#A reminder that Ryan loves Steven more than all of us combined

[fndmrt]

Before Day 1 of Steven Lim Appreciation Week ends, I have to add Ryan’s beautiful drawing of Steven to the list of artworks produced today.

[c-atm]

Shift in the Paradigm Chapter 3 (part A)

As Steven and Connie head home they find themselves held up by their own feelings.

“Sorry for the wait Steven..just had to settle somethings. I hope i didn’t put us too off schedule.”

Connie guilty smile was met with a mischievous chuckle as Steven placed her a hand on the top of her head, something he knew would annoy her slightly, a reminder that he was now taller than her, which is saying a lot since she herself is a five-seven stunner; though she was still dwarfed by the six-four Goliath. When he started to ruffle her hair in the affectionate way he did, it took her every fiber in her to not to snuggle into his palm, which is why it was annoying when he did it.

“No problem Nini, I’m not heading back to space anytime soon. We got all the time in two worlds.”

Connie blushed a bit at her newest nickname, one that was actually given by Blue diamond as attempt to understand human culture, It stuck within the crystal gems and Beach city. Though it always had a certain effect on her when Steven called her it. It was then a prying look overcame the young man face.

“So...Ryan...he seems pretty nice. You two had a bit to talk about.”

Connie arched an eyebrow and before a mischievous thought came to her. She sighed exaggeratedly and clasp her hands together.

“Yes, He’s such a sweetheart. Attractive too. Never really talked to him much til today.”

“Ummm….Well looks like he made an impression on you.”

“I guess so, I mean he wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought. I could give that guy a chance.”

“Give that guy….WHAAAAT? HE ASKED YOU OUT?! “

“Yeah..he did more than that, He straight up confessed to me.”

Steven was silent for a bit as he comprehend what Connie told him. A small very neutral  smile appeared.

“Well, it’s not the first time it happened, so what did he say, exactly? Used a cheesy pick up  or something.”

“Hehe..No..he..It was pretty off putting, actually.”

“I don’t like the sound of that. He didn’t cross any lines did he, cause  if he did well…”

Connie saw the look of  pure anger that appeared on Steven face. The face that was usually reserved for whenever Kevin was mentioned, prior to their reconciliation a few years ago, with a grab and squeeze of his hand , his anger subsided.

“Hey, I told you he’s a sweetheart… That being said no he didn’t cross a line..well not a big one…The reason why I was put off a bit...was how earnest and genuine it was. I was flattered and a little happy, honestly. Not every day a guy admits to holding three years worth of affection for you. ”

“Sounds a bit schmaltzy, if you ask me.”

“Biscuit, You love schmaltz.”

“Well, yeah in my media.”

Connie looked quizzically at her best friends demeanor. Over the course of the conversation, she has heard his tone become sarcastic, scathing, cold and as of now dismissive and defensive. Steven notice her alerting eyes and turned around away from her to hide his blush, this caught Connie off guard.

“So...Did you agree to the date or hang out or whatever…”

“After some talking to him and stuff...Yeah, I figured we could hang out a bit over the summer in a group.”

“Hmmm..So...it’s another one your initiations.”

The disappointment and agitation in Steven’s voice shook her to the core, She never heard him like this and to have it towards her was horrid.

“Steven…”

“Is that why you kissed his cheek, cause you want to give him a chance, to see if he can fit in?”

“I mean yeah.. it the best I can do, for him after all.”

“What does that mean?”

“...He helped me realize somethings in the conversations we had and I kind off feel bad for rejecting him, but hey gotta new friend outta it. Are you ok with that?”

Steven looked at Connie blankly, before allowing a sigh of relief out. That he didn’t even know he was holding.

“Yeah, sure Connie, you know me; love to get to know new people.”

“ You ok with this, Steven?  I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or to make you feel like i’m using you. This is strictly a friend thing...nothing to do with finding a potential partner.”

“Yes I’m fine and you could use me as your bracer any time… The defense to you offense right? We should get going, though..Hope you don’t mind taking the Steven route. Not as fast as the lion express, but more scenic.”

“I’ve never declined a ride from you, not gonna start now.”

With that Steven ducked down, his back to Connie, beckoning her to climb on his large back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and legs around his waist as  he held her by her thighs underside and she pressed her front to his back. Though this wasn’t first time she rode piggy back..she was usually in pants, or shorts, as well as her tops being a bit thicker. So to feel bare thigh and how develop she really is and was becoming, put a little more pep in Stevens’ step.

Connie was no better, the fact that steven hands was under her skirt should had made her vary, but she knew better to think he would go any higher purposely; it’s Steven after all, a perfect gentleman...most of the time, he was still a teenager with teenage hormones..ACTIVE teenage hormones and he was no way as innocent nor naive as he used to be as a kid.

He appreciated the female figure and anatomy respectfully. Though, she has seen him leer discreetly at certain gems and human women; even She was subjected to it a few times not that minded though. That being said being touched...being held, bare hand to bare thighs, made her feel a little less innocent and a bit more courageous, sportive; and cuddly  as she pressed against his back a bit more for a reaction. His blush and slightly accusatory look was more than enough to make her laugh and in turn make him chuckle.

“Ready, you Berry Iimp.”

“Always.”

Steven nodded in approval before hopping place a few times, causing his passenger erupt in giggles before he truly took off rocketing towards  the clouds, Connie shrieking in pure excitement as the quickly reached their apex. She looked down and realized just how far up they was, able to run her fingers through a low cloud.

“Kind of high aren’t we, Steven? are we floating down to beach city, it’s a ninety minute ride my school so we might be up here a while.”

“I ...I know. I did it purposely so we can talk. Honestly talk, sorry about trapping you, hehe.”

“Hmm...You're sneaky universe, but it's ok… It’s important if you're willing to trap me, not that I mind being ensnared by you.”

“Then i’m not gonna let you go, you'll be stuck in the sky on my back for all time.”

“You’ll get tired by year 1.”

“I’ll alternate between my back and my arms. You might as well forget about the earth below cause now it just me, you; and the sky.

“Talk about being threatened with a good time, i’m all in.”

The two looked at each with enticement as a silent pause fell between them only to break out in howls of joy. Connie was the first to gather her wits relaxation falling under her.

“Ok...ok. Now what was it you want to talk about since I’m apparently yours forever?”

“Real talk? no joking.”

“1000% Real talk.”

“Hmmm...I’ve been hiding something from you and I’ve been maybe a bad friend to you, without meaning too...at first ”

“Steven, what are you talking about?”

“Connie, I...I’ve been sabotaging your relationships!”

Connie sat silently  as a blank stare washed up on her face. with a turn of the head she finally  answered her friends confession.

“Whaaaat.”

“I know! I’m horrid. I should've  been more aware of the days when we go on mission or our own adventures and such to make sure it didn't cut into your dating time, but with you at school and me doing the whole diamond ambassador thing...Our time swiveled up. I got to talked to you but not be with you...at least not as much as i wished too.

Then you started to get attention.Guys and girls both started to see you as I see you, as I always saw you. Guess I got a little selfish. When you asked for them to hang with us..I think i made it a point to be a little extra affectionate with you. To show off more, to have your eye on me, when I should have been more supportive.I didn't want to be replaced.”

Connie didn't  say anything too deep in thought at Steven’s confession. She didn't even notice any extra attention. He never seemed rude towards any of her potential  partners either. She thought he was just being his old Steven-y self. That could be due to the fact that she matched him though. Like he said their time together had shrank so whenever they saw each other that where they wanted to be, with each other. Besides she was just as fault as he was.

“You’d probably be in a relationship, if it wasn't for me messing it up. So I wanted to apologize for not being as supportive  as I was supposed to as well as promised to help you and Ryan get together.”

Connie sigh in annoyance into his back before mumbling something into his back.

“What did you say?”

“I said you're a thrice damned idiClod!”

It was at that moment their ride in the sky started to descend slowly and getting quicker by the moment. unfortunately, neither actually noticed  as Steven face looked like a mix between sad, shocked, and anger; while Connie was agitated completely.

“Not to be rude-”

“Kind of late for that, don't ya think?”

“Sarcasm isn't a good look on you. Anywho, do you really think that the only reason I don't have a partner is because of your actions towards me. That's embolden of even you.”

“Well I really can’t think of any other reason why except for your friendship with me, the fact that you're so involved  in my life has tampered any attempt at romantic prospects.”

“Stars and Diamonds! How long have thought like this? That our friendship, that what we have, could ever be a burden to me..Is it burdening you?”

“WHAT?! NO NEVER!”

“Steven.”

“HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK THAT-”

“STEVEN.”

“LET ALONE LET IT PASS THROUGH YOUR LIPS!?-"

“STEVEN!”

“IT'S NOT A BURDEN-

“WE’RE ABOUT TO CRASH!”  

“YOU'RE NOT A BURDEN!”

As they was plummeting to the ground, Steven partially summoned his bubble shield  creating a spring like platform. Combined with a bit of his hovering power, he was able to launch them both forward at an accelerated speed bringing their descent to a near stop. when they were close enough to ground, he created another ‘platform’ this time smaller and inflexible to skip off of followed by another and so on to decrease his speed. After his sixth skip he landed on green turf with a slide, kicking some up as he failed to slow them down even more unfortunately it caused them to tumble instead. In a moment of instinct, Steven let go of Connie turned his whole body to face her, before pulling her close in a protective hold as their bodies bounced off the ground twice and slammed into a nearby oak tree back first. Steven grimaced in pain as he looked down at the woman in his hold. Connie didn’t looked back up, tightened her death grip on his shirt as well as smothered her face in it.

The two sat there in silence, Steven: sitting up, his hold slightly loosened as he felt his shirt getting wet; and Connie: laying a her full length from his chest, to his feet, cursing him in three different languages (Hindi,Tamil; and English) quietly. It caused him to chuckle though, knowing it came from a place of worry, not anger.

“That was fun...until the landing part, guess I had more speed than I thought. You’re...ow.. You’re alright there Nini.”

Connie didn't answer verbally  but nodded her head.He sighed in relief before relaxing.

“Good, that what matters.”

“Are you ok,Steven?”

Connie’s voice was small and her eyes was glistening with tears threatening  to fall. He saw her gasps as he felt something wet slid down his head. He pressed his left temple and discovered blood.

“Guess the fall was as bad as it look, no problem though.”

With a quick spit of the hand and press on the head the wound was already close, he also felt his other physical pains vanish.  He looked down at the relieved woman and saw her lip open and bleeding. Without thinking, Steven licked his lips,salivated the inside of his mouth and gave her a small yet deep kiss. Connie was caught off guard at Steven's action, as she had never been kissed like this before; but she didn't exactly hate the boldness. Before she could relax into and return the kiss, Steven broke away and gave a small smile as he wipe the blood gently from her lip to see the wound heal.

“There, perfect as usual. Feeling better?”

Connie, red in the face could only nod in a response before taking a breath and glaring  slightly at her best friend.

“Why did you do that?”

[ljones41]

“BLACK PANTHER” (2018) Review

"BLACK PANTHER" (2018) Review I am going to be brutally honest. For the past three years, I have harbored mixed feelings about the output from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The year 2015 produced one movie that I found entertaining, yet disappointing; and another film that I found entertaining and original, but not exactly mind blowing. But the years 2016 and 2017 proved to be very disappointing, as far as MCU movies were concerned. By the end of 2017, I thought the MCU had finally lost its mojo . . . until I saw "BLACK PANTHER", early in the following year. 

