes from season 3, four episodes from season 4 and two episodes from season 5. Here they are ranked from #10 to #1:

10. Coyote Piper (3x09)

Posession episodes are generally interesting to me. I love the focus and development Piper gets in this episode, and how Prue and Piper’s dynamic and relationship really shines through. The plot is simple but engaging and for an episode I rarely see on anybody’s favourites, I think it’s always been very memorable to me and provides an in-depth look into the sisters.

9. P3 H2O (2x08)

I love delving into the history of the sisters and the Halliwell family, and that’s what this episode does. It’s a necessary exploration of the circumstances surrounding Patty’s death and Prue’s trauma. I enjoy the introduction of Sam and the overall drama of the episode. Since the sisters are facing the same demon that killed their mother, it feels like the stakes are high and they’re in real danger. 

8. That 70s Episode (1x17)

This episode is the older cousin of P3 H2O and I love it for the same reasons. I enjoy learning more about Penny and Patty, seeing the sisters as children and having the sisters in a unique situation whereby they have to figure everything out without relying on their powers. Also, who isn’t a sucker for time travel?

7. The Good, the Bad and the Cursed (3x14)

Years ago this episode wouldn’t have even come to close to being on my top 10 list, but it’s grown on me more and more. Alyssa’s acting is off the charts, I enjoy seeing Victor’s dynamics with the sisters and his scenes with Leo, Prue and Cole’s dynamic is fun and different and I appreciate the moral story attached to the innocents. The idea of the townspeople uniting and standing together to stop the man whose terrorising them all to save an innocent man’s life... It takes great courage. And very often, ordinary people coming together with their families, friends and communities is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. 

6. Long Live the Queen (4x20)

This is by far one of the most dramatic and memorable episodes for me. There are few other episodes that pack as much of a punch as this one. The stakes have never been higher than they are in this episode. We’ve seen the sisters turn evil before, but never like this. Charmed has a certain predictability to it whereby you know the sisters will always save the day, but this is one of those times where that doesn’t feel like a given. There’s doubts as to whether Phoebe will make the right choice. She’s not just evil this time or being manipulated by evil forces, she’s also doing it out of love for her husband and unborn child. Overall, this episode just shows how awesome Charmed can be when its at its best. 

5. Charmed and Dangerous (4x13)

I can’t help it, I love The Source. He’s still one of my favourite villains from across the series. He terrified me as a child and I’ve never really been able to break that association. The Source was the Big Bad, the one demon that actually had the power and cunning to destroy the sisters. This episode was everything I wanted after such a long build-up of the plot involving The Source. It’s action-packed, dramatic and no matter how many times I watch it, I genuinely fear for the sisters lives. 

4. Charmed Again (4x01+2)

I love, love, love this episode (I mean, technically it’s two, but I’m counting it as one). It does a great job of dealing with the aftermath of Prue’s death, introducing Paige and showing that Prue’s death certainly doesn’t mean the death of the show. There’s no other show that’s handled the death of a main character so well, particularly when they’re unable to show that character in any capacity. I take my hat off to the writers with what they were able to achieve with this season premiere. It’s brilliant. 

3. Sympathy for the Demon (5x07)

This episode is amazing, and I’d be surprised to find anybody that disagrees. Barbas is the scariest villain in Charmed history and with Cole’s powers he becomes practically invincible in this episode. It’s such a fascinating exploration of the human psyche, I liked the dynamic between Cole and Paige, and Paige’s character development is just *chefs kiss*. 

2. Hell Hath No Fury (4x03)

Do I really need to explain why this is here? The exploration of Piper’s grief is handled so well and Holly’s acting is phenomenal. The new dynamics between the sisters and Paige’s value becomes clearer and clearer. She’s the one that saves the day and knows what to say to help Piper release the pent up rage that’s inside of her. It’s the beginning of Piper and Paige’s sisterly relationship and I’m here for it. 

1. Centennial Charmed (5x12)

What else could I put in the top spot? I love everything about this episode. I love the twist on time travel with Paige travelling to an alternate universe. It’s so interesting to see just how different life would’ve turned out for the sisters if they’d never found Paige. This episode is incredible for Paige’s development and shows just how important she was. She really was what brought the family back together. Seeing au!Piper showed that Paige was the one that saved Piper, and seeing their dynamic was so sweet. It’s such a strong episode with amazing plot, character development and it shows just how unbreakable the sisterhood is between the sisters. Even in an alternate universe where Piper and Phoebe don’t know who Paige is, she’s able to convince them and unite with them to defeat Cole. It’s so powerful and epic. 

That’s the end of my Top 10 all time favourite Charmed episodes. This list is very interchangable, as I said at the beginning, but overall, these are the episodes that I go back to rewatch time and time again, that have a special place in my heart and that are most memorable to me. They’re also the episodes that I believe represent the very best that Charmed has to offer. 

The next and final post in this series will be a ranking of my favourite seasons, so keep your eyes peeled. 

Thanks for reading!

Pride Month Recommendations- Days 9-18

No, I didn’t forget this! I just haven’t had the strength to do long-ass posts of this nature. Hopefully, things will be better when I switch shifts at the end of the month.

Anyway, I’m going to go through my Steam Library for this list...

9. Angels with Scaly Wings by Radical Phi is a dating sim/mystery/sci-fi game where you can romance a dragon. As you can probably imagine, it is an ideal game for me. You are an ambassador from a dying Earth who has been sent through a portal to a world populated by sentient dragons. There, you uncover a series of murders and get close to certain dragons while trying to save their world and yours. The characters are very in-depth with largely tragic backstories. Get ready for some feels. Your character is referred to by they/them pronouns, leaving their gender open to your interpretation. You can develop a relationship with all five dragons, regardless. It’s a wonderful game with great worldbuilding and incredible characters!

10. Coming Out on Top by Obscurasoft is a game that I willingly purchased TWICE. The first time was when it was still in development, which I almost never do. Even when it was incomplete, I got an amazing experience from it! When I lost access to my old email and the game came out on Steam, I bought the completed version. The premise is simple in theory: You are a college senior who has just come out as gay, and can romance one of several guys over the course of the game. What makes this game stand out is the likeable characters, the zany settings you can find yourself in, and the hilarious dialogue! Each romance is unique, and even the non-romanceable side characters are memorable. It has good sex scenes, if that’s what you’re into, and you can even customize things like facial hair on your character and the bachelors. There are even mini-dates you can go on if you don’t feel like playing a whole route. This game has it all, and you can easily get several hours of gameplay out of it. I mean, did I mention that I willingly paid for it TWICE?

11. Dragon Age: Origins by Bioware was a gamechanger for me, literally, as it heightened my standards when it came to games in general. To this day, it remains on my top five list of greatest games of all time. You play as a character who eventually becomes a Grey Warden, whose purpose is to defeat creatures known as Darkspawn and stop a Blight that is descending upon your homeland. How you go about that fight, who you choose as allies, and your overall actions in the world are up to you. You can play out one of several backstories for your character, customize your class, and, of course, romance one of four characters. Two of the romanceable characters, Leliana and Zevran, are bisexual. In later games, you get even more romance options, but I feel that Origins is the best game overall. I could play it again and again, and have done so several times. Also, it’s on Steam, which means you can buy it and all DLCs without dealing with the annoying Origin platform.

12. Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator by Game Grumps has been talked about so much, I almost feel like I don’t need to. I will anyway. It’s a game where you play as a single dad who moves into an area that, conveniently, also has a bunch of single dads. As the title suggests, you get to date the dads you meet over the course of the game. This game is awesome because, among other aspects, it’s super inclusive. You can decide whether your dadsona is trans or not, whether your daughter is adopted, whether your previous spouse was a man or woman... The characters themselves are wonderfully-developed and three-dimensional. There are also many Dad Jokes. Also, Damian is best dad.

13. Gone Home by Fullbright is another game that is often talked about in LGBTQ circles. It’s an exploration game where you return home to an empty house and learn by going through different rooms, reading letters, and finding items, the story of your character’s family, particularly your sister. I love games that force you to explore and work for the whole storyline, because it feels so much more fulfilling when it all plays out. Gone Home does this brilliantly! I will say that it’s a short game for the price, so I’d recommend waiting for a sale.

14. Life is Strange by DONTNOD Entertainment is one of the greatest games I have ever played, period. I will never be able to say enough good things about it. You play as Max Caulfield, a photographer who has recently moved back to her hometown to attend the prestigious Blackwell Academy. There, she reunites with her estranged best friend, Chloe Price, falls into a mystery surrounding a missing student, and learns that she has the ability to rewind time. It’s a game where choices in the first episode will impact what happens in the fifth. All of the characters are memorable. You will absolutely fall in love with Arcadia Bay and get sucked into the mystery surrounding it. I played this game over the course of three days when I first bought it, because I just couldn’t stop. It remains one of the most emotional experiences I’ve ever had. As for LGBTQ aspects, both Max and Chloe are bisexual, and you can play Max as having feelings for Chloe and/or her friend Warren.

15. miraclr- Divine Dating Sim by Woodsy Studio is a fun little game about falling in love with an angel via group chat. Your character has been chosen to communicate with the seraphim (and Lucifer) concerning the implementation of the first miracle Earth has seen in ages. Most of the game involves chatting with the angels, deciding on a miracle, and entering private group chats to develop your relationship with the angels. You get to choose your pronouns, and Gabriel goes by they/them pronouns. I’ve only played one route, but it was pretty cute! The one annoying aspect is the fact that it’s modeled after a mobile game and sets chats for certain times. You can easily bypass that, however, by choosing to power through or rewind.

16. Nekojishi by Team Nekojishi is...a mixed bag, if I’m going to be honest. The likeability of the characters fluctuates a lot, and the True Ending had A LOT of issues for me. Still, I played the thing for nine whole hours! It’s a game about Liao, a college student and aspiring dancer whose third eye is suddenly opened, giving him the ability to see gods and spirits. Among these spirits are Guardian Tiger, a family guardian spirit who wants Liao to return to his family’s temple and use his abilities there, Clouded Leopard, who wants Liao to become a go-between for him and his worshipers, and Leopard Cat, who has possessed one of Liao’s classmates in order to convince him to create a temple for an earth god he’s connected to. Obviously, Liao isn’t so keen to abandon his own life in order to fulfill any of these wishes, but the spirits decide to remain by his side until he makes a choice. You can romance one or all of the characters, leading to different endings which, again, vary in quality. Still, the art and music are great, there are many tidbits on Taiwanese folklore, and it’s free! If you’re into gay beastmen and folklore, this is a good game to check out.

17. Night in the Woods by Infinite Fall is another game that played with my emotions. Like, it got so real, I needed to take frequent breaks during my first playthrough. You play as Mae Borowski, a college dropout returning to her hometown for reasons unknown to the player for most of the game. Falling into her former, aimless life, Mae reconnects with her friends while learning of the darker secrets of Possum Springs. Mae is pansexual, and two of her friends, Gregg and Angus, are in a relationship that is further explored if you choose to get closer to Gregg over the course of the game. This game delves into heavy subjects like depression, helplessness, the slow death of a town, and growing apart from the people you once knew.

18. I’m ending this list with a game everyone should know about: Stardew Valley by Concerned Ape. This is the peak of all farming simulation games! You play as a character who inherits a farm from their grandfather and moves there to escape their meaningless office job. Once there, you can develop your farm, fight monsters, explore, and befriend the townsfolk. Whether you play as a male or female, the romance options are all open. You can marry, have kids, and raise a family together. All of the characters have great events, but my favorite has to be my goth boi Sebastian.

Phew... Remind me not to let this go for nine days again. That took awhile... Anyway, I hope you find something you like. See you tomorrow!

D-Views: Aladdin (with guest input!)

Hi, everyone! Welcome to another installment of D-Views, my on-going written review series where I take a look at Disney-produced and/or owned properties, as well as occasionally non-Disney films that were influenced by Disney’s success! For more of these reviews, you may consult my “Disney reviews” tag, where I’ve discussed such films as Treasure Planet, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and Dreamworks’ The Prince of Egypt!

Today I’ll be doing something a little different. In lieu of the live-action Aladdin remake premiering in less than two weeks, I decided it’d be best to re-watch the original 1992 classic, and I invited two of my good friends, Christina and Jen, to help me analyze it. I will note any of their input when it arises, and hopefully you’ll enjoy hearing three voices for the price of one!

