"Dear God, what am I doing. This is half a man." funniest line ever because woody is saying it as he's drawing a picture of the knife that killed this guy. with a dry erase marker. on the guy's body.

This week, Tim & Maggie are joined by Chief Vick (aka Kirsten Nelson) to talk about an episode she wasn't even in. That's right, we're talking about Season Four Episode Fifteen: The Head, The Tail, The Whole Damn Episode. Or as Tim likes to call it "Sharky Shark."

I've finished Psych so

Psych – 4.15: The Head, The Tail, The Whole Damn Episode

Psych (2006-2014) 4.15 | The Head, the Tail, the Whole Damn Episode

Psych | 4.15: The Head, the Tail, the Whole Damn Episode

shout out to "the head, the tail, the whole damn episode" for being the shassie episode <3

like literally. shawn comes up with the ship name in it and tells lassiter hes never been so in love with him

Lassiter in s4e15 “The Head, The Tail, The Whole Damn Episode”:

oooh for blurb night (and if you've blurbed something like this already feel free to ignore!!) does lexi ever get subjected to any nastiness on social media or even in person? some of these fans take it a little too far, as we've all seen 😬

!!!!!!!!!! We have not talked about this yet. We talked about this with Emma. But we all know Lexi gets it and it’s bad. Nico does his best to protect her, but there is only so much he can do.

Lexi is unusually quiet tonight. At first, Nico didn’t think anything of it. She has been struggling since she quit her job, feeling like a “useless sack of potatoes” (her words) while flipping through various comedy shows trying to get a laugh. The truth is, she’s still grieving the loss of her special patient, and it’s going to take a long time until she moves through the process.

But this quiet tonight also comes with a distance that doesn’t sit well with Nico. He thinks of that as he wipes his hands off on the kitchen towel after finishing washing the knives from dinner. Then, he moves around the island to stand by her head in the living room.

“I’m gonna watch some film, unless you want to catch another episode of Gilmore Girls?” Nico asks, tugging her pony tail where it flops over the arm of the couch. She shakes her head no without looking at him. Nico sighs, coming around to squat in front of her. He examines her face, pursing his lips in sadness at how hollow her gaze looks. “Baby, I’m worried about you. What’s up?” 

“Why are you with me?” Nico blinks back at her in surprise. He did not expect that question.

“What?”

“Why are you with me?”

“There are a million reasons. But if I had to sum it up in a sentence or two, it’s because you’re the best person I know and I can’t live without you.”

“You could do so much better.” She whispers as tears fill her eyes. Nico lowers his eyebrows in confusion. This is not like her.

“Lex, what is going on?” Nico scoots her over until her back presses into the large cushions fully. She begins to sob, hiding her face as Nico curls her into his chest. 

“People are being so mean to me on social media. And I can take it, Neeks. I can take so much if it means that I get to have you forever, but they’re going to a whole new level that I just… don’t.. know how to deal with.” She begins to sob harder. 

“Baby, I am going to fix this. Tell me what happened. I’ll take care of it.”

“How? Are you going to shut down the internet for me?”

“I fucking will if I have to, yeah.” This gets her to smile through her tears. Damn does he love her. He would go find every serve in the world and rip the cords out himself if it meant she wouldn’t cry like this because people were mean to her. Because of him. They attack her because he loves her. How unfair is that?

“Someone DMed me on Instagram asking if I knew how unworthy of you I was….” She sighs afterwards, tugging at the drawstring of his sweatshirt. “Like how do you get out of bed with so much ugly audacity?” She repeats.

“But you know that isn’t true.” He strokes her wet cheek, then tilts her chin back so she looks into his eyes again. 

“Yeah… I mean, for the most part. But, sometimes…. I’m just not sure.” 

“Oh Lex.” He breathes out a heavy breath, feeling his heart break. “Am I doing something wrong that makes you feel like that?”

“No! God, no, Nico you are… perfect. But, they get into my head… and I’ve been in such a bad place.” 