I realize many might find my comments something of a head scratcher. What exactly was wrong with the MCU films between 2015-2017? Well . . . I thought "THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON" was entertaining, yet problematic. I enjoyed "ANT-MAN" very much, but I would never regard it as one of the franchise's best. The movies, starting with 2016's "CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR" and ending with 2017's "THOR: RAGNAROK", struck me as very disappointing and somewhat inferior. Despite the fact that the franchise was raking in millions - or billions - with these films, I personally believed it had reached an artistic abyss . . . until I saw "BLACK PANTHER". Not only did I find the latter film entertaining, I also regard it as one of the better MCU films I have seen in the franchise's ten-year history. With "BLACK PANTHER", it seemed the MCU had not only climbed out of the abyss, but had reached (or nearly reached) a pinnacle. "BLACK PANTHER" basically told the story about King T'Challa aka Black Panther adjusting to his role as the new sovereign of Wakanda, an isolated and fictional African nation that is the most technically advanced in the world, thanks to the vibranium metal within its borders. Wakanda has spent most of its existence pretending to be a poor, third-world nation in order to protect itself from the world - especially Western nations - and prevent them from learning about its rich source of vibranium. The narrative for "BLACK PANTHER" picked up at least a week after the events of "CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR". T'Challa and his premier bodyguard and leader of the Dora Milaje regiment, Okoye; extract Nakia, T'Challa's ex-lover and a Wakandan spy, from an undercover assignment in Nigeria. All three returned to Wakanda's capital to participate in T'Challa coronation as the new king. During the ceremony, the leaders of Wakanda's five tribes are each given the opportunity to challenge the temporarily de-powered (via a potion that expunges his super strength and speed) T'Challa's role as the new king by ritual combat. One of the leaders, M'Baku of the mountainous Jabari Tribe, challenges T'Challa. After a fierce fight, M'Baku concedes defeat and T'Challa is officially acknowledged as King of Wakanda. Unfortunately, T'Challa's triumph is short-lived when Wakanda intelligence becomes aware of a robbery committed by a group of thieves led by an old foe of the country's, Ulysses Klaue. The latter had stolen an old Wakanda artifact from a London museum that contains vibranium, a metal substance that has allowed Wakanda to become the most technically advanced nation in the world . . . unbeknownst to other nations. When Wakanda intelligence learns that Klaue plans to sell the vibranium to the C.I.A. at a location in Busan, South Korea; T'Challa, Nakia and Okoye travel there to interrupt the planned sale and arrest the arms dealer. Instead of arresting Klaue, T'Challa stumbles across a family secret involving one of Klaue's fellow thieves, an African-American named Eric Stevens aka Killmonger, which will threaten his position on the Wakanda throne and endanger the country itself. After being disappointed by five MCU movies in a row, I found myself wondering if I would ever enjoy a movie from the franchise again. Thankfully, "BLACK PANTHER" proved to be a more than pleasant surprise. Thanks to Ryan Coogler's direction and the excellent screenplay that he co-wrote with Joe Robert Cole, "BLACK PANTHER" proved to be a unique film that combined the usual elements of a comic book movie, a family drama and a rare exploration into the political and social aspects of the African diaspora. Family drama is nothing new to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Audiences have seen this played out in movies like the Thor trilogy, 2015's "ANT-MAN", and to a certain extent, 2008's "THE INCREDIBLE HULK". "BLACK PANTHER" is another addition in which a deadly encounter between T'Challa's father and uncle - King T'Chaka and Prince N'Jobu in 1992, led to the new king learning about his cousin and N'Jobu's half-American cousin, Erik "Killmonger" Stevens aka Prince N'Jadaka. That 1992 encounter led to Erik becoming an orphan and abandoned by his isolationist uncle T'Chaka. This, in turn, led Erik to see revenge against the nation of Wakanda. Ironically, Erik never got the chance to exact his revenge on the very person responsible for his loss, namely his uncle, who was killed by Helmut Zemo's bomb in "CIVIL WAR". But for him, T'Challa and Wakanda served as a convenient scapegoat for his vengeance. What made all of this even more fascinating and a lot more original than the MCU's other family dramas was how Coogler and Cole managed to mix a good deal of political controversy into this family saga. One of the reasons Prince N'Jobu had fallen out of favor with his older brother was his growing disenchantment with Wakanda's isolationist policy with the world - including those of the African diaspora around the world. After his experiences in late 20th century Oakland, N'Jobu decided to reveal Wakanda's existence to Ulysses Klaue and help the latter infiltrate Wakanda to smuggle out more vibranium. N'Jobu had planned to use the vibranium to create weapons and lead a revolution of the African diaspora against the dominating Western nations. With his father dead, Erik planned to not only get his revenge against the Royal House of Wakanda, but also carry out N'Jobu's plans. Watching this, I am reminded of Loki's plans in 2011's "THOR" - namely to keep a powerless Thor stranded on Earth, while he sets up the Frost Giants' destruction and win Odin's favor. As much I had enjoyed that movie, Loki's plans seemed rather lame to me in compare to Erik's. But what made this story arc even more interesting is that in the end . . . Erik's plans to use Wakanda weapons to conquer the world eventually led to T'Challa's decision to finally end Wakanda's isolationist policy. "BLACK PANTHER" featured some pretty solid action sequences. I enjoyed the sequence featuring T'Challa and M'Baku's fight for the throne; Erik and Klaue's confrontation at an abandoned South Korean airfield; T'Challa and Erik's battle for the throne; and the Battle of Mount Bashenga, in which T'Challa and his forces attempted to prevent Erik and the Border Tribe from sending Wakanda weapons to the outside world. All are pretty good action sequences. But if I had to select my favorite, it would be the confrontation at the Busan casino between T'Challa, Nakia and Okoye against Klaue and his minions. With C.I.A. Agent Everett Ross thrown into the mix, this particular sequence was simply boss, especially since it lead to a wild car chase on the streets of Busan. That once scene featuring Okoye slamming her wig into the face of a Klaue minion will probably remain imprinted in my mind for years to come. Another aspect of "BLACK PANTHER" that I admired was the film's production designs. Mind you, the film maintained that same flat photography that the MCU has become infamous for. However, I think Rachel Morrison's photography was enhanced by some sharp colors, the movie's visual effects, Hannah Beachler's gorgeous production designs that convey the world of Wakanda, along with the art direction team led by Alan Hook. Aside from Beachler's production designs, I was especially impressed by Oscar and Emmy nominee Ruth E. Carter's costume designs. Someone had compared them to those costumes featured in the 1988 comedy, "COMING TO AMERICA". But honestly . . . I think I prefer Carter's more natural designs, as featured in the images below: 

But all of the above would have meant nothing without the talented cast for the film. "BLACK PANTHER" featured some first-rate performances from the likes of Daniel Kaluuya, who portrayed Border Tribe leader W'Kabi, who desires his own personal vengeance against Ulysses Klaue; Sterling K. Brown as the revolutionary Prince N'Jobu; both John Kani and son Atandwa Kani as the older and younger versions of King T'Chaka; Angela Bassett as T'Challa's strong-willed, yet loving mother and advisor, Queen Ramonda; Denzel Whitaker, who gave a solid performance as the younger Zuri; and Martin Freeman as C.I.A. Agent Everett Ross, who proved to me more entertaining and relevant in this film than he was in "CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR". However, there were those performances that really impressed me. One came from Andy Serkis, who was a hoot as the murderous, yet over-the-top South African arms dealer, Ulysses Klaue. Letitia Wright was equally entertaining as T'Challa's witty and charming sister, the tech-savy Princess Shuri. Another came from Lupita Nyong'o, who gave a passionate and heartfelt portrayal of Wakandan intelligence agent and T'Challa's former girlfriend, Nakia. Forest Whitaker gave a first-rate performance as Wakanda's top courtier and former spy, Zuri. Whitaker was especially impressive in one scene in which his character was forced to confess King T'Chaka's past actions regarding N'Jobu and Erik Killmonger. Winston Duke was very impressive, imposing and at times, rather amusing as M'Baku, leader of the mountainous Jabari Tribe. Also, his first appearance in the film - during T'Challa's coronation ceremony - is one of the most memorable moments I have seen in a movie for quite some time. Danai Gurira was equally impressive and imposing as Okoyo, the traditionalist leader of the king's bodyguards - the Dora Milaje. Although I found her character's conservatism a bit annoying at times, I must admit that Gurira gave one hell of a performance. However, this movie is really about two characters - King T'Challa of Wakanda aka the Black Panther and his paternal cousin Erik "Killmonger" Stevens aka Prince N'Jadaka. Yes, I know that the movie is called "BLACK PANTHER". But to be honest, this movie is about both cousins and how their conflicting views on Wakanda's role in the world and especially upon the African diaspora. Chadwick Boseman's second turn as T'Challa proved to be a different kettle of fish from the driven newly ascended king determined to seek revenge for the death of his father, T'Chaka in "CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR". In this film, Boseman gave a more relaxed performance as the happy and more satisfied young king, eagerly anticipating, yet slightly fearing his new role as king. However, Boseman's relaxed performance skillfully transformed into one of disbelief, anger and outrage when T'Challa learned about his father's actions back in Oakland 1992. This was especially apparent in two scenes in which Boseman gave outstanding performances. The first scene featured his confrontation with Zuri, who confessed the true circumstances about Oakland. Boseman gave a very intimidating, yet regal performance in that scene. The other featured T'Challa's second dream in which he expressed anger and disappointment at his father's spirit for what happened to Erik. Speaking of the latter, Michael B. Jordan has been receiving rave reviews for his performance as Erik "Killmonger". Some have been declaring his character as the best MCU villain ever. I do not know if I agree with that assessment. But I must admit that Jordan gave one of the most skillfully ambiguous performances I have encountered in the franchise. Audiences could easily sympathize with his backstory - the young boy who had lost his parents and abandoned. Also, one cannot help but admired Erik's desire to help those African nations and members of the African diaspora - something that his cousin seemed unwilling to do. And yet, the level of violence Erik seemed willing to utilize in order to achieve his goal or his unwillingness to face that the one person who had truly wronged him was dead justified why the talented Jordan had portrayed him such ambiguity. As much as I enjoyed "BLACK PANTHER", I did have some problems with the film. One, there is a chance that I may have stumbled across a major writing blooper. In "CIVIL WAR", Avenger Wanda Maximoff aka the Scarlet Witch had accidentally killed a group of Wakanda subjects during a mission in Lagos, Nigeria. The Wakandans had been there on a goodwill mission. This lead King T'Chaka to publicly support the Sokovia Accords - an act that led to his death. And yet, Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole made it clear in the 2018 movie's screenplay that Wakanda has practiced a policy of isolationism for centuries. Although Coogler and Cole remembered T'Chaka's death in the 2016 movie and Bucky Barnes' presence on Wakanda soil, they apparently forgot about this goodwill mission in Nigeria. Also, why did Erik Stevens wait so long to travel to Wakanda and make a bid for the throne? He could have challenged his uncle T'Chaka for the throne and get his revenge against the very man who had wronged him. Instead, he waited until after T'Chaka's death. Why? Exactly when did Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes arrive in Wakanda, as shown in one of the post-title scenes in "CIVIL WAR'? The movie opened with T'Challa and Okoye returning to Wakanda for the first time since T'Chaka's death. Were both Steve and Bucky aboard T'Challa's plane? Were they aboard the Avenger jet that Steve had used to fly to Russia in the 2016 movie? Where were they? In fact, there was no scene featuring the pair's arrival in Wakanda for the first time, which I found rather odd. Speaking of arrivals, why was Okoye with T'Challa when he first returned to Wakanda? I realize that she was the leader of the Dora Milaje and that King T'Chaka was in Austria at the time of his death. But Okoye was missing in a scene from "CIVIL WAR" in which Avenger Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow had sought T'Challa's help to track down Steve, Bucky and Sam Wilson aka the Falcon. As the king's leading bodyguard, she should have been there - whether with T'Chaka or T'Challa. Instead, another Dora Milaje bodyguard named Ayo (portrayed by actress/model Florence Kasumba) was there. Yet, the latter was missing aboard T'Challa's plane upon his return to Wakanda. One last question . . . why did T'Challa's closest friend, W'Kabi of the Border Tribe, seemed so willing to help Erik carry out his anti-isolationist policies? Why? I understand that he might be grateful to Erik for finally killing Klaue, the man who had killed his father years ago. But am I really to believe that his gratitude extended to supporting Erik's decision to end Wakanda's isolationist policy . . . especially since he had made it clear earlier in the film that he fully supported the old policy? Was he really that grateful to fight on Erik's behalf when T'Challa had returned alive to resume the challenge against Erik? I truly found this hard to believe. And why was the only truly negative black character in this film was the only one of some American ancestry? There was something about the film's portrayal of African-Americans that struck me as rather negative and a bit one-dimensional. In this film, African-Americans seemed to consist solely of poor and slightly thuggish people barely capable of surviving on their own, except through criminal activities. The idea of Wakanda coming to their "rescue" with advanced technology made the latter country seem very similar to the White Savior trope. And if Wakanda was going to share their technology, why did T'Challa do so with the entire international community, instead of simply other African nations and the African diaspora . . . as Nakia had originally suggested? Considering that Erik had pointed out that many countries - especially in the West - were catching up technically with Wakanda, along with the international community's generally negative attitude toward African nations and those of the African diaspora; I cannot help but wonder if T'Challa had ever considered that many of the more wealthier nations would take advantage of his generosity at the first opportunity? Or was this plot twist something that Kevin Feige and the other Marvel/Disney suits had insisted that Coogler and Cole include? However . . . despite these misgivings I have about "BLACK PANTHER", I cannot deny that I truly enjoyed the movie. I did. I thought Ryan Coogler, along with screenwriter Joe Robert Cole and a talented cast led by Chadwick Boseman, did an exceptional job in bringing comic book hero the Black Panther and the world of Wakanda to life. At this moment, "BLACK PANTHER" has become one of my five favorite movies in the MCU franchise.

