#promised to myself i won’t start a show especially a netflix one that isn’t renewed or has at least 3 seasons… i failed big time | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lover-of-trash-and-people · 3 years

Text

shadow and bone rewatch s1e6 while drinking mid-range scotch

I wish I have a face that is as unlined and pretty as Ben Barnes' when I'm 39

Arken you dirty dirty liar

the face Alek is making at his lies that he knows are lies firstly because he knows the art of lying so well and also because he can read people very well

okay Ivan is kind of a bad bitch with his smirk at Arken's lies

alek's eyes narrowing and his little smile when Arken says 'im an entertainer' bitch I love this show

*grabs hand, pulls up sleeve, and discovers Arken's hand is full of marks indicating successful passages through the fold* 'well, that is certainly entertaining' I love this man with all my heart

him screaming is so fucking hot, is that weird for me to say

Nina being the Darkling's spy is quite interesting

Ben giving the Darkling crazy eyes when Arken owns up to his guilt is so cool

also wtf is Arken a fool trying to negotiate with possibly the strongest man in the world

kind of loved the darkness literally eating him

also love Alina learning to use her powers better when she is alone than when she is with anyone else, wish we got to see the cut in this season as per the books, ah can't have everything I guess

the camera pan to Jesper's gun at his side, amazing

god Jessie is literally so beautiful I need to see her bring Alina to the peak of her power so bad

netflix you better renew this series to let the plot run to its completion

HOW THE FUCK DID THEY CAST THE CROWS SO PERFECTLY

INEJ FUCKING TREMBLING JUST THE TINIEST BIT AS SHE BOWS SLIGHTLY TO ALINA SGSHSBSJJSJSSJ MY TWO QUEENS

'And where is my Summoner?' my little Darklina heart ouchie I really wish you hadn't used and manipulated her like this Alek it was incredibly fucked up especially considering you actually caught feelings

'Ivan and I won't fail you' oh Fedyor my baby, my angel, you don't deserve what is coming

Helnik literally recreating Titanic lmao stop this is a joke

I too would jump off the raft if I came to consciousness to see a gorgeous woman with magical powers with her hand on my back

omg but why is ryevost so pretty though

'I know exactly how she felt. The King's soldiers treated me the same way... I'm not myself today.' why must you do this to me, why must you fuel my darklina soulmates agenda idiocy

I don't quite think I have a problem with the Zoya Darkling relationship as much as I have a problem with the line they chose to reveal it to use with.

my drink's over and I don't know if I should have another, considering that it's 7 am

the tenderness with which he looks at Zoya and takes her hand and then when he says 'I shall relax when I have Alina' makes me believe more that the man that is reduced to tears time and again in front of Alina could in fact be the master manipulator I know him to be

god I can't wait for Zoya's character arc

'I speak six languages, it's part of my job' why is Nina literally the fucking coolest

Alina blinding the oprichniki was so hot, I can't wait to see more of her power and her ruthlessness

I know I've said it before but good god is Jessie Mei Li gorgeous

HER LITTLE SMILE AMONGST ALL THE PANIC AS SOON AS SHE SEES MAL, THE AUDACITY OF THIS SHOW TO MAKE ME FEEL THIS WAY

THE SCORE COMING IN AT THE RIGHT MOMENT, THEIR HANDS MEETING, HER SMILE AGAIN DHDHSBSNSNSNSNAN IM IN PAIN

REALLY?! YOU'RE GONNA GO DIRECTLY FROM MALINA TO HELNIK WITH NO CONCERN FOR MY HEART?

I simply cannot get over Calahan's accent lmao it's really funny

'im not afraid of you' he says to the insanely gorgeous girl with magic

HIM HANGING HIS HEAD IN DEFEAT TO INDICATE NINA HAS MADE VALID POINTS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND I CAN'T BREATHE

'You're just a man. Like all the others.' she says and then forgets her train of thought looking at him as he strips. god I love this

not sleeping all night and then scotch is not a good idea, I think

'I promise not to ravish you' 'I hate the way you talk' her hand on his chest, his hand gripping hers, my fucking heart feels like it's about to explode

good god these shooting locations and sets are so beautiful

Alina throwing the flask at Mal and Mal going 'OI!' I fucking can't, I guess I am a

simp for childhood friends to lovers, give me more of that banter and childhood friend energy, I am thriving

wow it literally seems like they took book! Mal sl*tshaming book! Alina and made show! Alina sl*tshame show! Mal, hmm, interesting

