#Absent by Katie Williams

[lilgayducky]

BOOK RECOMMENDATION!!!

Okay so I recently read a book called Absent by Katie Williams and holy crap that shit was good. I cried for hours last night after I finished it. Also, I was not expecting that plot twist. So if anyone is looking for a book to read, one filled with emotion, supernatural, ghosts, loss, love, betrayal, and mystery this is the book for you. When I tell you I could not stop reading this. I. Could. Not. Stop. It had me in its grips since my eyes landed on the first word. I prefer audiobooks normally and never read ebooks because my phone screen is small and I have the attention span of a five year old. But when I saw this on my reading app, I tell you I could not stop reading it. This may be the first E-Book I've read that wasnt a short story or graphic novel. I read it in no less than three days, the some of fasted I've ever read a big chapter book (again, attention span of a five year old even with good books). I cannot reccomend this enough, please, if you want a book to read that will make you cry. Read this book!!!

[wankerwatch]

Commons Vote

On: Passenger Railway Services Bill (Public Ownership) Bill: Second Reading

Ayes: 351 (96.6% Lab, 2.3% Ind, 0.8% Green, 0.3% SDLP) Noes: 84 (100.0% Con) Absent: ~215

Day's business papers: 2024-7-29

Likely Referenced Bill: Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill

Description: A Bill to make provision for passenger railway services to be provided by public sector companies instead of by means of franchises.

Originating house: Commons Current house: Commons Bill Stage: Committee of the whole House

Individual Votes:

Ayes

Labour (341 votes)

Abena Oppong-Asare Abtisam Mohamed Adam Jogee Adam Thompson Afzal Khan Al Carns Alan Campbell Alan Gemmell Alan Strickland Alex Baker Alex Ballinger Alex Barros-Curtis Alex Davies-Jones Alex Mayer Alex McIntyre Alex Norris Alex Sobel Alice Macdonald Alison Hume Alison McGovern Alison Taylor Alistair Strathern Allison Gardner Amanda Hack Amanda Martin Andrew Cooper Andrew Gwynne Andrew Lewin Andrew Pakes Andrew Ranger Andrew Western Andy MacNae Andy McDonald Angela Eagle Anna Dixon Anna Gelderd Anneliese Dodds Anneliese Midgley Baggy Shanker Bambos Charalambous Barry Gardiner Bayo Alaba Beccy Cooper Becky Gittins Bell Ribeiro-Addy Ben Coleman Ben Goldsborough Bill Esterson Blair McDougall Brian Leishman Bridget Phillipson Callum Anderson Calvin Bailey Carolyn Harris Cat Eccles Cat Smith Catherine Atkinson Catherine McKinnell Catherine West Charlotte Nichols Chris Bloore Chris Curtis Chris Elmore Chris Hinchliff Chris Kane Chris McDonald Chris Murray Chris Vince Chris Webb Christian Wakeford Claire Hazelgrove Claire Hughes Clive Betts Clive Lewis Connor Naismith Damien Egan Dan Aldridge Dan Jarvis Dan Tomlinson Daniel Francis Danny Beales Darren Jones Darren Paffey Dave Robertson David Baines David Burton-Sampson David Pinto-Duschinsky David Taylor David Williams Dawn Butler Debbie Abrahams Deirdre Costigan Derek Twigg Diana Johnson Douglas Alexander Douglas McAllister Ed Miliband Elaine Stewart Emily Darlington Emma Foody Emma Hardy Emma Lewell-Buck Emma Reynolds Euan Stainbank Feryal Clark Florence Eshalomi Frank McNally Fred Thomas Gen Kitchen Georgia Gould Gerald Jones Gill German Gordon McKee Graeme Downie Graham Stringer Grahame Morris Gregor Poynton Gurinder Josan Hamish Falconer Harpreet Uppal Heidi Alexander Helen Hayes Helena Dollimore Henry Tufnell Hilary Benn Ian Lavery Ian Murray Imogen Walker Irene Campbell Jack Abbott Jacob Collier Jade Botterill Jake Richards James Asser James Murray James Naish Janet Daby Jas Athwal Jayne Kirkham Jeevun Sandher Jeff Smith Jenny Riddell-Carpenter Jess Asato Jessica Morden Jessica Toale Jim Dickson Jim McMahon Jo Platt Jo Stevens Jo White Joani Reid Jodie Gosling Joe Morris Joe Powell Johanna Baxter John Grady John Healey John Slinger John Whitby Jon Pearce Jon Trickett Jonathan Brash Jonathan Davies Jonathan Hinder Josh Dean Josh Fenton-Glynn Josh MacAlister Josh Newbury Josh Simons Julia Buckley Juliet Campbell Justin Madders Kanishka Narayan Kate Dearden Kate Osamor Kate Osborne Katie White Keir Mather Kenneth Stevenson Kerry McCarthy Kevin Bonavia Kevin McKenna Kim Johnson Kim Leadbeater Kirith Entwistle Kirsteen Sullivan Kirsty McNeill Laura Kyrke-Smith Lauren Edwards Lauren Sullivan Laurence Turner Lee Barron Lee Pitcher Leigh Ingham Lewis Atkinson Liam Byrne Liam Conlon Lilian Greenwood Lillian Jones Linsey Farnsworth Lisa Nandy Liz Kendall Liz Twist Lizzi Collinge Lloyd Hatton Lorraine Beavers Louise Haigh Louise Jones Lucy Powell Lucy Rigby Luke Akehurst Luke Charters Luke Murphy Luke Myer Luke Pollard Margaret Mullane Maria Eagle Mark Ferguson Mark Hendrick Mark Sewards Mark Tami Markus Campbell-Savours Marsha De Cordova Martin Rhodes Mary Creagh Mary Glindon Matt Bishop Matt Rodda Matt Turmaine Matt Western Matthew Patrick Matthew Pennycook Maureen Burke Maya Ellis Meg Hillier Melanie Onn Melanie Ward Miatta Fahnbulleh Michael Payne Michael Shanks Michael Wheeler Michelle Scrogham Michelle Welsh Mike Amesbury Mike Kane Mike Reader Mike Tapp Mohammad Yasin Nadia Whittome Natalie Fleet Natasha Irons Naushabah Khan Neil Coyle Neil Duncan-Jordan Nia Griffith Nicholas Dakin Noah Law Oliver Ryan Olivia Bailey Olivia Blake Pam Cox Pamela Nash Pat McFadden Patricia Ferguson Paul Davies Paul Foster Paul Waugh Paula Barker Paulette Hamilton Perran Moon Peter Kyle Peter Lamb Peter Prinsley Peter Swallow Phil Brickell Polly Billington Preet Kaur Gill Rachael Maskell Rachel Blake Rachel Hopkins Richard Baker Richard Quigley Rosena Allin-Khan Rosie Wrighting Rupa Huq Ruth Cadbury Ruth Jones Sadik Al-Hassan Sally Jameson Sam Carling Sam Rushworth Samantha Dixon Samantha Niblett

Sarah Coombes Sarah Edwards Sarah Hall Sarah Jones Sarah Owen Sarah Russell Sarah Sackman Scott Arthur Sean Woodcock Seema Malhotra Shabana Mahmood Sharon Hodgson Shaun Davies Simon Lightwood Simon Opher Siobhain McDonagh Sojan Joseph Sonia Kumar Stella Creasy Stephen Doughty Stephen Timms Steve Race Steve Reed Steve Witherden Steve Yemm Sureena Brackenridge Tahir Ali Taiwo Owatemi Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi Tim Roca Toby Perkins Tom Collins Tom Hayes Tom Rutland Tonia Antoniazzi Tony Vaughan Torcuil Crichton Torsten Bell Tracy Gilbert Tristan Osborne Tulip Siddiq Uma Kumaran Valerie Vaz Warinder Juss Will Stone Yasmin Qureshi Yuan Yang Zubir Ahmed

Independent (8 votes)

Adnan Hussain Apsana Begum Ian Byrne Imran Hussain John McDonnell Rebecca Long Bailey Richard Burgon Zarah Sultana

Green Party (3 votes)

Adrian Ramsay Ellie Chowns Siân Berry

Social Democratic & Labour Party (1 vote)

Colum Eastwood

Noes

Conservative (84 votes)

Alan Mak Alberto Costa Alec Shelbrooke Alicia Kearns Alison Griffiths Andrew Bowie Andrew Griffith Andrew Rosindell Andrew Snowden Aphra Brandreth Ashley Fox Ben Obese-Jecty Blake Stephenson Bob Blackman Bradley Thomas Caroline Dinenage Caroline Johnson Charlie Dewhirst Claire Coutinho Danny Kruger David Davis David Mundell David Reed David Simmonds Desmond Swayne Edward Argar Gagan Mohindra Gareth Bacon Gareth Davies Geoffrey Clifton-Brown George Freeman Graham Stuart Greg Smith Gregory Stafford Harriet Cross Harriett Baldwin Helen Grant Helen Whately Jack Rankin James Cleverly Joe Robertson John Cooper John Glen John Hayes John Lamont John Whittingdale Julia Lopez Julian Lewis Katie Lam Kemi Badenoch Kieran Mullan Kit Malthouse Lewis Cocking Lincoln Jopp Louie French Mark Francois Mark Garnier Martin Vickers Matt Vickers Mel Stride Mims Davies Neil Hudson Neil Shastri-Hurst Nick Timothy Patrick Spencer Paul Holmes Peter Bedford Peter Fortune Rebecca Harris Rebecca Paul Rebecca Smith Richard Holden Robbie Moore Robert Jenrick Roger Gale Saqib Bhatti Sarah Bool Shivani Raja Steve Barclay Stuart Anderson Stuart Andrew Tom Tugendhat Victoria Atkins Wendy Morton

[highqueenofelfhame]

fafs - twenty

A/n: Sorry for the delay! This chapter was just too important to rush. If you wanna set the mood, listen to simmer by hayley williams. Also a super special shout out to katie for basically becoming my beta and making my writing better!!

Aelin had a ritual for a normal job.

In the days leading up to a job, she would perfect her cover, altering her appearance enough that she wasn’t so easily recognizable. Brown contacts would disguise the blue and gold of her eyes. Sometimes she would dye her golden hair red or brown, forgoing the heat of a wig, and spend weeks following the hit annoyed she had done it.

Sometimes she even used special effects products to craft scars on her face, or to give her nose an entirely different shape than what it was. She perfected walking with a convincing limp, mastered several accents that were so wildly different from her own, and could blend in seamlessly with any crowd from the seedy underbelly of the city all the way to the intricate court of esteemed royalty. Celaena Sardothien was a chameleon, a whisper on the wind that could vanish just as soon as she appeared.

Before a hit, Aelin would spend hours playing music loudly enough for it to reverberate through the walls of her apartment.  The music was the same each time - a symphony of songs that rose in tempo and volume so that by the time she was dressed, she was bouncing on her toes and ready for what may come.

She would have sharpened her weapons in time with the melody. She would have pulled on her suit in a methodical way, zipping up the back as a song came to a climax. A slow grin would have spread across her lips as her playlist progressed, her adrenaline pumping,  unable to stop from jumping in place.

But this was not a normal job. Aelin hadn’t taken care when pulling on her suit, her body littered with small cuts and scrapes from the hidden weapons all over.  She  hadn’t even cared to alter her appearance for this foray into the underworld. Aelin hadn’t even bothered with a mask. She wanted them all to know who it was that ended their miserable lives. She wanted them to feel the wrath of the queen of assassins descending upon them. Most of all, she wanted them to see the raging inferno burning in the golden iris of her eyes while they took their last, shuddering breaths.

There would be no music for her this time.The only song she could hear in her head was the relentless pounding of  the volatile rage that rushed through her veins . The rage that had always lay in wait, a predator ready to strike at any given moment, and now, was poised to make its first attack. It was a song about finding a line between wrath and mercy— a line that she always toed, but could not find herself anywhere near, not today. Not where Rowan was concerned.

So instead of her usual ritual, she had settled into what was undoubtedly the numbest and most chilling killing calm she had ever felt. Nothing could pierce the veil she had around her as she prepared to make her move. All she could hear was the pounding of her heart. All she could see was red.

Squatting on a rooftop, Aelin’s eyes narrowed on a window across the alley. Nox knelt beside her, flipping a knife between his fingers while they both mapped out what lay before them. With no one knowing that he was in close contact with Aelin, Nox was able to slither through the underground network of assassins and black market dealings to figure out who had Rowan and where he was being kept.

All roads lead to Arobynn Hammel— something that didn’t surprise Aelin in the slightest. He had killed Sam first and made a point to slaughter everyone she had ever loved. Now he was trying to take Rowan from her, too. He should have known better. If anyone knew about her deadly precision and taste for revenge, it was Arobynn. He knew she would come for him. He knew it would rain blood when she did.

Bright blue eyes scanned the building she watched, looking for any sign of anyone being near any of the windows. Nox pocketed his knife and rested his forearms against his knees. Like Aelin, he was poised on his toes with alert eyes roving over the streets below. Fortunately they were hidden well enough in the shadows as the sun sank below the horizon behind them.

“What’s your plan? Are you going to call your contacts?” Aelin turned his question over in her mind, knowing full well that she should call Fenrys and give them a full report of the situation. She knew they would come in and Rowan would be safe. Aelin would be free of any damning action that could potentially send her back to prison.

But if she did call, the scum that had taken Rowan from her were likely to live another day. Some of them would slither back into the underworld, some of them would end up in prison. The imprisoned ones might end up out on the streets again due to technicalities, or successful escapes, though that was a slim possibility. She needed to get inside that building before the FBI checked her anklet and found out she wasn’t at the apartment where she was supposed to be.

“No,” she finally said, tapping her thumb against her knee. No, she wouldn’t call. No, she wouldn’t leave this up to fate. Everyone in that building was going to pay for their crimes. Today, she was the judge, jury, and executioner. Aelin Galathynius was a vengeful god, one with fire flowing through her veins. She would not stop until everyone had paid for what they’d done.

The wind blew a loose strand of hair across her face as she stood, the bite of the breeze keeping her focused on the task at hand. She brought her foot up to rest on the ledge of the roof, eyes narrowing in on the four-paned window across the way. There was a shadow several paces deep, likely someone paroling the room— waiting on her. She couldn’t see through the rest of the windows well enough, but there was no movement detected. Aelin pursed her lips, gaze dropping down the side of the gray wall before she looked over at Nox.

“You should leave. You don’t need to be here when they come,” she told him absently, licking her lips as she stepped up onto the ledge.

“Celaena—” The look she gave him cut him off; whatever he saw in her face, her eyes had him nodding once. A cruel, twisted smile curled at her lips as the wind whipped at her face ferociously. Aelin stepped fully onto the ledge, giving the alley below a final once over before she tipped her head back and inhaled deeply.

And then she jumped.

~*~

It had been a long while since Aelin had performed a free-fall through a window. She had almost forgotten what rolling over shattered glass could do, bits stabbing through her arms and sides. The momentum had her slamming into a metal post that she had mistaken as a person. It knocked the wind completely out of her, and she had to take a few extra seconds to gasp down several lungfuls of air before she could roll to her feet.

But it was one hell of an entrance— one that would send a signal to everyone below that death was raining down upon them. The knowledge sent a shock of adrenaline through her body just as footsteps had begun to scuffle down the hall.

Two voices were speaking in hushed tones. By the time the heavy, metal door was pulled open with a discordant squeak that made her cringe, Aelin had effectively disappeared into the shadows. The whispers died off as their boots crunched over broken glass. One of the men swore, his voice entirely unfamiliar to Aelin. Peering through the shelving unit she hid behind, neither of them looked like anyone she’d ever come in contact with.

Good. It would make killing them easier.

