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Well, that was... kind of underwhelming, tbh. I'm not surprised by the lack of nisaac stuff but I am a little disappointed that Chris didn't come back. Overall, it didn't really feel like a season finale to me? The Alberta/Pete stuff almost seemed like the A plot, with the book launch as the B plot and the Elias thing only taking a couple of minutes. I mean, I don't have any strong feelings about Alberta/Pete either way but it seemed weird that it took up so much of a finale episode. Even the Elias & Jay reveal felt oddly anticlimactic.

On the plus side: I'm glad we got to see the shed ghosts and Crash, even if it was just a tiny scene.

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I really hope this is the end of the Sass virginity plotline and frankly stupid virginity jokes. Here's an idea: maybe give Sass a storyline about something that's actually interesting, like oh, idk, how he died?

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Random thoughts on S04E10, Heaven & Hell:

Jo being the best and winning everything (even if in her own eyes, she lost) is the way things should always be.

I don't actually think David is bad at his job. Yeah, he's made bad decisions but he's actually really good at doing what he needs to do, and getting everyone where he needs them to be, to keep things moving.

Brad spefically describing his actions as a 'change of heart' has to be deliberate, right? I knew he'd choose MQ, but it was also nice that there are other implications in his choice too: that he chose creative, and chose to keep changing rather than keep being what he used to be (which in some ways was just a mask to begin with). I also found it fitting that he found comfort in data. And returning the penny to Anna!

Carol deserves better than that shitty storyline.

Likewise, Dana's been short-changed this season too. After Yara won that award, Dana's whole arc basically just stopped dead.

Poppy/Ian is not my thing and I really wish they'd just left them as platonic soulmates. But I did like that Ian finally prioritised her and her happiness over everything else, and Poppy coming to her senses about moving to the Netherlands to be with Storm.

They had a tough job writing an episode that would work as a series finale but still leave some doors open for a potential 5th season, and I think they did OK. I really hope they get renewed though, because I'd love to see how the new dynamics at MQ will work out. I also really want to see Jo scheme against Jean-George.

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Things that are still unresolved, with only one more episode this season and no guarantee of another season to come:

Poppy, Storm, and the baby

Poppy & Ian

Ian and his resignation from MQ

Brad/Anna and the malware

Jo and where she stands with MQ and/or Dana

Dana, Yara, and Dana's new version of Twilight Forest

David's job and MQ in general

Rachel and her position at MQ

Elysium and the original Twilight Forest

Carol/Mikey and Andy

Even though everything doesn't need to be wrapped up in the finale, that's still a lot of dangling threads...

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alright, so here is my theory on what’s happening with brad and anna after 4x09. 

i think anna is playing brad with this whole scamming playpen thing; either she'll throw the blame on him and flee with the money OR she's trying to sink MQ with another scandal (first david and rachel's congress BS and now that an employee was caught trying to rob them - this would be like the kill shot to the studio essentially) and therefore "win" over brad and "destroy" the biggest rival to yara.

but like... brad is smart. surely he's being strategic by accepting the flash drive, walking into a studio that no longer employs him and flaunting it in front of david's face, right?

i don’t think brad's going to go through with the theft because there’s no textual evidence in the writing of the show to support that brad would engage in illegal activities for money - if anything, the show has gone out of their way to prove to us that brad wouldn’t. there’s no implications he’s ever “cut corners” personally or professionally to get money, we all know he didn’t do the insider trading thing and he doesn't even steal things when he "tries car doors" at the APEX awards - he just rearranges things😭 he even confessed in season 1 that he doesn't like money just for money's sake, which is essentially what anna is proposing; brad likes ownership of people, and money is simply the best way to do that in this society. 

so then the question is, what's the advantage of brad bringing the flash drive to MQ if he's not going to use it? i think he's going to give it to some of the "techy" people or his friends in monetization and get them to figure out what's on it and whether or not there's a "digital fingerprint" on it from anna, since he's likely not familiar with that type of stuff well enough to do it himself. that way he can gain proof that she made it, so when he leaks it to the press, or the police, it doesn't look like he made it (since he’s the one with the drive that could be incriminating so he needs evidence he's not involved).

i also think showing the drive it to david and making it "clear" to david he was in the building with it instead of sneaking around is a strategy (or a deliberate writing choice) because (and this is when the delusional shipping part of my brain takes over) when david's job is at stake, as is alluded to in the description of the season finale, brad can say david was the one who identified this threat and protected the company, streetfighter-quarentine-donation style (swooping in to save him and make him look good though torturing him all the while). and then this is the ultimate "you owe me big time" because brad would have saved david from career ruin so brad gets full and complete ownership back over david (and he also gets to help MQ because he’s a softie). 

i could be wrong, obviously, but this resolution is in line with brad’s established character (good guy who puts on an “evil” front because of his fear of appearing weak), aligns with his motivations (to own people, specifically david after he outsmarted him in the poker episode), ties in to the main storyline of the season (the core cast trying to “leave” MQ because of selfish ambitions only to, hopefully, come back due to love of the craft), furthers brad’s character (by placing him against someone who is, on the surface, the same as him, but highlights what makes him fundamentally different from the persona he puts on for other people), makes great suspense for the penultimate episode (audience thinking he’s going to betray MQ because, ngl, it really looks that way with what they gave us, so finale will be exciting plot twist) and sets up storylines for season 5 (brad now, for the first time in the series, has complete control over david’s strings, adding new potential plot implications for the whole cast). 