'They would have split us up!' MAL'S LITTLE SMILE AT THIS, and the 'You wrote me letters?' Mal's nod, the Malina yearning stare, the Malina hug, 'thank you for finding me' 'always. I'll always find you.' NO MALINA YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE MADE ME ABSOLUTELY FUCKING FERAL

I understand they had to split time between my ravkan babies and the crows and that is why there were several aspects that were sort of not reflected on enough but Alina's training at the Little Palace, Alina's cut, Mal's personality, a teensy bit of backstory for the crows, maybe one lockpicking scene from my boy Kaz

random note: we have far too many idols and paintings and pictures and whatnot of Hindu deities in our house apart from the specially designed temple (we are Hindus, so maybe it's not that weird but it's a little weird)

Kaz's cane is a literal star, it's so beautiful my heart wants to explode

'Why would Heleen get the Crow Club?' *literally fucking gets up and walks aways instead of answering the fucking question* I LITERALLY CAN'T BREATHE I'M LOSING MY MIND

'I know that voice' WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO MAKE ME FIGHT FOR PLATONIC SHIPS IN FANDOMS

'We won't starve' omg get you someone who packs food for you when you go on the run together hiding from your ex who wants to capture you and use your powers as a weapon against your consent

Mal looking surprised at her summoning sunlight, Alina looking cautiously at him waiting for him to disapprove or run for the hills in fear or smth like that, 'I'm sorry it took me this long to see you... But I see you now' my dumb little shipper trash heart ouch

they really said we're gonna feed you this part asian couple as the protagonists in this show in 2021 and guess what I'm eating it's really tasty I'm very satisfied as a south asian

NINA'S LITTLE SMILE WHEN MATTHIAS WAKES UP WITH HIS ARM AROUND HER

'I can feel how much you hate sleeping next to me' 👀👀👀 BITCH SAID IMMA SPILL THE TEA AND THEN SHE DID

it's 8 am and guess what I'm getting another drink my parents have c*vid and are in govt qu*r*ntine centres there is nobody to supervise or stop me

I too say 'Why do you have to say things like that?' to my pretty crush when she flirts with me

Nina smiling at Matthias bragging about his conservative ways is my aesthetic

'No, it's not natural for someone to be as stupid as he is tall and yet, oh, there you stand.' MY FUCKING QUEEN

Matthias laughing uncontrollably at Nina saying something which isn't even that funny is a whole ass vibe

Kaz Brekker saying 'The Black General' ooh fuck yeah

YESSSS STEP OUT OF THAT CARRIAGE ALL SEXY BLACK GENERAL

isn't alcohol supposed to like kill germs? well, the amount in my system definitely will

I love my crows so much (always but this time particularly for setting that alarm in the stolen carriage)

ooh Polina recognising Inej by the knife yesss let's go writers

this Ivan Jesper showdown is all I needed from life and yet did not know about

Ivan taking off his cloak was, um, sexier than I wanted it to be

I just realised how thirsty I am going to sound in this post

'Has no one told you that keftas are Fabrikator-made and resistant to bullets, hmm?' 'Oh, I do love a challenge' LITERALLY EVERYTHING

im sorry to be pointing out flaws in a perfect show and adaptation but the line delivery on 'You robbed me of my brother, now I'll rob you of your life' from Polina was kind of weak

'You're a-' *gets knocked out with the back of a gun* LMAO we love the hints

got excited at the prospect of kaz v. zoya until I realised they will not be letting the opportunity of kaz v. darkling pass up

my goodness is Amita Suman a splendid actress

I AM NOT KIDDING WHEN I TELL YOU I SQUEALED WHEN I SAW DARKLES EMERGE OUT OF THE SHADOWS IN FRONT OF MY BABY BOY KAZ

THERE BEING ACTUAL FEAR OR ATLEAST DOUBT ON KAZ'S FACE, THE LITTLE BACK STEPS AS

THE DARKLING WALKS TOWARDS HIM, AAAAH I CAN'T

THE DARKLING STOPPING AT KAZ SAYING 'SHE FLED ON HER OWN' AND THE HINT OF TEARS THAT WE SEE IN HIS EYES

'IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR SHE WASN'T INTERESTED IN BEING A CAPTIVE ANYMORE' YOU TELL HIM, KING

