#the dynamics on screen are so so so good because the cast LOVES EACH OTHER

[letmetellyouaboutmyfeels]

I was listening to the podcast with Aisha and Oliver and they got to the cursed storyline that we all hate. And I just love how Aisha is pointing out how people were like since when did this show suddenly care about realism. I know she was saying other people said it but a part of me thinks that’s what she thought too lol

I admit I was a little confused by the wording here but if I'm reading it right you're talking about when Aisha discussed Bobby's death, and how the show didn't kill off characters, but Timmy here decided it "wasn't realistic" that the main characters never died. I agree with you - I could be wrong in how I interpreted what Aisha said but - in my opinion she was saying, "we're dragged online all the time for not being realistic, THIS is how you want to change that? We've had eight seasons enjoying not caring about realism and NOW you care? for THIS?"

Last season Bobby was "dead" for far, far too long. Medical experts and even just people with common sense and the ability to google were like hey, he shouldn't be able to recover mentally, if you're without oxygen for that long you're brain dead. Tim knew this. He didn't care. He literally said he didn't care. He wanted the drama.

So yeah, using the "we have to be realistic" argument is absolute bullshit and from my understanding of what Aisha was saying, yes, she absolutely agrees with us that it's bullshit for him to say that.

You want a show with realism you watch The Pitt. You want a show for campy fun you watch 9-1-1. It was a comfort show for many. We had a shark on the freeway! A tsunami in Los Angeles!

In killing off Bobby the show betrayed itself. And while Aisha is far, far too classy to say "yeah this was bullshit and I'm pissed as fuck" in an interview, I think you could tell that she agreed with the outrage. The cast has been very clear (well, Kenny and Athena and Peter and now Aisha and I think also Oliver? so I think we can infer everyone is on the same page here) that they disagreed with and were deeply upset by the decision, with varying levels of diplomacy in how they express their opinion. Which honestly... pisses me off more than the actual story.

To me, the story is paramount. The story trumps all else. I don't care if I fucking hate your guts beyond all reason, if I was an actor and you were my costar playing my romantic interest, I am going to give it all I've fucking got, because I'm not going to ruin the story. I believe in that very strongly. Whatever is going on in your real life or behind the scenes, you drop it the moment it comes to your art, no matter what medium that art takes. You owe it to your audience. You ask them to trust you to follow you on this journey, and so in return you need to be worthy of that trust.

However, at the end of the day, a story is fiction. If you're in an abusive work environment, don't put up with it. Quit. If you need time off, take time off. Real people always matter more. There is a big difference between "I'm a closeted queer person and being a messy bitch about it so I'm going to throw a bitch fit if they make my character queer because god forbid I separate church and state a little" or "my coworker is an entitled arrogant asshat and so I hate kissing him" and "my boss is sexually harassing me" or "the crew is being forced into dangerous working hours that will get them killed." Y'know? Drama versus wellbeing. Fix your damn self versus save yourself.

And so what makes me angriest is that real people got hurt in this. The audience is hurt because you took advantage of the trust you built with them. Those are real people who trusted you. Your cast is hurt, because you betrayed them. You hurt them. Real people. They didn't want you to do this. At least two of them have admitted they begged you not to. And you ignored them, because power was more important to you than taking care of the people who are your responsibility.

Stay classy, Aisha. I'd die for you. If your husband ever takes you for granted I am outside your home with roses. Also you're so valid for falling in love with Bear please hug him for me and tell him I love him muchly.

[james-bucky-barnackle]

I mean?

Synopsis: On a press tour with your co-star Sebastian Stan, the interviewer asks you a question about another film he did and the answer surprises him.

Pairing: Sebastian Stan x Actress!Y/N

Word Count: IDK I'm too sleep deprived to count.

A/N: Bro I am on a resurgence. Might just fuck around and continue writing more fanfics or whatever.

It’s another busy day promoting your new movie with Sebastian, The Road Trip. It's a funny romcom about two best friends going on a long trip to see another friend who your character is dating. Interestingly enough, the guy who plays him is Chris Evans. The interviews are currently being done in pairs, and you're with Sebastian.

You've always been candid, speaking your mind without feeling shy. Deep down, you're a bit of a pessimist, accepting things as they are. When you first heard from your agent that you were cast in The Road Trip alongside Sebastian Stan and Chris Evans, you laughed hysterically. The idea that you, an unconventional beauty, were chosen to be on screen with those two seemed surreal. You never really think about dating co-stars, which helps with acting in general. The media is impressed with how chill you are around A-list actors, and even though it hasn’t fully sunk in yet, the industry has started promoting you to that list.

The interview has been going on for about 15 minutes when another journalist joins, mostly asking about the experience of working with the cast.

“It’s my first romcom, can you believe it?” you say.

“First?!” Sebastian stares in mock disbelief.

“I know, right?!” You feign surprise.

The interviewer continues, “How does it feel to do something lighter and a bit comedic for once?”

“You mean, a movie where no one dies?” Sebastian covers his mouth at your response.

“I mean essentially,” the interviewer laughs. “Wait, no one dies?!” They nudge you playfully.

“I mean, I’m not sure, no spoilers,” you say, breaking the fourth wall and looking into the camera. Sebastian cackles. “It’s definitely refreshing. It feels like going to school for some reason. Like I don’t want to miss a class just because I might miss something wild happening.”

“What?” Sebastian glares. “What school did you go to?”

“I mean, aside from the learning stuff…” You grimace. “It’s fun, honestly. I’d love to do more romcoms. It’s very down-to-earth and just resonates with you so much. I don’t wanna get too cheesy, but I’m such a hopeless romantic—this is my jam.”

“Sebastian, how’s your experience working with Chris again, this time outside of the Marvel universe?”

“Wait, this isn’t in the Marvel Universe?!” you butt in. Sebastian again, fakes a loud gasp. You two laugh. This interview feels like it’s going nowhere.

“It’s totally fun, as Y/N mentioned—it really is like going to class. But most of my scenes are with Y/N, so she’s like the lab partner I’ve never had. Chris was always texting us, checking which location we’re going to be at, making sure we’re scheduled on the same day. It’s fun when we’re both on set.”

You nod in agreement. “Yeah, we’ve got a good rhythm going. It’s like having a little family on set. Plus, Chris is always the one who brings snacks, so that’s a bonus.”

Sebastian laughs. “Oh, absolutely. Chris and his endless supply of trail mix.”

The interviewer chuckles. “Sounds like you all have a great dynamic. Was there a favorite scene you both enjoyed filming together?”

You think for a moment. “I really loved the scene where we’re stuck in the car during that rainstorm. It was so chaotic, but we had a blast improvising and just playing off each other.”

Sebastian nods. “Yeah, that was a good one. The rain machine was going full blast, and we were just trying not to crack up the entire time.”

The interviewer smiles. “It sounds like it was a lot of fun. And the chemistry definitely shows on screen. Speaking of different roles, Y/N, Sebastian’s been in the movie Fresh where he plays a sociopathic killer who preys on lonely women pretending to be a genuine guy.”

“I don’t like where this is going,” you say, laughing, as Sebastian shakes his head.

“Would you, like Noa, fall prey to Steve’s antics?” This question gets a louder laugh from Sebastian as your face shows pure shock. You hold him back with your hand and say,

“I’ve thought about this, to be honest,” you start, looking at Sebastian as he raises his eyebrows, impressed.

“Oh, you have?”

You laugh and continue, patting his thigh and looking back at the interviewer. “Me and my friend talked about it a while back. And it’s frightening because I would’ve probably ended up on a chopping block.”

“Noooo!” Sebastian shouts, “I was rooting for you.”

“No! But, like, you are incredibly good-looking and charismatic. It would be hard not to give my number at the grocery aisle.”

He tilts his head at your response. “Surely not good enough to get yourself killed?!”

“You’d be surprised how far I’d even go,” you say, as the interviewer laughs with you both. “Oh god, I need to call my therapist,” you add, ending the topic with the three of you gagging.

“Might just have to talk to mine too, after hearing that.”

You can already feel TikTok saving this clip and turning it into a meme.

You notice, after you call Sebastian good-looking, he’s been eyeing you sideways and biting his lip. As if he’s suddenly gone bashful. You can’t help but feel a boost in your ego. Could it be that Stan is shy? You make it a point to tease him for the remainder of the interview.

“What’s something funny or unexpected that happened on set?”

“Oh, there were so many moments,” you start. “One time, we were filming this really serious scene, and out of nowhere, a bird flew into the set and landed right on Sebastian’s shoulder.”

Sebastian laughs. “Yeah, I had no idea what to do. I just froze, and then Y/N started making bird noises to try and get it to fly away.”

You laugh, nodding. “It took a good ten minutes to get back into character after that. Everyone was cracking up.”

The interviewer grins. “That sounds hilarious. It’s great to hear that you all had such a good time. Speaking of moments on set, were there any funny or awkward moments while filming the more romantic or intimate scenes?”

Sebastian raises an eyebrow, smirking. “Oh, plenty. Like the time we were shooting that kiss scene in the rain, and Y/N kept slipping on the wet pavement.”

You roll your eyes playfully. “Hey, it was slippery! You were the one who can’t stop laughing during takes.”

Sebastian laughs. “True, true. But come on, we both know it was because you were so nervous about kissing me.” You notice him biting back.

You gasp in mock offense. “Excuse me, I was not nervous! I was just...distracted by how ridiculously good-looking you are. It’s hard to concentrate when you have that face right in front of you.” He smiles uncontrollably again, feeling defeated by your nonchalance. He wonders, how are you so good at this?

The interviewer laughs, clearly enjoying the banter. “So, who do you think had the hardest time keeping a straight face during those scenes?”

You both point at each other simultaneously, then laugh.

Sebastian leans back, shaking his head. “Definitely Y/N. There was this one scene where we were supposed to be having this deep, romantic conversation, and she just couldn’t stop giggling.”

