lord help me i'm back on my bullshit

disclaimer: all graphs should be taken w a grain of salt bc this was kind of a slipshod project. season one especially, since i didn't have my system quite down yet. it's possible some dialogue tags got in. it's possible some actions got in. it's possible other people's dialogue got in. it's possible i accidentally omitted instances of name calling. some episodes (looking at you, 21-23, 32) had so much going on that i wanted to cry. this was just a silly thing to answer the question: just how much does john say arthur's name? (the answer: john should maybe calm down a little)

so i got curious alright. i was writing and was like damn i think we are saying arthur's name waaaaaay too much here. turns out, nope, even if u think ur john is saying it too much, u can probably pepper in a few more and still be safe!

collected a bit of data on arthur and yellow's dynamic bc i wanted to see how it would compare to season 1 arthur/john. deeply funny to me that arthur (generally) says john's name more than he says yellow's and john isn't even there. yellow, despite his hostility towards arthur, follows in john's metaphorical footsteps of having no chill.

some notable peaks in john's use of "arthur": episode 4, where arthur makes an ill-informed decision, becomes shackled by the chains of social niceties, and gets stabbed for it. episode 26, where arthur goes off the rails. and episode 28, where arthur gets stabbed again and john spends the rest of it being a mother hen.

notable peaks in arthur's use of "john": episode 8, where he gets so incredibly pissed with john. episode 12, where he does quite a bit of pleading and appealing to john's humanity (aka his chosen name). episodes 23 and 24, where he tells yellow about their time in the pit, and his joy when getting john back. episode 28, where he gives john some epithets john really fucking hates.

this actually ended up being more interesting than i anticipated! i didn't realize that arthur uses john's name, like, a normal amount. maybe a bit more than people generally say each other's names in casual conversation, but it seemed most often he'd use john's name when he was concerned/trying to get his attention. it makes sense, since arthur has to (occasionally) consider the fact that other people around him are not (typically) aware john exists. the uptick in season 3 makes me laugh because. yeah. he misses him.

it's also interesting to note that john's use of arthur's name seems to be declining (seems to, because season 3 had some extenuating circumstances (read: he was not there for the first third, despite a few guest appearances), and season 4 is still in early stages, with an ep where he was excluded from the fun (for those that are curious, scratch/the whole dream sequence says "arthur" ~70x)). it's kind of a fun character quirk that he says arthur's name so much like dude who else do u think ur talking to!! but, also, supposedly saying someone's name a lot is flirtinggggggg--but i also feel like i've heard it's a way to get ppl to like you more and establish trust? idk.

anyway thx for clicking my readmore i doubt anyone but me finds this interesting lol

15, 16, & 19!

15 Favorite sunny fic(s)

There are so many amazing ones it’s hard to choose! I would say the ones currently sticking to my brain the most are: The Gang Learns to Exist in the Moment, Wishing Well, Stubborn Selfish and Easily Jealous, and The Way We Look to Us All. Spoilery ramblings as to why under the cut because I can’t help but gush a bit over these lol

16 Random hot take

This is a SPICY one but. I am not optimistic about macden actually becoming canon. I would love for them to be canon, I think it makes sense for the characters and it think it would create a lot of comedic potential, but I’m also a bit of a pessimist, and I personally think RCG finds it funnier to have them have an almost-kind-of relationship than an actual confirmed one. I feel like if anything they’ll be canon at the end of the very last episode and then they’ll die or something as a last joke about how these people don’t deserve to be happy after all they’ve done. But who knows, maybe I’m wrong

19 If you had the skill/talent/time to create any content you wanted, what would you want to make?

If I had the energy I would write a million macdennis fics I have so many ideas. If I had the skill/talent I would draw a bunch of funny/sappy ship art

The Gang Learns to Exist in the Moment

Oh my god ok where to start with this one. This one buzzes around in my brain constantly. Holy fuck the funeral scene where Dennis is super drunk and his and Dee’s family gets all judgey and Dee stands up and says “He was a terrible father to us, you understand?” UGH. That makes me feel so many things I think about that scene all the time. Mac’s therapy sessions where his therapist tries to help him realize he’s gay are so sweet. It wouldn’t have fit with the tone of the actual show at all but sometimes I wish they were canon because it’s such a great exploration AND WHEN HE SAYS HE LIKES SUPER MASC GUYS AND HIS THERAPIST POINTS OUT DENNIS ISNT SUPER MASC AND MAC LIKES HIM?? I die in the best way possible just get rend in twane oh my lord. Dennis’ fight with Dee is so real and is resolved so beautifully. Charlie learning to read finally??? The star charts! The “real” funeral at the end AND HOW IT WRAPS WITH THEM FINALLY SINGING TOGETHER AGAIN. Fuck. I literally wept. I’m whirring just thinking about it now.

Wishing Well

This one is still ongoing but already I have so many Feelings. The metaphor with the burning apartment. Dennis thinking talking to Mac about missing him is a dream when it’s clearly a memory he was just so drunk??? FUCK. That’s good shit. Convincing Cricket to marry them secretly like the dumbass he is. THE BATHROOM KISS. Mac getting his memories back but not telling Dennis?? The reveal that Dennis is the first one who called him Mac instead of Ronnie AHHHHH. Literally always thinking about this one and aching for more. Can’t wait to see how this one ends

Stubborn, Selfish, and Easily Jealous

Poor Trevor. Honestly I’m usually not a fan of fics about a third party getting between a ship but this one is so well done I was hooked start to finish. I love Dennis’ dream sledgehammer and him “leaving” it on the elevator at the end. I love how Trevor is genuinely a good boyfriend and it doesn’t pull the whole “well obviously ship should be together because third party is terrible anyway” stuff I hate. It does such a good job showing that Mac and Dennis love each other while showing the reasons they aren’t together and why Mac wants to be with Trevor despite Dennis finally reciprocating his feelings. And when Mac starts cheating with Dennis it gives me such complex feelings it’s *chef kiss*. The hospital scene holy shit. The epilogue! There’s so much real human stuff here it’s so good.

The Way We Look to Us All

This one is pure Dennis angst, and you all know I live for that. Dennis struggling to accept his sexuality, and his age, and his obvious feelings for Mac is so so good. I love how the sex scenes mesh with Dennis’ character arc and the themes. I love them trying to punish/help Charlie and Frank. I love Dennis’ freak out to Artemis. It’s been some time since I last read it but it’s still inside my heart and soul.

ok but let's discuss astrology. like i just made girls natal charts and got a thought. what rising sign would you give to each sister? (lmao their charts like literally witchy and kinda strange, like prue is a scorpio sun and aquarius moon, piper's a leo sun and sag moon, phoebe's a scorpio sun and libra moon, and paige is a leo sun and pisces moon. like... these are very strange. but funny)

!! okay. so. so like many moons ago i started a charmed astrology series that i literally never finished but hey maybe i should finish that where i like. did the girls whole charts. mainly based off vibes i kept the generational signs and the sun signs

which sidebar that ik is gonna be a long enough rant to warrant it's own paragraph but i'm a diehard piper capricorn truther because like in canon we are given not one not two but three whole pieces of conflicting evidence for piper's birthday first being the family tree placing her as a leo in s2 next phoebe's line decreeing her a gemini in s3 and then 3) a whole ass birthday episode in s6 set in january, placing her as either a capricorn or an aquarius. (which, it has been argued. could potentially be in july/august or may/june But. given the timeline with chris's birth take into account and also relativity to wyatt's birthday which is canonically in february. it's p solidly january in my opinion.) anyways so not only am i a capricorn truther because i think it is the best sign for her like everything about her to me reads very strongly earth sign like shure u could argue leo i can see it gemini is really reaching imo i really. i do not see her as a gemini. But. not only am i a capricorn truther because she's a capricorn, i am also a capricorn truther because given the three pieces of evidence, which was the most canon weight: a prop, a quip, or an episode. right??? like. like if we accept the family tree as canon there are literally so many errors there stuff that simply is not canon it was just made by some guy in props prue's birth year is wrong given her past life's death year, grams not only has like a brother like 20 years her jr i'm p sure it also implies she gave birth to patty at age 13 like there is So Much fucked up in that tree (and they never even put paige on there!!!!!!!!!!)

anyways. piper=capricorn. i also did moon sign off vibes just because i prefer it that way but ig these are like. their canon moon signs. given the day/year. i do really like aquarius for prue i love pisces for paige because i feel like it leans into that artist side and really like um. like the fact i think paige really doesn't lean into her moon sign that much i think like you know that whole well of emotions i think it can be very debilitating for her if that gets opened (like what we saw in a paige from the past) so i think kind of her bursts of creativity and her like. she kind of has this sort of bleeding heart when it comes to looking out for people she barely knows i think that really is her moon sign scratching its way to the surface because i really don't think paige like again i don't think she leans into it that much she's not someone who leads with her emotions. for phoebe's libra moon i'm literally just like advice columnist. yeah. if i'm still on my piper capricorn tilt i think the bday i gave her was the 13th, so her moon sign would be taurus. which i also like for her. like her being possessed by gluttony and also her speech to the elders in early s3 in once upon a time where she demands leo back? yeah.

but!! rising signs. starting with prue i think she'd probably have an fire rising sign just given like. like her energy. like in school she was head cheerleader we see constantly throughout the show like her first impressions kick your ass like everyone knows they're looking at a fierce spirit when they first meet her. i would say the ram i'd say prue aries rising. for piper i'm saying cancer rising. to level with you i'm not even considering the other ones she just feels so cancer rising like in high school she was nobody in almost every situation in the early seasons (and honestly sometimes beyond that) people just look at her and go oh. housewife. doormat. i can walk all over her (both douchebag bosses at quake, the like. homeowners association meeting in the s3 episode where the triquetra breaks. the high school reunion ep). but on the more positive side her and leo's early relationship and the really shy dance around each other a sweet puppy love or even why tyler the firestarter first showed up in the house it was piper who was able to put him at ease i'm saying cancer rising. next up on the docket is phoebe who i am going to give a leo rising just because she does always seem to have this (occasionally unwarranted) confidence like she turns heads when she enters a room she has this power this chutzpah that i think only gets further driven up in shallow situations (like what we say with clay her ex-flame from new york i mean, you barely had a spare minute in new york, three jobs just to afford your social calendar type shit) like i think she. yeah. i think she's a leo rising. paige i think i'm gonna give an aquarius rising to paige just because like yes the whole "humanitarian" aspect of the aquarius sign which like. like to level with you. think of all the aquarians you know. humanitarian? how many people would you genuinely describe as humanitarian maybe i just personally have beef with like. aquarian men. just like. in general. but humanitarian? really? it's mainly just guys sucking themselves off to their own ideas about how the world works and assuming that every single other person is like them and that's why society is the way it is and blah blah blah blah i'm sorry this was in college it's a small sample size ik i try not to hate all aquarians. but humanitarian? anyways tho i think if someone were to like actually read humanitarian i think paige is def a candidate but i think what really sells her on the aquarius rising for me is the fact that i think she is really difficult to get a read on (which is another trait i associate w aquarians due to their lack of emotions, as we all know. i'm sorry i'm really gonna hafta go back and find the aquarian who hurt me bc i feel like this is running strangely deep. but i also feel like i'm right so.) but i think paige is like. like, if we look back on almost all of her first introductions (first meeting the sisters, kind of first interactions with leo, first interactions with richard, first interactions with kyle), like. there is something detached there, but like, slightly underneath, this strong desire to help. yeah. <3

SnK Episode 68 Poll Results (for Manga Readers)

The poll closed with 146 responses. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Please note that these are the results for the Manga Readers’ poll. If you wish to see the results for the Anime Only Watchers’ poll, click here.

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RATE THE EPISODE 140 Responses

The anime continues its positive streak with just over 90% of respondents rating the episode a 4 or 5. MAPPA appears to be blowing this season out of the water for most of us!

Noice

Good!

I liked it

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING MOMENTS WAS YOUR FAVORITE? 144 Responses

We got a pretty mixed pie chart this week. To be expected, given how many moments were in this episode. At a tie with the largest pieces of the pie were Hange’s eccentric attempt to greet the Marleyans and Eren’s gunshot figuratively hitting Sasha. Behind that two more options tied in each with 10.4% of the vote - EMA’s conversation at the shooting range and Sasha appreciating Nicolo’s cooking. This is followed closely by Eren’s mirror scene with 9.7% of the vote. Onyankopon explaining why he looks different when Sasha asks him about it took a solid 9% of the vote.

WHAT WAS THE MOST EMOTIONAL PART OF THE VISIT TO SASHA’S GRAVE? 144 Responses

This was almost too close to call, but Mikasa sitting alone managed to edge out just slightly over Connie’s “I’ve lost half of me” moment at Sasha’s grave. Trailing behind the two were Nicolo’s grief and the agreement between Papa Braus agreeing to a free meal from Nicolo.

AFTER SEVERAL TENSE AND ACTION PACKED EPISODES, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE TRANSITION TO SOMETHING MORE CALM? 138 Responses

The larger chunk of respondents are feeling relieved to get a break from the action for a few episodes. 21.7% prefer the action but don’t mind a break here and there, while 21% state that they enjoy the exposition more than the action anyway, so they are content. A small handful don’t care either way. 

We needed this for another build-up to more action

I like the action but it’s important to move the story along 

These just feel mandatory fillers to me.

I miss the warriors

I feel fine with it. I thought that was going to be some happy-go-me episode, but gladly it still had a serious tones.

This episode felt like a very welcome respite after the absolute shitshow that was spoilers week and....whatever the fuck chapter 137 was. 

Nice breather of sorts, I always like seeing characters from action-heavy series in their downtime.

WOULD YOU RATHER GET A SURPRISE GREETING FROM EREN & HANGE, OR ARMIN & LEVI? 141 Responses

The vast majority of respondents would prefer the slightly less lethal greeting given by Hange and Eren at the beginning of the episode. We’re not sure if the other 29.1% are masochists or just really love Levi and/or Armin that much more. Or perhaps they’re intrigued by the pig piss from the filthy island devils.

ON A SCALE OF 1-5, HOW HAPPY ARE YOU TO BE BACK ON PARADIS? 139 Responses

Overall, fans are happy to be back in familiar territory and put into the perspective of the Survey Corps again. Let’s get ready to rumble!

MAPPA HAS SPRINKLED IN ANIME-ONLY ADDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE EPISODE. AS A WHOLE, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THEM? 139 Responses

Though subtle, MAPPA did include some anime filler (such as Eren’s, erm, mouth breathing). 51.1% enjoyed the noticeable additions, while 37.4% are completely confused by the question and didn’t realize there were any. A handful generally don’t prefer additions but enjoyed what little ones we had this episode. A small sliver didn’t care for them.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE SCENES FROM CHAPTER 107 THAT WERE PEPPERED IN BETWEEN THE MOMENTS FROM CHAPTER 106? 139 Responses

MAPPA is shuffling things around to pick up the pacing of this arc, and 48.2% of respondents are feeling very positively about it. 38.8% also feel that both the order of events in the original manga and the anime work out just fine regardless. A couple of smaller groups either felt that things were a bit off from the manga, or didn’t really care either way. 

I think it's great because it allows an episode to start and end on the same chapter if mappa ever wanted it, allowing the right twists or cliffhangers to be in the right episodes, all WITHOUT having to slow down, which I wholly appreciate.

I'm fine with the changes. Mappa is doing good job.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE CHANGE OF GABI BITING HER NAIL AND ANGRILY SAYING EREN’S NAME IN HER JAIL CELL? 142 Responses

Nearly half of voters feel that both MAPPA’s take and Isayama’s original take work just fine for Gabi’s character. 28.9% prefer the anime’s take on Gabi’s reaction to all that happened, while 14.8% feel that her more defeated posture in the manga makes more sense for her character. 

I'm a mix of both? Her defeated posture implies that she's not happy with the way things worked out with them in jail and Zeke betraying them. On the other hand, her angry face is realistic to the scene too because it implies she really blames Eren for their current predicament.

She looks like some female version of young, angry Tarzan. This time Mappa should have kept the original postures, because the defeated Gabi feels to be more realistic, than the crazy anime one. 

I think they both work but the anime's take might be the anime team beating us over the head that she's just like Eren when he was young.

Makes it clear to the anime-onlies that she really is psychotic

Gabi sucks

HOW WELL DO YOU THINK MAPPA NAILED THE TRANSITION OF EREN SHOOTING THE GUN, TO SASHA TAKING THE HIT? 141 Responses

The response to MAPPA’s take on Eren’s shot inadvertently hitting Sasha was overwhelmingly positive, with only a few people saying that they could have done better with it. 

Eren shot linked to Sasha's death was awesome. Mappa is nailing it!

THE PART WHERE JEAN, SASHA AND CONNIE ARE TRYING TO GUESS WHAT A PORT IS WAS CUT OUT, WITH ARMIN’S NARRATION INSTEAD CUTTING INTO THE SCENE. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT? 140 Responses

Exactly 50% felt that while having that JSC characterization would have been very much welcome, they’re okay with that small detail missing from the manga (granted, it was at least acknowledged by one panel being animated). 25.7% have a more nonchalant response, stating that if it helps with the pacing, they’re fine with small cuts like this. 10.7% are just let down by JSC’s lack of characterization in the anime overall and didn’t appreciate even more being taken from their characterization in this episode. 

I was more so interested in our Paradis Peeps talking about newly discovered technology but I’m happy with what we got.

Not dissappointed since I understand you can't show everything but I love them so sad

Why was it animated then?! I’m so confused

Normally I don't like it when they cut corners like this, but I wasn't fond of that scene in the first place so it's okay.

If by "anime" you mean the entirety of it including the past 3 seasons, then option 3. I'm always going to be salty about how much they took out or changed for these three during the uprising arc. So far mappa has done okay with them, I guess. 

