That statement giver is showing remarkably more sanity and self-control than I would have in his position. Personally I was already Gwen-levels of shaken up when I read "Bonzo" in the episode description

Okay other misc. thoughts about 3x07

can't believe our luck at getting a perfect hour of television two weeks running!! wow wow wow like there wasn't a single bad moment??? I was grinning like an idiot at my tv screen the entire time??? I fucking love this silly little soccer show ????

in hindsight changing the name from Ola's to the Strings That Bind Us was so deeply unserious I am rolling

The Sam plot was everything and more. Toheeb's rent was DUE. the man came to ACT. and boy did he deliver!!

I appreciated that Sam didn't let Simi's type of anger/wording define his own. he was still furious, but he was furious in a way that was true to himself and his own philosophies (that said I absolutely thought, when he typed "than a world class b--," he was about to type "bitch" not bigot hvsbfjjdsv)

his dad was EVERYTHING. I am obsessed! I am so so glad we got to meet him!

that said and not to make everything about Jamie (this plot was not about him but there's still a sad parallel I'm thinking about); the contrast of Sam having a breakdown in the locker room and then having his dad there to hug him and tell him it was going to be okay. versus Jamie's locker room breakdown caused by his dad where no one knew what to say and everyone stood around (before Roy stepped up.) Yeah. That was a bit of a gut-punch.

speaking of meeting people's families: I am obsessed with Nate's. I love that we found out he has a sister!! and they are clearly very close great siblings! I love that we met his niece! I enjoyed indirectly seeing a different side of his father via the map story, and his sister's comment about how Nate is just like his father surely was loaded. I could unpack that family dynamic for days but it was SO GOOD.

Nate spending a whole evening putting together that box to present to Jade! I audibly gasped when it fell in the street! But Nate did not let it deter him. oh no! He asked her out anyway! He didn't spit in that goddamn mirror! He took a risk!!! I am honestly so freaking proud of that man.

The Jack/Keeley stuff was yikesy. definitely love bombing. To me last episode's Rebecca plot was all about Rebecca learning to trust her gut instincts again and regain faith in herself, so you know what, if she is getting ~off~ vibes about Jack, I am with her all the way. It felt like they were definitely sprinkling the seeds for the means to a quick end for them. Sigh.

i love Rebecca/Keeley friendship it is truly one of my favorite female tv friendships in years. they are brilliant, they enchant me, etc.

based off of next episode's description and title things will definitely be blowing up for Keeley & Keeley/Jack. I just can't decide if it's going to be Shandy or Barbara who's going to plant the bomb. Ugh. Maybe they will team up and be horrible together.

Jamie in that dressing room....no thoughts to say about it just that I AM SO DAMN PROUD OF MY BOY

Trent Crimm the nerdy little man you are he is the BEST addition to the series regulars holy shit

this episode was genuinely really funny and probably my favorite jokes of the season it was all around so good

THE BOYS COMING TOGETHER AND CLEANING UP SAM'S RESTAURANT. I AM CRYING REAL ACTUAL ALLIGATOR-SIZED TEARS.

perfect episode was perfect.

So, I got caught up with the Newsreader and I’m honestly not sure how I feel about it

The acting was top notch, of course, and holy crap do I love Helen! The moment when she stood up and walked out on camera was incredible!

But Dale made me so sad this series. His character arc worked and made sense but, with my current state of mind, it just made me feel so hopeless. I know it wasn’t meant to be hopeful but yeah. It was deflating emotionally and it’s meant to be but I have enough of that irl I’m currently finding it harder to swallow in media I guess? So, it’s less that I don’t think it’s good, and more that on a personal level it’s not what I find appealing right now, which is a pity because it’s a brilliant show but I just couldn’t enjoy it the way I did the first series

Like I said, don’t get me wrong, it works and Dale’s arc fits perfectly with the themes of the show and this isn’t me judging him necessarily because I understand all of his actions and I love the way the show illustrates the way different people deal with similar situations (being trapped, I guess, by gender or race or sexuality) and it does it so well but…I don’t know. This is a pointless post ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

But I literally watched episodes 3 through 6 in one go last night, so I think I need some time to chew on them and let them sink in

I will say, though, Sam Reid’s performance was chilling at times—the way he turns on and off for the camera and the dead eyes?? Like damn! He’s so fucking incredible. He and Anna Torv and honestly the entire cast is just so good

Edit: I guess I did really like it after all! Haha

another day another niche media that has crossed my dash because of u. who is sam why is he crashing and why does he look like a pathetically sad kicked puppy (huuuge huge huge fan of the gif of him w a bloody handprint on his face btw single best thing a guy can have)

CRASHING!!! SAM!!!!! i didn’t think i’d have that much to say but it turns out i did. sorry. mostly this is just barely coherent rambling.

(1) crashing is a british tv show from 2016ish. there are (regrettably) only about 6 episodes, i believe, and they’re SHORT. (i made @dauntingday watch it with me a few months ago and we accidentally just downed the entire thing in one evening after work. that’s how short it is.) it follows a group of like…20s+ people who all live together in an…abandoned hospital? or something? i’m not entirely clear on how the living situation works, and frankly that’s like the least important part i just tend to get bogged down in details when i try to talk about things. BASICALLY they all live together in a giant funky building, they don’t all know each other, they have disastrous dinner parties, they’re messy, they’re stupid, they’re brilliant, they’re super fucking weird, they’re awful to each other, they love each other, they take care of each other in weird ways…it’s like found family i guess but more in like a having-a-lot-of-cousins way. like some of them you’re really close with some of them you never really see some of them you can’t stand. but they’re all still your cousins.