You nudge him playfully. “Well, you weren’t helping with all your ad-libs! You kept whispering things like, ‘Is that your stomach growling or are you just happy to see me?’”

Sebastian laughs. “Hey, I was trying to lighten the mood! And let’s not forget the scene where we had to stare into each other’s eyes for what felt like an eternity. I swear, Y/N, you blink more than anyone I know.”

You smirk. “Only because I was trying to avoid getting lost in those baby blues of yours.” At this point, Sebastian was laughing hard, but feeling nervous at your jokes. He secretly wished it were all real, his ears were red and hot. He’s already thinking of how to approach you after the interview and get himself out of the friend zone which he didn’t even thought he’d be in, having found a new interest in you. 

The interviewer looks between the two of you, amused. “It sounds like you both had a lot of fun with it. Do you think all that chemistry will translate to the screen?”

Sebastian nods. “Oh, definitely. I think our off-screen dynamic really helped make the on-screen relationship feel more genuine. Plus, Y/N here is an amazing actress. She made it easy.”

You smile, feeling a bit bashful. “Well, Sebastian’s not too bad himself. It’s hard not to enjoy working with someone who’s so talented and, let’s be honest, ridiculously attractive.” 

Here she goes again .Sebastian grins. “Right back at you. But let’s be real, we’re both just incredibly good-looking people trying to make a movie here.” The internet is gonna have a field day.

The interviewer laughs. “Sounds like a tough job! Any last funny or romantic moments you’d like to share?”

You think for a moment. “There was this one scene where we had to dance together. Neither of us are professional dancers, so there were a lot of missteps and toe-stepping. But it ended up being one of the sweetest scenes because it felt so real and unpolished.”

Sebastian nods. “Yeah, that was a great scene. It was supposed to be this perfectly choreographed dance, but it turned into us just goofing around and having fun. I think it really captured the essence of our characters' relationship.”

The interviewer smiles, clearly delighted by your stories. “Well, thank you both for sharing these wonderful moments. It’s been a pleasure talking with you.”

As you and Sebastian leave the interview room, you head towards the lobby where a few other cast members are mingling. The energy is still high from the fun and laughter of the interview. Sebastian nudges you playfully as you walk.

“Hey, remember in the interview when you called me incredibly good-looking and charismatic?” he teases, a mischievous glint in his eye.

You roll your eyes, grinning. “Oh, come on. Don’t let it go to your head, Stan.”

He chuckles. “Too late. I’m pretty sure I’m going to bring that up every chance I get now.”

“You would,” you laugh, shaking your head. “ It’s not like I was lying.”

Sebastian stops walking, turning to face you. “Well, thank you. And for the record, you’re pretty incredible yourself. Both on screen and off.”

You feel a warm blush creeping up your cheeks, putting a palm to your chest as if to continue the gag. “Thanks, Seb. That means a lot.”

He smiles, his eyes softening. “No, really, it’s been really great working with you. I think we make a pretty good team.”

“I think so too,” you agree, feeling a flutter in your stomach, you realize he’s actually serious now. There’s a moment of silence as you both just look at each other, the playful teasing from earlier now replaced with something more tender.

Sebastian breaks the silence first. “So, what do you say we celebrate wrapping up the promotion tour? Maybe dinner tonight?”

You raise an eyebrow, teasingly. “Is this your way of asking me out, Stan?”

He grins, a little sheepishly. “Maybe it is. What do you think?”

You pretend to think about it for a moment, then nod. “I think it sounds like a great idea.”

“Perfect,” he says, looking genuinely pleased. “I’ll pick you up at eight?”

“Eight it is."

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[withallthingslove]

Have you seen the press kit on Hulu’s website?

They are basically doing a 180 arc of Nick with him still not stepping up to Gilead but even worse, following his father in law into the dark side, after him and June said they love each other in the present. Lizzie and max speak about Nick betraying June mid season and June not letting her love cloud her judgment anymore and finally see him for who he really is, a commander in Gilead.

I mean if they wanted to achieve a fail final GOT style, I think they are succeeding… I know we have to wait and see but I’m really disappointed with this storyline. But Lawrence on the other hand will help fight Gilead…

Yes, I was commenting on the Reddit thread.... *super long post and spoilers incoming*

Overall, I'm not surprised. They've done this since season 2. If they completely scrap Nick's Testaments characterization in favor of redeeming Serena or Lawrence I will be big mad. But why would they rewrite Luke's character to be like how he is in The Testaments but not Nick's? The answer is I think they are still pushing Nick to be underground and I think we could still have a NickxJune endgame or an ambiguous she chooses no one.

Before diving into the press notes, let's look at what we have so far:

Max is listed 4th on the cast list, in front of Ann Dowd. The season synopsis says he will face tests of character. This to me implies a big increase in screen time

Both Elisabeth and Max chose the bridge kiss as their favorite show moment

On the giant billboard, Nick is shown right beside June. Luke, Aunt Lydia, June, and Nick are also all in a group together, which to me is the characters who make it out alive to be in the Testaments.

The season summaries for seasons 1-4 were Nick heavy with his rebellious acts while only the season 5 was Luke heavy

In the fan tweets video they have O-T read a fan wish about June and Nick ending up together

The trailer is pretty Nick heavy like the season 4 trailer

Now the press notes:

June's character description: It does not mention Luke, but does mention Nick. "Over the course of the series, June becomes a completely new person, a person who does find her voice, an angry voice, a powerful voice. She’s a different person than she was. A lot of the romance with Nick is because of that. They are two people who understand and share the burden of Gilead’s tyranny."

This is reaffirming that Luke is included in June's past, Nick is her present. Back in the day we compared Nick and June to Katniss and Peeta, and this is almost verbatim what Jennifer Lawrence once said about Everlark.

Nick's character description: "I think some of the edges fray on Nick this season. His moral center is actually shifting. He has been quite selfless for much of his life, especially in this dynamic with June. And so maybe his gas tank for that is starting to run out. He’s speaking up from himself a little bit more and sometimes in quite misguided ways"

For seasons I think Nick has been a fuse waiting to blow. He was manipulated into joining a cult, survives in said cult, meets the love of his life and makes her his north star. Everything he does is for her but that is not sustainable and is uneven. Part of what I love about June and Nick's relationship is that he soaks up all of her stress and desires. But what is his outlet for that? When you take June away who is Nick? Where is his moral center if he is not acting out of love for one person? He has to figure that out this season if he actually wants a future outside of Gilead. If June ends up with him now, you would have a long list of people saying it's not good enough. So Nick needs to do more than be seen as good because of his connection to June.

"There’s something in Wharton’s masculinity that Nick has been searching for. One of the things that this season explores is the notion that a lot of these men in Gilead have broken relationships with their fathers. I think Nick sees in Wharton a mentorship that he craves. This season is the first time Nick’s been tempted by the dark side on a fundamental level, primarily because of that relationship."

Look I love Nick but by anyone's definition he's a war criminal with daddy issues. And that's fine because he's a fictional character and it's nuanced. He's nowhere near as responsible for Gilead as Fred, Serena, and Lawrence are. But he is still complicit. He's a Commander now, and he may still have ties to the Martha network and friendlies and Mayday, but he is not operating a secret operation out of his house like Lawrence that we know of. Being complicit as a driver is different than being complicit as a Commander. You go from being a cog in the system to upholding the system. The show has repeatedly driven home that Nick and Lawrence are good but flawed men. But if June is to truly choose Nick and end up with him, he has to turn away from Gilead for himself. Not to protect her, Nichole, and Hannah. And I don't think Nick has done that kind of work yet. At least not the show's version.

Now for his daddy issues. I think Nick is morally good, but even in earlier seasons he thought Commander Pryce was a good person. He looked up to him and trusted him. But Pryce was still a founder of Gilead who designed and upheld the system. When Pryce died Nick started depending on Lawrence. It makes sense that he would be drawn to Wharton. He's messed up from losing his family before Gilead and craves acceptance and stability and a paternal figure. It's how he got manipulated into the SOJ in the first place.

I don't think Nick could go underground at this point, even if he is working with Tuello. He's not ready. He has to work through the issues that got him into the SOJ, and that might mean he backslides. Healing and doing internal work is rarely linear and I doubt it is linear in a totalitarian regime.

So while I can't see him turning June in, I can see him ruining the rebels' plans by abandoning his agreement with Tuello. I can see Wharton taking advantage of a distraught Nick and having him kickoff the Return Baby Nichole campaign 2.0. Because Nick might not trust systems but he trusts people. And trusting the wrong people got him roped into Gilead.

So while yes it may suck for us fans of Nick and I don't trust the show to do it well, but I can see the writers thinking that Nick's path in season 6 involves backsliding. Because his history can suggest that. I will also add that when I first read The Testaments and was reading so fast, I interpreted Nick being underground as a commander on the run/rumored to be dead for protection almost like a myth. Not an active resistance operative. The show could easily go that route where Nick backslides and then redeems himself when he realizes his mistake and goes on the run vs officially joining Mayday.

Luke's character description: Doesn't mention June, just Hannah.

Tuello's character description: By the end of Season Six, a lot of the alliances that Mark had hoped for have fallen apart. Lawrence may be Mark’s only last, desperate hope to retaliate for all of Gilead’s many atrocities.

I could see Nick's betrayal being to Tuello and by extent of that to June, not him betraying June herself. It also makes sense that Nick makes a choice in the Jezebels episode after he sees June in disguise, and she hears about it two episodes later.

Elisabeth about Luke: "He is ready to go. So as soon as Mark gives him that opportunity, he doesn’t hesitate. June is furious with Luke’s choice. She’s trying to keep everyone safe, and Luke signs up for this most dangerous of missions."

What about that says June is choosing Luke?