[sciencespies]

'Band of Brothers' Stars Reflect on the Epic Miniseries' Evolving Legacy

https://sciencespies.com/history/band-of-brothers-stars-reflect-on-the-epic-miniseries-evolving-legacy/

'Band of Brothers' Stars Reflect on the Epic Miniseries' Evolving Legacy

Actor James Madio played Easy Company T-4 Frank Perconte. Courtesy of HBO

Michael Cudlitz remembers the moment clearly. He was standing on a dike in Europe while filming episode five of “Band of Brothers,” the epic 2001 HBO miniseries about American soldiers fighting in World War II. With blaring lights and cameras rolling in the background, he fired furiously at the actors playing German soldiers.

Cudlitz fumbled as he pressed a new clip into his M1 Garand rifle, then brought the weapon back to his shoulder. Shooting blanks, he took aim at a soldier dressed in a Wehrmacht uniform and squeezed the trigger, watching the “enemy” fall to the ground.

“I call it my holy shit moment,” says the actor, who portrayed cigar-chomping staff sergeant Denver “Bull” Randleman. “There is the smell of cordite and sulfur in the air. For a second, you feel like you caused that. There is something very visceral about it. We got the tiniest taste of what these guys might have gone through.”

Michael Cudlitz as Staff Sergeant Denver “Bull” Randleman

Courtesy of HBO

“Band of Brothers” first aired 20 years ago, on September 9, 2001—two days before the 9/11 attacks shook the country. The Emmy Award–winning production offered viewers a gritty look at the lives of soldiers on the front lines of World War II’s European theater, realistically showing what the men experienced in combat and how they put their lives on the line for their beliefs.

Produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, the miniseries is based on historian Stephen Ambrose’s bestselling 1992 book of the same name. Both follow the real-life experiences of Easy Company, part of the 506th Parachute Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, from basic training through the end of the war in Europe.

James Madio, who costarred in the ten-part miniseries as T-4 Frank Perconte, says that “Band of Brothers” changed him and all those who watched it. He went from a World War II “illiterate” to an active supporter of veteran causes.

“When you look back and think of the bravery and camaraderie and the sacrifice of that generation and how unified America was because we were attacked, the story continues to gain strength as it goes,” says Madio, who has also appeared in Jersey Boys and Basketball Diaries. “To some degree, we wish we could go back to that American way.”

Two days after the series’ premiere, the United States suffered the most significant attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor. Peter Crean, a retired Army colonel who served in both the 101st Airborne and 82nd Airborne, remembers 9/11 well. Just after learning of the attack, the then–35-year-old soldier wrote a portent passage in his Palm Pilot: “My generation just had its Pearl Harbor. We are at war with people we don’t even know.”

“Just like the real ‘Band of Brothers,’ we were in a war we didn’t ask for,” says Crean, who lost two friends at the Pentagon on 9/11 and now serves as vice president of education and access at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. “They were civilian soldiers who defended their country after it was attacked. The book and series showed us that we had been here before and we would get through this.”

From the beginning of the project, the actors understood they were participating in something special. Hanks and Spielberg, who had filmed the equally realistic, albeit fictionalized, Saving Private Ryan three years prior, spared no expense in making the miniseries as accurate as possible. Uniforms, weapons, scenery—everything was exact to the tiniest detail. With a budget of $125 million, “Band of Brothers” was then the most expensive production of its kind.

Band of Brothers

Stephen E. Ambrose’s classic bestseller and the inspiration for the acclaimed HBO series about Easy Company, the ordinary men who became the World War II’s most extraordinary soldiers at the frontlines of the war’s most critical moments

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Easy Company’s 140 paratroopers were dropped behind German lines on D-Day, June 6, 1944. They could only hope that the amphibious landings at Normandy would succeed, giving them the chance to survive what could have easily been a suicidal mission.

The unit managed to successfully link up with American soldiers advancing from the Omaha beachhead. Under the command of legendary Army officer Richard Winters, Easy Company went on to participate in the liberation of France, the attempted liberation of Holland in the botched Operation Market Garden, the defense of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, the liberation of concentration camps, and the capture of the Eagle’s Nest—Hitler’s hideaway in the Bavarian Alps.

Each episode in the HBO series began with interviews featuring the real-life soldiers. (As a segregated unit, all of Easy Company’s paratroopers—and the actors who later portrayed them—were white, with Irish, Italian, Jewish or German American heritage, among other European backgrounds.) Then in their 70s and 80s, the men discussed their experiences and offered insights on how the horror of being in battle affected them. Today, most—if not all—of the original members of Easy Company are deceased.

Both Madio and Cudlitz formed close bonds with the real soldiers they played. Like the rest of the cast, they spent time with the men and their families, learning about who they were in order to develop their characters.

Damian Lewis (center, kneeling) played Easy Company’s leader, Dick Winters.

Courtesy of HBO

“I must have stared at my phone for 45 minutes before I called [Randleman] for the first time,” Cudlitz, who is also known for his roles in “The Walking Dead” and Grosse Point Blank, recalls. “I kept going over in my head how I was going to start this conversation. And the more I did that, the stupider it sounded. I wanted to get it right. I mean, that was the point behind the whole project: We wanted to get everything right.”

Madio, who was only 26 when filming began, says he knew nothing about World War II, let alone the Normandy invasion, before winning the role. He was a quick study, though, and became extremely close to Perconte—so close, in fact, that Perconte asked the actor to attend a reunion with him and other veterans in Europe after the show wrapped.

“Frank had just lost his wife, and his son couldn’t go on the tour,” Madio says. “He asked me if I would go with him. I spent two weeks with Frank and the other vets as we went around Normandy, Holland and Germany. It was amazing.”

The miniseries experience left most of the actors feeling like they were indeed a band of brothers. (The phrase refers to a passage from William Shakespeare’s Henry V: “From this day to the ending of the world, / But we in it shall be remember’d; / We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.”) Before production began, the group attended a “mini bootcamp” where they trained, drilled and learned how to be World War II soldiers. Filming, combined with getting to know the men they were portraying, left the actors with an intense feeling of solidarity.

“We get together once a year at my place in Los Angeles,” Cudlitz says. “Whoever is in town shows up.”

He adds, “We’ve also bonded with the [veterans’] families. We told the stories of their fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers with respect, reverence and love.”

The men of Easy Company pose in Austria after the end of the war in 1945.

Nat1939 via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 4.0

“Band of Brothers” was a life-changing experience for Madio. He came away with a deep admiration for the Greatest Generation and its sacrifices, and he continued to wear the dog tags he’d received during production for two years after the show ended. Today, Madio volunteers with the United Service Organizations (USO) to entertain American troops in faraway places.

“It changed me as a young man,” he says. “I was this kid from the Bronx with no education on World War II. I went to Europe for a year and got to meet these guys who fought there. It taught me respect and understanding for what they did. It shaped me into the man I am today.”

Madio and Cudlitz regularly participate in “Band of Brothers” symposiums sponsored by the National World War II Museum. Both plan to be a part of the museum’s 20th anniversary program, which is scheduled for January 8, 2022, in New Orleans. The symposium will be livestreamed for virtual audiences free of charge.

Twenty years later, “Band of Brothers” continues to resonate with audiences. The message of sacrifice for a cause greater than the individual—along with the realistic portrayal of the average American at war—reminds viewers of how the country can coalesce into a formidable force when it needs to.

“‘Band of Brothers’ is important because it shows ordinary people doing extraordinary things,” Crean says. “These were citizen soldiers. None of these men planned to be in the military. They answered the call when their country needed them.”

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Doctor Who: Ranking Every Single Companion Departure

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Graham and Ryan have left Doctor Who, and it was sad/joyous/on telly (delete as applicable), but where do their departures rank on the all-time list?

The question of “Who counts as a companion?” is a tricky one. Overall it’s an ad hoc combination of different criteria, with allowances made for the exceptions that are intended to fulfil the companion role on a one-off basis. The ranking system is based on whether the departure makes sense for that character, how well it’s built up to, and what it says about Doctor Who in a larger sense. The article only covers TV stories because I value what remains of my sanity.

That’s all the exposition. Please enjoy this non-linear history of production compromises.

47. Peri

Peri spends almost her entire time on Doctor Who being miserable, scared and under threat (even Big Finish doing a timey-wimey farce with Peri has abuse as a plot point), but there’s no compassionate release for her. Her mind is erased so her body can host another. She dies scared and alone, and it’s unlikely the Doctor could have saved her. While this is horrible, it could function, very bluntly, as an indictment of the Doctor and his treatment of Peri, but then it is revealed that this didn’t happen.

Peri is instead married with a pink love-heart around the flashback (the Matrix is corny AF apparently). This is because producer John Nathan-Turner changed his mind about killing Peri after they’d filmed her death. 