(2) sam is like...i would like to throttle him i also would like to wrap him in a weighted blanket and give him a mug of hot tea. he's a lil homophobic he'll vehemently insist he's not gay he is actively pining after fred when fred gets a boyfriend sam makes it his personal mission to be a total dick about it (affectionate) and break them up. when i started writing this, i was like, "lol SAM how do i describe that little shit, he's so silly and funky and awful but in a cute way," and now i'm actively getting a little choked up about him and fred. im not gonna lie. and the fact that this whole dynamic is established in like...two hours? give or take? masterpiece. ANYWAY. "pathetically sad kicked puppy" is right you totally nailed it he's like the puppy that chews everything up INCLUDING HIS OWN TOYS HIS OWN BED HIS OWN FAVORITE BLANKET and then when he gets reprimanded for it and DOESN'T HAVE ANY OF HIS SHIT, he goes into "pathetically sad kicked puppy" mode. I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS ABOUT HIM I DON'T THINK IM EXPRESSING THEM RIGHT BUT I THINK YOU'LL GET IT ANYWAY.

(3) i regret to inform you that wasn't a bloody handprint on his face, it was paint. :(

Rewatch thoughts episode 3

The bench really carries decades old couple energy ;))

I desire not as much as you do in combination with the expectation of Antoinette burning later… Lestat fooling around probably never felt too threatening while everything was going well.

Edit: Thx to @lynnenne , I misheard: It’s actually I desire blood as much as you do… that voids the above completely, but gives an interesting aspect to his hunger phase indeed. And the control!

The Angel of Starvation. Criminal Biscuit. Drama Queen. (Edit 2: I know the transcript says "Angel of Salvation" here, but that I definitely hear differently, and tbh that one doesn't quite make sense to me, because Lestat is griping at Louis passing over victims he points out. But that just as a note.)

The pride in Louis‘ voice when he says that Antoinette had heard about the Azalea in Atlanta… and Lestat’s eyes following her right after Louis‘ said he didn’t want to kill anymore.

I always forget about the other businesses down Clayborne.

I am kinda sad they didn’t use Lestat had surrounded me in episode 1, just on the tape. Such a potent statement.

That respect for the choice Louis‘ had made was 90% annoyance I bet, tying in to what he says in episode 6, that he can feel Louis judgement.

If only Louis would have joined in that proposed threesome. Damn.

Sam got Lestat’s laughter down uncomfortably well.

The of course is still hilarious/ingenious.

I still stumble over sanctioned infidelity. Because that is not something I would‘ve taken away from that, lol.

It still is so weird Louis didn’t just fire her. I mean he had employed her. Never mind killing her, but I would’ve reacted allergic to her voice?!

And Louis always winning kinda implies he knows the trick to stop the time now… 😈

That no ring on your finger comment hits harder when you remember the emerald ring later… (books)

That kiss is really hot.

Louis‘ wounds are still healing when he’s back. Lestat probably didn’t need to see it, he smelled it. Also Louis coming right out with it….. GODDAMMIT TALK WITH EACH OTHER 😤 😫

Kill the Hans. God that whole scene is so …. brilliant. Every time. The emotions, the execution, the powers, the makeup. Just…

Also, quite a while ago someone mentioned that this is how Lestat and Louis fight prior to Claudia… prior to a real chance of Louis leaving. Quite equal shouting match. It’s really interesting.

The hobby remark and that whole scene. Ouch.

That sign while Lestat was still in there sure is something, Louis. The hubris on display…. have I mentioned how I love how this show plays with words.

The way Lestat drops the newspaper. Lmao.

Also Louis really knows where to hit with words, too. Oof.

I guess we all know that need to do something when we cannot… I can understand him there sooooo well. But still, choosing to bring her to Lestat for him to turn her… is quite the statement/decision, too. Gosh Louis 😅

SPOILERS for Locke and Key season 3 episode 8 (final episode)

Ok, I'm done. Wow, feels weird, honestly. Can't believe it's actually over...

So, first up, Gordie and Sam. I knew it, I freaking knew it. Doesn't mean I wanted it to happen though. Gordie dying, actually giving his last breaths to make sure Kinsey, Tyler and Ellie would make it out alive... ouch. Even worse, he tried to stop Gideon from breaking free. He tried, knowing that he was gonna die, to create a literal mental block strong enough to withhold Gideon. He didn't know the echo's strength so he failed, tragically. I know he was really only important for one episode but I hoped he'd make it. And as for Sam... as mentioned in previous posts, I cared a shit ton for that guy and his involvement. He definitely deserved better that that. Although I know that it was meant as payment and "debt forgiveness". Still hate it.

Now, Gideon. Wow I hate that guy. Cheers to the actor though, I don't know his name, but the way he delivered, man, he made me angry. Real impressive acting. And super happy this dude is gone!

Rufus, Ellie, Jamie and Josh, you know I love you guys, you're great, please always stay the way you are. Love how things ended for them, eventhough I'm a little sad Josh is never gonna know the truth and Jamie will forget eventually.

Duncan and Brian deserve happiness more than anything. I love them.

Gald to know The Savinis managed to finish the film and that it was really such a big success! Good for them. I could've watched the Q&A for hours, no problems. Really surprised Scot showed up but yay! (Shave though, please. He looks so... mature. Old.) Cool line with the Good, Better and Excellent thing. And I'm happy Kinsey might join him soon <3 I would have liked to see Jordan again though, just for old times sake, yknow?

I'm glad Tyler has found his peace, or at least some kind of it. I'm still not a huge fan of the whole Carly-thing, but a road trip sounds great and if Tyler really likes Montana so much, that's amazing! I know he'll miss keyhouse and I think he's gonna come back a lot of times, as often as possible. Even without any event, just because he wants to.

I know Nina is gonna do fine. She has Josh and her Kids and Ellie. She'll be happy. Bode too. He found a best friend in Jamie and is working on being on good terms with Josh (which, BTW, amazing! Love how the made that little peace offering. I think these twos will have a great relationship and will become very close friends).

Now as for what actually happened... I do like that the keys are gone now. And I like how they chose to resolve everything. Throwing the keys in meaning closing the portals was brilliant and brings everything to a nice end. I loved the montage for it, showing bits and pieces of what the keys did and what the characters went through with them (not everything, not a lot or even the main points, just moments were it fit, nothing to sad or emotional, just... epic, in a very simple way). It was well done, that's all I have to say.

And for maybe the most important scene I can just say yes. Yes, wow, thank you. I honestly had a few tears forming when they saw Rendell again. The conversation with him brought me closer to crying than anything this season has and the hug at the end let the tears spill. It fit perfectly but was also so sad to just suddenly see them in the hallway again, still hugging, just without Rendell. It was good to have that last conversation, I think.