Would have been a funny JSC moment, but it was really absolutely pointless. In manga format it works as just background words on a panel. Animating it takes seconds of an episode that could be used elsewhere. So I'm fine with it being cut out.

SOME HAVE COMPLAINED THAT THE ENDING SCENE OF EREN REPEATING HIS MANTRA INTO THE MIRROR LACKED THE IMPACT IT HAD IN THE MANGA. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? 138 Responses

43.5% were receptive of the anime only shots, but favor the way the scene was portrayed in the manga more. 34.1% felt that both versions were done well, with only 9.4% feeling that the impact was largely the same (if not better). Based on the write-ins, the main complaint seems to be the lighting/color scheme of the scene not quite meeting expectations, or that MAPPA made Eren’s back look weird. 

theyll make up for it when eren screeches at hange next ep

Impact was there, art just felt a bit wonky and toned down the scene overall. 9/11

This goes into my criticism of the color palette and shading style mappa uses, which is far more subdued. The contrast is lowered and the scene is very dark, and there is little rim lighting, so while the actual lineart has far more detail, the detail in the lighting is reduced. Damn I really am writing a wall text aren't I? I prefer Wit Studio's art style a lot but Mappa has honestly been doing great so I couldn't care less, manbun Eren is hot.

I prefer the manga version. I think the anime version have weirds shadows in eren's back. Plus the mirror don't have the same energy, less impactful

Cool scene in the anime, an unforgettable blow to the brains in the manga

Idk

Most of the time seeing things for the first time is what's really impactful. Feel this way towards Armin's transformation in the boat as well. It was definitely less impactful than when you first read it in the manga.

I understand the fandom because this moment was very popular when the chapter was out. I think that in the anime Eren lacks the anger he had in the manga. His voice was too calm while repeating his mantra. .

WHY DOES HIS BACK LOOK LIKE THAT

I didn't care for it in the anime, it was really underwhelming. 

I think most people are annoyed about the lighting than the impact. It’s a bit too dim and the lamp hides Eren’s new hair.

Didn't like the anime version at all

The animation wasn't good and they totally fucked his hair, face, and body up. Although the added shots were definitely welcome.

Eren could've been sexier/animated better, I hope they do better next ep 😭

WE WILL ASK YOU AGAIN. HOW WILL THE ANIME DEAL WITH MIKASA’S HIZURU TATTOO/SYMBOL? 135 Responses

With Mikasa meeting Kiyomi presumably being inevitable in episode 69, we wondered if any opinions had changed on this. 34.1% feel hopeful that the tattoo will be retconned into the anime and that we will see this scene faithful to the manga. 28.9% think that Mikasa will happen to have some kind of embroidery on hand already. 25.9% don’t want to make a call either way, and a small handful think Mikasa’s going to just pull out an embroidery kit and go with it, lol.

The embroidery will be on the inside of her bandage.

Japanese are very taboo about tattoos because of the Yazuka... it will 100% be the embroidery.

I don't know but I hope it gets retconned. Never liked the embroidery thing.

It won't be included

Let’s just... ignore it..

I really really hope MAPPA retcons Mikasa's tattoo next episode. This will be the one retcon I will absolutely celebrate. Plus, it's not really a retcon if they're just amending Wit's changes.

WE WILL ASK YOU AGAIN, AGAIN. WITH THE PACING CURRENTLY UTILIZED BY MAPPA, WHERE WILL EPISODE 16 END? 137 Responses

Uncertainty continues to loom over exactly how far MAPPA will get into this (first half of the?) season. Nearly 40% don’t want to make predictions one way or another, while 23.4% feel that it won’t make it quite to chapter 122. The rest believe it will make it to chapter 122, with 17.5% feeling there will only be minor cuts, if any, and the remaining 13.1% feeling that there will be major cuts to make the feat to chapter 122. 

116 (?) when the allied force attack paradis

122 with the amount of cuts being somewhere in between. They can cut a lot of the Gabi and Falco plotline and still have the story remain intact.

See, I'm not sure buy I'm also worried and curious about it all. It brings up the question of will the story continue in a possible second half of the season? With the manga ending very soon now, it makes sense to have the story wrap up in its anime medium as well. Fees like there's some kind of uncertainty surrounding this, it's unnerving tbh. 

119 with Eren's head being blown off.

gabi no scoping eren, ending creds is eren entering paths and we see ymir standing behind him, s4p2 starts w the ymir backstory

121

No idea and I don't think about it. I just enjoy the show. 

Your guess is as good as mine, I'm still fearing major cuts.

119

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT NICOLO’S PORTRAYAL? 138 Responses

With Nicolo now formally introduced in the anime, we were curious how you felt about his portrayal. Overall the reaction was positive, with 48.6% agreeing that he’s a “cutie pie chef”, and another 45.7% feeling that his design and seiyuu are absolutely great! A small handful were less happy with the voice, but happy with the design, and a sliver went in the opposite direction, preferring voice over animation.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE ADDED DETAIL OF THE FLOWER BOQUETS AND THEIR SYMBOLISM ON SASHA’S GRAVE? 140 Responses

Respondents vastly appreciated the flower symbolism from MAPPA with 82.9% of the pie. 12.9% aren’t really sure what symbolism there even was, and a small amount either don’t care or felt the effort could have been spent on something other than flowers for Sasha.

WHICH SCENE FROM THE PREVIEW ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO? 143 Responses

This pie chart wound up being almost eerily even. 42.7% are most looking forward to the 104th discussing Eren (hopeful for the train flashback?). 39.9% instead are looking more forward to Hange and Eren’s tense conversation at his jail cell. The remaining three preview moments were pretty evenly split as well.

DO YOU THINK WE’LL GET BLUSHING!104TH NEXT EPISODE? 130 Responses

71.5% feel that there is a chance we will get the train flashback of the 104th in this episode, but don’t want to say for absolutely certain. 18.5% feel that it is a guarantee based on what we saw in the preview. 10% feel it is instead guaranteed that we will NOT get the scene in 69.

WE WILL LIKELY SEE PREGNANT HISTORIA NEXT EPISODE. THOUGHTS? 140 Responses

The plotline that continues to be a frustrating mystery in the manga - Historia’s pregnancy. 34.3% aren’t particularly looking forward to seeing her in the rocking chair and aren’t very stoked about having to relive this plotline all over again. 33.6% mainly just care about seeing how the anime only fans react to the scene. 17.9% just miss Historia altogether and will take any scraps they can get. And a small handful, at 9.3%, are actually looking forward to seeing anime!Historia with a baby bump. 

Don't really care about historia

It's in MAPPA's hands now. I just hope they can add a little more of her screentime somehow.

I hope so. I want to see the design of her adult self. 

I honestly wouldn't mind if Historia's entire arc, which consists of equal parts pregnancy, irrelevance and uselessness, is just completely cut in the anime lol

not interest

I'm not interested 

I've hated this fucking plot line with all my being and what it's done to Historia since the leaks for this chapter were revealed years ago. So I'm not looking forward to anime-only people jumping in with their hot takes too. 🤮🤮

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON THE EPISODE?

mikasa was shown in sasha's grave in the morning/afternoon and then she was shown again at dusk. SHE SPENT THE WHOLE DAY THERE. and annie... what a queen. and hisu's few scenes? so pretty.

Really glad the pacing was well done

nicosasha ship just flew in and took the spotlight

fantastic!! maybe it's just because this isn't my first time going through this arc anymore, but i feel like the anime feels chronologically less confusing than the manga—I remember being very confused my first time reading these chapters.

The lack of score by Hiroyuki Sawamo is negatively impacting my relationship with the anime. The depth of the emotion that could have been evoked was not present. I also did not get the sense that Nicolo and Sasha were in love, which was a major disappoinment. There were other aspects that weren't so bad, though; specifically, Levi's portrayal and Onyankopon's philosophy.

It felt a bit all over the place, but just seeing things from the manga being animated, I ain’t even mad.

I think that the scene between Sasha and Nicolo was made better in the anime. Isayama has problems with writing romantic moments, so in the manga the whole moment looked like it was taken from some light romance. Mappa made this scene more serene. I liked it. 

I think MAPPA is doing so great tbh! I just need them to hurry up and explain if there will be a part two to this final season or what?! I need to know if we get more anime or they'll diverge into movies or.... just tell us! Lol! 

How DAREEEE they not give Levi his black steed!!!! .....Although knowing what happens ummm yeah maybe his pony gets to live another day this way lol

Here comes the train wreck, choo choo!

I'm really sad I didn't get to hear Sasha call Jean a perv. I was really looking forward to that. LOL I love them. When EMA were at the shooting range, it looked too much like Mikasa wasn't wearing any pants. 

VERY solid. Not the biggest fan of the War for Paradis arc but I'm here for the ride.

WHERE DO YOU PRIMARILY DISCUSS THE SERIES? 128 Responses

Thanks again to everyone who participated!

Bughead Appreciation Day 1 Except It’s Day 2

So I spent yesterday nice and cozy in bed and put this off (good choice, tbh, I was very snug as a bug), but now, now comes the time for me to gush about some people in the fandom!  This is definitely not a comprehensive list, I have absolutely left some people out because I am very forgetful, but, in no particular order and under a cut because I’m a wordy bitch:

@tory-b: A delight and a dear, leading writer of monsterfucker!Betty, co-runner of @riverdaleprideandjoyzine, a legend and a friend, we have no choice but to stan.  Her stuff is so good and varied and just *chef’s kiss* a delight, two favorites of mine are Fangs/com/Match (Betty/dragon!Jughead meet via monsterfucker Tinder, has some great friendship moments with Kevin and Veronica and is v sexy and funny, features the horniest Betty) and Sticky Sweet Serenade ((past)-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers bughead, mixes up some statuses in Riverdale, excellent mystery, I remember reading it and going, “holy shit, a believable take on Northside!Jughead”).  I’ve also gotta mention Whats in a Name? (Betty and Jughead meet on tumblr, Betty writes poetry and Jughead is a shitposter, they slowly connect, it’s great) and To Balance the Scales (scientist!Betty/mermaid!Jughead, currently a slow build, I cannot wait for you guys to see the excellent worldbuilding she’s done).  I could keep going, or you could binge all her fics today, an excellent use of your Saturday, I assure you, because I’ve left a lot out.

@stillhidden: Always good for some great thoughts on the show, one of the best reasons for my your thoughts on Riverdale please show them to me tag, I get psyched every time I see a Riverdale text post or ask answer because I know I’m in for a good time.  Thoughtful and funny and nice, what a combo!

@satelliteinasupernova: So talented!  Author, artist, co-runner of @riverdaleprideandjoyzine, funny, haver of good thoughts on Riverdale is there anything she can’t do?  No, there is not.  Every time I see her art I’m like !!!, the colors! how well-drawn the hands are! the accuracy of their hair! the backgrounds! the way I can see the love in their eyes! I cannot even, there are no words.  Also!  Her fics!  So original!  One of my earliest memories in the fandom is reading The town called Riverdale (a sort of mystery about the meta fuckery going down in Riverdale, explores time loops, stories that control lives, the roles the Archie characters are “supposed” to have, a mash-up with concepts in Princess Tutu that requires zero knowledge of Princess Tutu) and going !!! is this a Princess Tutu mash-up?  Have I been #blessed enough to see a mash up between Riverdale, a story that fucks with archetypes, and Princess Tutu, one of the shows about fucking with archetypes and the way stories ontrol lives?  I was and I am and I raved to my non-fandom but Princess Tutu liker friend about it.  Has also wonderfully tackled eldritch horror in return to Eldervair and gothic horror/romance in The Lady of the Manor, does fluff, does angst, does it all, so go check her out!

@go-ldy: An angst and time skip queen, tbh, and always has some great thoughts on Riverdale, another reason I’m glad I have that tag.  Every time she answers an ask, I’m like, “Yesss, incoming Good Thoughts, I am HERE for this”.  But do not sleep on her as an author!  Into the Deep is some delightful dark!bughead, and I’ll walk with you in the shadows is such good time skip angst and a mystery and there’s a certain surprise I love but is a spoiler but you simply must read this, you must.  The Time after Time series is giving us that good angst bughead content that season 5 is not going to, and I’m so glad it exists and just thrilled that she trusted me to beta it.  I’m leaving a lot of stuff out though, so you should go check her out!

@milajovovich: One of the best gif makers in the fandom, I will fight you on this.  Makes absolute miracles with footage, the way she makes season 4 webrips look like they’re actual blurayrips is godly, they’re so crisp and so smooth and the coloring is always great.  And like, jesus, the way the bluray footage looks?  Fucking outstanding, the talent is off the charts.  Go marvel at their gifs, go, go.

@imreallyloveleee: A prolific, talented author and funny to boot!  loveleee is one of the people who has been here since the beginning, a mainstay in the fandom, and we are so, so lucky she hasn’t left.  How do I even begin to rec you some of her stuff?  She can write smut with fics like burn, baby (a 3x16 missing moment of bughead fucking in the car as the trailer burns, what a gift to the fandom, I can’t even), is queen of pining with fics like boy problems (season 1 post 1x05 canon divergence, a bughead get together but with that quality pining) and her i’m just a shot away series (two fics, one from Jughead’s POV and one from Betty’s, that are fully of pining and sexual tension and miscommunication and major teenage vibes, you gotta read them), and writer of one of the funniest fics in the fandom and one of my favorite, like spirits in the night (the core four + Kevin perform a seance to contact Jason Blossom and yes, it is just as funny as it sounds, perhaps even funnier).  And there are countless others, so settle in and go check her out because she does it all, fluff and angst too, I just don’t have time to rec them all.

@meditationonbaaal: Absolutely one of my all-time favorite fic authors, like across fandoms, the talent, I cannot even properly describe it, like the quality of the prose, amazing, iconic.  the devil’s daughter (a season 2 rewrite with some differences in season 1, jumps back and forth through time in the best way, has the best and creepiest dark!Jughead, has some great smut that includes dom!Betty and dom!Jughead can you believe we are so blessed, such a good rewrite of season 2, and you know how I love season 2, so that is some high praise, let me tell you) is easily in my top 10 all-time favorite fics across the many, many fandoms I’ve read many, many fics of, and you simply must check it out, you will not be disappointed.  develop, stop, fix just blew me away as a kink week fic of bughead playing with bdsm in a dark room, the layers, the smut, the trust, the feelings, I cannot even.  And doll parts!  doll parts is so good, just such an amazing take on drop dead gorgeous, a fabulous Jughead and Betty as per usual, dare I say even better than an already fantastic movie.  I am behind on loose lips sink ships, but I can already tell it’s going to be a great exploration of the Stonies and a great take on season 4.  Keep an eye on her stuff here and here, do not miss out!

@dieqohargreeves:  An icon and legend in gif making, just makes the most beautiful and intricate and creative gifs.  The coloring is amazing, the techniques are amazing, that shit is Art, I will fight you on this.  You gotta check ‘em out, you just gotta, I can’t do their work justice.

@sullypants:  The wit!  The humor!  The observational skills!  The talent, my god!  Sully is the genius behind @bettycooperoutfitwatch and @riverdalearthistory as well as a fabulous writer of both meta and fic, yet another excellent reason for me to keep up with others’ thoughts on Riverdale.  Her a comic miniverse series is so funny and sweet and such a great take on the Archie Comics version of bughead, and the after-party series (Betty and Jughead attend a, well, prom after party, and the events that happen, and I am not doing it justice, but it is v good, I promise) has such a great vibe and such great characterization.  And young adult friction (librarian!Jughead is in a kind of competition with librarian!Betty, it’s so funny and so great) is such a delight, and we do not have time to get into everything great she’s written, but go check it out here.

@lilibug--xx: The queen of bughead smut, can you believe she has graced us with her stuff?  It is steamy and it is in character and it is amazing.  Dark Cherry Chutney is still a fandom favorite of mine, just some great dark!bughead who are unaware of each other’s darkness (but oh, they find out!) as well as some excellent smut.  And Pressed for Time (Betty teasing Jughead with her skirts in an effort to get him to fuck her and he is barely holding on until he isn’t, alternating POVs in the best way) is sexy af but makes you work for it, it’s a delight.  And give you mine (Betty and Jughead fuck at work and it is so hot, I can’t even) is so goddamn good, just some of the best dom!Jughead out there.  Has also written monsterfucker!Betty, which you know I’m a fan of, in once upon a midnight (werewolf-hunter!Betty/werewolf!Jughead with sex pollen where she does not shy away from some wolfy-ness and it is hot af) and has written monsterfucker!Jughead, a rarity but always a delight, with reap what you sow (witch!Jughead/undine!Betty and Betty is so delightfully otherworldly and it is so sexy but also sweet), and there are countless other smut fics, we would be here all day if I went through them all, so you gotta check her out here.  One more thing though: she can also write fluff with Lemon Drops and Chocolate Chips, a sweet fic of Betty and Jughead as neighbors that you should definitely check out.

@thatiranianphantom:  Funny and thoughtful and talented and has correct opinions on musicals!  Writes such good explorations of post-4x17 (and post-4x17 adjacent) scenarios.  Like, the we are a masterpiece series is v good and so interesting, and no one else is singing my song is such great angst as a post-4x17 fic and a great use of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend songs.  I am forgetting a lot of stuff, I know I am, and I think I might be behind like a fool, so let’s go check out all her stuff together here, yes?  Yes.  Also?  Great for Riverdale speculation, especially about the season 5 musical episode.