Elisabeth about Nick: "In this season, we see Nick and June together for the first time in quite a while. Finally, they can talk about things that have been left unsaid. They finally admit that they love each other now, not just in the past but now."

Praise be we're getting extended Nick and June scenes. We're getting them talking like an actual couple and confirmation that they are the people they would choose to be with. Hopefully they discuss his role in the takeover and his history, because as one of the EPs said years ago, because June and Nick only have fleeting moments they try to keep it light when they see each other and they push down or forgive the bad. They NEED to have an actual discussion that fans see if an endgame is going to be possible. Or else they will be a resentful conflict avoidant couple.

"But then, toward the end of this season, Nick betrays June’s trust. It’s the biggest thing that’s ever happened to the two characters. It’s inevitable in a way. June has been shown over and over again that Nick is a member of Gilead’s hierarchy and will abide by their rules. But, she just doesn’t listen. Love clouds her judgement. Now, finally, she is able to see who he is and what he’s capable of. It’s devastating"

She says towards the end of the season, not at the end. So there is time for Nick to redeem himself before it ends.

Love clouds all of our judgements. We love Nick as a character so we see the nuance and we know his backstory as a resistance member in the novels and how his season 3 scenes were cut and that he was originally going to get Hannah out. But the average viewer doesn't. For better or worse, the show made Nick a commander in the system with a shady past. For him to go underground they have to address it and rectify it, not avoid the direction a great deal of viewers see him going in.

We love Nick for how he supports June and that he is a complex character. But he has been capable of bad things in Gilead by "following the rules." Would disobeying them get him killed? You could argue yes. But his character as written in the scripts is one who finds a way to do things for June within Gilead's official and unofficial rules. And after season 2 he's also bombed Chicago, killed commanders, married a high commander's daughter, supported starting New Bethlehem and probably a bunch of stuff offscreen. June hasn't seen that, but we have. And we chose to see through it and love him as a character anyway. But June has to do the same.

About it being inevitable, Tuello implies Nick has had multiple opportunities to leave Gilead. But he never did. Why? I think of what June said to Lawrence about "how long did you think it would be until they came for you?" The longer Nick stays in Gilead, the more likely it becomes he ends up betraying June in some way, either by active choice or association.

Also, we don't know what his big betrayal is? Why freak out about it yet when season 4 hyped up him capturing her and him being married as betrayals. Because that season also got us great Osblaine scenes that ended on a high note.

In a glass half full look, maybe seeing June distraught over Nick will be super angsty and amazing in a way so painful it's great.

O-T about Luke and June: "they are united as a couple to save Hannah. On the road to that mission, they sometimes have to make sacrifices. They have to sacrifice intimacy, home life and romance"

Nothing about this says happy rebel couple in love.

"It’s difficult for Luke to see June and Nick together because their connection is palpable. These are two people who are deeply energetically connected. They have a dynamism that he and June lack. Also, Nick is a man of action and, so far, Luke has not been.... And Luke definitely feels that when he sees Nick - so handsome, so confident, so strong. Max plays Nick with so much nuance and charisma that you totally understand why June is drawn to him. But, of course, Nick is still a commander in Gilead."

We're getting Luke, June, and Nick together!! Luke realizing that June is in love with Nick!! Luke realizing that they have something he and June will never have!! I've prayed for times like these.

"Luke is going to love June forever no matter what, although Luke fears that she might end up with Nick. I think he understands their connection is eternal, and he might have some uncertainty about how it’s going to ultimately play out."

So, so far Elisabeth has mentioned June being angry at Luke and in love but betrayed by Nick, and O-T has mentioned June and Luke not having romance and Luke coming to terms with June ending up with Nick.

It sounds to me we are getting the dissolution of June and Luke's romance, and an angsty high stakes faux-lovers to enemies back to lovers June and Nick arc.

Max on Nick and June:

"I don’t think that Nick has ever had any apprehensions about Luke... He’s often been quite compassionate toward Luke. I think he recognizes and understands that the situation is painful for both of them."

King shit.

"I think his relationship with Rose definitely factors into the changes in Nick’s relationship with June, but time is honestly a big part of it. We’ve spent a long time with these characters and in turn, they’ve been in these relationships for a long time, and relationships evolve, and resentments grow, especially when there’s so much external drama and chaos. I think it’s understandable that we would start to see the edges fray on this dynamic between June and Nick."

Just like I said earlier. Nick has been selfless towards June for pretty much the entire show. How long can that selflessness go unreturned, especially if he feels that every time he makes an effort to save her she is causing havoc again to try and save Hannah or bring down Gilead? And that brings Nick and June to two different pages.... June trying to bring down the horrible system Nick lives in BUT WON'T LEAVE because he has family obligations, daddy issues, and a low self esteem. A turning point would have to come eventually.

And Max's description might sound bad, but edges fraying just means uncertainty. It doesn't mean ending. The only reason Nick and June have been stable across seasons is partially because distance makes the heart grow fonder. They can push aside the bad when they are together and wish for each other when they are apart. I believe 100% they can be a couple in the real world, but to do so they need to rock the boat a little bit.

It looks like this season will let them face some hard truths so they can actually move on to the other side. S1-2 they were I think as much of a couple they could be, but s3-5 they've just been in a purgatory limbo of not being able to see each other or discuss anything. Because of how deep their love is they still hold a candle for each other, but they've been holding that candle while metaphorically moving farther apart.

Warren Littlefield about the love triangle:

"June’s married to Luke but she’s in love with Nick. She’s having Nick’s child, but she still loves Luke."

Even a producer knows that Nick is who June is in love with. Luke she still has love for, but she's no longer in love.

CONCLUSION

Obviously I'm using this to comfort myself because of how much I wrote. But honestly, when I read through the press doc for the first time I didn't read it as the end. As much as I would love for Nick to join the resistance midway through, I can see why the show is not taking that path. They are choosing to go with the storyline they've been building for seasons to (hopefully) get to Nick abandoning it all in a huge, dramatic, finale way.

But this doesn't have to be a bad thing. I read the press doc as an opportunity for June and Nick to actually overcome the challenges that have been keeping them apart.

And nothing about the character descriptions says June is choosing Luke. It says her and Luke are only bound by Hannah, and she and Nick are in love but drama is keeping them separated.

So let's get ready for some angsty, horrible, amazing, intoxicating drama.

[erinwantstowrite]

erin is this a sign to force my sister to go watch superman with me this week? she has absolutely zero knowledge of anything dc and i need a good way to introduce her!!

I won't go into too much detail yet because i want to give it a minute for everyone to have a chance to see it before i post spoilers, but i for sure recommend it

for starters: it has a lot of references and is really immersed in the DC universe, but not in a way that someone who didn't know would be lost while watching it, but in a way that felt like James Gunn and the writers just really cared about the setting and the world lore. this felt like a comic book come to life. i feel like not knowing the lore would be a benefit and not a detriment when watching. experiencing the DC universe for the first time through the lens of this movie?? i'm JEALOUS of everyone who gets to experience that! yes, it's very much for the comic book lovers, but i could tell they cared about making sure a general audience could keep up. the balance was amazingly done and i applaud the writers. how do i know?

my mother went with me! let me tell you, my mom has zero knowledge of anything DC besides watching Smallville (she mixes up marvel and DC all the time), and she had a BLAST. she usually asks me a lot of questions after we watch a movie, and this time she mostly just had commentary, and was curious rather than confused. so we have someone who watched DC that loved the movie, and we have someone who knew nothing who also loved it. granted, we're both geeks, but still!!

the cast: (forgive me for not mentioning every name, i haven't done my full research yet. i wanted to wait until i saw it before i looked ANYTHING up so i could go in as blind as possible)

THEY SOLD THIS MOVIE!!

every single actor DID THEIR JOB!!! each scene, no matter if you knew who they were or not, was interesting enough to keep your attention. i already want to know more about the ones i wasn't sure about, and that's because the actors made me love their character even if they had almost no speaking lines or were just in the background. for my mom, they really helped along that process of being unsure about what to expect

David Corenswet is a household name already. we could not stop yapping about him- not just his looks, but his acting. in every way possible, he embodied Superman. the future looks bright!! i'm really hoping we get to see him continue as Superman

but we also had a lot of fun with the other characters. Lois was perfectly casted in my opinion. and the rest of the journalist cast!! oh my god!! i could sit here for a while and talk about how cool their dynamic was to see on screen but i have to save that for later!!

Mom loved Mr. Terrific!! i would also love to see him continue on the big screen. she wasn't sure about Hawkgirl at first but she recognized her actress and was delighted, now she's her number one fan. Guy Gardner was incredible. I loved to be annoyed by him and his fuckass bowlcut. Lex Luthor was terrible in every way he could be and I absolutely reveled in it (his actor, Nicolas Hault, was phenomenal, seriously). KRYPTOOOO!!!!

i wish i could give more commentary but we just have to wait until a little later. but yeah, this movie was a 10/10 for both of us, and i say to take as many people as you can!!!

[storminormins]

PLEASE TALK MORE ABOUT LADYHAWKE I BEG YOU

Mmkay I'm just gonna ramble for A BIT under the cut

I managed to find a copy of the finalized script after watching the movie, since I was very curious to see any content I could about the making of Ladyhawke- it was an interesting read, seeing what was cut and what was changed.

I know its already a two hour movie, but they should have bitten the bullet and made a lotr length movie, because some of these DELETED SCENES-!

Here is a picture of one, this is the only evidence I could find of the script ending of the movie, but we got Isabeau and Navarre on Goliath riding into the sunset.

I'll be forever upset that most of the unused footage was probably destroyed, because I would PAY for a directors cut of this movie.

Anyway, SO-

I think one of the major changes from script to screen was how the relationships between Navarre, Isabeau, and Phillipe shook out, the biggest catalyst being after the casting happened- specifically the recasting of Kurt Russel to Rutger Hauer as Navarre. It went more from drawing tension of a possible love triangle to Navarre being solidly over 40 and Isabeau looking gracefully timeless. Phillipe being just in his 20's.