“I wanna fix this for you. Wanna soothe every crack and hurt in your heart, baby.” He kisses her lips desperately as he says it.

“You can’t.” She eases the burden for him. 

“What can I do?” Lexi contemplates, slowly blinking, really contemplating what she needs from her boyfriend right now. 

“Maybe you could take over my social media accounts and change the passwords, so I can’t login right now? I shouldn’t be on anything. Not until I heal. I can’t seem to hold myself accountable to that commitment.”

“Done. What else?” 

“Hold me. All night… until we are tired lumps, melded together with no ending.” Nico chuckles. 

“Okay. Here or in bed?”

“Bed.” It’s a heavenly sigh that tells Nico he’s getting lucky tonight.

After Lexi falls asleep, Nico maneuvers his arms around her and pulls her phone up. He makes a list of all the people sending her awful messages and blocks them, then he logs into his account and blocks them on his as well, across all social medical platforms until all that is left is praise, love, and appreciation for his beautiful girl.

Nobody makes his girl feel like not enough. Nobody.

And if this continues, this Devil is going to unleash hell.

Loki Episode 5 Coherent Thoughts

Spoilers for Episode 5. Once again, I have not rewatched before posting.

Most of this is lokius related because I'm still a damn fool.

I want the twist at the end to be that Loki gives Mobius (and the others) back his memories to give him the choice to go back to his life, and is just really sad about it, because he expects Mobius to want to go back to his kids who don't have a mother. But he gives him his memories of his past and they're... not what he saw when he found him. Like at all. I'm not gonna speculate on specifics (*cough* Theo Bell *cough*) but he doesn't have the responsibilities of being a single parent. And Loki's like 'No, but you had two boys,' and he tells Mobius about them and they both kind of realize at the same moment that they looked like Mobius but acted like Loki. None of that was real. Mobius made all that shit up and it somehow manifested. Because he's got it B-A-D for Loki, like a middle schooler with their first crush imagining an entire life with them.

Alternatively, I saw only one other post about this but maybe it's gotten some traction by now, but maybe Mobius's wife got Blipped four years prior. So the good thing is the boys are gonna have a parent in a year even if Mobius decides to stay with Loki.

Hi hello I'm still disturbed that these very young children have been possibly left home alone for eight hours (he says his shift is 9-5), and Mobius couldn't even answer the phone when they called. We don't see a babysitter. Mobius, this is neglect. For the children's sake, I fucking hope either A. they aren't real, or B. a more responsible parent is about to come back and take care of them in 2023. (Ugh, but Love having cousins who are about her age and just as chaotic as she is would be amazing.)

I've come up with the worst Dad joke and a way for Mobius to get out of his bribery with his kid he for sure cannot deliver on. He brings OB around for dinner. OB's timeline name (if I read the subtitles correctly) is A.D. Doug. ADDOUG=A DOG. And his TVA name is Ouroboros, the SNAKE eating its own tail. (Alternatively, you now know Loki, you can borrow his sons Fenrir and Jormungandr. Blended family.)

I know it hasn't been explicitly stated, but I thought the whole thing with Alioth in season one was meant to imply that Loki now knows how to restore memories. So why the fuck doesn't he try it in this episode? Even if he's pretty sure they're all where they were prior to the formation of the TVA, it's still after for him, so why wouldn't he at least try it? When he kept moving toward Mobius in the garage scene I thought he was gonna grab his head but he doesn't. (Maybe he was interrupted by OB, but he has ample opportunity later.)

It just needs to be said because I love history. I am obsessed with Casey being Frank Morris. Both he and Loki being central to these ongoing (technically) mysteries is amazing. Like unlike Cooper it is generally accepted that Frank and his co-escapees drowned during the attempt, but no bodies identified as the men were ever found (if my shallow dive into the wiki article immediately following the episode is to be believed). OB, your boyfriend's a convict lolololol!

