Do you have any podcasts say about people who are friends reviewing some kind of media

OH BOY DO WE.

ga'hooligans - married couple pb and cj take a journey through the guardians of ga'hoole books

after school anime club - max, max, and stevie take a trip back to the 90s to watch and review anime like trigun, escaflowne, and outlaw star

three little words - claudia and nicole read and rate romance novels on their steaminess, dreaminess, and memey-ness

dead teen house party - marn, emma, jacqueline, and neassa watch teen slasher tv shows/miniseries

the maniculum - zoe and max teach you not only about medieval texts, but about how to incorporate them into your tabletop games

unwise girls - jacqueline and jane read through the entire bibliography of rick riordan and break it down together

kame house party - vince and aaron are on a quest to watch every single episode of dragon ball, and also do improv about it

so emo i fell apart - do you love reading those long livejournal explainers of 2000s bandom drama and history? chloe and ria have you covered

argonauts - marn and andrew dive deep into the world of alternate reality games, whether andrew likes it or not

Behold, the king of online cartoons

Ex-Hanna-Barbera whiz Fred Seibert blazing a trail with YouTube network

A couple of times over the years, then-USA Today’s entertainment and tech reporter (and photographer) Jefferson Graham was nice enough to feature me in an article about the cartoons I was producing. First time was in the late 90s with “Oh Yeah! Cartoons,” but in 2015, with streaming video finally reaching the mainstream press (Channel Frederator actually started in 2005) and Graham’s animator son joining our network, he revisited.

Thanks to animator Michael Hilliger, who sent over his copy of the article in 2024.

By Jefferson Graham USA Today July 17, 2015

LOS ANGELES — Fred Seibert wants you to have his card.

And his phone number. He even won't mind if we print his [email protected] e-mail address right here in USA TODAY.

Seibert, 63 is the online toon king, with 400 million views monthly to his Channel Frederator network on YouTube, but he's never sure where his next hit will come from.

So he's always out there looking, at schools, industry gatherings, book signings. You name it.

Next weekend, he'll be at the Vidcon convention near Los Angeles, a gathering of folks who make their living off YouTube, which is where most folks see his online `toons.

"I have no ideas," he says. "But I recognize talent."

That's for sure. Seibert, then president of Hanna-Barbera's cartoon studios in the 1990s, is credited with discovering Seth MacFarlane, the creator of the Family Guy, fresh from college, when he hired him to work on Hanna-Barbera cartoons.

For Seibert's "What a Cartoon!" series for the Cartoon Network, Seibert hit ratings gold, signing up the creators who churned out hits like "The Powerpuff Girls," "Dexter's Laboratory" and "Johnny Bravo." Their series debuted as shorts for first for Seibert's series.

He still serves as executive producer of "The Fairly OddParents," a TV series he began producing in 1998 when it debuted on his "Oh Yeah, Cartoons," series. It's been running ever since on Nickelodeon.

Seibert's biggest audiences, however, have come from online, to the tune of some 1.9 billion views for 'toons like the Bee and PuppyCat and Bravest Warriors.

We had Seibert as a guest on our #TalkingTech podcast in June. At the time, he was averaging 300 million monthly viewers to the Channel Frederator network. Now he's already up to 400 million monthly viewers, and predicts he'll top 700 million by year's end, and 1 billion by 2016.

The reason for the massive growth is that unlike before, when animation was targeted just to young kids, either for Saturday morning TV, and kid-based cartoon TV channels, anyone of all ages can view `toons online.

Seibert's Cartoon Hangover, a Frederator section where he shows the best of his `toons, bills itself as the channel for "cartoons that are too weird, wild, and crazy for television."

“Bee and PuppyCat,” about a young woman with a hybrid dog-cat, is written by Natasha Allegri, a woman in her 20s, about a character in her 20s, and thus, obviously not targeted to the traditional animation crowd.

"No matter what your interest online — whether it be anime, or science fiction or comedy cartoons, there is a place for you," Seibert says. "TV has a tough time supporting the sub-genres. Online is all about sub-genre."

Channel Frederator is what's known as a multi-channel network. Cartoons run on YouTube, but his network promotes them, sells ads and distributes the proceeds to some 2,000 of his video makers.

Through Frederator, the channel makers learn about which color to make their thumbnails to find larger YouTube audiences (he recommends yellow) and which keywords to use in the descriptions ("funny" always works, he says.)

"We give them the tools to grow their performance," he says.

Dominic Panganiban, a 24-year-old animator from Toronto, joined the Frederator network in November, and has seen his subscriber base grow ten times since.

He had been working with Full Screen, another multi-channel network that works with YouTube creators to help them monetize their videos and attract larger audiences.