From the little cave she had backed herself into, she watched them exchange uneasy glances. Their heads turned, trying to figure out where she’d disappeared to in the sixty-seconds it had taken them to respond to a silent alarm she’d likely sounded. The two men didn’t speak while they looked around the room, unable to see her where she’d crouched down. All she could see now was their feet shuffling across the floor, making their way back toward the exit.

This, she was sure, was supposed to be a trap. Something that was supposed to make her feel at ease that they didn’t believe she was here, that they’d found nothing but a broken window. They would pretend to leave, either one or both, and then they’d be waiting for her when she thought she had the freedom to slip from the room. Clearly, these two morons did not quite know the ocean of rage that she was drowning in. They were unaware of exactly who stalked her prey like a lioness hunting for dinner.

Aelin thought about waiting, thought about letting them think they were going to leave this room alive. But she remembered that Rowan was in here somewhere, likely incapacitated in some way, and she decided she didn’t care. What was the point in giving  them false hope when they’d taken every bit of hope she’d ever had? No. They didn’t deserve the hope of living another day. They deserved to die like the rest: eyes wide and gaping, piss staining their thighs, and blood pooling beneath them.

She struck so quickly, that one fell before the other could pull a weapon and turn it on her. It was so easy, too easy. It was almost disappointing, the way they hit the ground with heavy thuds. Blood bubbled from their necks while they choked, eyes wide and fingers clawing at their skin.

“Didn’t anyone ever warn you about the monsters that lurk in the dark?” She asked, kneeling beside them with her arms draped over her knees. She spoke to them the way a mother might comfort her children after they’d woken from a nightmare. Except this was the last nightmare they would ever have, and it was a vivid reality. Aelin’s lips curved into a wicked grin, the palm of her gloved hand patting the cheek of the man that laid nearest to her. The other merely got a nudge of her boot before she left the room, not bothering to shut the door behind her.

Aelin paused outside of the door, nimble fingers undoing the buttons of her cloak. To remain as silent as possible, she tossed it back into the room behind her. One man had stopped breathing, the other was still gasping and gurgling blood in the back of his throat. She didn’t care. She hoped he was still alive when his comrades found him, hoped he would try to gasp her name between breaths.

The only other thing Aelin wanted out of this mission, besides Rowan safe and in her arms, it was that they all knew who it was they’d chosen to fuck with. It was that they all paced with the anticipation of angering the most vindictive god they could imagine.

Her walk down the hallway was silent.  Arobynn had once told her that he only heard her coming when she wanted him to. Even now, there had been several moments in Rowan’s apartment where she’d snuck up on him accidentally, making him startle when she seemed to appear out of thin air. Her favorite pastime at the bureau was giving Lorcan a good shock to his system. It was better than her morning coffee.

It almost made her smile, but the doom and gloom of the day pulled her lips back down. She wasn’t so sure she would be able to walk out of this situation without her hands cuffed behind her back. It would be worth it, she knew. Getting carted off to prison again with Rowan safe and sound was better than the alternative. Any reality where he was safe and alive was better than one where he was cold and dead— even if it meant she spent the rest of her life behind bars. It was a sacrifice she was more than willing to make, one she was ready to take.

The building was old, and everything inside was damp and rusted. It was located where the Avery emptied into the Great Ocean, not too far from the import docks. When they’d been on the roof of the neighboring building, Aelin and Nox had been able to see large import ships unloading their freight with massive cranes. It was a relatively empty part of town, save for the people that worked on the ships. The block this building was on was particularly empty with no foot traffic on the sidewalks. There had been no prying eyes to think anything of the assassin and the thief perched on the rooftop.

The lower she crept into the building, toward the basement where she knew Arobynn liked to keep his prisoners, the air got thicker. Mustier. Harder to breathe. The heavy scent of mildew settled in her lungs, making her lip curl in disgust. It was getting darker, too, the light dim enough that had she not heard someone sneaking her way, she wouldn’t have seen them. Thankfully, there was a quiet squelching of boots at the far end of the hall that gave her enough of a heads up to keep her assailant from getting the drop on her.

So few opponents had ever been a true challenge. At her best, Ansel had been one of the few to really challenge her. Today, though, nobody would be able to go up against her and win. It was that simple. There was too much at stake. Losing a fight with Rowan Whitethorn’s life on the line was non-negotiable.

“I’m feeling generous,” she called out, leaning against the wall between two doors. Her tongue ran over her teeth as the footsteps faltered. The gait was heavy and unfamiliar, but she assumed it would be a male judging by the very faint outline of the body she could see. “If you tell me where Rowan Whitethorn is, I’ll consider letting you live.”

“Are you the witch Arobynn keeps ranting about?” Indeed, the voice had a low, scratchy timbre. Still unfamiliar, but he did confirm that Arobynn was at the head of this. What an idiot.

“Is that what he’s calling me now? A witch?”

“Maybe he said bitch,” the man replied, a chuckle rusty as the pipes in this building falling from his lips. “Either way, he said you didn’t like to get your hands dirty.”

“Must be someone else then.” Since when did she not like to get her hands dirty? It almost made her frown, the complete mischaracterization of her. “Where is he.”

“Arobynn?”

“Or the agent. I’ll find them both either way,” she drawled, flicking her wrist in a smooth motion that had a dagger sliding down into her palm. Aelin flipped the blade in her hand, catching it by the tip and readying herself to send it flying toward her target. By now, her eyes had adjusted to the dark. She could see the man about halfway down the hall, roughly six feet tall with a similar build to what Chaol had been. None of his features were decipherable, but it didn’t matter. In a few seconds time he would have a stunning new accessory through his chest.

“You’ll be dead before you do,” the man taunted, and a delighted, bright laugh exploded from her lips.

“Then you definitely don’t know who I am.” Her words took on a sickly sweet tone as she released the first dagger, sending it hurtling down the hall until it struck home. He was close enough by then that the sound of dagger piercing flesh was the sweet music she would have used during her pre-job ritual. Her latest victim staggered back as she threw a second dagger with her left hand, letting it nail him in his neck. A howl of pain, the climax in her impromptu concert, shook the building as he tripped over his own feet and hit the ground, the crack of his skull a final note to a very short symphony.

~*~

Between four floors, Aelin killed eleven men. None of them were skilled enough with their weapons to be anything more than half rate mercenaries. If she had to guess, Arobynn wanted it to look like he had more bodies than he really did. All of his good assassins were dead, likely at his own hand in the rage of her capture.

Everyone she’d come in contact today suffered. None of them were getting off easy. Her suit was damp in several places, her skin sticky with their blood. Few of them gave her any real information. The last guy she killed had shakily exclaimed that Rowan was in the basement as he soiled himself, the stench of urine proof of his fear. And then she had sliced through his body so many times he’d passed out from the shock and pain before death had claimed him.

It almost scared her how little she felt while she dug her blades into his bones. There was nothing but the crystal clarity that she would walk backwards into hell and take the crown from Hellas himself before she let anyone take Rowan away from her. Her throne would be built of bones, rivers of blood would flow at her feet.

It should have at least startled her, the cold depravity. None of her jobs had ever held such cruel calculation, none of them had ever been more than a paycheck. But she supposed that as soon as Sam had been shot right in front of her, she’d fallen down a slippery slope into a dark and twisted wonderland that she would have never escaped, if it hadn’t been for Rowan. And maybe she wouldn’t come back from this, but at least Rowan would be safe.

The sentiment of his safety ricocheted in her skull as she yanked the last door between her and her love open. It didn’t matter that it squealed so loud it made her ears ache, that she may as well have set off a warning bell to alert Arobynn of her arrival.

The rusted iron door gave way to an unlit alcove with a set of metal stairs that looked precarious enough she was skeptical about them holding her weight. It had been dark everywhere else in shit hole she was carefully navigating, but down here it was even worse. The only light she could see seemed to be coming from somewhere far enough away that it barely illuminated the stairs. If the dark wasn’t perhaps her closest companion, if she was unaware of how to use all her senses to slip through the shadows, Aelin likely would have taken an untimely tumble all the way down to the floor.

Much to her surprise the room seemed mostly empty. There were several wooden crates stacked in the far corner where a green-ish light cast an eerie glow throughout the space. Somewhere, something was dripping from the walls or ceiling. Aelin headed for the crates after pausing to pull new daggers from her boots, her grip tightening around the handle at the prospect of not finding Rowan— or finding him beyond her help.

“I’ve been expecting you,” a voice said, echoing in the damp chamber. Her blood heated immediately, flame sparking in her veins at the sound of Arobynn Hammel’s voice. She squeezed the hilt of her dagger as she rounded the corner, eyes immediately going to the red-haired bastard.

“I’d say you weren’t fully prepared because you didn’t have nearly enough men to keep you safe, Arobynn,” she drawled, giving her knife a loose twirl between her fingers. It was interesting, the way he looked at her like he was seeing a ghost. While he gaped, Aelin shifted her gaze to the left, over to a corner where she finally found him.

Rowan. He was slumped forward in his chair, head hanging at such an odd angle she knew he was unconscious. Blood was dried beneath his nose and at his temple but that was all the visible blood she could see. His usually shiny shoes were scuffed and his jacket was pulling tight over his arms and shoulders. Blue nautical rope had him tightly bound to the arms  and legs of the chair, and even from where she stood she could tell his watch was cutting into his skin uncomfortably.

But his chest was still rising and falling while he breathed and, for the most part, he seemed unharmed. Still, she didn’t let the relief flood her body. She didn’t dare give herself an inch over to the other side of that line she toed. There would be no mercy from her today.

“Celaena? Are you ready to come home at last, or have you come to exact your revenge on Agent Whitethorn for locking you up?”

“I’m here to take back what is mine and ensure that you never slither out of your little hole to see the daylight ever again. You know why I’m here.”

“I thought you were in prison,” he rebutted, pushing out of his seat and daring to pace toward her. Aelin cocked her head, appraising the man that had raised her, trained her, made her into a weapon through pain and sorrow. She felt nothing but rage.

“That is bullshit, and you know it.”

“You are not the person I was expecting to see when I took Rowan Whitethorn this afternoon, I can assure you. Why are you here, Celaena? How did you get out?”

It was tricky, dealing with someone so slippery. Workingwith Arobynn always felt greasy, felt like trying to wrangle an eel out of the ocean. If you weren’t careful he would slip through your fingers and disappear into the cracks of the world. To the untrained ear, he sounded genuine. But Arobynn lied, and lied well. He clawed his way to the top of the black market empire, twisting words and half-truths, cunning and vicious. He would always take, and take, and take. While there were many faces he had worn around her, the face of truth was one that he seldom donned. Never did he give an inch. It was where Aelin herself had learned to be so ruthless.

“Why am I here? We can start with Sam, talk about Lysandra, Ansel, Wesley,” her blue eyes flashed up to his face where his stormy gray eyes stayed fixed on her. “We can end with Dorian, and Nehemia, and Chaol, and Aedion. And then I will kill you for trying to take Rowan from me, too.”

There were names she hadn’t listed that still mattered but not quite as much. Her voice had broken over Aedion and Rowan’s names, those thoughts still too fresh in her mind to hold at bay. She hated that she was showing so much emotion to him, yet it was fear that flickered in his gaze at the rage that seeped into every syllable.

“I will take responsibility for Sam. I will take responsibility for taking Agent Whitethorn.” Arobynn paused, his eyes tracing over her features like he was stripping her bare, seeing her heart on her sleeve. Something like amusement twisted his lips into a tight smirk as he looked over his shoulder where Rowan was still unconscious. “The others, I had nothing to do with. Actually, if I didn’t know you so well I would have assumed you broke out and had gone on a little spree of your own.”

“I didn’t touch them,” she hissed.

“I know. Everything about those killings was messy. You haven’t been messy since you were fifteen. Tell me, Celaena, what is it that you’re here to take revenge for?”

“I already told you—“

“Sam was killed because he was going to cross me. I wasn’t going to harm a hair on your head. As for Agent Whitethorn…” Arobynn laughed, dry and twisted as he raked his fingers through his hair. “How did you manage to form such an attachment to the man? Were you not stalking him through the city for months leading up to your arrest?”

“My arrest that you played a significant part in? It was a setup. You know it. I know it. You wanted me dead so that I wouldn’t be a problem after you put that hit out on Sam.”

“I beat them senseless for what they did to you that day,” Arobynn said, his voice like that of a lover as his fingers moved to caress her cheek. Aelin brought a dagger up to the inside of his wrist, positioned the other at the hollow of his throat before he could touch her skin. His hand dropped and slipped back into his pocket.

“I don’t believe you.” And she didn’t. It was a half-truth from him at best. Maybe he had punished them to some degree for trying to end her life that way if he didn’t tell them to do it directly, but she doubted it was any large effort. Or maybe that was why they’d wound up dead. Still, it didn’t matter. He’d taken enough from her.

“Why would I lie to you? What do I have to gain from it? I’ve openly admitted to killing Sam and taking your agent. If I was going to lie, wouldn’t I have started with Sam? I was not expecting you to walk down those stairs, Celaena.” Arobynn’s keys jingled in his pocket when he removed his hand to point toward the stairs. Aelin shook her head, licked her lips and tasted the metallic tang of blood. That didn’t make any sense.

“Stop talking.” It was too much. The sound of his voice, the almond scent that tickled her nose from his close proximity. Arobynn had ruined her life in a thousand ways, had spent the majority of her life manipulating her, and this was no different. Anything he said now were lies so potent she could almost taste them.

“I know you may think me to be your enemy, but I love you. I care for you. Surely you must know that.”

There was a single part of her emotions that she kept under lock and key. Inside that room in her head, there was some part of her that cared for him, too. When her parents were murdered and he’d taken her in, Arobynn had become the only parental figure she would ever truly know. Memories about her parents were few and far between, most of them hazy.

She didn’t remember what they looked like without looking at a photo. Their voices had been lost to time and her memory. There were plenty of interviews of them on the internet, but she refused to indulge herself. It was too haunting to think of them somehow knowing that she was who she was. That, maybe, if she watched those old videos, they would be able to see the blood covering her hands.

Arobynn, though, knew her. He had made her, forged her himself. Everything she knew, he had taught her. There had been moments throughout her life where she thought that, perhaps, he did care. Moments where she had looked up at him and wondered if this was what it was like to have a father. There were days before her training that he’d brushed her hair in front of the fire and read her stories. Some nights he had tucked her into bed and had servants wake her with breakfast.

Then there were the moments where he’d beaten her until she couldn’t push herself off the floor. Moments where he’d broken her hand, her fingers, so that she could use her left hand as well as her right. Moments where he’d seared her skin with a white-hot poker and told her that it would make her stronger to endure the pain. Those were the moments that played over in her mind now. All the pain and trauma he had inflicted upon her rising to the surface, her blood piping hot beneath her skin.

His lips were moving, mouthing that he loved her, that he wasn’t lying to her, but she couldn’t hear a thing. People that loved you didn’t intentionally hurt you. They didn’t beat you within an inch of your life and leave you to suffer through it. They didn’t kill the people you cared about. They didn’t go to such lengths to ensure that you were alone and isolated for the rest of your miserable existence.

“Celaena,” Arobynn said, his hand moving to rest on her shoulder. But the tether keeping her from flying into the void snapped, his use of that name the last nail in his coffin. There was hardly time for her to process the movements of her body, the muscle memory taking over as she drove the dagger between his fourth and fifth ribs.

Arobynn had the audacity to laugh, the sound of disbelief falling heavily from his lips as his hand curled around her shoulder. Aelin didn’t falter, only shoved harder as he staggered backward and collapsed on the floor. Still, he laughed, tears lining his silver eyes that silently began to stream down his temples.

“You have… always just been… a pawn.” Each word was more breathless than the last as they tumbled from his mouth. Despite the gloves she wore, her hands were warm. Blood was seeping through her suit, pulsing into the cracks where her skin was exposed. “It will not… end with… me.”