For now, that's all I have. It's literally 45 min till midnight and I want to sleep, but watching it was worth it. Feels like some weird sense of closure at the moment.

I remember hearing the song against all odds before the episode aired and i was absolutely convinced it was k/urt .. imagine my absolute shock when I saw the ep! I can understand b/laine having a crush but c'mon choose another song.. in my mind this song is still only for k/urt.. it's like all of me.. when I heard it imagined the scene totally diff , i imagined K/ urt tearing up overcome with love, while sung absolutely brilliant th scene was not what i imagined at all but hey that's g/ee for u

Anyone who'd ever watched any Klaine scene from season 2 on would assume the same thing as you: there is no effing way on this earth Blaine would sing a song like that and have it be about anyone other than Kurt. Blaine is an all in kind of guy and there's no way he could pour that kind of heart and emotion into a performance and not have it be about the only boy he's ever loved who's loved him back. That's not who he is. And trying to equate his misplaced crush on Sam with the actual love he shared with Kurt is nothing less than monumentally insulting. Both to them and to us.

I don't frankly understand what the point of his crush on Sam was in the first place. Much like with Tina's crush on him, it wasn't going to go anywhere, which made it unnecessary with the added bonus of getting way too weird too fast. It was just like this show to take something that could have just been cute and nice and warp it completely and make it unwatchable. Why couldn't they have just been friends? End of story. I would have liked that because heaven knows my baby boy could have used some support that year. There was no legit reason to go from zero to 200 with regards to both of those crushes and it wasn't like those stories created any good drama. There was never going to be any payout, so we were stuck watching dumb lazy writing that was nothing short of a waste of all of our time.

Look at the lyrics to the song

How can I just let you walk away - just let you leave without a trace? When I stand here taking every breath with you, oooo You're the only one who really knew me at all

How can you just walk away from me when all I can do is watch you leave? 'cause we've shared the laughter and the pain, and even shared the tears You're the only one who really knew me at all

So, take a look at me now - well, there's just an empty space And there's nothing left here to remind me - just the memory of your face Take a look at me now, well, there's just an empty space And you coming back to me is against the odds and that's what I've got to face

I wish I could just make you turn around - turn around and see me cry There's so much I need to say to you - so many reasons why You're the only one who really knew me at all

So take a look at me now, well, there's just an empty space And there's nothing left here to remind me - just the memory of your face Now, take a look at me now 'cause there's just an empty space But to wait for you is all I can do and that's what I've got to face Take a good look at me now 'cause I'll still be standing here And you coming back to me is against all odds - it's the chance I've got to take

Take a look at me, now

and then tell me how any of them apply to Sam. They don't. Nary a word here fits their situation: misplaced affection directed at the only person who reached out as a friend to a lonely and sad boy who messed up and is filled with self-loathing and guilt and feels like he has no one in his life who actually cares for him versus the real honest love he had, lost, and thinks he will never have again. Never mind the fact that Sam hasn't gone anywhere - he's right there with Blaine at McKinley. How can he wish he'd come back to him if he never left in the first place and they were never together as a couple? His face is not a memory; again, he's right there. Sam is not the only person who really knew him - my god, that is utter bullshit. That person is Kurt and Kurt alone. "To wait for you is all I can do and that's what I've got to face?" If that isn't the tag line for most of season 4, I don't know what is. All he's done since 4x04 is wait for Kurt. Wait for him to forgive him. Wait for him to want to talk to him again. Wait to be able to see him again. Wait for him to accept his apology and figure out if and where they go from here. Wait to see if he's ok with Blaine applying to NYADA. Wait to hold him again, kiss him again, sing with him again. Basically he's waiting to see what the next chapter of his life will look like, because he can't see any piece of it that doesn't include Kurt. "You coming back to me is against the odds and that's what I've got to face?" That is Blaine's biggest fear and the thing that weighs heaviest on his mind, keeps him up at night. Never mind the fact that the live performance was raw and honest and emotionally pulled from the depths of his soul and that's not a place that Sam resides in in any capacity. That kind of longing and despair can only come from love and the only person he loves is Kurt. The timing of all of this makes no sense either. I know glee lost its ability to tell time and understand seasons after 4x14, but if Blaine was so madly in love with Sam, pray tell me why in 4x14 was he 10000000% wrapped up in all things Kurt? From the car to the slow dancing and duet at the reception to the hotel room sexy times, I seriously doubt if he could tell you who else was even there that night. But you want me to believe that just 3 eps later, he's dragged a piano on stage and is pouring his heart out in a wistful ballad to someone else? And 2 eps later, he's at the mall buying an engagement ring and spending Patty Duke's entire shift telling her everything about Kurt that no one else wants to hear? How wonderful and talented he is, how beautiful he is, how much he loves him, how big of a star he's going to be, and how much Blaine adores all the little things that make him Kurt. But for these 3 minutes, he's all "Kurt who?"

There are a lot of things I will never forgive RIB for: sidelining Klaine in season 3 in favor of Finchel, the attempted character assassination of Blaine with 4x04 (thereby turning a good chunk of fandom against him and Klaine as a couple and what do you want to bet that was the point all along), pretty much all of season 4, continuing to keep them apart physically in season 5 for absolutely no reason, and don't even get me started on the travesty of season 6. And while its a small moment in comparison to all of that, trying to sell Blaine singing this song to anyone other than his one true love (aka not Sam) is some grade A insanity that absolutely no one is buying.

Top 5 TV series to keep you entertained through this heatwave:

1. The After Party (Apple TV) A modern millennial whodunnit comedy set over the course of one night at a high school reunion and, you guessed it, the after party! The assemble cast is great. I don't typically love a Franco, but you're supposed to think he sucks, so it works. Ilana Glaser is adorable as always and I love this role for her. Ben Schwartz gets a musical episode and overall really shines as more than a John Ralphio 2D type character, even though I also adore when he does that as well! Tiffany Haddish has some incredible lines as the detective and without giving too much away, each character gets a backstory episode and I really love how they do this! Sam Richardson and Zoe Chao are popping up everywhere together (eh hem Senior Year on Netflix!) and I loved seeing their faces together again in this. They are super adorable in this will they, won't they dynamic. Go put it on and you'll definitely want to binge till the end to solve the mystery!