Aladdin was released in the midst of the Disney Renaissance in the 1990′s, sandwiched between the landmark hits Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. Out of Disney’s biggest blockbusters, Aladdin is easily the most “of its time” -- it relies on pop culture references for its humor and uses era-specific slang (i.e. ”NOT!” and “Made you look!”) more than most Disney films do and features a celebrity voice in a prominent role, which was quite uncommon, compared to previous Disney projects. (The best examples I can think of prior to this was having John Hurt, Peter Ustinov, and Vincent Price play villains in The Black Cauldron, Robin Hood, and The Great Mouse Detective, but...yeah, as amazing and well-renown as those men are, they weren’t insanely popular media stars of the time the way that Robin Williams was.) One could attribute this “hipper” aspect at least in part to Jeffrey Katzenberg, who was head of Disney’s animation department at the time, and Disney CEO Michael Eisner, both of whom put a lot of focus in following what was popular and marketable. (Katzenberg later put all of his attention and focus on molding Pocahontas into a historical-fiction retelling of Romeo and Juliet as he assumed a forbidden love story would be a hit, while Eisner kicked The Rescuers Down Under to the curb a year before Beauty and the Beast came out all because it didn’t break the box office opening weekend.) Fortunately the approach paid off and Aladdin was a big success, fueling two direct-to-video sequels, a spin-off TV series, and a show at Disney’s California Adventure that transformed into a full Broadway musical. Even now it’s still very well-loved by Disney fans, many of whom are now looking forward to the live-action remake coming out this month. As my followers might know, I’m still very on-the-fence about the remake myself, as I haven’t reacted very warmly to Disney’s other recent live-action remakes, but my two cohorts Jen and Christina are much less cynical about the prospect, so hopefully any commentary we might make about what we’ve learned about the remake compared to the original will be minimal. Now that our context is framed, let’s board this magic carpet of a movie and see where it takes us!

To start with, Arabian Nights is just such a fantastic musical introduction to this story! Aladdin was the last project that lyricist Howard Ashman worked on before his premature death in 1992, and like in the rest of his work, the word play in the songs he wrote for this movie (Arabian Nights, Friend Like Me and Prince Ali) is just masterful. Arabian Nights in particular just emanates “adventure” -- it was later used as the opening theme for the Aladdin TV series, and it got me so pumped up whenever I watched it, just as much as it probably excited those who first saw the movie in theaters. Fun fact: while listening to the intro, one might notice the names Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio credited as two of the film’s screenwriters, alongside directors John Musker and Ron Clements -- down the road, Elliot and Rossio would also write the screenplay for The Road to El Dorado, join the writing team for Shrek, and be the main writing force behind the Pirates of the Caribbean films. 

As much as I rarely go for films that market themselves as comedies, I feel like Aladdin handles its comedy really well. From the beginning, we see the comedic, spontaneous tone in the peddler’s narration scene, and that tone is taken on by Gilbert Gottfried as Iago until Robin Williams reappears as the Genie later. It makes it so that, unlike Mulan where the comedy kind of starts and ends with Mushu, the comedy is a constant fixture in the story, never distracting from the plot and never feeling out of place. 

One niche interest of mine that I rarely get to delve into is color psychology, and oh BOY, does this film give me a lot to talk about there! Aladdin’s production designer, Richard Wende, used a very simple, yet striking color palette for the film that favors blues, reds, and golds. The effect is a beautifully lush setting while maintaining a “desert” feel: any greens that appear really stick out, like when Aladdin and Genie arrive in an oasis after escaping the Cave of Wonders. It also makes it so that when the background is mostly red or gold, any blue shades draw focus, or when the scene takes place at night and is mostly shades of blue, anything red or gold likewise draws focus. This post goes into the color symbolism more deeply, but generally blue is representative of good characters, while red represents evil, with gold being a sort of middle ground. Primary colors often are used in properties marketed toward children (ex. Team Valor/Instinct/Mystic in Pokemon Go, Snow White having all three colors on her dress), so it’s understandable that so many kids from the 90′s gravitated toward this movie, but the palette never feels restricted or simple. The deep, saturated fusion of reds and blues and reds and yellows creates a lot of texture despite the limited color range, and it beautifully communicates the heat of the locations and creates a unique visual style for the film. I’ve noticed that in the trailers for the remake, this color symbolism was discarded in favor of a more “Bollywood” look, not unlike how the Beauty and the Beast remake likewise ignored the color symbolism of Belle being the only villager to wear blue (which accents how much she stands apart from the crowd) and decided to dress a lot of people in blue during the opening number Belle. I can only hope the decision means the film is just choosing to make Agrabah more like India than Arabia, rather than this just being a stylistic choice with no substance, but I think the subtle color psychology in the original film is very clever short-hand for the audience, even if they’ll likely not be able to consciously express how the color palette affected their viewing experience.

As Jafar and his stooge Gazeem come across the Cave of Wonders, I’m reminded of how awesome the Cave’s design is. It was made primarily with CG animation, yet the CGI is never distracting: on the contrary, it fuses together beautifully with the rest of the hand-drawn background. Even the sandy texture on the Cave is very well rendered. Christina also noted a neat detail I hadn’t picked up on before: the tiger head has an earring in one ear, just like the Genie whose lamp lives inside the Cave!

After the Cave of Wonders devours Gazeem, declaring that it will only allow the “diamond in the rough” inside, we meet our title character and resident “diamond,” Aladdin. Voicing Aladdin is Scott Weinger, or Steve of Full House fame, who brings such charm, energy, and personality to the role. I honestly think it’d be hard for anyone else to match the sheer likability rippling out of Scott’s voice. Accompanying Weinger and Robin Williams in this stellar cast are Broadway actor Jonathan Freeman as Jafar (who has since gone on to play the character in everything from TV shows to the Broadway musical), raucous comic Gilbert Gottfried as Iago, and three voice-acting legends -- Frank Welker (who voices Shaggy and Scooby Doo) as Abu and Rajah; Jim Cummings (the current voices of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger) as Razoul; and Corey Burton (who is best known for playing Ansem the Wise in Kingdom Hearts) as Prince Tiger-Fucker Achmed. Even Jasmine, who was voiced by the at-the-time-fresh-faced actress Linda Larkin, had her singing voice done by Broadway legend Lea Salonga, fresh off her success premiering the title role in Miss Saigon. Even though many of these names aren’t celebrities like Robin Williams, and so I would hesitate to call this an “all-star cast” exactly, it doesn’t change how much talent was accrued by Disney’s casting agents! 

Unlike most main characters in a Disney musical, Aladdin doesn’t get a full solo number to call his own. Originally Howard Ashman wrote a song for Aladdin called Proud of Your Boy, where Aladdin sings to his mother (who played a large role in early drafts of the story) about how he’ll make good for her. Unfortunately the story’s focus on Aladdin and his mother’s relationship ended up taking focus away from Aladdin and Jasmine’s romance and Aladdin’s character arc to accept himself, so the screenwriters ultimately had to cut the mother character from the story, at which point the song no longer fit. The decision was very difficult for the filmmakers at the time, given that it was one of the last things Ashman wrote and it’s such a beautiful, raw song, but I ultimately think it was the right decision. Putting Aladdin on his own with no one but Abu for company and giving Jasmine no emotional support outside of her naïve, misguided father and her pet and only friend Rajah I think goes a long way to explain why they’re such kindred spirits. Aladdin and Jasmine each become the friend and support that the other needed. (This is also why Christina and I are concerned about the inclusion of a servant/friend for Jasmine, as the choice would likely weaken any rationale Jasmine could have for leaving the palace and for connecting so instantly with Aladdin.) Plus I think Aladdin’s reprise of One Jump Ahead is just as beautifully raw as Proud of Your Boy, just with a slightly different message and less words. I really feel Aladdin’s frustration and yearning for something better, and Aladdin’s singing voice Brad Kane is able to stuff so much pathos into such a short tune that a longer song isn’t even necessary. And fortunately Proud of Your Boy was later utilized in the Broadway musical version of Aladdin, so it got its dues eventually. 

At the palace, we meet our heroine, Jasmine, who was Christina’s favorite Disney character as a kid and who I personally think is the prettiest of the Disney princesses. Jasmine was designed by supervising animator Mark Henn, who modeled her after a picture of his little sister, which honestly is so sweet that I can’t stand it. What I really like about Jasmine in comparison to other Disney princesses is that she is fiery, but clever: determined, but calculating: proud, yet compassionate. It’s this balance that makes her interesting: in my mind, Jasmine is the ultimate Slytherin Disney princess (with just as Slytherin of a prince!), because unlike Ariel, she isn’t reckless in her rebellion. What’s also very cool about Jasmine is that her circumstances are a perfect contrast to Aladdin, placing them in a more romantic Prince and the Pauper set-up where they envy each other, and yet they want the same thing: freedom. In fact, all of our protagonists do -- namely, Aladdin, Jasmine, and Genie. Aladdin wants freedom from his poverty. Jasmine wants freedom from her privilege. Genie wants freedom from his purpose. They all have different cages, but they all want to be free to live their own lives, and it’s through Aladdin learning to empathize with Jasmine and Genie and see their respective prisons as clearly as his own that he grows as a character. (For a video that delves into this thought process further, please consult this piece by ScreenPrism -- it’s just beautifully done!)

Throughout the film, three animals emerge over and over -- the cobra, the elephant, and the tiger. Tigers -- which we see not only in obvious examples like Rajah and the Cave of Wonders, but also as a carving in the back of the Sultan’s throne -- are generally associated with courage and heraldry, not unlike their feline cousins, lions. The heraldry aspect I think is most relevant here -- only one who is deemed worthy, namely Aladdin, may enter the Cave of Wonders and access the wealth of kings, and when Jasmine runs away from home, she leaves Rajah, a symbol of her noble heritage, behind. Elephants in comparison are associated with wisdom and more notably royal power. In the film, Abu is transformed into an elephant steed for Aladdin when he becomes Prince Ali, and even the Sultan sits in a throne decorated with a statue of an elephant. As for the cobra, it’s entirely connected to Jafar, first as his magic scepter and then as a form Jafar takes on himself. Snakes overall are associated with many things like healing, rebirth, eternity, and the dichotomy of good and evil, but cobras specifically are the most poisonous snakes on earth. Legends even claim that Cleopatra, the last Pharaoh of Egypt, committed suicide by cobra bite. I reckon that meaning is more than enough reason for it to represent Jafar.

Through the use of a bizarre storm-making machine powered by Iago running on a treadmill-like wheel that Christina, Jen, and I thoroughly don’t understand and kind of find hilariously ridiculous, Jafar is able to discover the identity of the elusive “diamond in the rough.” He then sends the guards out to arrest Aladdin so as to coerce him into aiding him in his goal to enter the Cave, but in the process gets caught by Jasmine as he’s exiting one of the secret passages. Jen brought up the lovely point that Jafar seems to be the only person who knows about these passages in the palace, even though the Sultan presumably was raised in the palace just like Jasmine was -- this isn’t necessarily a problem, but it does make both her and me want to know the story behind this! Was Jafar basically raised in the palace too? Did Jafar partially create those passages? Were they forgotten after years of non-use and Jafar came across them by chance? It seems like there could be some fun explanation here, if someone wanted to write a fic or fan theory about it.

Okay, I really don’t want to express my concerns about the remake yet again, but I just have to say this flat-out -- there is no way that Abu in the remake could be as funny as he is in the animated film. Let’s be honest, CG characters in live-action films are almost never very charming if they’re more on the cartoony side compared to the so-called “realistic” world they’re supposed to inhabit. You can have very likable, well-developed CG characters -- just look at Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia -- but he wasn’t solely comic relief the way Abu is, and Abu’s comedy in particular relies on a lot of cartoon-like squash and stretch that would be difficult to recreate in CG for a live-action movie. Best case scenario, you’d have something like Pip in Enchanted, which is only irritating and visually out-of-place sometimes, but alternatively, you might get something like Alvin and the Chipmunks (where the humor falls flat), Dobby in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (where it’s clear he was never actually there the whole time), and/or the enchanted objects in the live-action Beauty and the Beast (where the characters end up looking creepy, like something out of the Uncanny Valley). Basically if they want Abu to work in the live-action setting, it’s likely they’d have to make him more like an actual animal, which as I said would make it so he is a lot less funny.

Anyway, not long after Abu unlocks Aladdin’s shackles, Jafar arrives to bust him out, disguised as an old man. Just as Jafar’s storm-making machine makes no sense, the three of us all concluded that his disguise makes no sense. Not only does Jafar suddenly look a good foot and a half shorter, which even with him crouching shouldn’t be possible, but he’s changed his teeth with no visible dentures (which would’ve slurred his speech anyway) and he can get rid of all of the white hair and beard he put on just by ripping off the beard in a single gesture. As Jen brought up, even the Evil Queen used a potion to turn into the Hag: if Jafar had used magic, these sort of physical changes would make sense, but he didn’t.

Back to the Cave of Wonders again, and now I get to talk about one of the most revolutionary aspects of Aladdin: the Magic Carpet. Our sweet little Carpet is a perfect fusion of CG and hand-drawn animation -- supervising animator Randy Cartwright drew the outline and tassels of Carpet with so much personality and silent comedy, and rather than have to animate Carpet’s detailed pattern in every single frame as the fabric folded and contorted, the pencil tests were handed to the CG artists, who melded the pattern perfectly to the line work, making it one perfectly cohesive character. Carpet’s pattern also has allusions to different parts of the film, including the Cave of Wonders, the magic lamp, and the flames that appear when Abu touches the red gem. Even if the technology of CG animation is much more advanced now than it was in 90s, it doesn’t change how seamless the finished result is.

