#PLEASE MERYL BE ON SEASON 4

[thatwasntaquestion]

" [...] But, I-I need to say that I do trust you. And I-I don't care about the book. I don't care about any of it. I just wanna be with you. To do our show. Excuse me, our hit show, and go home to your funny little apartment and just fall asleep in your arms. And there's more. And it's a biggie. I love you. Wow, I haven't said those words in a minute. But you know what? It felt right. So I'm gonna say it again. Here it goes. I love you. " cit. Oliver Putnam OMITB s03ep08

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Stampede Wolfwood got Metaphorically Isekai'd (No This is Not a Shitpost)

Oh my god if this winds up being part of my legacy I'll probably cry.

So. Everyone who's watched the new show knows that Wolfwood is introduced by getting hit by Meryl's van in the middle of the desert where he is literally the only thing to get hit for miles around. What an entrance. Welcome to the team buddy.

[ID: A screenshot from Trigun Stampede Episode 4. At an above view, the van has spun, unfortunately sending the trailer back part crashing directly into Wolfwood. He is starfished face-first into it, rather comically. End ID.]

It's funny as heck, but, since I am deranged, I'm gonna try and convince you that this is not only an isekai joke, but that the basic premise of an isekai actually applies fairly well to Stampede Wolfwood in the first season... but then a lot of the standard tropes are made into notable and tragic subversions. Also please note I have never actually watched an isekai anime so maybe take all this with a grain of salt. Or several. (Also isekai is a really broad genre. I'm talking specifically about the tropiest things to come out of it - please don't take what I'm about to discuss as representative of the entire genre!)

In the manga, and I believe in the 98 anime as well, Wolfwood is spotted by Vash while him and the insurance girls are travelling on a bus. He is out in the middle of the desert, and so thirsty and exhausted he's initially mistaken for dead. Vash and the girls manage to cause enough of a ruckus that he is literally saved (which echoes the influence they, but especially Vash, will have on him later on), and they all end up on the bus as him and Vash become acquainted - the start of their companionship, and the start of their journey together (being quite literally on a moving vehicle). In the 23 anime, it all seems set up to give us the same intro: there is a vehicle, Wolfwood is clearly exhausted from trekking through the desert, Meryl and Vash are there... and then, suddenly -

[ID: Two screenshots from Trigun Stampede Episode 4. In the first, Wolfwood is walking with Punisher across the sand with a bright blue sky background. He does not see the van coming into sharp focus on a direct path towards him. In the second, Meryl, in the driver's seat, looks out with a shocked expression. Roberto's hand has reached over to grab the wheel. End ID.]

Pfft. Sorry I had to rewatch this to get the screenshots and I swear it does not get any less funny. Anyways, Wolfwood gets hit instead of getting rescued, but the end result is the same - he ends up in the vehicle and his journey with them begins.

So. Why the difference?

Well, I can only really speculate, and honestly it was probably just for the humour of it, but I do have another (deranged) suggestion.

See, Wolfwood in the manga is a little different from Stampede's Wolfwood - he's a lot friendlier for one (though no less trying to scam people), and he's got a little bit more self-made purpose (protecting and providing for the orphanage), even if he still lacks true agency. Stampede Wolfwood, by contrast, is a lot more aimless. He's on constant survival mode, which makes him a lot more openly abrasive right from the get-go, more cavalier about his own life (smokes way more than in the manga, takes bullets when there's actually no reason to), and a lot less in control of his outward persona (there have been many observations I've seen on how he's not the best at holding back his emotions - imo I don't think manga Wolfwood is especially good at that either, but in Stampede, it's really obvious).

Stampede Wolfwood also plays up his "monstrousness" a lot more in front of people, which is probably the most significant difference to me. Manga Wolfwood... doesn't exactly try to hide it, but he tends to take a "well, somebody had to do what needed to get done" attitude, like a kind of tired "I know there's no going back and I know I've turned into a monster. This is all I know how to be now. Somebody has to make the hard calls." But he feels shame about it all the same - look at how he puts his sunglasses on whenever he's about to do something he finds reprehensible (well, except the Ninelives fight... but no one was around to witness him there). It's made pretty explicit later that the glasses are a way for him to say "don't look at me. don't see what I've become".