#theafterparty #ilanaglazer #benschwartz #tiffanyhaddish #samrichardson #zoechao

2. High Desert (Apple TV) Patricia Arquette plays Peggy, a Pioneertown actress turn private eye who after the death of her mother played by Bernadette Peters, is making her way in the world in gorgeous vintage westernwear and 70's sunglasses with a wonderful dead-pan sense of humor. I could pretty much watch Patricia Arquette do anything, and this series allows just that! You won't expect where it's going and to me this series is the perfect tone. The other casting is fantastic as well. Matt Dillon plays her ex and Christine Taylor plays her sister! It's wonderfully written, hilarious, and between the desert back drop and vintage prints I was so satisfied with how good and visually appealing this show is! Sad story that is didn't get renewed, but maybe we can start a petition to bring it back because I really want to see how this story evolves. If that doesn't work, I will happily rewatch this season since I found it to be really outstanding!

#highdesert #patriciaarquette #bernadettepeters #mattdillon #christinetaylor

3. Poker Face (Peacock) I know, I know, another mystery show and this time a role Jessica Fletcher would be jealous of? Natasha Lyonne's Poker Face is downright brilliant! She is so fun to watch as she interacts with tons of characters (including Judith Light) on her road trip or escape from which mountain? Not to give any spoilers, we'll just say she's driving a vintage car and each episode is kinda a different storyline. There is some continuity between the episodes but they all kinda stand on their own as well. I really liked this about it. It harkens back to the days of Murder She Wrote, Columbo, and maybe even 21 Jumpstreet! Her character, Charlie Cale's vintage looks are all so sweet and I really appreciated her wardrobe as it pertains to each new storyline. The acting is a real treat and you'll definitely want to pack snacks for this little roadside adventure.

#pokerface #natashalyonne #judithlight #murdershewrote

4. The Horror of Dolores Roach (Amazon Prime) This series has the tiniest bit of a slow start, but the promise of a Cyndi Lauper cameo plus an original song on the soundtrack made me stick with it and I'm so glad I did! This show is super original with has a wonderfully dark sense of humor. Dolores, played by Justina Machado is recently out of prison and uses her "magic hands" as a masseuse to land on her feet. The character Luis, comes us with creative ways to solve their problems and should be creepy from the start but comes across endearing as a real testament to the likability of the actor Alejandro Hernandez. I really loved seeing how this story evolved throughout the season.

#thehorrorofdoloresroach #doloresroach #justinamachado #alejandrohernandez #cyndilauper

5. Survival of the Thickest (Netflix) Michelle Buteau is a mood and her world is where I want to live all summer long! This show is a wonderful watch in every way! Michelle is so funny and the story is poignant while remaining silly and very rewatchable. I'm already starting it for the second time. My favorite episode is the last one, due to the beautiful story arc, so I'm just gonna have to watch them all again to get there! I'm so glad this series came out this summer. It is such a lovely tribute to friendship, working hard, having integrity, and above all fun! We need all the queer joy we can get right now! Thank you Michelle Buteau!

#survivalofthethickest #michellebuteau #queerjoy

Hellsite Nostalgia Tour 2023 Day 40

Roadkill/Age of Steel

“Roadkill”

Would I Survive the First Five Minutes??: one time I was driving down to Louisville and my gps told me a shortcut that took me through some backroads The Deer Hunter lookin place instead of the highway….I did feel like I was in an episode of spn. But I didn’t get distracted like these two, so I might be alright

How’s this guy gonna leave his wife? girlfriend? in their totaled car in the middle of the woods with not even a text or voicemail to tell her where he went on their ANNIVERSARY

I don’t think you should go into the spooky house in the woods unless you actually live there

Love that everyone is going to sound crazy to everyone else in this scenario…like, we’re joining Sam and Dean already in the middle of their investigation.

MAYBE DONT TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD DEAN

Omg…I too would be backing away slowly if I saw the entire arsenal the Winchesters have in their trunk, but, man, I think I’d start running if they told me they were ghost hunting…lucky for them, Molly has had to plead to them to be believed

Dean’s bluntness and Sam’s empathy are a good combination actually

I don’t know that I’d let Molly walk behind me if I knew she was in the kind of danger she’s in…she’d be right at my side

We’re getting philosophical up in this bitch this afternoon

Oh they KNOW what happened to her husband???

God I hate jump scares…even when I know for sure they’re coming because they’re playing House of the Rising Sun

“You’re like a walking encyclopedia of weirdness.” What does that make you, Dean?? You’re one too

“thank god” “call me Dean” bestieee please (though to be honest, it’s the kind of stupid remark I’d also make in that kind of situation)

There are 10 minutes left, this can’t possibly be over….wait what??? How…how long was she there? Is…is SHE dead? Is MOLLY ALSO A GHOST?? Omg…how horrific to have to relive a night like that every year

I really do resent how good some of these episodes can be…

“Been On My Mind…”: the only characters they interact with are an already married woman and the ghost, so………no

"Age of Steel"

Did I even mention Ricky in the last episode?? Because...it's very funny to see that actor being something of a hardass after watching him be Mickey for a season and a half.

Love that Ricky just has the most parking tickets and that's got him on some most wanted list...truly love that for him

Is this the moment Mickey starts getting some self respect? well...alternate-self respect? becuase Ricky told him he wasn't so bad

Did the cybermen just kill Ricky??? RIP

These little punk rebels are adorable, and they care so much about each other (as they should and would). It's just sad that there are so few and one of them just died...

YES YES YES!!! YOU DID IT!! You gained self respect!!

Half expected that cyberman to turn its head as they passed....because that would of course happen.