As mentioned, the Cave doesn’t remain safe for our hero very long. When Abu snatches up a gem after being warned not to touch anything, the whole place starts to fall apart, raging with lava and fire. Christina brought up the question of why the Cave would allow Abu inside, since he wasn’t the diamond in the rough (yes, Abu was hidden in Aladdin’s vest, but the Cave was magical, did it really not know he was there?), but I almost wonder if it was an issue of Aladdin having trusted Abu when he shouldn’t have, which would end up being the true mistake in this scenario. Regardless, the CGI in this particular escape sequence is some of the more outdated material of the film. The flight on Carpet is still kind of fun, as it probably would make for a very exciting thrill ride, but it still looks incredibly fake, especially in comparison to other CG elements used in other scenes. Honestly, I’d say this Cave chase and the tower used in the “ends of the earth” sequence later are the worst instances of outdated CGI in this movie.

And finally, at long last, we get to the big, blue guy himself, the Genie. As much as I wouldn’t say Genie steals the show, as Aladdin has such a likable hero and heroine and an excellent villain, Jen, Christina, and I will say categorically that Aladdin would not be as good of a movie as it is without Genie and without Robin Williams. The directors Ron Clements and John Musker wrote the character with Robin in mind, but thought there’d be no way they’d ever get him -- fortunately Eric Goldberg, the supervising animator for Genie, got the idea to make an animation of Genie speaking a piece of one of Robin’s comedy routines, and the animation amazingly won Robin over and got him on board. And really, it is that flawless combination of Robin’s acting and Goldberg’s animation that really makes Genie as likable as he is. Even Robin’s humor, which still is very funny, is not what makes Genie as great of a character as he is, in my opinion -- if anything, I’d say it’s how much sincerity Robin gives the role. Genie is never a sidekick in this movie, as he has his own distinct motivations and feelings separate to the main character and their goals, and Robin just makes you feel so much for Genie and his own desire for freedom. One quote of Genie’s that has stuck with me since I was a kid thanks to Robin’s beautiful delivery is “To be my own master -- such a thing would be greater than all the magic and all the treasures in all the world.” It makes it so his humor is a sign of how resilient Genie is, despite how unhappy his circumstances are, which is something I understand very well as someone who has suffered from depression and I’m quite sure Robin himself understood very well too. I think it’s why so many people found Robin so likable and felt so much for the characters he portrayed over the years.

Speaking on Friend Like Me specifically, I’m afraid I’ll have to go off on a bit of a tangent and share a story with all of you. The day that Robin Williams passed away, I was working at the World of Color show at Disney’s Calfornia Adventure. When the Friend Like Me segment came on, I danced along to the music while in the walkway outside the show, trying to keep the grief off of my face and just make others happy, the way Robin used to. As the segment ended, everyone applauded like crazy. Then, all of a sudden, we Cast Members became aware of a strange, sputtering, almost sobbing sound. One of the show fountains in the water had gotten out of alignment and it sputtered softly in the background as the next segment (Touch the Sky) began, before after a minute slowly quieting and coming to a stop. It was as if the show was crying for Robin, this person who had given so much joy to so many people. And this, among other reasons, is why I feel so very sorry for poor Will Smith, who somehow has to try to fill the shoes that Robin wore. Jen, Christina, and I aren’t very optimistic about his prospects (I still personally might have offered the role to Wayne Brady instead, given that he can sing, he has done comedy, and he worked with Robin in the past), as even Dan Castellanetta, who voiced Genie in the Aladdin TV series, was never able to match Robin no matter how hard he tried.

On the note of Genie’s motivation, as well, we hear about it in a scene accompanied by the beautiful instrumental “To Be Free.” It’s one of my favorite pieces of instrumental music from the film, which became one of Christina’s favorite songs from the Aladdin musical, To Be Free, which is a solo sung by Jasmine. As very pretty and appropriate the song is from Jasmine, I do also really appreciate the number accompanying Genie’s monologue. The instrumental comes across as more spontaneous and thoughtful, like it’s making itself up as it goes along, until it gets to the sincere, meaningful line about freedom, at which point the melody that inspired the song To Be Free's chorus starts.

Another neat touch with Genie is his use of Yiddisms, such as “punim,” meaning face. Of course, Genie’s animator Eric Goldberg is Jewish, and the idea of Genie being Jewish as well I just find so unbelievably charming, particularly when you place him in an Arabian-like setting full of (presumably) Muslim characters, given that the Sultan at one point references Allah. Therefore Genie and Aladdin’s (adorable) friendship could be thought of as a friendship between a Jewish person and a Muslim! I think that’s really cool!

We return to the palace, where the Sultan scolds Jafar for Aladdin’s supposed execution, only for Aladdin to burst onto the scene, dressed as the dashing Prince Ali. During this scene, Christina noted the fun juxtaposition of Jafar’s fashion choices compared to the Sultan, Genie as a human, and Aladdin as Ali. All of them wear very similar robes and turbans, but the Sultan, Genie, and Aladdin wear turbans with more rounded, floppy feathers, which Jafar’s feather is sharp and straight. Aladdin’s and the Sultan’s feather even flop into their faces sometimes, whereas Jafar’s is rigid as a board. As Jen likewise pointed out, Jafar’s design gives him this pointed, slender look not unlike Dr. Facilier in future Disney project The Princess and the Frog. The shoulder pads on his shoulders also serve to give him this sort of sharp “T” shape, contrasted to the more rounded and well-proportioned characters. Couple that with a black/red color scheme that contrasts the more saintly tannish-white of the other three, and it really does communicate the “black cloud” nature that Jafar’s supervising animator Andreas Deja wanted to give the character, to compliment the “Severus Snape” level of dry sardonicism Jonathan Freeman gave the character.

Even though the Sultan is very impressed by “Prince Ali,” Jasmine most certainly is not. Genie counsels Aladdin (with a few outdated pop culture references) that he should tell her the truth -- the nice thing about the pop culture references is that, really, even if you don’t get the jokes, you can still understand them, and the jokes still drive dialogue and plot forward enough that those lines don’t feel like a waste of time. I mean, I didn’t get most of the jokes as a kid, and it didn’t hurt anything for me -- I still thought the Genie was funny because of his comedic timing and odd voices. (Oh yes, and since Jen brought this up while we were watching this -- Aladdin does not say “take off your clothes” while up on Jasmine’s balcony: the line that Weigner improvised for when Aladdin is trying to shoo Rajah away is “take off and go.” Get your brains out of the gutter.)

Fortunately Aladdin is able to soften Jasmine enough that she gives him a chance, and the two go on a magic carpet ride (a.k.a. the fastest world tour ever, as Christina described it! LOL). Accompanying this scene is, in my opinion, the single most romantic song in the Disney canon. A Whole New World was the very first song Alan Menken and Tim Rice wrote together. After the loss of his good friend and most constant collaborator, Howard Ashman, Menken was very nervous about working with someone else. Fortunately, as soon as he and Tim Rice met, they came together pretty quickly while working on the aforementioned love song, which ended up taking some inspiration from their circumstances as new collaborators in its melody and lyrics. So yes, one could listen to this song and some of its lines -- a new, fantastic point of view -- but when I’m way up here, it’s crystal clear that now I’m in a whole new world with you -- unbelievable sights, indescribable feelings -- with new horizons to pursue -- every moment, red letter -- let me share this whole new world with you -- as being not just about these two characters falling in love, but also about a brand new, exciting friendship.

Aladdin and Jasmine connect, Jafar is banished from the palace, and the Sultan blesses Jasmine’s decision to court “Prince Ali” -- but yeah, just as everything looks like everything’s coming up roses, things start to fall apart when Aladdin breaks his promise to set Genie free. (Another fun story: when I first saw this scene in the Aladdin Musical Spectacular at Disney California Adventure way back in the day, I couldn’t stop myself from yelling “BOO!” from the audience. The people around me giggled. Then the actor playing Genie, without looking away from the actor playing Aladdin, raised a hand and pointed out at the audience. “You hear that?” he said. “That’s my THOUGHTS.” I died laughing.) But yes, thanks to Aladdin’s mistake, Jafar is able to take advantage of the situation and snatch Genie for himself, singing his own quasi-solo, Prince Ali (reprise). Like Aladdin, Jafar doesn’t get a full number to call his own, but fortunately he doesn’t end up needing one: Prince Ali (reprise) is more than powerful enough on its own, and it concludes with the most amazing, deranged laugh in Disney history. Really, as good as some other Disney villain laughs are, I would say that Jafar’s is easily the best.

Jafar becomes the Sultan of Agrabah, imprisoning both Jasmine and the Sultan and banishing Aladdin to the ends of the earth. Even if Jasmine’s a prisoner, though, she is no damsel: in Christina’s words, she’s the Princess Leia to Jafar’s Jabba the Hutt, clever and proud as ever and ready to do whatever is necessary to break free...even if it means kissing our villain in order to distract him long enough for Aladdin to try to snatch back the lamp. (Insert a cringe from all three of us here.) Alas, the ruse fails, and Jafar discovers that Aladdin has returned alive and well. The “Battle” track used for this climax is just epic accompaniment, easily being up there among some of the best “final confrontation” instrumental tracks in Disney history like Sleeping Beauty’s “Battle With the Forces of Evil” and The Great Mouse Detective’s “Big Ben Chase.” The visuals as well are also thrilling -- speaking as someone with acute ophidiophobia, Jafar turning into a giant cobra is pretty terrifying.

Despite all of the odds being against him, our diamond in the rough street rat nonetheless is able to outsmart Jafar, and Jafar, tricked into the form of a Genie, is imprisoned in his own pitch black lamp, possessing all of the power he longed for but ignorantly sacrificing the power of autonomy he had already. (As Jen said, and I quote, “Karma, bitch!”) I just adore how Aladdin outwitted Jafar too: not only does it really suit his Slytherin personality to win through craftiness rather than just brute force, but it also perfectly showcases the difference between Aladdin and Jafar: namely, that Aladdin knows empathy, and Jafar does not. Jafar only sees what Genie has that he doesn’t have, supreme magical power, and longs to possess it -- Aladdin sees Genie’s circumstances fully and knows that he is both amazingly powerful in a magical sense and utterly powerless when it comes to making his own choices.

Accompanying the film’s resolution is the beautiful instrumental “Happy End in Agrabah,” which dips into lighthearted whimsy, resignation, bittersweet joy and exhilaration, alongside echoes of both “To Be Free“ and A Whole New World. Aladdin gives Genie his greatest desire -- his freedom -- and in the process makes, in Jen’s words, the most selfless wish you could make...for only a diamond in the rough would make a wish for someone else, not for himself. And as Jen also pointed out, the Sultan follows Aladdin’s lead, giving Jasmine her freedom just as Aladdin gave Genie his. Our story ends with all of our protagonists earning the freedom that they’ve so longed for -- the freedom to achieve their own happiness -- through their love of each other.

Aladdin may be very “of its era” from a humor point of view, but it’s a movie that truly becomes more resonant with age. When Jen, Christina, and I were kids, we all enjoyed this movie’s flights of fantasy, humor, characters, and songs, but as adults, we can feel for these characters and their desire for freedom more than ever. We can understand how similar these individual characters are, and how even though they’re all in different prisons with different advantages and disadvantages, they all need the same key to unlock their cages -- love and empathy. However much the new Aladdin film diverges from the animated version, I only hope that they remember that core of the movie and how it is integrated into the entire story, from how much Aladdin wishes people would “look closer” when looking at him to Genie’s last words to Aladdin being that “no matter what anybody says, [Aladdin will] always be a prince to [Genie.]” And if it doesn’t, well, we still have the 1992 original...

...and Christina, Jen, and I give that movie three thumbs up!

Netflix’s “Sex Education” Review

The Netflix original show “Sex Education” was released less three weeks ago, but it’s already creating quite the stir on social media. And its popularity is not surprising. In the span of just 8 episodes, “Sex Education” packs a large and memorable punch. As one review states, “The show, starring Gillian Anderson (Jean Milburn), Asa Butterfield (Otis Milburn), Emma Mackey (Maeve Wiley) and others, tackles tough topics that are central to teens’ lives - homosexuality, body shaming and female solidarity - in very real, digestible scenarios” (click here for link). In its first season, “Sex Education” confronts a range of raw and relatable themes, while embracing the full awkwardness of sex and life in general. It’s a great show of its own accord, and one I would highly recommend to all feminists, especially younger ones. Unlike many shows, “Sex Education” doesn’t just throw around catchy buzzwords – it does a magnificent job of establishing and following through on its feminist messages.

At first glance, “Sex Education” is a just another show about teens having sex. One might be tempted to make parallels with Netflix’s “Big Mouth,” due to the somewhat raunchy nature of both shows. Others have drawn parallels to Netflix’s “The End of the F*cking World” (click here for link) because of their shared British humor. The setting is a quirky blend of British and American culture, which encompasses both 80s/90s nostalgia and modern references and technologies. In many ways, the series draws on a long heritage of teenage dramas and romcoms. However, as another review suggests, “that stereotype-laden summary fails to communicate how Sex Education brilliantly subverts the assumptions made through labels like jock, mean girl, dunce, weirdo, therapist, popular, loser, gay, lesbian, slut (or slag), and virgin” (Click here for link). Once you delve into the series, you realize “Sex Education” is much more than it appears. It is a formidable addition to any feminist’s to-watch list.