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They 100% know what they're doing by having Anna frame the question that way lol

“decision time. are you with me or with him”

screaming. crying. sobbing

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Random thoughts on S04E09, Telephone:

Man, David Hornsby is such an amazing actor. I wish he was in more things! He's really expressive with just his eyes; he's fascinating to watch.

Danny Pudi did a fantastic job directing this, too.

David has a special ringtone in Brad's phone. That is all.

Brad had to think for a while there before declining David's call, so I'm not convinced that he's going to sabotage Playpen like Anna wants him to. I think it's more likely that he played along so that he could get his hands on the malware. And I feel like Jo being in the office too will somehow play a part in Brad's storyline.

Then again, maybe Brad does want to go ahead with it as revenge for the poker thing, even though he acknowledged in that episode that the reason he lost was Dana, not David or MQ.

You can really see how much David's changed. He used to think of Ian and Poppy as family and now he straight up says he hates them. His first thought is for the company and his job, and ngl, I like it. He can see (some) things a lot more clearly now. And for all the jokes about him being a lame duck, he's actually a pretty effective manager here. He figures out what he needs to do and who to talk to very quickly and then goes and does it, even when he knows he'll have to humiliate himself to get it done. I like that a lot, too: David being more and more Brad-like but still very much himself.

David still being friendly to Brad is interesting. I wonder if he still considers Brad a friend despite finding out that the months-long poker thing was a con.

Sorry, but I have negative interest in the Carol love triangle stuff. Andy is annoying as fuck.

Why has Storm has suddenly changed his mind about the baby??

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REALLY this episode was just the pivot that Nigel and Isaac’s dynamic needed. The pieces feel like they’re starting to fall into place. They had their fair share of problems before the wedding but it’s clear that his infatuation with Chris and Pete’s speech were the things that put the final nails in the coffin. They implanted this lofty ideal in Isaac’s head of what love should be. Like Donna and Pete. A perfect, afterlife-changing fantasy. One that he thought Chris could give him.

But now we’re starting to see the glimpses of Isaac deconstructing that idea. His fantasy was just that. A flight of fancy. It had no substance. Donna being a murderer was the first wake up call. Pete didn’t know Donna. He may have been mad at the wrong lie, but Donna and Pete’s relationship was still based on a lie.

And now there’s Chris not being the soulmate Isaac expected him to be. In fact he was very cold to someone Isaac clearly still cared about. The logic by which Isaac decided to leave Nigel is crumbling down. And that’s really clearing the path for Isaac to build something new with him.

Ok we’re connecting the dots. Now we’re cookin’!

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Something something, Nigel wanting something physical and easy with Chris, only chasing the spark of hope and not expecting or wanting anything serious, just needing to have some fun. I.e. the opposite of what he wanted with Isaac, which was always something long term... eternal, in fact.

Versus Isaac wanting a deeper connection, to be soulmates, not just something physical with Chris despite his initial interest being Chris's body. I.e. wanting (perhaps unconsciously) something he already had with Nigel.

Something something, Nigel being open and honest, unlike how he was with the Jenkins thing, and Isaac being truly selfless for once, with nothing to gain except ensuring Nigel's feelings were protected.

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Random thoughts on Ghosts S04E16:

I'm glad he didn't get hurt again AND got to kiss a hot guy with apparent pecs of steel but come on, give my boy Nigel a break. T_T Let him have a guy who won't treat him badly! But it was so nice to see him happier and smiling though - he deserves it. <3

Loved the contrast of Nigel's ease with men vs Isaac's extreme awkwardness. Nigel's very charming, and you can see why his body count was so high. But it also just emphasises how much he loved/loves Isaac, too - he can move fast if he wants to, and he has no problem with getting physical right away, but for Isaac, he waited (FOR CENTURIES!!!) until Isaac was ready. Isaac was never just another guy to him.

I'm pretty sure now that an actual Nisaac reunion won't happen until next season at the earliest.