*ACTUAL FUCKING TEARS IN THE DARKLING'S EYES AS THE SHADOWS APPROACH*

NOT ME YOWLING LIKE A HYENA THAT THIS CHILD OUTSMARTED THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN EXISTENCE WITH A FAKE MAGIC TRICK

'Are you sure you added enough cloves?' literally warranting a wide ass smile from my queen Alina making my entire fucking day

for some reason, no matter how much I push it from my mind, Ben Barnes dressed up as the Darkling, dancing to 'push it' keeps coming to mind, it's absolutely ridiculous

I got somehow distracted with interviews but good things came out of that as it gave my body the time for the booze to kick in

and I would just like to say that I love Leigh for all she has given me

Alina is so fucking compassionate, I have no much love for her. I can feel her guilt and her sorrow as Mal talks of Mikhail and Dubrov

don't particularly like how the stag plotline is woven in, could have been executed better

'You're afraid you might start to like me?' *flaps furs like a bird's wings in frustration*

'I DO like you' my fucking heart you idiots

the sexual tension is so palpable and the moment is so intimate I simply cannot

OMG SHE FUCKING FELL

that moment where you think he might let her fall despite having read the books and he doesn't and he tells her his name I- <3

YOU DARE TRANSITION FROM A HELNIK SCENE TO A KANEJ SCENE YOU REALLY HAVE NO MERCY FOR MY HEART HUH

people have talked about this endlessly but Freddie's little jaw tic after he says Inej because Inej is wounded and he can't physically bring himself to help her I fucking cannot

THE MUSIC PICKING UP AS KAZ LOOKS TO THE DARKLING'S CARRIAGE I CAN'T WITH THIS SHOW ANYMORE

and now for one of my favorite scenes in television and cinematic history, David Kostyk throwing a book at Jesper Fahey without even knowing who he is merely because he opens the door of his carriage and says hello to him before getting knocked out by Kaz Brekker while trying to run away

Immediately followed by another, the scene with David Kostyk raising his finger to put forward his point in front of the Darkling and the Darkling trying to let him know he doesn't have to before obliging is one of my favourite scenes in the world

also sir please stop being devastatingly attractive in your glorious appearance with your face and your black kefta and cloak because all that comes to mind is Ayesha Erotica's Emo Boy and I'm afraid that is terribly inappropriate.

'No, you look great.' *literally looks down from embarrassment or blushing* MALINA RIGHTS?

THE LOOK ON THE DARKLING'S FACE BEFORE HE SAYS 'NO ORDINARY TRACKER, NO ORDINARY GIRL' BITCH IM OUT OF BREATH

'ORPHANS OF KERAMZIN, REUNITED.' 'ADORABLE.' HE FUCKING SNEERED IRL I FUCKING CANNOT

GOD IT'S SO GOOD

35 notes · View notes

autumnsart22 · 3 years

Text

Oikawa x reader ch. 3

Ok, finally get some Oikawa lmao. Let me know if you guys are liking this or if it’s too slow or something

Anxiety curled in my stomach as the end of the day approached. I skipped the rest of my classes with Kiyoko, and instead we went into town to get daifuku and bubble tea to make me feel better. By the time we got back to school, volleyball practice was in ten minutes and I could already hear the shouts of the boys inside the gym.

Kiyoko gave my hand a squeeze as we approached the doors, and I tried for a smile. She was right; none of them would blame me in any way. I was more afraid that Tanaka or Nishinoya would go hunt down my mom and kill her.

The entire team was already dressed and in the gym as Kiyoko and I entered, most of them stretching or starting to toss balls. Couch Ukai and Takeda sat on one of the benches along the side of the gym, and Kiyoko and I headed in their direction.

“Ayoooo! Kiyoko and Y/n-chan!” Tanaka pumped his fists, and I laughed and waved, my sadness easing for a moment before returning full force as I remembered that my days in this gym were limited.

“Alright team!” Couch Ukai stood up and called for the team’s attention. They gathered quickly, most carrying volleyballs as they circled up. “Today we will be focusing on defense. In our last practice game our offense was clearly doing better than our defense, and while this is partially an asset, it’s important to be strong on multiple fronts. To start out, we’ll do a warm up of three flying laps and a few passes, but then I want to get into receives. Got it?”

The team let out a responding, “Yes coach!” and moved to begin their laps.

“Coach…” I turned to Ukai as the boys began to circle the gym, careful to keep my voice down. “I have something I have to tell you.”