"Frederator was a better fit, because they cater more towards animation channels," Panganiban says. Because Frederator attracts folks who enjoy cartoons, "I have more potential here."

By being part of the Frederator network, Australian animator Sam Green says he's learned about how to better promote his cartoons, and gotten access to a database of free music and sound effects to use in his cartoons.

He too has seen a spike in traffic.

Being with Seibert "helped me move from my mother's garage to affording my own apartment in the big city," he says.

How did the traffic for both creators go up so dramatically?

Seibert promoted the cartoons to his audience. With 2,000 cartoon makers, that's a lot to choose from. He says he'll plug as many of them as "show an interest" to growing their audience. He looks for people who post new work regularly, stay in touch, and ask "what we can do to help them more."

And despite the massive online audience, Seibert isn't making money yet, and doesn't think he will for another three years. 

"Our cartoons are 3-4 minutes long, and the average American watches 6 hours of TV a day," he says. "We have a long way to go to even that out."

Photography by Jefferson Graham, July 2015

Whether or not RWBY gets renewed for season 10 and beyond, it’s weird that people would treat its cancellation as any kind of flex

Within 10-ish years, the show received several manga compilations, two comic book crossovers with DC Comics, multiple video games, a guest spot in two decent-sized video games (BlazBlue and Smite), a lore book, three novels, a D&D spinoff podcast, an anime spinoff, and a two-part crossover movie with the Justice League. The show was featured in TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly multiple times

Not to mention it went on for 9 seasons? That’s impressive on its own, considering how many shows—especially animated ones!—get kneecapped after like 2 seasons on a good day

Objectively speaking, RWBY won around volume 3 or 4, and if it did end up going out after 9—I personally don’t think it will, but who knows—it’s not like it’s going out quietly

I have probably said this before but a majority of the things I love all have one common connection and that is stories. I LOVE STORIES, whether it be fictional or historical. This also involves all aspects of all of my loves,

anime, TV shows, movies, comics, art, video games, podcasts, scientific discoveries, history, books, gossip, talking to people ALL STORIES.

submissions: closed (on indefinite hiatus)

hello and welcome to twinsoftheday!! this is a blog that documents sets of twins from various media for no reason other than that i thought it would be fun. inspired by blogs such as @canonlgbtcharacteroftheday, @canonlgbtcharacters, genderoftheday (rip), and @fashiondolloftheday.

navigation: fraternal twins | identical twins | same-gender twins | mixed-gender twins | clone/double twins | honorary twins | played by twins | dual role | animation | live action | movies | tv shows | books | comics/graphic novels | podcasts | dolls | games | web series | ocs | shitposts | mod posts

complete rules and submission guidelines are under the cut, but just know if you joke about incest it’s an instant block <3

submission guidelines:

submit your characters using the ask box.

name both characters and the media they’re from (example: hallie parker and annie james from the parent trap).

state which categories apply to the characters (example: sharpay and ryan evans from high school musical, fraternal and mixed-gender twins) [note: clone/double twins do not count as identical twins unless there is a specific in-universe reason for them to (e.g. they were raised to believe they were identical twins), so please clarify that if you are submitting identical twins where one or more is also a clone/double]

only include a picture if there’s a specific one you want me to use (do not use fanart unless 1. there is no canon art of the characters and 2. the artist has given permission).

try to specify which version of the characters you're talking about if there are multiple adaptations (example: ruth and connie batten from the malory towers book series)

the honorary twins category is for characters who are not twins (they don’t even have to be related!!) but have a close, twin-like bond. when you submit characters for honorary twin consideration i’d appreciate a bit of propaganda (example: will byers and eleven/jane hopper from stranger things. they consider each other family, are both the same age, and also share many thematic parallels, so i consider them honorary twins).

ineligible for submission: triplets (or quadruplets and so on and so forth), real people/historical figures/celebrities (unless it’s funny, i’m obviously gonna post shit like the da vinki twins), characters in romantic relationships with each other (mostly applies for the honorary twins category but again no twincest shit).

eligible for submission: non-human/animal characters (just clarifying because some people asked), mythological figures (e.g. historical people who weren’t real), and your own ocs!! as long as you provide art you have drawn/comissioned/have permission to use (picrews are not eligible because i don’t want the blog to become clogged up with them).

do not submit incestuous characters. i made this blog to catalogue twins in fiction because i myself am a twin, and funnily enough i'm not interested in posting about incest. (this is not an indication of whether i believe incest can exist in fiction; obviously people can write whatever they want.)