So it shifted the dynamic from that tension, to three very lonely people struggling through life, regaining the very human need for companionship. While hunting down the guy that ruined their life, of course.

Some of the cut scenes include:

Phillipe and Navarre actually met before the confrontation at the village- Phillipe being chased by guards across a bridge (this is how Marquet heard that Navarre was back, Navarre let one guy live so he could tell Marquet he was coming for him.)

Bonus, Navarre being referred to as this:

THIS WHOLE CUT CONVERSATION between Phillipe and Isabeau, from after getting the arrow removed from her shoulder:

I feel like this changes how Navarre's decision in the end of the movie could be taken- they were both straight up not having a good time, and both were determined to either break the curse or kill the Bishop as a final act.

Also hinging on this, is another cut conversation between them again, after the high stress of killing the wolf hunter:

AUGH, because if Phillipe knows anything, he knows how much these two love each other; that the situation is rapidly getting worse for them, and if they don't break the curse soon, he worries that they aren't going to make it- that they'll give up hope; in love, and in each other.

(This is also interesting because Phillipe is not lying to Navarre when he tells him that she cursed the day they met, it was just cut from the movie.)

So Phillipe just becomes more and more determined to keep the fire lit, to keep kindling the scraps of hope they have. He dances with Isabeau, tries to cheer her.

Of course, he finds this a lot harder to do with Navarre, as the man is dead-set on pursuing his suicide mission to kill the Bishop. The man is Stubborn and also on the last strings of sanity. Which adds more narrative weight to the moment when Navarre finally stops fighting against them, and hugs Phillipe.

Extended ice scene my beloved:

(Note that in the script, Phillipe references his mother a bit more, so this revelation is an interesting insight into his psyche)

Your mother did not know you as I do. I love that. I could write a whole essay about that in itself. Probably my favorite line in the whole script.

The rest of the script follows the movie, with exceptions here and there. Navarre and Imperius get discovered by guards, which jumpstarts Navarre to head off after the Bishop sooner than the eclipse (which is also why Marquet is late to stopping him, they barely miss each other on their respective ways to and from the Bishop). The Bishop becomes a wolf in the end. Then the additional ending of Navarre and Isabeau riding into the sunset, and Phillipe stealing one of Navarre's sword gems cheekily and setting out into the world.

Some bonus funny things:

Imperius trying to explain what an eclipse is without knowing the proper words, while partially drunk. (Using food on the table to demonstrate):

This just reads as straight up comedy:

Their plan to trap him in a hole in the ground is insane and hilarious. As well as being revealed to have been ISABEAU'S IDEA.

The dynamic between the four of them is just unhinged and amazing and fun, and I wish we had gotten more screen time for it. Anyway, thanks for letting me rant! I will do it again

EDIT: ALSO HEY THE MOVIE IS FREE WITH ADS ON YOUTUBE

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Weird Strange Warmth, Thailand

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Sept 2024 Week 2

Ongoing Series - Thai

Jack & Joker (Thai Mon IQIYI) ep 1 of 12 - Oh it’s fucking great. What a fantastic start! It’s a fun cast too. I adore seeing all of the familiar faces. This is a lot more fun than Kidnap (sorry GMMTV, do better). I mean both shows are serving the same kind of concept but with completely different energy. I love that War is playing phi in this series. I think it suits him much better. In fact. I really like these rolls for this pair. I think they’re gonna knock it outta the park. I am so happy this is good. I wanted it to be good. And it’s good!

Monster Next Door (Thai Thurs Gaga ) ep 8 of 12 - Oh no! He read the journal. No snooping! Well I guess they needed to get some tension for these 2 from somewhere, otherwise they are too good to each other. Meanwhile, I’m not sure about the sides in this particular series. I don’t hate them. The laundry jealousy moment was pretty well done. But I'm not sold, either.

Addicted Heroin (Thai Tues WeTV) ep 5 of 10 - I forgot that we were already on the ICONIC kidnapping section of the narrative. I miss Gu Hai's OBEY sweatshirt from the original. (Someday I will own that sweatshirt.) Hero should at least be wearing an OBEY T-shirt. Frankly I miss the harshness of the original too. Johnny Huang was just so massive, August doesn't have the physicality to carry this scene off. Nor does Thailand have the guts to push it into the creepy obsessive territory that made the first version so thrilling to watch.

The thing about the original kidnapping bit was we could feel Gu Hai's vibrating need to possess overriding everything else (including his sense of humor and frustration with himself). Gu Hai KNOWS kidnapping was an over reaction, he KNOWS he is being absurd, he just doesn't care. Because he doesn't just want to fuck Bai Luo Yin he wants to consume him.

We didn't get any of that from Hero. Hero, as a character, just isn't edgy enough to carry off a kidnapping, he's been softened too much in this new Thai form.

And then... An around the back of head not-kiss? Interesting choice. (Checks to see if BoomPeak are hanging out nearby.) Is that because the actor is under age? We in that head space for this whole show? (Pun intended.) Not sure how I feel about any of it.

It’s a much milder confession this time around, because it’s Thailand, but it’s still warped. So I’m still here for the weird strange warmth of this damn show. I did laugh a lot during this episode. 

Kidnap (Fri YT) ep 2 of 12 - Oh I am very much enjoying this.

"You’re the worst kidnapper I ever ever met" is an apt accusation.

Battle of the Writers (Sun YT) ep 7 of 12 - I kinda enjoyed the little side romance story (wealthy writer intellectual + poor local salt-of-the-earth boy = Love Seaing all over my damn screen). It came outta nowhere but... okay.

I honestly have no idea what’s going on with this show. But the kisses are nice. And I pretty much like all of the couples. It’s wild how disjointed it is but simultaneously how pretty. It’s like Star Hunter got hold of Mame’s budget and aesthetic. 

I Saw You in My Dream (Weds Gaga) ep 9 of 12 - Boyfriend era to the max. Production is still ignoring the whole "dreaming the future" POINT OF THIS SHOW.

The Trainee (Sun YT) ep 11 of 12 - Jane is VERY COOL. Like tay-style cool… as it were. I like their dynamic when they're given one to play with. It’s the rest of this show I don’t enjoy. 

Live in Love (Sun Gaga) ep 2 of 5 - It cute. Bit odd but cute. I like the language play, of course. It’s an interesting pair to watch flirt because it’s all language play so that's fun but otherwise, I'm not convinced.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

The On1y One (Taiwan Thurs Gaga) eps 7-8 of 12 - This BL doesn’t drink from the water bottle to show off its neck. It quietly hands you the water bottle and expects you to understand that is not an act of generosity but of polite distancing. It's about the delicacy of the messaging, and the way themes are conveyed with such nuance.

This story is entirely about the two of them figuring out about each other, and then trying to be what the other person needs based on that information. It means they (and therefore we) are on this journey of discovering affection together. It's brilliant.

I must talk about the physical acting of these two for a second. That scene where they’re fighting over the book and then fall into the pool. That was one take. That’s amazing. These two are really fucking stellar not only at acting but hitting their marks. And let's be clear, that is NOT the same thing. I bet they both have stage training.

Define irony: watching two abandoned kids counsel their respective parents through abandonment issues.

Sugar Dog Life (Japan Sun grey) ep 6 of 10 - It is stupid cute and utterly charming. They are total boyfriends. It’s just that one of them wants to be and one of them assumes they already are. Actually, nevermind boyfriends, they’re married.

I Hear the Sunspot AKA Hidamari ga Kikoeru (Japan Weds Gaga) ep 12fin - It made me whimper a lot because they’re both hurting so much. But in the end it was... fine.

Summation

The compassionate story of a college kid going deaf and the one boy he can hear. I love this manga and was let down by the first adaptation (Silhouette of Your Voice), so I was expecting a lot from this BL. I expected the soundscapes in this one to be fantastic, and the were, but I didn’t expect the filming to be something special too. But it really is. The acting is great too. But the story? It was just fine. They spent far too much time on the build to a relationship, then wallowed in their separation and a problematic girl character, when they should have been showcasing Taichi's character arc and his capacity for connection. Perhaps Japan should pass this one off to Thailand, It's a soft story centering on "food as love" so they might do better with it. I am, yet again, disappointed. 8/10 but I want to give it a 7/10

First Note Of Love (Taiwan Mon Gaga) eps 9-10 of 12 - It’s fine. it’s cute. I enjoyed getting some backstory. More of the sides, please.

Seoul Blues (Korea Fri? YouTube) ep 7 - Honestly, why don’t they just call this entire series The Cheating Diaries and have done with it? I’m only watching it because there’s basically nothing else from Korea right now. But I’m generally mad about it. Including the fact that everybody is so pretty and the acting is so good in the series, but the stories are so terrible.

It's airing but...

The Hidden Moon (Sat WeTV) ep 1 of 10 - This is a supernatural romance (my ghost boyfriend trope) by Violet Rain (I Feel You Linger). A man is hired to write an article about an old mansion in Chiang Mai being converted into a café. He sees the ghosts of people who died at the mansion, falls in love with one of them. Was substantially recast. I loved IFYLITA except the ending so I think I'll let this one run it's course you can tell me if it's work tracking down... if they managed to land it. I have my doubts.

Happy of the End (Japan Tues Gaga) - A boy is disowned for being gay, dumped by his boyfriend, and ends up in a dysfunctional co-dependant relationship with his would-be kidnapper. We were due for another messy JBL and it's exactly as expected. I do not like it at all. And ya know what? There is plenty airing. DNF 

In case you missed it

The Time of Fever (Korea iQIYI & Viki) 6 eps - Side couple from Unintentional Love Story, HoTae & DongHee, return for a spin off backstory show.