AD Doug is still gender-neutral though. It's 1994 but my boi can still be enby. (I'm aware enby people existed well before this but, and the wiki is not being helpful, I think the specific term was coined in the mid to late 90s or possibly later, so OB may not have been aware of it.)

I don't think Marvel is moving toward Casey/OB (at least not before the end of this season, if we get another season it MIGHT be a different story), but fuck it would be so funny if they met so much later than lokius but were able to get their shit together faster than lokius. I think it'd check out for for everyone involved. Hell, maybe they're already together and it just hasn't come up yet to the group. That'd be funnier (bonus points if B-15 already knows though).

Loki for some fucking reason: Hold on, I gotta look cool and suave for this dork of a single dad who's already informed me at least three times of his own volition that he's single.

Oh...oh I have so many feelings.

So, I just finished binging the One Piece Live Action.  And as someone who has never seen a single episode of the One Piece anime nor has read a single page of the One Piece manga...I really really really loved this live action.

First of all, I love the story.  I think it’s really well done and the plotting works for the adaptation.  Second of all, I love the characters (and I will do a whole section on them in a minute) and I love the cast.  My god the cast.  They each played their roles so fucking well and I’m glad they chose who they did because I really can’t see anyone else playing these characters.  Also, the backstories man.  Look, I am a sucker for backstories and they delivered on them.  And also, also, the fucking flag at the end?!  The icon flag with the skull with straw hat on it?  Bitch, I am emotions

ANNND DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE RELATIONSHIPS THROUGHOUT THIS SHOW…the relationships make me emotional

Now, for the characters (at least the mains and maybe like the villains):

Mains:

Luffy: I love how he was portrayed in this.  I’ve seen gifsets of this guy and he is both so loveable but also a gremlin and a little shit and Iñaki played him so well.  I couldn’t stop cooing over how fucking cute he was.  My god.  I think the CGI for his rubber was actually quite cool/good.  Really unnatural looking but hello...the dude’s skin is fucking rubber, it’s gonna be unnatural.  And it worked

Zoro: He was badass and a cunt and a bitch and I love him.  The middle finger in the first episode?  A man after my own fucking heart.  I also really liked Mackenyu in the Fullmetal Alchemist series as Scar, I thought he played him really well.  I think he did a really good job (and I’m excited to see him in Knights of the Zodiac whenever that comes out)

Nami: Her actress reminded me a lot of like a younger Jennifer Chastain (it might be the orange hair) but I really liked her character.  A badass but with a good heart and also a little bit of a bitch.  (If a character is a little bit of a bitch, I’m going to like them, that’s just how it is).

Sanji: I loved his actor.  And I know him and Zoro a little bit better than the other characters and I know that in the anime he’s quite a ladies man.  Like a lot of a ladies man but I like that they kind of toned that down here.  He’s also another bitch and I love him.  I’m also very glad they kept his eyebrows normal and didn’t do the spiral because I don’t think that would have translated well

Usopp: He has a lot of heart.  I really liked how he cared for Kaya and how he cared for his friends and yeah he was a bit of an exaggerated, he’s really just trying to make people smile.  But damn if that little fireball thing that he made wasn’t fucking cool as hell as it exploded that fish guy.  Like get fucked

Garp: I liked his actor.  I don’t know much about the character himself but I liked his actor and I thought he was pretty cool for a Vice-Admiral.  But I have to ask the fans...what is up with the dog hat?

Koby: Apparently according to fans he’s not that big in the anime/manga but I liked him here.  I thought he was cute, in a bright-eyed, bushy tailed kind of way.  A good kid.  And I’m glad he and Luffy became friends

Villains:

Alvida: Oh, she was cool.  Her and her big ass spiked clubs?  Fuck yeah, my dudes.  That was fucking cool

Buggy: Loved the actor, hate the character.  Buggy is just creepy as shit.  But I also hate clowns so there’s that.  But the actor really did bring something to this guy where like...you definitely got that there was something off about him but he wasn’t overbearing.  The CGI for him was *shudders* but also really cool

Arlong: Oh my god, I hated the character but the actor’s voice????  Hello???  I could listen to that man speak all day, holy shit, I could not get over his voice.  His character though, was a dick and I’m glad he got his pagoda fucking smashed on his fucking head, he deserved it after what he did to Nami and what he fucking put her through.