banned characters (some of whom were submitted despite my rules being VERY CLEAR): junko and mukuro from danganronpa (incest), mcu maximoff twins (racism), and anyone from harry potter (FUCK JKR 🍅🍅🍅)

other rules:

as i said above, i have the right to not accept any submission for any reason. at the end of the day this is my blog so please respect that <3

i’ve already said this but no joking about incest for the love of god- (and don’t try to be funny and send me an anon ask about it, i'll just delete it).

i will do my best to tag spoilers but i'm not familiar with every piece of media i post so i may miss some. please let me know if this is the case.

absolutely no bigotry of any kind (yes, that includes terfs. fuck off).

if you ship two characters that someone submitted as honorary twins, you can do yourself a favour and scroll past. i don’t have the time of day for unecessary discourse.

and in case you didn't catch it before: yes i am a twin lmao (and if you have any recs for media featuring twins where the whole plot isn't 'omg they're twins so quirky 😳' then send em my way)

Look! Up in the Spinner Rack!

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Action Comics #1!

Yesterday (April 18, 2023) was the super-impressive 85th anniversary of Superman & Lois Lane's first appearances! These two are among my absolute favorite characters in all of fiction & it's amazing to see them continue to flourish & inspire today. There's something indelibly timeless & iconic about the Superman mythos & visuals that makes me feel like a kid again, fully believing a man can fly & wishing I could too.

I vehemently disagree that Superman's outdated & needs to be "cooler." He is cool, he's just not the angry power fantasy some people wish he was. There are other characters for that, but that doesn't mean Clark's one-dimensional or stagnant. He's not an unrelatable god either: he's an immigrant, an adopted son, a husband, a father, a friend. I also prefer him choosing to be a hero in the face of corruption–and because he himself was helped when he was most vulnerable–to being sent here on a mission to save & inspire us; he’s inspirational without being issued a mandate. Whether you prefer Clark Kent or Superman as the primary guy--I've come to think neither is a mask & they're both exaggerated yet honest sides of his personality--he proves power doesn't have to corrupt, that no matter where you're from you can help make things better, and that no matter how weak we seem or powerless we feel, we can all be someone's greatest hero in the fight for truth, justice, & a better tomorrow.

A long time ago I saw someone say Lois is such a strong character that she could've existed without Superman & been just as great, & that's absolutely true. While I love the screwball comedy tenor of their romance, the fact that she's Clark's equal in the fight for justice (& his superior in journalism) makes her every bit the hero he is. Sure she gets into danger a lot, but usually it's her tenacity to stop criminals & get the story that lands her there, not a plot requirement for Superman to rescue someone. I don't buy that Superman's humanity & goodness rests entirely on Lois--he loves people & that should be why he pursues journalism, to hear & share their stories, so if he did lose her he wouldn't lose himself--but the two of them absolutely evolve each other's worldviews & arcs brilliantly. Her cynicism & jaded view of the world fading when confronted by both Clark & Superman--but never losing her wit or edge--compliments Superman's never-ending battle challenging his optimism & faith in people perfectly.

Smallville is my absolute favorite version of Superman because of the writing, directing, acting, characters, relationships, & brilliant balance of Clark's dual heritages culminating in his ability to fly. It also didn't hurt that it hit at exactly the right time for me, as I was a year older than Clark when it aired & am still finding commonalities between us (both positive & regrettable hahaha) as I rewatch it again in tandem with Tom Welling & Michael Rosenbaum's Talkville podcast. Smallville also had a tone that allowed for relationship drama, horror-tinged villains, campy fun, & heightened comic book adventures, all grounded by human relationships (& it's my favorite show ever; the one that makes me want to be a writer), but there are so many other great iterations of the Man of Steel out there for everyone! Christopher Reeve (whose acting hands-down proves the glasses & demeanor change works), Superman & Lois, Superman Smashes the Klan, Superman: Miracle Monday, Superman the Animated Series, & Superman: Secret Identity are just a few of the best ones. Take time to check some out this week!

Despite all we've gotten in film, TV, animation, radio, & comics over the decades, there's a beautiful scene in Miracle Monday I've never seen adapted anywhere & I hope we finally get in Superman & Lois, My Adventures with Superman, or the newest iteration in Superman Legacy: at an especially low point, Clark flies to the arctic & just listens. He hears something no one else can--the sounds of the entire planet harmonizing to form the "song of the Earth"--and his heartbeat completes the song, showing him this is where he belongs.

It's insane that we're just 15 years out from Action Comics' 100th anniversary. How will the Man of Tomorrow meet our actual tomorrow? I can't wait to find out & see what's next for Lois & Clark (& Kara, John Henry, Jimmy, Jon, Natasha, Kong, Connor, Krypto, Lana, Martha, Jonathan, Perry, Lex, Brainiac, Bizarro, Parasite, Mxyzptlk, Metallo, Livewire, Silver Banshee, and the rest)!