It started out fantastic. And it was a relief to have a good Korean BL finally back on my screen, even a high angst one. But I did spend a lot of time trying trying to figure out whether they’re going to rehash or reboot from the previous series. Are we in Between Us territory or Don't Say No or (heaven forbid) To My Star 2?

None of the above, it turns out.

This was a pure prequel about lost first love. As such, it has no real finale beyond what we got in ULS. Which, for this pair, wasn't satisfying. Putting my disappointment over this aspect aside, it is enjoyable on the strength of the characters, actors, and chemistry (if not story). Yes I said chemistry, the kissing is fantastic, sometimes KBL can do that. This one featured the "teach me to kiss trope"!!!! Plus language play. Both favorites of mine. It is all angst, ache, repression, and miles of subtext. It did fudge the ending by not skipping forward and over the events in ULS to depict what happened next (what, no year long time jump when we actually need it, Korea?) It's a worthy companion piece, but should be watched BEFORE ULS for maximum satisfaction, and even then you're going to be left feeling like HoTae & DongHee's relationship was never adequately discussed or depicted in order to achieve resolution.

The little cameo of my baby in ep 5 was much appreciated. But the motorcycle should’ve been set up a little bit more. Of course I wanted it to be about them getting together after the events in the first series. But this was all backstory from start to finish. And while it was good backstory, it wasn’t ultimately satisfying for these characters. Still it’s a good little series. 8/10 

Meet You at the Blossom (China) - I'm eating crow, binging the fucker, and live blogging. It's just taking me some time. This isn't really a bingable show, not for me anyway. It's A LOT to take all at once. No new one this week.

4 Minutes (Gaga) Ended - Spies reported in to say the ending was not-exactly-unhappy and mostly lackluster. I'm torn over whether to watch. My natural disinclination to binge, meets my dissatisfaction with wishy-washy, is going up against my love for fabulous high heat and pretty pretty men.

Mitsuya-sensei no keimakutekina ezuke finished and it’s reported to be solid. Age gap treated with respect. I'm curious, so I'll check it out. Not doing very well on binging and catching up but it's on the docket...

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

Still Coming Sept 2024:

9/15 Love Sick 2024 (Thai Sun iQIYI) 15 eps - Remake of the original. I'm scared too.

9/15 Bad Guy My Boss (Thai Sun Gaga) 10 eps - Assistant to a player boss who is in love with that boss decides to quit to save himself. The boss then makes a move. (A gay What's up with Secretary Kim?)

9/17 Love is Like a Poison AKA Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (Japan Tues Netflix?) 10 eps - Lawyer and a con artist meet at a bar, pair up, fall in love.

9/28 Teenager Judge (Vietnam Sat YouTube) ?? eps - oh I don't know just Ba Vinh doing his thing with pretty boys again.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

Love a teach me to kiss, teach me to fuck, whatever moment. (I Saw You In My Dreams sides)

Not gonna lie. I laughed. Addicted.

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are a pain.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

Sigh, Tumblr in its infinite wisdom doesn't like too many at-ings.

[tessarionbestgirl]

I'm absolutely sick of every ship in HOTD being about Rhaenyra.......... Even Alicole is paralleled with Rhaenyra/Criston, IT'S SO TIRESOME. The creators emphasize that Alicent lives in the same room, she drinks tea in ep4 of the season just like young Rhaenyra in the first season, hell, she even probably thinks about Rhaenyra while she has sex with Criston, why not... Rhaenicent, Daemyra, Rhaesaria, Rhaewin. We get it, Rhaenyra is the center of the show, but it gives off a Mary Sue vibe when everyone is in love with her, even her enemies switch teams for her, because she is sooo wonderful and special. Is this an adaptation of a YA novel or a GRRM work? It's especially annoying when there are other interesting characters and relationships that could have been explored, but won't be because the writers can't move past Rhaenyra and her romantic and sex life:

- Jace's potential romances have been cut, Sara Snow is not in the show and his relationship with Baela is more of a friendship, they don't look in love. Also Baela's interest in boys was removed.

- Daemon/Nettles. Cut from the show because Rhaenyra needs to be the center of Daemon's universe. GRRM is particularly mad at this one, I'm sure.

- Helaena and Aegon. Not saying it's a romance, but they could've still had scenes together.

- Aemond and Alys. It's unclear, but Alys is team black or team prophecy in the show, so she is also Rhaenyra centered.

I really don't understand this even from a marketing perspective. Everyone should just be a fan of Rhaenyra, there are no other option. GOT had so many characters, ships and dynamics that you could pick anyone to follow. And the whole thing for HOTD is "stan the rightful queen or go away". I used to like Rhaenyra after the first season before I read the book, but after reading the book, I started to dislike and borderline hate her because of how the showrunners push her as the lead and center of every character's life, it's just frustrating. Rhaenyra already has 4 hours of screentime in just 18 episodes which is equal to or even more than Dany's entire screen time, by the end of the show she'll probably have 8 hours of screen time, it's insufferable. This story that is meant to be an ensemble cast was turned into a one person show.

Olivia tried to distance alicole from Rhaenicent, but in the inside interview of the episode Ryan was so much implying that.

So you are right anon. In everything you said. And this goes beyond relationship too. It affects even small scenes. Like, I saw and heard so many complains about tb council scenes in S2, because the writers start from the premise that Rhaenyra has to come out as right or look good. She needs to stand out on her team. And this probably a condition that Ryan or Sara set for the writers. So all characters around her suffer from it.

That is why all tb characters are less and have no particular motivation. With Daemon as a exception, because he never stay in one place for to long and that includes interacting with Rhaenyra.

Is not that Tg had way better written in S2. It was just that they are not interacting with her so they suffer less from this problem. So the writers have more freedom to develop them as individuals even with the small screen time.

Now regarding the relationships. I think S2 was the biggest disappointment for me in this sense too. That is why people asking me about Alysmond, i know they will fuck up, because all their relationships are either focused on Rhaenyra or is read in a incredible cynical way .

Baela and Jace have more siblings energy than Helaena and her brothers.

Alicent and Cole, had some good moments but started to bad. Besides the weird parallels to reminds us of Rhaenyra. Alicent as character wouldn't just have sex with someone so casually. Sure there is a lot passion on the act, and sure they do have feelings for each other, but the way the things led to this moment makes no sense when you consider Alicent in s1.

Helaena and Aegon/Aemond: I had this conversation with someone a long time ago. And this person ask me, who do you think won more in S2, Helaegon or Helaemond? And to me both lost in ways. Because Helaegon has the most complex dinamic but is not romantic at all. They are strictly platonic. And Helaemond is framed as one side love based on Aemond ideology of Targaryen supremacy. And I enjoy all their scenes but when I think about it. I realise how poorly explored they are.

Actually that is my biggest fears for S3 when comes to Alysmond because I think they will frame as a rebound relationship.

The only relationships frames as good are Rhaenyra relationships.

And oddly enough the only one out of the curve is Alys and Daemon but it because at end served Rhaenyra.

[lurkingshan]

Old QL Game

Rules: Think about the oldest BLs you've ever watched. They have to have been released prior to 2020. Now name 5 - 10 iconic scenes that you cannot forget.

Tagged by my favorite @negrowhat. This is a good game for this moment when current BL is not really hitting for me. Let's reminisce! I will be altering the directive a bit here because I don't generally think about or remember shows in terms of individual scenes, but rather for narratives that I loved.

Puppy Honey (2016)

If you're surprised to see this on my list, you must not know me. The show that launched the most enduring pair in Thai BL will always have a special place in my heart (despite how objectively terrible it is). I loved this scene for Rome's bravery and Pick's warring desires. Pick seemed like he was going to jump right out of his own skin when Rome kissed him; he loved it and hated it and he had no idea what to do with that. It's one of the more honest portrayals of internalized homophobia in a genre that often prefers to exist in the bubble, and the awkward nature of the actors' early dynamic fits the story well.

No Touching At All (2014)

It's not so much a moment in this Japanese film, it's the entire thing (though shoutout to a classic confession in the snow). It's my favorite kind of love story, about two damaged people trying to find the bravery to trust each other. I loved is so much that I rewatched it as soon as I finished it. It was inaccessible for a long time, but it's now on Gaga and y'all should watch it if you haven't yet!

Some More (2018)

Eboni already mentioned Long Time No See, so let me shout out another early Strongberry piece. Some More is a classic romance set up--city boy crashes into the life of a farm boy--and it's so so sweet and charming. My favorite moment is this one on the beach, when Dongsoo bravely tells Inpyo they're both feeling it and gives him the green light to make his move. It's my favorite of the Strongberry shorts (the whole thing is under 30 mins).

Make it Right (2016)

Love Sick has already received a lot of love, so let me instead focus on its eternally disrespected sibling, Make it Right. I love this show despite its low production quality, green cast, and some of its more questionable narrative choices. There's something very raw and real about its depiction of teenage boys (which is why the bl fandom was so uncomfortable with it, if we're being honest). Frame and Book are my favs, and I particularly loved their season 1 story. Frame was such an interesting character--he was kind and genuinely well-intentioned but also kind of dense and promiscuous and lacking the maturity to understand how Book's experiences made it difficult for him to trust Frame. I loved watching their messy journey to trusting each other.

The Novelist (2018)

As much as people like to bang on about the surge of racy Thai BLs with plentiful NC17 scenes, Japan did it first and best with The Novelist and the rest of the subsequent Pornographer series. It's not possible to pick a single moment from this show that sticks out for me, there are way too many. Rio and Haruhiko have one of the most compelling relationship dynamics ever to grace my screen and I still think about them years after I finished their story. The sex in this show is not gratuitous or here primarily to be aesthetically pleasing, it's closely tied to their character and relationship development and deeply important to the story. Hard to imagine anything topping it.