Meanwhile, Stampede Wolfwood never takes the glasses off. He's much more upfront about the threat he poses - calling out Vash for not watching his back, outright saying he could've shot him - not a smart move when trying to earn someone's trust. His teasing, when he does it, isn't quite as playful, and has a bit of a bite to it. It's almost like he wants to be hated; like he's torn between justifying the necessity of his actions and convincing others that he is just as much of a monster as he feels.

I really think the key differences have a lot to do with their respective situations. Wolfwood in the manga... he got out, for a bit. He couldn't go back to the orphanage, but for at least a little bit, he wasn't under the Eye of Michael's thumb, he did get to meet people outside of missions and travel a bit, and was acting on his own intent... until he ended up pulled back into it because of Knives. Stampede Wolfwood has been under their control since he was taken from the orphanage. Everyone he loves is a hostage. He's taken on the name of his weapon and has known nothing else except this world of darkness - there's very little to imply he's travelled or spoken to anyone without it being for some mission. He's under consistent surveillance.

This "babysitting" mission, then, is something very different from his usual. It's not an assassination. Even more so, it's putting him in close contact with people who are not part of the world that he inhabits, the only one he's known since he was taken, which kickstarts significant changes in his life. You could even say he's been... transported to a different world than the one he'd lived in up to this point...

Enter Truck-kun. Or, rather, Van-kun.

Alright, so what is an isekai? Essentially, it's a wide-ranging genre where the protagonist gets transported or reincarnated to another world (usually regular world -> fantasy/sci-fi world), and typically involves an ordinary person becoming important/powerful in this new world - the genre is, a lot of the time, a mix of power fantasy and wish fulfillment.

Obviously, there is no literal transporting to another world here; it is still very much the same world (I'll bring up why this is important later.) But it's notable that Wolfwood remains very much the outlier in their group - he does not blend in, and his methods and approach are very different to that of the rest, who do not come from the same "world" as him. It's the start of a pretty drastic change in situation for him. It's why I really wish there were more episodes showing his dynamic with the group before it all went to hell - I bet he was so awkward.

The next thing I want to mention is that if you thought I was going to be arguing that there is a standard isekai parallel here... well I lied to you. A lot of the common tropes actually get subverted in kinda heartbreaking ways.

Usually the protagonist of an isekai (not always, but often) is some kind of chosen one. They are able to excel in situations that others cannot, and it's usually because they bring some kind of skill or knowledge from their old life that the people in the new world, obviously, don't. They tend to become ultra powerful, well able to take on any of their challenges in this new world, with advantages others don't have.

This doesn't sound like anything to do with Wolfwood after being hit by Meryl's van. But it sure sounds an awful lot like him after being taken by the Eye of Michael.

He is transferred from his comparatively normal life to one straight out of a sci-fi horror. He's a chosen "Child of Blessing", ranked "S+". He was able to survive grievous harm and experimentation, "excelling" where most other hapless kids did not. What did he bring with him from his old life that none of the people in his new life seem to have that allowed him to survive in the way he did? Well... he had something to protect didn't he? That's how he continues to struggle on. This is far from the sentiment shared by people like Conrad and Legato.

And so Wolfwood becomes ultra powerful - his body is fast, strong and resilient; he's efficient and good at what he's been trained to do. But this is far from anything he wanted. The power fantasy is subverted. Wolfwood is powerful enough to handle pretty much any threat that's thrown at him... but all it does is isolate and alienate him, and make him feel like a monster. Another aspect of isekai is that freedom one gets from being able to start over and become someone closer to their ideal self in a new setting - that's the wish fulfillment part. Well, Wolfwood has never been further from free, or less like the person he wishes to be. He hates everything he has become, but can't get out. Unable to change his situation, and increasingly jaded and disillusioned, Wolfwood takes on the moniker of "Punisher" and gives up on his old self. "Wolfwood" has effectively died.

Other than "transfer" isekai, there is also another kind - the "reincarnation" isekai. I'm not going to even touch bringing up the premise of reincarnation with a guy who carries around a giant cross on his back as I am far from qualified (knowing very little about Christianity at all), but I think it's worth noting that Wolfwood's arc (in all iterations) has much to do with his ever-present conflict with Vash over morality, but also just as much about his struggle to reconcile the person he was with the person he was forced to become, and if there is such a thing as forgiveness or redemption for him.