Nomination Clarifications #4

Sign-ups should be opening in about 10 hours, but we still have 12 clarifications we need information for. If you nominated the fandom Mr. Malcolm's List, can you clarify if you mean the novel, the 2022 film, the 2019 short film or potentially the podcast script reading. If we don't hear back about this we'll process this as Mr. Malcolm's List - All Media Types. Also for the ship Selina Dalton/Jeremiah Dalton/Henry Ossory/Lord Cassidy, did you mean to write Jeremiah Malcolm rather than Dalton? We can't find a character of Jeremiah Dalton, only Jeremiah Malcolm, so if we don't hear back we'll assume that was an error. If you nominated the fandom ユリ熊嵐 | Yuri Kuma Arashi, can you clarify if you meant the anime or the manga since they look to have the same characters but very different plotlines. If we don't hear back about this we'll be processing this as ユリ熊嵐 | Yuri Kuma Arashi (Anime). If you nominated Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg under Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types,  this is only 2 people and we don't allow 2 people ships. If you meant to write in a third person, please let us know who and also whether the  ship is for The Witcher books, games or TV. If you nominated Bewildered Older Brother/Older Brother's BF/Horny Younger Brother Wishing to be in a Sandwich (OW) under Original Work, please can you spell out what BF should mean. If we don't hear back we'll assume it means boyfriend and approve with that added. If you nominated Beranardi al Auriga/Mandala Flynn/Hikaru Sulu under Star Trek: Classic Timeline, can you confirm if this  is meant to be Bernardi al Auriga from the The Entropy Effect novel. If we don't hear back we'll assume it was a typo and add it with Bernardi al Auriga. If you nominated Marlene Alraune/Layla El-Faouly/Steven Grant/Jake Lockley/Marc Spector under Moon Knight (TV),  can you confirm whether Marlene Alraune actually appears in the TV   show? From what we could tell looking online it looked like she wasn't.  If we don't hear back this will be added under Crossover - fandom instead. If you nominated Zakia Asalache/Capheus Onyango/Jela/Jela's wife under Sense8, can you confirm if you mean the specific canon character of Eleana for Jela's wife or Jela's wife as a general concept? If we don't hear back we'll assume it means general concept and approve as is.   If you nominated Logan/Ororo Munroe/Kurt Wagner under X-Men (Comicverse), please can you let us know if you meant Marvel 616 or another comics universe. If we don't hear back we will add this under Marvel 616. If we don't hear back about the following nominations they will be rejected: If you nominated Raffi Musiker/Seven of Nine/B'Elanna Torres AU under Star Trek: Classic Timeline, can you clarify what you mean by B'Elanna Torres AU. If it's an AU version of her from a particular episode the episode name added would help identify who you mean. If you nominated Raffi Musiker/Seven of Nine/B'Elanna Torres freeform under Star Trek: Classic Timeline, can you clarify what you mean by freeform, is this referring to the AO3 tag as a freeform tag or something else? If you just meant Raffi Musiker/Seven of Nine/B'Elanna Torres, that tag is already in the tagset. If you nominated Gong Jun | Simon/Yu Xiang/Zhang Zhehan under 山河令 | Word of Honor (TV 2021) RPF, we weren't 100% sure if we'd found the right actor for Yu Xiang, is Yun_Xiang  who plays Bi Xingming in Word of Honor the correct person? If we don't  hear back this nomination will be rejected since we need to be able to find details on the people in RPF ships so that we can confirm their ages are 18+. If you have any questions, please feel free to   leave a comment on this post. You can also send an e-mail to [email protected]. Collection: https://ao3.org/collections/holly_poly_2022 Tag Set: https://archiveofourown.org/tag_sets/12906 Tumblr: https://holly-poly.tumblr.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/holly_poly_ex

Elimination of Media, Journaling, Home Hacks

Tune in LIVE weekly to the upbeat, positive lifestyle broadcast where producer and host Cynthia Brian showcases strategies for success on StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!®. Available wherever you listen to your favorite programs!

In 2023, twenty thousand media jobs were eliminated in the United States. This was a 500% increase from the 2022 loss. Will democracy falter because of the decay of revered media and newspapers? 

Do you journal? Journaling can be your best friend, helping you to reflect, refine, and understand yourself. Whether you just jot down your random thoughts, or create a gratitude journal, journaling helps you get in touch with your inner thoughts. Express yourself with art, poetry, or stream your thoughts.

Hacks help your household! Discover a few simple hacks that will make life so much easier and efficient.

