#what a recap episode

[skipblebee]

Sv au where everything is the same but it's like a reality tv show (the system takes interviews)

[mlobsters]

supernatural s15e17 unity (w. meredith glynn)

My entire life, you've protected me. From Dad, from Lucifer... from everything. I didn't always like it, you know? But, it's the one thing in the whole world that I could always count on. It's the only thing I've ever known that was true.

be still my beating heart part 9 of ∞

[havinganormalone]

Listen, I'm not saying Leebeebee DESERVED to die, but I am saying her being creepy and sexually objectifying of the sentient murder machine probably wasn't the SMARTEST move to make.

[xxplastic-cubexx]

Ibuprofen

[tobiatobia]

-tried to flirt with rose and pretended to flirt with lan-fan

-my dude lost track of time and abandoned his family for 10 years

-could've had the banging name theophrastus bombastus but decided it was "too long" (lame ass)

-had a whole episode dedicated to him having the weirdest, trippiest hangover dream, and then after waking up he thanked the alcohol bottle and walked away. He didn't even throw away the bottle he just left it there

-that moment where he is simply inside Vengeful God (tm) in the most awkward position ever conceived in the history of humanity

-is crying in the only family photo that was ever taken of his family

-literally the biggest dadfailure. I just don't think it has been mentioned enough times how big of a dadfailure he is

FMA’s BIGGEST LOSER: THE GRAND FINAL

[housemdork]

house md rewatch: 2x12, "distractions"

kinda messed up of them to pair such a traumatic patient story with one of house md's funniest b-plots (imo).

oops, all gregory house!

it was smart of them to ease us into house's mega-destructive tendencies through humor first. season 7 would only be more jarring if we didn't have such an extensive lead-up. and i just love this episode. the goofiness is refreshing, but it doesn't lose its poignancy by the end, wilson looks cute, cuddy is here (for once), the fellows are exhibiting genuine teamwork and bond over concern for house, and house trips balls.

on the whole, i think this episode is about layers - quite literally the layers of dead and burned flesh they remove from adam, the patient, and the layers house adds onto himself to avoid confronting his real feelings post-stacy. interestingly, house choice to disprove his nemesis, dr. weber, parallels the same layers he accumulated post-infarction that have led to his misanthropy:

infarction -> self-destructive choice -> pain -> vicodin -> maladaptive behavior.

loss of stacy -> self-destructive choices -> induced pain -> LSD -> maladaptive behavior.

on the nose though it may be, like i said, it's an important precursor to the ever-increasing number of instances where he does Dumb Shit.

i also appreciate that this episode reaffirms wilson's harsh reality check from the end of 2x11; it wasn't just wilson blowing off steam, but a real condemnation of house's worst behaviors. he reminded house that, while he doesn't like himself, house admires himself because of his intellect. the misery he is so quick to infect other people with comes part and parcel with that intellect, so the fact that he threatened his very way of thinking by dropping acid says a lot about his state rn. but by proving dr. weber wrong, he hopes to regain his surety in himself & deflect the pain he feels in coming at him from all sides.

and it's his guilt over waking up adam and putting him in excruciating pain that motivates him to "take something." his haunted expression here is hard to miss:

this reminds me of, again, what he tells wilson in 1x22 about stacy - does he want "to be with her" or to see her "suffer?" 2x12 features this dilemma in a macro scale; does house want to solve this case in the name of doctorly altruism, or is he solving it for selfish reasons, to regain his sense of self?

i love the following visuals that highlighted house's isolation in spite of the overly colorful bathroom tiles. his cane is the darkest streak of color, or lack thereof, and it makes his half of the shot weighted. the perspective is somewhat bent towards house, like the gravity of the room is spilling out of the open shower stall, plopping house on the outside. very disorienting!

cameron's introduction into the scene is a shock of reality. the red of her shirt is the kind of striking visual that house wants to avoid during his pseudo-migraine. she also breaks up the otherwise solid rule-of-thirds in the previous shot, representing another mote of disruption.

house's parting words to cuddy are even another layer deeper/better than what they seem at first. he describes how he took a cocktail of everything to counteract every modicum of pain incurred by the migraine drug test run until he arrived at equilibrium: "the universe always settles the score," he claims, until retracting with "no, but it should."