I quickly filled him in, holding back renewed tears as I relayed the information. Coach Ukai looked shocked and appalled when I finished, running a hand along his hair, which was pulled back in a headband.

“I am very sorry to hear that, Y/n. Is there any way I can speak to your parents?”

“I appreciate that, senpai, but I don’t think it will do anything. They’re fixed when it comes to certain things.”

I let out a long sigh and turned my gaze to my team, who were just finishing their flying laps. Yamaguchi was speaking animatedly to Tsukki, who nodded along with his usual bored expression. Daichi and Asahi were clearly trying to demonstrate something to Kageyama, who looked extremely pissed off. Tanaka, Hinata, and Noya were all in a circle, practically buzzing with energy as they played a vicious game of slap jack. Suga stood next to them, clearly trying to calm them down.

I pressed my lips together, and I felt a heavy hand on my shoulder.

“I’m very sorry to see you go, Y/n-san. You were an excellent manager and a great addition to our team.”

I nodded and thanked coach Ukai, knowing that he wasn’t just saying that to make me feel better. It was nice to know he really meant it.

The rest of the practice flew by, and I cheered on the boys as best I could like I usually did. I saw Suga and Daichi give me a few concerned looks, clearly noticing something off. I waved them off though, not wanting to ruin their practice. I would tell everyone later.

Darkness fell quickly, and it was too soon before coach Ukai was calling everyone back together. The familiar smell of sweat and sneakers filled my nostrils as the whole team gathered up once again. Being 5’3, I really didn’t even come close to the height of most of the boys on the team. I felt like I was surrounded by giants every time I stood next to any of them besides Hinata or Noya.

“Good job today boys,” Ukai said, grinning. “You’re really improving. By the time spring nationals come around, I think you’ll be an excellent team with an actual fighting chance of winning.”

He paused, gaze shifting to me. I let out a long breath and straightened my shoulders, trying to ease the knot in my chest before I spoke.

“I-I have some news everyone,” I murmured, and then cleared my throat, raising my voice. “My mom has decided to transfer me to Aoba Johsai high school, so I won’t be able to be your manager anymore.”

For a moment there was complete silence, which was rare for the team. Everyone looked completely shocked. But then the room exploded in noise.

“Wait what?!”

“No way!”

“You can’t!”

“That’s so unfair!”

Tanaka, Hinata, and Noya’s faces were twisted in outrage as they yelled over each other. Daichi and Suga gaped at me in silent shock, and even Tsukki’s eyebrows were raised.

Yamaguchi stepped forward, eyes wide on my face. “But-but you can’t leave! You’re our manager!” His cheeks had tiny spots of red and his eyes looked a bit glassy.

I felt my lower lip begin to tremble and I hugged the freckled boy tightly. I didn’t want to leave.

“Y/n,” Daichi’s face was serious. “Is there no way you can get out of this?”

I shook my head sadly, shoulders slumping. “My mom is serious about this, and I know she won’t change her mind.”

“That’s so unfair!” Hinata cried, his orange hair bouncing as he punched the air. Kageyama nodded, his eyebrows lowered in anger.

“Isn’t Aoba Johsai a powerhouse school?” Suga asked, looking at me.

I shrugged. I had heard of Seijoh of course, but I didn’t pay much attention to them beyond basic information.

“Oikawa goes there,” Kageyama muttered, eyes flashing. I had heard of the team captain a bit, mostly through insults from Kageyama. Apparently he was an arrogant, prideful, cocky, and cunning setter who manipulated his team. Not exactly someone I would want to get to know.

“It’s going to be boring without you here, Y/n-chan.” Asahi hugged me, practically lifting me off my feet and distracting me from worrying about Oikawa. I buried my face in his chest, feeling the tears coming.

“You’ll visit right? You promise?” Nishinoya wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, squeezing me so hard I wheezed.

“Of course I’ll visit. As often as I can.”

The rest of the team joined the hug, until I was smashed against twelve sweaty boys and could barely breathe. Tears spilled over my cheeks, but my face was hidden by a collection of different volleyball jerseys, so I didn’t worry about it. None of them would care if I cried anyway.

I was going to miss my team so much.

✨✨✨✨✨

Monday came too quickly. I spent Friday and the weekend with Kiyoko and some of the team, enjoying my last time being a Karasuno student. I tried talking to my parents at one point, but neither of them paid me any sort of attention besides annoyed glares at interrupting their work calls.