I wil stop there because I simply do not have time to keep going. Tagging some others to play if you haven't yet (apologies if you already did this and I missed it, I am barely on the dash lately :/): @soypim @thisonelikesaliens @italianpersonwithashippersheart @trilliastra @pharawee @wanderlust-in-my-soul @watchthisqqq.

[descendant-of-truth]

On principle I don't really like the idea of Sonic being sent after Shadow at the request of G.U.N for two reasons:

It robs us of the god-tier cold open of the original game where Sonic busts out of a helicopter to escape arrest

I always loved the setup where Sonic and Shadow meeting was pretty incidental - neither of them had any idea who the other was, but Sonic thought Shadow was impersonating him on purpose while Shadow just thought he seemed fun to mess with

But depending on what the surrounding context is, I can see how the movie could make this plot point interesting in a completely different way that still complements these versions of the characters, even if I don't prefer it to the original.

So, some ideas:

G.U.N has been the villain of the last two movies, so in order for Sonic to be working with them, they must have a pretty good deal for him. My guess is that they promised to leave him and his family alone - no more schemes, no more kidnapping, nothing of the sort - on the one condition that "Team Sonic" helps them deal with Shadow.

This would already function as a narrative parallel to Sonic enlisting Robotnik's help later for the same thing. The name of the game becomes "we don't like each other, we're enemies, but we need to work together to deal with this guy because he's too powerful," which becomes a triple threat if the whole cast including Shadow gets to team up at the very end to save the world

I think it would also be very fun if Sonic is trying so hard to talk things out with Shadow in large part because he heard that there was another hedgehog on the loose, and wants so badly to be friends with someone like him that it takes at least one full-blown beating before he gives up on that idea

(The other reason he keeps trying is "it worked on Knuckles" of course)

Now, this puts Sonic in a fascinating position, particularly when using the game as a frame of reference. SA2 was very straightforward with how it presented its conflict at first: you have a Hero Story and a Dark Story, and as such you're primed to think of everyone on both sides as either being good or bad.

And most people, I think, were inclined to play the Hero Story first; it's the one with Sonic in it, and the select screen hovers over it by default, too. It tells a very simple story of Sonic and friends stopping Eggman's (admittedly very threatening) evil plan, developing some new rivalries along the way.

It's already a little bit of a twist for Sonic and Knuckles to have formed a respectful relationship with Shadow and Rouge by the end, since you see them as villains initially, but they still remain antagonists. Rouge returns the Master Emerald pieces, but she's still working with Robotnik. Shadow thinks Sonic is pretty impressive, but he still tries to kill him to stop him from saving the world.

But then you get to the Dark Story, and then the Final Story, and you think, oh. It's really not that simple.

For starters, you get to see more of Rouge's bond with Shadow. There's some conflict inherent to their relationship because Rouge is a spy and is only here to get information on Shadow, but after he saves her life, there's a definite shift to their dynamic. There's something genuine there, even if it doesn't get a lot of screentime dedicated to it.

But most important to the story is what we learn about who Shadow is, in part through his interactions with Rouge.

Shadow is cunning and ruthless - heck, his goal is to literally blow up the world. But whether out of compassion or survivor's guilt or both, he can't let Rouge die, so he saves her and then lies about his motivations for it to seem colder than he is.

And even though the things he's doing are definitely bad, his motivations are famously sympathetic; he wants revenge for his best friend, a young girl who was killed by the G.U.N military during a raid.

(It was implied that there was some sort of brainwashing done on him by Gerald after Maria died as well but that part of the story is incredibly vague)

By the end of the game, Shadow comes into his own as a hero and helps save the world instead of destroying it. And suddenly it makes sense why the stories weren't called Hero and Villain, because neither Shadow nor Rouge are especially villainous characters; Rouge is selfish, and Shadow is driven by grief and hatred, but they're ultimately kind at the end of the day. Both of them find people to care about - each other, as well as Knuckles and Sonic respectively.

But y'know, there wasn't a lot of ambiguity about who the heroes were in the Hero Story itself. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are pretty clearly The Good Guys, and nothing they do is really questioned because they're always fighting The Bad Guys.

So what I'm seeing here is an opportunity for Team Sonic to not be totally in the right for once. Yes, it's good to stop Shadow from going on a rampage and destroying the world, but look at who they're keeping for company here. G.U.N? Robotnik and Agent Stone? As if either of those groups are trustworthy enough to not stab them in the backs as soon as it's convenient. As if they're not going to find some way to exploit Sonic for their benefit.

And frankly, Shadow is totally in the right to hate G.U.N, and Team Sonic for working with them. Given that his backstory seems to be largely unchanged, it's kind of impossible not to be on board with him fighting the protagonists at least a little bit.

Besides, I don't think it's a coincidence that Shadow is doing the wrong thing for the right reason, while Sonic is doing the right thing with the wrong people (and maybe also for the wrong reason). That has the potential to be very clever if executed well.

I can only imagine the dawning horror on Sonic's face as he realizes just how much he's not on the right side of this conflict; when he learns about what happened to Maria and everyone else on the Ark. Especially if Tom's family was involved in it, like the current popular theory going around.

Also, last-second realization: what if there's something more to that line from Tom, "it wasn't always easy, but you didn't change who you are in here"? Most likely it's going to be used as a way to show how Shadow is different from Sonic, because he did change who he was in response to trauma and it'll be really poetic when he "finds himself" again

But also, consider: maybe Sonic does end up changing throughout the movie. Maybe he does something that goes against his core principles in order to get an advantage in some way, and they kind of play around with the idea that Sonic is similar to Shadow in ways that aren't always flattering to either of them. I want those hedgehogs to make each other worse before they get better

In any case, there's a lot of potential here, and I'm very curious to see what they ended up going with

[midnight---hollow]

I dont know how comprehensible this is because im dyslexic and didnt spell check before writing anything down but i wanted to draw some of the interactions i think rose would have with the cast. I was gonna do more but i felt i could make them funny later on

Under read more imma talk about the situations i doodled :D

I think rose and idia have alot in common with the biggest difference being the fact she cant play most games (since she cant see the screen) i do think if she is able to join a club itd be board game club and i think that she would be really good at the games she is able to play. I specifically feel she and idia would be really competitive at math games since they are both extremely skilled at stem skills

In book one one after meeting riddle and learning from trey and the others what the rules mean to heartsybul rose decided they wanted to learn the rules as a peace sign and also out of respect(she managed to rope ace and grim into it with the hopes of it removing ace’s collar) rose lost her eyesight because she “didnt follow” lab safety rules and due to other backstory reasons she has the mentality that rules are there for reason, after a chat with riddle she was able to convince him to teach her the rules. Riddles on the list of characters i think rose would be close to because i think besides they tyrant thing, they agree on alot of the same things and have strong learning ethics and stuff

The heartshackle dynamic is always three dumbasses in a trench coat with yuu either adding to the pile or being the braincell holder. Rose is very much the brain cell holder, she is three seconds away from a breakdown but she wont let anyone know that so she just gives a soft smile and tries to find the most polite way to tell someone their plan is shit. Originally she made the truce with grim so he can be her service animal and she became friends with aduece because she thought they where good meat shields but she does genuinely start caring for them and enjoying their company, around book 4-5

If rose was an actual student in nrc she would have 100% been put in pomifiore. She is considered to be ethereally beautiful and she uses her beauty along with her innocent “doll eyed” act to protect herself as thats the only way she feels she can. Even if you get rid of all the trauma she used to love doing self care like hair brushing and outfit picking. I also think potionology would be her best subject magic or not since her father is a scientist and from a young age she was taught stem so she would have a step up on that subject. I just feel its the best dorm to put her in (also its fun for me cus i dont think about that dorm much but now with rose i get to think about them more and their dynamics)

I think rose thinks the leech twins are creepy scum with to much power to not get in trouble for their actions (i love them btw top 4 fav characters) but she would never say that out loud and i think jade atleast finds her interesting. I hc the twins use to be blind but they adjusted to being blind on land so horribly they made a contract with azul to take some of his eyesight in return for “something.” I think jade finds it so interesting learning how humans adapt to being bind and i also think he clocks how she is def hiding something under lock and keep. They are both “oh i know alot but im just gonna act dumb” characters but i think that would make them clash (though they would never confront each other about it)

Btw Floyds nickname for them would be either the default shrimpy or ghost catfish since her og name was ghost and even tho i changed it to rose awhile ago, i often keep it as a nickname for her or try to make her ghostly still. Also the fish just looked cool and cute at the same time, look it up they are so silly

I think leona is chill with rose. They arent friends but he def likes her more than most others in the school, enough to scare people off if they are messing with her a bit to much. He would grumble and tell her she needs to handle her own messes but he also wont stop helping her when he noticed she specifically takes her walks in ways where she will end up near where he rests (incase she needs a break away from others or worse if someone is following her) woke feminist leona def has a soft spot for her even if they dont talk alot (bonus: in the doodle i didnt write it but rose was reaching into her bag to grab pepperspray)

Rose is one of the best students in her class. She cant take notes(until she is gifted a braille writing stylus by riddle), she cant read (even if they had braille books i highly doubt twisted braille is the same as earths) but she has an extremely good memory and is really good at learning. Her father was a genius with multiple phds and while she never took the iq test shes always had a talent in stem and learning environments. She might not know the history of this world but she can pay attention in class and remember it without notes enough so to get good grades and she gets better when she is gifted the writing stylus. This definitely is something aceduce and grim fail to understand because when they ask how she just says “pay attention in class”. Her biggest struggle is when they do required reading but she is often able to convince grim or aduce to help in return for her to then explain the the passage says back to them

Mk thats it for now with rose. Roses story while not the closest to home in regard to my ocs means alot to me and im trying to do it as carefully as i can. I have alot of fun imagining her with the twist line and im prob gonna do a post just yapping about her opinion on the characters and theirs of her. Ill worry about drawing angst eventually but for now just silly doodles ^^

[mhevarujta]

Lily Rose Depp said it for example: “It was clear to me from the beginning, and from what Rob [Eggers] was saying to me, it’s a love story with Count Orlok as much as it is with her husband. There’s a real love triangle there. “

I don’t have problems with love triangles with vampires or with Ellen loving Orlok, even if it’s fucked up. I have problems with how they executed it in the movie itself. Would people get this idea that Ellen loved Orlok or really wanted him or if there was real love triangle going on if they didn’t read piles of interviews from cast and crew and need to constantly refer to them? Movie itself needed to show it. Perhaps, Eggers simply can’t write gothic romances and really thought he was doing something, but it didn’t translate to screen. His WH comparison did him no favours, by inviting comparisons between Heathcliff and Orlok considering how bland and flat Orlok is as character. But Eggers really thought he was doing some deep comparison.