And this, kids, is why you stick to wired headphones. Get rid of your air pods now, guys

Even though you see the people right before they turn into cybermen, they're already being controlled and are very robotic, it's easy to think of them as sci-fi fodder, but listening to the cyberman whose emotional inhibitor gets turned off or destroyed...talking about how she's getting married and is worried that her fiance might see her before the wedding...just destroyed me

And then having Mickey straight up looney tunes trick the cyberman to disable the transmitter. Brilliant

This dude has factories on all seven continents?? Why've you got them on Antarctica my dude??

"I'd call you a genius, except I'm in the room." love when he's like that.

Don't they call Ten something like "the one who regrets" in the 50th anniversary special? Is that why he's always telling all his enemies and everyone he fails to save "I'm so sorry." I swear they call him the one who regrets and Eleven the one who forgets...and I'm gonna go crazy til we get tho that point.

Characters who learn to operate vehicles from video games are underrated. Except Mickey's not so bad at flying this zeppelin where as Spinner shouldn't have been allowed on the road...

I'm so proud of Mickey...(wait, then how DOES he come back later?)

Okay but low key I want the adventures of Mickey and Jack liberating the world from the clutches of the cybermen. Just think it would be neat.

I really like The Last of Us and all, but I just find it hilarious the patterns of who dies in the first few episodes.

Mixed black girl; strong, intelligent (and white) woman who could def keep her own in an apocalypse; gay couple (who didn’t have much chemistry in my opinion, but that’s just me); two black brothers that we the audience were supposed to be so bent on living because the whole point of the episode was to find them as if they were sooooo important; and the episode I’m up to now is a black girl who they had to spice it up by making her gay, so she’s a triple whammy: black, gay, and a girl.

Why am I in tears of laughter right now? Because I LITERALLY was thinking about how it’s going to be obvious they were gonna kill off the two black brothers in a previous episode. And who’s the next target that we are supposed to connect with that will eventually die? Someone black and gay. Idk how the game was, but they couldn’t make her white and straight?

I have nothing against The Last of Us and these deaths don’t offend me, but I just can’t help but cry at how predictable that mess is 😭😂😭

Hopefully the next episodes won’t do this. Joel’s girlfriend was the only one who happened to be white and one of the characters you would wish could continue to the next episode. Henry and Sam were SUCH a huge loss AND the little boy was deaf?? That was just brilliant having a disabled kid in the writing (including if this was in the game), but killing both of them off?? I was hoping (because I was already assuming that at least one of them would die) that just ONE would live. Whether that be the little kid or the older brother. And either of them just go their separate ways from Joel and Ellie (Henry fighting on his own or finding a new group after being released from the Fireflies; or Sam being brought to a group that could help him survive). It’s just sooooo sad that black and gay people don’t survive very long 😭😭😭

Favourite supergirl episodes from any season?

This is another guilt-inspired long-overdue reply to your ask, and I hope that the wait is worth it! I am so sorry that I didn't see this before now.

Despite its many, MANY flaws, Supergirl is a show that I do find myself going back to when I'm looking for a surefire source of comfort. I can remember many a sick day watching episodes from season one (For the Girl Who Has Everything, Human for a Day, Red Faced, and World's Finest being some particular favs). I also have a real fondness for any crossover episode between the Flash and Supergirl, though I realize that not everyone can stomach the Flash's characters and show writing for various reasons.

I'd say if I had to pick, my top five episodes, one from each season (please don't mention season six to me I haven't been able to bring myself to do a full rewatch) are in no particular order below, with the caveat that these are personal, oftentimes guilty-pleasure favorites that I recognize don't always ooze consistent quality from the first minute to the closing credits!

For the Girl Who Has Everything - No matter how many times this Black Mercy story is done I love it, from the comics to the animated JL shows to this episode. Brilliant concept that holds up really, really well over time.

Luthors/Ace Reporter - Lena Luthor showcase episodes. Season two I have very fond memories of watching despite in hindsight remembering all of the various plot threads that I was not a huge fan of, but if it's an episode where Lena gets a hefty dosage of screen time, then sign me up. Luthors is where you go for the angst, and Ace Reporter is literally one of the only episodes where I find the Mon-El hijinks kinda... enjoyable!

Girl of Steel - between the moments with Alex and Lena to the fact that this is one of the rare episodes that turns introspective on Kara's character, I have a huge soft spot for this one. There are plenty of great moments from season 3 -- the Reign fight, Sam Arias as a character in general, Lena and Supergirl's crumbling relationship versus Lena and Kara's intensifying friendship -- but overall I think this episode rocks.

4x19/4x20 - This one might be a controversial take but I fucking love season four for what it is. The first half of the season admittedly kinda sucks ass but starting at 4x15 going all the way through the season finale I remember LOVING as I watched it live, and I still enjoy it now. Out of that stretch of episodes though, I'd have to say that my two favorites would have to be the ones above. As back-to-back episodes American Dream and Will the Real Miss Tessmacher Please Stand Up was absolutely fantastic television that was hitting all the right spots for me, and I mean it when I say that I never loved Supergirl more than I did during those last few months that s4 was airing.

Event Horizon/Tremors/It's a Super Life - these three episodes from the very sad season five all have one thing in common, and that's the thread of Kara's identity reveal to Lena, which is obviously a premise that did and continues to enrapture me from a story-telling perspective. While I still think the show fell wildly short of what they could have done with this plot, these episodes have glimmers of what could have been, and as a fanfiction writer who sometimes just needs a thread to start tugging at, that's always been enough for me.

This has now evolved into a very long response. Consider it penance for me inadvertently ghosting you for so long! Thanks for the ask, and I hope this is an interesting read!!!

You know, I’ve been thinking.  There’s this pervasive idea in Ted Lasso fandom that Ted is wrong about his “winning isn’t everything” mentality.  And I admit, I’ve shared in that idea too.  

This is going to be pretty incoherent, because my thoughts are kind of all over the place.

I’ve talked a lot about All Apologies on my blog, and one thing I’ve noticed that I’ve said a lot is that Beard is right when he talks to Ted about the importance of winning, even though he’s very harsh about it.

But now I’m thinking about it: IS he right?

I mean, obviously, winning is important to these men.  This is their livelihood and their career after all.  But I’d argue that the hyperfocus on “winning” or “performance” was more of a cause for Richmond’s downfall in season one than anything Rebecca Welton managed.