        For starters, the representation on “Sex Education” is expansive and not forced in the least. LGBTQIA+ relationships abound, people of color characters have some of the most compelling storylines in the show, and different class backgrounds are explored in depth. The heartthrob of the school is a young, black athlete with two moms battling anxiety. One of the main characters in the show lives alone in a trailer park, after her father and brother deserted her and her mother left due to addiction. Another main character, also black, is the most openly gay person at his school and loves to experiment with makeup and feminine dress. Of course, Netflix shouldn’t be lauded for FINALLY upping its representation game. It’s been a long time in the making. However, it is refreshing to see people from so many and varied backgrounds in one show, especially one that explores sex and sexuality as openly as “Sex Education.”

        Another big draw for any feminist viewers of “Sex Education” is the largely women-led writing team. For a show about sex, the inclusion of women writers is truly a breath of fresh air. On the topic of their writing team, Laurie Nunn, Australian-British writer/ playwright and creator of “Sex Education,” commented, “it’s a show with a very feminist heart and having a female-heavy writing team definitely helped bring certain issues to the forefront of storytelling” (click here for link). Although there is a lot of sex and nudity in the show, none of it comes off as inappropriate or pornographic. Instead, the show speaks about women’s and girl’s desires in a candid and unabashed way. A similar show could have been written by men, but it’s hard to believe it would have been done with half as much wit and sincerity surrounding the experiences of its female characters.

The show “Sex Education” also does a better job of educating people on sex than most high schools (mine included). The running joke throughout the show is that Otis, the main character and son of a sex therapist, is better at running sex ed than the teachers. Alongside heavier topics such as STIs and abortion, the show engages with genitals in a powerful and transformative manner. One episode focuses extensively on the shame many young women feel about their vaginas. Emma Mackey, who plays main character Maeve Wiley, states, “There are lots of young women who feel like they have an ugly vagina … I just find it so sad, and I really hope … this show will open conversations around topics like that” (click here for link). Even as an adult, the episode referenced in this quote reassured me that all vaginas are perfect just the way they are – a much needed message for all to hear.

        Many of the reviews for “Sex Education” focus on the amazing women creator, writers and characters on the show. They certainly deserve praise. However, I also want to bring attention to the ways in which the show treats its male characters. Even the one signature “tough guy” has a rich and deserving backstory, dealing with his traumatic relationship with his father. But there are also plenty of examples of wholesome relationships between boys and young men. In one of my favorite scenes of the show, Otis apologizes to his best friend Eric by asking him to dance during the “couple’s song” at their school dance. Seeing two young boys with no romantic interest in one another dance together in front of their entire school was a moment of pure joy for me. Feminism has always included in its goals the abolishment of toxic masculinity. So, any show that promotes healthy relationships between boys and young men scores an A+ with this feminist.

        The final reason I personally recommend “Sex Education” is because it is a quiet yet mighty feminist show. Plenty of corporations have profited from the most recent rise of feminism. It would be naïve to suggest Netflix didn’t cash in on this type of corporatized “wokeness.” Still, “Sex Education” does not reek of the same kind of desperate appeal towards mainstream feminism as some other Netflix shows. You can tell the producers and writers are not trying to drop just the right amount of activist lingo, without actually unbalancing the status quo. They are simply telling the stories of young people, with a thoughtful commitment to inclusivity. As one reviewer writes, “Each character's journey, whether a main plot or side story, is an amalgamation of quietly unexpected revelations. Sex Education … delivers a story about real people and the complex mess of contradictions that we are” (click here for link). And it does so with careful attention to many of feminism’s main goals.

By: Brittany L.

Image Sources

Otis, Maeve and Eric: https://www.hindustantimes.com/tv/sex-education-review-netflix-pops-2019-s-cherry-with-its-best-show-in-months/story-TmGKfmBEaQgOT7z3ZFLqxI.html

Eric and lesbian couple: https://www.pride.com/tv/2019/1/08/netflixs-sex-education-lets-teen-hormones-run-wild-even-gay-ones

Otis and Jean (mother): https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-reviews/sex-education-review-774591/

Otis and Eric: https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Funny-Memes-Tweets-About-Eric-Netflix-Sex-Education-45703556

 Disclaimer: The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of The Sydney Feminists Inc. Our Blogger and Tumblr serve as platforms for a diverse array of writers to put forth their ideas and explore topics. 

I really want to like Wayward Sisters...but I think it’s going to suck

When Wayward Sisters was announced as a show about a group of girls becoming “a supreme monster-fighting force”, it made me wary. Because what I’m interested in (and what makes the whole concept unique) are the characters and the relationships between them. I hoped this was just a marketing slogan with little relevance to the actual show, but ever since the latest episode introduced Patience, that hope has dwindled away into nothingness.

It is no coincidence that Jody was created by Jeremy Carver and that Claire, Alex and Donna were introduced during his time as showrunner. From his very first episode, in which we met the amazing Casey, Carver has shown an interest in exploring women as multi-dimensional characters who *gasp* are also allowed to have weaknesses and everyday worries, giving us a wide array of fascinating characters like Amara, Ann-Marie, Tina or Rowena.

Unfortunately, Andrew Dabb proved last season that he has zero interest in that kind of differentiated approach to female characters. Mary was reduced to a bunch of empty stereotypes (Amazing Hunter Mary, Not Like Other Girls, Not Just A Mum) which failed to form a coherent whole - and if her character actually managed to have its engaging moments, that was thanks to Sam Smith alone, who put an incredible amount of effort into bringing the stale writing for her character to life. Toni Bevell was...just no. Fake Umbridge aka Dr. Hess even more so. Poor Kelly Kline was a toy being pushed around by various male characters so that even though she had a lot of screentime, we never got to know her. And Dagon was the type of kickass ninja warrior mysteriously subordinate to a chained-up man that I’d usually associate with Steven Moffat.

This impression solidified when I watched Patience, introducing us to Perfect Psychic Patience - super smart, super great at sports without practise, super popular with the boys, and super awesome in using the psychic powers she never knew she had. Also - super boring. 

As if that were not already bad enough, Dabb showed once again that he’s incapable of imagining relationships outside of the magic word ‘family’. I cringed so hard last season when Claire called Jody her ‘mom’, and I cringed again watching Patience when Jody now also referred to Claire as her ‘daughter’.

Finally, I was also forced to accept that Dabb’s view of the hunting world is strictly binary: Either you’re in, or you’re out. And ‘in’ can only ever mean hunting. Over the course of eleven seasons we’ve delved into a universe where multiple approaches exist to the world of the supernatural, a universe that isn’t split into ‘those who’re in the know aka hunters’ and ‘those who’re unaware of the existence of the supernatural’. 

We met various characters making a living out of their knowledge about monsters, such as Bela, Pamela or Missouri. Being psychic didn’t mean that you were a hunter, though it could mean that you’d help out hunters on occasion. When I pointed out in a debate about Missouri a while back that she made her living telling the people coming to her what they wanted to hear, I was accused of making her out to be Satan, because God forbid anyone ever do anything for money. Andrew Dabb seems to have joined this absurd Tumblr school of morality, so of course Missouri now had to become a hunter forever on the road fighting monsters, always ready to sacrifice herself for the greater good.

What I take issue at isn’t just this simplistic view of characters, but also this simplistic view of the SPN universe as a whole. Psychics weren’t the only characters existing in the transit zone between being a full-time hunter and leading a perfectly normal life. There were sheriffs like Jody or Donna who continued to pursue their jobs while also taking care of monster-problems happening in their vicinity. There were people like Ellen or Dr. Visyak who provided information etc. for hunters while at the same time working at a bar or as a therapist. There were people like Dr. Roberts who were ready to treat a hunter's various injuries without asking too many questions. I could go on.

It is interesting to note that this grey zone was mainly presented as a female space. Andrew Dabb’s decision to turn Jody into a full-time hunter who is connected with everyone in the hunting community and drives all over the country to work cases or to pretend that the only options for Patience’s future are either suppressing her powers in favour of a normal existence or becoming a hunter might have been motivated by the supposedly feminist notion of finally letting all the women kick ass just like their male counterparts. In my opinion, it achieves the opposite though. I always thought there was a remarkable amount of realism in this conception of female characters having to navigate and integrate different spheres and demands. It was something I could identify with. It was something which made these characters’ storylines even more moving. Dabb’s black-and-white view of the universe, however, strikes me as a cheap abstraction which glosses over the complexities of female existence in a heternormative world and remains ultimately boring.

Wynonna Earp 2X09 Thoughts and Faves

This week on Wynonna Earp, everything was super fine, there were no creepy dolls or paintings from right out of my nightmares, and all the girlfriends in Purgatory recognized what an amazing, special thing they have together, laying to rest their current conflict before anyone could do anything impulsive and ill-advised...J/K, this week was feelings hell.

Remember last week, when I went on and on about how sometimes people do the wrong things for the right reasons?  Well, this week we see that sometimes people also do the wrong thing for human reasons.

To be perfectly honest, I’m not interested in delving into what constitutes cheating, or what constitutes such an egregious line cross that a couple can’t come back from it. Ask a hundred people what their definition of cheating and their hard line is, and you’ll get a hundred different answers.  What I am interested in is how things come about, why people act the way they do, occasionally to their own detriment.  It was downright awful to watch Waverly kiss Rosita.  It was supposed to feel that way. Sometimes television reaches down into the depths of our hearts and gives it a tight squeeze. Sometimes that squeeze is joyful, sometimes it’s downright cruel, but it makes us feel.  Oh god, does it make us feel. When my heart breaks a bit for both sides of a pairing in a single moment, I know the writers have given me something human and so, so real.  

Part of the problem is, Waverly doesn’t know how to communicate her feelings well.  She tends to repress them, hide them beneath a wave and a smile, forcing herself to focus on how she should feel about something, rather than admitting how she truly does feel. Sometimes she reaches a boiling point and lashes out or does impulsive things. Note how in the opening scene she acts pretty casual about her fight with Nicole to Wynonna, when in reality she feels anything but casual about it.

(Random Important Gif is Important)

Instead of taking the time to cool off and then communicate with Nicole about how her actions made her feel and what they could do to recover from it, she let it fester and mix with her confusion and rage at the way her world is constantly shifting as aspects of her identity are ripped away.  

Don’t get me wrong, Nicole made an awful mistake last week, but during the first half of the episode Waverly was doing the thing that happens when someone you love hurts you, and everything starts to snowball in your head. In your frenzied anger, everything that person does is wrong and hurtful.  Nicole’s attentiveness and caring, things that Waverly actually craves, suddenly become controlling and overbearing.  So she runs from it.

And in the midst of her running and her swirling emotions, she makes an awful impulsive mistake born of confusion and despair.  But you know what my biggest takeaway from the moment was?  They didn’t wait for Waverly to find out Nicole’s life is in peril for the regret to come.  No, the regret was instant  She wasn’t off canoodling with Rosita, or grappling with some newly developed romantic feelings for her, only to find out tragic news, thus having some sort of panic-induced epiphany that she really does love Nicole. She knew it was wrong the second she pulled back, probably the second their lips touched.

Often times, in the midst of an awful spiral, it takes a flash point event to stop you in your tracks and make you ask yourself what the hell you’re doing, and realize this is not who you are and what you’re doing is definitely not what you want. The kiss was that moment for Waverly.  

I love that Rosita called bullshit on Waverly’s avoidance attempt at the end of the episode.  Because Waverly attempting to give Nicole space?  Yeah, classic avoidance. She tends to do it a lot.  Her name might as well be Welcome To Avoidance Earp.  Unless her anger forces something to the surface, or someone else takes the initiative to bring things up, she typically buries it.  It’s a big reason why Wynonna didn’t know what to ask forgiveness for in The Blade, and had such a poor understanding until recently just how terrible Waverly’s relationship with Willa was.  Sure, Wynonna can get wrapped up in her own stuff, and occasionally she’s a tad oblivious, but mostly, Waverly is just not good about communicating her feelings.  It’s a fascinating character flaw, and I hope we get to see growth from her in that department.

I think it’s also important to note that Champ was Waverly’s previous main romantic relationship. The dude has the emotional range of a potato.  We know they were on again, off again.  I don’t think it’s a big leap to assume whenever there was discord Waverly stayed away until she could bury whatever negative feelings she had.  Then they’d reunite, and she’d smile sweetly, as if everything was fine. Problem is, that’s not going to cut it with Nicole.  And it shouldn’t.  Nicole sees Waverly in a way Champ, and most other people for that matter, never could.  What they have deserves more.

It would be nice if we could make all our mistakes at opportune moments, when there’s all the time in the world to talk and work things out, but life doesn’t work that way. Sometimes our slip-ups come in the dawning moments of tragedy.  Sometimes they come just before life smacks us in the face and reminds us that everything could be gone in an instant, so you better figure your shit out.  Which is why it’s fitting that instead of Nicole opening the door to Waverly, she’s greeted by Hagatha Christie.  

My hope, once this current round of danger ends, is for Waverly and Nicole to have the open, honest, and messy heart to heart they need. The kind you have when you’re head over heels in love with someone.  I want Waverly to tell Nicole the truth about the kiss, she deserves that honesty.  Maybe Nicole needs some time apart to deal with it, maybe not.  And the truth is, Nicole needs to figure out how to communicate better with Waverly too.  Up until now she’s ceded all control in the relationship to Waverly, letting her set the pace and tone.  It was fair at the start, given the situation, but now they’re moving into the mature part of a relationship where both parties need to communicate clearly what their needs and desires are.