On one hand: yay, someone not dying. On the other: she only goes to a slightly better place, and when companions return from the dead it tends to require some cost to the Doctor. Here, any previous suggestion that the Doctor mistreated his companion is abandoned. Peri’s happy ending, rather than death, is that the Doctor abandons her without explanation and her new husband is an angry warlord who doesn’t seem the type to understand PTSD.

46. Leela

Producer Graeme Williams hoped that Louise Jameson would stay on in the role of Leela, despite Jameson insisting that she was leaving, and so didn’t write the character out. Leela was a warrior, intelligent but steeped in tribal superstition, and the investment in making a potentially problematic character work in her earlier stories gave way to more generic writing, hence Jameson’s departure. At the end of ‘Invasion of Time’ Leela abruptly announces that she wants to marry the Captain of the Time Lords’ Guards.

To borrow a term from critical theory: this is total f****** dogs***.

Jameson was happy for the character to be killed off but instead she ended up married on Gallifrey. We never see her again. It’s a lazy piece of writing; disrespectful to the actress, the character and the viewer.

45. Dodo

Poor Dodo never really stood a chance. Originally intended to be from Sixteenth Century France, producer John Wiles and script editor Donald Tosh remembered that previous historical companions had been deemed unworkable and so another was probably a bad idea. Instead, Dodo started off Cockney until the BBC told the Doctor Who team that she had to speak in Received Pronunciation English.

A happy-go-lucky soul, the production team never warmed to their creation and Dodo is sent away to recover from hypnosis halfway through ‘The War Machines’, and we never see her again. Polly tells the Doctor “she’d like to stay here in London and sends you her love” two episodes after her final appearance.

44. Sergeant Benton & 43. Harry Sullivan

Sergeant Benton and Harry Sullivan appear in ‘The Android Invasion’ as if it’s just another story for them. Benton last appears as an android duplicate and Harry says nothing during the final fight scene. They never appear again. For all of the strengths of early Tom Baker stories, emotional resonance is not one of them.

42. Katarina

Katarina was brought in for the final episode of ‘The Myth Makers’as a replacement for Vicki, and then sacrificed herself in ‘The Dalek Master Plan’. The production team had decided that, as a Trojan handmaiden, Katarina’s ignorance of modern and future technology meant she’d be hard to write for. This makes sense to an extent, except that her death involves her activating an airlock. So we have a production team creating a problem but solving it by suggesting that it wasn’t insurmountable anyway. As the Doctor says at the end of ‘Dalek Master Plan’: “What a waste.”

41. Sara Kingdom

Having killed off Katarina, the production team needed a new companion to fill her role for the rest of ‘The Dalek Master Plan’, so Terry Nation wrote in a Space Security Agent inspired by The Avengers’ Cathy Gale. After killing her own brother, believing him to be a traitor, Sara Kingdom joined the Doctor and Steven’s attempts to stop the Daleks from using the Time Destructor. Ultimately Sara is killed by the device, ageing to death. As the planet around them turns to dust, Sara’s body does likewise and is blown away by the wind.

It’s a horrific fate, to the extent that cuts were made to the sequence. Sara Kingdom was always designed as a short-term companion, and actor Jean Marsh wasn’t interested in joining the show permanently.

Companion deaths aren’t intrinsically a bad idea, it’s just that they can’t be regular, expected events or else the show becomes ‘Come with me for an adventure, you’ll probably die. Yes I’m a psychopath’. They’re usually short-term solutions to mistakes but the momentum of the Doctor’s failures here could have gone somewhere. Instead, the show casually resets itself to the status quo on a flimsy pretext, so these deaths mean little. If Doctor Who doesn’t care about their impact, why should the audience?

40. Liz Shaw

New producer Barry Letts had decided that Liz Shaw was too intelligent to be a Doctor Who companion, and the interpretation most generous to Letts here is that Liz wanted to continue her own work rather than be drafted by UNIT as an assistant. While I hope this was the intention, it’s still a move that implies a reductive take on the role of the companion (that they’re a function rather than a character) and reinforces the paternalism of the Doctor: fatherly, yes, but also dominating and controlling.

39. Polly and Ben

Polly and Ben follow the Doctor into the TARDIS in ‘The War Machines’ and discover at the end of ‘The Faceless Ones’ that they’re back in London just when they left. They ask the Doctor his permission to leave, saying they’ll stay if he needs them. The Doctor is sad to see them go but doesn’t stand in their way, although he does suggest that Ben can go back to the Navy to become an admiral and Polly can… look after Ben.

It’s a pat, patronising little scene that comes and goes suddenly, especially as Polly and Ben haven’t actually been in the story since Episode Two. Polly and Ben leave and the Doctor and Jamie immediately start talking about their next adventure.  The production team had decided the characters weren’t working, and the best you can say is that they were given slightly more ceremony than Dodo.

38. Astrid Peth

The thing about Astrid’s death is that it’s impossible to type ‘She pushes a mugging gold-toothed businessman down a ravine using a fork-lift truck (in slow motion)’ in a way that conveys any sense of pathos. People talk about Andrew Cartmel’s time on Doctor Who influencing Russell T. Davies’ approach, and while they’re wrong (RTD would have written it like that anyway, even if the Cartmel era didn’t exist, but fair play to Cartmel for being on that wavelength) few ever mention ‘Time and the Rani’as an influence. Russell T. Davies’ writing sometimes feels like he’s gleefully trying to combine the tone of Sylvester-McCoy-playing-the-spoons-on-Kate-O’Mara-while-Kate-O’Mara-is-dressed-as-Bonnie-Langford, with the opening ten minutes of Up. Sometimes he actually does it! This was not one of those times.

37. Adric

The Davison companions tend to get good leaving stories that are apparently based on some unbroadcast version of Doctor Who in which they’re completely different people.

So on one hand obviously the death of Adric was a memorable piece of television that affected people deeply on broadcast, but on the other hand it’s a glorified jump-scare. Adric is on board a space freighter about to crash onto prehistoric Earth and cause the extinction of the dinosaurs. He doesn’t know about that last bit, so instead of getting into the escape pod he attempts to solve a logic puzzle that is stopping him from controlling the ship. His bravery in going back to the ship doesn’t achieve anything. In fact if he had succeeded it would have changed history dramatically, so he dooms himself for nothing.

It’s brutal, in comparison with earlier companion deaths the emotional fallout is poorly handled, and it doesn’t pay off anything we’ve seen earlier. Consider Adric’s character up until his final story – a reckless know-it-all who keeps joining the bad guys – and it doesn’t join up with his final story and fate. The initial setup of Adric feeling like an outsider is swiftly resolved rather than used as motivation for his death. There’s no redemption, just a cruel and unlucky moment of bravery for the sake of a semblance of drama.

36. Amy and Rory

Steven Moffat’s first companion departures are not his best work. Initially Amy and Rory broke a trend: companions leaving as they get married off. Only then Moffat wrote a poorly handled pregnancy storyline where the characters’ emotional responses felt implausible, and unlike his softening of the Twelfth Doctor’s character the attempts to address this were bumpy. Then for Amy and Rory’s departure he has River Song, the Doctor’s wife who he rarely meets in chronological order, tell them that he doesn’t like endings and “never let him see you age”.

This reminds you that the Doctor isn’t only manipulative and scheming on an epic scale, and the fact that he tries to convince Amy not to try to go after Rory continues is more in-your-face selfishness (another example of the Seventh Doctor era being on similar wavelengths to the post-2005 show), rather than feeling like a genuine concern for her safety.

Now, I love Doctor Who, I like that the hero is flawed but that they try to be hopeful (and Moffat addresses this successfully elsewhere). The issues with giving the Doctor flaws are whether they’re dealbreakers for people watching, and whether or not they’re deliberately done. This feels like it’s aiming for a commentary on the Doctor but goes too far, and I can understand people finding this hard to watch.

As with many of Moffat’s ideas, just because it didn’t fully work here doesn’t mean it won’t crop up again later.

35. Kamelion

There are a lot of cases of a companion leaving because the production team can’t make them work, but this is a bit on the nose.

Like Adric’s death, Kamelion begging the Doctor to destroy him would have much more impact if it followed through more substantially on previous stories. Unfortunately Kamelion’s character was that of a shape-shifting robot where the robot prop didn’t work, and rather than have him just assume a human guise they simply never wrote him back into the series until his final story. As a result, there’s no real relationship in play when the Doctor grants Kamelion’s wish. On the other hand the robot’s plight is consistent with what little we know of him.

While it’s never fun to watch someone beg for death, it’s more of a testament to Gerald Flood’s acting and Peter Grimwade’s script for ‘Planet of Fire’ that his death scene works.

34. Donna Noble

Everyone remembers the sequence in ‘Journey’s End’ where the companions pilot the TARDIS and drag the Earth back to the right place while “Song for Freedom” builds and Freema Agyeman looks directly at the camera. It’s joyous. It’s huge. It’s wonderful.

The 10 minutes that follow are bleak.

Rose gets her compromised happy ending, then it’s the fate of Donna. She gets given some of the Doctor’s mind, becomes even more brilliant, but then comes the turn: this will kill her. She can’t be this brilliant, she can’t have any more adventures with the Doctor. As she shouts “No” the Doctor wipes her memories of their time together.

33. Lady Christina de Souza

Flying off in a knackered double-decker bus to further adventures is a really good way to go. This would rank higher if it weren’t for the fact that the character is hard to warm to. Unlike Donna Noble’s first appearance in the show, Christina’s role in ‘Planet of the Dead’ doesn’t allow for much pathos or depth, and the character never returned on television to show these. As it is we’re left with a bored member of the aristocracy flying away in some very British iconography, but without the promise of a Barbara Wright figure puncturing their ego.

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32. Mel

It’s worth stressing that any critique of Mel as a character has to firmly centre on the inadequacy of her creation. She was devised as a computer programmer from Pease Pottage who was into keep-fit, and that’s her entire character. It seems churlish to criticise Bonnie Langford for playing the part as “Bonnie Langford in Doctor Who” because there was nothing else for her to go on.

Mel leaves the series because she decides to travel with Glitz, a mercenary. Does this follow on logically from her character? All we know about Mel is that she’s wholesome and enthusiastic and seems extremely unlikely to go off with a violent intergalactic Del Boy.

However, she gets another leaving scene that would be wonderful if it reflected a recognisable character. We get a sense of the Doctor’s affection for Mel and a series of wonderful melancholy moments: the Doctor shutting the conversation down so he doesn’t have to deal with human emotion, his obvious sadness at another friend leaving because that’s what his life is. Mel’s last line about putting a message in a bottle and throwing it into space (“It’ll reach you. In time”) is brilliant.

This scene bears comparison with Sarah Jane’s leaving scene, specifically because it wasn’t in the original script but the lead actor insisted it be added in its place. It was the scene Sylvester McCoy read when he auditioned for the role.

31. Adam Mitchell

Adam joins at the end of ‘Dalek’ and leaves at the end of ‘The Long Game’, the next story, and has a piece of future technology in his forehead so whenever someone clicks their fingers a little door opens up and you can see his brain.

Yes, in the grand scheme of things this is unfair. Other companions have done stupid things and the Doctor has helped them. The Brigadier flat out murdered people. But Adam was deliberately rubbish and this is reminder that the Ninth Doctor is a damaged man who lashes out. When he says ‘I only take the best’ it seems more like an excuse to get rid of Adam than anything factual, but then the Doctor starts acting like it’s true. 