Aelin’s brow furrowed, torn between wanting questions answered and the overcoming desire to twist the knife further to make him stop talking. It was all he ever did. Lie after lie building doubts in her mind until she questioned her sanity. It was what he was good at.

The knife won out. Her wrist twisted sharply, blade dragging over bone in a reverberation she felt down to her toes. Arobynn’s eyes widened in shock and she knew the pain was not a subtle feeling. Gray eyes scanned her face, a ghost of a smile that would haunt her nightmares pulling at his lips. Aelin gritted her teeth as he took a final, shuddering breath.

She wasn’t sure what she felt as the light faded from his eyes and they went completely glassy. All she knew was that it wasn’t quite relief.

[templedragon]

Supergirl 6x04 Lost Souls

We love to see it: Seven interviews. Azie Tesfai talking about Kelly Olsen. A montage of the poster cast talking about Kara being in the Phantom Zone. Four interviews with Katie McGrath. Nicole Maines on a video chat.

Things I hadn't missed: The intro montage (and we're still on the rainbow logo rather than bisexual lighting), CatCo and the characters of Andrea and William tied to it. It says a lot if characters can be removed without mention and no-one feels their absence. The show has outgrown CatCo as it has the DEO. There wasn't even a mention of Nia's CatCo retreat to tie in the company upon her return to this episode, seemingly in exchange for Kelly. A lot of this episode is civilians feeling inadequate in a superhero setting, and Kelly comes under that with her scraped hands. It's another instance of Kelly having reduced screentime and agency, while Lena is openly crying two episodes in a row about her guilt about Kara being in the Phantom Zone. It would be nice to have a comparison of a sister-in-law civilian vs the romantic framing of Lena (and their stealing of former workplace tech to save the day). I want civilian bonding.

I want civilian in general, because this season has been all Tower and no Kara, the titular character. Part of the show's charm was characters being pulled away from mundane life with the weirdest of excuses to go save the day. Supposedly the world falls to pieces if Supergirl is absent, but we're not hearing about it. No pedestrian comment from saved people, passers by, or the news about a new vigilante or the absence of Supergirl. Kara's having an extended 'absence' from work and it's not being relayed by Nia that there's been no satellite phone calls to report in her Cat Grant interview (is there even a fake plane ticket? I want tourist souvenirs). The insular Tower has call buttons for other superheroes and The Flash would have been ideal - fastest man alive to run past the baby phantoms to pierce the soul storage egg (happy Easter). If the real world was considered, then heat map technology exists. You want to find sub zero temperatures in warm weather, cross off the known freezer units for businesses and investigate the remaining ones. Boom. Civilian logic saves the day. Kara's going to get back and realise the world coped fine without her, because no-one noticed her absence and it only took her friends (family) to save it with no external help and no consequence. The SuperFriends didn't just save the day, they did so unscathed (I'm sure Kelly's hands will heal).

We won't mention exchanging death by rape for killing newborns. It's a pandemic, but AIDS rather than COVID 19. Specifically coded with a gay man and a black African woman being the first characters to succumb to fungal nails, wasting your body and revealing you to be sub-human (queer and black). If the pandemic was Covid coded then it would be disabled people dying. The show decided Phantoms would get the biped treatment but no empathy beyond that. Once you're the villain group, what happens to you doesn't matter (Daxamites having no home, Phantoms not being allowed to reproduce). There's an ethical discussion being ignored. There's also Lena and Alex's alcoholism being ignored, while Brainy is being talked through his depression binge eating.

Everyone keeps saying the Phantom Zone is the worst. It looks like Kara fell into a cave during a camping trip and is getting a bit gaunt in the face from lack of food (kudos to the make up department for doing more work than the script). The 100th AU was a better instance of Kara living nightmare scenarios. Meanwhile, Alex has had a montage of missing Kara, M'Gann has physic nightmares, and Nia repeatedly dreams Midvale, all during Phantom attacks. So why isn't Kara getting the same montage and repetition, when she's stuck in the Phantom Zone? Her father (assuming he's real, gotta live for that cis het reunion) is supposedly what Kara could turn into. The guy has clinincal depression, untreatable even with an environmental change according to Nyxly. If he had depression before coming to the Phantom Zone, it may explain the pyjama chic as you are stuck in whatever outfit you were sent to the PZ wearing (he could have been working from home to yeet Argo). I think knowing your planet is dying from environmental exploitation and beaurocracy is stopping you from healing it, that's a contributing factor to depression.

One thing I do love about 5th dimensional Imps is their desire to kill men that bring Kara down. I assume they are repeating in miniature Lena's season 5 arc, this time punishing people who should have supported her, but not to the point of killing. So we're going to have fun before she sees the error of her ways, probably teaming up with Lex in 6B. Meanwhile, Lena is getting actual character development. As Brainy has had the killer lines this season, it's "about time" Lena was a fully accepted SuperFriend. It should have happened in season 3 (imagine how much failed tech plot we'd skip if Lena wasn't outsourced), rather than having her be stuck in a loop of family abuse for four seasons. The showrunners make characters fit plots and reset them to zero for the next plot, rather than characters organically growing. Plus, the plots are so weak that they need a shock to sustain them through the second half of the season. Everything that happens with J'onn is of little consequence as they all go back to Mars (though it is lovely that M'Gann is still here). Nia had a great introductory season and then sidelined. Kelly doesn't have agency and dispenses advice like a fortune cookie. James became the CEO of a company and instead of exploring the workload that Cat Grant endured, he added vigilante to his abilities. James had a damaged eye in season 4 which would have impacted his photography, but they removed the disability rather than explore consequences for being a superhero without abilities. Alex suffers the worst for serving the plot, changing on an episodic basis, and so much for her having a quieter desk job to have children. Brainy parellels Lena for working with Lex and his romance (coding at this point after pinky promises?) with Nia, so somehow it's Lena that's driving the narrative. It's the final season so whatever progress characters make should stick. Should, but having no faith as the reset, sidestep, and contradictory buttons have been hit too many times.

The show is called Supergirl, so with any good showrunners, the audience should see a throughline of organic development of the titular character, and six seasons in we should be able to predict the natural conclusion of her arc. Any guesses what Kara's through line is? Answers on a postcard from the Phantom Zone. Delays expected due to pandemic precautions aka smashing mirrors. I can't believe the showrunners had the opportunity to delay filming so Benoist could have maternity leave. Instead we have the titular character going nowhere in her final season for seven episodes. The show could be called Aliens Of National City, as we're seeing the main cast develop in Kara's absence. The show has always been good at characters talking about each other rather than to each other. We see the progress when Nia and Brainy talk to each other, and when J'onn and M'gann talk to each other, and Kelly and Alex talk to each other. But who has Lena got to talk to? At this point I'm wondering if Lena will talk to everyone in succession as a 'welcome to the family', or if the cursory Nia tour and J'onn acknowledgement is it, with the Brainy BrOTP and now Alex dispensing sisterly advice on the Balcony of Feels. "Forgive youself already and move on," seems like huge progress from a woman that was ready to drop a bomb on her.

Lena (I feel like Kara, mentioning her all the time) has added more romantic parallels. On a balcony, Clark told Kara that he'd choose Lois over world, and on a balcony Lena chooses Kara over the world. Lena's priority has always been Kara/Supergirl (she hasn't made saving suits for anyone else). She killed her ex boyfriend Jack, killed her brother, and was prepared to boost the Phantom population to save Kara (people only care if it's humans or human passings dying). "There's no line I wouldn't cross to keep you safe," is what she told her romantic partner James in season 3. Kara's done the same for Lena over the years, notably not dropping her from a plane at the risk of poisoning the water supply, letting Metallo Lena kill her rather than fight her, and wouldn't stop her using Myriad for Non Nocere. Another romantic parallel is the handing over of soul fragments. J'onn brought M'Gann back using a piece of her soul that she'd bonded to him romantically, and Lena was given Kara's digital soul to bring her back.

The digital soul recording being lost forever is an easily unravelled plot point. They could just use a phone to record the recording. Similarly, having to time travel to 2009 Midvale is unnecessary. Alex only remembers Kara solar flaring twice, the window in which to get her DNA to track her. I remember the most recent flare being 5x01, where Kara says she'll solar flare to close the black hole at the event horizon. And I imagine she blew her powers in the Reign fight, which is why she was dropped off the roof. Plus, as much as I like the crystal recording to be gone so the bangs can be forgotten, Kara had to flare to cut her fringe. And in the civilian world, DNA is strong in families. I’m surprised the genetic blueprint for the House of El isn’t in the Fortress. Kara's mother is still alive on Argo, and Clark as a first cousin will share DNA. Heck, even if they pulled Zor-El out by mistake because of the familial match would make sense here to keep Kara gone longer. I can't believe the Earth Prime DEO didn't have a vial of Supergirl's blood on hand in case they needed to get into the Fortress, the way Lillian did in season 2. I should be rewarded for paying attention, not disappointed.

- Why does Zor-El speak Earth languages in the Phantom Zone? I had assumed until 'daughter' that they were speaking Kryptonese but for the sake of the audience it was presented as English. - I do love the data crystal recording though. Talking about found family is one thing, but phrasing it as 'not about names' when people have only ever had issue with the name Luthor. - Nia misses her mom. Brainy offers himself as a replacement. Kara misses the parents she remembered. Taking bets that Lena offers herself as a replacement. - Show not even hiding the rip off ideas from other shows. Ghostbusters! - Apparently Lena doesn't sleep when Kara's in danger. - I'm not bothered that the Fortress of Solitude is 'home' in the mirror. I assume it's programmed to lock onto the nearest Krypton soil sample. -Like the hand holding focus

[light-miracles]

I don't hate Lena but I have to admit her fans are really too much sometimes. Them saying Katie carries the show and Lena is the reason why everyone watch SG is really insulting Melissa who is the shows lead. Why would Mel is first billed actress if Audience only watch the season for Katie? Fact is there are like 5k ppl in twitter who are obsessed with Lena and trends her every week and are delusional spreading lies that Lena is the soul reason everyone watch the show because she trends everyweek. I have never seen Barry or Superman trend everyweem but still the views are higher than SG. 99% of the audience who watch SG don't even give a fuck about social media or trending. Even CW doesn't give a fuck about it. Also tending Lena is not that difficult 2k ppl tweeting "Lena" 20 times in a hour is enough to have 40k plus tweets. It's that simple. Fact is if they have written off Lena earlier views wouldn't have dropped at all. May be some 5k to 6k lesbians would have stopped watching it. Thats all. Lena is not even In any of the crisis because she is not that important or popular in arrowverse universe. Plus please go and check the episodes where Lena is absent from s2 to s3, views didn't even drop 1%.

Facts. And it's not wrong to like Lena per se, everyone can have different tastes in fictional characters or simply liking different actors (like, we all know Lena wouldn't be that popular without Katie McGrath's pretty face) but it starts being a problem the moment they get aggressive and rude towards everyone with a different opinion. Like damn I still can't like William Dey in peace without 5/6 dumbasses sharing their unwanted opinion and commenting how much they hate him on either my posts or my inbox (I always erase them instead of replying because I'm not wasting time on that).

And the absolutely incorrect way they use the word 'queerbaiting' is unnerving. They really don't know what it is. Queerbaiting is the actual promise/explicit and unequivocal tease of a queer relationship that never happens. No, it's not being a billionaire and without any problem (again, billionaire) buying flowers for the only person who believed in your innocence when you were in prison. And no, it's not being a flying alien and without any problem (again, flying alien) buying ice cream on the other side of the world for a friend when you feel guilty about making them feel hurt. Writers and actors have always called them just friends. Kara canonly said Lena is like a sister to her. There's no broken promise of a queer relationship. There's no queerbaiting. You guys just ship two pretty girls and decided to make it everyone else's problem.

Actual examples of queerbaiting:

Beronica in Riverdale. They kissed on the trailer and when you watch the show, their kiss is actually fake and just a game.

Nygmobblepot in Gotham. Oswald's whole character arc in season 3 was being in love with Edward and... It's never addressed again. Totally dropped like if that never happened. Oswald tells him he loves him and NEVER gets a response of that. But Edward is still in his life and they keep having the heavy 'i need you' talks but without ever addressing Oswald's love confession again. It was weird as fuck.

Whatever the fuck happened with Destiel.

[tothemaxxx]

My Favorite Films and Performances of 2020

“I wish I could’ve seen it on the big screen.”

It was a strange year, and even stranger year of movie watching. In 2020 I saw only one of my top films in a theater, which is crazy (like much else over these past months). But the experience of keeping up with the movies this year was a reminder that great filmmaking can transcend the specifics of the viewing experience. In your living room, in bed, projected onto the side of a garage, streaming on Twitch, broken up into multiple sittings, maybe even on your phone (desperate times)… if doesn’t matter as long as it connects with you. A great film has the power to soothe and transport, to alter your perspective, to re-wire your brain. So while I didn’t get on a single airplane last year, I definitely went places. And I’m grateful for these changes of scenery. For the time-travel as well; last year in my house, we found great comfort in revisiting a bunch of old favorites. It was also an opportunity to finally watch a number of those older films that had someone evaded us… a year of catching up, now or never. We were members of a weekly movie club for some months — that was cool. Another pleasant silver lining was the emergence of virtual film festivals, which have been a fantastic opportunity. I hope that they can continue in some form when this pandemic is in the rearview. Because, you know, getting to Park City is a real schlep. All this to say: like you, I’ll always remember 2020. In this truly crummy year, the movies really helped.

I’m including some of the film festival stuff that’s coming out a little later, because the boundaries between 2020 films and 2021 films feels blurry to me without proper theatrical releases.

TOP 5, loosely ranked. I love these deeply.

1. LOVERS ROCK, Steve McQueen

2. NOMADLAND, Chloe Zhao

3. ANOTHER ROUND, Thomas Vinterberg

4. TIME, Garrett Bradley

5. MARTIN EDEN, Pietro Marcello

--------------------

The rest of the Top 25, in alphabetical order. I loved these.

À L’ABORDAGE, Guillaume Brac

BACURAU, Kleber Mendonça Filho

COLOR OUT OF SPACE, Richard Stanley

THE FATHER, Florian Zeller

FIRST COW, Kelly Reichardt

I’M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS, Charlie Kaufman

JASPER MALL, Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb

LUXOR, Zeina Durra

ALEX WHEATLE / EDUCATION / MANGROVE / RED, WHITE AND BLUE, Steve McQueen

THE NEST, Sean Durkin

NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS, Eliza Hittman

NEW ORDER, Michel Franco

THE PAINTER & THE THIEF, Benjamin Ree

THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD, Armando Iannucci

POSSESSOR, Brandon Cronenberg

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, Emerald Fennell

RELIC, Natalie Erika James

SAINT FRANCES, Alex Thompson

SOUND OF METAL, Darius Marder

THE TRUTH, Hirokazu Koreeda

--------------------

I also enjoyed (some more than others):

Apples, The Assistant, Babyteeth, Bad Education, Black Bear, Blow the Man Down, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Butt Boy, The Climb, Da 5 Bloods, Deerskin, Emma, The Father (Bulgaria), Greed, His House, The Hunt, I Used to Go Here, I'm No Longer Here, Impetigore, The Intruder, The Invisible Man, Kajillionaire, La Llorona, Let Them All Talk, Lost Girls, The Man Who Sold His Skin, Mank, Never Gonna Snow Again, News of the World, One Night in Miami, Palm Springs, Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time, Rebecca, She Dies Tomorrow, Shirley, Slow Machine, Sorry We Missed You, Soul, Spree, Straight Up, A Sun, Swallow, Tenet, Tesla, Tommaso, The Traitor, The Trip to Greece, True History of the Kelly Gang, Uncle Frank, Under the Open Sky, The Vast of Night, Vitalina Varela, Wendy, The Whistlers, Wildland, Young Ahmed

--------------------

And these documentaries!