Jamie Tartt was, until Dani Rojas anyway, the single most talented player on the field.  And his talent was such that he could run roughshod over his team, without any kind of consequences.  He approved of the mistreatment of Nate, and his own bullying of Sam was pretty obviously a factor in the latter’s extreme homesickness and performance issues.  Tan Lines showed exactly how Jamie’s behavior negatively effected the entire team.

It wasn’t until Ted was willing to pull him off the field, and keep him off, that Jamie’s behavior started changing.  And honestly, it says something that while Jamie going back to Man City was sad for the show (and fed into their loss at the end), the team’s performance DID improve when one of the aces was gone.  

I think Roy is an interesting case, because for most of the season, we really didn’t see any sign of his performance declining.  What we DID see was someone who had initially been checked out entirely.  When Roy was engaged, he’d win.  And while he may not have been physically capable of starting by the end of the season, he still managed to take down Jamie pretty awesomely.

The problem with Roy, ultimately, is that he was so wrapped up in his identity as a footballer, that he had no idea who he was without the game.  And this was a problem that persisted regardless of whether or not Richmond won or loss.  The real MVP of course, is Keeley and Phoebe, but Ted’s own efforts to support Roy mattered too.

And of course there’s Sam.  Sam’s initial bad performance led to folk thinking that he just wasn’t cut out for the league.  Even later in season 1, when things improved, there were folk like Rupert and the wanker gang who wanted him put back into defense.  But Ted knew better.  He knew what the real problem was and he gave Sam the opportunity to prove himself, and he was right, so much so that Sam became one of the stars of season 2 both on the team and as a character.

Richmond lost.  They got relegated.  But they stayed together.   That’s probably unrealistic, but it’s also an indicator of how much Ted’s philosophy reached these people.

And in season 2, Richmond rocked it.  Of course, we didn’t SEE most of that.  We saw the nervewracking ties.  We saw the loss in Do the Rightest Thing - but that wasn’t the key takeaway of the episode.  Sure, they lost.  But Sam got to step up and speak out for his country.  The team got to act in support of Sam.  Jamie got to prove that he’d turned over a new leaf.  The morale boost that they received from this one lost, undoubtedly helped their later success.

The Roy Kent effect helped too.  Bringing Roy back, as a coach, was a brilliant move.  And their success, if you keep an eye on the white board throughout the season, it becomes really obvious, just skyrockets from there.

I think about the game in Man City a lot.  They lost.  They lost hard.  And it was brutal.  The weaknesses in Ted’s coaching style were very obvious, and no one really knew what to do.  But I think it’s also fair to say that the characters who WERE more focused on winning (like Nate and Beard) weren’t any MORE useful.

One interesting thing when you watch Beard After Hours is that Beard is constantly criticizing himself for not speaking up against Ted, and for not pushing a more defensive strategy.  Thing is, if you rewatch Man City, Beard WASN’T the one pushing for a more defensive strategy.  It was Nate.  Nate, who managed to get himself banished to the bleachers.  (Beard on the other hand didn’t actually get banished to the bleachers.  He just left in frustration and anger.  Which...also didn’t help their victory chances either.  He’s always known Ted’s weaknesses as a coach.  And he left him there alone.)

Beard spends an episode punishing himself for their loss and for what?  What did that accomplish?   We criticize Ted for not taking this stuff seriously, but his Benny Hill routine did break the tension.  And we can go by white board again and note that, this defeat aside, their upward momentum doesn’t stop.  

It’s probably also worth noting that a Champion Team even making it to a semi-final match like Man City is actually a pretty big deal and something to be proud of in their own right.

And Ted DOES care about winning.  He wouldn’t have offered to quit at the end of season if he didn’t.  He knows this is important to everyone.  We’ve seen how the pressure weighs on him in season 2, in particular.   It’s just not the sole thing that matters to him.

Ted’s weaknesses as a coach are in his technical ability and understanding, but that’s why he’s got Nate, Roy and Beard.  (And we forget that choosing Nate was a gamble in and of itself.  Remember Trent’s reaction to learning that Ted was trusting the team’s tactics to the KIT MAN?  That’s not something a “winning is everything” coach would have dared.  But Nate helped win them a lot of matches.)  His holistic approach to coaching, however, is his strength.   Ted prioritizes his players over the scoreboard, and that works, because healthy players are strong players and strong players win more games.

Basically, Ted’s right.  And we should all learn from him.  (Though maybe not when it comes to dealing with personal trauma.)

Ted Lasso 2x7 Thoughts

“Headspace” is a very apt name for this episode, in which we learned almost no new information about the characters in Ted Lasso but learned a great deal about the way many characters’ brains work.

Most of the episodes this season have been so full of new information (if you wanna know something about how my brain works, the critique that early s2 episodes lack conflict does not compute), so full of dramatic irony (Sam and Rebecca don’t realize they’re messaging each other on Bantr! Rebecca’s voicemail to Ted doesn’t actually indicate that she spent a significant portion of time panicking and looking for him!), and misunderstandings that it was really nice to spend a bit over thirty minutes on an episode with very easily mappable plotlines.

Ted and Sharon and Therapy

Ordinarily in my little recaps I talk about the characters as real people making their own decisions, because every character on this show feels very real. But I have to take a minute to just, like, celebrate the acting in these scenes. Sarah Niles and Jason Sudeikis brought the perfect energy to each of their three scenes in Dr. Sharon’s office.

The drinking bird toy! The way he switches from nodding along with it to shaking his head no while the bird continues to shake its head yes, just like Ted shook his head no while saying yes, they should hire a sports psychologist! The way he finally stills the bird in the final therapy scene in the episode...but performatively throws the tissue box.

(Someone is going to need those tissues, Ted. It might be you.)

I also LOVE that this is the first time we see Sharon in an extended scene that takes place in a session. We’ve seen her rapport with the players, we’ve seen the results, and we’ve seen the things she does to make someone feel comfortable at the start of a session, and that’s all the information WE need to know to feel confident in her excellence as a psychologist. But because Ted hasn’t been able to fully appreciate those things, it’s so fitting that his sessions are a time for us to learn more about Sharon’s approach along with him.