If "Wolfwood" has died before the story started, then he is "reincarnated" over the course of the story as he slowly starts to find himself again, with the kickstarting impetus being him getting hit by Meryl's van.

The changes don't start instantly. He wakes and things seem relatively normal - the plan is working, there's someone obviously suspicious of him - all stuff he's probably very used to. And then Vash goes and completely blindsides him.

[ID: A screenshot from Trigun Stampede Episode 4. A close up of Vash's face in the dim lighting, with eyes softened and a smile. End ID.]

"I can see it in his eyes."

Okay, so we all kinda giggle a little bit here because who the hell says that to some sketchy guy wearing dark sunglasses in a dark cave-like area when you've only just met, but I really want to stress that this is probably the first truly positive interaction Wolfwood has had in years... and I think Vash is well aware of that.

Wolfwood starts the transition from darkness to light... quite literally.

Almost all of Wolfwood's defining scenes are in the darkness of night, in contrast to the brightly lit desert in the day - think of when he moves away from the fire to speak to Zazie at the end of his intro episode, and assassinates the EoM traitor at the beginning of episode 6. In episode 5, we also get this:

[ID: Two screenshots from Trigun Stampede Episode 5. In the first, Rollo has Vash pinned to a metal wall by his neck. The sun can be seen between the two of them. In the second, Rollo lies dead on the ground. It is now night, and Vash stands over him, head low. Wolfwood stands a distance away. End ID.]

As Vash tries to speak to Rollo, to talk him down, the sun, though setting, is bright and illuminates both their faces. This all comes crashing down, literally, as Wolfwood takes the shot. Rollo falls, the sun stops shining on him, and by the time they all reach his body, night has fallen and the world is in darkness. The light goes out for Rollo... and in Wolfwood's eyes, for him too. He shot out of mercy, after all. He's living a nightmare he sees no escape from nor feels deserving of escaping from - worse, he feels as though he's a part of that darker setting, dragging it into their journey along with him.

However, we've established the lens of the "reincarnation" isekai for the purposes of this analysis, and along with that usually comes a way to compensate or reconcile for missed opportunities or mistakes made in the past by becoming something closer to one's own original ideal - sometimes this can even be a literal starting over, by being reborn into one's own younger self. And that's the importance of what Vash says to Wolfwood in episode 4 - he sees the potential in Wolfwood; the old self he thought had "died" a long time ago. Vash knows he's not the person he's been made to become and encourages him - not to do as Vash does, but to do as Wolfwood actually wants to do but thought for the longest time as hopeless. After all, what is a blank ticket if not a second chance or a new lease on life?

On the sand steamer in episode 6, the scene starts off in daylight once again, but after Wolfwood realizes the new assailant is Livio and we see their backstory, the snap back to the present scene is at night, and the scene darkens as the situation becomes more dire... and as Wolfwood comes to the conclusion that he will have to kill his brother.

But as Zazie's bug, or "eye", gets shot by Vash deflecting what would have been a fatal blow to Livio... suddenly, Wolfwood is free to act without the EoM's ever present surveillance. This is a serious step to severing the binds to that old life, and, as Wolfwood ultimately does not want any harm to come to Livio, he finds another way. And the sky starts to lighten again.

[ID: A screenshot from Trigun Stampede Episode 7. A close up of Livio's face with a distant, pensive expression. A wisp of smoke trails underneath as the pinkish hue of the sunrise is seen in the background. End ID.]

Of course, while this does succeed in waking him, it doesn't actually save him. But it is enough that Wolfwood decides to try letting a little bit of hope back in - to acclimate, even if just a little, to Vash's ideals, or his "world". Wolfwood's wish, to protect the orphanage, is (temporarily) fulfilled - in broad daylight, and without the death he'd been so accustomed to in his old "world". While he outwardly denies it, angrily telling Vash that he is no longer "Wolfwood" and instead merely "the Punisher", that "I'm not like you", the episode's title card, which appears directly after this exchange, does not agree.