@heartunsettledsoul:  So talented, queen of canon missing moments, and funny to boot!  I love reading her liveblogging of the episodes, and I cannot recommend her stuff enough.  Her Forgotten Moments series of canon missing moments is iconic, you must go read all of it, especially there’s witchcraft in your hips, a post-2x13 fic of Betty and Jughead being such teenagers and Jughead being a dweeb about his cheerleader girlfriend and I am not doing it justice but you gotta go read it, man, you gotta.  But the series is full of gems from the beginning with Midnight Silence (Betty and Jughead talk post-1x04 about the Grundy debacle and it’s such a delight) and going all the way through to the most recent it might’ve been a nightmare (a 4x12 through 4x16 fic that gives me a wide range of emotions and is fantastic) and your eyes look like coming home (Betty’s diary entries throughout season 1, simply inspired).  But she’s also so good at AUs!  a dark world aches (for a splash of the sun) is already looking so good as a bughead mystery with some varchie fun on the side, just some quality core four content, and won’t be the same (if you’re not here with me) is a favorite of fake dating, Christmas, and there was only one bed, just the best tropefest.  And there are so, so many more, so you must check her out here.

@lovedinapastlife: She writes such a variety of AUs, I am just in awe of them all!  The talent, I am amazed.  The dark!bughead in The Society is peak dark!bughead with a simply iconic yandere!Betty, and you are seriously missing out if you have not read it yet.  Oh, and there’s some more dark!Jughead with a side of dark!Betty in the key to harm(ony) that you must check out because it’s such a great ride and is sexy, what more could you want?  Every movie AU she does really takes the source material and makes it her own from works You Drive Me Crazy (but I'm gonna keep on loving you), based on Drive Me Crazy and definitely better than the movie, to the most recent to all the boys (but especially you), based on To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and just so sweet.  But also can write otherworldly fics like Heart’s Desire with genie!Betty and The Second Coming with fae!Jughead, as well as regular aus like Detention (Betty and Jughead in detention and it gets a little sexy but also quite cute), and pure porn like Eye of the Beholder (Betty and Jughead as sorcerers who hook up over sorcerer Tinder and it is sexy but also sweet), as well as some of the best ABO in fandom with her A/B/O Mine series (alpha!Jughead/omega!Betty in high school and holy shit is it hot as hell).  I am only just skimming the surface here, so definitely go check her out!

@kyloren aka @jughead-jones:  Mila is so talented at making gifs, like goddamn, and also so funny, but I bet you didn’t know that she also has written some damn good fic!  She hides it, but it is out there and it is very good, my favorite being let me hang my hook on your splendor, a fandom fave of a Scooby-Doo au that is so much more thoughtful and clever with its casting, and also very amusing, you must check out the rest of her stuff here.

@elizabethbettscooper: A delightful person and a delightful writer who is largely retired from the bughead fandom but still such a talent, like seriously.  Her Twin Peaks Riverdale AU The Past Dictates the Future is so good, you simply must check it out, like you must.  And yours was the first face i saw is such a fun AU of “what if Betty’s crush on Archie was a front for her crush on Jughead”, you must go read it.  And holy shit, her i may be bad (but i’m perfectly good at it) series is peak dom!Jughead/sub!Betty taking place when they’re in college and fucking in so many varied ways, like if you are into that, you must go read these fics, you must, you will have a great and sexy, sexy time.  And there’s so much more good stuff, you gotta go read it all here.

@bettycreeper: She does so much for the fandom and she makes such gorgeous gifs!  Like, the coordination she does on the @bugheadfamily server and @bugheadfanfictionawards and @riverdale-events and probably elsewhere cannot be understated, she is such a valuable presence in the fandom.  And have you seen her gifs?  Gorgeous quality, just gorgeous, and her movie poster gifs for fics are simply inspired.  Also?  She’s an amazing beta, just outstanding.

@stillscape: A very thoughtful person and excellent writer who I can’t seem to tag.  Dianthus Caryophyllus is still one of my favorite fics in the fandom, a high school bughead fic with some amazing pining from Jughead with an oblivious Betty, I can feel it, it’s so good.  And of course there’s Ninia, an amazing take on the soulmates trope, just so good, I cannot do it justice, you must check it out.  The for the life of me series is also such a good AU for Betty and Jughead getting together pre-Riverdale at a summer internship, I have such fond memories of it.  And la peste (the plague)!  So good, I cannot even.  We don’t have time for everything, except you should make time and go check all of it out here.

@theheavycrown:  God, where would we be without Sarah?  She does so much work for the @bugheadfamily and @bugheadfanfictionawards and @riverdale-events and @riverdalecentral and I’m probably forgetting some, tbh.  And so sweet and talented!  Her gifs are fantastic and so are her fics.  Like, Rain Comes Down (Betty and Jughead fucking in the car on the side of the road while cars drive by)?  Iconic, some amazing exhibitionism.  you had me howling(Betty in heat in the woods and then Jughead finds her and fucking ensues)? Fantastic ABO, so horny, so desperate.  Beneath the Silver Moon Rising?  Excellent dom!Jughead, excellent sexy times.  You must go check out all of her stuff here, you must.

@50shades-of-bughead:  Just some of the absolute cutest art that you must check out, especially their series of dark!bughead that is just fantastic.

@thepointoftheneedle: The variety of work here is phenomenal, the talent, I cannot.  Took my ridiculous double fake marriage/draft-dodging concept and turned it into an excellent, thoughtful period piece with phenomenal characterization and a great mystery with Never No Locomotive, I cannot recommend it enough.  And Ghosts and Clouds and Nameless Things (ghost!Jughead/grieving-dead-Jughead!Betty with a side of mystery) gave me so many emotions, I think I almost cried, and I am not a crier, I assure you.  Hey Pixie Dream Girl, I’m Coming for Your Man! (Betty in her bookstore saves Jughead from his date with a Manic Pixie Dream Girl) is so delightfully funny, and Sunflowers (Betty and Jughead share a working space and fall in love) is so goddamn cute.  I have actually found myself behind on her work, which is a crime, it all looks so amazing and I know it will be, and you must check all of it out with me here.

@hellodinoflower:  Such an amazing presence in the fandom, such a delight, so clever and funny.  She ran @bugheaddrabblechallenge this past summer and gave us all so much joy in the process, and, while her fics are deleted now (as is her right), I promise you that they were amazing, you all missed out if you slept on her.  She’s such a great follow, you gotta follow her.

@bluevelvetvideo:  A delighful soul, great character insight, great writing.  Like, her smut is fantastic, have you read Arsenal (a double feature of Betty and Jughead fooling around in public and then having some sexytimes back in private with some quality dom!Jughead, let me tell you, v steamy)?  Because you should.  Christmas Lights (Jughead ties Betty up with their Christmas lights, it’s fantastically sexy) is a delight, and you can’t blame gravity (for falling in love) is a very fun take on soulmates and soulmarks, and you simply must go read it.  She is a master of smut, let me tell you, and you must check out all her stuff here.  Also?  An excellent beta, 10/10, I’m so lucky to have her.

@a-true-janian-reply:  Very funny, has excellent thoughts on Riverdale!  Like, truly, every time I see an original text post or a reblog from her, I am PSYCHED because it’s always going to be SO GOOD.

@writeradamanteve:  Such great talent across genres, really impressive.  Drive (illegal drag racing Betty and college student but former-ish Serpent Jughead, just fantastic) is one of my earliest fandom favorites, I remember excitedly telling my non-fandom friend about it because I thought it was so clever, and we all know how good Daemon Bound is, yes?  Yes, I’m sure we do.  Let’s go make sure we’ve read all her stuff here.

@thugheadjones:  Has some great insights, some great responses to dumb anons, and some fantastic art, like holy shit, I cannot even.

@bugggghead:  A delightful soul, so nice, so talented.  Writes some amazing smut, like, have you read intimately acquainted (alpha!Jughead/omega!Betty, meeting up on an app to help Betty with her heat in a heat retreat, four chapters of excellent smut)?  Because you should if you’re even kind of interested in ABO.  And en pointe is the bughead knifeplay fic of dreams, you gotta check it out.  And there are so many other ones, we do not have time to cover them all.  She also does cute fics, btw, and Message Me (fanfic-author-who-is-actually-the -real-author!Jughead/gif-maker-and-fangirl!Betty meet on tumblr and fall in love and it’s great) is such a delight, definitely go check it out.  In fact, go check out all her stuff here.  Also a fantastic beta, I really owe her for that.

@heavy-lies-the-crown:  A talented soul who has written so much high quality fic, from the hilarious red ribbon winner (a Christmas fic comedy that I cannot describe well but I assure you is both hilarious and sweet) to the emotional and moving road to me (Betty and Jughead break up, find themselves, and come back together and it’s perfection) to the heart-ripping angst of apizza (a semi post-4x17-speculation fic of bughead together but apart at Yale and the way they will come back together and it is so good and so angsty) to many, many more.  You gotta go check it all out here.

@lurker-no-more:  Yet another funny person, we as a fandom are so blessed, you must check them out, you just must.

@iconic-ponytail:  Another excellent writer!  a revelation in the light of day is SUCH a great slowburn and  SUCH a great take on both FBI!Betty and Sheriff!Jughead and the two of them falling in love as adults.  Also, the side varchie is fantastic, and the mystery is amazing.  I have not yet checked out the nighthawks, but I already know it’s going to be good, I can tell, you can trust this author to be quality, so go check all of her stuff out here.

@soyforramen:  Funny!  Very funny!  Also?  Writes some great ficlets that are, I think, exclusive to tumblr, which is a tragedy, tbh, but as is their right.  But I do have the link to this genius fic about bughead and a platypus in honor of the platypus anon that was going around this summer.  Definitely go check them out!

And now I am very tired, I have used up my energy, and I am so sorry if I forgot anyone!

As the garbage fire year of 2020 continues, I have been struggling to find something to fill the Schitt’s-Creek-sized hole in my heart.

Which, come to think of it, replaced the Parks-and-Rec-sized hole in my heart prior to that.  I’ve always been a sucker for “soft” television, but with everything going on the world, whatever tolerance I had for heavier fare has disappeared completely.  Like, yeah, I’d love to catch I May Destroy You or I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, but I just. Can’t. Handle. Them. Right now, anyway.  

I do have some old standards to fall back on-- Bob’s Burgers, The Good Place, The Great British Baking Show, and Kim’s Convenience (bless you, Canada) work just fine.  But with so much time at home, I’ve been getting antsy for new, soft, comforting content.

Then I watched Julie and the Phantoms on Netflix.

And I loved it SO. MUCH. 

(Warning, since this is a family-friendly show: profanity ahead.)

Which, I have to admit, I’m kind of embarrassed about.  Like, look: I fully own up to the fact that my tastes aren’t exactly refined or mature.  I’m one of those contemptible “childless millennials”, after all.  There are things on my Netflix and Spotify lists that would make film buffs and hipsters cry.

But what I will give myself a pat on the back for is that I’m extremely open-minded when it comes to any sort of art consumption.  My tastes are super-varied, and I don’t have the burden of worrying about what is “socially acceptable” for me to watch.  I can watch Barry and Fleabag just as happily as I can watch Sarah & Duck (literally, a show for preschoolers that works better than any anti-anxiety medication I’ve tried) and old episodes of Tiny Toon Adventures.

Regardless, there’s embarrassment. Which is not about the fact that it’s a cheesy, High-School-Musical-esque, pre-teen friendly series, actually (... okay, maybe a little), but because the aging freakout is real, my friends.  Hitting the “Oh-My-God, I’d-Have-To-Play-the-PARENT” period of your life is fucking rough.  

Basically, in the words of Roger Murtaugh... I’m too old for this shit.

But I’m trying to tell myself that 1) Generation Z is delightful and I refuse to feel guilt for appreciating them, 2) god knows we’re all watching Stranger Things without embarrassment, and those kids are, like, twelve, and 3) now that I’m apparently ANCIENT, I’m supposed to stop caring about what other people think.

So: Julie and the Phantoms made my heart grow three sizes and I loved it a whole lot.

Quick synopsis: Julie, our hero, is a performing arts school student who is grieving the death of her mom and unable to continue making/playing music because of it.  One day, three ghosts of teenage boys who were in a mid-90’s rock band show up in her garage.  They form a new band (insert title of show here) and help Julie rediscover her love of music, while she helps them navigate the afterlife.  Bonding occurs, lessons are learned, the power of friendship is discovered, you get the idea.

And okay-- at its surface, it’s family-friendly entertainment, you know? Cute story, funny moments, the music is catchy, the whole cast is super talented (and, hey, can actually play their instruments! Whaddaya know!).

But the CHARACTERS!  THE SOFTNESS! THE REPRESENTATION!  If this is how young adults are going to written from now on, sign me the fuck up.

First of all, the two female leads of the show are women of color-- Julie (Madison Reyes) is Latinx and her best friend, Flynn (Jadah Marie), is Black.  That alone is (sadly, STILL) noteworthy, but I literally wanted to stand on my couch and yell about how wonderfully self-assured, smart, mature, strong, and competent these girls are.  Julie, in particular, is just… she’s just so cool, you guys. She never once has to rely on anyone else but herself to get shit done, and she takes responsibility for her own actions.  The girl very clearly knows her talent, capabilities, and worth, and PHEW, do we need to see more young women like her on our screens!  Like, yes, the boys support her, but they’re complete equals.  Julie doesn’t need any male saviors up in this business. She’s got this.  I LOVE HER. I SOMEHOW WANT TO BE HER WHEN I GROW UP, EVEN THOUGH SHE’S LIKE HALF MY AGE (oh GOD. I’m so OLD).

In fact, throughout the series, the importance of honesty, respect, and healthy support is repeatedly emphasized.  There’s no dependency issues here, and lying of any kind is clearly forbidden.  Which I loved, because the whole “teen lying to everyone” storyline has been done to death.

Then there’s the three boys of Sunset Curve-- Luke (Charlie Gillespie), Alex (Owen Joyner), and Reggie (Jeremy Shada), i.e. the messengers of destruction for toxic masculinity.  THIS IS THE MALE FRIENDSHIP PORTRAYAL WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR, PEOPLE.  They’re so nice to each other! They’re so supportive! They’re tactile, openly emotional, and completely devoid of judgment of any interests or behaviors that don’t follow male social standards.  Bless the Age of the Soft Boys, may their reign be unbreakable and everlasting.

Oh, and Alex is openly gay.  It’s not just hinted at-- he’s out and proud, with an adorable crush/pre-relationship with a skater boy named Willie (Booboo Stewart).  And, apart from a quick mention about Alex’s parents being homophobic, the show pretty much takes the Schitt’s Creek route-- all love and acceptance, with not much of a thing made of his sexuality at all (in fact, there’s enough evidence that none of the boys are completely straight, and I’m here for that, too).

And if all of that isn’t enough of a cuddle to the heart for you, THERE’S MORE:

Julie’s supportive, soft dad

Reggie’s immediate, one-sided bond with Julie’s supportive, soft dad and her brother

Julie and Luke totally have crushes on each other and it’s SO SWEET but completely age-appropriate, good job guys

I’m a sucker for good harmonies and the band HAS ‘EM IN SPADES

Flynn being HBIC the entire series

Julie’s crush Nick being very realistically awkward and dopey in the shadow of Luke’s arms (Nick, dude, lose that HAT, I beg of you)

A surprisingly moving side-plot/song about Luke’s parents

Alex just wanting to dance, and also being a high-key feminist and calling out the others when they slip up

EVERYONE’S JUST SO FUCKING NICE, OKAY

So yeah. Shut up. It’s wonderful and pure, and I WILL TAKE ANY SOFTNESS I CAN GET IN THIS HELL YEAR, WHEREVER I CAN GET IT.

In conclusion, Kenny Ortega can have my entire soul if he wants it, for not only this but also Hocus Pocus and Newsies.

Completely Unnecessary Afterword:

Being old enough to remember 1995-- and, specifically, what was popular that year-- has brought up some important questions regarding the Sunset Curve boys:

We know they died in ‘95, but like… when? Did they get to see Empire Records, for Christ’s sake?! Did they see Casper, because, I mean, they’re basically the Devon Sawas of 2020?  Were they spared their contemporaries’ fate of constantly over-quoting Billy Madison and Tommy Boy?  

OH MY GOD, DID THEY HAVE AOL SCREEN NAMES, AND WHAT WERE THEY??

What are each of the guys’ favorite song off of Boyz II Men’s “II”? This is possibly the MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION.

Did they die before Jagged Little Pill came out?  That would kind of break my heart.  Not that I expect Julie to start portraying Alanis-levels of anger/angst, but ‘95 was a YEAR for women in rock.  Garbage, Hole, No Doubt, PJ Harvey, The Cranberries, Veruca Salt, Bjork, and countless others-- they all had massive hits that year.  I love the idea of Julie and the guys sitting around the garage listening to all of those women for inspiration.  Can we have a resurgence of female-led rock bands taking over the charts, please?

On a much more serious note, given where the AIDS crisis was in ‘95, it’s no wonder Alex is a nervous wreck. It’s not really something I expect the show to delve into, but man… getting transported to 2020 might’ve been a bit of a blessing (not that things are great now, but y’know, medical progress).

How in the world did none of them fall victim to the whole “white boys dressing hip-hop” trend back in ‘95? I mean… Clueless got it right. (Wait, did they make it to Clueless??)

If UtaPri had/gets a 5th season...