American Murder: The Family Next Door, The American Sector, Assassins, Beastie Boys Story, The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, Bloody Nose Empty Pockets, Boys State, Brainiac: Transmissions After Zero, Circus of Books, Class Action Park, Collective, Crip Camp, David Byrne's American Utopia, Dick Johnson is Dead, Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds, The Go-Go's, Gunda, Miss Americana, MLK/FBI, The Mole Agent, Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado, My Psychedelic Love Story, Mystify: Michael Hutchence, Narrowsburg, On the Record, Other Music, Sisters with Transistors, Spaceship Earth, The Way I See It, Whirlybird

--------------------

And these shorts:

Bye Bye Body (which I edited), Fit Model, Friday Night Pizza for Daddy, Hard Cracked the Wind, The Human Voice, John Was Trying to Contact Aliens, Michael's Preference West, What Did Jack Do?, World of Tomorrow Episode Three: The Absent Destinations of David Prime

--------------------

My favorite performance of the year:

Frances McDormand as Fern in Nomadland

--------------------

Favorite ensembles:

À l’abordage, Another Round, Bad Education, Babyteeth, Bloody Nose Empty Pockets, Blow the Man Down, Emma, First Cow, Kajillionaire, Let Them All Talk, Lovers Rock, Mangrove, Mank, One Night in Miami, The Personal History of David Copperfield, Promising Young Woman, True History of the Kelly Gang

--------------------

More memorable (and in some cases under-discussed) performances:

Christopher Abbott as Colin Tate in Possessor and as Gabe in Black Bear

Idir Ben Addi as Ahmed in Young Ahmed

Riz Ahmed as Ruben Stone in Sound of Metal

Daniel Algrant as Kelvin Kranz in Let Them All Talk

Maria Bakalova as Tutar Sagdiyev in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Haley Bennett as Hunter Conrad in Swallow

John Boyega as Leroy Logan in Red, White and Blue

Rob Brydon as Rob Brydon in The Trip to Greece

Jessie Buckley as Young Woman in I’m Thinking of Ending Things

Nicolas Cage as Nathan Gardner in Color Out of Space

Salif Cissé as Chérif in À L’abordage

Sheyi Cole as Alex Wheatle in Alex Wheatle

Cleopatra Coleman as Trina in The Argument

Carrie Coon as Allison O’Hara in The Nest

Michael Angelo Covino as Mike in The Climb

Willem Dafoe as Tommaso in Tommaso

Charles Dance as William Randolph Hearst in Mank

Catherine Deneuve as Fabienne Dangeville in The Truth

Katie Findlay as Rory in Straight Up

Sidney Flanigan as Autumn in Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Johnny Flynn as George Knightley in Emma

Julia Garner as Jane in The Assistant

Robbie Gee as Simeon in Alex Wheatle

Chris Giarmo as himself in David Byrne’s American Utopia

Betty Gilpin as Crystal Creasey in The Hunt

Ethan Hawke as Hank in The Truth

Kris Hitchen as Ricky Turner in Sorry We Missed You

Anthony Hopkins as Anthony in The Father

Jonathan Jules as Dennis Isaacs in Alex Wheatle

Sandra Guldberg Kampp as Ida in Wildland

Joe Keery as Kurt Knuckle in Spree

Udo Kier as Michael in Bacurau

Orion Lee as King Lu in First Cow

Delroy Lindo as Paul in Da 5 Bloods

Peter Macdissi as Walid "Wally" Nadeem in Uncle Frank

Matthew Macfadyen as Wilcock in The Assistant

George MacKay as Ned Kelly in True History of the Kelly Gang

Yahya Mahayni as Sam Ali in The Man Who Sold His Skin

Luca Marinelli as Martin Eden in Martin Eden

Tuppence Middleton as Sara Mankiewicz in Mank

Mads Mikkelsen as Martin in Another Round

Wunmi Mosaku as Rial in His House

Elisabeth Moss as Cecilia Kass in The Invisible Man

Kelly O'Sullivan as Bridget in Saint Frances

Shaun Parkes as Frank Crichlow in Mangrove

Robert Pattinson as Neil in Tenet

Paul Raci as Joe in Sound of Metal

Kadeem Ramsay as Samson in Lovers Rock

Gayle Rankin as Marissa in The Climb

Tanya Reynolds as Mrs Augusta Elton in Emma

Tyler Rice as Detective Russell Fox in Butt Boy

Andrea Riseborough as Hana in Luxor

Cecilia Roth as Marta in The Intruder

William Sadler as the Grim Reaper in Bill & Ted Face the Music

Kenyah Sandy as Kingsley Smith in Education

Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn as Martha Trenton in Lovers Rock

David Strathairn as David in Nomadland

Michael Stuhlbarg as Stanley Edgar Hyman in Shirley

Swankie as Swankie in Nomadland

Tilda Swinton as Woman in The Human Voice

Kristin Scott Thomas as Mrs. Danvers in Rebecca

Steve Toussaint as Ken Logan in Red, White and Blue

Alec Utgoff as Zhenia in Never Gonna Snow Again

Jairaj Varsani as young David Copperfield in The Personal History of David Copperfield

Ben Whishaw as Uriah Heep in The Personal History of David Copperfield

Sharlene Whyte as Agnes Smith in Education

Letitia Wright as Altheia Jones-LeCointe in Mangrove

Ramona Edith Williams as Frances in Saint Frances

Kôji Yakusho as Masao Mikami in Under the Open Sky

Youn Yuh-jung as Soon-ja in Minari

Helena Zengel as Johanna Leonberger in News of the World

--------------------

Favorite pre-2020 films I saw for the first time in 2020:

Blood on the Moon, But I’m A Cheerleader, Crooklyn, Cure, Daughters of the Dust, The Death of Dick Long, Deep Cover, The Draughtsman's Contract, Eyes of Laura Mars, Give Me Liberty, Greener Grass, Hardcore, High Hopes, The Last Party, Long Day's Journey into Night, Maiden, One Day Pina Asked, Persona, Right Now Wrong Then, Right On!, The Seventh Victim, Slightly French, Synonyms, Tammy and the T-Rex, Variety, The Watermelon Woman... and a tip of the hat to Coppola's new The Godfather Part III recut, The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone

[papermoonloveslucy]

MY FAVORITE HUSBAND ~ Season 1, Part 2 (Cooper)

January 7, 1949 - July 1, 1949

“My Favorite Husband” ~ Season one aired on CBS Radio from July 5, 1948 to July 1, 1949.  There were 51 half hour episodes.  Starting in January 1949, the characters would have their last name changed to Cugat, the character of Cory Cartwright would was phased out, Gale Gordon and Bea Benadaret became regulars as the Atterburys, and the main sponsor became Jell-O.

Regular Cast: Lucille Ball as Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Cooper, Richard Denning as George Cooper, Ruth Perrott as Katie the Maid, Gale Gordon as Rudoph Atterbury, Bea Benadaret as Iris Atterbury, and Bob LeMond, Announcer.  

Season 1 (Part Two) Guest Cast: Frank Nelson (11 episodes), Hans Conried (9 episodes), Florence Halop (3 episodes), Jerry Hausner (2 episodes), Gerald Mohr (2 episodes), Alan Reed (2 episodes), Doris Singleton (2 episodes), Joe Kearns, Jack Edwards, Jean Vander Pyl, William Johnston, Verna Felton, GeGe Pearson, Pinto Colvig, Steve Allen, Elvia Allman, Gloria Blondell, John Heistand, John Heistand, Parley Baer, Peter Leeds, Shirley Mitchell, Wally Maher, Shirley Mitchell, Johnny McGovern, Ted DeCorsia, Milton Stark, and Mary Lansing.

To Experience the Full Episode Blogs - for both “My Favorite Husband” and “I Love Lucy” - simply click on the hyperlinked (underlined) text.

* = Episodes not available for preview or considered lost.

“Over Budget - Beans” (aka “Beans for Three Weeks”) ~ January 7, 1949 

Synopsis ~ Liz goes over her budget again by buying six cases of beans that were on special so George cuts off her allowance. Soon they’re eating nothing but beans, and the electricity and telephone have been disconnected!

”Piano & Violin Lessons”  (aka “Professor Krausmeyer’s Talent Scouts”) ~ January 14, 1949

Synopsis ~ Liz takes up the piano to win a radio talent contest. To get even, George starts playing the violin. Who will win?

“The Marriage License Error” (aka “Marriage License”) ~ January 21, 1949

Synopsis ~ Liz and George find their marriage license and discover that instead of “George H. Cooper,” it says “George C. Hooper.” Now Liz is convinced that she and George aren’t legally married!

Portions served as the basis for The “I Love Lucy” episode “The Marriage License” 

“The Absolute Truth” ~ January 28, 1949

Synopsis ~ Liz and George bet each other that they can each go for 24 hours without telling a lie. Even a little white one.

Basis for the “I Love Lucy” episode “Lucy Tells the Truth” 

“Speech for Civic Organization” (aka “Liz Debates Alaska in Town Forum”) ~ February 4, 1949 

Synopsis ~ Liz, anxious to win the approval of an important dinner guest, simply agrees with everything he says. The guest is so impressed with her intelligence that he invites her to be a speaker at his next civic forum.

“Valentine’s Day” (aka “Valentine’s Day Mischief”) ~ February 11, 1949 

Synopsis ~ Katie, the Maid, is sweet on Mr. Dabney, the butcher, and Liz offers to help. But when Liz’s Valentine to George gets switched with her check to pay the butcher’s bill, Mr. Dabney gets the wrong idea.

Basis for the “I Love Lucy” episode “Lucy Plays Cupid” 

“Secretarial School” (aka “Liz Attends Claremont Business School”) ~ February 18, 1949

Synopsis ~ George needs a new secretary, so Liz enrolls in secretarial school so she can fill the position.

“Absentmindedness” (aka “Liz’s Absent-mindedness”) ~ February 25, 1949 

Synopsis ~ Liz goes to see a doctor about her absentmindedness, and then reports her car to be stolen when she forgets that George dropped her off at the doctor! Liz takes a memory course. It works in reverse and she ends up with amnesia and George finds himself in jail.

*“Mother-In-Law” ~ March 5, 1949

Synopsis ~ George's mother comes to visit. Liz hopes to drive her out by spreading ragweed and other allergy-inducing plants around the house, but her plan backfires when George's mother starts dating her allergist.

Gale Gordon and Bea Benaderet, do not play the Atterburys in this program. Bea Benaderet plays George's mother, and Gale Gordon plays George's mother's boyfriend.

“Charity Revue” (aka “Red Cross Benefit Revue”) ~ March 11, 1949

Synopsis ~ Mr. Atterbury asks George to work up a song and dance routine for the local Red Cross Charity Review. At the same time Liz’s women’s club recruits her to perform.

Basis for the “I Love Lucy” episode “The Benefit” 

*”Giveaway Program” (aka “The Johnny Odell Program”) ~ March 18, 1949

Synopsis ~ Liz never misses her favorite giveaway radio program, "Ring the Bell With Johnny O'Dell." She's convinced that she's going to get called on the phone and win the grand prize.

Basis for the “I Love Lucy” episode "Redecorating"

*”Old Jokes and Old Stories” ~ March 25, 1949

Synopsis ~ Liz keeps stepping on George's punch lines during an evening with the Atterburys. George finally puts his foot down, and Liz promises from then on to obey his every command. Things are going fine until George somehow gets the mistaken idea that Liz is so upset with this news that she is planning to run off with the Atterburys' chauffer.

“April Fool’s Day” ~ April 1, 1949 

Synopsis ~ As an April Fool’s joke, Liz plans to plant a lipstick-smeared handkerchief in George’s coat pocket.

“Gum Machine” (aka “The Principal of the Thing” aka “Demand Your Rights”) ~  April 9, 1949 

Synopsis ~ George tells Liz that she needs to stand up for her rights and stop letting people push her around. So when Liz loses a penny in a broken gum machine, she vows to get her penny back no matter what the cost.

“Horseback Riding” (aka “Liz Takes Horseback Riding Lessons”) ~ April 15, 1949

Synopsis ~ George’s female co-chair for his horseback riding club’s upcoming weekend breakfast ride has Liz so jealous that she’s determined to overcome her fear of horses and learn to ride herself.

“Time Budgeting” (aka “George and His Trained Seals”) ~ April 22, 1949 

Synopsis ~ George is so fed up with Liz’s being late for everything that he puts her on a strict schedule.

Basis for the “I Love Lucy” episode “Lucy’s Schedule”

“Vacation Time” (aka “Trailer Vacation to Goosegrease Lake”) ~ April 29, 1949 

Synopsis ~ It’s vacation time, and Liz and George have decidedly different plans. He wants to go camping with a trailer he borrowed from a friend, while she’s set on a glamorous vacation at Moosehead Lodge.

Partly inspired the premise of the “My Favorite Husband” episode “Liz Learns To Swim” 

“Overweight” (aka “The Five-Dollar-A-Pound Diet”) ~ May 6, 1949 

Synopsis ~ After viewing some old home movies, Liz and Iris decide to go on a diet.

Some elements later used to create the “I Love Lucy” episode “The Diet”

“Anniversary Presents” (aka “Tenth Anniversary Presents”) ~ May 13, 1949 

Synopsis ~ George and Mr. Atterbury buy presents for their wives, and Iris’s present, a mink coat, is delivered to Liz’s house by mistake.

Basis for the “I Love Lucy” episode “The Fur Coat”

“Getting Old” (aka “Liz Is Feeling Her Age”) ~ May 20, 1949

Synopsis ~ Scanning her old high school yearbook, Liz decides she’s old, and everything George does to try to snap her out of it just makes things worse. George tries to convince Liz that she’s as glamourous as ever. His tactics misfire so George is forced to hire a psychiatrist.

Partly inspired the “I Love Lucy” episode “The Inferiority Complex”

“Liz in the Hospital” (aka “Liz Goes To The Hospital”) ~ May 27, 1949 

Synopsis ~ The doctor pays a house call to see what’s wrong with George, and discovers that Liz needs to have her tonsils removed!

“Hair Dyed” (aka “Liz Gets Her Hair Dyed”) ~ June 10, 1949 

Synopsis ~  After George warning Liz about the dangers of idle gossip, Liz’s chatty and absent-minded hair stylist forgets what she’s doing and mistakenly dyes Liz’s hair black. Nobody recognizes Liz, so she decides to flirt with George to test his fidelity. Gossip about Liz and George spreads all over town.

The first part was the basis for the “I Love Lucy” episode “The Gossip” and the second half inspired “The Black Wig”

“Television” (aka “George Ruins a Neighbor’s TV” aka “The Television Suit”) ~ June 17, 1949 

Synopsis ~ Liz and George’s visit to their next-door neighbors, the Stones, turns into a disaster when George tries to repair the Stones’ new television set by himself.

Basis for the “I Love Lucy” episode “The Courtroom” 

“Liz Changes Her Mind” ~ June 24, 1949 & September 30, 1950 (rerun)

Synopsis ~ When Liz has trouble making up her mind, George decides she must finish everything she starts.

Basis for “I Love Lucy” "Lucy Changes Her Mind”

“Reminiscing” ~ July 1, 1949

Synopsis ~  Liz is working on her scrapbook, and she and George reminisce about when Liz learned to drive and got her license, when Liz signed an affidavit swearing never to interrupt George’s stories again, and when the butcher thought that Liz had a crush on him.

[tabloidtoc]

Us, January 25

You can now buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Olivia Wilde, Harry Styles and Jason Sudeikis 

Page 2: Red Carpet -- drop sleeve romance -- Cynthia Erivo, Margaret Qualley, Aja Naomi King, Eiza Gonzalez 

Page 3: Chloe Bennet, Keri Russell, Isla Fisher, Idina Menzel, Kaia Gerber

Page 4: Who Wore It Best? Gigi Hadid vs. Khloe Kardashian, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley vs. Haley Lu Richardson 

Page 6: Loose Talk -- Rowan Atkinson on cancel culture, Chrissy Teigen on why she gave up drinking, Busy Philipps on getting used to her 12-year-old child Birdie’s they/them pronouns, Joy Behar resuming her feud with fellow View cohost Meghan McCain who recently returned from maternity leave, Arnold Schwarzenegger on mistaking Chris Pratt for Chris Evans on an Instagram telethon

Page 8: Contents 

Page 10: Hot Pics -- Angelina Jolie enjoyed a bit of retail therapy in L.A. 