It's a love triangle because Ellen's desire lies with Orlok, not with Thomas.

IF his intention was to show love between Orlok and Ellen, Eggers fails. I DO think that Eggers' comments about Wuthering Heights only translate on screen very superficially in terms of Ellen being torn between what would exile her from society and between what makes her a part of it. But if we look at them as anything more than that, they'd only show that he doesn't have a good grasp of either Heathcliff or Catherine's characters, both of whom are miles away from Orlok and Ellen as individuals: To put it very superficially Orlok lacks Heathcliff's humanity, Ellen does not have Catherine's selfishness and overall, the lack of any emotional depth in their relationship aside, Ellen x Orlok don't even balance each other out as individuals in my opinion. Also, Heathcliff lives and breathes on love and spite, but as long as Catherine is still really fond of someone he would not unleash his cruelty upon them to its full extent, and this makes for some absolutely fascinating dynamics throughout Wuthering Heights. On the other hand Orlok is devoid of any of Heathcliff's complexity. He's paper-thin. He works as a symbol for the individual and the collective shadow, sure, and that's the most interesting part of his character, but he doesn't work in a straight-forward manner.

Nevertheless, I'd like to give Eggers the benefit of the doubt, in that he chose to be inspired by WH without replicating it. Because to be frank I think that, despite his comparison, if he intended for a genuine love to exist between Orlok and Ellen he wouldn't have actively deleted all the aspects that showed tenderness or even confidence on Ellen's part from the 2016 script. All the mentions of Ellen 'gently' touching him? Gone. The 'lovingly' when she brings him back to her? Gone. Ellen feeling "calm and confident in a way she has never been before?" Gone. The emphasis on Ellen being 'finally fulfilled'? Gone. Instead there are things that are added. Like a completely different direction for Ellen and Thomas' relationship, a last look of love between them even as Ellen lies with Orlok, the emphasis on Ellen's moment of reckoning and victory.

Moreover, despite Depp's talk about a love story, it's Eggers himself who has mentioned that the nature of Ellen and Orlok's dynamic is about obsession and not love. He has also acknowledged the existing rape and that Orlok is an abuser. So I think that it's really interesting when people who saw this movie with shipping goggles on are trying to say that Ellen was ONLY abused by her society, that these elements were not there and that other viewers are making them up because they didn't get what the movie was about or don't understand the genre. Ellen was a victim of the vampire and of society both, and that's part of her tragedy.

[pinesorneedles]

season 7 of buffy is so perfectly set up to investigate the true nature of evil, especially off the heels of season 6 really investigating human evil, with the big bad being human evil, willow's turn throughout the season, buffy is never evil but certainly questions her own goodness, the juxtaposition at anya and xander's wedding between the generally nice, well mannered demons, and the really horrible humans, spike's entire character arc.

and with the big bad of season 7 being, well, literally the first evil. like generally i have issues with season 7 for taking attention off the main cast and scoobies dynamic, introducing a bunch of new characters who take up screentime without actually having time to be explored deeply (some of whom I really love! like Robin Wood is SUCH a good character and his existence and perspective could have informed this idea so well), and after the end of season 6 being about the scoobies reasserting their love to one another, really solidifying that family dynamic, it's a shame that doesn't get to be examined, especially with all the fractures that come up in season 6.

but like, there's so much going on in season 7 plot-wise without investigating wider narrative threads that have been building throughout previous seasons. and after a whole season about human evil, completely and immediately doubling down on evil as being tied to the demonic and supernatural just isn't satisfying to me. like, we've opened up a whole side to the narrative that just gets shut down.

Season 7 also just feels really impersonal, so while the stakes are technically the highest they've ever been in a lore perspective, it continuously feels inconsequential compared to previous seasons (at least to me).

Willow, Anya, Spike, even Giles with his dabbling in dark magic, all have these strong and immediate connections to evil, each of them, by the end of season 6, having had completely different perspectives on it. Dawn is still the key, existed for thousands of years, the only barrier for inviting demon dimensions. Buffy has been forced into duty to fight against evil, and has often questioned the institutions that define what that evil is, and personally just spent an entire season questioning her place there. There's just so much there to investigate that gets completely pushed to the side in service of the potentials, which is kinda interesting, lore-wise, but they're either not used effectively, or just completely detract from other, more interesting thematic threads.

Spike getting his soul also just raises a bunch of questions about the nature of the soul and what it actually does that remained unanswered in service of Spike suffering consequences for his actions. Which like, okay that's cool, but it's not necessarily that interesting to me vs the implications of a creature who's evil by nature seeking out goodness. Willow's entire "learning how to work with magic" happens entirely off-screen. Anya becomes a demon again, which presumably means she's evil again? But she's not? And then she suddenly just becomes human again with very little investigating (and Anya is a criminally underused character generally).

anyways, this whole idea is more of a musing on an idea that's so present throughout the series, but is consistently used for as this background setting of "buffy turns towards darkness/is attracted to it/is forced to live with it due to her being the slayer" and i just so wish that idea was actually and actively investigated because it comes up SO many times and season 7 is just not narratively satisfying

[sombredancer]

Fu Ling and Chong Zhao: all in one. Part 1 of 2

The relationship of these two is fated, but a viewer understands it only when the drama is over: Chong Zhao was destined to meet Fu Ling, in one way or another, because she was his doom. There is an infinite amount of versions how this story could go if they met as enemies, but it goes another way: a righteous immortal Chong Zhao meets a vicious demoness Fu Ling in the moment she is severely wounded, and, not knowing she is his enemy, out of compassion, saves her (which is ironic).

Bridal carry [1], as an immortal. Being him an immortal, a demon or a deity, he carries her bridal-like, which is a beautiful parallel, joining all the versions of his identity together. Being treated nice for the first time in her demon career and feeling something familiar in Chong Zhao (of course there is something, but it's not what you think, darling 😭), she falls for him, in a very demonic, obsessive way.

She teases him as they meet on the battlefield, but saves him from attacks of her cruel and merciless master. Eventually, her master notices it and orders her to turn her love interest into a demon within a month, or he will be killed, because demon servants need to have only one attachment - their master (😏).

"Hello there! Still don't want to become a demon, huh?" In order to save him from death, she enthusiastically tries to seduce him into becoming a demon (and causally saves him a couple of times more). As a demoness herself, she thinks being alive is more important than staying righteous. Chong Zhao has another opinion on it (and stabs himself in order to destroy a demonic protective token she cast on him to save him once again), which gets a demoness frustrated.

"As far as I'm in hell, I want you to keep me company here".

And maybe Chong Zhao would prefer to die rather than to become a demon, but his treacherous shifu tells him to stay undercover in the demonic den, so Chong Zhao tries to pretend he agrees to stay in hell. But just saying "I agree" is not enough, so the demoness forces him to kill his fellow immortals, promising the others could be free if he kills one, but, of course, she has lied and later kills everyone else of the prisoners.

So she breaks him, and he becomes a demon himself (It's super cruel on her part, but demon's love is ugly and twisted, alas).

She cares for him, so treats him with (twisted) love, but he is not happy about it at first.

It's the most erotic scene in this drama (because goners can afford it). Yet the demoness still looks like someone who is ready to be bedded by a person she is in love with even if he doesn't care about her at all. It obviously pains her. But it is not what you think it is, she just sucks him (the poison) off (of his shoulder) (😏).

And he rejects he after sex. She takes responsibility for his failed mission and endures the punishment that should have been his, so it awakens a good guy (or Stockholm syndrome) inside of the broken demon-like former immortal, so he takes care of her in return.

Bridal carry [2], as a demon. And from now on they start mutually caring for each other.

The deity's huadian on his forehead is to no good... He says, he has taken this blow for her because he doesn't want to owe her, but it looks like there is something else underneath his wish to be even. And this time he deliberately allows her to treat his wounds, it's not as erotic as before, but more intimate.

"I didn't want to owe you". So, it could have been an interesting dynamics: Chong Zhao starts feeling something towards his capturer, who broke his will, forced him to lose his innocence (not in that way, alas), but genuinely cares about him. But the screen writer put the cheat-code out of their sleeve: the demoness Fu Ling turns out to be Chong Zhao's childhood friend Bai Xi, whose memories were erased by the evil demon master of hers, who abducted her 10 years ago. It makes Chong Zhao think that she is a victim of circumstances, just like him, and isn't guilty of any evil deeds she committed the previous 10 years (and she did a lot, her name is widely known in Jianghu, people recognize her as vicious demon general Fu Ling just by throwing a look on her spiritual weapon). OK, it could be his logics because of who he is (the devil god's shell), but the screen writers think it's OK, too, so... But let's return to our couple. Now, as Fu Ling regains her memories and remembers that she was in love with Chong Zhao even as they were children (they were destined to meet, remember?), they run away from the evil demon master and join The Team Main Heroes to have their little nice moments of being together (because why not, if the demoness is not a demoness anymore, right?) before the plot turns into Hell.