Now, will this live action make me want to read the manga or watch the anime?  No.  But did I enjoy the fuck out of it?  Yeah, yeah I fucking did.  I haven’t screeched with laughter in god knows how long and it was really good to watch/binge and while I may not understand a lot of the background or the plot, I still really enjoyed it and could follow along pretty well.

But also, for the fans because I am genuinely curious...does Luffy ever find the One Piece?

Subtle and not so subtle Clues/Hints that both Cell and Freeza are gay AND that Freeza has a crush on Cell🔽

- In ep 1, Cell and Zarbon have a "moment."

- When Freeza is choking Cell with his tail, he says, "You've awakened something I think.." Alluding to the fact that he may be into choking.

- In ep 3, the obvious, "I choose tails." "So you're giving me head?" Line is obvious.

- Before Freeza throws the ball at Cell, he calls him a "comely cockroach." Comely means pleasant to look at or attractive.

- "No Freeza, fuck ME."👀

- In ep 4, Freeza's response to Dodoria saying Cell's being topped by Froginyu is to instantly, without hesitation say, "Who hasn't?"

- When Froginyu lunges at Cell at the recycle and trash bins, Cell says in the background, "Do not lick me there! I do not know you enough to lick me there!"

- In ep 6, Freeza was watching Cell from his window the whole time.

- In the Christmas special, Freeza's eyes lit up when he saw Cell's gift, but I also think his heart lit up, if you know what I mean.

- Seeing them both sitting next to each other peacefully listening to King Cold's story brings a tear to my eye.

- In ep 8, Freeza is constantly needing to talk to his dad, it screamed coming out to me.

- Freeza's eye roll and tail whip when Cell came up behind him REEKED of sass.

- When Freeza sees Cell and King Cold talking, he says, "What if he hasn't talked about me all day?" Who is talking about? Cell? Or King Cold? I think Cell.

- Freeza says Cell has gotten him down in the dumps because he's been stealing all the attention, but I think there's more to it than that.

- Dodoria implied that Freeza's feelings of abandonment were coming from within. "Maybe it's not about Cell, maybe it's about you."

- When Freeza is having trouble sleeping, he says, "Damn you, you Chartreuse Charlatan!" And at first I thought Chartreuse was the color purple so I assumed he was talking about his dad, but after looking it up, Chartreuse is the color of Yellow and Green, so he was actually talking about Cell, meaning that he couldn't sleep because Cell was on his mind.👀

- In ep 9, when Cell finds Freeza trying to break into his garage, he assumes he's is having a midnight fling with Super Kami Guru.

- I can't lie, when I first watched this episode, I thought Freeza and Cell were going to start making out after they both slapped each other.

- The amount of times Freeza says "shut up" to Cell in this episode (Not in a mean way, but in a somewhat endearing way) is definitely a testament to Freeza's crush.

- "I dressed as your father so I could lure you into here and have you all to myself in the dark." "So you admit it!" Need I say more.

- "What do you do in your free time?" Cell was actually attempting to try and get to know Freeza😍

- Cell tried to understand why Freeza is so damn bitter about being dead. "Why do you even bother now?!"

- Freeza's tone changed when he said, "You really think you're going to get out of here?" It felt like a wall was coming down between the two of them.

- Seeing them both finally have a decent conversation and ask each other, "Do really believe that you can do good and go to heaven?" Is really refreshing, they should talk more like this in the future.

- Cell being able to pick up on Freeza's daddy's issues within 2 episodes.

- "Goodnight, Lord Freeza." Cell has never once called him Lord Freeza until this moment??

- Even though Cell ended the argument, Freeza is obviously unsatisfied and wanted to argue more.🤡

- Their sleeping positions before they go to sleep and right when they wake up is a DEAD giveaway.