Page 11: Justin Bieber took an electric bike out for a spin while on vacation in Hawaii, Gavin Rossdale holding his beloved dog during an outing in Studio City, Selling Sunset’s Christine Quinn wore pink during a photoshoot in Bel Air 

Page 12: Olivia Munn, Tori Spelling got a smooch from her and husband Dean McDermott’s pups in L.A., Emilio Vitolo Jr. and Katie Holmes walked arm-in-arm during a romantic stroll in NYC 

Page 13: Emma Slater and Sasha Farber stepped out for some fresh air with their dogs Ruby and Grinch in L.A., Dua Lipa and Anwar Hadid spent their days soaking up the sun while on vacation in Tulum, Mexico 

Page 16: Matt Damon was spotted without his wedding ring while visiting BFF Ben Affleck one month after celebrating his 15th anniversary with wife Luciana Barroso in L.A., Sutton Foster filming Younger with Nico Tortorella and Debi Mazar in NYC, during an outing Lisa Rinna took her dance moves to the streets in L.A. 

Page 17: Diplo spent the day exploring the ocean during a scuba diving session in Tulum, Bella Thorne and boyfriend Benjamin Mascolo couldn’t keep their hands off each other while playing in the ocean in Tulum 

Page 18: Jennifer Lopez works her monochrome magic 

Page 20: Winter Wonderland -- ‘tis the season to bundle up -- Kellan Lutz sipping on hot drinks with pregnant wife Brittany in NYC, Irina Shayk posed with a snowman she built in NYC, Kylie Jenner and daughter Stormi kept warm and cozy in fashionable outerwear, Bella Hadid made a snow angel following a storm in NYC 

Page 21: Martha Stewart in her snow plow in Bedford in New York, Rebel Wilson hitting the slopes in Aspen, Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma played with their daughter Banks outside in North Reading in Massachusetts, Ciara skiing for the first time during a trip with Vanessa Bryant, Laura Prepon building a snowman 

Page 22: Stars They’re Just Like Us -- Wells Adams broke a sweat during an afternoon jog in L.A., Gabrielle Union donated items to her favorite organizations through the Amazon Smile Charity Lists in L.A., Jenny McCarthy checked taking out the trash off her to-do list in Chicago 

Page 23: Ellen DeGeneres pedaled to lunch in Santa Barbara, between carrying a huge basket and walking his dog Kuma Justin Theroux has his hands full while out and about in NYC 

Page 24: Love Lives -- Emma Stone baby on board 

Page 25: Chrissy Metz and boyfriend Bradley Collins met on the dating app Bumble, after spending months in Australia Zac Efron has no plans to return to Hollywood because he’s loving life with girlfriend Vanessa Valladares 

Page 26: Hollywood Moms -- Melissa Joan Hart on her three sons Mason and Braydon and Tucker 

Page 27: Amber Rose’s sons Sebastian and Slash may be six years apart but she says they have the sweetest bond, Rachel Bilson’s daughter Briar has no idea that dad Hayden Christensen played Darth Vader, Melissa Rycroft has ruled out baby No. 4 

Page 28: Hot Hollywood -- Duchess Kate Middleton’s family made her recent birthday very special despite the pandemic -- during her low-key celebration at Anmer Hall she felt the love from Prince William and their kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis and they gave her a bouquet from the kids and diamond and sapphire earrings from William which she loves -- she even received a card and gifts from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle which was a nice surprise and she may get to thank them in person as Harry and Meghan will reportedly return to the UK in June 

Page 29: After months of dating speculation Michael B. Jordan and Lori Harvey finally confirmed their relationship via Instagram when Michael and Steve Harvey’s adopted daughter posted loved-up photos of each other on their accounts 

* Nearly 17 years after the Sex and the City series finale aired stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis are reprising their roles for a revival called And Just Like That...Noticeably absent from the group is Kim Cattrall who’s had an ongoing feud with Sarah Jessica for years and has been vocal about her decision to never return to the show 

* Keeping Up With Us -- Gwen Stefani’s annulment from ex-husband Gavin Rossdale has finally been granted by the Vatican which was a huge relief for Gwen who wants her marriage to Blake Shelton to be recognized by the Catholic Church, Meghan Markle’s estranged dad Thomas Markle says that he’s very pleased with daughter Samantha Markle’s upcoming tell-all book, The Grammys has been delayed to March 14 over coronavirus concerns, Shia LaBeouf and Margaret Qualley have called it quits on their weeks-long whirlwind romance, Dr. Dre said he’s doing great after being hospitalized for a brain aneurysm, Stassi Schroeder and fiance Beau Clark welcomed daughter Hartford Charlie Rose 

Page 30: A Day in the Life -- Catherine Lowe 

Page 31: Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson has a lot to look forward in 2021 -- not only is she releasing a new book this summer which is a historical fiction novel titled Her Heart For a Compass but the Duchess of York is also preparing to become a first-time grandmother to Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s child -- though the little one’s arrival is still weeks away Fergie’s already started passing down her motherly wisdom to her 30-year-old daughter whom she shares with ex-husband Prince Andrew -- as for what she’s hoping to be called by her grandchild she says lots of her friends call her Duch so she thinks it will end up being Duchee 

Page 32: Cover Story -- Olivia Wilde’s love triangle -- Olivia’s ex Jason Sudeikis is devastated as her new romance with Harry Styles heats up 

Page 36: Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West behind closed doors -- as rumors of impending divorce swirl what’s really happening inside Kim and Kanye’s six-year marriage -- it was extremely draining to keep pretending that their marriage was OK when the whole world could tell it blatantly wasn’t and things between them have gotten so toxic they have no choice but to live apart 

Page 38: One for the Ages -- it’s nothing but a number -- these couples don’t mind a May to December romance -- Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, George Clooney and Amal Clooney, Olivia Wilde and Harry Styles 

Page 39: Leonardo DiCaprio and Camila Morrone, Jay-Z and Beyonce, David Foster and Katharine McPhee, Holland Taylor and Sarah Paulson 

Page 40: Natalie Portman’s lip service with Dior’s wildly popular Rouge Dior Couture lipstick -- she stuns in a series of images that evoke the splendor of Paris and peep the behind-the-scenes moments 

Page 42: Entertainment -- The Bachelor Matt James teases what’s to come 

Page 43: Dean Hashim of 90 Day Fiance on having a daughter with girlfriend Rigin Bado 

Page 46: Fashion Police -- when bad clothes happen to good people -- Miley Cyrus, Bella Hadid, Alia Shawkat 

Page 47: A$AP Rocky, Kate Flannery, Tessa Thompson 

Page 48: 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me -- Tim Allen 

[harryissuchalittleshit]

The Katie headcanons were brutal and I feel horrible for the kids. It’s good she left because if she had stayed, the possible psychological damage to her children would have been worse. A resentful parent is worse than an absent one.

Al and Maggie are soooo toxic and their relationship when they’re younger sounds horrible. Does Maggie confess her love first or Al? Also, kudos to Maggie for slamming the door in Al’s face. He deserved it. I just have to ask for more Maggie and Al headcannons because they are fascinating.

In all honesty, I was probably being a little too harsh, but everyone wanted something angsty so there’s that to consider...

So Maggie said I love you first when they were younger and it completely threw Al through a loop

But Al says it first when their older, and it’s a big thing for him

Their relationship when they’re younger is just all about sex and not about emotion connection, they are attracted to each other but they don’t want anyone to know they’re together

They don’t want to deal with their family’s when their younger, but it’s not until they’re older they realize that it doesn’t mean they need to be mean to one another

Collin helps too

Al can’t look at Collin and then look at Maggie and insult her, the amount of guilt he feels for not being there for her while she was pregnant is overwhelming

Also, he’s coming to the realization that he was really shitty to her because he was in love and he didn’t know how to handle it

Al is a very goal oriented person and he thought that Maggie was a distraction, which is why he “broke up” with her before graduation

But it was better that they were apart because Al would’ve resented Collin and Maggie

He realizes this in the 24/hour period after he meets Collin and sees Maggie for the first time in three years

They’re only about a month in when Al tells Maggie that he loves her one quiet morning

They’re lying in bed together and Maggie thinks that Collin is in bed with them, but then she rolls over and it’s just her and Al

He APOLOGIZES for all the shit he gave her when he was younger and tells her that he really loves her

Emphasis on her is so important!!

Maggie starts crying because she can’t believe that it’s true because she felt this way for so long about him and here is Al just giving himself to her

It’s why when he leaves it’s so much more devastating

When Al gets back and after Maggie slams the door on his face, he realizes he needs to do the one thing he pushes off for so long

He walks right into the Auror offices, goes right up to Harry in the middle of a meeting with several of the Senior Aurors (all people that are his parents age and knew him as a toddler) and tells him that he has a son

He pulls out the one photo of himself and Maggie and Collin and slams it down on the table, because Al is DRAMATIC (and I love it!!!!)

Harry doesn’t know what to say, Ron and Hermione don’t know what to say, none of the other Aurors know what to say, but you know who does know what to say??

Scorpius! (Boom mic drop)

“Get the hell out of here and go being with her then!!”

And he leaves to go to Maggie and Collin and try again, but not before telling everyone of his cousins and aunts and uncles and grandparents and his mum that he loves Collin and Maggie

Maggie rejects him again, and Al sees her with Carson (her older brother)

He gets drunk and has a literal fist fight with the man! Screaming about how Collin would never be his son and how he would go to court for him and how scary his aunt is in the court room

(Which Hermione can be scary when she wants to be)

Carson is so confused, he and William were just helping out for when the babies came

He realizes a lot fast than Al does that he doesn’t know he’s Maggie’s older brother

Good thing Carson is a trained mediwizard and is used to his boyfriend getting stupid injuries while playing Quidditch (did I mention that Katie won’t be the only Wood we get to see! I love Jacob Wood!!)

Carson and Jacob drop Al off with Maggie and tell her to LISTEN to what he’s done

Al tells her everything, why he was gone for so long, that he told his whole family everything, that he missed her and wrote her and Collin all the time, that he’s sorry he was gone

And as a final note to his apology he pulls out the ring box he’s been carrying around since a month in

He was going to propose on that quiet morning, but got too into his own head

Maggie would’ve said yes then too

Jump ahead about ten weeks and Aly and Cassi are born!! Al quits the Aurors about two months later

Then they’re Hogwarts bound

[weirdletter]

Fantastika Journal, Volume 4, Issue 1, edited by Kerry Dodd, July 2020. Cover art by Sinjin Li, info and free download: fantastikajournal.com.

“Fantastika” – a term appropriated from a range of Slavonic languages by John Clute — embraces the genres of Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror, but can also include Alternate History, Gothic, Steampunk, Young Adult Dystopic Fiction, or any other radically imaginative narrative space. The goal of Fantastika Journal and its annual conference is to bring together academics and independent researchers who share an interest in this diverse range of fields with the aim of opening up new dialogues, productive controversies and collaborations. We invite articles examining all mediums and disciplines which concern the Fantastika genres. This special issue is based off the fifth Fantastika conference — After Fantastika — which investigated how definitions of time are negotiated within Fantastika literature, exploring not only the conception of its potential rigidity but also how its prospective malleability offers an avenue through which orthodox systems of thought may be reconfigured. By interrogating the principal attributes of this concept alongside its centrality to human thought, this issue considers how Fantastika may offer an alternate lens through which to examine the past, present, and future of time itself.

EDITORIAL After Bowie: Apocalypse, Television and Worlds to Come – Andrew Tate

ARTICLES In the Ruins of Time: The Eerie in the Films of Jia Zhangke – Sarah Dodd The Time Machine and the Child: Imperialism, Utopianism, and H. G. Wells – Katie Stone “Turn[ing] dreams into reality”: Individual Autonomy and the Psychology of Sehnsucht in Two Time Travel Narratives by Alfred Bester – Molly Cobb Dystopian Surveillance and the Legacy of Cold War Experimentation in Joyce Carol Oates’s Hazards of Time Travel (2018) – Nicolas Stavris “THE ONLYES POWER IS NO POWER”: Disrupting Phallocentrism in the Post-Apocalyptic Space of Russell Hoban’s Riddley Walker (1980) – Sarah France “Then when are we? It's like I'm trapped in a dream or a memory from a life long ago”: A Cognitive Analysis of Temporal Disorientation and Reorientation in the First Season of HBO’s Westworld – Zoe Wible Rewriting Myth and Genre Boundaries: Narrative Modalities in The Book of All Hours by Hal Duncan – Alexander Popov

NON-FICTION REVIEWS Science Fiction Circuits of the South and East (2018) edited by Anindita Banerjee and Sonia Fritzsche – Review by Llew Watkins The Evolution of African Fantasy and Science Fiction (2018) edited by Francesca T. Barbini – Review by Esthie Hugo We Don’t Go Back: A Watcher’s Guide to Folk Horror (2018) by Howard David Ingham – Review by Marita Arvaniti Witchcraft the Basics (2018) by Marion Gibson – Review by Fiona Wells-Lakeland Gaming the System: Deconstructing Video Games, Game Studies, and Virtual Worlds (2018) by David J. Gunkel – Review by Charlotte Gislam Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (2018) – Review by John Sharples Children’s Literature and Imaginative Geography (2018) by Wilfrid Laurier – Review by Chris Hussey Sleeping with the Lights on: An Unsettling Story of Horror (2018) by Darryl Jones – Review by Charlotte Gough Posthumanism in Fantastic Fiction (2018) edited by Anna edited by Anna Kérchy – Review by Beáta Gubacsi Old Futures: Speculative Fiction and Queer Possibility (2018) by Alexis Lothian – Review by Chase Ledin The Theological Turn in Contemporary Gothic Fiction (2018) by Simon Marsden – Review by Eleanor Beal Reified Life: Speculative Capital and the Ahuman Condition (2018) by Paul J. Narkunas – Review by Peter Cullen Bryan Mind Style and Cognitive Grammar: Language and Worldview in Speculative Fiction (2018) by Louise Nuttall – Review by Rahel Oppliger None of this is Normal: The Fiction of Jeff VanderMeer (2018) by Benjamin J. Robertson – Review by Kerry Dodd The Last Utopians: Four Late 19th Century Visionaries and their Legacy (2018) by Michael Robertson – Review by Peter J. Maurits Once and Future Antiquities in Science Fiction and Fantasy (2019) edited by Brett M. Rogers and Benjamin Eldon Stevens – Review by Juliette Harrisson Bodyminds Reimagined: (Dis)ability, race, and gender in Black Women’s Speculative Fiction (2018) – Review by Polly Atkin Modern Dystopian Fiction and Political Thought: Narratives of World Politics (2018) by Adam Stock – Review by Ben Horn

CONFERENCE REPORTS Reimagining the Gothic 2018 (October 26-27, 2018) – Conference Report by Luke Turley Transitions 8 (November 10, 2018) – Conference Report by Paul Fisher Davies Looking into the Upside Down: Investigating Stranger Things – Conference Report by Rose Butler Tales of Terror (March 21-22, 2019) – Conference Report by Oliver Rendle Glitches and Ghosts (April 17, 2019) – Conference Report by Vicki Williams Glasgow International Fantasy Conversations (May, 23-24, 2019) – Conference Report by Benjamin Miller Gothic Spectacle and Spectatorship (June, 1, 2019) – Conference Report by Brontё Schiltz Current Research in Speculative Fiction 2019 (June 6, 2019) – Conference Report by Phoenix Alexander Legacies of Ursula K. Le Guin: Science, Fiction and Ethics for the Anthropocene (June 18-21, 2019) – Conference Report by Heloise Thomas Folk Horror in the 21st Century (September 5-6, 2019) – Conference Report by Miranda Corcoran