"As we were children, my sister and I often sat like this and looked at the stars". They look at the starry sky [1], Chong Zhao x Bai Xi version. Here is Part 2

[bananathebookworm]

TLOVM Season 3 Eps 1-3 Ramblings

Ep. 1

Vax showing off his new powers, fuck yeah!

Raishan... such an interesting villain and I love that we're getting to see these flashbacks and cut aways we didn't get to see in the campaign

I love angry Kiki always. I really hope we get the "Call me child one more fucking time." bit.

Vax'leth has my heart... fuck this is going to hurt

Jesus these visions are really going for the kill goddamn...

And Perc'ahlia also has my heart

Trinket is the best little guard-bear. So protective of his mama.

I love how well they've translated the natural group dynamics onto the screen. Moments that happened organically still feel natural even though they're scripted just because of how the cast play off of each other.

I know the use of CGI for the dragons is disliked by many, but I personally love it. For me it makes them feel other-worldly.

New Setting! Ank'Harel. I love seeing all of these places brought to life. It's especially great when a setting or character matches so well with what I imagined.

Ripley... it just occurred to me that we're likely going to get the "How do you, Vox Machina, want to do this?" moment and it's going to break me

Scanlan Solo Adventures! Spice?

I love when part of the music is just Sam doing random vocalizations over the music

As always, you can tell just how much fun this is for all of them and how much love has gone into creating this series

Ep. 2

Again, I love the villains in Critical Role so much and I love that we're getting a more in-depth look at them now that we can explore things away from the party

I love hearing the cast pop up as the other random NPCs

I forgot how much I loved the Twins' dynamic

"A Taste of Tal-Dorei" chalice... hell yeah

Grog being good with children is everything. Also the fact that it's Ronin Willingham voicing the little boy is great.

Ugh... Scanlan trying to be a good dad and lacking confidence for the first time ever is killing me. This spiral is going to fucking hurt... Calling it now that this season ends with his departure... my heart is not ready.

The Phoenix Wright reference... well done.

ZERXUS ILEREZ!? That was not a name I was expecting to hear.

Matt needs to sing more. That is all.

Ep. 3

Dragons being Dragons. I love their different designs so much.

Kima will always be my favourite.

Cassandra already being so over Percy's lovestruck dumbassery is everything

Vax. Shut the fuck up and let yourself be happy. You made Keyleth cry you asshole.

It took way longer than it should've for me to realize Dohla is a direct stand-in for Tiberius

In addition to Villain backstory we're also getting some great Ally backstory and I love every fucking second of it

Shield-tobogganing away from a dragon is peak D&D

General

I love seeing the different setting and NPCs come to life and them being exactly as I imagined they would be

I love the lowkey "what could've been" moments with Pike being here for the whole story. I always wonder how things could've been different if Ashley didn't have to be away so much for campaigns 1 and 2.

This season is going to fucking hurt. Between the different realationship dynamics, Scanlan and his downward spiral, Percy and Ripley... I'm not ready

[bunnybonesstudio]

Rating Every Single Cobra Kai Ship

Damanda (Daniel x Amanda)

Stats:

Compatibility: 4/5

Dynamic: 5/5

Cuteness: 4/5

Wholesomeness: 4/5

Awkwardness: 2/5

Horniness: 2/5

Squishy-ness: 2/5

Iconic-ness: 4/5

Stupidity: 1/5

Jealousy: 1/5

Toxicity: 2/5

Aura Power Level: 3/5

Yearning Level: 1/5

Violence Level: 2/5

Can They Raise and Nurture a Child?: Yes!

Do They Make Each Other Better?: Yes

Do They Make Each Other Worse?: No

Should I Try This At Home?: Yes

Should They Exist?: Yes

Summary:

The other mom and dad couple!

Daniel and Amanda are written a lot better and are technically more stable than Johnny and Carmen. This is mostly due to the fact that Amanda gets way more screen time and authority in the show. It’s sad in Carmen’s case but great for Amanda.

I really adore these two together. Really I do, more than I love Johnny and Carmen.

Yet again, Amanda is the catch here. And, if I may be so bold, Amanda’s the perfect partner for Daniel. There’s a long line of debate on who the best partner for Daniel is, but I really do think it’s Amanda. She’s just really good for Daniel on so many levels, and that’s because the show gives her agency and a say in the plot. Amanda isn’t some yes man to Daniel who follows him whims or does nothing to combat him.

Quite the contrary actually.

Amanda is Daniel’s only voice of reason really. Amoungst a cast of characters who take karate and the drama around it 100% seriously at all times, Amanda is the only person who acknowledges that everything that happens to them is really, really stupid. She gets the police involved, she tries to end things civilly when she can, Amanda is the only person who actually thinks. Hell, she straight up LEAVES Daniel when things go too far. That’s not a point against them either, Amanda is intelligent and strong enough to know when it’s time to stop. Even from Season 1, Amanda was warning him from being too restrictive on Sam and her antics. Amanda always had opposing views from Daniel and gave him new perspectives on situations.

Daniel kinda needs someone like that. He always liked to push the envelope. And he’s stubborn as a bull. Ever since the first movie, he likes to one up people who wronged him. Moral superiority most likely, but Daniel is a stubborn bastard who has a hard time knowing when to quit. Amanda keeps him in check, keeps him grounded. And Daniel knows it too.

Daniel absolutely adores his wife, trusting her whole heartedly and sees her for the intelligent and frankly badass woman she is. Daniel always takes her opinion into account (even if he sometimes goes off the deep end) and tries his best to keep her in the loop, no matter how ridiculous she finds it. He loves and respects her and cherishes her very much. He called the entire karate business quits when she left for Ohio with the kids and was so dedicated to not upsetting her again, even after she TOLD him she was on his side. Daniel is a family man and it’s clear that he’d do anything to keep his family together and safe.

That’s large in part due to how much he cares about Amanda.

They’re still not perfect, no couple is, and he is clearly obsessed over Johnny. But it’s clear they love each other a lot. Daniel listens to her sound advice and Amanda is always on Daniel’s side in a fight. No matter how crazy shit gets, they’re always there for each other.

No complaints from me!

Conclusion: Does This Ship Sink or Sail?

Answer: Sail!

Lawrusso may be more interesting, but Amanda is the best partner for Daniel in my humble opinion.

She’s assertive, has her own worldview, and is never scared to let Daniel know when he’s being an idiot. But she loves him regardless of it all.

And Daniel in turn has someone he trusts fully and knows will always be there as his partner and best friend.

They cover each other weak points and make such an excellent team! I can’t help but adore them with all that to be considered.

Daniel and the Bad Bitch He Pulled By Being a Huge Dork!

See my ratings of other ships here!

Ship Masterlist

(CK Dividers by @sweetmelodygraphics )

[unnursvanablog]

While the premise of When the Phone Rings sounded decent enough I was mostly tuning in for the cast as I do enjoy both Chae Soo Bin and Yoo Yeon Seok and the thought of a political thriller about a kidnapping sounded decent enough. I was however expecting a much more straight forward, action-thriller like 24 (the American tv show) but instead a got much more of an intense melodrama with a plot twists that I did not see coming. And it hooked me right in.

It also helps that Chae Soo Bin and Yoo Yeon Seok do have very good chemistry and the character dynamic is interesting enough between them that I am quite excited already about them eventually making out, but I can also tell that I am going to enjoy the buildup and the intensity of that all very much. At least judging by these two episodes.

The first episode did take a while to get going as we are sort of introducing the characters at their repesctive works and they don't start interacting with each other until quite late in the episode which was frustrating but it did work well for the story, so I get why it was set up like that. This isn't a loving marriage and no one even knows that they are married so it makes sense. But I do think the chemistry of the two leads is strong enough that the story does sort of gets into place when they are on screen together and we really see that odd, cold but intesne couple interaction which is just so intriguing.

Even if the sort of arranged marriage couple plot does feel very melodramatic and soapy and is very often used when you are dealing with these wealthy and very influential families in kdramas. It's nothing new, but I do tend to enjoy it in a drama form and it does feel refreshing because it's not in a romcom sense where the family wants to arrange a marriage but then the ceo son falls in love with a commoner which has started to get tiresome even if some dramas do manage to spin it in a fun way. This is very melodramatic and I enjoy it.

Baek Sa Eon has a darkness within him or sort of anger that seems to be bubbling under the very sort of cold and composed surfice (especially with his family secrets and all) and I do think he is very calculated with everything which I find very intriguing but the very quiet and meek Hong Hee Joo which seems to have operated all her life as if to not be a bother to anyone which then, once she is almost kidnapped, decides to trick her husband into thinking someone is trying to blackmail him and threatning him with her. When you hear her speaking on the phone in the bathroom… oh that was a good hook. That made me audiably gasp and sit straighter in my seat. Hong Hee Joo is the start of the show.

But she is also kinda clumsy at it… so I do worry for her. And she is accidentally getting herself involved in some scary organization… because that phone was used by a man that tried to kidnap her for real, but that is all part of the plot. It's going to get messy and I just hope it will be entertaining to watch.

I do think that while she is convinced that she is doing this out of frustration and wanting him to divorce her (because she can't do it due to marriage contract ala evil rich family stuff) I also think she is doing it because she wants to rail him up. She wants to see some reaction from him. Deep inside I think she wants to test if he actually gives a shit about her, but she isn't ready to admit that to him. Because she did try at the beginning of their marriage to make it sort of work but he pushed her away.

because the first time they have actually had a conversation is through those phone calls. It's such an interesting dynamic. And through that messed up way of communicating they are going to realize that they actually love each other. Because the man is already jealous, possessive in his cold-hearted and rude way and doesn't actually want to loose her. Oh this is going to be a makjang madness, high drama level stuff mess, but please let it be in a good way.

It a fun sport of soapy melodrama with some messy people and it looks like it might be quite entertaining. I really enjoyed myself with these two episodes.

I do not care about the secondary romance that they have started to hint at… at all. That felt like a jolt in the pacing in episode two.