what i like about this is what it says about house's balance, or lack thereof. i was worried throughout my first watch of 2x12 that one of the various substances house was taking would interact with his vicodin. that's house balance, a layer of separation attempting to hold his disparate pieces together; in his mind, those pieces are pre and post infarction. wilson - again, however harsh and one the nose - was right when he reminded house that he "gets distracted by pain." i'd even wager that, on top of pain being a distraction, the puzzle of how to avoid/mitigate it is equally as distracting.

also - this was cute. fake ass bitch. i saw how you undercut your mean lecture with a loving action, which we've textually established means more in the way of love than any kind words do.

i'm gonna bullet point the remainder of my notes since 2x12 is mostly made up of moments that i like, rather than a super cohesive message:

cameron, chase, and foreman being mutually concerned over house in the cutest way possible. this is a rare instance of them all agreeing on something - to be worried about him. i also love how they all insist on disliking each other at different points in the show because moments like this remind me of how silly that is.

this is the funniest scene ever. or at least it's very high up there. wilson walks in with the following agenda: listening to nothing dr. weber has to say; pretend to be mad that house is going to do something disruptive; enjoy every second of that disruptive thing; reminisce about his weird med school history. thanks for the exposition, james!

one moment, house and foreman are walking down the hallways alone. in the blink of an eye, cameron and chase just materialize wordlessly behind them.

the introduction that house cheated off weber, though to no avail, strikes an unexpected and almost uncomfortable chord with the audience who presumed, basically by instruction from the show, that he was infallible in that department.

foreman hands house his cane after they both had a physical altercation in the sterile room where house was trying to wake foreman up again. i love how that gesture is filled with so much solidarity yet it so casual. the idea that there's a literal weight in house's leg, alleviated somewhat by his cane, that's then alleviated by receiving the cane from his friends? goes crazy.

he's even clutching at the wall for support before foreman arrives.

finally, the introduction of House's Hookers. i don't like this moment, per se, but it's a plot thread that stands the test of time, and undercuts the lighthearted tone of this episode in general.

overall? 10/10 from me in terms of just general Viewing Pleasure. tons of episodes deliver way more punch, emotional depth, and drama, but i think i've seen 2x12 more than any other house md episode apart from 5x04 and 8x20. another installment in my strange collection of favorites, i'm sure.

[jula483]

what a WEEK

[critter-wizard]

ep 43 had me tearing up in a fucking shopping centre ‼️‼️

b+w alt version that I truly couldn't decide if I liked it more . Also I included a lot of thoughts in the tags but they're somewhat incoherent<3

[aheathen-conceivably]

Previously on The Darlingtons...

We opened with Zelda fretting over her choice to contact Alexander Barnes, a librarian who she met weeks prior driving a book truck. In the hopes that his offer to speak was about a job, she was paralyzed with feelings of inadequacy and fear.

Coupled with this is the fact that her husband Antoine has spent weeks on the road as a touring musician, leaving her with no outlet to discuss these worries. All of this is only heightened by the insomnia that Zelda has struggled with all her life, culminating in a dream of her family’s former home in England. The abandoned hallways mirror her desires to be a librarian, but also awaken memories and fears that she’s losing the parts of herself that tie her to her past.

When Antoine returns home early from the road, Zelda at first mistakes him as a figment of her sleep-deprived dream. Only after awaking the next morning does she realize he’s actually there. At first, she doubts telling him about her worries or even Alexander at all; but after realizing that her fears are unfounded she tells him about the booktruck and lists the reasons why she’s avoided going to speak to him thus far.

Antoine answers every one, encouraging her to speak to Alexander without hesitation. His response highlights just how much Zelda relies on him to quiet her internal fears and not only ground herself in chasing what she wants, but even her own reality too.

Buoyed by Antoine’s encouragement, Zelda goes to meet with Alexander at Strangerville town hall. Although at first he doesn’t recognize her, as soon as he does he’s quick to answer all of her questions and discuss the details of his job. Throughout their conversation he’s touched by how much she cares about the books and can sense how similar they are.

When she asks where he’s going next, he tells her that he’s currently working on a grant for the Works Progress Administration, a federal agency tasked with building public works throughout the country. He promises to write to her with the outcome of his proposal, hopeful that if it’s accepted he will need a team to help open the new library.

While Zelda waits for word regarding Alexander’s grant, Antoine receives a letter from his former employer and friend asking him to visit his ranch. Upon doing so, Antoine learns that Abe found a purebred racing horse and intends to sell it in an effort to stabilize his financial status. He had contacted Antoine because another one of his horses has become bonded to the young foal, and previously Antoine was the only person capable of keeping the elder horse calm.