It’s just...such good acting. The way she tells him he doesn’t need to worry. The kind of charming (but not performatively charming, just...charming) smile on his face when he claims he knows he doesn’t need to worry. And the way his voice changes a little as the conversations progress—deeper, less controlled, with some very genuine Midwestern “ma’am”s.

Sam and Rebecca and Awkwardness

Sam and Rebecca were so awkward when talking to each other in the hallway! If I had been in that hallway I would have been physically unable to stop myself from doing something even more awkward and diverting to make it stop. (I say this as someone who is neither disgusted by or delighted by the direction of the Bantr storyline. This is a good story about two good people who are in very different places in their lives existing in both a manufactured connection and the real, and very different, connection they have when they aren’t glued to their phones. This story is supposed to be awkward and uncomfortable.)

I did like the parallels of their friends sort of urging them on/coaching them through the inherent panic of the three dots that appear and disappear—a source of panic whether you’re the one creating the dots on the other screen or watching them and feeling at their mercy.

I like that in this episode both Ted and Rebecca are loudly broadcasting “I AM NOT IN THE RIGHT HEADSPACE FOR A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP”—Ted with his rueful awareness that Michelle would be upset if she heard him still referring to her as his wife, Rebecca with her insistence that relationships are doomed and awful even though she’s talking to two people (Keeley and Higgins) in committed relationships.

Roy and Keeley and Space

This plot was a really wonderful...counterpoint? complement? to the places both Ted and Rebecca are in as Ted starts to come to terms with the fact that he’s going to have to deal with his past and the losses he’s suffered (including the loss of his marriage) and as Rebecca questions whether she’s really going to embark on the next phase of a relationship with someone whose identity she does not know.

Because Ted and Rebecca are stuck apart, it was great to see Keeley struggle with needing space from Roy without worrying for a second about whether or not this challenge was a threat to their relationship. (Keeley and Roy aren’t used to long haul relationships, so they both see it as a threat, but the audience doesn’t have to.)

There was so much going on in that boot room. I love the coexisting realities there—Rebecca and Keeley and Higgins treating the boot room as their personal room for secret smoking, but as the crowd grows all these other unspoken dynamics emerge (it’s been two days since the panic attack and this is the first time we see Ted and Rebecca in the same room and there’s no evidence that they’ve talked about what happened with the panic attack or Rebecca’s parents or any of the big stuff).

Everything about Keeley’s plotline this episode reminded me of how Ted and Keeley are so similar (and, to a lesser extent, Rebecca and Roy are so similar). Rebecca and Roy both tend to write things off (Rebecca is so certain any relationship she has will be doomed, but it’s just because of how hurt she already is; Roy wanted to convince himself he was happier as a pundit than as a coach, but it’s just because he was scared of how much he wanted to be back on on the pitch), only able to deal with things when a safe person like Ted or Keeley sort of startles growth out of them. (We talk a lot about how Rebecca should be in therapy, but Roy should too.) And Ted and Keeley! Everything’s great, everything’s sunny, but look at how Keeley stands on her couch and screams in sadness and anger when she blows up at Roy and he leaves.

This time, things work out between Roy and Keeley because he figures out what Keeley was trying to communicate and respects what she needs, but in the future she’s going to have to figure out how to articulate herself more clearly. (And so will Ted...not only in therapy with Sharon, but as everything with the other coaches and the team and Will and basically everyone in his life come to light.)

Nate and Beard and Twitter-Insecurity-Rage

Ahhhhhhhhh.

This plotline made me feel almost as nervous for Ted (the things he doesn’t know) and Beard (the things he knows) as it did for Nate and Colin and Will and everyone.

At first I was really bothered by the repetition of Nate checking Twitter. We know! He’s on Twitter a lot now that he’s semi-famous! He’s obsessed! But then it occurred to me that it’s extremely perfect that Nate checking Twitter becomes this silent refrain building him up or tearing him down based on the latest 280-character compliment or take-down. Because this is how the internet works! You get obsessed with something on it and then check it a million times per day until you feel sick. It could be a dating app, or a trending story, or almost anything. If you check it often enough, the internet won’t even have anything truly new for you...it just feels like it does. So the repetition of Nate scrolling Twitter wasn’t meant to deliver us new information, but rather to mimic the old information coming through again and again.

I feel so deeply for Nate, who’s brilliant about football but unfit to coach because the power dynamics of coaching are a totally foreign concept to someone like him, who relies entirely on external inputs to take his actions. Ted and Beard and Roy all go and learn things and bring them back to the pitch, but none of them have had the capacity to teach Nate how to do this. Even Nate’s private thoughts, which he wrote down during s1, only come to light when Ted prompts him. And when your external inputs are coming from social media and an unappreciative father and a hyper-awareness of insult after years spent on the receiving end of bullying...it’s very dangerous. Maybe even literally physically dangerous.

I also feel so deeply for everyone who interacts with Nate right now, particularly Will.

Some Bonus but Never Extraneous Trent Crimm

Trent in the pub made me NERVOUS. Seeing him in this new place where Ted goes to wind down, almost coaching Ted through lying to him about having had food poisoning?! When they both clearly know that isn’t what happened?!?

It felt very fitting that this uncomfortable yet kind-of-mercifully-executed lie takes place towards the end of an episode full of such positive and negative growth for the characters. Such movement. It felt all wrong (in a good way), like covering something new and smooth and precious with spackle because maybe you actually wanna paint something else after all even though it won’t serve you in the long run to do it. To paraphrase Dr. Sharon, the truth will set you free but first it will piss you off, and Ted’s conversation with Trent is a reminder of all the layers there are to cut through on the way to the truth.

If Apple TV could simply release 2x8 - 2x12 this week, I would bargain with something crazy and miserable like giving up caffeine until October 8, the air date for the season finale. I continue to love this season and to feel the serenity of watching excellent actors execute on excellent scripts...but we’re getting to the point where the momentum’s built up and is heading to ever-scarier places, and I neeeeeeeeeed to knoooooooow.