- FREEZA WRAPPING HIS TAIL AROUND CELL DURING THE NIGHT??

- Also in ep 8, Freeza was having trouble sleeping ALONE in his bed, because he couldn't stop thinking about Cell, but he's able to sleep without discomfort on the hard concrete floor with Guru's annoying snoring in the background, but he's cuddling CELL that's the only main difference. There's no WAY this is a coincidence.

- In ep 10, Cell has a problem with Bojack being in his "personal bubble" but he sure didn't mind Freeza's tail wrapped around both of his legs in the previous ep.👀

- Freeza's neck roll when he says, "The basic bitch holiday." This man is FRUITY.

- Cell's line, "Top me, Zarbon." He knew what he was doing idc.

- Cooler's expression when he saw Freeza looking after Cell when he went to pee👀 he KNOWS.

- Their miscommunication when they think they're both talking about Cooler and Bojack never gets old.

- Cell mistakes Cooler for Freeza's ex, and Freeza doesn't say anything like, "I don't even swing that way!" He just simply corrects Cell and says, "My brother!" TFS is planting seeds I'm dead serious.

- "So he seems to hate everyone, what's his deal?" "Don't act like you care!" Oh really Freeza? Don't act like you're JEALOUS.

That's all! For now..

my thoughts while rewatching all of Helluva Boss in honor of the S2 trailer PT 3

TRUTH SEEKERS - i sMelL.... c o l o r s 😮 - unrelated but i love the background music? like helluva has such a good soundtrack why didn't we get that for hazbin - i just like complaining - MOXXIE IS T H E BITCH - he's so me - i love this episode so much - blitz looks so chill this is so silly - I'm a VirGo- - I LOVE MOXXIE - i love the fight choreo in this episode so much - blitz is just :p - im sorry what is bitch juice - IT WAS ABOUT UGLY HORNY CATS HAHAHAHA - cue the coolest sequence in indie animation ever - IT TIS NO PRANK BITCH - BECAUSE YOUUU - MY PRECIOUS LITTLE BITCH BOY - ARE TRIPPING BAAAWWWWWLLLLLSSSS - brandon has the best line delivery istg - woah wait scribble moxxies dialogue is some of the best written dialogue in all of vivzie's projects - this animation is so cool i'm sobbing - this is one of my favorite episodes, i remember watching it when it came out and like actually sobbing - the dhorks are idiots why did they give them the truth serum but like not ask them any questions while they were under the influence of it? like- what was the point - THIS IS THE COOLEST FUCKING FIGHT SCENE EVER - no thoughts, head empty, just truth seekers fight choreo - see this is what happens when animators actually take time to make their projects look good, instead of trying to get everything out as quick as possible - millie is the coolest, go break that guy's neck with your thighs, get it bestie - OMG I HAVENT SEEN THIS EPISODE IN FOREVER I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE STOLAS - GET IT STOLASSSSSSSSSS - this is literally the coolest sequence - OWL IN A CAGE INSTRUMENTAL SPOTTED - bryce pinkham the line delivery of "how the FHUCK-" was perfect - this whole scene is perfect - HELP THE DHORKS LOOK SO CONCERNED AFTER BITZ AND STOLAS MAKE OUT - yeah this is the best episode so far, hands down OZZIES - i have never been more not ready - i have no thoughts on the beginning ngl - ugh the lust ring is so beautifully drawn, really some of vivzie's best backgrounds - not the bouncer dude implying that three people can't make one couple 🙄 - "that's a mood, gabriella" LITERALLY ONE OF THE BEST STOLAS LINES - his date outfit is so pretty - THE BOOKS ON HIS CHAIR HELP HOW DID I NEVER NOTICE THAT - blitz is so frustrating right now FUCKING TALK TO HIM INSTEAD OF SYPING ON M&M YOU PERVERT - FIZZZZZZ BABYYYY - damn imagine blitz realizing his ex-best friend and celebrity ex are at the same club as him while he's on a "date" with a goetia that must be fucking embarassing - fizz's "let's fuck him up babe" look is my favorite thing - house of asmodeus is peak songwriting, like i don't think vivzie will ever top this (i fucking hope she does though) - UGH THIS MAN'S VOICE - these two are the biggest fucking hypocrites - "you used to have a smoking wife, a kid, you had it all! i hope you didn't give it up, so you and him could get it up" is so gorgeously written and delivered - i could go into a whole analysis on stolitz rn but you could go read any other analysis on this episode and read the same shit so im not gonna - help why did he drive stolas hope? THE MAN CAN TELEPORT - stolas is so expressive i love him - OHHHH QUEEN BEE TAKES PLACE LIKE AT THE TAIL END OF OZZIES THAT MAKES MORE SENSE (queen bee took forever to come out so i was confused, i kinda forgot)