By the time Sunday night came around, I was a bundle of nerves and sadness. Being a new student was always hard, but especially since it was already midway through the year and I didn’t know anyone.

I, being the overly anxious person that I was, laid out my outfit the night before and tried to distract myself by watching a few episodes of a new show on netflix. It didn’t really work, but I eventually fell asleep.

The next day was a rush of clothes, brushing hair and teeth, and running to my car after skipping breakfast because I was too nervous to eat. As I pulled out of my driveway, I had to remind myself not to turn right, which would have taken me to Karasuno. Instead, I set a new location on Google Maps and followed the directions to my new high school.

Finding parking and making my way to the main office was way more stressful than I expected, and the day had only just begun. Luckily, the woman at the front desk walked me through how to get to each of my classes and how the schedule for the year worked, so I didn’t have to figure that out on my own. I still got lost on my way to my first class, but luckily I made it on time and was able to talk to the teacher beforehand. He found me a desk and quickly explained a bit of catch up work I would have to do, but it wasn’t too bad, luckily. The rest of the class was boring, as was the rest of the day. I ate alone in my car, avoiding all social interaction with the Aoba Johsai students. I missed my friends.

Oikawa POV:

I sat in class, bored out of my mind. As my math teacher droned on, I played volleyball techniques over and over in my head, trying to picture the best way to carry out the perfect set for Iwaizumi during practice today. My long fingers tapped against my notebook, which was open but completely blank in front of me. I wasn’t the best notetaker, unless it included volleyball in some way.

I glanced over to the side, stretching, and my eyes caught on a flash of unfamiliar hair. New student?

She sat one row over, her hair pulled up in a messy bun as she bent over her desk, furiously taking notes off the whiteboard. She wore a simple tank top and cardigan with jeans, and a pair of glasses slid down her nose. Nothing really remarkable there. Pretty, but not out of the ordinary.

I ran a finger through my brown hair, tugging on the silky strands as I turned back towards the front of the class. I was curious about why the girl had joined so late in the year, but the bell was about to ring, and I didn’t care enough to stay and ask her.

Chapter 2

Chapter 4

#oikawa tooru #oikawa toru x reader #oikawa fluff #oikawa x reader #oikawa torū #haikyu x reader #haikyuu!!#fanfic #fandom

5 notes · View notes

hana-bean · 3 years

Text

Below is my personal English translation of Ayumi Hamasaki’s song, “Party queen” from her album of the same title. The original lyrics could be construed to reflect a relatively lighthearted message—Ayu having a fun night out drinking with friends—but mine, not so much, as I explore a dark time in my life.

When the album first dropped in March 2012, I was 23 years old at the time and Ayu was 33. At first, I viewed this album (especially the first three songs) as Ayu having a midlife crisis. Historically, she rarely recorded such blatant party jams as we knew her more for her ballads and summer bops. Also she was coming off pretty fresh from her first divorce. Of course I still listened to the album on repeat because my love goes deep, but I definitely remember it not being an easy sell for me.

Then the years went by. I found myself nearing 30 in a bad place mentally and emotionally. I was floating through a crumbling life, purposeless and useless; I lost several friendships within a few months, was completely unlucky in love, and strived to please others all the while disrespecting myself, gaining nothing but heartache and shame. Each of these elements played into and begat one another in a vicious cycle, spiraling me down to my rock bottom. I would try to find peace, or at least numb the pain, with bar-hopping and wine nights with friends. If not that, then I was in bed burying myself in takeout and Netflix.

During that time, I re-discovered the song, and then finally I felt like I understood. Sometimes life is just fucking hard and we lose control. Sometimes we just want to disassociate and escape. Sometimes we just want to party. This most likely isn’t the message Ayu is sending, but through the filter of my unwell mind, that was how the song made me feel, and I would think, “Maybe she was hurting so much, just like me.”

I by no means was or am an alcoholic, and this very, very loose translation is by no means meant to endorse alcoholism. It simply is a way to describe my experience in a time of depression and focus on a moment of vulnerability. It is from the perspective of the drink, or the shoulder devil, or even that instigative friend, tempting and taunting you at the same time. On one hand, alcohol can be a way to calm down, but on the other, it can amplify those feelings we wish to escape. It’s all fun when the music is blaring and our friends are there to distract us, but when we’re laying on our couch still dressed and unable to close our eyes because the room won’t stop spinning, we discover our problems never left in the first place.