FICTION REVIEWS Modern Monsters and Occult Borderlands: William Hope Hodgson. A Review of The Weird Tales of William Hope Hodgson (2019) – Review by Emily Alder From the Depths. A Review of From The Depths; And Other Strange Tales of the Sea (2018) – Review by Daniel Pietersen ‘Shun the Frumious Bandersnatch!’: Charlie Brooker, Free Will and MK Ultra Walk Into A Bar. A Review of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018) – Review by Shannon Rollins The Power of the Everyday Utopia: Becky Chambers’ Record of a Spaceborn Few. A Review of Record of a Spaceborn Few (2018) – Reviewed by Ruth Booth Another Green World. A Review of A Brilliant Void: A Selection of Classic Irish Science Fiction (2019) – Reviewed by Richard Howard Burn Them All? Game of Thrones Season Eight. A Review of Game of Thrones Season Eight (2019) – Reviewed by T Evans Making New Tracks in African Fantasy. A Review of Black Leopard, Red Wolf (2019) – Reviewed by Kaja Franck Impossible Creations for the Gothically Minded. A Review of The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell (2018) – Reviewed by Rachel Mizsei Ward In a Broken Dream: The Home for Wayward Children Series. A Review of Down Among the Sticks and Bones (2017), Beneath the Sugar Sky (2018) and In an Absent Dream (2019) – Reviewed by Alison Baker Blackfish City: A Place Without a Map. A Review of Blackfish City (2018) – Reviewed by Lobke Minter Diné Legend Comes to Life in Rebecca Roanhorse’s Trail of Lightning. A Review of Trail of Lightning (2018) – Reviewed by Madelyn Marie Schoonover Aquaman; or Flash Gordon of the Sea. – A Review of Aquaman (2018) – Reviewed by Stuart Spear The Tower of Parable. A Review of The Writer’s Block (2019) – Reviewed by Timothy J. Jarvis

[wankerwatch]

Commons Vote

On: The draft Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Requisite and Minimum Custodial Periods) Order 2024

Ayes: 323 (96.9% Lab, 2.2% Ind, 0.9% Green) Noes: 81 (95.0% Con, 2.5% DUP, 2.5% RUK) Absent: ~246

Individual Votes:

Ayes

Labour (312 votes)

Adam Jogee Adam Thompson Afzal Khan Alan Campbell Alan Gemmell Alan Strickland Alex Baker Alex Ballinger Alex Barros-Curtis Alex Davies-Jones Alex Mayer Alex McIntyre Alex Norris Alex Sobel Alice Macdonald Alison Hume Alistair Strathern Allison Gardner Amanda Martin Andrew Cooper Andrew Lewin Andrew Pakes Andrew Ranger Andrew Western Andy MacNae Andy McDonald Andy Slaughter Angela Eagle Anna Dixon Anna Gelderd Anna McMorrin Anna Turley Anneliese Midgley Antonia Bance Bambos Charalambous Barry Gardiner Bayo Alaba Beccy Cooper Becky Gittins Bell Ribeiro-Addy Ben Coleman Ben Goldsborough Blair McDougall Brian Leishman Callum Anderson Calvin Bailey Carolyn Harris Cat Eccles Cat Smith Catherine Fookes Catherine McKinnell Catherine West Charlotte Nichols Chi Onwurah Chris Bloore Chris Curtis Chris Elmore Chris Hinchliff Chris Kane Chris McDonald Chris Murray Chris Vince Chris Ward Chris Webb Christian Wakeford Claire Hazelgrove Claire Hughes Clive Lewis Connor Naismith Connor Rand Damien Egan Dan Aldridge Dan Tomlinson Daniel Francis Daniel Zeichner Danny Beales Darren Jones Darren Paffey Dave Robertson David Baines David Burton-Sampson David Pinto-Duschinsky David Smith David Taylor David Williams Dawn Butler Debbie Abrahams Deirdre Costigan Douglas McAllister Elaine Stewart Emily Darlington Emma Foody Emma Hardy Emma Lewell-Buck Emma Reynolds Euan Stainbank Feryal Clark Frank McNally Fred Thomas Gareth Snell Gen Kitchen Georgia Gould Gill German Gordon McKee Graeme Downie Grahame Morris Gregor Poynton Gurinder Josan Hamish Falconer Harpreet Uppal Heidi Alexander Helen Hayes Helena Dollimore Henry Tufnell Ian Lavery Ian Murray Imogen Walker Irene Campbell Jack Abbott Jacob Collier Jade Botterill Jake Richards James Asser James Murray James Naish Janet Daby Jas Athwal Jayne Kirkham Jeevun Sandher Jeff Smith Jen Craft Jenny Riddell-Carpenter Jess Asato Jess Phillips Jessica Toale Jim Dickson Jim McMahon Jo Platt Jo White Joani Reid Jodie Gosling Joe Morris Joe Powell Johanna Baxter John Grady John Slinger John Whitby Jon Pearce Jon Trickett Jonathan Brash Jonathan Davies Jonathan Hinder Josh Dean Josh Fenton-Glynn Josh MacAlister Josh Newbury Josh Simons Julie Minns Juliet Campbell Justin Madders Kanishka Narayan Karin Smyth Karl Turner Kate Dearden Kate Osamor Kate Osborne Katie White Katrina Murray Kenneth Stevenson Kerry McCarthy Kevin Bonavia Kevin McKenna Kim Johnson Kim Leadbeater Kirith Entwistle Kirsteen Sullivan Kirsty McNeill Laura Kyrke-Smith Lauren Sullivan Lee Barron Lee Pitcher Leigh Ingham Lewis Atkinson Liam Byrne Liam Conlon Lillian Jones Linsey Farnsworth Liz Twist Lizzi Collinge Lloyd Hatton Lola McEvoy Lorraine Beavers Louise Jones Lucy Powell Lucy Rigby Luke Akehurst Luke Charters Luke Murphy Luke Myer Mark Ferguson Mark Tami Markus Campbell-Savours Marsha De Cordova Martin McCluskey Martin Rhodes Mary Creagh Mary Glindon Matt Bishop Matt Rodda Matt Turmaine Matt Western Matthew Patrick Matthew Pennycook Maureen Burke Maya Ellis Meg Hillier Melanie Ward Miatta Fahnbulleh Michael Payne Michael Shanks Michael Wheeler Michelle Scrogham Michelle Welsh Mike Kane Mike Reader Mike Tapp Mohammad Yasin Nadia Whittome Natalie Fleet Natasha Irons Naushabah Khan Naz Shah Neil Duncan-Jordan Nia Griffith Nicholas Dakin Nick Smith Nick Thomas-Symonds Noah Law Oliver Ryan Olivia Bailey Olivia Blake Pam Cox Pamela Nash Patricia Ferguson Patrick Hurley Paul Foster Paula Barker Paulette Hamilton Perran Moon Peter Lamb Peter Prinsley Peter Swallow Phil Brickell Polly Billington Rachael Maskell Rachel Blake Rachel Hopkins Rachel Taylor Richard Baker Richard Quigley Rosie Wrighting Rupa Huq Ruth Cadbury Sadik Al-Hassan Sally Jameson Sam Carling Sam Rushworth Samantha Dixon Samantha Niblett Sarah Champion Sarah Coombes Sarah Edwards Sarah Hall Sarah Jones Sarah Russell Sarah Sackman Satvir Kaur Scott Arthur Sean Woodcock Seema Malhotra Shabana Mahmood Sharon Hodgson Shaun Davies Simon Lightwood Simon Opher Sojan Joseph Sonia Kumar Stella Creasy Stephen Morgan Stephen Timms Steve Race Steve Witherden Steve Yemm

Sureena Brackenridge Taiwo Owatemi Terry Jermy Tim Roca Tom Collins Tom Hayes Tom Rutland Tonia Antoniazzi Tony Vaughan Torcuil Crichton Torsten Bell Tracy Gilbert Tristan Osborne Uma Kumaran Valerie Vaz Vicky Foxcroft Warinder Juss Will Stone Yuan Yang

Independent (7 votes)

Apsana Begum Ian Byrne Imran Hussain John McDonnell Rebecca Long Bailey Richard Burgon Zarah Sultana

Green Party (3 votes)

Adrian Ramsay Carla Denyer Ellie Chowns

Noes

Conservative (76 votes)

Alan Mak Alec Shelbrooke Alex Burghart Alicia Kearns Andrew Bowie Andrew Griffith Andrew Murrison Andrew Rosindell Andrew Snowden Aphra Brandreth Ashley Fox Ben Obese-Jecty Blake Stephenson Bob Blackman Bradley Thomas Caroline Dinenage Caroline Johnson Charlie Dewhirst Chris Philp Claire Coutinho David Davis David Reed David Simmonds Desmond Swayne Gagan Mohindra Gareth Davies Geoffrey Clifton-Brown Greg Smith Gregory Stafford Harriet Cross Harriett Baldwin Helen Whately Jack Rankin James Cleverly James Wild Jeremy Hunt Joe Robertson John Cooper John Glen John Hayes John Lamont John Whittingdale Katie Lam Kemi Badenoch Kieran Mullan Lewis Cocking Lincoln Jopp Louie French Mark Garnier Martin Vickers Matt Vickers Mel Stride Mims Davies Neil Hudson Neil Shastri-Hurst Nick Timothy Patrick Spencer Paul Holmes Peter Bedford Peter Fortune Priti Patel Rebecca Harris Rebecca Paul Rebecca Smith Richard Holden Robbie Moore Robert Jenrick Roger Gale Sarah Bool Shivani Raja Stuart Anderson Stuart Andrew Suella Braverman Tom Tugendhat Victoria Atkins Wendy Morton

Democratic Unionist Party (2 votes)

Gregory Campbell Jim Shannon

Reform UK (2 votes)

Lee Anderson Richard Tice

[selsorenda]

Day 23 is edits for my favorite books that I have read this year. In 2020 I have read 28 books (so far,) and these 7 really stuck out to me. These are in the order that I read them, not order of favorites. All images used were found on Pinterest, and the edits were made using the app Canva.

1. Cellar by Natasha Preston

2. There’s Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

3. Absent by Katie Williams

4. The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis

5. Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe by Preston Norton

6. Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

7. Sadie by Courtney Summers

[typingtess]

NCIS: Los Angeles Season Ten Rewatch:  "Pro Se"

The basics:  NCIS works to free Tiffany Williams after she was wrongly arrested while Anna talks to Callen about her future.

Written by: Jordana Lewis Jaffe  wrote or co-wrote wrote or co-wrote “Honor”, “Patriot Acts”, “Dead Body Politic”, “Paper Soldiers”, “Unwritten Rule”, “Big Brother”, “Iron Curtain Rising”, “Exposure”, “Savior Faire”, “Beacon”, “Defectors”, “Exchange Rate”, “Black Market”, “Payback”, “Battle Scars”, "Montebank", "Vendetta" and "Where Everybody Knows Your Name".

Directed by: Benny Boom who directed "Ghost Gun", "767" and "Fool Me Twice".

Guest stars of note:  Bar Paly returns from "Venganza" as ATF Agent Anastasia “Anna” Kolcheck, Karina Logue is back from "Can I Get a Witness" as LAPD Detective Ellen Whiting.  Paulina Olsynski is back from "Internal Affairs" as Tiffany Williams.  Chuck Ashworth returns from "Queen Pin" as LAPD Officer.  Dendrie Taylor as Elizabeth Williams, Monique Gabriela Curnen as ADA Sofia Lopez, Alex Ross as Joel Simoni, Kathleen Gati as Judge Jessica Lee, Dar Dixon as Phillip Robbins, and Katie Malia as Cassidy.

Our heroes:  Get things done for Tiffany Williams, not so much Anna.

What important things did we learn about:

Callen:  Logan O'Neill, member of the California bar. Sam:  Suspicious of nearly everyone today. Kensi:   Not so pro-Mosley. Deeks:  A good man, a very good one. Eric:  Finder of "super sketch" money schemes.   Nell:   Jedi-level backstopper being groomed by Hetty. Hetty:   Would have approved of today's legal-adjacent behavior.

What not so important things did we learn about:

Callen:  Fake lawyer. Sam:   Pro-legal adjacent means to save Tiffany. Kensi:   Prison Guard McCartney Deeks:   Long distance real lawyer with a baseball bat. Eric:   Survivor fan. Nell:   Big bangs, big brain. Hetty:   Absent.

Who's down with OTP:  Kensi is a great source of comfort for Deeks when he's despairing about Tiffany's situation.  She also provides support at the end when he has mixed feelings about the case.  Deeks mentions enjoying being a lawyer and not being shot at as part of his regular day but Kensi reminds him while he was a lawyer, he was also shot at that day.

Things are going poorly on the Callen and Anna front, what with her unhappy in the beginning of the episode with his testimony and even less thrilled in handcuffs at the end.

Who's down with BrOTP:   A little partner shuffle here as the rare pairing of Callen and Deeks works the legal aspect of Tiffany's crime as Sam and Kensi work the crime.

Any pressing need for Harm and Mac:  Mac did some time as a civilian lawyer so that could have been helpful for Tiffany.

Who is running the team this week?  The kids are running the candy store.  

Mosley watch:  Still in the opening credits, at the collaboration table and Nia Long is in the cast credits.  Not in the episode physically but earns a mention or two.  

Fashion review:  For the third time in four episodes, Callen is wearing the long sleeve, dark blue button down dress shirt.  As lawyer Logan O'Neill, he is in a grey suit, white dress shirt and medium blue tie (a good look for Callen).  Black henley for Sam.  Sun's out, guns out for Kensi once again, this time in a white v-neck sleeveless tee with blue stripes.  Deeks has on a dark red v-neck tee.  Medium blue-tee under a print short sleeve button down for Eric.  Black dress with a floral print and a black blazer for Nell.  On a really vapid note, Anna's hair is spectacular at the coffee shop.

Music:   "Good Trouble" by Samantha Martin and Delta Sugar is playing in the teaser. "Captivate" is playing during Deeks's conversations at the end with Tiffany and Kensi.

Any notable cut scene:   No.

Quote: Deeks:  "You know, you do this job long enough, you forget there's a reason NCIS has a psychologist on staff." Kensi:  "Sweetie, whatever happens, this is absolutely not your fault." Deeks:  "Don't do that.  We both know this is on me." Kensi:  "Deeks, it is not No, come on." Deeks:  "I was so focused on the case, I lost sight of the position I was putting Tiffany into.  I mean, I never should've asked her to help us.  And you know that.  The truth is Sam's right.  We have no idea where she was for that hour she was missing.  I mean, think about it.  She left the boatshed at 8:00.  It should've taken her, what, 20 minutes to get to the bar? That's being generous with it.  She shows up an hour after that." Kensi:  "Stop.  Do not do this to yourself." Deeks:  "I think I should just stop believing in fairy tales."  Deeks sighs. "And that breaks my heart a little bit."

Anything else:   Elizabeth Williams is sitting at home with a cold dinner waiting for her daughter Tiffany.  Tiffany arrives in a party dress past her 10PM court mandated curfew.  Elizabeth is worried but Tiffany assures her that she's been good.  She promises it is not like it was before.  She's not doing drugs – she was never into the drug scene.  Tiffany tells her mother she loves her and they hug.

The door is kicked in.  LAPD violently arrests Tiffany – she's thrown to the ground.  As Tiffany is read her rights, Elizabeth has to be held back.  She's terrified by what is happening to her daughter.  Tiffany is crying.