I might sound like a broken record, but Nicole and Waverly are going to come out of this stronger.  Look, Nicole has a brush with death to narrowly avoid, or maybe she actually dies for a little bit (it’s a Sci-Fi show, there’s a cure for that, my friends).  Either way, I truly love their relationship arc this season.  It’s been nuanced and three-dimensional; sweet and heartbreaking.  Take out the supernatural elements of the show, and it’s a story of two people who fell hard fast, and are now dealing with the difficulties of turning their fledgling relationship into a story of forever.  It’s hard, and they’re both going to mess up again, that’s life.  If there’s one thing I know for sure about love, it’s that keeping score of who’s right and wrong is a losing game.  All I care about is that they grow as individuals and as a couple.  The payoff potential is enormous, and you better believe I’ll throw my fists in the air and cheer when we get their first reciprocal I love you.

Okay, okay, I’ll stop beating that drum.  You know what else has been beating like a drum?  The repetition of angel references for Waverly. We get it show, it’s not random, ENOUGH. It could be the truth.  We’ve had several references to her dark edges and depths, but maybe it’s the flood light effect: everything outside the bright light area seems even darker in comparison.  It would make for an interesting development if Waverly’s human side is the one that harbors her darkness. But it’s also entirely possible the angel references are meant to show the stark contrast between how people sometimes perceive us versus reality.  Everyone sees Waverly as an angel, when in reality she believes she’s part demon.  And maybe she is.  Stay tuned.

Hey, you know who else keeps getting repetitious character traits mentioned?  This gal:

(Kat Barrell’s face is the only weapon of mass destruction I want to hear about these days)

Ms. pleat in her pants, boring cop, so naïve.  The comments have piled up all season long, there’s no way it’s random. Either there’s something in Nicole’s past that doesn’t jive with how people perceive her, or there’s something very not boring about her lineage.

How interesting that the location spell led Widow Mercedes to Nicole’s door.  I can’t decide what I think the most likely reason is.  Is Constance Clootie finally getting revenge on Waverly from beyond the grave for that time she smashed her son’s skull?  Sending death to her lovers door would certainly do the trick. I know the spell invoked Demon Clootie’s name and power, but it was Constance’s charred head on the map. Or maybe Nicole is not who we, or she, thinks she is.  Maybe there’s something about the house she lives in that’s connected to the curse, like how one of the seals was moved to Shorty’s.  So many possibilities, so few emotions left to process them.

Moving on to other parts of the episode.  I was pleasantly surprised by the maturity and character growth Wynonna displayed this episode.  She actually disclosed her plan to Doc and asked him for the ring, rather than divulging a half truth and just taking what she wants and/or needs.  Season One Wynonna probably doesn’t do that.

There were some damn harsh truths dropped between Wynonna and Doc in the Earp homestead, but I think the purge is ultimately a good thing.  It’s hard to fully have each other’s back when going into the fight of your life if you’re holding back resentments. They went for each other’s jugulars a bit, much like Waverly and Nicole, but unlike them, they were finally able to hear each other and come to an agreement that served to strengthen their bond.

It’s unfortunate that Wynonna’s plan won’t remotely work out the way she hopes it will, because it never does on a show like this. I’m glad she’s making an attempt to take control of the curse and dictate the terms, though. She’s been on a really nice progression all season long from merely acknowledging she’s good at being the heir, to taking ownership of the role. Never forget she’s the heir of this god damn curse, indeed.

The Revenant Rosita reveal was genius. In the season premiere I assumed she knew about Wynonna through Doc, but now we know she’s been well aware of every Earp heir through the years. While I do think she harbors some jealousy towards Wynonna concerning Doc, it’s so much more interesting that most of her trepidation stems from being a Revenant.  I’m glad Waverly is keeping her secret for now, and I hope Rosita has the opportunity to tell Wynonna the truth herself, and that Wynonna surprises her with acceptance.

Tucker Gardner, see you never.  I’m glad Widow Beth ate his MRA poster ass.  Everything about him was terrifying and all too real.

I love that Jeremy is playing the foil to Doc’s straight man. He has just the right mixture of naïveté, optimism, and intelligence to pull it off.  And for the love of god, could Dolls please show him how to properly load a magazine? Watching him fumble around with the bullets in the car was painful. I can see how he failed his firearms test three times.

Why oh WHY did this episode have to combine two things that freak me the f*ck out?  Creepy dolls (thank you to my older sister for torturing me with a picture of Chucky when I was a kid) and creepy paintings (thank you Ghostbusters II).  Maybe y’all can just stick with the red-eyed Revenants?  No?  Okay, cool.

Mattie! I loved the short amount of time we got with the blacksmith in Season One, so I was psyched to see her in the preview.  Nicole is going to be in a pretty bad physical way, and a white healing witch who’s supposed to be dead just happens to be at the hospital?  Huh.  Maybe it’s all connected to Nicole.  Crazy Conspiracy Alert(!): Constance had the spell send Widow Mercedes to Nicole knowing Mattie would have to come out of hiding to save her, because Constance herself needs Mattie’s magic to make her decapitated, pickled, ass whole again.  I can’t wait to be horribly wrong! Making terrible guesses is fun!

Petition for someone in Purgatory to have a spell that gives Mercedes her face back.  Dani Kind is far too great an asset to lose once her Widow form is defeated.  Also, I want to see Widow Mercedes and Bobo interact in the present time, because how freaking delicious would that be?

1X09/2X09 Parallels Galore. In 1X09 Waverly reels from having Shorty’s ripped away from her, tries to walk her way out of town to deal with/avoid her feelings on it, until Nicole threatens her with a good time (her taser), her temper then boils over at Nicole, but she later goes to the police department to make things right/physically launch herself at Nicole’s face.  It was also a heavy Doc and Wynonna interaction episode that ended with them burying Constance Clootie up to her neck.  In 2X09 Waverly is reeling from having her lineage ripped away from her, actually leaves town with Rosita, boils over at Nicole a lot, and ends the episode with the intention of going over to Nicole’s to make things right/physically launch herself at her face.  Doc and Wynonna have another heavy interaction episode and ultimately SHOOT A LIFE-SIZED DOLL IN THE FACE.

That’s all for now folks.  Let’s be good to our cast and show runner, ourselves, and each other okay?  Put your faith in love, and let’s see how everything shakes out come season end.  

I can’t wait for the final three episodes.