Things did end up changing. Over time, I found healthier solutions to my sadness and stress, fostering positive growth and a renewed love for myself. Yes I still have my bad times, but my experience has made me into a stronger person mentally, and I am able to handle stress a lot better. It could be argued this comes naturally with growing older and “wiser.” Though, I also understand this isn’t how the story goes for everyone. If anyone is struggling with depression or alcoholism, please seek help.

Also please note: I am a huge fan of Ayu and love and respect her as any true fan does. I do not mean in the slightest to bastardize Ayu’s original lyrics or imply my words are better or are what she really meant to say. This is a reflection of how the song made me feel during a particularly sensitive time. While writing this, I did reference an English translation of her lyrics to include her influence as much as possible.

I love you all.

---

Saturday night

And the hour of happiness starts again (Kampai!)

After that first sip, keep on going until you feel no tension

And it is just like magic, rosiness bringing out your delight

So just please enjoy the ride, let all my gold bubbles carry you throughout the night

I know the dreams that hide deep within your heart

And I know that which makes you stand apart

Allow me to solve whatever’s wrong in your life

I promise you only a good time

I’ll drown anxiety with a shot of repose

And bitterness with some lemon and gin

The drama will only be shaken, not stirred

As long as you don’t let me go

I am the Party queen

We need a drink!

The hour of happiness goes on (Kampai!)

Now here comes the final sip, oh no, wait, here comes another shot

I know the fears that hide deep within your head

And I know all the things you wish to forget

Allow me to remind you of all your shortcomings

You’ll feel it all come morning

I’ll counter all your doubts with some liquid courage

And fill emptiness with an ounce of love

You’ll find fun at the bottom of the king’s cup

Just make sure you don’t let me go

I’ll turn your hopelessness into blurry memories

And color your night three sheets of black

The only thing on the rocks is your double

As long as you don’t let me go

I am the Party queen

Let’s not think of the headache of tomorrow or the ache within us that we can’t show

Tonight we raise our glasses high with twitching smiles… There is no need to thank me

-Party queen

#song lyrics #party queen #personal translation #depression

2 notes · View notes

beautifulboycast-blog · 6 years

Text

Nat's TV round up - 2017 in Review

Television is an unusual beast when we discuss how great it is. The last year marked a few key notes, notably the increasingly large presence that streaming services have thanks to A Handmaid’s Tale, which went on to win Best Drama at the Emmy's, becoming the first streaming show to do so. Normally, it would be smarter to discuss television in the middle of summer when most notable series are in-between seasons. That's no longer the case, thanks in large part to streaming services, as well as basic and premium cable.

I don't have a list of every show I watched this past year and I won't be handing out a dozen awards for how great a singular show was. Instead, I'll offer up three separate awards: Best Returning Series, Best New Series and Best Animated Series. It's pretty self explanatory. Best Returning series is for shows that are in their second season or beyond. Best New Series is for shows in their first season, mini-series included. Best Animated series is simply for animated shows in general which are no longer following the strict yearly season format of live action shows.

Best Returning Show: Game of Thrones (Season 7) There really wasn't another option. Despite the season being a few episodes shorter and arriving in the middle of summer as opposed to its usual spring premiere, game of thrones remains the best show currently airing. Season 7 had a slower start, but quickly catalyzed into one grand moment after another. The thrilling seven episodes that aired featured massive battles on the water, on the ground and in the frozen wastes beyond the wall. Gone are the slow politically driven conversations that were featured in earlier seasons, only fitting and satisfying conclusions to loose ends remain.

Perhaps the only detractor for this season is the smaller episode count. While the cast is much smaller this season, the missing few hours of content would have been appreciated to once again flesh out conversations and character motivations. And while the finale promises even greater things for season 8, the wait until then is an unpleasant one. The final season probably won't see light until 2019.Game of Thrones remains the only show on tv that sends the collective masses into hysteria. Season 7 led to more “Did you catch that?” moments than any other season yet and we hope the wait for season 8 isn't too long. Perhaps some news on those spin offs would be enough to keep us from going insane? Your move, HBO.

Highlight moment: Episode 4 - The Spoils of War This episode features the single greatest battle in game of thrones yet. It's the only time in recent memory where my jaw was on the floor in awe. I actually had a fork in my hand when the scene started and by the end it had fallen to the floor. For what was only about half an hour, I was 100% drawn in with zero distractions to my television screen. It wasn't a plot twist or a satisfying end to a subplot. No, the greatest moment in television last year was something that only multi-million budgeted movies get right and it was glorious.