[ID: A screenshot from Trigun Stampede Episode 7. A black background with white text; the title card for the episode that reads "#07 Wolfwood". End ID.]

He's more himself than he's been in a long time.

In that sense, going back to my insane original premise, we can say that he was isekai'd once by transfer, turning him into someone else... then isekai'd again by reincarnation after he thought his old self dead, helping him to start on the path to finding that younger self and that hope he thought he'd lost. It's a double subversion, in a way, as the first is far from wish fulfillment, and the latter is actually a restoration - a realization that as he slowly starts to transition to the light, he actually never left this world at all when he was changed against his will. He's not a monster of the dark. He still has a place in this lighter world.

Heartwarming, in a way, but also kind of heartbreaking, as if he hasn't truly left this world then there are still consequences.

Wolfwood, after this, still has to complete his contract. He didn't actually get out.

And Vash, for all that he appears to be someone "not like" Wolfwood, is actually far more similar than he'd initially suspected - Vash, too, came from darkness. The Big Fall happened at night. And even as Wolfwood's world grows lighter, Vash's grows ever darker as what he has tried to stave off bleeds into the light, culminating in the events of July, which take place entirely at night, and are truly Vash's darkest hours. Rather than Vash being some naïve creature of a lighter world that Wolfwood cannot reach, he is instead another person from darkness who is struggling for the light all his own.

Because of course, there is no "lighter world" or "darker world". No true "travel" between the two. Just one world that is both at once. And what one finds in it is dependent on what one chooses to read into their circumstances. A kinder, brighter world isn't something they can simply get isekai'd to. It's something these characters have to struggle to make a reality - it's what Vash does, it's what Meryl takes a stand for, it's what Wolfwood, deep down, wants to believe is possible. Hope is something you build yourself, etc.

Anyways, I can't believe I just wrote all that. I think I'm losing my mind. If you came out of this going, "Story, what the hell are you talking about?" then... well. Me too. Thanks for reading anyways!

[mfjenks]

It's so hard when at the same moment I absolutely adore the dynamic between Oliver and Loretta, they have this chemistry and understanding of each other, both of them are sunshines deserving happiness, it's a pleasure to see Oliver such a tender worshiping happy lover, and c'mon Meryl Streep and Martin Short just NAILED this season and deserve every award BUT another part of me is completely on Olicharles ship with which I'm going to go down and this remains to be the most important relationship for me personally in the whole series (and well Oliver has this absotlutely-not-straight energy) AND the third part of me would even be happy to see Oliretta endgame with Charles and Oliver remaining to be old-married-besties but don't actually believe that Meryl is going to stay for another season I actually think my theory from the episode 4 may be true: Loretta is finally going to "take Hollywood by storm" with Dickie, and Oliver and Loretta break up, but on a happy note being grateful to each other And I'm not sure how I'm going to feel about that: on the one hand I love them on another hand that may mean Olicharles may have a chance It is much easier in the case of Charles x Joy and Mabel x Tobert: I just don't like Joy and Tobert, SO PLEASE DON'T DO IT TO ME

[spo-ork]

For your troubles after the season ended^

TRIGUN STAMPEDE SPOILERS AHEAD (talking about how season 1 was in comparison to the manga and what I’ve watched of Trigun)

Starting with the praises:

The animation was beautiful

I’m not too big on 3d, but it really had a lot of good moments

The last fight was fucking amazing

The animation was just spot on

Meryl’s emotions were animated well (crying & disgust)

She’s a little floppy though

Kinda like soggy toast

The opening and ending were really nice

The music was fitting

Especially going into this new age of animation

I really enjoy the new outfits

I think it fits with the style

I think each of the outfits fit with their respective material

I don’t think the straps would look that great in tristamp tho

I love the dynamics

Very excited for Milly :)

Both English and Japanese voice actors are phenomical

They fit the characters so well & it’s really cool that Johnny can come back to voice Vash

He’s come a long way as a VA, doing an awesome job

Gonna head straight in saying that:

I think the first 4 episodes were phenomenal,

but I feel like the pacing was too fast the last 8 episodes.

If they went with 16 or 24, it would work better I think

On first glance, I didn’t really think the hairstyle really fit with the 3d.