Follow StarStyle®:

Listen at the Voice America Network, Empowerment Channel: https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/148918/elimination-of-media-journaling-home-hacks

#eliminationofmedia,#newspapers,#journalilng,#homehacks,#be the star you are, #voice America network, 

#empowerment,#growingwiththegoddessgardener,

RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOK: Family Forever: https://cynthiabrian.suhttps://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/148814/love-day-liking-lichens-world-democracy-colds-and-flusbstack.com/p/family-forever Available at www.CynthiaBrian.com/online-store or  www.StarStyleStore.net

LIVE SHOW 4-5pm PT: https://bit.ly/3cDti0Z

Places to Listen to StarStyle Radio:

Apple Itunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/starstyle-be-the-star-you-are/id669630180?mt=2

Tunein: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Motivational/StarStyle---Be-the-Star-You-Are-p46014/

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/voice-america/be-the-star-you-are

IHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/256-starstyle-be-the-star-you-31083110/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4zDdwzlsHH44caWiMQdD25

SubStack: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/228120.rss

Pocketcasts: https://pca.st/mjw2ng5n

Be the Star You Are! 501 c3 charity offers help, hope, and healing for women, families and youth in need.

BTSYA Operation Disaster Relief. Please donate. http://ow.ly/ks8A30lekGe

Read how BTSYA is Making a Difference: https://www.ibpa-online.org/news/460747/IBPA-Member-Spotlight-Cynthia-Brian.htm 

Read our Newsletter:Cheer for the New Year: https://open.substack.com/pub/cynthiabrian/p/cheer-for-the-new-year?

Birthday: 6/19/2002

Horoscope: gemini

Fav colors: pink, black , sage green

Hobbies: reading, journaling, volunteering, listening to podcasts, occasional poetry writing, listening to music, thrifting , crocheting , & occasionally hate watching bad lifetime movies

Music genres: R&B, alternative , rap, pop, I like punk rock too

Fav artists: Tyler the creator, Mac miller , kali uchis , jcole , chief keef , gorillaz, summer walker, frank ocean , SZA , MJ, the smiths , young nudy , erykah badu

Fav movies : 10 things I hate about you , 13 going on 30 , legally blonde , kill bill , almost any Robert deniro or Quentin Tarantino film, cute Pixar movies , also A24 movies ( p.s I’m a horror movie fanatic)

Video games : harvest moon, Mario kart, tekken, final fantasy , street fighter , marvel vs capcom , fashion games , dbz

Tv shows : breaking bad , shameless , new girl , bojack horseman, probably any cartoon , SpongeBob fs , gossip girl , the sopranos , sex & the city

Fashion : simple , hyper feminine , skater culture , some punk/Y2K influence , 1990’s sears catalogs , minimalism , a touch of masculine pieces & some cottagecore lol

Dream cars : Porsche or g wagon or a vintage corvette ( in reality I want to have a black jeep ) lowkey I want a Volkswagen tho

Dream job: entrepreneur , pediatric nurse , BCBA, licensed therapist

Interests : makeup , stocks , books , animals , music , fashion , nature , YouTube videos about interesting stuff

Fav physical activity : hiking or yoga , I occasionally run

Comfort drinks : iced cold brew w vanilla sweet cream , iced matcha latte w boba or taro boba , raspberry arizona teas , lemon ginger tea , champagne or sweet wine , coconut redbull

Comfort foods : sushi , poke bowls , chicken wings , pizza , Mac & cheese , salads , cheese fries , crab legs , curry , butter chicken , Greek food, I could actually go on but also grilled cheese w tomato soup

Fav desserts: cheesecake , brownies , pecan pie , soft serve ice cream or sundaes , sour straws , gelato , icees

Personality traits : observant , goofy , joyful , humble , sweet , bold , smart , sarcastic , reserved

Character flaws: broken humor , I lose interest in others fast , I deem myself as “too much” , also “too nice” but I’m working on it , laughs In serious moments , can he either too withdrawn or too childish no in between

Description: hourglass figure , 5’6, fair-olive skin , button nose , big eyes , arched brows , dimples , soft features, thicc , I have a pretty cute smile >:)

Ethnicity : I’m pretty much white but moms side is Puerto Rican with a little bit of Filipino & Spaniard & dads side is completely white , French & English maybe Irish too ? Idrk I think I have an identity crisis on whether I’m Hispanic or not every other day so we’ll just go with white lol

Places you might find me : the thrift store , the book store , ulta , a park , the nearest boba shop , nature trails , the beach , animal shelter or my job

Likes : sanrio , makeup , memes , good music , $, podcasts , squishmallows , my cats , nature like a beach or river , pink , sweets , genuine people , honesty/unfiltered energy , spirituality & philosophy , the color green

Dislikes : rats both types , capitalism, bugs , dishonesty , tension , envious energy, the patriarchy lol , being lied or deceived , false media , clout chasers

I’m most likely to .. be extremely loyal to loved ones , take on care giving roles , take initiative and make decisions on my own , perform kind acts , show transparency, put a disrespectful person in their mf place , celebrate other’s accomplishments.