What would it look like? So this is a question I have thought about for a while because of the fact that I think a lot of people (Myself included) believe there is more of a story to tell in the world of UtaPri.  I think with enough time we could get a very interesting idea for a season and honestly I think WHATEVER this project we got coming up actually IS could be an interesting testing ground for something. Let me explain

So if we think about how Season 4 ended it seemed rather definitive.  Like the way that message was wrote made you believe ,to a degree, that the series had ended as far as an Anime project.  Then we got the end card AFTER that and that kind of made things turn on its head cos no one knew what that was supposed to be until 6th stage happened right? One thing that always stands out to me is the fact that Season 4 was a bit of a mess and I say that in the most objective and neutral way possible because...when you have an Anime that is based on a Manga we typically get a story based around that in some fashion.  It might not be panel for panel and word for word but we get one and that is always fun to see how certain scenes get animated for sure.  When you do an Anime based on an Otome game you almost always do whomever is considered the “true route” or just leave it open ended so people will want to play the games (which is what I think DiaLovers did when it had its run). UtaPri has a very interesting situation because the series DOES have an idol component (and the Anime made sure to really focus on that mostly) but it is also an Otome game so the studio (A-1 Pictures) had that to work off of for the most part.  The problem is that when they were done with the material they DID USE it created a problem because Season 4 was a mess if I am being as objective as possible about it. So here was the problem You had 3 groups in play here STARISH QUARTET NIGHT HEAVENS Forget whom your group was for a second...this was going to be a problem because 2 of the 3 groups had content that was used in the first 3 seasons but Season 4 was going to be a problem.  How this would have been remedied I have no fucking idea!  Like if Broccoli knew they were going to do this season they needed to get something out BEFORE IT so people would have had something to go off of for HEAVENS so we could have had 7 episodes that made sense instead of episodes where it felt like they didn’t know how to have the HEAVENS member that was being featured in it not look like a complete ass!  If we are honest this is what happened and its frustrating to remember One of the biggest issues with the season was that you had a group that HAD been Antags during Season 2.  I said HAD because I genuinely believe that the marching orders for A-1 was to write a season where STARISH was still THE focus but HEAVENS could be rehabbed into a group that was more “likable/marketable” so when the time came to sell CDs and merch that they would fly off the shelves and could be a contender to at least QN if not both them and STARISH.  As we saw during the Oricon charts it was a puzzling time because the duet CDs sold like garbage in the sense that only TWO our the 7 actually charted in the top 10 Ren/Van - Lovely Eyes Syo/Yamato - Justice Impulse This was the most puzzling thing I ever dealt with because I tried to figure out WHY and to this day the best thing I could come up with is the fact that the CD releases were slated to come 10 days after the episode aired which seemed like the dumbest thing to do (IMHO) because when I looked at Season 3 all of the releases charted in the top 10 and a big reason for that was the gap between CD/Episode was only 4 days...well we got to QN and HEAVENS’ CDs they did VERY WELL in Season 4 and its because of how close they released them (I think) to the episodes...funny how that works! What was really weird also was during the “Duet Project” episodes the writers didn’t know WHO to make the focus of the episodes and that was weird BUT ,looking back on it, this whole season was gonna be weird because of how quickly the season was coming in the turnaround vs. its normal time for a season.  Typically a UtaPri season gets a 2 year window and this time they were going under that...about a year and 4 months so this was going to cause a crunch and also a mess of a message as to what the writers wanted to do!  I personally believe that the writers wanted to make HEAVENS all the more sympathetic and they were able to get SOME of the backstories in that they could for certain characters but a few others (Nagi and Eiichi for example) “kind of” tried to show you the “why they were acting the way they were” but it felt (at least Internationally) that the episodes didn’t register or if they did not as well as they hoped.  I do wonder if a big reason that the content is as out of sorts in terms of balance for HEAVENS vs. the other two groups is because of how jacked up that season got.  I genuinely wish I could sit down and discuss that season with someone that was in the room when they were given the orders on how that season was supposed to go vs. what actually happened after the fact! So this brings me back to the “What would a 5th Season look like if we got/get one in the future?” The weird thing is I think A-1 already knows but they have to get the reference materials FIRST before they start writing it.  I genuinely think they saw/heard about what happened Internationally when it came to the “NEXT DOOR” saga and they didn’t want to see that happen again so NOW they want to work on these projects to get the idea other there right now that all the groups are separated as first we have STARISH and then no doubt QN but the big question of course is HEAVENS...can they do a concert with them at some point with hopefully more songs under their belt OR will Broccoli start to really consider them a lost cause and that the fandom just doesn’t want them.  You can only go with the “Round peg/Square Hole” philosophy so much before people get mad and don’t want to deal with the series (or at the very least HEAVENS) anymore. The other big issue is HEAVENS’ role in Dolce Vita because, As of this writing, we still don’t know ANYTHING about that game...like we don’t know if its a straight up VN or is there going to be something similar to the original La Corda back in the day which ,fun fact time, had Kishou and Mamo in it.  Like if anyone would know how a game like that worked it would be them (And they ARE in the new game “Starlight Orchestra” btw) so they HAVE to have had given some input about how the mechanics worked and all that...right?! (Oh and unrelated but Kishou’s original character in Len Tsukimori is a special character in that game.  He was unlocked through a campaign we had in that fandom a bit ago) So again...what would Season 5 look like? Well my guess is that it would have to be a STARISH/HEAVENS season again but with new duets unlike last time.  The other possibility (And I think they were teasing this at the end of Season 4) is that it would somehow be a HEAVENS/QN season which could be interesting especially if they did something like how Season 2 was probably supposed to go...and in a way didn’t because of how the story worked. The thing is its been almost 5 years since we had a proper season...FIVE! Let’s assume that the “Anime Project” as we know it is over alright?  STARISH and QN’s brand is already established so what do you use to help HEAVENS’ get on the same level?  That’s a big reason why I don’t think they could/should end the “Anime Proper” because to do that you literally would be cutting off a way to properly market a group that actually needs it vs. the groups that clearly don’t.  I won’t go so far as to say that the STARISH/QN Animated concerts are going to be “Vanity Projects” because they aren’t.  They are clearly something that Broccoli believed in as far as a project to do for the series BUT I will say that having 7th Stage so close to this project is a bit...weird?! Like okay to be fair this probably was planned well in advance and the Pandemic fucked everything up because it was supposed to be announced at 7th stage in 2020...okay cool fine but let’s say it was right?  What stopped them from revealing it at 10th Anniversary when it would have been a bigger “Holy Shit” moment?  What was really so important that they had to do EVERYTHING ELSE and not that?  Just seemed weird to me. But anyways HOLY SHIT did we go around the block here...I need to stop If you were going to script out a proper 5th season when would you do it and how?  The thing to remember is we have a 3 group scenario and now HEAVENS is trying to become an even better group to finally beat STARISH and QN so do you have QN and HEAVENS do a thing together or do you do a 3 cour season where each is dedicated to a particular group? Love to hear your answers on this and take care

The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith is technically a crossover episode, since the Doctor shows up. It’s got some interesting stuff going on, and a decent enough central mystery. Unfortuantely, this post is about The Wedding of River Song, an episode which is a terrible conclusion to many things.

The episode begins on a strongish note, with the Doctor tracking down why the Silence want to kill him. He bounces around a few places before reaching Skull Land, where he steals the head of Dorian, know blue person, in order to find out The Question. What is The Question? Stay tuned to find out and immediately regret it! Anyway, on finding out that the Silence want to avoid the Doctor answering a trivia question, the Doctor decides to screw around instead of going off to die. It’s a good call, really. But then he makes a call and learns that the Brigadier has died, so he decides it’s time to die. This is about the point where the episode stops doing good things.

The investigation is spliced in with the lastest Bad Thing that’s happened. Somehow, all of time is happening at once! Somehow. As the Doctor relays to Winston Churchill, River Song decided not to kill him, which causes time to go all wibbly. The Doctor also wants us to know that River Song is a woman who is very womanly for some reason.

All of Time All at Once is, in theory, and interesting setting. However, the episode pretty much does nothing with it. Once Amy shows up (with a sinister eye patch), it all falls into the background. This is after a lot of effort goes into showing how mixed up all of history has become, which you’d would mean it’s a bigger deal than it is. On the list of The Wedding of River Song’s sins, wasting the setting is a pretty minor one, but it’s still there.

Anyhow, it turns out Amy still remembers the not-broken timeline, but Rory does not. They��ve been collecting up Silence in test tubes for reasons, so that once again the show can do “the heroes thing they are winning, but actually they are losing!“. We do at least get an explanation for Korvarian’s eyepatch that isn’t completely stupid, so at least one thing is resolved in an okay manner. Then we get the solution for The Big Problem - River broke time by not killing the Doctor, but once they touch, time is fixed. Yay!

Except River doesn’t want to fix time, because the Doctor will die. Given that not fixing time will destroy all of reality, this comes off as incredibly selfish. Condemning all life to inevitable destruction for the sake of one man who will also die because of that is Not Good, and quite probably hanging around in the Evil section of the alignment chart. I guess it’s meant to be some big romantic moment when the Time Beacon or whatever it is revealed, but given that it doesn’t solve the problem, it doesn’t overcome the main issue with River’s actions here.

So in order to fix time, the Doctor and River... get married.  It’s called The Wedding of River Song, so it’s not really surprising that this happens, aside from the fact it comes completely out of nowhere and there’s absolutely no actual development of the Doctor and River’s relationship for this to make sense. Because their relationship is never shown, it’s merely implied. An obvious example of this is in The Impossible Astronaut, where they compared diaries and talk about all the fun off-screen adventures they have. Which is a deeply unsatisfying way to create a relationship between two characters, and it’s unacceptable if the resolution to your story is based around that relationship. The Doctor/River relationship, as presented on-screen, barely exists. They spend more time fighting than they do having any kind of chemistry, with exceptions for Moffat’s favourite trash of “flirting“ where the characters are smug at each other. The Wedding of River Song cannot be a statisfying conclusion to the Doctor/River arc, because that arc doesn’t exist!

So fixing time kills the Doctor. Stone dead. Except it doesn’t, because we can’t actually kill off the title character. So we just get a massive copout when it’s revealed that the Doctor who got shot was actually the Tesselecta, which also introduces a plot hole the size of the sun into the episode. Why does the Doctor screw around so much, including being willing to leave River with the trauma of “killing” him, when he could just say that he has a sneaky plan by the lakeside? Nothing in this episode, or this arc makes any sense!

Finally, we reach the single dumbest moment in the Doctor Who revival. The question, that must never be answered, hidden in plain sight - Doctor Who? It’s not clever, it’s not funny, and it’s such an obvious example of Steven Moffat being far, far less of a writer than he thinks he is. Plus, it’s just stringing the mystery out further, with no fucking conclusion.

In essence, The Wedding of River Song was doomed from the start. By being tied to the terrible arc of Series Six, it could never hope to be that good. Yet it also manages to fail on it’s own dismerits, with new plot holes, wasted settings, and just really dodgy characterisation. The silver lining, however, is that Series Six is now over. Hooray! (there is still one more series six post)

I need to ramble about OG SKAM and remakes, and it's gonna be a long-ass post !

Before I begin, just to be clear : I haven’t watched all of SKAM NL, and I didn’t really like SKAM Austin. Well, I watched the first episode of SKAM Austin a while back, but I didn’t really wanna watch the rest of it, so...yeah.

So far, I watched the whole of SKAM Italia, and OG SKAM of course. I watched parts of season 1 & 2, and then from season 3 of SKAM France until current season 6; season 2 of SKAM España; the first episodes of SKAM NL; part of season 1, then complete season 3 Druck; and some of the season 1, the complete season 3 of WTFock, as well as WTFockdown, though.

Anyway, I was talking with my wonderful beta-reader, @unfinishedbusinessss​ a couple weeks ago,and thought, wow, I can’t even begin to rank Even & Isak’s versions in every remake, each couple has chemistry, and I can’t even pick a favorite among the remakes !

This got me thinking, I kinda wanted to do a humongous post about the whole SKAMverse though, not just the Evak versions.

Obviously, OG SKAM will always be first, and Even & Isak are just...OTP, forever. I fell in love with their story so much, but I feel like every remake managed to get me to fall in love with every Even & Isak’s version, and I wasn’t prepared fo that, tbh. Vilde is so irritating. Noora is the best character in the whole SKAMverse, and William is an ass. I loved Sana’s season so much it hurts, and Yousef is a sweetheart. Cried during the whole Jonas’ speech at the end, and during the Vilde-Chris scene as well, even though I don’t like Vilde ! That’s saying something. Isak is one of my favorite characters, but Even comes close. Eskild is my precious child.

Top 5 characters from OG SKAM :

1. Noora Amalie Sætre (wow, what an icon ! I mean, I kinda wish they would’ve dropped her whole storyline with William, because I definitely do not care for him, and I like Noora’s opinions in season 1 & the beginning of season 2. I love that she’s a feminist, so much more mature than the rest of the girls’ squad, and her introduction in the show, when she meets Eva, is jus perfect. I loved her from the first second ! Red lipstick looks incredibly good on her too, just saying.)

2. Isak Valtersen (I can’t tell you how much I like and relate to Isak, me, a 31-year old woman. (lol) He’s very much a teenage version of myself back in the days ! I like his inner battles, his friendship with Jonas is everything. His internalized homophobia is portrayed very realistically, I might add. I liked his character from quite early on, but his season just did it for me. Tarjei Sandvik Moe is a very good actor, we got so lucky with his casting in this role ! I love his character development from season 1 to season 4. He’s grown so much in such a short period of time !)

3. Even Bech Næsheim (okay, let me start with the obvious : Henrik Holm’s smile, eyes and laugh had me gone from the start. He’s gorgeous and I can definitely see why Isak fell for him ! His character is soooo well written, Henrik portrays Even so beautifully and with so many nuances, I loved every on-screen minute Even gets in season 3 and season 4. He’s got so much layers ! I also liked that we were all lost because of his atttitude when we watched season 3 of OG, because what the hell’s happening right now, Even ?! That’s really a proof of how amazing Henrik was in this role. And their chemistry was off the charts from their very first scene together, which doesn’t hurt either !)

4. Jonas Noah Vasquez (amazing best friend to Isak when he needs it !)

5. Sana Bakkoush (queen ! I love her so much, she’s definitely an iconic character ! I think all of the Sanas in the remakes don’t even come close to her, but Imane in SKAM France is amazing, Amira in SKAM España is fantastic, Yasmina in WTfock is sooooo good (can’t wait for her season !!), and Amira in Druck is freakin’ amazing as well. But like I said, Sana in OG SKAM is definitely the most fantastic one !)

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SKAM France

When I heard they were making remakes, I honestly thought, “okay, so they’re gonna make seven different copies in seven different countries ?” It didn’t make any sense at the time. 

So when SKAM France aired, I watched from afar, terrified that they would mess this up in the only way the French knows how (I’m French myself), and I didn’t really fell in love with the first two seasons. I didn’t even like Lucas, to be honest. He was a minor character in the background, and I didn’t expect to fall in love with Lucas and Eliott’s story as much as I did. I also didn’t expect their love scenes to be this tasteful and beautiful, so I was kinda blown away by that, and by their chemistry. The piano scene and the paint scene will forever be on my mind whenever I think about season 3 of SKAM France. I also fell in love with Imane, to be honest. She’s gorgeous, and her season with Sofiane was amazing. I didn’t expect to like “Le gang” as much as I did either. Mahdi and Magnus in OG SKAM are not really among my favorite characters, but boy did I liked Arthur and Basile. Both the actors are amazing, which tremendously helps ! I didn’t find Daphné as irritating as Vilde in OG SKAM though, don’t know why. She might actually be in my top 5, whereas Vilde is one of my least favorite characters in OG SKAM, with Emma of course. Oh, and I love the fact that Alexia is bisexual in this version ! That’s such a good addition !

I loved season 5. I was kinda dreading it at first, but when I learnt that it was gonna be based on Arthur, I was kinda relieved. I think Robin Migné is a terrific actor, and his performance during this whole season is just stellar !

So far, I quite like season 6. Maya will definitely enter my top 5 sometime very soon, honestly, and Lola’s not far behind her. Basile has redeemed himself so much since season 3 when I thought he was annoying as fuck !

Top 5 characters from SKAM France :

1. Lucas Lallemant (that guy. We’ve been blessed, you guys : Axel Auriant is a freakin’ incredible actor, which makes the character all the more realistic and likeable. I’ll be forever impressed by episode 7 of season 3, especially the beginning with the scene on the couch with Mika and Manon, where Lucas is crying because of Yann’s stupid reaction to Lucas coming out. What a shitty friend, honestly...)

2. Imane Bakhellal (she’s so fierce and I almost like her even better than I did Sana in OG SKAM. She’s beautiful and witty AF, I loved her season !)

3. Alexia Martineau (bi queen with colored hair, I love her so much !!)

4. Arthur Broussard (he grew on me sooo much in season 5, but I liked him from the start, tbh)

5. Manon Demissy (although I didn’t get around to watch her own season yet, but I hate Charles’ character with a passion, so I can’t bring myself to watch it yet...)

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SKAM Italia (SKAM Italy)

Oh boy, does this remake has a particular place in my heart. I’m in love with the Italian language, have been for YEARS literally, and I think the whole cast is just gorgeous ! Eva might be my favorite Eva version to date. Season 4 was just SO GOOD, OMG, and I don’t even like Italian Sana that much, but wow, this was amazing !

Top 5 characters from SKAM Italia :

1. Martino Rametta (what a surprise ! It’s not a secret : Martino means the world to me. I was drawn to him very fast, very deeply. Maybe it’s because Federico Cesari is one hell of a an actor, maybe that’s because of his boyish cute freckly smiley charm, whatever; but he’s my number one favorite character from the whole SKAMverse. I can’t explain, really. He’s got something about him that just...makes me squeal every time I see him on screen. His season was SO GOOD YOU GUYS. I loved that we got to see his relationship with his mom. I loved the way Fede portrays his emotions, his inner battles, his fears. The way he acts with his eyes. And boy, season 4 was fireworks. Fede was always good, but season 4 was AMAZING. That scene with Sana is all kinds of incredible. Martino has never looked this good. He never looked so open, raw, vulnerable. His storyline with Niccolò kinda broke my heart, to be honest, but we got so much Martino screen time, I’m not complaining. He’s a gem. I’ll never not like Martino, he’s my person. I just connect with him so much, I can’t even explain it clearly !)

2. Giovanni Garau (”con la u finale, perché è sardo” ! Giovanni, aka the best Jonas in the entire SKAMverse. I loved OG Jonas, as well as German Jonas, don’t get me wrong, but Giovanni is ALWAYS there for Martino, and their friendship definitely fall into the brOTP category ! I love how supportive he is all through season 2, fights for Martino’s right to be happy and in love in public in season 3, and just never leaves his side in season 4. We’ve been blessed with this character you guys ! The male characters in SKAM Italia are so strong and likeable, it’s not even funny !)