Nephilim: The Watchers of Humanity

The prophet Enoch is considered one of the first contactees in history. He maintained communication and received instructions from some deities that showed incredible technological development, and his adventures were reflected in four books that even relate his interstellar journey in one of the ships of these "celestial entities". These Watchers acted as true custodians of humanity, manipulating our ancestors. However, some of them rebelled against their bosses, taking sides with human beings ... They took me to a place whose inhabitants are like burning fire, but when they wish, they appear as humans, ”we read in Book 1 of Enoch. Who hold what beings aliens they appeared before the human species under the mask of divinity, and in addition we delved into the line of descent of the first human specimens (which we now know as Adam and Eve), we find a key character in this plot of manipulation, which supposedly He is the author of one of the oldest and most revealing works in the world: The Book of Enoch. If we started from Adam, Enoch would be the fruit of the seventh generation and, therefore, father of Methuselah and great-grandfather of Noah. But who was Enoch? Why did God raise him to the status of a prophet? For what reason was he chosen as "the first learned man"? The Hebrew name of Enoch translates as "The Initiate", a role that he undoubtedly played, because he became a repository of profound knowledge. However, contrary to the mainstream of thought, that wisdom was far from bringing autonomy to the human species. Rather the complete opposite. From the study of the four sacred texts that describe the experiences of the prophet (Book of Enoch, Slavic Book of Enoch, Book of the Secrets of Enoch and Enoch Coptic), a surprising account emerges, revealing a master plan on the part of the God Yahweh to "instruct" the prophet in a series of blood rituals and, consequently, to propagate a monotheistic religion as a control system. ON BOARD AN INTERSTELLAR SHIP If we listen to the Bible, Enoch lived 12,000 years ago at the time when the Watchers or Custodians of the Lord descended to Earth to maintain lustful relationships with the daughters of men. "In the days of Yared, my father, (the angels) transgressed the word of the Lord. Behold, they sinned, transgressed the law of the Lord, changed it to go with women, and sin with them ... ”(Enoch 106: 13-16). In his texts, Enoch does not refer to God as Yahweh but as the Lord, and designates angels as his Keepers or Watchers. The prophet's description of his ascension into heaven constitutes one of the richest and most revealing accounts in the ancient world, as it offers interesting details about the nature of these "heavenly" entities. The Book of Enoch ended up being excluded from the biblical compilation, since the hierarchs of the Catholic Church sentenced that his book had not been revealed by God. Only the Abyssinian Church in Ethiopia included it in its Old Testament. The story brings together almost all the characteristic ingredients of a modern episode of alien abduction, providing absolutely amazing elements for any minimally seasoned reader. Enoch was sleeping in his bed when he was visited by two beings whom he described as "enormous men", who called him by name and asked him to accompany them to ascend to heaven. "Behold, two tremendously tall men appeared to me," we read in the Enoch's Book- So much so that I had never seen anything like it on Earth. Their faces shone like the Sun, their eyes were also like burning light, and fire came from their lips, emerging with the clothes and singing of various types in purple appearance; his wings shone brighter than gold, his hands whiter than snow. Enoch's description of these entities coincides with that found in the Bible when he details the characteristics of angels: bright and shining-eyed beings. They even say of themselves that they were born to a virgin mother. Were they the result of artificial insemination to create hybrids with extraterrestrial genetics? I am aware that many readers think I am going too far, but let's continue with the account of the facts. The angels commanded Enoch to leave a note addressed to his sons - Jerusalem, Regim, and Gaity - before they departed so that they would not seek him anywhere and patiently wait for the Lord to bring him back. Enoch narrates that two angels made him get into the spirit chariot, an experience that he describes as "being on board a palace capable of sailing through the heavens", and then said "chariot" transports him to another much more majestic place, to which the prophet called "Heaven of Heaven". My interpretation is that an aircraft displaced it to a larger one, inside which light emanated from everywhere. "He transferred my spirit into the Heaven of Heavens," writes Enoch, "and I saw that there was a building made of glass, and among those crystals, tongues of living fire. My spirit saw a circle that surrounded this building with fire and in its four corners there were sources of live fire ». Our protagonist makes it clear that a circle of fire surrounds the entire building. Are you referring to a powerful magnetic field enveloping the mothership? A JOURNEY THROUGH THE COSMOS When Enoch entered that glazed complex, he described a transparent floor that reflected stars and celestial bodies. The vastness of the cosmos moved under his feet, as the aircraft moved away from Earth. Our protagonist refers to "a first heaven, a second heaven, a third heaven ...", and so on. Precisely as an astronaut would describe the different ascending layers of the atmosphere until reaching space. "I saw a burning fire," continues Enoch recounting, "and beyond those mountains is a region where the great Earth ends, and there the heavens culminate. Then a deep chasm was shown to me between columns of celestial fire, and I saw in it columns of fire that descended to the bottom and whose height and depth were immeasurable; and beyond this abyss I saw a place over which the firmament did not extend, under which there were no foundations of the earth either; on which there was neither water nor birds, but it was a desert and terrible place. There I saw seven stars like great mountains, burning, and when I asked about this, the angel said to me: ‘This place is the end of heaven and Earth; it has become the prison of the stars and the powers of heaven. " Enoch entered rooms plagued by fruit trees and springs that gave honey, wine, milk, and oil, marveling at what his eyes beheld. But more surprising is that inside he saw about two hundred angels. One of them revealed to him that this place was reserved for the righteous and those who served the Lord. However, the prophet did not take long to go from joy to terror, since he ended up entering "infernal halls" where he observed angels subjected to cruel torture. This is how the scene describes the Enoch's Book: «From there I went to another place more terrible than the previous one and I saw something horrible: there was a great fire burning and flaming, and the place had cracks to the abyss, full of descending columns of fire, but I couldn't see its dimensions neither its magnitude nor would make conjectures ... ... Then I said: 'How dreadful and terrible it is to look at this place!'. Answering me, Uriel, the Watcher and the Saint, who was with me, said: 'Enoch, why are you so scared and scared?' I replied: "It is because of this terrible place and because of the spectacle of suffering." And he said to me: "This place is the prison of the angels and here they will be prisoners forever." SECRET KNOWLEDGE Enoch asked what they had done to deserve that punishment; the response was to disobey the Lord's orders for revealing secrets to man: "These are the Watchers who descended on Earth and revealed to humans what was secret and led them to sin." Later, the Watchers confess the names of some of those rebel angels: "The name of the room is Panamu'el; He showed the sons of men the bitter and the sweet and revealed to them all the secrets of his wisdom: he taught humans to write with ink and papyri and many have gone astray because of it, from the beginning until this day. Because men have not been brought into the world for the purpose of strengthening their belief in ink and paper »(1-Enoch: 8-10). In this passage we find an important revelation: contrary to general opinion, angels are not punished for mating with earthly women, but for revealing divine knowledge and secrets only accessible to the gods, which means that not all of these entities maintain the same attitude towards man. Now, it seems clear that some kind of superior deity had given the Watchers express orders not to transmit any kind of knowledge to the human being, in order to keep him enslaved under his tyranny. However, some of these angels ended up contravening this mandate, revealing to the Earthlings the "secret science". Enoch is unable to assimilate so many and such intense visions, and suffers a shockcollapsing exhausted. Then the archangel Gabriel appears, who helps him to get up and leads him into the presence of the Lord, with whom he maintains a long dialogue: "And the Lord summoned me and said to me: 'Enoch, sit on my right with Gabriel.' And I bowed down before the Lord, and the Lord said to me: 'Beloved Enoch, everything you see, all the things that stand, I tell you, even before the beginning, I have created everything from non-being , and the visible things of the invisible. Enoch listen to these my words, nor have I told my angels my secret, nor have I told them its origin, nor my infinite dimension, nor have they understood my creation, which I am telling you today ’» (2-Enoch 24: 1-3). The Lord forbids knowledge for human beings and punishes those of his who disclose it, yet he commissions his angels to instruct Enoch in scripture and the celestial sciences. Therefore, that God who does not want to transmit his wisdom to mortals, teaches Enoch those skills that interest him, driven by purposes that we could currently define as social engineering or control of the masses. TECHNOLOGY TO SEE THE FUTURE Enoch learns to write, and the Lord asks him to show the world what he has seen and what has been dictated to him: "And the Lord said: 'Come down to Earth and tell your children everything I have told you, and everything you have seen. Give them the manuscript books, and they will read them and know me as the creator of all things, and they will understand that there is no God but me. "2-Enoch 33: 2-9). At that instant, the Almighty tells Enoch that he is going to take him back to Earth. You will have 30 days to make God's message known through his writings. After that time, the Lord will again "rapture" the prophet to heaven, this time never to return. When Enoch returns to our world, he compiles everything he has learned and becomes a patriarch of knowledge: «This was the first of the humankind born on Earth who learned scripture, doctrine and wisdom, and wrote the signs in a book from heaven, according to the order of their months, so that men would know the seasons of the years, according to their order, by their months. He was the first to write a revelation and testify to mankind in the earthly race. Enoch even quotes the name of the angel who instructs him: «Because the signs, the times, the years and the days were shown to me by Uriel, the Watcher, whom the Lord of Glory has entrusted with all the lights of heaven and in the world , so that they reign on the face of the sky, they are seen from the Earth and they are the guides of the day and of the night, thus the Sun, the Moon, the stars and all the auxiliary creatures that travel their orbits in the chariots of the sky » (1-Enoch: 75: 3). «The vision of the Saint of heaven was revealed to me and I heard all the words of the Watchers and of the Saints –we read in the Enoch's Book- And because I listened to them, I have learned everything from them and I have understood that I will not speak for this generation, but for a distant one that is to come ». As the days passed, an angel instructed Enoch on how to transcribe all the information that flowed through a Celestial Tablet, a technological artifact with amazing power, as it was capable of calculating future events. Was it a quantum computer capable of forecasting time lines of future probabilities? WARS BETWEEN GODS Enoch wrote what the angel transmitted to him: "He said to me: 'Enoch looks at these heavenly tablets, read what is written there and point to each piece of information.' I looked at the heavenly tablets and read everything that was written and understood everything; I read the book of all the actions of humanity and of all the children of the flesh that are on Earth, even the remote generations »(1-Enoch 81: 1-2). The "chosen one from heaven" entrusted all the documents to his son Methuselah: "Preserve my son, Methuselah, the book from your father's hand and give it to the generations of the world. I have given you and your children wisdom so that they will give it to their children for generations, wisdom that is above their thoughts »(1-Enoch 82: 1). The Sumerian texts already describe these "magic tablets" as coveted objects of power, since those angels or gods who made them, would have the ability to rule the world. In a story called The Zu Myth we read as one of the subjects of the mighty Enlil, a Anunnaki –Sumerian and Akkadian deity– called Pazuzu or Zu, which means «He who Knows», manages to steal the Celestial Tablets and puts the entire Council in check Anunnaki, unleashing a war without truce. When Zu is done with the tablets, he believes himself with the ability to do anything: "I will take the Celestial Tablet of Destinations, I will rule the decrees of the gods, I will establish my throne, I will be the master of the heavenly decrees, I will command the Igigi - minor gods of the Sumerian tradition - in their space ». Through the Celestial Tablets, Enoch can experience visions of events that would occur hundreds and thousands of years in the future. In his texts, he even predicted the construction of the Tower of Babel, the prophet Elijah's ascent to heaven in a chariot of fire, and even the Great Universal Flood that would loom over the Earth 1,000 years later. When those thirty days had elapsed, Enoch prepared to leave and 2,000 individuals gathered to bid him farewell: "When Enoch had spoken to the people, the Lord sent darkness on the surface of the Earth, and there was darkness, and it covered those men who were standing next to Enoch, and they took Enoch and took him to Heaven, where the Lord is; and he received it and placed it before his face, and the darkness dissipated from the Earth, and the light returned »(2-Enoch 67: 1). REBEL ANGELS As a final cherry, and always following the instructions of the Lord, in the place where Enoch had been raptured to the top, various animal sacrifices were rendered: “Methuselah and his brothers, and all the sons of Enoch, hurried and erected an altar at the place called Achuzan, from where Enoch was taken up into the sky. And they sacrificed oxen and called all the people together, and shared the sacrifice before the face of the Lord »(2-Enoch 68: 6-7). Enoch's most revealing prophecy, that of a flood on Earth, would come after three more generations of his lineage. However, a latent problem within Yahweh's hierarchy was still raging: his angels descended to Earth to copulate with Earthlings, blinded by their beauty and desire to procreate. The secrets of the great deity were in danger day by day, as these Watchers revealed to the wives that they had taken prohibited knowledge that could elevate men to the category of gods. And that was something that Enlil-Yahweh could not allow. Only through a drastic solution would the conflict be resolved. A solution that would end the life of the human species on Earth ... At Enoch Book 1 we read that a total of 200 angels rebelled. Even the names of these Watchers who took the earthlings as wives are quoted: "Let us go and choose women from among the daughters of men and beget sons." But Shemihaza, who was their boss, told them: "I fear that you do not want to carry out this action and that I am the only one responsible for a great sin." They replied: "Let us all take an oath and let us all commit ourselves under an anathema not to go back on this project until we actually carry it out." Then the two hundred swore together under anathema, and all of them descended upon the top of a mount they called Hermon. "These are the names of their chiefs: Shemihaza, who was the chief, and in order in relation to him, Ar'taqof, Rama'el, Kokab'el, –'el, Ra'ma'el, Dani'el, Zeq'el, Baraq'el, 'Asa'el, Harmoni, Matra'el,' Anan'el, Sato'el, Shamsi'el, Sahari'el, Tumi'el, Turi'el, Yomi'el, and Yehadi 'the. These are the heads of ten » (1-Enoch 6: 1-8). From the union between these angels and women giants were born, the so-called Nephilim, which in Hebrew means "fallen" or "knocked down." In Greek translations it is given the meaning of giants, as in Aramaic. However, certain scholars defend that Nephilim comes from the Aramaic term NEPHILA, which means «Those who are from Orion», since in Aramaic Orion is Nephila. Did the Anunnaki come from the Orion Constellation as proposed by the researcher Robert Bauval, who defends the theory that the Egyptian pyramids are aligned following this constellation? WHEN THE NEPHILIM DOMINATED THE EARTH The fact is that in several excavations in the Middle East various large skeletons have been found, which means that these giants really existed, although they would not necessarily have to be the remains of the Nepfilim, but rather of human beings with genetic reminiscences of these beings. The Nepfilim and Anunnaki measured between three and six meters, so the discovery of a skeleton of these characteristics would mean a before and after in the way of conceiving human history. Returning to the story that concerns us, or that most angered Yahweh, the angels revealed secrets to their earthly wives: “Shemihaza taught incantations and cutting roots; Hermoni to break spells, witchcraft, magic and related skills; Baraq’el the signs of lightning; Kokab’el the omens of the stars; Zeq’el the lightning; –‘He taught the meanings; Ar’taqof taught the signs of the Earth; Shamsi’el the omens of the Sun; and Sahari’s the Moonmen, and they all began to reveal secrets to their wives » (1-Enoch 8: 3) The forbidden knowledge also included weapons to defend themselves, so we must assume that practically all the secrets of the smithy and the foundry were revealed by these beings, both to learn to use them in self-defense and for crafts and decoration: "And Asa ' He taught men how to make iron swords and copper breastplates and showed them how gold is mined and worked to completion, and as far as silver is concerned, to emboss it for bracelets and other ornaments. He taught women about antimony, eye makeup, gemstones, and tinctures. And then the wickedness grew a lot and they took the wrong paths and got corrupted in every way ». As the reader can appreciate, Enoch was dictated that any knowledge given to the human being is malicious, dark and sinful. Basically, the Lord condemns any technical or moral advance that humanity can develop on its own. ETERNAL PUNISHMENT FOR THE INSURRECTION Enoch is clearly a victim of "brainwashing," since he is not allowed to doubt in the least that the Law of the Lord is unquestionable. Any opposition to it means death. Only submission and fervent fidelity constitute the only way to salvation. This is how Enoch expresses the threatening tactic of his God towards sinful men and angels: «The eternal God will walk on Earth, on Mount Sinai he will appear with his great army and will arise in the force of his power from the top of the skies . And all the Watchers will tremble and be punished in secret places, and all the extremities of the Earth will be broken, and fear and a great tremor will take hold of them to the ends of the Earth. The high mountains will crumble and crumble, and the hills will crumble and melt like wax before the flame. And the Earth will divide and everything that is on Earth will perish and there will be a judgment on everyone. Without a doubt, an entire apology of terror and threat in the service of a false God who proclaims himself unique and almighty. To capture these two hundred rebel angels, Yahweh had seven lieutenants, among whom four stood out: Michael, Sariel, Raphael and Gabriel. The Lord instructed them to punish the fallen angels harshly, but especially interesting is the order that he transmitted to the archangel Michael: «And the Lord said to Michael: 'Go and announce to Shemihaza and all his accomplices that they united with women and they defiled them in their impurity, that their children will perish and they will see the destruction of their loved ones! Chain them for seventy generations in the valleys of the Earth until the great day of their judgment ’" (1-Enoch 10: 11-12). The same we read in 2 Peter: "God not only did not forgive the angels who sinned, but by throwing them into hell, he delivered them to prisons of darkness to be reserved for judgment." The angels of the Lord, after a skirmish against the rebels, capture them by locking them in a parallel world, a kind of "exile zone" where they remain in a latent state - dead in life, so to speak - while awaiting their sentence on the Day of the Final judgment. The word "Hell", present in Peter's paragraph quoted above, comes from the Greek term Tartaros, which translates as "The deepest abyss of Hades". Where exactly does the cited text refer to? Are we before an exaggeration fruit of the overflowing imagination of the authors? It is curious that even in the mythology Roman, Tartarus is the place where the enemies of the gods go. In his work The Aeneid, the Roman poet Virgil describes this Hell as a gigantic space at the deepest point of the Underworld, always enveloped by a river in flames that he designates as Phlegethon, and sealed by triple walls so that his captives cannot escape. UNMASKING THE GODS Taking into account that we know the reptilian aspect of these "celestial entities" thanks to the figures and representations of different cultures, we wonder why "good angels" are shown with the same aspect of a human being. The answer is simple. If you wanted to manipulate an ant colony to gain their trust and infiltrate their nest, would you appear before these little animals in human or ant form? All of these Anunnaki gods looked very similar: reptilian attributes, tall stature, and scaly skin. Thanks to their psyche they were able to deceive our ancestors, showing themselves under the appearance that they wanted according to their interests. If they wanted to instill fear, their appearance was grotesque and reptilian; but if they wished to seduce and deceive, they appeared as beautiful humans. This is how these entities, erroneously elevated to the category of gods, managed to get only the victors to write history. But what happened to the vanquished? Of those among your ranks who wanted to help get the human being out of the Holographic Matrix in which we live? As is to be expected, evil always ends up betraying itself, with its threats and ambitions. Perhaps we are still in time to rewrite history with the help of the vanquished, unmasking the victors ... Read the full article

"The 100" and Its Impact on Television

The 100 is the post-apocalyptic, sci-fi show it feels like the television world has been waiting for. The show focuses on one hundred space-born teenagers sent to Earth to test if it’s survivable years after the apocalypse. The plot follows the journey of these teens as they explore an unknown world and navigate the obstacles and enemies they encounter. 

*Note before continuing: there are spoilers ahead.* 

It feels fresh—a world we are familiar with being explored for the first time by characters who are not only likable, but relatable as well. The show makes notable first steps regarding representation beginning with the first episode that introduces a driven female doctor, a decisive black leader in charge, and a diverse group of teens whose journeys we get to see.

One of the largest steps forward in terms of representation on The 100 is likely the protagonist, a bisexual woman named Clarke Griffin, played by Eliza Taylor. She is not only a strong, well-rounded character the audience wants to root for; she’s The CW’s first bisexual lead character. 