Obviously it’s being more faithful to the original, but you’d think it would be wet because he just got out of the plant juices

idk what it’s made of

I don’t think I wanna know

It kinda goes back to pacing, but I wish that there was more bonding with the main characters like in Trigun

I mean, they are serious-ish episodes, but there’s a lot more exploration into character

Not sure how to word this but I wish the clothing kept their dirt because I don’t think they have ready access to washers and dryers

There will always be sand

So much sand

I can feel it in my teeth there’s that much sand

Blood as well

How is Vash’s shirt not really fucking bloody

I want shots of that, please, I beg

OVERALL, I liked it but there are some things that could be worked on. Good job to everyone who worked on it, props to studio orange!! Can’t wait for season 2.

[itsthenovelteafactor]

OMITB S3 Thoughts:

Overall, really enjoyed season 3. I do consider it a bit of a step down from seasons 1 and 2, but there is a lot to enjoy and appreciate and I am looking forward to season 4!

Things I liked:

The. Musical. Numbers. 

They were so good and weird and surprisingly emotional

Honestly all the Broadway stuff made my inner theater kid happy

The main three are delightful as always!

I was so happy Uma and Howard got character spotlights! 

The parallels between the play and the mystery *chefs kiss*

Loretta. Meryl Steep was incredible as always and I loved her in this role. Definitely my favorite of the new characters this season I hope we see more of her! 

Mabel learning ASL!

Charles and his emotional support fish

Costuming as always is great. I want Mabel’s sweater collection.

Mabel’s notecard script in the last episode was GOLD 

Spitzprobe might be one of my favorite episodes of the show as a whole 

Things I didn’t like as much:

I did feel like some of the characters built up in the first two seasons got put on the back burner for the new cast

Biggest ones were Will and Lucy. Like, Will especially because his father had a heart attack and he wasn’t mentioned?? Oliver fully wrote the musical at the end he’d definitely be coming with VIP seats, right? 

Trio was so great together but only really came together the last few episodes. :/ 

WHY DID SELENA GOMEZ NOT SING?? 

Also. Like. I am a huge Theo fan and seeing him back was delightful and James Caverly is always a standout but I feel like we jumped over some pretty important stages in his redemption arc that I would’ve loved to see. Like, we went straight from “maybe you’re not such a bad guy” to sleepover buddy. I will admit I was looking forward to a drawn out healing/forgiveness process that kind of got skipped over.

Especially since both the play and Ben’s death involved someone getting pushed from the top of a building and the Zoe parallels were right there and never got acknowledged. 

Also rip Oliver that his past two producers have gotten arrested and had sons that killed someone by pushing them off the top floor of the same building maybe he IS cursed. 

Literally why did Mabel not get to sing. Like, I know Mabel the character is probably not a huge singer but it’s Selena Gomez. Y’all could’ve done something.

Miss the Arconiacs! 

I realize this section is way longer than the first one but it’s just because I have more thoughts not because I dislikes more things.

WHERE WERE WINNIE AND MRS. GAMBOLINI??

Wishlist for season 3:

More Will! He’s the last functional character let him get in on the shenanigans please.

More Lucy! I love the energy she brings to the show it’s so good.

Mabel does not need another love interest. Have not cared since Oscar left. (Did people not like Oscar? He’s such a sweetheart I miss him I hope his yoga studio is doing well) 

More of the trio being buddies in general

Theo getting some interactions with Charles and Oliver maybe? Half-brother reveal? 

More hanging out with the Arconia residents 

Would like some explanation for why Theo is not in jail. I’m not upset about it but like…he should totally be in jail? 

More Detective Williams

Honestly with the established characters I’d love to mix up and get some new dynamics like Will and Charles? Uma and Mabel? Oliver and Lucy? Williams and Howard?

There to be an homage to a study in scarlet with different interpretations of what Sazz wrote

You know what Mabel should sing. I’m still holding out hope.

The next time they do a montage of different people reacting to the podcast cut to Theo reading a transcription. I just think if a podcast accuses you of murder the very least they can do is make it accessible to you.  