I’m least likely to .. break promises , talk down on others , be envious , engage in negative conversations, give into shallow mindsets , snitch bc fuck snitches lol.

Wants : commercial property, a pair of manolos , more tattoos , and a good sandwich ( maybe a loving partner & family in the future)

Needs: a long hug, a good education, a good career , a vacation out the country

Dream house : a ranch style house or villa styled house , if it’s out the country I’d love some type of cottage

Dream life : I always wanted to make passive income & work a job where I help others , I hope one day I get to experience motherhood with a loving husband by my side , the funds to support a soft life , to travel every once & a while

Relationship status : in love with myself / a cat lady

Whenever people suggest that streaming is becoming the same as cable, i just cant agree.

I used to pay $150-$170 per month for cable, only watch like 2-3 shows on 1-2 channels, that weren't even in at the times i had time for tv. Most streaming services are under $10 or $20 each. And they have so much we actually want to watch, that Decision Paralysis has become a common problem which streaming services have needed to address with random play features.

People would say, "cable is overpriced, but just cancel at every few months, then re-sign-up for their sign-up deals." That's all well and good for everybody without social anxiety who can make phone calls. But that excludes me.

And people in this thread mention "a basic cable package is only $50 because competion lowers prices". What competition? There are interviews of cable CEOs saying how they divide up the country into regions and stay out of each other's way. I've heard it described like a cartel.And they get away with it because no one is serious enough about monopoly regulation. And yeah, when i went shopping for cable, there was only 1 option, so they could get away with charging $150+. Everyone will tell you they only had 1 cable option. (Satellite was a whole other category that didn't work for everybody.) But that was years ago. Maybe with streaming, cable has finally lowered their prices to $50. Heck, maybe even my cable's Basic Package may have been only $50. But all the things i wanted to watch were spread across multiple additional tiers, and that's how i ended up with $150+. And i wouldn't be surprised if streaming eventually does the same, if we keep allowing them to be regarded as "the same as cable".

Streaming has so much better choices and prices than cable. With streaming, I'm not paying $150+ for literal hundreds of channels that I'm not watching. But i had to buy them all for the dumb 1-2 shows i wanted with cable...but were steadily losing feeling worthwhile.

And maybe a media companies' full catalog, on-demand/VOD, makes streaming worth more than cable, and maybe their current prices aren't sustainable for them, so they might start pricing streaming more like cable. But after all these years of enjoying primarily YouTube for free? These streaming services aren't competing vs the ghost of cable tv. They're competing against YouTube...and videogames, and manga, and pirated anime, and free podcasts, and free library books, and cheap e-books,... Honestly, most days, i dont even watch the streaming services that my family has shared passwords with me. YouTube is free, with new content everyday, and that takes up enough of my time already, outside of all the other things going on in my life, and the other media i could be consuming. (Media backlog is such a common idea now, we make jokes about it. Whether it's videogames, books, manga, physical media collections, music, podcasts---also free!---etc.) Streaming may be worth more than cable, but if they raise prices to be like cable, i could easily drop them. These past several years have proven that.

Media after COVID-19

I’ve mentioned before that Covid-19 is going to almost certainly have a huge impact on our lives. These impacts will be varied, far reaching, and affect varied elements of our lives.

I”m gonna focus on media cuz it’s fun and relatively easier to predict.

To start, we’re gonna see a reeaaal slow down in most main stream films and TV shows. Can’t film if studios are closed, after all- and who wants to risk putting movies out if you don’t know when people will be going to theaters again?

That said, don’t expect this to be immediate. There’s gonna be plenty of stuff in post-production which might have some delay, but still be coming out.

Expect things like books, podcasts, indie games, etc- all stuff that can mostly be done at home, in smaller teams-  to keep chugging along. I personally fully intend to fill my Media Void with them

Also, I’m expecting at least one YA novel about a world where Touching Is forbidden because of a Terrible Plague. Protag Girl accidentally touches Love Interest Boy- the scandal!- but sparks fly. Protag Girl will turn out to be immune. 

But, okay. What about once the Mainstream Media gets back into full swing?

There’s that one post going around about A Straight White Middle Class Couple that falls in love again. This prediction is completely accurate. 

There’s that one post going around about the ‘America- Fuck Yeah!’ piece on how the US singlehandedly stopped the pandemic. This prediction is also completely accurate.

I like to hope, however, there will also be another, much better, more accurate dramatization of the Covid-19 response that will take a global perspective and show Proper Science in it. 