In this post-apocalyptic world, sexuality is not a matter of concern in any way, and people are free to love whom they choose without any judgement. Clarke is shown to have romances with both men and women, all of which demonstrate her love for and commitment to her partner at the time. Clarke’s portrayal of bisexuality squashes stereotypes of bisexuals “being confused” or “likely to cheat,” and all of her relationships progress in compelling ways that leave viewers wanting more. 

Alongside Eliza Taylor as Clarke Griffin, Filipino-Austrailian actor Bob Morley stars as Bellamy Blake. This is another huge step forward for representation, as the show focuses on not only a bisexual female, but a Filipino male, allowing different viewers to see themselves represented onscreen. Bellamy is yet another captivating character who, as the show progresses, smashes stereotypes of masculinity through being vulnerable and following his heart over his head.

Simply introducing these two characters would have a huge impact on television, but the show goes much further with yet another main character, Raven Reyes, played by Lindsey Morgan. Raven is a disabled woman of color, and, arguably, one of the most intelligent characters on the show. Raven is shown solving a lot of the problems the main characters face and performing tasks involving coding, mechanics, and even rocket science. She represents many girls who are interested and talented in scientific fields. Along with this, an injury she faced in season one left her with chronic pain. The audience gets to see her persist and accomplish amazing things without being magically healed somehow. She does so because her physical disability is only one part of her, and she is an extremely powerful person. 

The show has inspired me, as I’m sure it has with many others, showing a large variety of characters that represent many different things. There are incredible men and women of color, LGBT+ relationships both in the background and as a central focus, and plotlines that spotlight everyone. 

However, while we recognize the groundbreaking steps The 100 has taken and the large effect this has had on viewers and television, we must also examine the harmful ways the show has portrayed some characters. 

The show has had a positive impact in many ways, but has also left many fans confused and upset. Here’s where the major spoilers come in: The 100 killed off a lesbian character, Lexa, whom many fans connected to, and they did so immediately after she was romantically intimate with a woman. People were angry, and it was a sad day for television and the LGBT+ community as a prominent lesbian character was no longer apart of the show. This is something known as the “kill your gays” trope, in which LGBT+ characters in shows or films are killed off for no apparent reason. Online, her death sparked multiple movements, asking for her character’s return, boycotting The 100, and more. It even led to fans of other shows referring to an LGBT+ death in various media by the episode number in which Lexa was killed, just to warn people that another LGBT+ character would be killed off in that particular program. The show lost hundreds of viewers and was a warning not to repeat the mistake. 

Other possible sources of problems include how or why the writers shrug off a possible romantic interracial relationship between Clarke Griffin and Bellamy Blake, the two leads, why there is such a poor mistreatment of many of the characters of color on the show, and why they never delve into the topic of mental illness. These topics have all been discussed by fans and other spectators of the show, urging The 100 writers and showrunners to try and fix their mistakes or to develop their representation further. 

The 100 has its issues and has a long way to go before we can say its representation is one of the best. However, they have made significant strides in inclusivity when comparing it to many other young-adult television shows. Perhaps in the future, they can explore more about mental health or include more leads of color. Or, maybe another show will get to it first. Regardless, the show has had a huge impact on television in terms of representing groups that aren’t normally represented—they just have to make sure their portrayals don’t end up hurting their supporters.

How Willy Wonka’s Pure Imagination Can Create Your Perfect Dating Life (Podcast Transcript)

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Hello, and welcome back to today’s episode where we’re going to be examining Willy Wonka from the 1971 film, Charlie and the Chocolate factory. Now, this is the Gene Wilder version, and I think that there are three amazing attributes which we can all learn from.

So, specifically, we’ll be looking at how he’s an expert at creating intrigue and mystery in his life. Secondly, is the fact that he’s living his life from his pure imagination, which is also the soundtrack main song. And, finally, that his life has never been about the money, which I think is something which is truly inspiring.

Now, I’m just going to give you an analogy about what your imagination is like before I delve into these three traits. So if you imagine that you’ve just painted a canvas and you’ve painted it in black and white.

Your imagination is what’s going to add colour and vibrancy to that image and really bring it to life.

And what Willy Wonka managed to do, is he managed to bring his whole world and manifested it into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. So we’ve really got an example here of how you can take something in your mind, use your imagination, and actually manifest it in your world.

Now, let’s start off with the first thing that it’s the fact that he was amazing at creating intrigue and mystery in his life. Now, in the film, he basically shuts the doors to his factory, gets rid of all the workers, but then production starts again, and he starts outputting all this amazing chocolate.

And everyone around the world’s, like, “Oh, how’s he doing it?” You know, no one really knows. And then he gives a competition where five people get to go behind the scenes and see what happens.

So I think the first lesson here is, you know, holding something back about yourself and not giving it away too early.

That certainly adds to the intrigue and mystery of a person. You know, typically people that start sharing their life stories too early, I mean, they’re just giving away way too much, way too early, and there’s no real sense of a story unfolding or getting to know who that person really is.

Now, what actually happens when he lets these five people behind the scenes is also quite interesting because it actually starts creating chaos in his factory, and things start going wrong. People start going against the rules, and they start breaking things.

And, again, I think this is a great analogy for life when you let people … You don’t guard your entrance, and you let people into your world, they can start affecting it, and they can start creating chaos. Yeah, and granted, Charlie was the one shining light of people that he let within him.

But, really there’s a lesson to be learned there about guarding the entry to your inner self so that you can’t be influenced by people unless you specifically want them there.

So I think the two things to take away from there are, you know, creating intrigue and value by not giving away too much about yourself, but then, also, don’t let people in too quickly because then they’re going to start influencing your life.

And we can push this a little bit further. I’ll give you guys a great example. So you’re in a bar and a couple of hot girls walk in. Pretty well every guy in the bar is going to turn around and look at them, okay?

So what’s happening is, they’re allowing themselves to be influenced by a woman’s looks. And that is highly unattractive because if you’re going about your life and living it and leading it the way you should be, you shouldn’t be too influenced by what’s going on around you. You should be more centred.

So another lesson there about guarding yourself and not letting people in is to be aware of where your attention flows.

And, actually, if you go into bars or cafes, and if you watch when attractive women walk in, typically the more attractive a guy is, the less influenced he’s going to be, and the less he starts looking around, you know, to see them trying to get eye contact and stuff like that. And, in my experience, women tend to notice this, and then they instantly gravitate to the guy that’s not paying them attention because they want to know why. And the reason is, is because it’s sub communicating so many attractive qualities about yourself.

Now, this brings us nicely onto the second character trait that I wanted to discuss, which is the fact that he’s living his life from his pure imagination. And there’s a quote from the film, which I really want to read out because I think it’s brilliant. He says, “Look, Charlie. Down there, my factory, do you see? I love my chocolate factory, Charlie. I love it more than anything else in the world.”

And when I heard that I was just … Made me think, you know, how many of us really have something that we truly love in our life? You know, where we’ve had an imagination, and we’ve manifested and created it?

Willy Wonka’s really the epitome of someone who’s got such a vivid imagination, but then someone who’s able to actually manifest that in his life.

And the way that he’s done that is by consistently improving it and just keeping the vibrancy open and just making it exciting. And I think that a lesson that we can all learn from there is to have an area of your life where you do let your imagination run away from you. You know, you don’t have to be serious and work-like about everything that you do.

When you have an area in your life where you allow your imagination to run free, and it tends to add more energy and vibrancy to your life, that’s going to start manifesting in so many different areas of your life. It’s going to be amazing. And the thing is, relating that back to meeting women when you do get to know women if you’re holding this back, and then as you get to know them, you share your imagination, which is really what your mind is. The more you get to know them, the more you let them in behind the scenes, and that’s the film analogy anyway.

But the more you do that, the more you can show off that you have this vivid imagination. There’s an energy there and it’s exciting, and people want to be around that because, you know, typically as we get older, our imagination does tend to fail. So there’s something about having a child-like quality in a specific area in your life.

If you wanted to push it further as Willy Wonka did, it’s about creating a life where you’re actually manifesting everything that you want, and you’re creating perfection. And when you’re doing that, you’re going to have an energy about you as he does in the film.

So that brings me onto the third thing that I want to discuss in the film, which is the fact that Willy Wonka’s never influenced by money at all. For him, it’s all about manifesting his imagination and what he’s created in his life. And that culminates with the fact that he gives away his factory at the end to Charlie. And why I find that interesting is because Willy Wonka basically says, “You know, I’m getting too old, and I need to give it to someone that’s got energy.”

And this is, again, relating it back to women, it’s a cast-iron example of the fact that there’s an energy to everything in our lives, and Willy Wonka was aware that he didn’t want to hold on to something once the energy had gone. And how many of us typically, in relationships with women, hold on to them for too long, and we’re not willing to let them go? And we try and manifest that energy, and we text old women, and we try and organise dates with other people.

Or maybe we’re in a relationship at the moment where the energy’s gone and, you know, it’s time to move on. And Willy Wonka really epitomises what it’s like to be able to do that, even though he loved his chocolate factory, and he’s manifested and he’s created this wonderful thing. He’s also aware that there’s an energy to life and an energy to your imagination and an energy to everything.

Once you have that growth in decay, it’s either time to move on or to pass the baton onto someone else to continue it for you.

And I think that is such a great analogy for not holding onto things and just letting them go and letting the flow of life unfold in front of you. So, in this episode, we’ve looked at three things which I think we can take away. Firstly, it’s the fact that he creates mystery and intrigue in his life, and whilst doing that, he’s managing to guard himself against people that can influence him.

Secondly, it’s that he’s manifested this incredible world from his imagination, which is, you know, truly fascinating.And the final one is that it’s never been about money. His life has just been about creating value in the world. And when you do that, you don’t typically have to worry about the money because your mind isn’t being influenced by trying to get more and more. Your mind is more focused on, “Let’s just create something which is truly amazing.”

So, I think that I want to end this podcast with a question, which is, you know, could you imagine or envisage what it would be like to have Willy Wonka’s imagination in your life? And I think that it’s something that we can all learn from. And the final thought from this is that perhaps we can all look a little bit deeper into how we can create a better tapestry of our life.

  Listen to The Gary Gunn Show Podcast #18 – How Willy Wonka’s Pure Imagination Can Create Your Perfect Dating Life



  Want to learn how to create your perfect dating life? – View our upcoming courses here

podcast recs

yo what’s up homeslices it’s my 100th post so I figured I’d do a list of podcast recommendations because I listen to a lot of em. I’m going to do it in the (approximate) order of when I first started listening to them. The first podcast I ever listened to was some Sword Art Online podcast but I don’t count that so the first podcast I ever listened to was:

Wolf 359

Wolf 359 is a podcast about a crew of astronauts onboard the USS Hepheastus. It stars communications officer Doug Eiffel, and it’s told through his audio logs. It starts off as a comedy, but quickly transitions into something else. Worry not, though, there’s plenty of comedy throughout the entire story. It has really amazing audio quality at the end which I always love (it’s seirously asmr worthy) and uh yeah space podcasts are my jam

Welcome To Night Vale

WTNV is a lot of people’s gateway into podcasts and chances are you’ve already heard of it but here we go anyway. It’s told in the format of a local radio station set in the town of Night Vale where lots of spooky things happen. To the host of the show and to most of the town, these spooky things are considered normal, and it’s fun to hear our host speak about Glow Clouds (all hail) and floating pyramids in a matter-of-fact tone which is usually pretty funny. There’s a backlog of over 100 episodes, which makes it great to binge. You could also start it wherever you want. I’d suggest looking up a list of plot specific episodes and listening to those first if you don’t want to listen to all of them in order.

The Bright Sessions

This podcast is about a therapist who helps people with superpowers (atypicals) adjust to and control their powers. There’s a few different main characters, and each episode is one of their therapy sessions. At first, they each have their own individual stories, but they intersect fairly soon into it. It’s ending soon (cri cri) so this is one that you might want to start with.

Alice Isn’t Dead

From the same creators of WTNV! This one’s more focused on horror than comedy, and it’s about a woman who’s wife has died, only, as it turns out, she isn’t dead. The only thing she has to go off of is a company: Bay and Creek Shipping, and so she becomes a trucker. The podcast is about her various trips and the things she sees along the way. It’s fairly short, and is currently in it’s third and final (!!!!!) sesson. There’s also a book coming out soon if you don’t want to listen to a podcast.

The Penumbra Podcast

If you’re looking for LGBTQ+ content, this is the podcast for you. It tells a variety of different stories featuring minorities that don't get enough rep in the media. There are two main stories that they’re currently doing. One is Juno Steel, which is about a detective named Juno (and it's on Mars!) He runs into a guy named Rex Glass who… let’s just say he isn’t what he seems. It’s very good but prepare to feel many emotions as we go on adventures with Juno and learn about his past and who he is as a person. The other recurring storyline is The Second Citadel which tells stories from the points of view of many different people all living in the fictional world of The Second Citadel. I’d recommend listening to the Juno Steel episodes and then going back and listening to the rest. There are two horror stories at the beginning which I’d recommend you listen with caution because there are some potentially sensitive topics. They don't impact your listening experience at all though, because they're standalone stories.

Conversations With People Who Hate Me

This one’s another Night Vale Presents podcast. This time it’s a nonfiction podcast where Dylan Marron (a fav and the voice of Carlos on WTNV) calls people who have said negative things about him online, and has a conversation with them. He also monitors conversations between two people sometimes. It’s really great and is something we all need nowadays.