[fullcry]

TRIGUN FIC PUBLICATION SCHEDULE [Spring/Summer 2023]

-Quick Notes-

I know I've been saying I'll post my publication schedule next week for the past four weeks, but here we finally are! Scroll all the way down if you're looking for the schedule. V

I'll be focusing on 3 fics this spring and summer, detailed below, though I may throw in oneshots, drabbles, and prompt fics in between scheduled updates if the mood strikes and I have the time.

"Memories on Film" will be my last direct-to-AO3 fic before I launch my Patreon Page (technically already up, just very bare bones right now). After that, all updates will hit my Patreon first and be posted to AO3 for everybody two weeks later. If you've enjoyed my Trigun fics I hope you'll consider supporting!

I'll also be posting about my Patreon page and goals for that more over on main (@spicychestnut) later this month.

If you have any questions please feel free to send me an ask! I'll do my best to get to them timely. Thanks everyone for your support so far in this (for me, anyway) new fandom! Can't wait to scream about season 2 of Stampede with you all!

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

-Fics-

"Memories on Film"

She awoke with a splitting headache, wearing Vash's jacket (and only his jacket), with Vash curled behind her wearing nothing at all. She has no memory of the night before and neither does he, but her camera might hold the secrets. | VashMeryl, TriStamp, Eventual NSFW.

"Love and Peace and Gunsmoke"

She first met him hanging upside down beneath the blazing suns of a desert sky, and should have known then that he’d turn her world upside down, too. She was a newbie reporter with an insatiable curiosity and aspirations of greatness; but time and experience can be as cruel as they can be kind, and she learns the long hard way that curiosity can lead to difficult truths, and greatness often comes at a price. | Meryl-centric, eventual VashMeryl, AU Longfic.

"Biology"

Things were tight on Ship 3, the refugee crisis taking a toll on available supplies across the planet. But Vash’s solar array held the promise of turning the tide in the fight against Knives, and with the recent discovery of long-missing ship 13 buried in the desert, they had the chance to potentially triple their resources overnight. But things never go as planned with Vash around; one mishap leads to another, and Vash and Meryl are forced to confront the feelings the Knives crisis has caused them both to bury. | VashMeryl, TriStamp, Eventual NSFW.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

-The Schedule-

Publication weekly on Saturday afternoon/evening. Patreon supporters at the $4/mo tier will get 2 week early access to updates before they're posted to AO3!

Edit: Please note there have been some changes as of early May!

Memories on Film | Ch 1: April 8 Memories on Film | Ch 2: April 15 Memories on Film | Ch 3: April 22 Memories on Film | Ch 4: April 29

Break Week: May 6

LP&G | Ch 2: May 13 (Patreon) / May 20 (Public) LP&G | Ch 3: May 20 (Patreon) / May 27 (Public)

Break Week: May 27 (Patreon) / June 10 (Public)

Biology | Ch 1: June 3 (Patreon) / June 17 (Public) Biology | Ch 2: June 10 (Patreon) / June 24 (Public) Biology | Ch 3: June 17 (Patreon) / July 1 (Public) Biology | Ch 4: June 24 (Patreon) / July 8 (Public) Biology | Ch 5: July 1 (Patreon) / July 15 (Public) Biology | Ch 6: July 8 (Patreon) / July 22 (Public) Biology | Ch 7: July 15 (Patreon) / July 29(Public) Biology | Ch 8: July 22 (Patreon) / August 5 (Public) Biology | Ch 9: July 29 (Patreon) / August 12 (Public) Biology | Ch 10: August 5 (Patreon) / August 19 (Public)

Break Week: August 12 (Patreon) / August 26 (Public)

LP&G | Ch 4: August 19 (Patreon) / September 2 (Public) LP&G | Ch 5: August 26 (Patreon) / September 9 (Public)

Fall 2023 publication schedule will be posted at the start of August!

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

-Support!-

One-time donations @ Ko-Fi Support monthly @ Patreon

.

Last Updated 5/8/23

[theladyvalkyrieskyeart]

Now this is really kinda sad because Trigun Stampede has a lot of potential for both an elevated version of the original story and world building lore. I really hope we get to see it fully realized soon.

In the meantime, if you haven't done so, please be sure to watch Trigun Stampede and rope others in as well.

Edited to add: Trigun Stampede is in both Crunchyroll AND Hulu so either one should be fine and would probably count.