I’m fully expecting a “Based On a True Story” heart-string puller about some kid and/or grandparent who gets coronavirus and how Nearly Dying Taught Them To Live. 50/50 on whether they survive or not, irregardless of whether the person its based on did or not. 

A Zany Comedy about a hapless dad who gets stuck as his kids’ sole caregiver during quarantine. Hijinks ensue. 

Please give me at least one murder mystery where the closed door set up is they’re all stuck inside cuz quarantine.

Zombie stories are gonna be coming back in a biiiig way. I know folks. We’re still barely over the last wave of them. Whether or not it’ll last depends on whether the reaction is ‘sweet catharsis’ or ‘actually this is a little on the nose’. 

Sit coms/dramas set in the real world are gonna have to tackle the question of how to address This Whole Thing when they first come back. There will be a few approaches:

A number will just ignore them flat out. Easier that way, don’t have to mess with current plots/timelines.

A handful will wave it away with comments like, “When did you grow a beard?” “y’know, in quarantine.”

Plenty will have A Single Episode about the epidemic. The comedic ones with be Self-Isolation Hijinks, while the serious ones will involve a cast member actually getting sick. Quality will vary hugely.

Soooooo many physical distancing bottle episodes. I’m looking forward to this, cuz I’m a sucker for a good bottle episode. 

I’m predicting one or two series/seasons specifically set during Covid-19, for its full duration. I’m expecting quality to either be fantastic or awful, no in between. 

Adult animated comedies like South Park are gonna have a field day, one seconded only by...

Medical procedurals. You can just imagine.

At least one of those medical procedurals will win an Emmy.

Annnd... I think that’s what I’ve got. Anyone got anything to add on? 

2021 tv

*

Assorted tv shows and other stuff I’ve finished this year so far (and that I did not do a longer review of for one or another reason):

ANIMATED

- DC Superhero Girls (Season 1). Terrific action-comedy, one of the very few recent superhero shows I’ve actually enjoyed. Loosely adapted not from the previous incarnation of “DC Superhero Girls”, but rather from the animated shorts “Super Best Friends Forever”, part of the DC Nation animated shorts —all of them worth a look (well, the assorted Nation shorts are of VERY different quality, as you can expect. Still…).

- This Duckburg Life (Podcast). Spin-off from the 2017 Ducktales cartoon. Every bit as engaging as the show, with near-perfect comedic timing. Also, pretty much the end of that particular incarnation… for now at least.

- My next life as a villainess: All routes lead to doom! (Season 1). One the most popular recent Anime (it just got a second volume), sort of a… if not “Deconstruction” then subversion of the “Isekai” genre. Also noteworthy for fans of Visual Novels, both romance and mystery.

- Vivid Strike! Spin-off of the successful Anime franchise “Lyrical Nanoha”… of which I have to admit I have never seen a single episode yet. Vivid is a fantasy-action series that is notable both for the intense action scenes… and for the often alarming focus on preteen girls getting pounded in increasingly vicious ways. And I’m told this one is actually one of the mildest entries of the Nanoha franchise! So maybe not for all tastes, but if you know what you’re in for…

- Beastars (Season 2). The Netflix Anime adaptation of the excellent furry manga takes a few liberties with the source, most of the for good. Some for not-so-good, managing to make the characters a lot more unreasonable. Still buoyed by the genuinely gorgeous animation.

- DC Showcase: Death (animated short). Remarkable tale that would fit right at home with the original Sandman comic or the Death spin-offs. Maybe a touch hurt by the insistence of placing it squarely in the DC universe (that damn Arkham Asylum shot), but otherwise more than worth a look.

- Wonder Woman: Bloodlines (animated movie). An entertaining enough showcase of 21-st. Century Wonder Woman storylines, drawing as much from the comics as from the live-action movies —and in this case set on the “DC Animated Movies” continuity which once again creates far more problems than it solves. Between this and the Wonder Woman shorts also included on DC Nation, I get to the by now probably common question: When do we get a “Wonder Woman: The animated series” proper?

(Note: Been reading “Historia”, a series of articles by Riteshi Babu which chronicle the entire history of Wonder Woman comics. Very much recommended, in part to get an idea of how that animated series could go. Look them up online)

- Masters of the Universe: Revelation. One of those shows that people online love to whine about yet people in real life enjoy a lot. Very entertaining, whether you take it as a sequel of the He-man cartoons or a, this word again, sorta Deconstruction or just subversion of it.

- Trese. Terrific horror fantasy yarn adapted from a famous Filipino comic. Great world-building, animation and overall storyline.

- Onyx Equinox. Another terrific horror fantasy yarn, in this case drawn from assorted Mesoamerican mythologies woven into an original story.