I have to say, I was very, very impressed with episode 5. They address a lot of my complaints and did Sam some justice! I have high hopes going in for the last episode. Some highlights for me: 

Sam and Bucky working together to take down Walker was handled brilliantly. They really did take him down as a team and gave Sam his screen time to really show his fighting talents. 

Zemo choosing to let Bucky live out of his respect for Sam. This is great because narratively speaking, I was expecting Zemo to attempt to take out Bucky because Bucky is everything Zemo is against. Bucky is a super human and he not shy at all about using those abilities to intimidate Zemo. Zemo, the guy who will kill people without hesitation, who truly believes all super humans should not exist, choses not to kill Bucky because he knows Sam is that rare good man, he is a Steve Rodgers, and he knows that Sam will keep a handle on Bucky. That is amazing.

Bucky deciding to give Zemo the scare of his life one more time before he is taken away forever. Bucky, you didn’t have to do that, but you just have to be “that guy” and give Zemo something to remember ya by for the rest of his life.

The scenes with Isaiah was utterly heart wrenching. Please give this man an oscar because he acted the hell out of this role! I loved Sam for bringing the shield to Isaiah. The US had failed him, just as they failed and betrayed all the African American soldiers who fought for this country pre-civil rights act. I love how they addressed the historically accurate situation of black soldiers being let down in this country, and their anger is what helped propel the civil rights movement. What sad is that it was a nurse who took pity on him, who let him go. The government was very willing to experiment and torture this man till death. Isaiah is broken and he like many of our black elders who faced the brunt of a racist American society, are not trusting of the attempts at equality by modern american society. Absolutely brilliant scene and man, I related to Sam here. Sam listening to it all breaks my hearts because he knows and has experience the prejudice and racism of today, but even he still had a hard time hearing the true depths to which the country he lived in use to regard black lives. It reminded me of my own personal research into black history and having to read up all the things that the US has done to target the black american community. It’s tough.

It kind of hard to believe that the Dora Milaje would forgive Bucky so easily and like him enough to do him a favor...but I’m just going to take it as Oyo being very forgiving and she must have a soft spot for Bucky for her to have Wakanda do him this solid. Please don’t ever take these people for granted again, Bucky.

"You built me" gave me chills. Walker represents all the young men who fought for this country, sacrificing their mental well being in the process. Once they came back, damaged and destroyed, so many of them are further failed by the country they fought for just because they turn up less than mentally sound. I'm looking at all those mentally ill homeless veterans out there who cant escape their demons.

Thank you for allowing us to meet Lemar’s family and humanizing him even further. I really felt for their lost.

Thank you for the domestic bless scenes after everything that's happened. I loved Sam family life. I love Sarah, I love his nephews, I love the neighborhood. I loved the whole vibe of the town with that tint of sepia whenever they go there. It makes the whole area feel like home. Hell, I want to visit that place.

Bucky flirting with Sarah will forever be fun.

Bucky not wanting to intrude and Sam telling him to sit his butt down and stay over is beautiful and a part of my fanfic dreams. Thank you.

My god yes, Bucky apologizing for both him and Steve for overlooking what being Captain American might mean for a black american man. I would have liked to see how he came to this realization, but I'm grateful on what we got. Bucky didn't try to avoid the elephant. He said I did not think about it through the perspective of a black man and I give them a lot props for being straightforward with it and not going around it.

Sam getting Bucky to open up to him. This touched me. Sam asked Bucky straight up about his nightmares and rather than Bucky trying to lie or play it off like with his therapist, Bucky looked Sam straight in the eyes and told him the truth. The amount of trust and respect that was built between them is perfectly portrayed in this scene. Talk about progress.

I love how Sam gave Bucky some tough love and a reality check. Sam didn't hold anything back and it plays directly to his veteran therapist background. I loved Sam even more after this scene.

Sam choosing to carry the shield was handled beautifully. I’m happy he didn't just go with Isaiah view point, tragic as his story was. He considered all sides and even went to talk about it with his sister. Overall, it was Sam choice and no one else. Another scene that made me fall for Sam. 

Sam working out with the shield is one of my favorite parts of this episode. It didn’t just come immediately to Sam, he had really learn how to handle it. I love this humanizing hero that Sam represents. 

Sam nephews tracing the star on the shield was very a poetic touch 

i hope people don't get hyper-sensitive about every bad thing show!armand does, especially taking things like the 'beheading' SO far out of context. armand IS nuts, but in a gloriously outlandish way that doesn't conform to any specific racial stereotype. it'd be sad if the show had to sanitise him to avoid backlash, it may even put them off diverse casting in future seasons if fans won't accept non-white characters being distasteful (bc every VC character does weird and uncomfortable shit)

Hey nonny!

I... am afraid that your hope will go unfulfilled re the reaction there :))) I've said it before, in many ways season 1 is likely one of the more harmless, episode 5 or not. Which aligns with the books, the shit will hit the fan soon. Given the reaction of show-only fans to season 1...

This is in no way meant to be condescending. Just...

Yes, Armand is nuts in a gloriously outlandish way (I really like that phrase^^), and as you said, that (the stereotype) has nothing to do with what he will do. And I do not think they'll sanitize him in any kind of fashion. I sincerely hope they do not. And... given how Rolin, Sam and Assad talked about Armand... I don't think they will. It's no wonder Assad was scared shitless (rightfully so), but he'll pull it off imho.

As per the casting... I think we're very lucky we're on AMC. I know, I know they're slingering a bit right now, but they have experience with long running shows. And their own streaming channel. As long as the numbers are good (and they will be for streaming, of that I have little doubt), the show will be able to do what it wants to do. Imho Mayfair Witches is already profiting from it, too.

And in the end... any press is good press. And the press for IWTV has been outstanding, why would they want to change anything about they way they approach it. And as long as fans talk about it (in any kind of way...) that is good press, too.

I for one am looking forward to more... representation. Flawed, weird, nuts, toxic, brilliant, loving, insane, gentle, brutal, vicious, desperate, beautiful representation.

Holding up the mirror for us through their vampiric monstrosity and their desperate desire for salvation.