QUEEN BEE - ew i remember hating this episode so much - this feels so unfinished already - this is vivzie voicing the poodle bitch, isn't it - keshaaaaaa - i don't wanna listen to this song ngl - okay but the visuals are kinda good and i do love her voice - this must've taken forever to animate - HELP THE ONE SILENT LOONA LINE MAKES ME CRINGE SO HARD LIKE WHAT WAS SHE SAYING - she sounds like... constantly wasted as fuck - people definitely ship loona and bee don't they - i don't but like... i know someone does - i've heard a lot of people call bee bitchy, and fake, but yall i feel like she's being genuine - help she changes her mind so fucking fast - okay okay i don't hate this episode that much - blitz's little arm wave help - for reference i write all of these between the hours of 10pm and 3am, this is my complete, honest, unfiltered opinion - yeah this episode wasn't as bad as i remembered

UMMMMM HELLO WHAT THE HELL WAS EPISODE 28 ALL ABOUT??? IT WAS SUCH A CRAZY ROLLER COASTER RIDE. I THOUGHT TTJ WILL COLLAPSE AT THE MIASMA PLACE SINCE YXW WAS CULTIVATING THE IMMORTAL SPIRIT THING BUT NO HE SURVIVED AND ACTUALLY WON AT THAT BATTLE GROUND

THEN BACK AT THE CAPITAL PIAN RAN WAS ACTUALLY DOING A DAMN GOOD JOB HOLDING THE FORT ONLY TO BE TARGETED AT THE END WITH THE CROSSBOW WHICH YE QINGYU BLOCKED

THEN HE DIED? BUT PIAN RAN WAS LIKE NOT ON MY WATCH AND SACRIFICED HERSELF? I THOUGHT IT WOULD TAKE LIKE A FEW TAILS NOT ALL HER TAILS!! AND THEN UNCLEAR WHO IS ALIVE AND WHO IS NOT.

THEN THE SCENE WHEN TTJ SAID TO RELEASE YBC, I THOUGHT YXW WILL BE PUSHED TO HER DEATH BUT NO, TTJ ACTUALLY SAVES HER??? AND THEN THEY GO UP TO THE SKIES AND HAD THAT WHOLE REVEAL

WHICH EVEN WITH ALL THAT YXW DID NOT TELL HIM SHE WAS LISUSU? IDK IF THE WHOLE SHARING OF MEMORIES THING SHED LIGHT ON IT? VERY UNCLEAR

ANYWAY SO THEN SHE FALLS AND IM LIKE OK BUT BRACELET RIGHT? NO!! LIGHTNING DESTROYS THE BRACELET AND SHE FALLS TO HER DEATH

AND THEN TTJ WITH HIS NEW HEART GOES DOWN AND THE SHEER DESPERATION IN PUTTING HIS ENTIRE FAITH IN THIS SHATTERED BRACELET WHILE HIS MEN STAND BY TO WATCH

IT HURTS SO MUCH TO SEE HIM DECLINE RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES. HE THEN CARRIES HER UP THE STEPS AND COLLAPSES AT THE TOP