Within the Wires

Last Night Vale Presents one, I swear. I haven’t finished this one yet (last episode yeet) but it tells stories through (first season) relaxation cassettes and (second season) museum tour guides. It’s set in the same world and it connects at the very end. It’s really relaxing because there’s only one voice, and both of the voices (1st and 2nd season) are very nice to listen to.

The Adventure Zone

It took me a very long time to finish this, but trust me, it’s worth it. It’s in its second season now so you’ve got many hours of quality content ahead of you. It’s a dnd campaign (that doesn’t 100% follow the dnd rules) but that doesn’t matter because the storytelling is *chef’s kiss*. It follows the Très Horny Boys (which is not a porn thing @my friends) on their adventures. Anyone who knows me (both here and irl) knows that I have an unhealthy obsession with the McElroy brothers, and this podcast stars them and their dad.

The Far Meridian

TFM is about an agoraphobic woman who lives in a lighthouse that suddenly starts moving to new places every day. It’s all about her learning to deal with her agoraphobia, and her search for her missing brother. It’s a really calming podcast to listen to, and tells a really interesting story. Even if you don’t think that this podcast is one for you, I strongly suggest following their tumblr. They post Gentle Encouragement Monday, which is a cool thing to look at if you aren’t feeling the best, or if you’re just bored one day.

ars PARADOXICA

This one also took me a while to get through, but it’s very interesting and definitely worth the listen. It’s about a woman who accidentally goes back in time to 1943. It’s definitely a more serious podcast, but there are plenty of funny moments, too. It’s ending soon, so now would probably be the time to start. The main character is canonically asexual which is very cool, and there are plenty of characters that address the hardships that minorities faced in the 20th century, as well as the struggles they still face today. There’s also plenty of history (and rewritten history) and it all makes a very interesting podcast.

Inkwyrm

This one’s about the AI caretaker of a fashion magazine and her adventures. It’s another Gay Space Podcast™ and is done by high schoolers (!!) which is EXTREMELY impressive and definitely something that I could probably not do. It’s in its second season right now, I believe, and although the audio quality isn’t for everyone, the story is still good and worth the listen.

OAKPODCAST

This is one that I’m going to relisten to soon because I forget a lot of what happens. It’s about a spy named Holly who gets stranded somewhere and it's told through her audio posts. If you donate to her funding accounts (I forget which ones), the donations are transferred into items that she buys to help keep herself alive. I really liked that part of the podcast! I definitely recommend this, but can’t really give an accurate summary because, as I said, I forget a lot of the things that happen.

EOS 10

There sure is an abundance of space podcasts. It’s pretty much its own genre at this point. Anyway this one follows Doctor Ryan Dalias and the rest of the crew of EOS 10, which is a space station. It’s currently in hiatus, but they’re starting work on season 3, which is exciting. A lot of people describe it as “Scrubs but in space” which I’m sure is accurate but I’ve never seen Scrubs so I wouldn’t know. Make sure to look up the content warnings, though because there was something that I didn’t expect in episode 4 and it didn’t bother me too much, but there might be other people for whom it does bother.

King Falls AM

This one’s another podcast told through radio broadcasts, but it’s set in this day and age. It’s a comedy that also delves into paranormal stuff (apparitions, the void, and more). It, like so many before it, starts off very lighthearted and quickly turns more serious. There’s still plenty o’ laughs, though. Featuring the world’s longest slowburn relationship (besides Blupjeans Adventure Zone of course). There’s quite a few LGBTQ+ characters, and more than quite a few emotions to be felt over the course of this podcast. It just went on hiatus, so now is the perfect time to catch up!

My Brother, My Brother, and Me

This one’s an advice podcast that was actually my first podcast, now that I think about it, but I stopped midway through the first episode because I wanted to listen to Wolf 359 instead. My goal is to finish all 400+ episodes by the end of the year, but that’s probably not going to happen. It’s an advice podcast where the McElroy brothers usually don’t give good advice, but there are a lot of good goofs to be had. A fair amount of what I say on a regular basis is actually a McElroy quote, but because none of my friends listen to this, (yet), I’m safe.

The McElroys Will Be In Trolls 2

It’s exactly what the title says.

Wonderful!

This one is just Griffin and Rachel McElroy  talking about things that they love! It’s a really great podcast to listen to when you aren’t feeling great, or if you just need some time to yourself. Not only is it a great podcast, but Griffin and Rachel love each other so much? Like you can hear it in their voices? And it’s just a really happy podcast? Honestly I’ve felt very emotional more than a few times just because this is such a lovely podcast and adsfhjlkldasfhgf

Shmanners

Travis McElroy and his wife Teresa teach us about the history of good etiquette, and how it applies to us in everyday situations! Are you out of episodes of Wonderful! to listen to? This one’s a pretty good second option, and you learn new things each week!

Sawbones

Justin and Sydnee McElroy talk about the history of medicine, and things that have gone wrong with it in the past. It’s really interesting to hear about these medical things because it’s an area that I know very little about, but probably should know more about, seeing that I should learn to take care of this flesh prison that I currently reside in.

I think that’s it! If there’s any more I guess I’ll have to make another list some other time. Congrats if you’re still reading this, by the way. I hope I’ve given you some new stuff to listen to! I’m always down to talk about podcasts (or anything else, for that matter), so uhh hit me up I guess. Also feel free to recommend me more podcasts, because I’m always in need of some new ones!

    I know, I know I have been gone for a while. I took a bit of a sabbatical, because I was having a hard time coming up with content and then would go into a shame spiral etc. Blogging stopped being fun and became another thing to beat myself up about, if you haven’t picked up on it I might have a slight self esteem issues… but I am back and applying less pressure on myself because ultimately I enjoy blogging.

  Anyway! I wanted to take a few to talk about some of my favorite Fictional Escapes (see what I did there?) from 2017. Some I blogged about already, some I have not. Even though I have it in a list format, it is not a ranking. THAT WOULD BE LIKE ASKING ME TO PICK A FAVORITE CHILD! Here are 10 favorite things from 2017:

s1. Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I blogged about this book, so I wont spend a ton of time on this one, my feelings on this book are well documented here, on Twitter and Facebook. BTW Taylor Jenkins Reid is a mega sweetie to her fans, I suggest following her. This book was absolutely amazing! I read it in like a day. I say read, but more devoured it. The book takes you through 2 stories of very different women and how their lives connect. It is beautifully written and so well done at times I forgot I wasn’t reading an Autobiography.

2. Reincarnation Blues

Another one that I haven’t shut up about since I read it. Milo is the oldest soul in the universe, living nearly all of his 10,000 lives. We are taken through several of his lives as he tries to reach perfection, as well as his time between lives where he is in love with a Death who goes by Suzie. This book is magical, fun, and at times heart breaking. This book is reminiscent of Douglas Adams. The many different worlds Michael Poore has built in just one book is astounding.

3. Twin Peaks the Return

What can I say about this show? Honestly I am never so happy to be confused then when watching Twin Peaks, and the Return took that up a notch or. Kyle MacLachlan playing several hard roles so perfectly, you forget its the same actor. Dougie Jones absolutely broke my heart on a weekly basis, while the bad Cooper was scary as hell. The fact they were on Showtime, they were able to get a lot darker then in the original show. Plus we so got this beautiful sigh-worthy moment:

#BigEdandNormaForever

4. The final season of the Mindy Project

Mindy, Mindy, Mindy. There is nothing that Mindy Kaling has done that I didn’t love, this show included. I was hooked from the very first episode. The characters, the story line, the jokes, everything was perfect. Season 6 was the shortest and one of the best seasons of the show. They wrapped up everyone’s story line, with out every feeling like everyone was short changed or rushed. With out spoiling the overall story arch, I was nervous about how the show would end, the direction it seemed to head and they nailed it, with out sacrificing the character’s emotional growth as I feared they could. This show goes down as one of my all time favorites with 30 Rock, Parks and Rec and Scrubs. I will miss this show so much!

5. Season 3 of Playing House

  Ugh! I guess technically I should have titled this one “The final season of Playing House” but I’m not there emotionally and it is too soon. I knew the Mindy Project was ending, this one was ripped from my arms by the cruel USA. This show. THIS SHOW YOU GUYS! I have so many thoughts and feelings about it, and have blogged about it in the past. The entire show is amazing, but season 3 was something truly special. Season 3 had Emma being diagnosed with breast cancer and shows her and Maggie battle it together, in a story line “ripped from the headlines” as Law and Order likes to say. You see in reality the lead actresses Jessica and Lennon are best friends, and Jessica did have breast cancer. The way the show handled the story line was perfect. It was touching and informative. It was sad at times with out ever actually feeling too heavy. They educated us on cancer treatment options, with out ever pulling you out of the story or feeling preachy about things. Damn you USA Network for canceling it! If you have On Demand, I could not recommend watching this show enough.

6. Womp It Up! Podcast

What? Jessica and Lennon get 2 spots on your list? Yes they do, because they are amazing people who rocked my 2017. Womp It Up! has been around for a while, but I didn’t discover it until this year, and luckily for me I didn’t have to wait a year and half between episodes like other fans. Womp I Up! is a comedy podcast that was birthed from Comedy Bang Bang characters. Jessica St Clair plays Marissa Wompler, a 17(ish) year old, not very well adjusted, student at the Marina Del Rey High School, the podcast is her senior project. She is doing some alternative learning in her school’s program called STARS, ran by her teacher and lets face it best friend Charlotte Listler, played by Lennon Parahm. Every week there is a new comedian on playing a person in the Marina Del Rey community. My favorite has been Andrew Daly as Joe Bongos, the Health teacher who has some interesting ideas on what to teach the kids.

7. Oh, Hello on Broadway

Oh, Hello got it’s start on the Nick Kroll Show, where Gil Faizon and George St Geegland had a prank show on public access channel in New York. Their one prank was ordering a tuna sandwich with way too much tuna, ultimately getting the person say “That’s too much tuna”. What was the prank show called? Too Much Tuna of course. Somehow, in Nick Kroll and John Mulaney’s brilliance they were able to make a super successful Broadway play based on these two dirt bags.

Gil (a writer) and George (an actor) have been best friends and roommates since the 1970s. They decided to write an autobiographical play telling their story. The brilliance of this show is the play that is happening around the play. It gets pretty meta at times, often Gil and George stop the actual play to have their own interactions, generally it is Gil giving George notes on how he is doing in the play. The sheer detail that has gone into this show is mind boggling. I can’t even describe the layers of the play. I highly recommend checking it out.

8. Wonder Woman

Let’s not get into a DC vs MCU argument here, generally I am an MCU fan and haven’t been too excited over the last few DC movies, but this one. I will admit was a little nervous when I first saw Gal Gadot was cast as Wonder Woman, but she won me over immediately in Batman vs Superman. I was still cautiously optimistic for the Wonder Woman movie, but it came out better then I imagined. In my opinion it was just awesome (I am aware of the issues people had with it, but to me the good outweigh the bad). I enjoyed the hell out of it, it made me laugh and cry. I also enjoyed the feel of it, different then the other super hero movies, it felt more like a war movie. If you haven’t seen it, check it out!

9. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 and Thor: Ragnarok

I decided to combine these two into one, because well I didn’t want this list to be 3/4s super hero movies. I could also write a book on my feelings for these two movies and their directors. Guardians was written and directed by James Gunn and Thor was directed by Taiki Waititi, a kiwi writer and director known for his work with Flight of the Concords, What we do in the Shadows to name a couple. Also if you’re looking for a sort of weird but sweet movie, check out Eagle Vs Shark.

These two movies have a bit of a rag-tag team thing going on, and both delve into family relationships. They are both visually stunning, and laugh out loud hilarious, (yes I know that is a problem some people have with Marvel, but I love to laugh and they are right up my alley). Their similarities are one reason I decided to group them together. The first Guardians became my favorite Marvel movie about 10 minutes into it, and was thrilled that James Gunn actually made something better. I have always had a soft spot for Thor, and been sad at the state of the movies he’s had. I left Ragnarok thinking they finally gave him the movie he deserves, also Jeff Goldblum at his Goldbumiest.

My other favorite part of both of these movies, is they seemed to fix the villain problem. Hela and Ego managed to be interesting and complex. They didn’t seem to fall flat like others have in the past.

These two movies are all in all a good ass time!

10. Hamilton the Musical, paired with Hamilton the book

   I know, I know. It’s based on true events, but some of it is changed for dramatic effect. I am so late to the game on Hamilton, but I just recently got Spotify Premium which let me listen to the soundtrack in order… and I am HOOKED. I decided to check out the biography the musical was based on by Ron Chernow. Combining the two adds a lot more depth to the play, certain lines in songs make sense. There is so much drama in Hamilton’s life, so much that the play never even touched on.

If you want to add to your Hamilton experience, read the book as well. Honestly, it makes the entire experience so much better.

  Thanks for reading everyone!

    Check out my top 10 from 2017 list of my favorite Fictional Escapes. I know, I know I have been gone for a while. I took a bit of a sabbatical, because I was having a hard time coming up with content and then would go into a shame spiral etc.