30. Vicki

Vicki left the series because producer John Wiles heard actress Maureen O’Brien complain about her dialogue in ‘Galaxy 4’, so decided to let her go when her contract expired one story later. This led to her being paired off with Troilus at the end of ‘The Myth Makers’, set during the fall of Troy. A late decision requiring rewrites, this is quite an enigmatic fate. We see Vicki fleeing Troy after its fall with Troilus, the Doctor hopeful that she’s safe, but we never see her again. Given the TARDIS’ translation gifts, one imagines she suddenly has to learn Luwian.

29. Nyssa

Nyssa, a scientist/fairy princess mash-up whose entire family and planet was destroyed by the Master (who took over her father’s body) could be a great character. Her innately calm, generous and curious nature contrasted with all the horrors of her past is full of potential, and indeed her choice to stay behind at what is essentially a space leper colony is consistent with this. However, because none of this is ever seriously addressed in the show, the potential pathos of her leaving is greatly reduced. As is often the case we have to make do with a sad leaving scene, where Tegan flat out says to her “You’ll die here” to which she replies “Not easily. Like you I’m indestructible.”

As with Adric’s death, there’s the vague shape of something weighty and dramatic there but without the substance to fill it. John Nathan-Turner hated soaps, but actually using their techniques might have given us a stronger sense of Nyssa and Tegan’s relationship, meaning the audience wasn’t left to fill the gaps.

28. Jackson Lake

Considering during the course of ‘The Next Doctor’ Jackson Lake is in a fugue state, has a breakdown, remembers the death of his wife and the abduction of his child… he seems quite well adjusted by the end of the story. Reunited with his son and suggesting a Christmas dinner honouring the people they’ve lost, Lake seems to be in a better place than the Doctor.

27. Steven Taylor

Steven went through a lot: Wounded in Troy, witnessing the deaths of Katarina, Sara, and the Huguenots of Paris. Initially conceived as a replacement for Ian, meaning he took on most of the action sequences, he leaves in ‘The Savages’ to mediate between two societal factions after a story designed as a more cerebral alternative to biffing. It’s a good place to leave for a character who had stagnated (which, as you can see, happened a lot).

26. Graham and 25. Ryan

Ryan didn’t get killed or converted by Cybermen, so that’s progress. What did happen is that the Doctor accidentally returned to Sheffield ten months late. Yaz is hurt and Ryan returns more comfortably to his old life. Graham is also there.

The returning character of Robertson, an American tycoon with interests in becoming President functions as both a Doctor Who villain and a Donald Trump analogue (in a story universe containing Donald Trump) and this version of Doctor Who isn’t currently capable of dealing with that. Ryan watches Robertson on telly, unpunished by the Doctor and resolves to do something. This is a good reason to go, especially given the concerns of the Chibnall era (at its best focussing on the impact on well-drawn individuals, at its worst expositing over abstractions and sketches).

Graham decides that he will stay with his grandson after Ryan’s sudden announcement. This pays off their development in Series 11, where they had the main character arc of that series.

So far so good, but we also see Graham and Ryan deciding that, actually no, they’re not going to deal with real world problems, just Doctor Who-style adventures instead. It’s a useful microcosm of the era: good ideas present but not followed through on, being not shown Ryan’s reasons for leaving, and not successfully tethering the characters to either the forced whimsy of Doctor Who or the contemporary societal issues it wants to highlight.

And a final issue, which may be resolved: why is this the break-up of The Fam?

This ending doesn’t preclude the Doctor coming back to visit them in any way. In this respect it’s a classic companion departure: practically speaking actors aren’t always free for a cameo or a return visit (for example William Russell wasn’t ultimately available to play Ian Chesterton for ‘Mawdryn Undead’, so the Brigadier was written into the role of a school teacher instead), which means the Doctor not returning for their friends becomes a feature of the character. So while Ryan and Graham are choosing to leave, rather than being drastically and permanently separated, is the Doctor is still making the decision to cut them out of her life?

24. Mickey Smith

Mickey is given, in ‘The Age of Steel’, a proper old-fashioned companion exit, by which I mean some plot points are introduced at the start of his final story and by the end they’ve caused him to leave. Here it’s based on the Doctor and Rose’s behaviour and Mickey’s worth being dismissed until he does something heroic. He’s finally able to say to Rose that she doesn’t need him anymore and move on. Broad brushstrokes stuff in a busy episode, but it continues the idea that the Doctor makes people better that was emphasised from 2005 onwards.

Sure, he does it by being a bit of a prick here but the point stands.

23. The Brigadier

What is the Brigadier’s final story? I’m looking for a story that is written as a final departure, ideally after sustained involvement in the show. For the Brigadier that means ‘Terror of the Zygons’ doesn’t quite work, it wasn’t meant to be his final story (he was unavailable for ‘The Android Invasion’). ‘Battlefield’might have been his final bow, but writer Ben Aaronovitch set up the Brigadier’s death then found he simply couldn’t kill him off. The episode the Brigadier is initially written out of the show in is ‘The Wedding of River Song’ – where the Doctor receives news of his death by phone – and this is swiftly retconned with the divisive Cyber-Brig from ‘Death in Heaven’.

These two were written after Nicholas Courtney’s death, and the first one is used for dramatic weight but is over with too quickly. The latter does show the Brigadier, even in death and converted, saving the life of his daughter and helping the Doctor before going on to possibly eternal life – as seems right and proper – but as it involves the Brigadier’s buried body being reanimated there’s an invasive element connected to a beloved figure. As with many of Steven Moffat’s ideas, just because it didn’t fully work here doesn’t mean it won’t crop up again later.

22. Turlough

Peter Grimwade deserves credit again. Given the job of writing out Turlough, Kamelion and potentially the Master while also writing in the new companion Peri, Grimwade actually makes the brief for ‘Planet of Fire’ work. Here Turlough realises early on that his home planet is involved, and by involving his family Grimwade makes the stakes personal. Turlough also gets to use his brains here, rather than just wander around with a gun looking scared.

Turlough’s departure is developed through this story, and the farewell scene is a low-key goodbye as he admits that travelling with the Doctor has made him a better person. Again, it doesn’t follow from previous episodes, as Turlough isn’t developed as a character after ‘Enlightenment’, but in the context of this story it works well.

21. Mike Yates

An example of Barry Letts and script editor Terrance Dicks addressing how being a regular Doctor Who character might make you feel, Captain Mike Yates is shaken by his hypnosis when undercover at a petrochemical company and becomes concerned about the environment. He falls in with a plot to reduce overpopulation and restore Earth to a golden age by time scooping dinosaurs into central London, because Doctor Who, and is discharged from UNIT. He goes to a meditation centre to recover, and uncovers a sinister plot – because Doctor Who– and ultimately gets better. Yates gets an arc and closure, especially in comparison to his fellow UNIT soldiers.

20. Nardole

Nardole, chiefly a comic relief character with moments of depth, is entrusted with the task of evading the Cybermen for as long as possible while keeping a group of humans alive (a continuation from his assigned role of monitoring the Doctor). It seems likely they will eventually fall, and though this is de-emphasised to stop an already tragic episode from overloading, it’s quietly harrowing. Adric’s death shook up the children watching, Nardole’s affects the parents: the feeling of being a guardian to children in an uncertain, dangerous world is all too familiar right now.

19. Sarah Jane Smith

Sarah Jane’s departure in ‘The Hand of Fear’(written by Bob Baker and Dave Martin) comes out of the blue. An early outline for the story involved the Brigadier’s death, sacrificing himself to save the world. This was lost in development, and the story delayed while it was simplified. In the meantime Elisabeth Sladen asked to leave and for Sarah not to be the focus, married or killed off. Sarah was going to be killed off though, in a story called ‘The Lost Legion’. Script Editor Robert Holmes disliked the story, so a simplified version of ‘The Hand of Fear’returned to replace it with Holmes writing Sarah’s leaving scene. This was rewritten by Sladen and Tom Baker, with Holmes unavailable to do further rewrites. This is why Sarah’s departure is sudden. There’s no huge focus on her and then unrelated to the rest of the story the Doctor receives a summons to Gallifey where humans are not allowed (and given what happened last time he went he probably doesn’t want to take Sarah). What the scene does have is a strong sense of the unsaid to it, a sense of wistfulness akin to seeing someone else living in your childhood home.

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18. Wilf

Essentially, if Bernard Cribbins is crying then I’m going to cry. It’s Bernard Cribbins, for god’s sake. He’s so lovable its actually weaponised against the audience, and while ‘The End of Time’ might not be to everyone’s tastes, Cribbins makes every scene he’s in work, so you’re thoroughly invested in Wilf and his responses. However, this is harks back to Susan’s departure. It’s undeniably moving that the Doctor is making this man cry with happiness… after lying to him (no mention of the safeguards he put in Donna’s mind, or that Donna didn’t want her memories wiped anyway) and who he emphasises is “not remotely important” before saying it would “be my honour” to save him. It’s said of the Doctor “words are his weapons” in ‘Hell Bent’, and the pattern emerging here is that they’re weapons he uses on his friends; when the Doctor says “I only take the best” this is not only another weapon, it’s asking the question: the best for what?

17. Bill Potts

Potentially eternal life you say? A walking dead person? Maybe keep the dead body aspect of it and this idea has legs. Bill follows the Brigadier in becoming a Cyberman, and Clara in returning from the dead to travel the universe. The images of Cyber-Bill carrying the Doctor, the reaffirmation of who Bill is, the arrival of Heather: all of these are great.

Steven Moffat was right that the show hadn’t been diverse enough in its casting, but presumably no one behind the scenes understood that there are unintended connotations to a white man telling a black woman that she can’t be angry if she wants to be accepted – as happens to Bill in ‘The Doctor Falls’ – or that Clara got a gore-free death compared to the lingering shots of Bill’s gunshot wound. There’s also ambiguity in ‘Twice Upon a Time’as to when Bill dies – in that episode she is represented by an avatar taken from a moment near death, but given everything that’s happened to Bill this could be tomorrow or in a million years’ time – so overall this one has some extreme highs and lows.

16. Romana and K9

After Mary Tamm left the show, feeling similarly to Louise Jameson that despite a strong start her character was reverting to the stock companion figure (a damsel in distress, tripping ankles, screaming for help to advance the plot that’s being explained to them) Romana regenerated with Lalla Ward taking over the role. Ward left the show as new producer John Nathan-Turner came on board, and while Romana’s departure was foreshadowed well in advance, Nathan-Turner didn’t want any soap opera elements creeping into Doctor Who, and so Romana’s farewell scene was understated and rushed against Ward’s wishes. Otherwise it’s a good exit for Romana, who refuses a summons to Gallifrey and, finding herself in another dimension, decides to go off on her own journey after her travels with the Doctor.

K9 goes with her because John Nathan-Turner hated K9. Compared to ‘School Reunion’ this is just completely dismissive, but there is at least a coda: another scene at the end of ‘Warriors’ Gate’ where K9 and Romana face their future together with optimism, and Adric asks the Doctor if Romana will be alright: “Alright? She’ll be superb.”

15. Susan Foreman

The first companion departure, and something of a template. Susan falls in love and stays behind. Actress Carole Ann Ford left as she was unsatisfied by Susan’s lack of development.