3. Filippo Sava (one of the most amazing versions of Eskild to ever exist. I don’t have enough words to describe how much I LOVE this character ! Pietro Turano did an amazing job, wow. If Milan in WtFOCK wasn’t so fantastic, I’d definitely put Filippo in first place in the Eskild versions ranking !)

4. Niccolò Fares (I think Rocco Fasano did a fantastic job portraying Niccolò ! He’s definitely an underrated actor. Loved Niccolò quite late in season 2 though, but from the moment their first kiss happened, I fell in love with their story. And season 4 was just SO GOOD. We definitely get a side of Niccolò we didn’t even get with Even in OG SKAM, and his clip in episode 10 is amazing. Kudos Rocco, you definitely deserve recognition for your portrayal of  Niccolò !)

5. Eva Brighi (one of the best Evas in the whole SKAMverse, IMO !)

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SKAM España (SKAM Spain)

I’m not gonna ramble too much on this remake, especially because it might be the one I connected the less with, and I’ve only seen season 2 so far. Might be an unpopular opinion, but Cris gets on my nerves sometimes, that’s why she’s not in my top 5 characters from this particular remake.

Top 5 characters from SKAM España :

1. Lucas Rubio Fernández (the spanish Eskild, I think he’s cute AF, and incredibly brave. I really loved all of his interactions with Cris in season 2, he’s bringing her some wisdom she didn’t even knew she needed !)

2. Joana Bianchi Acosta (queen. I quickly was drawn to her character, I think from the moment we see her in her first scene with Cris. Tamara Ronchese is fantastic !)

3. Amira Naybet (OMG, her reaction to Cris coming out is everything !! Can’t wait to see her season !)

4. Nora Grace (she reminds me so much of OG Noora sometimes, it’s uncanny ! She has such a graceful presence !)

5. Dani Soto Peña (Cris’ older brother. I quite liked that we got to see Cris’ family in this version, her mother and brother. Dani was soooo annoying at first, but he was sooo sweet to Cris from the moment he drove her to the hospital to see Joana, and that scene when they smoke together on the terrace is everything. Such an accurate sibling scene !)

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Druck (SKAM Germany)

Hooooooly wow, this remake is FREAKIN’ FANTASTIC. I finally watched season 3 during lockdown, so it’s very recent, but GOD it gave me so many feelings ! That version of Isak and Even is everything. 

Top 5 characters from Druck :

1. David Schreibner (KING. Holy wow, Lukas Alexander/von Horbatschewsky is GOLD. He got me crying more than once. David’s story actually changes a lot from OG SKAM, but thank youuu Druck for shining a light on transgender’s representation in TV shows. David is a sooo well written character, he struggles a lot, but he’s relatable in so many ways. Wow, he’s just such a layered and complex character, I was blown away, really. And again, THANK YOU Druck for showing a sex scene with a transgender character, and him having an open conversation with Matteo about his struggle and how he sees himself is soo so important. It is so important to feel represented in movies and TV shows, I’m truly so thankful for this version of SKAM. Thank you Lukas !)

2. Matteo Florenzi (Matteo is an actual teenager, his portrayal is on point, and I felt his pain from the start. Michelangelo Fortuzzi did an amazing job, wow. Matteo grew on me so much in just one episode, it’s actually scary ! By the end of the first episode I wanted him to be happy, dump Sara, and just kiss David already.)

3. Jonas Augustin (Matteo has such an amazing best friend, with such a good singing voice ! Episode 10 of season 3 had me shook ! Iconic episode !)

4. Amira Mahmood (just a word for you : QUEEN ! Amira’s iconic ! I can’t wait to watch her season !)

5. Sam M’Pele (LOVE Chris’ version in Druck ! She’s awesome and so stylish ! I’m in love with her hair !)

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WTfock (SKAM Belgium)

Yet again, I actually caught up on WTfock during lockdown, since Druck and WTfock were the only remakes I never watched at this point. And yet again, I was BLOWN AWAY. WTfock got me feeling so many things, and I only watched season 3 and WTfockdown. Wow. hOLY WOW. Might be one of my favorite remake, it’s SO GOOD.

Top 5 characters from WTfock :

1. Milan Hendrickx (the flemish Eskild, one of my fave characters in all of the SKAMverse ! FUCK, Lars Brinkman knocks it out of the park, he truly does ! Milan is by far my favorite Eskild character. He’s sooo supportive, he’s a true friend, he’s funny AF - OMG, that scene where he tries to flirt with Moyo got me howling with laughter !! And he’s loyal. I love that he’s almost a father figure to Robbe, who definitely needs it ! That scene in episode 6 when Robbe tells him about the homophobic assholes...His reaction...I think I cried for like a good five minutes when I watched this, I couldn’t catch my breath. Milan’s precious, and we must protect him at all costs. A favorite. I’m in love with him, his supportiveness, his loyalty to Robbe, his smile, his affection for both Zoë and Robbe. They matter so much to him. He’s a sweetheart !)

2. Robbe IJzermans (FUCK I didn’t expect to feel so much things when watching season 3. Robbe is the Isak version that goes through the hardest stuff. His own internalized homophobia is sooo painful to witness... Jens is supportive when he comes out, but then Moyo and Aaron act like the biggest jerks on the planet, they just have this RIDICULOUS reaction when Robbe tries to tell them thay he's into Sander...And the end of episode 5 is awful. I just can't. He's gone through so much that season,it's insane. And yet by the end of episode 10, my heart felt so full for him and Sander finally happy...Gosh. What a rollercoaster...Willem Herbots is insanely cute and wow how well did he conveys Robbe's emotions. I'm speechless !)

3. Sander Driesen (holy wow this character is sooo good ! I was wondering at the beginning of episode 3 when we'll get to see him, and the minute he appeared on screem, him and Robbe instantly had that insane chemistry. Which peaked in the first kiss, in the pool in episode 4. That scene, that sing, that intensity...Yeah, Robbe and Sander bewitched me !)

4. Zoë Loockx (such a good character as well !)

5. Yasmina Ait Omar (can't waiiiit for her season !)

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SKAM NL (Skam Netherlands)

This is gonna short and sweet, since I’ve only seen a couple episodes, but I already like quite a few characters so far !

Top 5 characters from SKAM NL :

1. Liv Reijners (what a badass character ! She’s beautiful and fierce, what a great Noora version ! I love her so much and I haven’t even watched her season yet !)

2. Isa Keijser (very relatable version of Eva, I must say. She’s cute AF and I love her friendship with Liv !)

3. Janna Mertens (one of the best Chris’ versions I’ve ever witnessed so far ! She has a unique look, and I think she’s an awesome female character !)

4. Lucas van der Heijden (a sneaky little shit I just love ! I’m sad we won’t get his season though...He’s very attractive, and I would have loved to see him meet his Even...)

5. Imaan Elami (once again, a version of Sana I quite like ! She’s beautiful, and kind of a queen, to be honest ! I really like her a lot. Yet again, so sad we won’t get her season, nor her friendship with Lucas...)

Talks Machina Highlights - Critical Role C2E73 (Aug. 6, 2019)

Gooooooood evening good evening good evening all! @eponymous-rose is off packing for a cross-country move (as if THAT’S an excuse), so here I am isntead to lay waste to all you love. 

Tonight’s preroll: Sam’s costume from the liveshow getting dunked in acid.

Tonight’s guests: Laura Bailey & Sam Riegel, in a fully human and normal tshirt and jeans. Everyone oohs and ahs over Laura’s adorable live show outfit; Sam waits eagerly for equal attention. And waits, and waits...

Tonight’s announcements: Huge thanks to everyone who came out to the live show in Indy last weekend (I was there! It was great!). Laura talks about everyone singing the theme on the intro. Sam sent his entire costume back with Dani so he wouldn’t get stopped in the airport. Poor Dani! Season 3 of Between the Sheets, featuring Amanda Palmer, is up for Twitch subs now and will be up on YT on Wednesday. CR is headed to Austin, TX, for a live show on Sept. 23! Everyone talks about how Doty will definitely, definitely be in this show: The Adventures of the Darrington Brigade, ft. the return of Sam as Taryon. Sam says he already has something in mind for his costume; everyone else will be playing new characters. Laura’s got an idea for a backup character for Jester, but BWF advises her not to use this for the live show since Jester will def be dead in less than 20 episodes. Go to critrole.com/events for more.

Episode 73: Uthodurn, which is not spelled at all like I thought

CR Stats! Nott dealt 124 damage this episode, only 23 of which was friendly fire. Sam: “You know, he just needs to get out of the fucking way.” Nott rolled her 50th nat 20, resulting in a 43 stealth check. Laura and Sam quietly talk about Sam’s tendency to touch everyone else’s dice as opposed to his “playing fairly.” Sam also laments he’s lost his dustbuster in the studio somewhere after the last bit. Jester is tied with Beau at 9 for the most HDYWTDTs. Jester also played her 50th prank this episode: creating the ballpeen hammer as an offering to the Allhammer.

Laura thinks part of Jester’s new anger in battle is part of losing Yasha, especially when she disappeared right in front of her and Jester wasn’t able to help her at all. “Jester mammoth-raged.” Laura raves about being a mammoth & talks about needing to work on her elephant noise. Both Laura and Sam fail miserably at making the noise.

Sam slowly drinks a shot. It’s... a thing.

We have a close-up of Sam’s nail polish, which was done for the live show. He doesn’t own nail polish remover, it turns out.

Nott will talk to Cad about the explosive arrow whenever Cad brings it up. First, Cad was invisible & therefore at fault because he couldn’t be seen; the second part of the blame goes to Laura Bailey, who leaned over and told Sam right before his turn he had to kill this thing right now. The explosive arrow was the best thing he had; Sam accepts one part of the blame for forgetting it would be fire. Sam & Laura agree the bolt should have had some thunder/force damage associated with it because of the concussive blast. (Hilariously, my father presented this precise argument to me with GREAT VIGOR right after this episode aired.)

Jester’s call to the Traveler was just in the heat of the moment. All of her power comes from him, so Jester calls out to him (and Laura thinks it cool) when she gets a big oomph. Sam wonders aloud if her powers genuinely come from the Traveler or not. Laura: “I mean...as far as she knows.” Sam’s also distracted that the question card had a straight-up name on it rather than a username.

Sam considers the outcome of the election a win, since he’s one of the bi-Presidents of D&D Beyond until further notice. “It doesn’t matter how you get there, as long as you get there.” Laura asks if he thinks about it being a hollow win when he goes to sleep. Sam: “Do I look like the kind of person to have thoughts as I’m falling asleep?”

Nott’s usage of the pistol’s single shot was pure pettiness. Sam thought Nott had a shot because she’s acrobatic & fast & has some tricks, and he just didn’t want Beau to win. Making loud noises & drawing attention didn’t even cross my mind.

Jester was very proud of Fjord making those strength checks, but she wasn’t surprised. “He’s very strong, even though he looks like he’s not.” Laura thinks it’s funny and poetic that Travis rolled so well after ditching his sword/powers.

Travis has three sets of dice. Liam has a bunch of sets, but they’re all red (says Laura, offended). Laura only used purple dice at the live show because of how she was dressed.

Cosplay of the Week: a great Scanlan cosplay with Ioun’s third eye by @cxptaingrayson.

Sam realizes something that’s been holding back the Nott-Fjord relationship is that Nott has always been a little suspicious of Fjord. Now that he’s “talking like a real weirdo” and is still brave, braver than before, she can trust him more.

Laura’s asked about Jester’s conflict between healing & DPS. Laura: “Do you think Jester asked to be a fucking healer?” When they were deciding their characters, Laura was originally going to be a warlock with the Traveler as her patron; then Travis was like, warlock! What a cool class! Can I have it? And Laura said sure, she’ll be a cleric, that sounds cool. “And now he got rid of his fucking patron! Who knows if he’s going to be a warlock anymore? What a waste of a warlock!” She likes being a cleric--but even from Jester’s very first inception she’s always been a healer who hates healing. Brian: “She’s a battle Mercy.” She’s not regretful she healed Beau; the reason Laura didn’t immediately heal her is that she thought from Matt’s face that the remorhaz was very close to death, closer than it actually was. She confirms Jester is Chaotic Neutral.

Brian tells Laura he texted Travis to tell him Laura accused him of stealing the warlock class. Laura: “YOU DID NOT!” Brian: “You said it on the air!!”

Travis, via text to BWF, apparently in all caps: “I WAS CHANGING RONIN. YES I STOLE WARLOCK.”

Nott’s teasing of a powerless Fjord is 100% just because she thinks it’s funny. Sam: “There’s not really a deep reason to it. They tease each other all the time. Why would that change just because he tossed his sword in the lava?”

Laura needs to do research on other animals she can become since she enjoyed the mammoth (and giant eagle) so much. Sam keeps a list of flying creatures Laura can turn into because Laura struggles looking it up and often keys it into her D&D Beyond app before she’s even started. BWF: “This is uncharacteristically unselfish.” Sam: “Well, Laura is--I love her. Laura is pure harp music and I would do anything for her.”

Their environments are just getting better and better for Nott in terms of how goblins are seen. She’s given up the mask now, but it’s nice to have people look and not scream.

Both Sam & Laura pause to fan over the design of Uthodurn. It’s way cooler than either the Empire or Dynasty to them right now.

Laura points out that Nott has been fairly outgoing lately; it’s been a while since anyone said “you’re a goblin, stone her!” She’s beginning to come out of her shell as she gets used to her body (not that she likes it in any way), but it’s a development from Veth’s original shyness. She’s also drunk a lot; Sam says this will continue until he gets more Laura Bailey speeches.

BWF still has Laura’s copy of Game of Thrones, which he borrowed in 2011. Laura doesn’t listen to books on tape because she likes the inflections in her own head.

Fanart of the Week: a cool grouping of portraits of the M9 by @dylanbydoodles.

They apparently threw an election party after the D&D Beyond President reveal. Sam talks about convincing the Lyft driver on the way back that it was a swinger’s party in the most ridiculous way possible. Poor Indianapolis.

Nott & Veth’s relationship is getting very complicated. Sam says they’re beginning to blend a little together, but he’s now coming to realize there’s a part of Nott deep down that is deeply scared of going back to Veth & losing her rogue abilities, her adventuring; she wants to be herself again for sure, since her body is definitely wrong, but she’s beginning to fear the loss of some of what Nott is now.

BWF sincerely thanks Sam for the effort and thought he puts into his character. Sam sincerely thanks him. It’s a lovely moment.

Jester’s slip about Fjord’s powers was deliberate on Laura’s part but accidental on Jester’s. Everyone’s a little worried about Fjord without powers, even though he proved himself in the remorhaz fight. She thinks the slipup happened because Jester wasn’t on guard--because Fjord had done so well in the fight, she’d forgotten.

So far, Nott’s choice to leave the family behind in Nicodranus is worth it; no one’s died and they’re making headway on their goals.

BWF: “The Mighty Nein: no one’s died-ish.”

Apparently Matt owns the building they’re filming in? I missed part of this and genuinely can’t tell if it’s a joke.

BWF talks about how Liam, Matt, & Travis have all been genuinely mad at him before. Matt and Travis were mad; Liam was just disappointed.

How did Sam lose the election? He doesn’t think it’s because of him or anything he did. He thinks there’s a demographic shift in America; the electoral college hurt him; both he and Liam ran the campaigns they wanted. Liam’s was serious issues & serious passion, while Sam farted around for three months. BWF asked Adam Bradford at D&D Beyond, who’s the General Manager, about the results; apparently the pie chart was VASTLY in favor of Liam with only the tiniest sliver for Sam. Laura thinks it’s because Sam’s done nothing but troll Sam for five years and this was their chance to troll him back. Sam: “To that I say: good job.”

Dani & Max both voted for Sam. Laura didn’t vote. BWF voted for Liam. Chris forgot there was a vote. Zach voted for Liam.

Sam talks about the game they play, the app for D&D Beyond, and how the whole campaign allowed him to shine a spotlight on himself. “I didn’t get as many votes as Liam, but I got a lot of attention.”

Everyone loved this last live show. Laura legit loved wearing her dress; Travis & Liam looked great. Tal looked normal. Brian marvels at his own tattoos. He and Tal went through a lot of ideas before they committed to the bag situation--he sent it to Jaimie Alexander before the show happened so she could vet it. Ha! “Her response was 25 crying emojis and ‘please send this to my boyfriend.’“

Reminder: Mica Burton, Overwatch League host (and daughter of Levar Burton), will be guest-starring on Critical Role this coming Thursday.

And we’re out! Is it Thursday yet?

winter anime 2020 part 6: it is fin(e)

Part 5 seems to have fallen into some sort of Tumblr memory hole (it’s not flagged and I know this because I have plenty of actually flagged posts, and people can see it just fine with direct links, but it doesn’t even show up in my own timeline), possibly because of screencaps of shota bulge. But that’s just Interspecies Reviewers, and I’m a honest dude with honest screencaps. You can find it here.

A3! Season Spring & Summer

Oh, P.A. Works. You never know whether you’re getting Dr. PA (Shirobako) or Mr. Works (Glasslip) with them. The last thing they did was most definitely a Mister production (since it was Fairy Gone), so maybe they’re up for some greatness again? In short, no. A3 isn’t dreadful, but it’s more reminiscent of the likes of HaruChika, so maybe an undergraduate at most. It’s more than a bit confusing but at the end of the day it seems to be about a girl that inherits a shitty theater house and now has to make the various boys that hang around in the vicinity do actor things. This is based on a mobile game of the otome persuasion and while I was sussing that out, I saw some people be very insistent that it's MOST DEFINITELY NOT A REVERSE HAREM. It must be some other genre of fiction that is all about one girl being surrounded by pretty boys all day then. Anyway, the main girl is alright, so it seems fairly watchable, but overall it’s just somewhat clunky and not of the highest quality, so I don’t think it’s for me.