Other Notable Series

Stranger Things (Season 2): This is probably the closest a returning series got to beating out Game of Thrones and it wasn't even close. Stranger Things continued the story of the first season with all of its 80’s charm. This season, however, loses points for splitting up its characters too often and the pacing issues it suffers. While there is some great action and character moments (Dustin is the star of this season), it just doesn't hold a candle to Thrones.

Comedy Series (Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Modern Family, The Good Place): This is my junk food. I love comedy series and these are the four most notable ones that I keep track of. Always Sunny continues to be one of the best written shows on tv and the season finale was fantastic. Here's hoping for at least one more season from the gang. Brooklyn Nine-Nine had an excellent year notably for tackling issues like police brutality and the rights of the accused, something that would have never happened on a network comedy ten years ago. Modern Family had a decent year and here's hoping that the series reaches its conclusion soon. Some of the jokes are starting to get old and the lack of interesting new characters has made the series start to become stale. The Good Place is the most recent series on the list. I loved the twist ending to season one and the direction season two has taken so far. There's a lot of potential here.

House of Cards (Season 5): Oh how the mighty have fallen. A year ago I was so excited for House of Cards to return and now I'm ready to put it out of its misery. Production issues aside, season 5 was a bloated mess that took an idea and spent an entire season trying to make it come off as a big deal. All it left was the watering down of Frank Underwood as a character and a sloppy gateway for a sixth season. Luckily season 6 is coming so our other lead, Claire Underwood, will have a fitting conclusion.

Orange is the New Black (Season 5): After struggling to find its footing a few seasons ago, Orange is the New Black is stronger than ever, mixing comedy with real drama. Most of season five deals with the aftermath of the final episode of season 4 and the writers run with it. My only concern is the show’s main character, Piper, taking a back seat for most of the season. Here's hoping she plays a larger role in season 6.

Better Call Saul (Season 3): With it's best season under its belt, Better Call Saul remains one of the best shows on tv that unfortunately isn't garnering the audience it deserves. Season 3 picked up the pace and is slowly transforming into its own beast of a show outside of its predecessor’s shadow. While AMC isn't the Titan it was a few years ago, their commitment to this series gives me hope that its wings won't be clipped too soon as there's a lot of potential here. Please, please check this show out. It's well worth it.

Best New Series - Glow: I made it a goal in 2017 to check out new series whenever I could. While I didn't watch as many new shows as I had hoped, I found myself struggling to crown a winner for best new series. I ultimately settled on Glow, a new series from Netflix starring Community-alumni, Alison Brie. Set in the 1980’s, Glow is a show about a group of wannabe actors and wash ups, trying their hand at women’s professional wrestling. As someone who has always loved the absolute cheesiness of professional wrestling, watching a show about it is a treat. The series is a comedy with some dramatic moments, similar to Orange is the New Black. In fact, the series has a lot in common with Orange is the New Black, but wins out for having a greater sense of theming. It knows it's a comedy and plays with it perfectly.

The biggest detractor is the length. At ten episodes with a 30 minute run time, the show is over just as it really begins to get good. Netflix has renewed the series for a second season, but still at only 10 episodes. An additional 5 episodes in the season would have been perfect. It would also give the large supporting cast a chance to shine.

I'm eager to watch more of Glow and I think it has the legs to replace some of the older shows in Netflix’s line-up in the coming months. Highlight moment: Episode 10 - Money’s in the Chase The entire season is building up towards their first public performance and the season finale spends its entire run time showing us that performance. I loved this as it really feels like we're watching the show with the audience. It's full of some great twists and some absolutely corny wrestling moves. Here's hoping season 2 features more of these performances.

Other Notable series:

Ozark: My runner up for best new series. I really enjoyed this show, especially Jason Bateman as the lead. It has a similar theme to Breaking Bad, which is always fantastic. The biggest problem for Ozark is that I'm afraid it won't have the legs to last more than a few seasons. I could be wrong, but that and some pacing issues are what made me choose Glow over it for best new series.

Mindhunter: This show has an absolutely horrible pilot, but a pretty solid show follows that. I'm excited to see where the series goes from here. The pilot almost killed the series for me and hints of its problems last throughout. Poor direction, awkward camera angles and bloated writing aside, the show gets better the more you watch.