It’s the Doctor’s decision to leave Susan, his granddaughter, behind. He locks the doors on her, believing that she stands a better chance of happiness staying on Earth rebuilding after a Dalek invasion. William Hartnell didn’t want Ford to leave and channels that into his performance. A clip of this scene was used to represent Hartnell at the beginning of the twentieth anniversary special ‘The Five Doctors’, and with Susan’s fate unconfirmed after The Time War his line ‘One day I shall come back’ lands even heavier: we know he never did.

No wonder he never comes back for anybody else.

14. Captain Jack

‘The Parting of the Ways’ is Jack’s departure story as it’s his last as a regular companion before moving to Torchwood.

Torchwood was not announced until after Series 1 of Doctor Who, and so when it became clear that Jack – with his cheesy grin and action hero posturing – was going to die, it was unexpected. There’s a sense of inevitability about the Daleks killing him when everyone else is dead but, because this was a new series, it was never clear how far it would go. Maybe there’d be a last-minute reprieve. Ultimately there was, but as far as self-contained character arcs go Jack’s journey from con-man to sacrificial hero works, and if it had ended there, it’d have been on a high.

13. Adelaide Brooke

In Base Under Siege stories we have the stock character of a distrusting commander who doesn’t get along with the Doctor. A fun idea in ‘The Waters of Mars’ is ‘Hey, what if they were the companion for one episode?’

One of the less fun but still powerful ideas is also that the Doctor’s behaviour be so unnerving that this stock character would kill themselves in response. So here we have someone standing up to the Doctor as he states the laws of time “are mine, and they will obey me!” What’s interesting is that this is not dissimilar to the standard companion departure, but operating in the epic register rather than a more intimate one. The Doctor has previous on saying that companions have to leave and not giving them a choice, but here the controlling behaviour is scaled upwards to time itself. Possibly the show was not ready to explore this explicitly in a smaller scale just yet.

12. Grace Holloway

Sneaking in unnoticed is the fact that Grace Holloway, the one-off companion for the 1996 TV Movie, ends the film by kissing the Doctor at midnight under the fireworks but refusing to go with him because her experiences have given her renewed self-confidence. Grace is that rarest of things – a Doctor Who companion who gets to leave on her own terms without the Doctor being a dick about it.

11. Ian Chesterton

Ian and Barbara are the first humans in Doctor Who to explore the universe in the TARDIS, taken away by force when the Doctor kidnaps them. Initially they want to return home, but this desire fades. However, when they’re presented with a chance they take it. As a contrast to Susan’s departure, Ian and Barbara’s departure is joyful as it turns out that you cantravel with the Doctor and leave on your own terms as richer, fuller people.

10. Rose Tyler

Rose and the Doctor. The Doctor and Rose. It’s easy to lose track – amidst the melodrama, epic gestures and various tensions – of the way Series 2 sets up Rose and the Doctor being torn apart almost straight away. They’re so wrapped up in how much fun they’re having that it stops them from noticing other people’s feelings. It becomes clear that had the Doctor and Rose done this, the Torchwood Institute wouldn’t exist, so Harriet Jones wouldn’t have had a weapon to fire at the Sycorax in the preceding Christmas episode. However, the show is also telling you that Rose and the Doctor being split up is a colossal tragedy; performances, visuals and music tell you this is incredibly sad while the stories are reminding you they’ve contributed to their own downfall.

This is a companion departure with the heartbreak turned up to 11, to the point where the pretty loud “Brought this on themselves” track can get lost in the mix. Here’s the beginnings of companions burning out rather than fading away.

There’s also the unfortunate business where Rose Tyler, the beloved character who helped bring Doctor Who back as a critical and popular success, rips holes in the universe to find the man she loves.

Said man takes her back to the place she had the worst time of her life, gives her a genocidal sex clone and then quietly leaves when she’s making out with it.

9. Ace

Bearing in mind that Ace has left Doctor Who in so many different canons over the years, it’s specifically her departure in ‘Survival’ that I’m taking as her final story. I’m heavily indebted to Una McCormack’s book on ‘The Curse of Fenric’ here, as it makes the very good point that for everything that could happen to Ace – whatever fates spin-off media has in store for her – there’s nothing quite as perfect for where Ace has reached at the end of Season 26 as the promise of further adventures, the possibility of joy rather than darkness, an ellipsis rather than a full stop.

8. Barbara

Why is Barbara’s departure better than Ian’s? Because:

In ‘An Unearthly Child’ the Doctor asks them “What is going to happen to you?”, the single most important question in the entire series. Firstly because that is half the format of Doctor Who, and secondly because the other half is the same question in reverse. If Barbara Wright doesn’t happen to Doctor Who, then Doctor Who is a short lived 1960s sci-fi show about a cantankerous old git who kidnapped some school teachers (Missing presumed wiped).

7. Zoe and 6. Jamie

Zoe and Jamie both leave suddenly at the end of ‘The War Games’. Patrick Troughton was leaving and the actors decided to go with him, and that sense of an era ending bled into the fiction. 

At the end of ‘The War Games’ the Time Lords are named and appear for the first time, represented by a group of solemn men in robes who wield immense and ineffable power. The Doctor is put on trial for stealing the TARDIS and interfering on other worlds. His companions are returned to a time after their first meeting with the Doctor, their memories of their travels erased. This isn’t built up to, but there’s a general sense of unease in the final few episodes and the Time Lords seem aloof enough to mete out this sort of punishment.

Jamie and Zoe try to escape with the Doctor, but when they’re recaptured he gives up. With Patrick Troughton’s Doctor this is especially shocking, and it’s only his melancholy resignation that convinces them to give up too. Zoe ends up back on a space station, and knows there’s something she can’t quite remember, but with Jamie – who has been with the Second Doctor for almost the entire incarnation – he ends up back at the aftermath of Culloden, charging a redcoat. In a kind touch, the redcoat turns and flees, suggesting Jamie might be alright in the aftermath of the battle.

Doctor Who wasn’t really huge on tearjerkers until 2005, but it was very, very good at quiet melancholy.

5. Martha Jones

Martha is in love with the Doctor. The Doctor spends the entire series pining for Rose and being oblivious to this fact.

Martha Jones puts up with a lot, looking after the Doctor while in his human John Smith guise and having to restrain herself while being continually patronised, racially abused and treated like an idiot. She then spends a year travelling the Earth avoiding capture as the Master enslaves and murders the population, holding Martha’s family captive while she does this.

So frankly when Martha says she’s leaving and the Doctor still doesn’t understand why (“Is this going anywhere?”) it’s hugely cathartic for the audience and for someone who deserved better. Some people do get to choose when being with the Doctor stops, and it’s usually great when they do.

4. Jo Grant

However muddled the reasoning behind Jo Grant’s existence, the casting was inspired. Essentially a remix of Jamie (which suggests that Jo and Liz could have worked if Jamie and Zoe did), Jo Grant wasn’t the brightest but wasn’t stupid, and was incredibly loyal and brave.

With the Doctor’s paternal streak fully activated, the production team decided that Jo falling in love and telling the Doctor “he reminds me of a sort of younger you” would be exactly what the Doctor didn’t want to hear. In contrast to Victoria’s departure and the Doctor’s selflessness there, the Doctor doesn’t do what Mike Yates does when marriage is announced (looks upset and does his best to mask it) but instead quietly slips out and drives away by himself. The fact that he leaves in a way that suggests jealousy or loneliness is a huge change; now we see the Doctor closer to Susan’s position and he does not like it.

3. Tegan

Coming at the end of ‘Resurrection of the Daleks’, where she’s seen a lot of people killed and the Doctor pick up a gun and announce that he’s going to kill Davros (who Tegan presumably hasn’t heard of), Tegan’s leaving scene is very close to being perfect.

Firstly there’s the line “It’s stopped being fun”, which begs the question of when it started being fun for her, but that’s ignorable. Secondly, and this is more about personal taste than an inconsistency in characterisation, there’s a case to be made for Less is More here. Tegan runs from the Doctor and Turlough as he begs her not to leave “like this”, which causes the Doctor to consider his actions before he and Turlough leave in the TARDIS. As it’s dematerialising, Tegan runs back in has one final line. For me it’s just a line too far, and Tegan being unable to say anything at all would have been more powerful, especially for the self-described “mouth on legs”.

However, that’s more window dressing rather than substance: the reasons for Tegan leaving are excellent: it’s a commentary on the stories and Doctor we’ve seen recently, and a plausible emotional response to them. It sets the Doctor on his way to ‘The Caves of Androzani’ where the show comes even closer than ever to paying off a sustained period of grimdark storytelling. Adric’s death might be more famous, but Tegan’s departure is much better writing from Eric Saward and deserves more plaudits for it.

2. Victoria

Actor Deborah Watling wanted to leave, and so Victoria goes in ‘Fury from the Deep’. Here the character has a plausible response to screaming at monsters and getting into trouble: she leaves. She says that she’s having a miserable time screaming and getting into trouble, but isn’t sure if she can go: her father died saving the Doctor, she’s an orphan out of her own time. The Doctor intervenes and suggests a family she can stay with.

Most importantly, the Doctor and Jamie stay an extra day to give her time to think it over, and the Doctor stresses that it must be her decision. On top of this, the final scene of the episode is the Doctor quietly trying to make Jamie feel better about her leaving. Rather than the usual one scene and gone deal we have something drawn out, stemming from character, full of warmth and empathy.

1. Clara Oswald

Potentially eternal life you say? A walking dead person? Maybe lose the dead body aspect of it and this idea has legs. ‘Hell Bent’ is a divisive episode (referential meta-commentary on Doctor Who isn’t what everyone was looking for from a season finale) and the ideas in it are incredibly pointed: the grieving Doctor overthrows Rassilon, shooting a potential ally to retrieve Clara from a moment before her death, and tries to wipe her mind to save her life, addressing the long-term trends of companion departures head on.

Rather than a Gallifreyan epic, this is focussed on one relationship and the shade it casts on the Doctor’s behaviour, all the while dancing in and around threads from other plotlines. The Doctor wanted Gallifrey back so badly, but now it’s simply a means to an end for him to bring Clara back.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

Clara’s final story is often compared to Donna’s departure because of the mindwipe element and the idea of Clara being a Doctor-like figure in her own right – here realised rather than excised – but looking at this list you can see how it harks back all the way to Susan: the Doctor thinks he knows what is best and often gets it wrong, and what seems like extreme behaviour in this story is actually pretty standard. Here he gets properly called out on this behaviour, the show finally able to address this in an intimate rather than epic setting.

The post Doctor Who: Ranking Every Single Companion Departure appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[thisdaynews]

Scottish Premiership: Celtic v Rangers - team news & build-up

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/scottish-premiership-celtic-v-rangers-team-news-build-up/

Scottish Premiership: Celtic v Rangers - team news & build-up

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12:3012:30

BBC Radio 5 live

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Play audio 29/12/2019 from BBC Radio Scotland FM29/12/2019

17:0017:00

BBC Radio Scotland FM

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You need one to watch live TV on any channel or device, and BBC programmes on iPlayer. It’s the law.

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Live Reporting

By Colin Moffat

All times stated are UK

Posted at 12:0712:07

Just your average Old Firm mayhem…

Celtic v Rangers (12:30)

Rangers’ last visit to Celtic Park was on 31 March when we had three goals, two red cards – one after the final whistle – off-the-ball flashpoints and an 86th-minute winner from James Forrest.

Both sides were down to 10 for the final 15 minutes since Celtic had used up all of their subs when Dedryck Boyata was forced off.