ARP Backstage Pass

ARP is a boyband anime, remember those? It’s a really predictable one too - mostly just introductions of the characters, who are all the kinds of characters you might find in a boyband anime doing vaguely boybandish things. You know how these go. What’s funny though is how it looks, which is to say it looks painfully cheap. Not that that’s rare for boyband cash-in anime (I’ve covered the topic extensively), but ARP is unusual in that it has above average looking CG performance sequences too. In the end this makes it look like they had these fairly okay CG music videos already and thought “I know a guy, we’ll pay him 10bux and have him bang out some flimsy connective animation and then we can pretend we have a TV show.” A+ hustle if true.

Dorohedoro

The manga Dorohedoro is a fairly known quantity, and that’s a good thing too because fuck me if I have to explain what it is. Okay, what it IS is not hard to explain: It’s a surreal tone piece defined by a grimy punk-on-acid aesthetic and an irreverent and dark comedic tone mostly based on ultraviolence - what’s hard (and tedious, and beside the point) is to explain the narrative content, so I won’t. The line between lolrandom nonsense and on-point surrealism is very thin, and you need a ton of style to pull the latter off convincingly. Dorohedoro definitely manages to make it work so far, and the only thing I don’t like as far as style is concerned is that they do the main characters in CG. It’s not bad CG, but this is a show that’s particularly good-looking otherwise so it’s still a step down - though CG tends to hold up better when the looks deteriorate over the season, and MAPPA aren’t the most solid in that regard. Hey, at least with them you can count on a ballin’ OP and Dorohedoro definitely comes with one of those. It still makes very little sense, and going by the opinions of people who read it, this won’t change in the foreseeable future or possibly ever. As long as it keeps the style and the quirkiness coming, I don’t really mind.

Kyokou Suiri / In/Spectre

So I was pretty positive on the first episode of In/Spectre, in particular the way it escalates from people sitting on a bench talking about nothing to youkai hunt shenanigans. I also liked the main characters quite a lot and the chemistry between them even more. Still, a few doubts remained - it wasn’t very visually appealing, it’s obviously based on a very talky novel, and what it eventually ended up revealing is that it’s essentially just some modern edgy version of Gegege no Kitarou or the many, MANY imitators thereof. But so far, so good, seems like a winner.

Then I got to episode 2 and it was so excruciatingly bad that I dropped the whole show 20 minutes in because I couldn’t take it anymore. Episode 2 is 5 minutes of very stilted characters banter, followed by, no joke, 15 solid minutes of Kotoko reading a newspaper to a snake. It’s not particularly relevant or interesting news items either - apparently Exposition Shinbun does gangbusters in this universe. The lame direction doesn’t help with any of this, in the end it was the director of Endride after all. With my professional duty already fulfilled by this point and an episode that is a contender for worst episode of the season so far, I ain’t got time for this shit.

Natsunagu

Natsunagu is a short whose unique selling point is, and I quote, “the first over-the-air television anime produced by a local government that lasts one quarter of a year.” Thanks, Kumamoto Prefecture, that’s exactly my strike zone right there. Apart from that bit of hilarity, it’s quite alright I guess. There isn’t much to the first episode because it’s all of 3 minutes long and barely establishes the concept (girl goes to Kumamoto to find an internet acquaintance), but it looks nice and it has a smooth tone that goes down easy. Might just watch it to be able to say I did.

Runway de Waratte

Runway de Waratte is about a girl who wants to become a super, nay, hypermodel but is overly short, and a guy who wants to become a fashion designer but isn’t an asshole. You know, I’ve had some luck with fashion-based anime before, but Runway de Waratte is no Paradise Kiss. There, I said it. It doesn’t even have a Franz Ferdinand ED! Runway de Waratte is the most basic shounen take on the same material; while Paradise Kiss was about a bunch of weirdos and outcasts, this right here is about a rich girl who’s mad that she’s too short to get everything she wants for free, but makes up for it with trademark assertive shounen enthusiasm. Designerman is, of course, the sensitive type and the show thinks that makes it say something about gender roles, which is just adorable. Runway is also very peculiarly paced, to the degree that I’d say it does border on just plain badly written - there is so much time spent on establishing the characters in a vacuum (and they’re hardly complex), only to rush through the part where things actually start to happen during the end credits. And it’s a bizarre coincidence plot too. This is another show that isn’t fundamentally busted and borderline watchable, but would simply have to be significantly better for me to give it more chances.

Rikei ga Koi ni Ochita no de Shoumei shitemita

As someone who has been known to post charts about zettai ryouiki golden ratios and whatnot to social media with the comment “SCIENCE, BITCH”, I can’t really complain about this comedy in which science people attempt to get into romance but can only do so scientifically, graphs about chingrab angles etc included. Furthermore, I also think it’s more funny than not. Don’t expect too much from it, and in particularly don’t expect a show about ostensibly clever people to actually be clever itself. But I have an opinion about spicy romances between people trying to one-up each other, see #1 on this list for details. Of course, RgKnOndSs is nowhere near as good as Kaguya-sama, since it’s far more pedestrian and predictable, and it has some aspects that outright stink too; in particular, the obligatory interlude where science bear appears to badly explain some superficial science concepts is an annoying waste of time every time. Less bad but still not good are scientists #4 and #5, because they’re just very tired otaku clichees that I’ve seen a million times before. The main pair isn’t any less stereotypical, but at least a romantic comedy about them is news to me (no, fucking Steins;Gate does not count and even if it did, Okabe and Chris are tremendously unlikeable jerks with negative chemistry), and rounding out the cast is common sense girl that has common sense, which is probably necessary but not exactly innovative. In the end, this is a very minor production in all aspects, but Himuro’s incredibly dumb/adorable ponytail wag makes it worth watching. Q.E.D.

Sanjivani - Weeks 7 + 8

Overall Plot

Sid and Ishani are about 10 minutes away from hardcore Love. And literally every single person knows and is rooting for it (including the security guards at Sanjivani/Ishani’s apartment complex!!!!!), except the two idiots themselves. Shashank is still dealing with the fallout of the thing with Juhi and the admin issues stemming from their unresolved issues, but small mercies, his relationship with Anjali seems to be looking up. Nurse Philo's daughter Jessica has been admitted mere days before her wedding and found to have a terminal illness and it's heartbreaking as fuck.

The Medical Stuff

Lol, does Ishani's "sickness" count? She's pretty convinced that she's dying of something serious, the way she was charting her symptoms and kept getting diagnostic test after diagnostic test, so I think it should. Glad she's finally gotten a diagnosis and the prognosis looks promising! Other than that, Nandini got operated on successfully by the Shashank-Juhi team, and the only active case we have is Jessica's Stage IV cancer. But I think that's going to focus more on the emotional side of things (getting her the dream wedding she wants), since it's at such an advanced stage that it wouldn't respond to treatment anyway.

The Acting

Thank the lord above, they have started giving Surbhi comedy to do, which is where she really shines as an actor. Namit is most excellent at heart eyes, and his crying has improved from the first few weeks; dialogue delivery still needs to be more polished though. Jason and Kunal are being used effectively by giving them hilarious, snarky scenes while they drill some sense into Ishani/Sid. Robin is still pretty much in the background other than to pop up and deliver the occasional wisecrack. Very sad to see Rashmi go, she'd really won my heart as Asha. The seniors got to ease up on the angsty scenes these weeks and I'm grateful for that; it's nice to see them loosen up a bit and smile and joke around. Special mention to Vedika Bhandari as Jessica, who's just ridiculously adorable and sooooooo likable, that I already am having trouble at the thought of letting her character go.

The Characters

Sid: MY DUDES, I DID NOT EXPECT TO FALL THIS HARD FOR SIDDHANT FUCKING MATHUR, BUT WELP, HERE WE ARE. I honestly cannot believe that this boy exists on Tellywood. Where to even start with him in these two weeks? How much younger than his years he seems when he was imploring his mom to stay to meet Shashank; his heart eyes when he wakes up to see Ishani first thing next morning (after waiting to see her the whole night!!!); his bashfulness at all the love he's getting from the whole hospital staff; his good-natured humoring of Ishani's weird behaviour... He's just so unassuming and Soft. I can't really recall seeing this lovable a male lead in tellywood in forever (all I can think of is Hussain K. characters in the early 2000s, in Krishna Arjun and Kumkum and all.) But by no means is Sid a pushover who tolerates any kind of BS. He rightfully rips Rishabh to shreds when he tries to discredit his relationship with Ishani, and understandably calls Ishani out on her nonsense when she's evading her duties, but in a decent way. There is some against-the-wall-caging (because Tellywood), but in a non-threatening manner; he maintains an appropriate distance, does not touch her, and while he does talk in a raised voice due to frustration, never does it veer into yelling that feels dangerous, and he repeatedly asks her if he said or did anything that's making her uncomfortable to be around him. I found it a little strange that he was so vehemently in denial of his feelings for Ishani in last week's episodes, because he seemed to readily accept after his conversation with Guddu Mama (“Halwa banaa ke leke jaaoon? Usko achcha lagega?" with the most hopeful smile; calling Ishani a "bohut hi pyaari si princess" to her face and specifying that he specifically made the halwa for her "pyaaaaar se", being open to the idea of marrying Ishani when Nurse Philo/Jessica jokingly suggest it....) but I guess it would be pretty incongruous for him to instantly fall hard for Ishani AND recognize it, with his past as a "player". So I like that they brought in one of his flings to contrast how different his feelings for Ishani are compared to the other girls he's dated; and subsequently how he's processing his many emotions about the situation. Most of all, I love that his feelings for Ishani don't hamper him from doing his job right; instead they just make him more sensitive to understanding her and making her feel good in any capacity that he can. He came all the way over to her house to apologize for making her cry, AND MADE HER PARATHAS!!!!!!! He slept over, but respectfully all scooched up on her tiny couch! What a goddamn Good Boi. Also, him crying over Jessica's diagnosis? Heart-fucking-breaking. We should all be so lucky to find a doctor who cares about his patients THIS much.

Ishani (or lol as Guddu Mama calls her, "Pareshaani"): I really was expecting the absolute worst with this "Ishani has Loveria" track. And it did not start out well; almost 3 whole episodes were just her puerile lovesick imagination waale music videos and that goddamn CGI titli and I was just like jfc whyyyyyyyyyy. BUT THEN!!!!!!! They finally started showing us the funny side of Ishani, and it's succeeded in making the character lovably kooky, instead of just unpleasant to be around. Her panic attack in the bathroom where she legit thinks she's having a stroke and tries to literally shake off the crush, making all the first year residents repeatedly do ECGs on her, her awkwardness around Sid, the rant where she bemoans falling in love with Sid of all people, her child-like crying to Asha when Sid finally gives her a dressing down for acting idiotic ("Mujhe ITNA daanta! ITNAAAA! Aur unprofessional bhi bola! *violently stabbing finger in the air* UNPROFESSIONAL!!!!!!!!"); all of it was just hilarious as fuck. We're finally seeing the endearing side of Ishani's addled personality. I'm also very glad she got the much-required wakeup call from Sid/Asha, that she's being very unprofessional by running away from her duties, and hopefully from here on, she'll be learn to focus on her job, even with Sid's distracting presence. She's also made quite a bit of progress when it comes to her germophobia; but realistically: it's only with Sid (and Asha) - the two people she's really close to; she's still seen being touch-averse with the rest, but slowly getting better; letting children touch her, offering to shake hands with Jessica and Jignesh, etc.

Asha & Aman: I'm super bummed that Rashmi is being replaced as Asha, because she was honestly so good in the role; cheerful and hilarious in most of her scenes, gentle and sensitive with Ishani, helping her out as much as she can with this inconvenient crush... It's not an easy role, with the accent and all. I hope this new actress is as competent as Rashmi, who always highlighted the humour but without making the accent the punchline; it was always the things she said and how she chooses to word it. It's an important distinction, to not make the regional background into a caricature.

Aman is Aman as usual, lol; vicariously getting kicks thanks to the shenanigans of everyone around. Also, to my surprise, Aman and Asha live together! They offer up their place for a party for Sid; when Ishani freaks out that the cake he ordered isn't Sid's favt. flavour, Aman just shrugs "Meri Asha ko butterscotch pasand hai." I still don't really know what his equation with Asha is, but whatever it is, I love it. Asha's a self-sufficient girl, but it's obvious that Aman feels really protective of her and wants to see her happy always. I really hope the new actress maintains this ambiguous chemistry with Robin too, till the writers decide what direction they wanna take this relationship in.

Dialogue of the Week: Asha [walking in on Ishani holding a sleeping Sid's hand]: Abbe! Humaare saamne toh badi "garma"phobic bani ghoomti hai, ab dekho Dr. Sid ke saath kaise touchy-wouchy ho rahi hai!!!!!!!!!!!

Rishabh: Fucking asshole. He Tried, but he's no match for the razor sharp wit of Sid, or Asha's jugaadu skills to relieve an overworked Ishani. Chal dafa ho, be! Manhoos kahinka.

Neil: He's really really enjoying Sid and Ishani's crushes on each other, taking the mick out of both of them at any given opportunity. I truly lmao-ed when he was seriously examining Ishani for an illness on her insistence and then eye-rollingly dismisses her with "Kuch nahi hua hai tumhe." Cutest snark bean.

Rahil: MY ACTUAL FAVE. Lmao, if Ishani’s got her little purple titli, then Rahil is Sid’s grownass plaid-shirt-wearing TITLA, who appears outta nowhere to serve up piping hot sass at his confused dumbassery. His acerbic, plain-speak snark seems to be the only language Sid understands (as opposed to the first years' gleeful teasing, or the good-natured ribbing of elders like Shashank and Philo and Guddu Mama), and him having to exasperatedly explain things to his boss-who-is-also-his-bff is just hilarious. I relish every single scene he appears in to the max! Also props to him for giving us the gem "same level ke ajeeb" as the OTP tag for SidIsha!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shashank: A much better fortnight for Dr. Shashank! Two of his idiot babies are very obviously in love (that scene of Ishani showing him her reports and describing the butterfly through pantomime though, lmao) and now his relationship with Anjali is defrosting (the exchange about the surgeon she was interested in and how he wants grandkids from her??? The cutest!!!!) Things still remain frosty with Juhi though, and I don't understand why he won't just address the issue and clarify things in a straightforward manner, instead of dragging it out like this and making it awkward with his COS/mentee. Anyway, good on him for getting that win on Vardhan, but I feel like he needs to stop being so damn stubborn on his issues without giving reasons. It’s not helping matters around here, personally or professionally.

Juhi: Literally the classiest female professional on TV??????? She hasn't stopped holding Shashank accountable for how he sabotaged her career, but I love that she has sorted it out enough to work with him, but also engages in minor acts of pettiness like gleefully scraping his car with hers, cheekily grinning and apologizing saying she needed to get out some of the angst before they operated on a patient together. For what it's worth, I was fully on her side during the argument with Shashank about the machines for the hospital; it sounded like a good deal, but of course, she should have had the foresight to know Vardhan would try to do some kinda fuckery. She’s right in not really trusting Shashank anymore, but needs to be a little more prudent with how she proceeds while making decisions for Sanjivani. In a way, it’s really sad how she doesn’t really have any allies at her level. Shashank was the only one she could really rely on, and he went and blew that relationship up, and now she’s kinda adrift in the organization. I hope Shashank does good by her and repairs the relationship.

Anjali: Phew, finally a good break for Anjali. I'm ecstatic. She's realized that Vardhan's manipulating her and broken free of his gaslighting nonsense. She's much smarter than both Shashank and Vardhan thought she was and yes sis, play them both!!!!!!! She got her COS post, but also isn't playing by Vardhan's rules. Ultimate winner! But does she also have some romantic feelz for V? Coz that last scene between them had very intimate vibes, from the way she walked into his office and knew where the booze was, to her pouring him a glass and casually lounging against the wall like a wife/girlfriend would. She wasn't even really fazed when he grabbed her; either she's a hella strong woman who cannot be trifled with, or she's familiar with this side of him. I really hope it's the former coz she deserves someone who's a grown up version of Sid (*cough* Atul Joshi *cough*) who's super good and healthy for her, not this deceitful fuckwad.

Vardhan: What is his deal? No honestly, does he have some kinda personal stake in saving Sanjivani from financial ruin? It seems so, with how overwrought and devastated he seemed at Shashank exposing the machine waala scam. Also, the way he manhandled Anjali? Unforgivable. Die in a fire, scum.

Rahul: Still haven't seen him but apparently he's hiding in that secret room in the luxury ward? What the everloving experimental fuck is he doing with pregnant women who look to be unable to afford medical care? Nothing ethical, that's for sure. I have a feeling this will maybe tie up to Ishani's parents waala plot, but for the meanwhile, jfc, just reveal yourself man, coz this shit is getting scary as fuck the longer you go unseen.

Overall Rating: 5/5

What we all need to realize and learn about BTS

I’m not a blogger, or anything like that, but i feel like i want to share some thoughts about BTS’ speech for MAMA 2018. It might be long and disorganized, so bare with me here ok?

For those who aren’t caught up, BTS won almost every category they’re in (congratulations, again), but wen receiving the artist of the year award, they broke down and told us something.....kind of personal and shocking. Jin said in speech (while having an emotional breakdown) that they were thinking about disbanding earlier this year bc of personal reasons we may not know about. now......

Disclaimer: I obviously don’t know anything about them personally, and this isn’t a theory either, think of it as a speculation/ rant of what I think is what bts is going through. I’m using some stuff that we know about bts and what they’ve shared with us and combining it with common knowledge on celebrity life in general and fan culture, international and in Korea. So no hate in the comments, have a problem, talk to me reasonably and we’ll sort things out calmly. Ok, let the chaos begin!!!!!! 