Isaac immediately assuming he and Chris were soulmates casts even more doubt on whether he ever loved Nigel at all, but I actually kind of like that idea now? Because if Nissac are endgame (and I still believe they are), it means that we'll get to see Isaac fall in love with Nigel for real, and with Nigel seemingly on the path to getting over his heartbreak, there's a possibility that Isaac won't know if Nigel still feels the same way. And sad pining!Isaac is something I really, really want to see.

Isaac's character growth is shown wonderfully here. He was genuinely concerned about Nigel getting hurt again and even though the lie may well come back to bite him in the ass if/when Chris comes back, his first instinct was still to protect Nigel's feelings. I think the old Isaac would've gotten jealous that Chris preferred Nigel and then rubbed the truth about Chris's indifference in Nigel's face.

The other ghosts being a Greek chorus to the Hetty/Sunil stuff was hilarious.

Loved Jay getting to see and interact with Hetty, and that Hetty got to have a sweet date with a kind man.

Not loving the continued virgin jokes though, which feel like cheap shots. Do better, show.

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Guys I don't have time to screencap but from John's IG stories it looks like Nigel will be in tonight's episode!

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I'm sorry, but if Nigel legit falls in love with Chris then I'm calling bullshit. His most consistent characteristic is that he's been in love with Isaac for forever, even after Isaac left him at the altar. For him to fall in love with Chris so quickly would be stupid. Even Isaac falling in love with Chris would be stupid. Having a fling with Chris, sure, I can see both of them doing that. But love? Nah.

via TV Line

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Ngl, I kind of can see the Chris/Jenkins endgame being a thing? Even if simply to put Chris safely away when he is no longer needed for longer investments, and solving the whole Jenkins issue as well.

My prediction would be that Isaac and Nigel are both basically starting a rivality over Chris, trying to get with him, while being completely unaware to the fact Chris is getting around with Jenkins. Everyone else is.

Yep, I could see all of that happening. Chris could stick around but only appear when they need him to, like Carol, and it would resolve any lingering issues with Jenkins being jealous that Nigel wanted Isaac and not him.

I really hope they stay consistent with Nigel though, and make it clear that whatever he might want to do with Chris, he's still in love with Isaac.

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Welp, here we go Nisaac nation!

What I want:

Chris not interested in either Nigel or Isaac, or only interested in Nigel

Both Nigel and Isaac interested in Chris, but Nigel either not as interested as Isaac, or not really interested at all and just hoping to get a reaction from Isaac

Chris finding out the history between Nigel and Isaac

Isaac realizing that he doesn't actually have much in common with Chris at all

What I don't want:

An actual relationship between Chris/any of the ghosts

Dumb, drawn-out love triangle drama

Isaac's character development regarding being less selfish and wanting to genuinely be friends with Nigel suddenly flying out the window now that Chris is there

What I predict:

Chris will either be sucked off quickly, or he'll make a mistake or a deal with Elias and go down with him to Hell

By the end of the season, an explicit hint that Isaac is starting to question his decision to leave Nigel

What would be hilarious:

Chris/Jenkins endgame

Other random thoughts on the episode:

It was so great to see some of Roman's musical skills

Flower being weird about Sass's virginity isn't funny and makes me like her less

Alberta was wonderful

I was glad to see the return of mildly douchey Trevor

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Random thoughts on S04E07, The Room Where it Happens (incidentally it's pretty funny that both my current fandoms had Hamilton-referencing episodes one after another):

I really love David becoming more and more of an asshole and obsessed with profit (i.e. more and more Brad-like), but still himself too. Telling that Cold Alliance guy to fuck off was pretty hot, ngl, but I'm 100% sure it's all going to blow up in his face before the end of the season. The Congress thing + Dana's game probably becoming a big success... I think he's being set up for a major fall.

I'm disappointed that Dana wasn't playing a con and really was just dumb enough to keep working on the game at MQ even after Brad told her not to.

I assume Brad and Jo will keep working with Dana now to help her get her version of Twilight Forest out first, since all three of them have now been screwed over by MQ. I also assume that Brad will have to crush both Anna and MQ (which essentially = David) to make it happen.

I understand the intention of the Poppy+Ian stuff and Ian's behaviour about the pregnancy is completely in character, but... the Poppy characterisation right now is just a major squick for me. Yes, people can change when they have kids, but it still feels like they're trying to tell me that motherhood is some inherently wonderful thing that will make a woman 'better' because... idk, reasons. Plus the stuff about her maybe going to the Netherlands and living with Storm?? After her last convo with him and Storm not exactly being enthusiastic about becoming a father? Wtf??

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when some random guy has a blorbo opinion i disagree with: blocked you will die and no one will remember your name

when my beloved mutual has a blorbo opinion i disagree with: i have never considered this, but perhaps i could be won over... your passion compells me my beloved...

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wait

no

No

NO

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

IT’S GONNA BE CHRIS THE DINO STRIPPER AGAIN

AND HE’S GONNA BE THE HOT GHOST

W

T

F