Callen meets with Anna at a coffee shop.  He called her.  Anna suggests they spilt a croissant before telling Callen she missed him.  She asks about his health and Callen wonders what Anna is doing.  She tells him it is make believe, they are in a magical restaurant where the real world doesn’t exist.  

Callen goes to leave.  Anna really doesn't care – she is there for the croissant.  Callen asks if she's upset about his testimony in the ATF hearing.  "No, it's because you forgot Valentine's Day."  Anna isn't happy she was suspended but the ATF, especially since she believes Callen thinks she did the right thing.  She is waiting to be arraigned but Callen does not believe it will go that far.  

Anna asks a simple question – if the tables were turned, if Sokolov kidnapped and threatened Callen's father and Callen had the chance "to end him", would Callen have taken the shot?  Callen is sorry Anna is going through all this.  Things devolve quickly.  Callen stands and tries to leaves.  Anna apologizes – she's frustrated and scared.

Tiffany is brought in for her arraignment hearing.  ADA Sophia Lopez is representing the state.  Tiffany's lawyer is Joel Simoni.  The Judge was hoping they'd be doing pre-trail motions today but Tiffany's arrest set everything back.

Lopez claims LAPD has Tiffany on a recent solicitation charge – something that shocks Tiffany.  Simoni explains that the state has other evidence supporting Tiffany but that doesn't matter.  Since she's was out on bail, it is being revoked.  After Judge Lee corrects ADA Lopez's grammar, she puts Tiffany back in lock-up for at least three weeks.

Tiffany is freaking out, her mother is weeping but her lawyer seems rather calm to the point of being indifferent.  In the court gallery sits Kensi and Deeks.  As they leave the court building, Kensi wants to contact Callen and Sam.  Deeks wants to do something for Tiffany and makes a bee-line to her lawyer.

Deeks takes apart Simoni for not having the basic facts of the case right, for not taking care of Tiffany.  Simoni doesn't know Deeks.  Kensi is trying to get Deeks to walk away.  As Simoni leaves, Det. Whiting arrives.  Deeks's day turns so miserable he's actually bending down, with his hands on his knees.  Whiting wonders why Deeks can walk away from "this chick."  She wonders why Kensi is "OK with that."  Kensi just walks away, encouraging Deeks to do the same.

Kensi updated both Callen, who is just arriving at the office, and Sam.  Both are unhappy with Tiffany's arrest.  Callen is looking for Kilbride.  Up in Ops, Eric and Nell are laughing at something on her tablet.  Eric tries to joke with Callen and Sam but Nell works really hard to stop him.  Callen asks for Kilbride, who is in DC.  Nell adds that Ochoa is with Kilbride.  Sam asks about Rogers, who is out of the gym because "the accommodations aren't accommodate-y enough."  Callen mentions the parting gifts from Rogers – everyone was served with a subpoena.  As for Mosley, she's off the grid.

With Hetty missing too, Callen and Sam are about to run things.  Callen asks if Eric and Nell remember Tiffany Williams.  Nell provides a full character background.  Tiffany, Callen explains, was arrested for drugs four months ago.  Last night, she was picked up for prostitution.  Nell asks if Callen and Sam believe Tiffany is innocent of the drug charges and Eric adds the prostitution charge as well.  Callen knows she innocent,   Tiffany has been working for them and during both the time she was allegedly selling drugs four months ago and last night, she was with NCIS.  The problem – she can't use them as an alibi.

Callen and company do a briefing for Eric and Nell instead of the other way around.  Phillip Robbins is a local businessman suspected of software theft for Iran.  NCIS suspects this – they don't have enough on Robbins to prove it.  Robbins like petite, blonde prostitutes – he was a frequent john when Tiffany was working as a prostitute.  Deeks thinks Robbins was obsessed with her.  With Tiffany's arrest, Kensi says, not only did the case fall apart but Robbins disappeared.

Sam is quiet through all this.  When pushed, he wonders if it is really a bogus drug charge.  Deeks pushes back but Sam makes his case.  Tiffany was missing for an hour during that original drug bust.  There is no cellphone records, no video of Tiffany and she won't talk about what happened.  Deeks is suspicious of the officers who arrested Tiffany.  Kensi wonders if Whiting shares those suspicions – she was at the courthouse today.  Deeks is off to talk to Whiting.

At the Santa Monica Pier, Deeks gives a full debrief on Tiffany's undercover work for NCIS.  Whiting stopped listening after "undercover".  Tiffany's undercover work was her regular work and the eight ounces of coke LAPD found means the drug bust is legit.  Whiting thinks Deeks believes in fairy tales.  She also tears into Deeks for leading Tiffany back to the world of prostitution and drugs leaving her to fall back into the life.  Deeks insists Tiffany is innocent.  "You keep telling yourself that," is Whiting's reply. She can't help him.

Callen and Sam meet with Tiffany's mother, Elizabeth.  They ask if they've seen any changes in Tiffany recently.  Elizabeth tells them Tiffany was a homebody when she was working at the nursery.  The two would watch Fixer Upper every night.  Tiffany didn't talk much about her friends except for her lawyer – he was recommended by a friend.  Callen and Sam realize it is probably Phillip Robbins.

Deeks is sitting on the beach when Kensi arrives.  He feels guilty about putting Tiffany in danger – "I really thought she could handle this."  Doing their job for so long, he understands why NCIS has a psychologist on staff.  Kensi tells him none of this is his fault but he's having none of her sympathy.  He also thinks Sam was right about the missing hour and it is his fault she was put in that position.  Deeks tells Kensi he needs to stop believing in fairy tales, even if it breaks his heart a little bit.

As they arrive at the office, Eric meets Callen and Sam.  Simoni's fees are paid by an account in the Cayman Islands – "super sketch" – and they are the only transactions in that account until today.  Someone rented a car.  Callen and Sam suspect that is Phillip Robbins.  Tiffany could be in danger in jail.  Eric jokes about breaking Tiffany out of jail.  Callen and Sam don't think that's a joke.

Callen and Sam are waiting for Kensi and Deeks in the driveway with news about Phillip Robbins possibly being back in LA.  Since Simoni is a hack and Deeks is less of a hack who can run circles around Simoni, he needs to take over the case.  Deeks can't do it, Kensi argues, he's LAPD.  Deeks agrees – he's testified in front of Judge Lee as LAPD, he's argued cases in front of her as a lawyer.  Deeks is going to do the lawyering in Callen's ear.  Kensi asks if that is legal.  Sam says "legal adjacent."  Deeks says not legal at all but Callen reminds them all that has never stopped them before.

Kensi mentions the subpoenas and Deeks wants to hear from Kilbride, who is out of town.  That means they have no protection according to Kensi.  Callen states Hetty would support this idea.  Kensi asks if Mosley would.   Callen calls Mosley loyal which earns a "maybe" from Kensi.  Deeks is on his way to the boat shed to prepare for court.

Callen finds Nell in the armory cleaning her gun.  He needs a favor.  Nell has spent the morning coming up with a legend for faux-attorney Callen Logan O'Neill.  She thought it was their only way to help Tiffany.  Callen compliments her on her "Jedl-like" move.  "Big bangs, big brains," Nell tells him pointing to her forehead.  Handing Callen some Logan O'Neill business cards, Nell reminds Callen that he's not the only staffer Hetty has been grooming.

Eric tells Sam and Kensi the rental car possibly with Phillip Robbins was just spotted at a spin studio in Hollywood .  "You and me baby, we're a team," Kensi tells Sam.  Kensi is surprised that Robbins first stop would be an exercise class but Sam thinks it is very LA.  Kensi agrees.  At the spin studio, a very cheerful receptionist has a wait list for Janet's class and rings a bell when she thinks Sam and Kensi are back for a second lesson.  Kensi explains she's just looking for her water bottle with an idea to see the studio.

Sam sees Robbins leave a private lesson with a woman.  After Sam take a quick photo, Robbins makes them and tries to run with his exercise pal.  Sam and Kensi yell federal agents and try to chase after Robbins and the woman without any success.

Back in Ops, Eric ID'd the woman with Robbins as Vanessa Brown, former LAPD, now working at Vivid Locke Security, a DoD contractor working on next generation ballistic missile software.  Callen thinks Vivid Locke is Robbins's next target.  Nell breaks down the Vivid Locke people – run by former Mossad, financed by Mi6 and staffed by former US Special Forces.  Callen asks Deeks if he knows Brown – he does not.  Nell confirms that Deeks was with NCIS when Brown joined LAPD.  She only lasted five years.  Callen and Sam think there is a story to such a short career and Deeks is on it.

Whiting is having some shaved ice when Deeks arrives.  She is not happy he has a photo of Vanessa Brown.  Deeks explains the man in the photo with Brown is the man NCIS thinks set-up Tiffany.   He asks again about Brown.  When Whiting won't answer, Deeks thinks Brown was caught stealing drugs from the evidence locker – drugs that were found on Tiffany.  Deeks wants to know how close Brown was to the arresting officers – Young, Lopez and Demblowski.  Whiting realizes Tiffany was set up.

In her cell, Tiffany hears a female guard call for her.  The guard is Kensi.  She shoves Tiffany into a custodian's closet.  When Kensi explains Tiffany is getting a new lawyer, Tiffany thinks that's a bad idea.  Kensi now knows Tiffany is aware of who is paying Simoni.  After saying "its complicated" one more time, Kensi goes after the missing hour in Tiffany's timeline.  Tiffany asks Kensi to trust her.  Kensi reluctantly agrees – especially if the Callen-Deeks legal team upsets Robbins.

Callen finds Simoni and fires him.  Well, he blocks Simoni from going into the courthouse as he fires the lawyer.  Tiffany signed papers making Callen's Logan O'Neill her lawyer and if Simoni has a problem, O'Neill will sue Simoni for malpractice and get him disbarred.  Callen hands Simoni one of Logan O'Neill's cards.

Still in the armory, Nell is meeting with Sam, Kensi and Eric.  They want to get into Vivid Locke to secure the software but trying to access the building and their computer system is trying to breach Mossad, US Special Forces and Mi6 protocols.  Eric says the computer set-up is the best he's even seen.  Nell has the schematics for the building and it is just one giant panic room after another.  Eric doesn't understand how Phillip Robbins could steal the software.  Sam figures Vanessa Brown is Robbins's person inside.

Eric thinks they should warn someone at Vivid Locke but Kensi doesn't know who, if anyone, is working with Brown.  She could have a whole team inside the company.  Eric sees if the air conditioning or power goes out in the building, they have their own people to repair the equipment.  "It is like Survivor in an office building" – a nice tip to the network though Nell thinks it would be a terrible program.

Sam sees something – a thermal exhaust port.  Compromising it would be dangerous and expensive but with nobody there to say no, why not?

Judge Lee is not happy with lawyer Logan O'Neill's call for an extradited hearing.  She is not familiar with O'Neill and isn't happy but since she's already missing lunch, she'll hear Callen out.  Callen argues that Tiffany's life may be in danger and then sounds an awful lot like Deeks as he argues for her freedom – which Deeks is doing using comms from the roach coach.  Callen does a little editing but not much.  The Judge likes Callen.  The ADA does not.  Tiffany gets bail.

Sam reviews getting into the building to a distracted Kensi.  She has to time her drop into the exhaust port perfectly or the blades will kill her.  Sam has to really get Kensi's attention.  Kensi admits she's worried about Tiffany and wondering why she isn't telling them everything.  Sam is sure Callen and Deeks are taking care of Tiffany, their assignment is to stop Phillip Robbins from stealing the technology.

Callen meets with ADA Lopez – who isn’t impressed with O'Neill's "performance art".  Callen asks if Lopez is worried that a bad prosecution would hurt her political aspirations.  Lopez has a deal but Callen isn't interested.  Tiffany is interested in a deal but Lopez walks away.  Callen tells Tiffany she needs to trust NCIS the way NCIS is trusting her.

In the taco truck, Deeks has footage of Tiffany crying outside a night club.  He calls Whiting and asks for her help.

Sam and Kensi pull up to Vivid Locke only to see then entire staff outside the building.  There was an armed robbery.  While LAPD is controlling what's going on outside, Sam is worried Robbins is stealing the technology inside the building.  

Deeks just spoke to someone at the office.  He tells Callen as Callen jumps into the taco truck that Robbins got into Vivid Locke and stole the software.  Eric and Nell are trying to trace the software, Robbins and Brown.

Sam realizes that the biggest flaw in Vivid Locke's security is its people.  Folks start jobs with the best of intentions but are corruptible.  Eric calls Sam – Phillip Robbins is on his way to the courthouse.  Sam and Kensi are on their way, Eric is calling Callen.

Whiting joins Callen, Deeks and Tiffany at the courthouse.  Eric calls but with ADA Lopez approaching, Callen lets it go to voicemail.  Lopez is not offering a deal which is fine – Callen doesn't want a deal, he wants to charges dropped.  Whiting tells Lopez she wants nothing to do with the case.  After learning Whiting is LAPD IA, Lopez promises to talk to the DA.  Deeks goes all lawyer on Lopez, saying that if LAPD IA tells you to stay away from the case, the decision is easy to be a decent human being and do the right thing.  Lopez does the right thing.

With Deeks and Whiting are exchanging not-pleasantries, Callen sees Robbins and Brown.  Robbins in coming through the front door, Brown looks to be going to the back.  Deeks grabs Tiffany Robbins and they start to run through the courthouse.

Callen confronts Phillip Robbins outside the courthouse.  Robbins wants Tiffany.  Callen wants the missile software.  "How much do you care about the girl?" Callen asks.

Deeks and Tiffany make it out a back door but Brown is waiting for them.  So is Whiting but she's more waiting for Brown and earning a "good work" from Deeks.  Deeks tries to take Tiffany to safety.

Callen asks Robbins why he cares so much about Tiffany.  "She's someone I trusted," he replies but then she betrayed him.  Callen understands why Robbins would be upset.

As Deeks and Tiffany run through the courthouse parking lot, a SUVs opens its doors and a team of killers with big, big guns start shooting at them.  Not surprisingly, Tiffany does not react well to being shot at but seems to know Deeks calms her down long enough for Sam and Kensi to arrive.  Sam, Kensi and Deeks take out the shooters.  Deeks turns to Tiffany and tells her it is all over.

The shooting in the back caused the courthouse to be evacuated by Callen.  He has Robbins in handcuffs.  While the team still doesn't have the software, they have Robbins and Brown and one of them will give up the software and their partner for a better prison deal.  

Deeks sees Tiffany sitting alone on a bench just outside the court.  He asks if she's OK.  She is – her Mom is picking her up.  Deeks would have given her ride.  Deeks is sorry he asked her to help – he should not have put her in that position.  Tiffany reminds him she could have turned him down.  She is grateful he believed her, especially since she didn't tell him everything.

Deeks understands, especially when Robbins "had one of your friends in his teeth." Tiffany is surprised.  Deeks just figured out today that Tiffany was crying because a friend was in trouble.  He found her other friends and learned about Lorraine, who took care of Tiffany in hard times.  Robbins hurt Lorraine, who needed a hospital but wouldn't, to hurt Tiffany.  Deeks tells Tiffany she doesn't have to worry about Robbins hurting Lorraine or her ever again and that's because of the good work Tiffany did on the case.

Elizabeth arrives to take Tiffany home.  Tiffany and Deeks hug their goodbyes.

Kensi arrives.  Deeks is in a much better place than he was at the beach.  Today reminded him what a truly exceptional lawyer he was.  Kensi smiles.  He also found it appealing to help people and not get shot at every day.  Kensi reminds him he was shot at that day.  "Touché," he replies.  Kensi tells Deeks he is a good man, a very good man.

At the courthouse steps, Sam gets Callen's attention away from a departing Whiting.  Anna is in custody and being brought to the courthouse.

What head canon can be formed from here:   Deeks as lawyer is Deeks as a good lawyer, a very good lawyer.