We saw bts have a meltdown right in front of us and though they didn’t go into full detail on why they wanted to disband, despite having a successful 2017, I feel that it gave me a glimpse of how they felt about having all this success. It’s pressuring and overwhelming. Imagine being on top of the world, winning awards left to right, selling out stadiums, breaking records for most views in 24 hrs (Youtube stop deleting views plz), made it on top charts in every music streaming platform, rich af, and having the whole planet wrapped around your fingers. Bts got everything they dreamed of and accomplished so many goals, but do you ever consider the price for their success? I’ve watched this anime called My (boku no for the weebs) hero academia (watch it, highly recommend it) one of the characters mentioned a very interesting line:

“Once you’re at the top, others will try to bring you down.” as accurate as I can get.

Just, let that sink in a little. I mean, they’ve made a lot of distracks to the haters and that includes mic drop and burned them, but that won’t stop them from tearing bts into shreds. For example, raise your hand if you’ve heard somebody say this once in your life

“You listen to kpop? They look like girls? Do they wear make up? Why do you listen to this crap? They’re so overrated. You can’t even understand what they’re saying.” Kpop this, kpop that.

First of all, there’s this thing called English sub titles, use it. and you seem to enjoy despacito, even tho you probably don’t speak español. If you do, then kudos to you, use the fuckin subs! And those boys are more beautiful (in and out) than you’ll ever be, so don’t even try dissing on their looks wen you can’t manage to make yourself look nice for once. (Sorry off topic lmao.)

Anyways, next topic

Keep in mind, this is going to address the fan base, and know that not everyone is a bad fan, some of you guys are chill and total crackheads. just know, if you’re not a crazy fan, you’re not a crazy fan, so don’t feel the need to defend yourself when someone is actually telling the truth about the fan base bc you guys know damn well that the fan base is very aggressive.

I read a post that a research student made on the army, and some people were offended and this person made some good points and means no harm. What stood out the most was when they said, “We’ll be each others downfall.” It sounds over dramatic, but it’s actually very accurate. I mean, you guys seen the fan base, though I hang around the chill and funny armys, I don’t really see or  hear the toxicity of the fan base, however, I still see people post about the toxicity and it’s insane.

 Maybe that’s why bts almost disbanded, bc they couldn’t take it anymore. The pressure of remaining on top of the world, toxic fans stalking them, shoving cameras in their faces, crowding them in airports, not being able to anything without a fan spotting them (side note: some fans were respectful and gave them space, but some also stalked them and even caused an accident (look it up, it happened twice this year), cameras filming them every second of the day, and can’t really be friends with a girl bc dating scandals, let alone fall in love with someone, whether it’s a girl or a boy. This is mostly Korean fans, but this also implies international fans, but Korean fans are the ones who mostly get affected when an idol is dating someone and jealous af. Like seriously, THEY ARE NOT YOURS! Yes, you buy their albums, and merch, but that doesn’t mean you own them!!!!!! Get out of your weird, shitty fantasy mind palace and wake the fuck up!!! Same goes for shippers (mostly taekookers). You can still support them, but frikin, let them be people!!!! GOSH!!!!

Sadly, it’s the cost of being worldwide celebrities. We’ve seen their vlives, bomb/ run episodes, interviews, and burn the stage. All those combined barely scratched the surface on what they’re going through as celebrities. The hardships they dealt with getting here and now the hardships of being on top and maintaining that position, it’s exhausting, mentally and physically. And on top of that, their freedom is technically stripped away. Honestly, even if you say “I support them no matter what,” that’s good for you, but what about the rest of the fan base? If bts decides to come out and lay everything out there for us to see, what now? If they have a girlfriend or a boyfriend would these people still support them? Would you stay by their side? Bc that’s I think they fear the most, us leaving them if they show who they are. There are so many things we don’t about bts and we’ll probably never know, and that’s totally fine. We may be each other’s comfort, but we’re also the downfall of each other. We can’t have a perfect fan base, and there’s always toxic people out there, and are going to probably read this. If you are, look yourself in the mirror, is this who you want to be? If you’ve done some crazy shit and are in denial, then gtfo and get help. PLEASE!!!!! 

And that’s all folks. Sorry if it’s messy, my writing is trash. But please, give the boys love, they really need it, and please respect them and each other. And to bts, please, think of yourselves. We appreciate the hard work you’ve done, we stan hardworking men, but you guys already have a lot on your shoulders and it sucks to put on a smile for us when you’re having a bad day. Just know, you guys are human and you’re allowed to feel things. I’m happy you guys are able to pull through, and I’m glad you guys even talked it out. If things get too hard, or pressuring, talk it out with one another or if you want, maybe talk to us about, it probably won’t really help, but we can try, if you’re comfortable with it.

OK I’M DONE AND EXHAUSTED and I’m fixing some spelling and grammar errors

 Also read some of the comments bc i missed some stuff and I’m too lazy to add in more and they point out really good stuff (for now at least).

Thoughts on 2018

No need for me to be fancier than that!  And yeah I realize that nobody should be using Tumblr any more but until I figure out a proper revive of my old Wordpress site, this will do for now.

So anyway: I wrote this up for a private email list reflecting on the end of the year in terms of things I especially enjoyed culturally. Well, why not share it?

My year went very well — steady at work and in life, being 47 means more aches and pains but you have to learn to live with it.  The state of the world is something else again of course and we need not spend more time on the blazingly obvious.  That said, the history bug in me has been constantly intrigued by the slow drip of the investigations (and revelations) and were it all fiction, I’d be thoroughly enthralled instead of quietly apprehensive, of course.  November did provide some partial relief on that front so bring on the new year.  In terms of my own written work, nothing quite equalled my heart/soul going into last year’s Algiers feature for NPR, but my two big Quietus pieces this year — on Gary Numan’s Dance  and Ralph Bakshi’s Lord of the Rings  — were treats to write, while my presentation on the too-obscure Billy Mackenzie at PopCon was a great experience.

In terms of music this has been one of the most concert-heavy years I’ve spent.  Even having moved to SF in 2015 I only did the occasional show every so often — there was so much going on (even in a local scene lots of long-timers say has been irrevocably changed) that I was almost spoiled for choice, and part of me also just wanted to relax most nights.  But deaths like Prince’s and Bowie’s among many others served as a reminder that there’s no such thing as forever, and you never know what the last chance will be.  More veteran acts than younger ones in the end for me — greatest missed concert regrets this year included serpentwithfeet, Lizzo, Perfume Genius and Emma Ruth Rundle among the younger acts, while being ill when Orbital came through will be a lingering annoyance, still having never seen them live.  But the huge amount of shows I did see outweighed that, ranging from big arena stops like Fleetwood Mac to celebratory open-air free shows like Mexican Institute of Sound to small club sets by folks like Kinski, Six Organs of Admittance, Kimbra and many more, including, for the first time in years, a show in the UK, specifically a great performance by Roddy Frame of Aztec Camera.  If I absolutely had to grade my top picks among shows, Cruel Diagonals, Johnny Marr, Wye Oak, Peter Brotzmann/Keiji Haino, John Zorn/Terry Riley/Laurie Anderson, Laurie Anderson again separately, Nine Inch Nails, VNV Nation, Jarvis Cocker, Beak and, in terms of no real expectations turning into utter delight and thrills, a brilliant set by Lesley Rankine under her Ruby guise, with Martin Atkins on drums.  Best damn combination of righteous ire, hilarious raconteurism and compelling, unique approaches to how performance can work I’d seen in a while.  (As for recorded music in general, uh, endless?)

TV, as ever a bit sporadic, with a few things on my to-do list — still need to catch The Terror for sure, and what I saw of The Alienist looked good; I love both books so I need to see how it all worked out, similarly with the just-dropped version of Watership Down.  Pose I definitely need to catch up with since it sounds like Ryan Murphy stood out of the way to let the best possible team do the business on it, but my real unexpected delight of a show this year was also Murphy-based, American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace.  While not down the line perfect, it was absolutely more compelling than not, and in fact at its best was a shuddering combination of amazing music cue choices, a reverse structure that helped undercut any attempt at making Cunanan seem sympathetic or an antihero, and, at its considerable best, a ratcheting up of terror and horror that a friend said was almost Kubrickian, and I would have to agree.  And, frankly, Darren Criss really did the business as Cunanan, a controlled and powerful turn. Only a few of us seemed to be following it at the time, but when it scored all those Emmys, then while it was as much a reflection of Murphy’s status, it honestly felt well deserved.  Meantime, you’ll pry my addiction to all the RuPaul’s Drag Race incarnations from my cold dead hands but it’s the amazing online series that Trixie Mattel and Katya do, UNHhhh, which remains my comedy highlight of the year, with at least a few jaw-dropping/seize up laughing every episode. (Kudos as well for Brad Jones’s The Cinema Snob, ten years running online and still funny as fuck while digging up all kinds of cinematic horrors.) Also, tying back into music a bit, late recommendation for something you can only see on UK TV/streaming so far, but get yourself a VPN and seek out Bros: After the Screaming Stops, in which the two brothers in the late-80s monster hit pop band Bros (never had any traction here but pretty much owned the entire Commonwealth and beyond) try for a comeback.  It’s an unintentionally hilarious and harrowing portrait of two twins who have a LOT of issues, have clearly been through a LOT of therapy, but are still…not quite there.  UK friends said it was a combination of Spinal Tap, Alan Partridge and David Brent and they were ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. 

Movies, less specifically to choose from — I remain an essentially sporadic populist when it comes to what I see in theaters, but I can say for sure that Spider-man: Into the Spiderverse is a hell of a thing and will almost certainly prove to be a real year-zero moment down the line.  Possibly the most affecting watch was Bohemian Rhapsody, in that I also saw this in the UK — in Brighton, which besides making me think of the band’s song “Brighton Rock” is also notably the country’s most LGBT-friendly city; those I was with felt the movie’s themes, successes and flaws/elisions deeply, and the constant discussion of it for the next few days was very rewarding. As for books, John Carreyrou’s Bad Blood, delving into Theranos and the amoral duo behind it, was properly enraging and compelling, while Beth Macy’s Dopesick, if not perfect, nonetheless adds to the good literature on the opioid crisis, while as ever indirectly calling into question who’s getting the focus and care now as opposed to in earlier times and places. My favorite music publications as such probably remain the two I most regularly write for, The Quietus and Daily Bandcamp, while Ugly Things is the print publication that I most look forward to with each issue, and am never disappointed. 

Podcasts now consist of a lot of my regular cultural engagement, kinda obvious but nonetheless true.  Long running faves include My Favorite Murder — Karen and Georgia are an amazing comedy team who have figured out how to reinterpret their anxieties in new ways — The Vanished, which at its best often casts a piercing eye on how official indifference from law enforcement is almost as destructive as their more obvious abuses (recent discovery The Fall Line does this as well, even more explicitly), Karina Longworth’s constantly revelatory Hollywood histories You Must Remember This, Patrick Wyman’s enjoyable history dives on Tides of History, my friend Chris Molanphy’s constantly excellent investigations into music chart history Hit Parade, the great weekly movie chats by MST3K vets Frank Conniff and Trace Beaulieu along with Carolina Hidalgo on Movie Sign With the Mads, and The Age of Napoleon, which really has hit my history wonk sweet spot.  New to me this year was It’s Just a Show,  a really wonderful episode by episode — but not in exact order — deep dive into every episode of MST3K ever, by two fun and thoughtful Canadian folks, Adam Clarke and Beth Martin. (Adam also cohosts a new podcast, A Part of Our Scare-itage, specifically looking at Canadian horror. It’s not just Cronenberg!). Among the excellent one-off series this year: American Fiasco by Men in Blazers’ Roger Bennett on the failed US World Cup attempt in 1998, Dear Franklin Jones, a story about the narrator’s experience growing up in a California cult and how his parents came to be followers in the first place, and the Boston Globe’s Gladiator, their audio accompaniment to their in-depth story of the life and ultimate fate of Aaron Hernandez. Finally, totally new series this year that quickly got added to my regular listening: American Grift, a casual and chatty look at various scams and schemes, overseen by Oriana Schwindt, The Eurowhat?, a running look at the Eurovision competition throughout the year from the perspective of two American fans, and The Ace Records Podcast, an often engaging series of one-off interviews with various musicians, fans and so forth by UK writer Pete Paphides (I highly recommend the interviews with Jon Savage and Sheila B). Hands down my two favorite totally new podcasts of the year were The Dream, a more formal story of American grifting in general hosted by Jane Marie — this first season’s focus was on multilevel marketing, and Marie and company’s careful way of seemingly backing into the larger story makes it all the more compelling and ultimately infuriating, especially in the current political climate — and the hilarious Race Chasers, a RuPaul’s Drag Race-celebrating podcast by two veterans of the show, Alaska and Willam, loaded with all kinds of fun, behind the scenes stuff, guests and an easy casualness from two pros that strikes the perfect balance between going through things and just shooting the shit.  Returning podcast I’m most looking forward to next year: the second season of Cocaine and Rhinestones, hands down.  Check out the first season for sure.

And there ya go!  Keep fighting all your respective good fights.

I've seen a few people calling Gladio abusive because of the train scene (I personally think it's bs but to each their own.) what are your thoughts?

Hallo! Thank you for the question! ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ

I have always and will always defend Gladio regarding that train scene.

We must consider some important factors:

1. Repressed feelings/Coping Mechanisms (main reason to me)

2. His duty/role in the story.

3. Lack of understanding/Stereotypes.

Honestly, I don’t think the three points can be described as separated because they all have to merge in one, so here is what I see and think about Gladio, his psyche, and the train scene.

Gladio is a man that was raised not only as a soldier, but under the concept of having to be the best soldier of the world, because it’s expected from him to be this unmovable wall, this unhumanly, impossibly strong and un-defeatable thing. I don’t know if you people know how soldiers are trained, but they’re basically trained to be cold-minded, to not lose the head, and to not let emotions overtake, so they can think 100% with the brain and 0% with the heart. 

Gladio was not only trained this way, he was raised this way; we see him laugh and be playful, but that’s outside of duty. Within it, it’s always the head cool and never panicking (except for that bit in Episode Ignis when he “freaked out” because Ignis was not answering through the com).

We see it in that small freak out, I’ll talk about it later.

All in all, Gladio’s into this philosophy of “duty now, feelings later”. We can take as long as we want in-game to do stuff, but I think that canon story is all one event after the other, no breaks in between (only the necessary stops, etc.). Knowing this, I have the idea that Gladio never gave himself a chance to mourn.

We see Noctis mourn and feel bad onscreen shortly after Insomnia’s Fall and Regis’ death, but not Gladio, or any of the guys; however, Prompto does have his breakdown in his episode, as does Ignis (of sorts), but not Gladio; his episode is not self discovery and emotions, he was looking for a way to become strong for Noctis; for his duty.  Always his duty, always his duty, Gladio’s centered and focused 100% in his duty through the game because he has to.

He says it himself during Titan’s trail; “when you can’t focus, I do it for you”. It doesn’t mean he’s being selfish and a cocky idiot; he’s saying that it’s his duty to focus when Noctis can’t, not something he masters, but something he’s forced to attend to.

So all the time it’s “Focus, focus, focus”, not a moment for emotions.

Let’s see, from Gladio’s perspective, all the shocking events that anyone would mourn but he didn’t:

Insomnia’s Fall. His father’s death. His king’s death. The loss of his homeland. The stress of not knowing Iris’ state (for a few days). Jared’s loss, which has to be particularly and majorly heavy for Gladio, as Jared was the Amicitia butler, and he most probably knew Gladio ever since Gladio was born, let’s say a second father or even a grandfather figure. Altissia in chaos. Lunafreya’s death.

And what I think finished affecting him, Ignis’ injury.

I don’t mean this as “omg they love each other” (which they do, just in a brotherly way). This has two sides, 1. the feelings for Ignis and 2. the personal side.

On a side, of course it would affect him to find his friend heavily injured, almost in agony, and then see him lose sight. It mustn’t be easy for anyone, to watch a dear one go through such tragedy. There’s a chart that shows the kind of relationships between the four bros individually, and Gladio’s with Ignis’ was something the sorts of “The person that understands the situation as I do”; they understand each other, and the dynamic and interaction feels like they’re best friends the way Noctis and Prompto are, if just not as bouncy and hyperactive and funny, rather serious and quieter. 

Watching and living through a dear friend’s, a dear brother’s tragedy, it must be terrific. Because death can’t be helped, but to watch someone lose sight? And someone so dear to him.

And then the “selfish” side; imagine being tasked since you’re born with the only single one duty of protecting, saving and aiding the life of someone else, and watch someone else do it for you. Imagine being tasked with the only one duty of making sacrifices for one person, and watch someone dear to him do it in your place, right after you thought you were strong enough to do it yourself.

I don’t mean Gladio was angered that Ignis made bigger sacrifices, on the opposite; I think it must have destroyed Gladio.

“It was supposed to be me, not you”  not a canon phrase, but one that I think must have gone through Gladio’s head a million times. He was supposed to die for Noctis, not Lunafreya. He was supposed to put the ring on, not Ignis. He was supposed to have been injured and face the Chancellor, not Ignis. He was supposed to be the one losing sight, not Ignis, not Ignis, never Ignis. 

Because Gladio was raised with that idea, that he’s living just to keep Noctis safe and to go through all the hells and heavens and earths to keep him safe. So to acknowledge that he almost let Noctis die, and he didn’t because a dear friend made a huge sacrifice for him, and watch both of them at your feet, while you’re entirely unharmed?

Gladio must have been dealing with huge guilt, an enormous guilt, guilt in measures we cannot comprehend. 

So we add all the previous events to the massive guilt and the struggle of watching a dear friend going through his own tragedy.

And it doesn’t take a genius to know sooner or later he had to explode.