In response, Antoine offers to buy not only the foal, but the elder horse as well. Initially shocked, Abe rebuffs him, but through Antoine’s surety in his offer we can see that he is not only now making substantial money on tour, but also has a lingering sadness about parting with his family for extended periods of time.

Antoine gifts the foal to his daughter Violette, who names the young horse Ozma after the princess of Oz. She, Antoine, Zelda as well as Giorgio and Josephine spend the day chasing after the new foal and enjoying one another's company. Gio and Jo are especially happy and carefree after what seems like years of difficulty finding stability.

Zelda notices their joy, and when Antoine asks her about Alexander's grant proposal, she points to them and says that she won't take the job. She's convinced herself that if she does, she will ruin the tenuous peace and normalcy that has finally settled over their lives, especially given how precious it feels now that Antoine and Jo are on the road most of the time. Antoine once again talks her out of her fears, pointing out that she can't make choices for everyone else's happiness her whole life. Yet even with Violette's joy and his words of encouragement, Zelda can't help but notice the irony of his advice when most of her choices feel like they've been made for his happiness rather than her own.

The next morning Zelda meets Giorgio in the cornfield where they've worked together for almost half a decade. After a series of ever-dwindling harvests, the crops appear to be reverting to the infertile, dying state that they were in when Zelda had arrived years before. Dragged down by guilt and an unexpected bond that she's formed with Gio, Zelda struggles to tell him that she's taking a job with Alexander and won't be working with him on the farm anymore.

But even as the final tendrils of his hope are being shredded in front of him, Giorgio quells his fears and encourages Zelda so that when she won't feel guilty as she walks away. Only once she's gone does he let his smile fall as he looks around at the dying crops, their wilting leaves painfully symbolizing the hope that he had for the land when he moved to Strangerville. While everyone else seems to be moving on around him, he clings to what little is left in the soil. Part of it is hope, but much of it is just desperation as he begins to realize he has bet his money and his soul on the gilded trappings of the American dream.

When Giorgio walks in from the field, he finds Jo in their bedroom packing for another tour. She's dancing amidst her clothes, having fully convinced herself that as long as she continues living exactly like this, she can ignore the raging restlessness in her soul. Whatever truth there may have been to her conviction is shattered when Gio's panic morphs into anger, attacking the mess at Jo’s feet in a desperate plea to try and gain some emotional footing.

What follows is a long and desperate fight between them as the pain and resentment they've harbored toward each other for years bubbles to the surface. As they both reach a point of exhaustion, there's a moment where Giorgio admits to Jo why he attacked her, and he actually attempts to be vulnerable with her. While Jo initially tries to comfort him the best she knows how, her tone immediately shifts when he says that he wants one more year to try and turn the farm around. In that split second, Jo realizes that his weakness actually presents an opportunity for her, and in the guise of helping him while simply protecting herself, she offers him a loan in return for majority ownership in the farm.

Livid, Gio initially rebukes her. But just as quickly, they spiral back into an argument and fall into the toxic pattern that they've shared for years. Rather than settle their dispute or even process what happened, they resolve it without mending anything at all and adding yet another wound to the many already bleeding between them.

Soon after, Josephine returns to Valcita's house to borrow her car. After a charged moment between them months before, they had both treated each other distantly, with Jo simply choosing not to think about Val at all, and Val adopting a purposefully cold demeanor toward Jo. When Jo arrives that day, Val's reaction is the same - impatient and slightly condescending. Only fresh off of her argument with Gio, Jo is vulnerable, longing for some sort of connection with Val simply because she feels like she’s more like her than anyone else in her life.

But from the moment she steps foot in Val's house, Jo's attempts to control herself begin to crumble. In her typical fashion, she pushes these growing feelings aside, following Val into the kitchen for a drink. Over the next few hours, Jo learns more about who Val is. Perhaps even more dangerously, she begins thinking about what her life with Val would look like; because for every step she takes inside the house, she wants to push the door open a little more, seeing just how far she can toe the line before she gets burned.

As she walks away Jo asks Val to keep the bottle of whiskey for her, signifying that unlike the last time she left her house, she has no intention on shutting Val out of her mind again.

[suzalulusource]

Then I’ll become a prince! I'll become her prince and save her! [...] I swear, I’ll become a prince! I swear!

REVOLUTIONARY GIRL UTENA DUEL 34: THE ROSE SIGNET

I swear... Suzaku, I swear! I’m going to obliterate Britannia!