THEN WHEN HE WOKE RAN TO THE MORGE(???) AND BASICALLY CLUNG TO HER CORPSE

SEVERAL DAYS(???) PASSED AND WE GET TO KNOW YE QINGYU LIVED WITH PIAN RAN’S POWERS IN HIS HEART. HE STORMS IN TO FIND TTJ ENCASE HIMSELF IN THE ICE COFFIN WITH YE XIWU

THANK GOD FOR YE QINGYU WITH A GOOD HEAD ON HIS SHOULDERS TRIED TO LITERALLY BEAT SOME SENSE INTO TTJ AND WANTS HIS SISTER TO BE LAID TO REST PROPERLY

TTJ ENTIRE DESCENT INTO MADNESS IS SUCH A TRIP. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT???

Psych – 4.15: The Head, The Tail, The Whole Damn Episode

I’m trying to get through the second episode of Candy Color Paradox and I’m really struggling. These guys just seem so bad at their jobs? I’m not and have never been a paparazzi (or any sort of journalist) so maybe I just don’t know, but I feel like they should be better at tailing people and hiding. They keep parking their car or sitting at tables in plain site! Like, I understand Onoe being bad at tailing, the whole premise is that he’s new to this pap gig, but would he really be that unsubtle? He is an experienced journalist, after all. And in the first episode, why didn’t Kaburagi already have the right lens on his camera? He knew how far he was from the door, he’s supposedly extremely good at his job, it seems like he would have been better prepared. Maybe the point is that he was distracted by his annoying yet cute new partner? idk

It’s a silly thing to get hung up on, but I think I was already at a deficit because I’m struggling with the idea of sympathetic paparazzi characters in the first place (at least as done by this show—see below for further details). And perhaps part of the story will be that they change and realize their job is harmful. The show's moral stance on paparazzi feels ambiguous show far. Yes, Kaburagi seems to be sympathetic about their Asaoko Yuma’s (their target) mother’s dementia, but oh look! It turns out she has links to organized crime. That feels like the shows attempt to elevate the dirty work of invading privacy and hunting for celebrity scandals to "serious" journalism with a public benefit. And I could not figure out what, if anything, the show was trying to say about Kaburagi’s strategy of lying to sources to get scoops.

However, I did love the paparazzi guy (Nikaido) in Kabe Koji, despite (or perhaps because of) one of the themes of the show being how harmful and invasive the paparazzi are. At the time I even wanted a romance story for him, and was a little excited at the beginning of Candy Color Paradox, hoping this show would provide that. But alas, it feels very different. I think what I like was that character was older, so obviously world weary and cynical. And that he was won over by Issei’s genuine kindness and dangerous charm, so that his conversion to realizing he didn’t want to hurt people through his job anymore felt meaningful. Although to be fair, I was intrigued by him even before his conversion. Possibly just because I liked his face though.

Kaburagi I think is supposed to be portraying the same sort of cynicism and world weariness, but he just looks too damn young, so that feels like a pose he’s putting on, rather than who he is.

It is interesting watching this after Kabe Koji, which had such clear things to say about the harmful invasiveness of the paparazzi and celebrity "journalists." And because I think the two leads are both idols (although I don't know how famous they are), which means they’re on the other side of this battle. How do they feel about portraying sympathetic paparazzi, I wonder?

I think I could like a romance between paparazzi (or even between a pap and a celebrity!) but it would have to be done just right, and not shy away from the toxicity inherent in the job. I suppose this one might win me over in the end. I don't have a strong reaction (positive or negative) to either of the main characters yet, separately or as a couple. They've had a few charming moments, and I do like how flustered Onoe is when Kaburagi turns on the charm, or the hints of jealousy he seemed to have when they met up with Kaori, the bar owner.

Perhaps this is one where I should actually watch the trailer to see if the show seems worth sticking it out for. Do y'all think I will like it more as it goes on?

Because this is in my head now.