I like to compare our emotions or “soul” to a glass of water, and each problem or tragedy etc. is a drop (or many drops, depending on the situation). Gladio’s trained to keep the water inside, calm and cool, where everyone else drops the water at times before it’s full. So Gladio naturally, whether consciously or not, started keeping all inside, a drop for each event, and half a drop for each that that he didn’t give proper care to the glass.

Until his glass was full to the top. Full to the very top, unable to take a single drop of water more.

So it’s as soon as something else happens, as soon as the tiniest of events happens, that the glass spills the content. Because even if it was a tiny, stupid, unimportant drop of water, it was the last drop of water, the only one necessary to spill the entire glass’ content. 

And that’s what happens to Gladio. He has his glass full for major events, and it’s a minor one that drops it.

Its name? Noctis not putting the ring on.

Let’s retake it; Gladio has been repressing an enormous quantity of negative emotions within himself for the sake of his duty, until he became full. 

So it’s not that the fact that Noctis hadn’t put the ring on what makes Gladio so angry; it’s not because of one thing, it’s because of a thousand things that were triggered by only one. Gladio talking about the ring is only the tip of the iceberg; the real thing is all under the water and out of everyone’s sights, at least out of the sight of the people that are not comprehensive or understanding enough to go further the things that are said and cannot read the subtext.

Noctis not putting the ring on was not an excuse, but it also wasn’t the only motif or reason for him to explode the way he did; it’s everything he had been carrying, hiding behind the mask of only one fact. 

And here’s where enters the part of stereotypes.

We are so used to have a stereotype for each emotion that we think they’re all the same and we all react the same. We immediately link emotions to other words that we can’t get out of the zone of stereotype and into the zone of understanding and we think we all react and feel the same. We hear “sadness” and we think we all cry. We hear joy and we all think we all smile or laugh. We hear anger and we all think we yell. We hear fear and we all think we shake.

And honestly that’s not that; those are common factors that are shared among the great majority of people, but we don’t stop to understand that it’s always on different levels, different ways, and sometimes it’s not even that. There’s people that laugh when they’re scared, people who go mute and can just walk around when they’re joyful, the world is so big and vast and humankind is so unique and different and special and we’re all so different that not two people among the billions of them will ever feel the same way.

My happiness will never feel the same than yours, nor my sadness, nor my anger, and any other emotion. We can comprehend each other’s emotions but we can’t truly understand them because they’re a personal experience and only we know how we experiment them and how we feel them and how we demonstrate them.

So everyone sees Gladio raging out and screaming, frowning and shoving faces, that what we think immediately is “He’s angry”. And yes, yes, he’s fucking angry, but an emotion can be a way to demonstrate another emotion. So yes, Gladio’s angry, but we never stop to think that his anger is only the way to express other things.

I learned in a course of psychology during high school that anger is only the way to hide sadness. I’m angry at you because you were late, and it made me angry because it hurt me to feel you don’t care, which makes me sad. I’m angry at the world’s homophobia, and I’m angry because I can’t believe this much hatred exists, and it makes me sad. I’m angry at my mom for not coming to my birthday party, and I’m angry about it because I wanted her to be here and it hurt that she didn’t come (these are all merely examples). 

Yes, I’m angry that you’re not putting that ring on, and it makes me angry because you’re not filling your duty when others have made huge sacrifices so you do, and honestly it hurts to see the position you’re in, the position I’m in, the position he’s in, and I feel like I’m failing you, so please do your duty because I’ve been standing a thousand hells this far for you and I can’t stand to see I couldn’t do it right and have failed you.

Things change, hm?

I think Gladio feels like he failed Noctis because Noctis is not acting as he should be doing it, and instead of feeling it’s all on Noctis, Gladio, who  was tasked with making Noctis succeed, sees him fail and doesn’t see him fail but sees himself fail. Because if Noctis failed it’s only because Gladio failed (this thought, in his head).

So we add all that we know, Insomnia, Regis, Clarus, Jared, Iris, Ignis, Lunafreya, his own failure, all into one, and then one tiny fact is added, of course there’s only so much one person can take. 

Back to the emotions and stereotypes, I meant to say that we all think of the word “sad” and we think everyone cries, but honestly everyone has their own way of showing sadness. There’s some that hide it, some that stay quiet, some that furiously cry, some that silently cry, some that decide to vent it into punching things, etc. 

Gladio’s way of expressing sadness may as well be screaming and hiding behind anger. Because that’s how he was taught to react; no time to cry, just punch things and yell. So, considering he grew up into the philosophy of a cool, dead head, and making the terribly mixture of it with a huge, enormous repressing of emotions, he becomes conflicted, he wants to cry but his brain has no idea how to do that, and what is the only other door that’s open? Anger. So all that Gladio has to cry, he shows it through anger instead. Because that’s his sadness, different from everyone else’s, because I insist none of us show or feel the emotions the same way.

Noctis not putting the ring on probably did upset him, yes, and it annoyed him, but it was more the trigger and excuse than the entire view of his rage. Gladio’s not abusive or exaggerating or an idiot for screaming at Noctis for something that may seem so trivial; what he talks about is only the trigger, the tip of the iceberg. The real thing hides underneath and behind.

Usually, when we have a trigger of these sorts, we end up going back to the real reason even if just indirectly.

It happens a lot to me with my mom. She’s a bit explosive as well, and I’m super understanding about this issue of people’s emotions and not digging into stereotypes, and I tend to listen very well, so I’m usually her target when she wants to rant about something. And one day you can see her getting upset at me for something like not washing a fork, and three minutes into her rage, she’s talking about why her brothers don’t support or help her when she needs it. 

It has nothing to do with the fork. If I wasn’t as understanding as I am, I’d think all the outrage was towards me, against me, because of the fork. But I know the fork was only her trigger, and the real reason goes deeper and into other things. 

And what does Gladio say?

He starts talking about the ring, but then, a bit out of place without being too out of place “Ignis took one for you too, and for what!?”

Hm? *wiggles eyebrows*

And you know why my mom usually rages at me (without insulting or harming me in any way)? Because she knows I understand, I never yell back, and because she trusts me. 

It’s easy for emotions to break free without your consent in front of people you trust. 

So Gladio’s outrage doesn’t only mean he was sad, frustrated and scared, it can also speak about his trust into Noctis. Honestly, if he wouldn’t believe in him, he wouldn’t have given a damn about the ring. But he wants Noctis to grow as a mature king and fill his role and be responsible and he knows he can do it, so that Noctis is not doing it angers him because he knows he can, and it just triggered him.

Besides, Gladio grows with this idea that he has to be some sort of mentor and guide for Noctis, his protector, the brotherly figure that should be wise and that will “focus when Noctis can’t”. So the adviser having the moral down in the dumps, and Prompto having no official duty, Gladio must feel, consciously or not, that it’s on his hands to take the reins and do something, and he wants to put Noctis in his place and be the main column to keep things up.

But Gladio, by this point, is so frustrated himself. Imagine trying to lift everyone’s spirits when honestly you don’t want to or can’t. Of course it turns into frustration, because he knows what’s needed but he doesn’t have it, but no one else has it, so he tries to force himself to it, and only ends up more angered and frustrated, and his attempt to lecture Noctis turns into an argument.

And just a friendly reminder: GLADIO IS ONLY 23 YEARS OLD. Nobody can expect him to be the wisest or anything. They’re all stupidly young, so young and put into situations that would freak anyone of any age out, especially someone their age, because they’re past the “I don’t understand, so I face it fearlessly” stage and the “I understand fully and have experience enough to face it” stage,t hey’re right in the middle, where they understand perfectly the risks and the problems, but don’t know how to deal with them.

Gladio’s 23. He’s young, he’s hot-headed at times, of course, of course. It happens. People in the early twenties still don’t know where and how to go, we’re not wise or mature enough yet as much as we think we are, and situations as hard and heavy as the guys face, of course it’ll throw them off-guard and out their knowledge and reach. 

To be honest, I think that to be so young, he did excepcionally good, incredibly excellent, facing everything. 

Having one breakdown is just natural and logical, and it doesn’t take any credit from him. It was fair; he had gone through the journey wise and strong, much wiser and stronger than anyone should ask from someone his age. So a breakdown was very well deserved. 

Thing is people don’t understand that “breakdown” is not only crying, it can also be anger, and it won’t stop being a breakdown. Different demonstrations, same thing. 

And even though I’m sure I’m forgetting something because I always post stuff forgetting about the best damn arguments or parts, this is what I think of Gladio’s outrage in the train, why I understand and support and love it, and why I think it’s natural and very well needed. 

I love you, Gladio. 

Skam Italia episode 7 reaction

Edoardo: looking good just by comparison.

Clip 1 - A sandwich and a spoon

This is not a substantial comment but Silvia’s sandwich made me hungry.

So Silvia made out with the famous Rocco Martucci? That was the guy eyeballing her? I guess since we got a visual, he can’t be Italian Julian Dahl.

If I didn’t know better from having seen where the storyline goes, I’d say Silvia does a fairly convincing job of acting like she doesn’t care about Edoardo. You know, except for the part where she’s already making travel plans to accompany them on their vacation.

Lmao, Silvia and Eleonora allowed this spoon sucking to go on when Martino was right there in their faces. I appreciated how awkward this scenario was and that like, none of them attempted to make small talk to distract from Fede’s innuendo.

Clip 2 - Skate park

That skate park looks fun. It kinda looks like a swimming pool that was converted into something else, based on the colors, but I’m assuming it was always a skate park. But on that note, the visuals and colors of Skam Italia are usually great. I’m not going to do an in-depth analysis at the moment but it seems like the majority of scenes are very warm with a lot of brown/orange/yellow, and sometimes they do a scene that sticks out to me because it’s so cool and blue. It’s all rather striking. And of all the remakes, this one is making the most of its setting (Skam Austin is doing some things with the city but I feel way more of a sense of place in Skam Italia than Druck or Skam France).

I like when the Isak character prods Eva a little to tell him what’s up, since I think it fits what Isak is about to do to her in a few scenes, and because I always wonder why Eva didn’t just tell Noora if she was feel guilty - it helps to have the prompt from Isak to get out her confession. That being said, Eva and Martino’s relationship has been established as close and comfortable on its own merits that I can certainly buy Eva opening up to him. They’ve put in the work to make them have a rapport.

Lmao, Martino making that hand motion about Fede and her spoon. Thanks for the S3 teaser!

Tiny thing but when Eva swallows out of anxiety, you can see Martino half out of frame swallow right after she does, like he’s got some conflict on his own. That might not even be a conscious choice but it’s a good acting detail nonetheless. I think I mentioned previously that these actors have known each other for years and it’s stuff like that, the mimicry and feeding off each other, which makes the chemistry more convincing.

Yeah, this is my favorite Eva-Isak friendship after the original by far, so it’s really going to sting when the reveal happens.

Clip 3 - The wall

I’m glad that Eleonora checked in whether Edoardo wrote back to Silvia before she snapped her back to reality. You know, just in case he did.

Also in this scene Silvia still seems stuck in Edoardoland and firmly convinced that he’s into her, whereas I remember Vilde seeming a little deflated and knowing that Noora would not approve of her talking about William when she entered the scene. She’s pretty good at putting up a confident front when she needs to.

I think Silvia’s hooking up with Rocco Martucci was a misguided attempt to make Edoardo jealous and get him back, which is too bad. I wish she was legit trying to have fun or move on. I know for plot reasons that’s not how it goes, but still.

Both Eleonora and Eva were very sweet to Silvia and not too harsh or judgmental.

I really love making it into a wall of conquests instead of the sweatshirts, and I appreciate that Silvia gets to save face a little bit since the sweatshirt is a public “I fucked Edoardo” marker but the wall gets to preserve her anonymity and (some of) her dignity while still communicating that the boys think of the girls as trophies. But I almost hate it, because now I need that scene where the girls paint over or draw or deface the wall in some way, and I don’t think I’ll get it. Give me that thing, Skam Italia! 

For a minute I thought Eva was going to pull out a marker or something and draw over the chart. 

Based off the wall, Rocco Martucci sure has been busy.

Clip 4 - Eva on the phone with “mom”

Federico roleplaying as Eva’s mom toward the end of that phone conversation … I’ve never been a huge fan of P-Chris or any version of this character but this is a detail I often forget and I have no idea why, it’s one of the best things he ever did.

Gio deserves all the roasting he can get about his weed use. It’s nice that he’s being honest about having weed on him, but like … she’s made it clear he behaves like an asshole when he’s high, and that this isn’t some vague ideological problem for her but something based on his past behavior. So some of the banter is cute and all but him offering her some pot, even in a joking way, annoys me more than it should with this dynamic in mind. Dammit, Gio.

Clip 5 - Eleonora goes in on Edoardo

Silvia opening with some random mundane topics was kind of cute - either a bit clueless and rambling, much like her many many texts to the girls, or you can also take away that she was building up to the big news and trying to psych herself up.

I’m glad Eva called Sana on the dignity comment since that always seemed like one of the least necessary Sana comments about Vilde, particularly in this context, and probably just egged her on to confront him.

Silvia didn’t need any convincing from the girls whereas Noora was encouraging Vilde in the other versions. Silvia is dead set on it.

I like how they built up to it with the catchy music that cuts out as Edoardo bursts Silvia’s confidence bubble.

Sooo … Edoardo is still a dick, but maybe less of a dick that William? Who knew?

He still does the fake forgetting Silvia’s name, and his comment about the wall is outright lying but not as personal of an attack. He does laugh more at her which is a dick move, especially in front of his crew. However, he doesn’t tell her she isn’t worth it.

“What were you doing behind the boys’ toilets?” I’m assuming he’s insinuating that she’s a slut? That’s horrible and Edoardo is a creep, but I also have less of a fuuuuuuck youuuuuuu feeling toward him. Because the whole thing about Vilde not being worth it/not being pretty enough plays directly into Vilde’s worst insecurities and body image. And we’ve seen that Silvia has the body image issues as evidenced by her picking at her sandwich. I’m not positive that Silvia has the same hangups about being labeled a slut? She has the hesitation to go upstairs with Eduardo and you could interpret that as fear of her reputation, but she’s also down to make out with Rocco Martucci and stresses that she wanted to.

So while I want to make it clear, Edoardo is being an asshole, and being called a slut is hurtful and misogynistic … I actually will find this easier to forgive than William’s comments. I mean it mostly depends on how Edoardo reacts in future episodes, whether he regrets it or not, how it all plays out, but so far he doesn’t have as high of a hurdle in getting me to like him. Like how is Edoardo going to justify his comments the same way in S2 when Eleonora calls him on it? It’s not the same context. (And again: NOT excusing slut-shaming but I think there may be a difference in terms of how someone with poor self-image might perceive this comment, because “slut” is an insult dependent on behavior, vs. telling someone they aren’t pretty enough which is perceived as a more inherent, unchangeable characteristic. But again, William’s comment directly feeds into Vilde’s ED; how will Edoardo’s comment affect Silvia on a similar level? “Slut” doesn’t have much to do with an ED, at least not in an obvious way.)

Lmao, I feel kinda gross writing anything vaguely positive about Edoardo in this scene, since “not as much of a dick as he could have been” is not a ringing endorsement, but since this incident is a huge roadblock in me liking William in the original version, it’s worth talking about.  

This was also the best version of this roasting in the remakes. Eleonora has the attitude to back up her comments, and Edoardo has some personality in how he responds to her. 

Love that Eleonora got in her comment about his stupid hair as a last dig, but also, Edoardo has the best hair of any of the Williams, IMO.

Clip 6 - Fight

Gio opens his mouth so much for the kisses, damn. I’m not knocking him, I would rather see enthusiastic kisses than a bunch of pathetic pecks, but the dude is like Pac-Man.

Um that bit about the teacher siding with Alice over Federico and making him run laps is really funny, but you can see why it would alarm Eva, because she realizes she’s on the side of the bad guy in this situation. Would the teacher side with Alice against Eva, too?

The fight was brutal! All the girls jumped in to protect Eva. Sana went in with the dictionary, Silvia with the backpack. Eleonora is straight-up snarling by the end. Eva wasn’t even fighting after a certain point, just standing back as her girls defended her. The most heartwarming brawl of all time.

General Comments:

How does Skam Italia have the worst Jonas (outside of Marlon from Skam Austin) and the best William? How?

Listen, I am really not expecting to love Eleonora/Edoardo or Edoardo himself. It’s not a relationship type I’m fond of, he’s not a character archetype I enjoy. But if they can eliminate the worst of his behavior and modify certain actions ... then I can be fine with him and with the ship. I am being very, very hesitant to assume Skam Italia will make enough radical changes just because they did a few things that weren’t as bad; however, I am willing to give it a chance. 

It’s kind of funny because there was a rumor going around that they’ll jump to Martino’s story in S2 instead of Eleonora’s and lmao, not sure how legit that is but of course they would do it for the one remake where I hate the William the least. Not that I’m objecting to the gay storyline getting the spotlight sooner, though I do wonder how they will adapt certain plot elements without the buildup (Eskild’s S2 introduction, Isak’s background storyline of dating Sara and living in the basement).

Skam Italia seems by far the most popular and well-liked of the European remakes, which I can quite understand. Skam France is too much of a copy without much of an individual personality and Druck, though I’ve liked many of the scenes and characters, has a lot of hiccups in terms of production and updates, which is unfortunately turning people off and making the show less accessible. Not to repeat myself too much but: I have some big gripes about Skam Italia but it’s for the most part consistent, is nicely made with beautiful locations and nice cinematography, and has integrated the local culture well, putting its own spin on the material and not being a direct copy. None of the actors have really wowed me so far but there are some likable personalities in the bunch. My hope is that they will keep it up and either improve on the Eleonora/Edoardo relationship, or do a respectful job of Martino’s story, depending on what S2 is. (Even though I don’t want them to attempt Evak 2.0 at all ... but that’s a larger topic.)

I’m not Italian so if I misunderstood or missed something, feel free to correct me. 

If you got this far, thank you for reading!