A Handmaid’s Tale: I believe I'm one of the few people out there who did not enjoy this series. It's well made and the acting is top notch. I have no major problems with the series from a design standpoint. It's the story and characters that lose me. Everything is so drab and dull. I never cared for the characters because they kept trying to keep things a mystery. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood or mind set for this show. I found the most interesting character to be on who barely appears in the show and one that they inevitably cut out entirely. I expect a season 2 for the show and hopefully it'll grab me. Until then, I would say to watch the first episode and see if it's your style. If not, it's worth skipping.

Girl Boss: There is nothing notable about this show. It isn't good. It's not necessarily hot garbage either. It can be funny, but it isn't hilarious. It's 100% average, or perhaps, mediocre. Why does that matter? Because this was the first “Netflix original series" that I experienced like this. Netflix has pumped out some garbage before, but they usually let you know in advance. Not this time. Girl Boss was hyped up to be another great series from the streaming giant and it failed to make an impact. I guess that explains why it was cancelled, a rarity for Netflix.

Best Animated Series: My Hero Academia (Season 2) If there’s one thing I watched more of in 2017 than previous years, it was anime. While it was mostly re-watching various Dragon Ball related shows, I decided to check out a new series that my friends had been raving about. That new series was My Hero Academia. I thought the 13 episode season one was good enough. It had an amazing set up for the world and the characters started to grow on me towards the end. Season 2 is fantastic. It covers three arcs from the manga in 25 episodes and really begins to put the series into perspective. I normally avoid long running series like this until they’re closer to the end, but this is my exception. Season 3 is coming sometime in 2018 and I’m excited to start reading the manga soon. This is an absolutely fantastic series with some great fight scenes, interesting characters and really well done animation.

Highlight Moment: Episode 10 - Shoto Todoroki: Origin Season 1 introduced us to a lot of new characters, but only a handful got enough time to be fleshed out. Season 2 began to fix this immediately by turning Todoroki into Deku’s (Our protagonist) main rival. The entire arcs lasts for most of the season, but it’s the fight between Todoroki and Deku that puts this show as my favorite of the year. Weaving an origin story into the series’ biggest fight yet is a major undertaking, but doing it this well is a masterstroke. Much like the massive battles in game of thrones, I was left speechless while watching this episode. What makes it even better is that the entire arc has no villain. It’s simply our heroes battling for the spotlight in one of the best made tournament arcs in recent memory.

Other Notable Series:

Attack on Titan (Season 2): I watched the first season of AoT back in 2015 and fell in love with the series. I dropped it after catching up on the manga, however. With Season 2 releasing in the states finally, I picked the series back up and I’m in love once more. Season 2 has better pacing than season 1, but suffers from a shorter episode count (12 episodes vs the 25 from season 1). Because of that the story can feel a bit uneven especially with a major plot reveal happening at the very end of the last episode. The animation is still top notch though, perhaps even better than season 1. And thankfully, season 3 will be airing sometime next year. No more half decade wait times. Rick and Morty (Season 3): Speaking of wait times, thank god Rick and Morty is back. I was considering giving this my best animation series award, but it came up short compared to My Hero. I had a blast with season 3 however. It was laughing the entire time, even if some of the episodes weren’t as funny as others. Bob’s Burgers, South Park (Season 21) and Bojack Horseman (Season 4): I guess this is like my catch all category? Regardless, I enjoy all three of these series and felt like each of them had a somewhat decent 2017. Bob’s Burgers is basically my junk food cartoon show, even if it’s starting to wear a bit thin. South Park had a decent season; one that I enjoyed more as I watched it while playing the latest south park game. And of course, Bojack came around for a fourth season. It wasn’t quite as good as season 3, but I still enjoyed it.

That wraps it up for my favorite shows of 2017. I mentioned quite a few shows that I’m looking forward to in 2018 before, but I’ll give special mention to Westworld which is returning for its second season soon. I should also mention that there are a few shows from 2017 that I’ve been meaning to catch up on, but haven’t had the time. It mostly includes seasons released in December and I’ll get to them eventually. If I feel the need to discuss them further, I’ll write up a separate piece.

Until next time. Continue enjoying the new year and stay beautiful.

#beautiful boycast #beautiful blog #television #2017 in review #best tv #tv #beautiful boys

0 notes