I really do hope these two last will continue.

LIVE-ACTION

Without planning to, all are YA thrillers, hehe:

- The Wilds. It’s tempting to say “Lord of the flies + Lost, but with girls” —but that is really underselling this neat little show about troubled teenage girls stranded in a mysterious island.

- Panic. Adaptation of the Lauren Oliver book (“Before I die”), about a small town with a summer tradition: A very high-risk game where the prize is millions and the worst outcome is death.

- Al-Rawabi School for Girls. Teenage revenge yarn from Jordan, by turns darkly humorous, vicious and dramatic. Quite the surprise.

And three movies:

- A simple favor. Virtually every 21st Century domestic thriller (From “Gone girl” to “Desperate Housewives”) run through a blender. Far more implausible than its fans want to believe, and yet undeniably entertaining.

- 1922. Bleak Stephen King adaptation (but current-day King, which, you know, accounts for the bleakness in question), generally more grim than horrific.

- The woman in the window. Competent thriller that’s as skillfully made as ultimately, and sadly, forgettable.

WHEW!

How to Choose a Tarot Deck

It’s October, which means that many people who are vaguely curious the rest of the year decide to take the plunge and start dabbling in tarot and witchcraft. There’s a million intro’s to tarot out there, but I’ve decided to throw another log on that fire and give you yet another perspective on it.

Some things you should know getting into this:

Tarot can be a part of your practice, or it can just be something you do separate from that. Not all people who read tarot are witches, and not all witches read tarot.

What makes tarot work? That’s going to depend on you and where you pull power. Does it work? Yes if you go into it with appropriate expectations, and take the appropriate actions to make it work. That’s a whole other post, though.

Some people say that you shouldn’t buy your own tarot deck, and that it must be gifted. Some people say that it doesn’t matter. I say, it depends on your personal practice and beliefs. But either way, whether you’re buying it or heavily implying to someone that it would be a great gift, this is a beginner’s guide to picking a deck.

Oracle decks aren’t tarot decks, though they often may be read in similar ways. Both are valid forms of cartomancy (reading the future through cards), and you can use these steps to pick an oracle deck too, but there’s a few more steps for an oracle deck.

Step 1: Shop around! 

It doesn’t have to be the first deck you see. There’s a bazillion decks out there, in a bazillion styles. Usually if you’re thinking of a deck, you’re thinking of the Rider-Waite-Smith (also called RWS) deck, but there’s so many different decks.

Step 2: Choose a deck with art that speaks to you!

Some decks are very Christian, some are very Pagan. Some decks only have white people, some have diversity in their art. Some only have women. Some don’t have any people and only have animals. Some only have birds or only have cats. Or dragons. Some are themed around tv shows or podcasts or books or authors or historical figures. Some are done in minimalist styles, some are incredibly detailed, some look like 80′s fantasy posters, some look like traditional folk styles.

Pick something that 1) pleases you to look at, because you will be looking at it, and 2) speaks to you. A great deal of reading tarot is not memorizing the booklet, but interpreting the art on the card. I struggle with some decks because they pull from traditions that are completely foreign to me, and others are just completely intuitive. Take the time to look at the cards and see what makes sense.

Step 3: Look at other people’s readings with that deck!

Before I buy a deck, I look at other people who have it and see what they think. No two people will have the exact same experience, but sometimes if you’re struggling a little with the idea of reading the cards, seeing someone else read it might make it click. Or, sometimes they mention something about the deck that you wouldn’t have otherwise known that makes up your mind. One example is that I almost bought a deck, until someone’s review revealed that the physical quality of the cards was poor, and that they wore out fast. On the other hand, I bought a deck because I was pretty sure I wanted it, and then I found out that the cards are closer to the size of playing cards, which is lovely because I have small hands.

Don’t be afraid to reach out to people who have that deck and ask them what they think! I have a bunch of decks, and each one has a different feel, and I’m always happy to talk to people about that.

Step 4: Don’t be afraid to make a mistake!

Now, some decks are expensive, and probably don’t jump straight into a deck that’s very expensive unless you’re sure that that’s what you want, or you’ve got the cash to burn. Or, buy it second hand.

There is, indeed, a market for second hand decks, because even if you’ve gone through all these steps, and you’ve got twelve other decks that you click with, you may sometimes be wrong! And that’s ok! You can always offload a deck, because there’s always someone who might want it. There’s nothing wrong with that.

Step 5: Enjoy your deck!

There’s a lot of posts about bonding with your deck and learning to read it, and maybe I’ll write one, but maybe not. Mostly, I make this point as a reminder that this is something that’s fun.

Enjoy your deck! Have fun with it! Spend time with it! Learning a new deck is a treat, not a chore. Have fun!