Ryan Kent, who equalised for depleted Rangers, was later banned for an aggressive shove on Scott Brown, with the Celtic captain earlier on the receiving end of an elbow from Alfredo Morelos after clipping the striker’s heels off the ball.

Certainly an eventful day for the officials… Kevin Clancy is today’s referee, by the way.

SNSCopyright: SNS

Rangers’ Alfredo Morelos exchanges a few words with Celtic’s Scott Brown after being sent offImage caption: Rangers’ Alfredo Morelos exchanges a few words with Celtic’s Scott Brown after being sent off

Posted at 12:0412:04

Sportscene Predictions: Thommo v Still Game’s Tam & Isa

Still Game’s Tam & Isa – actors Mark Cox and Jane McCarry go up against Sportscene pundit Steven Thompson.

The rivals are both tipping a home win in the early kick-off, with Thommo going for a 3-2 against a 2-1.

Video content

Video caption: Sportscene Predictions: Thommo v Still Game’s Tam & IsaSportscene Predictions: Thommo v Still Game’s Tam & Isa

Posted at 12:0112:01

Neck and neck race keeps rivals revved up

Celtic v Rangers (12:30)

Both sides have lost just one league game this season, with the tight race driving standards up.

Celtic have amassed 10 points more this time around than they did 12 months ago, having played one game less.

Rangers have five extra points bagged having played three games fewer.

Both sides also have eight more goals, although each has let in a handful more.

So, both sides have improved, although there is no doubt teams like Kilmarnock, Aberdeen, Hibs and Hearts have dipped significantly.

Posted at 11:5711:57

Lovely day for it

Celtic v Rangers (12:30)

The footballing fates have served up blue skies and some unseasonably mild temperatures in Glasgow, cocking a snoot at the impending winter break.

No doubt, we will be knee deep in snow when the top flight sides resume.

SNSCopyright: SNS

Sunshine above Celtic Park this morningImage caption: Sunshine above Celtic Park this morning

Posted at 11:5411:54

This time last year…

Celtic v Rangers (12:30)

Ibrox was the venue and the hosts came out on top thanks to a deflected Ryan Jack strike.

It ended a run of 12 games without a win in this fixture for the blue half of Glasgow and moved the rivals level on points going into the winter break.

It was to prove something of a false dawn though, with Celtic pulling away in the second half of the season, despite another Ibrox defeat in May.

SNSCopyright: SNS

Ryan Jack scored the only goal in the last derby of 2018Image caption: Ryan Jack scored the only goal in the last derby of 2018

Posted at 11:5011:50

Celtic aim for third derby win

Celtic v Rangers (12:30)

This is the third Old Firm derby of the season, with the champions triumphant in the previous two.

Celtic were too strong for Rangers at Ibrox back in September, with Odsonne Edouard and Jonny Hayes on target.

Earlier this month, Rangers were on top for much of the League Cup final, had a penalty saved and a man advantage for almost half an hour, but still lost 1-0.

Another success today would open up a handy gap for Neil Lennon’s side.

SNSCopyright: SNS

Jonny Hayes scored a late breakaway goal for Celtic in the first league meeting of the seasonImage caption: Jonny Hayes scored a late breakaway goal for Celtic in the first league meeting of the season

Posted at 11:4611:46

Frimpong breaks into Old Firm combined XI

Celtic v Rangers (12:30)

We asked you to select one of these teams for the cup final earlier this month and there has only been one change in personnel, with Rangers skipper James Tavernier losing the right-back spot to Celtic teenager Jeremie Frimpong, who was sent off in that game at Hampden.

BBCCopyright: BBC

Posted at 11:4211:42

Early Sportscene reminder

Posted at 11:3811:38

Johnston starts for Celtic, Davis & Morelos back

Celtic v Rangers (12:30)

Celtic winger Mikey Johnston signed a five-year contract yesterday and is given a start today. That’s a pretty good Christmas for the 20-year-old.

He takes over from Olivier Ntcham in the only change from the 2-1 Boxing Day win at St Mirren.

Rangers bring back Alfredo Morelos as expected, with Jermain Defoe dropping to the bench, while Steven Davis is preferred to Scott Arfield in midfield after the 1-0 win over Kilmarnock at Ibrox.

SNSCopyright: SNS

Mikey Johnston is now under contract at Celtic until 2025Image caption: Mikey Johnston is now under contract at Celtic until 2025

Posted at 11:3511:35

LINE-UPS from Celtic Park

Celtic v Rangers (12:30)

Celtic:Forster, Frimpong, Jullien, Ajer, Bolingoli, Brown, McGregor, Christie, Forrest, Johnston, Edouard.

Substitutes: Gordon, Hayes, Griffiths, Bitton, Rogic, Ntcham, Bauer.

Rangers:McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Barisic, Kamara, Davis, Jack, Kent, Aribo, Morelos.

Substitutes: Foderingham, Defoe, Ojo, Arfield, Barker, Flanagan, Edmundson.

Posted at 11:3311:33

goal

Lie of the land

Celtic, aiming for a record-equalling ninth successive title, enjoy a five point lead at the top but Rangers have a game in hand.

Will Hearts go into 2020 bottom of the pile? A first win in five attempts for manager Daniel Stendel could lift them into eleventh spot if Hamilton Accies lose on their short trip to Motherwell.

BBC SportCopyright: BBC Sport

Posted at 11:3111:31

Cracking finale to 2019

Welcome to the final round of Scottish Premiership fixtures for the year.

We have a top-of-the-table Old Firm derby to kick us off before the rest get involved before we go into a brief winter hiatus.

Let’s dive right in…

BBC SportCopyright: BBC Sport

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[bestbooksintheworld-blog]

My least favorite feeling is feeling stuck.

I could be stuck with personal growth, stale in my relationships, fresh out of ideas at work… the list is endless.

The fear of remaining stagnant can be crippling.

I’ve felt that way many, many times. Each time it feels like I’ll never overcome it, like I’m permanently drained of motivation.

Know what I mean? Perhaps you’ve resigned yourself to living a miserable, boring life. Maybe you even believe you don’t deserve better than that. When you feel so bad for so long, it’s hard to imagine life any other way.

I’ve been there too. Many times.

In fact, I’ve made so many trips to Yucklando and back that I’ve proved to myself that my time there isn’t permanent. Some of my trips are definitely longer than others, but I always return.

And because I know I always return home, I’ve made it a habit that every time I’m in a “valley,” I remind myself of aaalllll the other valleys I’ve already been in. I remind myself that this valley is no different than the others, even though it feels like it is. I remind myself that I have felt like this before and that I have overcome it before too.

You don’t have to face the valleys alone. In fact, it’s better not to face them alone. When we’re alone, that’s when the crushing negativity can creep in… all the self-doubt, the worry, and the fear.

We’ve all got little “voices” inside our heads. Sometimes they’re positive, but sometimes they’re negative. When you tell yourself you “can’t” or you’ll “never” or you “don’t deserve it”… those are the voices. And the times when those voices are the loudest? Well, those are the valleys.

To get out of the valleys, you have to shush the negative voices. And the best way to shush ’em isn’t to try and get rid of them — because they’ll always return, saying something different next time. No, the best way to shush the voices is to crowd them out.

How do you crowd ’em out? The answer might surprise you.

Every time you read, you get access to a fresh perspective — and you get to choose that perspective every single time.

Every time you read, you hear other voices besides the ones in your head.

Every time you read, you make your world bigger.

You give yourself the opportunity to grow and improve your life… one word at a time.

So where should you start? I can help with that! Below is a detailed list of 21 motivational books you can use to fill your mind with positive voices, empowering ideas, and inspiration to create a life you love.

1 .The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

I bet that title grabbed your attention, huh? It does have a bit of shock value — but it also backs it up with legit advice on how you can determine what to care about… and what not to. Pretty bold thinking, right?

2. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

This is one of those books that’s a bit older but makes everyone’s “Best Motivational Books” list. Napoleon conducted dozens of interviews with the most successful and richest people in the early 20th century and drills down into the common traits between them.

3. Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins is one of the names most synonymous with self-help books. And for good reason — he’s written six best-selling books about financial freedom, personal development, and more. I especially like this book because he shares what he’s learned about the best ways to help people break through to new levels in life.

4. The Success Principles by Jack Canfield

This is the *perfect* book for those who feel stuck with where they are in life. I’ve totally been there, and this book helped me get out of my slump. With short chapters on each topic, Jack teaches you how to increase your confidence, tackle daily challenges, live with passion and purpose, and make your goals real. You’ll be back on track in no time.

5. Spirit Driven Success by Dani Johnson

Dani Johnson went from being homeless to a millionaire in TWO years. Two years, folks. She’s an ordained minister and teaches how to “unlock the door to biblical wealth and prosperity secrets.” I was so inspired by her story and knew I had to add it to this list.

6. Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss

Over the last two years, Tim has interviewed the best of the best in the world on his podcast. He’s taken everything he’s learned from those 200+ interviews and packed it into this GINORMOUS book. But don’t let the size intimidate you — think of it as a giant resource for health, wealth, and happiness.

7. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

Robert explores the mindset that you don’t have to earn a ton of money to be rich. He’s responsible for changing how millions of people think about money and investing. This is one of the best personal finance books out there.

8. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg

Ever heard of Facebook? (LOL!) Sheryl Sandberg is the COO of the social media empire, and she’s created a name for herself by teaching women how to take control of their careers and be true leaders in their fields. She shows “specific steps women can take to combine professional achievement with personal fulfillment.”

9. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Here’s another old-time classic that you’ll find on many “Best of” lists. It has sold millions of copies over the years and illustrates how to interact with people in an effective way. Communication = the key to success in ANYTHING.

10. Losing My Virginity by Richard Branson

Richard Branson is the founder of Virgin Atlantic Airways, Virgin Records, and more top businesses. He’s one of the most iconic entrepreneurs of our day. This autobiography tells the story of his crazy-interesting life and how he writes his own rules in business. It’s a fresh take on the traditional “self-help” book.

11. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

The author of the wildly successful Eat, Pray, Love is back with another book on inspiration, creativity, and conquering the fears that are holding you back. She’s super inspirational and when you finish reading the book, you’ll want to start taking action stat.

12. The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday

You know what I say: Being happy isn’t about having zero problems — it’s being able to solve the problems we do have, no matter how big or small. And that’s why I love this book so much. It shows you how to turn problems into successes.

13. Loving What Is: The Four Questions That Can Change Your Life by Byron Katie

Byron Katie created a process called The Work that helps you see your problems in a different light. This book expands on that process through specific examples of people working through their problems and understanding the underlying thought processes behind them. It’s considered one of the leading books on personal transformation.

14. The Now Habit by Neil Fiore

Are you a procrastinator? Always putting things off and either doing them at the last minute or not doing them at all? I used to be just like that until I read The Now Habit. Now I get my booty in gear and get things done so that I can enjoy my free time faster — without feeling guilty.

15. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck

You guys know how much I consider mindset to be an integral part in anyone’s success. Well, this book is THE book about mindset. I got so much out of it that I even based part of my Money Mindset Transformation workshop on the principles taught by Dr. Dweck in this book.

16. The Dip by Seth Godin

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “Winners never quit and quitters never win.” But… sometimes winners DO quit and quitters DO win! But how do you know when to quit or when to push through? Seth teaches exactly that in The Dip.

17. The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley & William Danko

Being a millionaire doesn’t have to mean you’re flashy or have expensive things. In fact, you could have a millionaire living right next door and not even know it. This book walks you through the seven “rules” all millionaires live by — and they’re probably not what you expect!

18. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Stephen Covey is another highly regarded author in the motivational world. This book came out 25 years ago, but it’s still one of the most recognizable and recommended personal growth books out there.

19. Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz

No, this book is not about robots It’s a shorter, easier way of saying “steering your mind to a productive, useful goal so you can reach the greatest port in the world, peace of mind.” It’s a fairly unknown book compared to others on this list, but Tony Robbins is a fan — and so am I.

20. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Here’s another great book about unleashing your creativity and pushing through roadblocks standing in your way. If you’re a wannabe author, this book is for you — Steven Pressfield was over 40 years old when he first got published. You’re never too old!

21. Change Anything by Kerry Patterson & Joseph Grenny

Have you ever tried to make a change in your life (go on a diet, start exercising, etc.) but couldn’t follow through? There’s a reason for that, and this book dives into how you can change your destructive habits and replace them with better behaviors.

This blog contains affiliate links, meaning, if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. This is at no additional cost to you.

[thereviewsarein]

The 2018 festival season is here. And on Saturday, June 2, the Country Wild Music Festival took over Cobourg’s Victoria Park with a full day of music.

The All-Canadian lineup brought a lot of country and a little taste of rock and roll to the lakefront park. With an excellent combination of male and female performers, Country Wild also showed itself to be one of the most progressive country festivals where the lineup is concerned.

Between about 2:30 pm and somewhere after 10 pm, the music played through the park and out onto the beach with Robyn Ottolini, Rebekah Stevens, Jesse Slack, Sawmill Road, Ben Hudson, Kansas Stone, Alyssa Morrissey, Gentlemen Husbands, Marshall Dane, and finally Jess Moskaluke all taking their turns. And as the sun shone down and the summer breeze blew in, the Northumberland crowd sang, danced, ate, drank, and enjoyed the start to their summer.

Robyn Ottolini kicked off the day with an acoustic set of country music. Accompanied by Tim Deegan on percussion, Robyn welcomed the early crowd to the festival and combined her music and sense of humour to entertain them as they got in, got settled, and got ready for a full festival day.

Ottolini is getting used to finding herself on festival stages, having played Aurora Magna Hoedown and the Boots & Hearts Emerging Artist Showcase – and as she wrapped her set with originals Just A Waitress and Him Problem, she showed Cobourg why they should be ready to see her in front of them on more stages in the future.

Rebekah Stevens was next on stage to keep the festival flowing, and with her full band on stage with her, she did just that.

Stevens brought shared her originals with the crowd including Give It A Try, Liar Liar, and Better In The Past. And with each song, it became clear to the audience that she belonged. It also made sense that she has also been a Top 8 finalist at the B&H Emerging Artist Showcase.

Rebekah also brought us our first surprise of the day when she and her band wrapped their early afternoon set with a cover of Wheatus’s 2000 hit, Teenage Dirtbag. We dug it!

Jesse Slack was next to take the stage, and the Peterborough native kept things moving!

With his band backing him up, and songs from his new EP, Young & Free (March 2018) to share, Jesse brought the energy we’ve seen him bring in the past and introduced himself to Cobourg. And whether he had his guitar strapped on, or he was focused on the mic, he was in control on the stage.

The sun-soaked festival goers tapped toes and listened as Jesse’s set included Stuck, Lip Sync, Counting On A Comeback, and his most recent single release, I Wish I Never Met You. The first dose of guitar lead rockin’ country was a hit with the crowd, and we’re certain that Country Wild and the fans would have Slack back in 2019.



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Local country music favourites, Sawmill Road was next on the stage, bringing a selection of covers to the crowd. The band rolled through their mid-afternoon set including songs like Dierks’ Bentley’s 5-1-5-0, David Lee Murphy’s Dust On The Bottle, Tracy Byrd’s I’m From The Country and had the Cobourg crowd singing and dancing along as they played on stage.

The band also tossed in an original, playing their 2013 release, Whiskey Burn, showing that they have their own chops, and can be the party lovin’ good time band that plays the songs you know, and the country band that does it all their own and is happy to show it off.



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The celebration of Canadian country music continued with Uxbridge’s Ben Hudson next on the Country Wild stage. Hudson was joined by his band, and wife Brooke (whose voice is a great match for Ben, especially when they roll on a duet together).

Hudson’s set was a great combo of originals and covers as they played Ain’t My Fault (Brothers Osborne), What Ifs (Kane Brown & Lauren Alaina) to go with originals including Wear And Tear, Smells Like Home, and Johnny And June.

The crowd showed their love – during and after the set as fans found their way over to talk to Ben all day – and as they wrapped with what they plan to be the next single, Deja Vu, it was obvious that Cobourg would have Hudson back in a heartbeat.



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Barrie’s Kansas Stone followed Ben, and these boys came to party. Returning to Country Wild for the second year (last year they played an acoustic set, this year they plugged in and brought the whole band), the Wax Records recording artists were all in from the jump.

Brian and Matty have become known for their high energy sets, unafraid to let their hair flow in the wind and get loud. I spoke with the boys before they went on stage and they told me that they’ve been hard at work, and hope to release new music to the world soon. During their set on Saturday, Kansas Stone played new tracks, Up From Here, Me Day, and Cashin’ Out to go along with Luke Combs’ One Number Away to entertain the crowd.

The boys also brought a familiar song to the stage with Country 101. More than anything we were reminded that the blue collar, rockin’ country vibe that Kansas Stone presents is great for live crowds and perfect for festival season. We can’t wait to see more from them.



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As we moved into the second half of the day-long festival, Alyssa Morrissey took the stage in her return to Cobourg.

With her full band in tow (including boyfriend JJ Thompson of JJ and The Pillars) Morrissey entertained the crowd with great energy and a smooth voice. Her set was a fine mix of originals and covers, including her own Hold Your Horses and I Ain’t Got Time to go along with Dolly Parton’s Jolene.

Alyssa (and JJ) also brought a little bit of rock and roll with them as they played through Feel It Still (Portugal. The Man), and Howl, a song they wrote together for JJ and The Pillars. And in a moment of personal happiness for me, they ended their sunny Saturday set with a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Go Your Own Way from the 1977 classic album, Rumours.

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The Country Wild Music Festival took a rock and roll turn next as Cobourg’s own Gentlemen Husbands came to their hometown stage. The Universal Music artists were an upbeat treat as Derrick, Ryan, Dan, and Jed plugged in and played.

The band was another returning act to the festival, bringing a local flavour to the day. Their guitar-driven rock and roll was welcomed with open ears and arms, and as the crowd soaked it in, they rocked out themselves. Beer flowed, dancing ensued, and from start to finish, Gentlemen Husbands made everyone proud and proved that guitar rock and roll is alive and well, and fits perfectly with live country music.

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In the second to last spot of the day, as the afternoon turned to evening, Marshall Dane came to the Country Wild Music Festival stage and did his thing. As a professional performer, looking and showing that he was born to do it, Marshall Dane sucks everyone in and puts out all of the energy you could ever hope for. With guitars ringing, hair blowing, and love for the stage, he gave Cobourg a show.

The country artist with the Bon Jovi vibe played a solid set, including songs from his 2013 album, One Of These Days. And one of the crowd’s favourite moments of the day came when he rolled through a classic rock medley in the middle of his single, Alcohol Abuse.

Dane will have a spot on stage as long as he wants to. And if he keeps putting on shows like he did on the Cobourg waterfront, people are going to be into it.



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In the headline spot, excited, enthusiastic, and ready to go, was Langenburg, Saskatchewan’s Jess Moskaluke.

The three-time Canadian Country Music Association Female Artist of the Year, and Juno winner for Country Album of the Year (Kiss Me Quiet, 2017) won over the crowd instantly as she opened her set with 2017 single, Drive Me Away, and didn’t slow down. Country Wild served as the kickoff to Moskaluke’s summer season, but it didn’t show. Her band was tight, her voice was on point, and the set was fire.

It was fantastic to see the Northumberland country fans singing along to the radio hits they’ve come to know from Jess over the last few years. And as the set progressed, they became louder and more involved. This was a Canadian country star on a festival stage, showing that women can headline and entertain and close out a show with all the power and punch it requires.

It was also proof (as if anyone still needed it) that Jess Moskaluke belongs in every conversation about top Canadian country artists.

We’ve been watching Jess on stage since 2014 when we first caught her at Boots & Hearts, and since then (including her set at Country Wild Music Festival 2018) she has grown more powerful, commanding, and entertaining on stage. Audiences see her smiling and laughing and singing her heart out. And all of it comes with an air of confidence and love for what she does.

There was nothing but love for Jess Moskaluke in Cobourg at the second annual Country Wild Music Festival. And as the festival grows and continues, and Moskaluke continues to release more hits (they’re coming, we’d bet on it) it would not surprise us to see her back again in the future.

Until then, the memories of everything from Good Lovin’ to her brand new single, Camouflage will be set in the minds of the lucky fans who saw her start the summer of 2018 with a bang!



Jess Moskaluke, Country Wild Music Festival Setlist

Drive Me Away Used Night We Won’t Forget Lightning Bolt Good Lovin’ Kiss Me Quiet Good For You Kill Your Love Amen Hallelujah Camouflage Right When Ya Left Parachute (Chris Stapleton) 80s Mercedes (Maren Morris) Shape Of You/No Scrubs (Ed Sheeran/TLC) Open Road Take Me Home Elevator Cheap Wine And Cigarettes

Jess Moskaluke at the 2018 Country Wild Music Festival

Cobourg Gets Country Wild to Kick Off Festival Season The 2018 festival season is here. And on Saturday, June 2, the Country Wild Music Festival…

[torridzonequotes]

The opposite of a “chick flick” is a “prick flick.”

Gloria Steinem: Women Have ‘Chick Flicks.’ What About Men?

All the movies that glorify World War II. From classics starring John Wayne and Ronald Reagan, both masterful actors who portrayed heroism without ever leaving the studio back lot, to Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan,” in which the character would rather risk death than be rescued, Hollywood may have spent more money on making movies about World War II than was spent on fighting it. No wonder, because that was the last war in which this country was clearly right. Without continuing reminders of it, how are we to keep on believing that we still are?

All the movies that glorify Vietnam, bloody regional wars and now, the war on terrorism. These may not be as much fun to watch — Vietnam was the first major war we lost, and we haven’t been so great about stopping terrorism either — yet such movies do allow us to see mass mayhem in, say, Africa or South Asia or the Middle East, and so to justify whatever this country might try to do there. Movie violence also diverts attention from the fact that, since Sept. 11, more American women have been murdered by their husbands or boyfriends than Americans have been killed in those attacks, the Iraq war, and the long war in Afghanistan — combined.

All the movies that portray violence against women, preferably beautiful, sexy, half-naked women. These tend to feature chain saws and house parties in films for teenage boys, and sadistic rapists and serial killers for adult males, plus humiliations and deaths of uppity women for the well-educated misogynist.

All the movies that portray female human beings as the only animals on earth that seek out and enjoy their own subordination and pain. From such whitewashed versions of prostitution as “Pretty Woman” (literally whitewashed, since poverty and racism mean that white women are much less likely to be prostituted) to such complex plots as “Boxing Helena,” a man’s dream about amputating the arms and legs of a rebellious woman who, when she is living in a box, falls in love with him — all provide media justification and how-to manuals for sadists.