Kensi's "maybe" to Mosley being loyal is interesting.  Of the four survivors of the Mexican misadventure, she's the one who dragged Deeks through the desert, she's the one who drove an unconscious Deeks to the hospital and she's the one who stood with Arlo when Williams's men were there to kill them all.  Sam argued in "Hit List" that Mosley had to make things right for the team.  Kensi may not think Mosley will.

Episode number:   Episode five (though flimed fourth) of season ten and 221 overall.

[harry-sussex]

Katie!!! Welcome back. Have we ever heard George it Charlotte speak? Like their little voices? Also how are you!!!! You’ve been absent from my dashboard

Hi babe!  I’m doing well, thank you!  How are you?  So sorry this took me so long to get to - I had over 200 messages in my inbox at one point!  But I’m making a concerted effort to comb through them before the baby comes !

Yes, we’ve heard both George and Charlotte speak.  Here are a few examples:

George asking his Dad to “wait!” after Charlotte’s christening, while looking back for the rest of the family (x, around 1:40)

Charlotte calling William “Dada” during the military playdate on the 2016 Canada tour (x)

George chatting with his Dad while sitting on a pony during the military playdate on the 2016 Canada tour (x, around 0:46)

Not sure if you can hear it, but Charlotte says thank you to the nice man who gives her a balloon flower at the military playdate (x, around 1:21)

Also not sure if you can hear it, but George asks his mum if he can have a balloon toy (x, around 1:41)

George at the RAF engagements - he told his parents he wanted to put the sticker on “now” (x, around 1:13)

Charlotte cheekily telling the waiting press that they’re not invited to the celebrations after Louis’ private christening (x, around 0:16)

[thesinglesjukebox]

HAIM - NOW I'M IN IT

[7.54]

Hard times...

Ian Mathers: Sometimes adulthood feels like the process of realizing you've been "trying to find [your] way back for a minute" for years now. Part of that is that you can never get back (to fewer responsibilities, a younger body, a less complicated life) and part of that is that you don't need to because you've grown in ways you didn't expect or notice and part of that is just that feeling like you're in it is just the condition of being an adult (at least here and now). Of course, Danielle Haim has said the song is about depression. I'm not the only person I know for whom adulthood and depression seem inextricable. [8]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: Like grey clouds drifting slowly overhead, depression can manifest itself gradually. You may not even notice it happening. That is, until it's too big to ignore: suddenly, there's an underlying sadness that keeps popping up, and you're too anxious to reach out to others, too unhappy to look in the mirror, too tired to leave your apartment. You're just in it. "Now I'm In It" perfectly captures the moment you realize this -- and while so many songs that discuss mental health can seem condescending or sloganeering, the introspection that Haim does here is genuinely powerful. This is art about depression without wallowing, set to an undulating guitar rift that recalls the strength of "Dancing on My Own." At face value, "Damn I'm in it/ And I've been tryna find my way back for a minute" sounds so simple as to be mundane, but to me, it feels like liberation that can only come from being honest with yourself. Every time I hear it, it feels like air in my lungs, sunshine on my skin. There's a moment during the music video (at 3:20) when, after making it through a shit day, Danielle Haim musters the energy to go out with her sisters. As they cross the street, drums beat triumphantly and a sample of what sounds like cheering plays -- and then, inexplicably, she breaks the fourth wall, shooting a glance directly into the camera, almost like she's looking directly at her depression and giving it the side eye. I have yet to give a 10 since starting to write for TSJ, but that moment alone merits my first one. [10]

Michael Hong: Perhaps the best shot of the music video is the one in which Danielle Haim goes through a car wash, but the most emblematic is likely the penultimate one, where she downs a shot, grimaces and takes one breath. The song is its "before image," a tightly wound version of Danielle Haim over a tense guitar that feels synthetic as it pulses across the track. As it progresses, Danielle loosens up and regains some of that confidence symbolic of Haim. The instrumental also gradually shifts, focusing more attention on other more organic elements. The piano line on the bridge allows her to take stock of her surroundings, backed in harmony by her sisters, but it's those drums on the last chorus that deliver the track's final moment of catharsis. Like depression, that guitar vamp remains, but Haim push it to the background, mostly stopping it from overpowering themselves. It's Danielle Haim, defiantly rejecting depression and taking back control for what feels like that penultimate shot -- the ability to finally breathe after a particularly difficult episode. [8]

Isabel Cole: If it hadn't been for Danielle Haim's Instagram post, I probably wouldn't have known to read this as a song about mental health. But once I saw that it made an immediate intuitive sense: the anxious thrumming that won't relent even as the melody opens up in the chorus, stumbling-fast lyrics sketching a harried picture of isolation, an atmosphere of panic and dread like pacing restlessly in a room you can't make yourself leave. The sigh of regret in the bridge, the dawning realization that you can no longer deny. I've spent a lot of hours looking for something I knew I wouldn't find in mirrors, too. Haim build a gorgeous encasement for the sentiment, lush and textured and perfect, actually, for listening to on repeat on a long walk taken trying to get a little further back to yourself; I particularly love the moment the second verse starts and everything deepens and opens at once. Would love this even if I weren't spiritually obligated to give at least a [7] to any song that closes by layering one of its parts over the other. [9]

Alfred Soto: Whenever they use a skittering rhythm track that forces them into breathlessness, I swoon, but then I liked but then Something to Tell You more than most. The ghost of "I Love You Always Forever" haunts -- will Haim's next album study their idea of '90s-ness? [7]

Will Adams: Haim, always ones to wear their references on their sleeves, take their soft-rock aesthetic to the extreme by synthesizing "I Want You" and "I Love You Always Forever." Those choices alone make "Now I'm In It" great, but Danielle using her signature patter to evoke racing thoughts is the cherry on top. The verse barges in by the second chorus, words tumbling over each other resulting in sensory overload. And then, finally, gloriously, the bridge arrives, when everything falls away and a moment of clarity is reached. The ensuing chorus is the same as it was, but now it feels assured, confident amidst the chaos. "Now I'm In It" is a song about going through it that goes through it. [8]

Tobi Tella: The frantic, almost falling-on-top-of-each-other speed of the lyrics is the real secret of the song -- it puts the listener on edge from minute one. I wish it built to more in certain ways, but I think the tension with such little release feels deliberate -- I feel like I'm still in it too. [7]

Kylo Nocom: Never trust a man who will gleefully scrutinize a Haim track's influences as a marker of unoriginality and yet ignore any accusation you throw at LCD Soundsystem. "Now I'm In It" bubbles, springs, and thrusts forward until the sisters reach a bridge that would make Vampire Weekend circa Modern Vampires proud. [8]

Oliver Maier: Rostam and Rechtshaid's production team-up unsurprisingly results in shades of the bleary, melancholic sound of Modern Vampires of the City, notably in the bluesy piano, ambient noise and thudding drums that filter in after the second chorus. That moment also happens to be the point at which Haim often run out of ideas (even in their best songs) and resort to padding out the remainder of the track with repetition upon repetition to the point of indulgence. Here they're more economical, more conscientious of the song's arc, and the final chorus feels earned rather than copy-pasted as a result. A shame that said chorus is not quite as catchy as they're capable of, though "I can hear it/But I can't feel it" is as succinct and lovely a lyric about depression as has ever been penned. [6]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: "Now I'm In It" turns the corner well-- that slowdown after the two-minute mark, when the piano and harmonies come in and the fervent pulse of the rhythm guitar stills a little, is genuine catharsis. But the rest, both before and after, feels nervy and formless. Danielle remains a great pop vocalist, but the words she sings are sketches and the beat below it sounds like something Katy Perry and Zedd would've thrown out earlier this year. [5]

Thomas Inskeep: The song throbs and thrums, yet the Haim sisters just sound bored, and I'm unmoved. Actually, worse than unmoved: I'm annoyed. [3]

William John: While the track motors along behind her, Danielle Haim here breathlessly corkscrews her way through the awful, disenfranchising inertia that most of us are prone to from time to time. When paired with preceding single "Summer Girl", "Now I'm In It" seems to indicate that a central theme of Haim's putative third album will be the power of the collective in providing a fulcrum for those experiencing trauma. Though the lyric sheet suggests the protagonist remains in the widening gyre, the music video powerfully reinforces the notion that help is always available, even when it seems like it isn't. And maybe the gyre remains, but maybe also, with others around to lend a hand, it might stop widening, or even get a bit narrower. Haim have always been about "the sisterhood," in the most literal sense, but the image of Este and Alana, scuttling down a street and carrying Danielle on a stretcher, nursing her through the rut, might be their paradigm illustration of that concept. [9]

Kayla Beardslee: In the past month or two, as I've built up enough reviews to start referencing my past scores as a consistent standard, I've latched onto two regrets over too-low scores. One of those regrets is "Summer Girl": I was initially impressed and gave it an 8, but as the song kept growing on me in the following weeks, I realized I loved it enough to be a 10. The brilliance of Danielle Haim's restrained vocals, the quiet intensity of the lyrics, the sax riff that carries it all along -- it was quickly becoming my favorite Haim track. Well, the good news is that I was wrong: "Summer Girl" is still an 8 or 9. This is a 10. "Now I'm In It" sounds, somehow, both clean and impossibly hazy. The production is mixed clearly, but allows each bouncing bass note and subtle sound effect to shine; in contrast, Danielle's voice, as impressively agile as ever, folds itself into reverb and whispered backing vocals. Even the fuzz of static in the background of the bridge feels like purposefully crafted chaos. The sisters have said that the song is about Danielle's struggle with depression, and the lyrics reinforce that idea of being stuck in a mental fog. Like the bridge of "Summer Girl," the heart of "In It" boils down to a specific moment: in this case, it's when Danielle sings, full of longing, "And the rain keeps coming down along the ceiling/And I can hear it/But I can't feel it." I love that line, not only because it's absent from the first chorus and comes as a total surprise in the second, but because of how well it works as a metaphor on two levels. Being numb to "the rain" can signify detachment from the outside world, but it can also mean refusing to acknowledge your own depression: this track is smart and detailed enough to express both. And yet the music itself is a rejection of the lethargy of depression. With layers of instrumentation being constantly added and dropped, each section of the song is unique, and all of it builds up to that forceful, cathartic final chorus. In a lesser song, this clear sense of musical growth working against the stagnant nature of the lyrics would feel contradictory, but here, it feels instead like an intentional message of hope. Things will change, even in the storm -- and, if "Now I'm In It" is any indication, Haim will only keep getting better. [10]

[Read and comment on The Singles Jukebox]

[migleefulmoments]

Abby and co are still whining about who was or wasn’t at the wedding. It was months ago, get over it! Just because Mandy Moore didn’t go to Darren’s wedding it doesn’t mean it was fake. 🙄

Anonymous said: Why the fuck would Mandy Moore have been at Darren's wedding? There is no evidence that they are close friends. They gushed all over each other when they did that interview but that's it. They're both in Midway but from what we've seen it doesn't look like they ever even filmed together. Just bc Darren fanboys over a person doesn't mean he's going to invite them to his wedding. They need to get a grip on reality.

It’s hilarious that I referred to Abby’s ridiculous insistence that the wedding guests weren’t Darren’s “real friends” simply to make a point the other day and now the ccers are once again fully engaged on this pointless debate. 

Anonymous asked:

There were several friends of D’s absent from the wedding. Hai/lee, Alli/son Will/iams, Luc/y Hale, Sar/ah Hy/land, Al/an Cum/ming, I could go on. The only friends present outside of D’s closest G/lee friends, clearly there for moral support, were the Starshits and that’s bc they support M. Literally no one at the wedding was someone who D was friends with independently outside of that select group of former cast members. Says a lot.

Anon. The wedding and everything about speaks volumes. From who was there. Who wasn’t. The fact that they made a shit ton on ads. The paps before the wedding. the fact that we’ve practically seen the entire thing from self proclaimed private couple. Who was there but didn’t really participate. No original song. Lack of officiant. Marriage in a state were licenses aren’t not accessible. Mocking of fandom. D not bothering to shave, wearing a wrinkled suit. D ignoring her and failing to help as she maneuvered that monstrosity into the car. Etc etc etc.

Nothing in her answer is true- it’s all lies and misconstrued BS. However, I’m only addressing the guest-list trope. 

Anonymous asked:Another gem, mandy m whom darren GUSHES about and loves dearly was also not present at the sham wed

No one that i would consider a close Hollywood friend outside of the G/lee peeps was present. No one. But people accept it and make excuses.  

Abby clearly believes she knows everything about Darren’s personal life from stalking him on social media. She believes that social media gives her an accurate, comprehensive understanding of his private life and access to his feelings. She believes she knows where he is, what he is doing, how he feels, what is important to him, and who is important to him simply from publicly available pictures and videos. She largely ignores what he says in interviews since it overwhelmingly contradict what she imagines she knows from stalking social media. 

Trying to “read” a social media photo is that all you can learn is what is verifiable- who is in the photo, what they wearing, maybe where they are, and what they are physically doing. Assuming anything about feelings, backstory, or emotions is how you end up making an ass out of you and sumption. Almost all of the photos and videos of Darren that we see - the ones Abby uses to “understand” Darren- are publicity photos used to promote something- he’s at an event, on the red carpet, promoting his own project, promoting a friends’ project, taking a cast photo at a show he attended, or #ad. This is what actors in Hollywood do, but Abby refuses to acknowledge that the vast majority of Darren pics and mentions are work related and not a diary of his full life and even during a busy week of heavy promotion, we see only a small percentage of his work day.  

 I have no doubt that Darren adores Allison Williams and Mandy Moore but they aren’t the kind of friends you invite to a 200-300 guest wedding. Darren is actually a private person, he isn’t doing to go on social media to lay out his feelings about someone who really means a lot to him. He doesn’t share those kinds of feelings with the world, those are special feelings he keeps private.

The group of people listed today: Hailee Seinfeld, Lucy Hale, Sarah Hyland and Alan Cumming were all former coworkers of his which means there were PR photos posted to social media. This is why Abby believes these people are his “best friends”. I don’t see any evidence that these people are close enough to be invited to his 200-300 guest wedding.  It is also possible that he did invite a few of those people and they simply weren’t able to come. He isn’t the kind of person to share that with his fans..  

He did tell Allison Williams when they were both on James Cordon “I adore you” but it doesn’t look like he was at her 2015 wedding: 

PEOPLE has learned that the wedding took place at Brush Creek Ranch in Saratoga, Wyoming, and among the 150-200 guests included Williams’ Girlsco-stars Lena Dunham, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, as well as pals Katy Perry, John Mayer, Barry Diller, Diane Von Furstenberg, Bruce Springsteen and Late Night‘s Seth Meyers.

A source tells PEOPLE that Tom Hanks officiated and that Brian Williamswalked his daughter down the aisle.

Three things that are off topic- 1. Tom Hanks officiated! How cool is that? 2.  Two days ago they announced that they are  getting divorced and 3. She wore an Oscar De La Renta couture gown that looks exactly like my gown which was a made by a seamstress based on a photo of an Oscar De La Renta that I could never afford. It’s crazy how similar the 2 dresses are- minus the couture and 20 years. Mine only had lace on the bust and I didn’t have that gorgeous veil.  My skirt was dupioni silk.

None of the people that Abby claims are Darren’s true friends-the ACS cast, the Glee cast (minus Chord, Harry, Lea and. Max who did attend), Lucy, Allison, Sarah, Alan and Mandy- are people he is particularly close to and that makes it easier for her to think about. Abby is full of jealous rage over the people Darren really loves- Ben, the StarKids, Ricky, and Ashley. She cannot stand those people because they have the relationship with Darren that she wants but can’t have. She deludes herself that social media gives her access to his personal feelings and then lies to the fandom about his relationships. Darren doesn’t share vulnerable feelings on social media or in interviews but he does tell use that these people are “like family” or “one of my best friends”. Are you paying attention, Abby? Are you listening?