CODE GEASS: LELOUCH OF THE REBELLION STAGE 1: THE DAY A NEW DEMON WAS BORN

[jq37]

I've largely been thrilled with the amount of sister content for Adaine and Aelwyn in Junior Year considering that Aelwyn's main arc was more or less completed last season and she could have easily been benched like so many other NPCs were this season. The only thing I was hoping would come into play but didn't was the Nemesis Ward. Even if it never comes up though, I still love it so much as a point of characterization for her. That action says so much about who she is as a person. That she would take a piece of magic specifically intended for evil and make it good in the same way that her protective magic which should have been good was twisted to be used for evil the first 18 years of her life? Mwah. Chef's kiss.

[lightgamble]

DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN | 1.09

Frank's entrance.

[greiiliss]

I really appreciate Will giving these character goal and story recaps at the beginning of every episode this season

[guardian-angle22]

My favorite things from episode 5.01 …in no particular order:

- that first 126 firehouse scene single-handedly cured my depression. TK refereeing the chaos with his little whistle around his neck. “the big tortoise” “not sure how I feel about the big tortoise” 🐢 💀 “no spitting” *here’s lookin at you marj* Mateo forgetting to hit stop cause it was just too exciting!!

- tommy bringing strand men to grief therapy like she gets referral credit. when is it Carlos’ turn?

- detective paul AGAIN on scene with the bullet hole solution. thank you and good night my man is baaack.

- paul’s “showboat” comment then smash cut to paul being a showboat. Iconic editing. lone star is a comedy.

- Judd in his readers. 😍

- I appreciate how they wrote grace out. They could’ve been lazy and killed her off and claimed it was for drama and emotion. But they chose a way that not only honored the character but is also something that feels like sierra would respect given her personal values.

- Wyatt and Carlos meeting was such a small moment but so sweet. “You’re TK’s husband, right?” “He was one of the paramedics who saved my life.” the tarlos fan club is constantly growing

- LOU TWO! keeping TK company! being fed peppers like the king that he is!

[tanukitsuneko-suki]

kabuto episode 36 thoughts:

- slowly but surely, tendou is about to die from stress and i can only thank razor girl for ridding the world of its evils

- RENGE

- slowly but surely, tendou is about to die from stress and i can only thank renge for ridding the world of its evils

- kagami papa is sick of this dick-measuring contest too lmfao

- hahaha um.

- i wish i can say something witty and smart here. a theory, perhaps. all i have is a nervous laughing fit

- red shoes that won't stop until all worms are defeated. mhm! right. of course. and you gave that shit to your son????

- worse comes to worst i will be drawing kagamicest

- wait he might try to hurt tsurugi NOOOOOOOOOO BACKSPACE BACKSPACE I SAID I'LL FORGIVE HIM FOR DOING ANYTHING BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT HIM MISERABLE?????? IF HE'S NOT EVIL FOR THE LOVE OF GAME I DON'T WANT IT I DON'T WANT HIM SAD

- if renge and tsurugi become friends and hang out i think that dynamic would be the friendship equivalent of a black hole considering their negative social IQ x 2

- okay back the fuck up

- i was wrong but also i think i could actively hear my brain whirring. i— okay

- huh...

- WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON I'M TERRIFIED???????????

- it genuinely took four (4) whole seconds of tendou writhing around in agony before i thought "ah yep that's probably a bad—a bad thing"

- oh that's not

- WHY IS IT ALWAYS A GAY SITUATIONSHIP

- not all [gay situationships] but somehow always a [gay situationship]

- about to be the most annoying bitch yelling tenkaga childhood friends au

- guys, homophobia kills (the younger generation). okay serious talk i burst out laughing reading this because it sounds to me like a lot of things could have been solved if gay marriage was legal 20 years ago

- he's like really into this. hasn't he only been in the club for a day at most. it's a bit embarrassing. please calm down, newbie. also btw they just set up a death flag and i'm pretty sure yaguruma knows more than she lets on and they'll both die (as is tradition with max oshis)

- just started uncontrollably giggling. look at my riders dawg

- not dramatic enough. they need to be wet. preferably at the beach.

- OH MY GOD HE'S DEAD. TACHIKAWA IS DEAD. THEY KILLED HIM

- ... of the heart?

- never have a gay situationship in kabuto. it will ruin you

- my stupids

- ??? what did bluesky mean by this

[mugiwara-lucy]

CAN SATURDAY GET HERE SOONER!!

And I HOPE they make the WHOLE episode Law vs Blackbeard! Save the Egghead stuff for the following episode!!