FURTHER EDITED TO ADD: I understand some of the reticence is due to it basically being a reboot and as such people who have a fondness for the original anime or manga may not like the changes. Or people who have never seen the anime/read the manga may feel lost watching this. Lemme assuage some doubts:

1. Do I need to watch the original '98 anime or read the manga to understand?

NO! you can watch straight on and in the first episode it lays down the important points you need to know about this story and builds from there.

2. I'm really attached to the original anime tho and I was told it nothing like it, is that true?

Sort of yes. The tone here is more believable and realistic as opposed to the slapstick of the '98 anime, but it's more in line with the tone of Trigun Maximum when it gets serious, it's deadly serious. There is still some leavity in the show, but this version of the anime is meant to feel like a movie or a irl TV series

3. But *redacted* isn't in this!

Not in this season, no this season Roberto was there to build up Meryl's character arc. The events of this season will have an effect on her into the next season when she.... um.... comes across familiar faces. It's clear this story is meant to have at most 3 seasons to fully tell the story but again, if people aren't watching it then it's a good chance it will be dropped and then you'll never get *redacted character* at all.

4. I don't have Crunchyroll

Great! It's on Hulu!

All I'm saying is have an open mind and give this iteration of the series a chance. Studio Orange along with Kenji Muto and Yoshihiro Watanabe put a lot of thought into this series.

[bkdotblog]

"White Lies and Black Eyes," S3E12

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 3 Episode 12 Recap

My Title: "The Heather Black Eye Discussion Episode"

My rating: 4 out of 5 black eye reveals

Support for Lisa Barlow: Unassailable

<><><>

Absolutely demented start to this episode.

Remember last week, when the lead up to Heather Gay Black Eye Reveal was edited like a murder mystery? The recap of the previous 48 hours that opens Episode 12 is edited like a nightmare trauma flashback. In case you forgot about Jen Shah going ballistic at every single San Diego-based gathering, a montage with intentionally distorted audio reminds you that you never did, and you never will <3 So: Whodunnit?

Too early for a BK's take but here I am going: My hunch last week was that Jen decked Heather in the night—Deck me classy mama!—but that possibility seemed too entertaining to be true. However, the edit here heavily implies that Jen, after a long day of exhibiting several different forms of toxic social behavior, did do something to Heather that resulted in a black eye. What do U think? I am dying to talk about this—please leave a comment if you are, too!

Heather summons Jen to her room first thing in the morning. Jen, feeling at least a little silly, dons Heather's wig from last night. When the black eye is revealed, Jen seems shocked. She asks what happened, and Heather says this:

"That's why I need you to help me figure out if someone really wants to talk about what happened last night."

!!!

Because Heather doesn't "want any of the ladies to get in trouble," she needs a cover story for the eye. Watching Jen try to be funny about this is very uncomfortable. Her first suggestion is that a spider laid eggs in Heather's eyes, and her third is that Heather invited a Tinder date back to her casita who "got rough." I took this opportunity to Google whether or not Jen has been fired from the show and the jury is apparently still out. Let's trade her in for Mary Cosby!

Heather calls an adult (Meredith) who arrives wearing under-eye patches. When Heather reveals the eye, Meredith is shocked. Watching her react next to Jen is like watching Meryl Streep act against an orange wearing a wig.

"We were with you until 4 in the morning!"

Cue found footage: 4:50 AM, outside Heather's room. We only saw the doorknob turn in the preview, but now the full clip plays. The door opens. Jen saunters in. Knew it!! But wait... then Meredith walks in. And Angie K. And everybody is laughing!

Everything looks good.

And then everybody leaves! End footage.

Meredith's shock is beginning to simmer into confusion. What happened? She keeps asking. Heather says, I don't want to talk about it. Meredith is like, So you know what happened. And then Heather finally says: I don't know what happened.

San Diego: Day Three dawns. This is the worst trip I have ever been on!

Lisa stops by Whitney's room when she's getting ready. Their budding friendship continues to grow. Whitney is still cross with Heather, but she's also sowing seeds of conflict against Meredith. She basically tells Lisa: I thought you were the bitch all along, but Meredith is the real bitch, and she's trying to take you down. Which incenses Lisa and suggests a confrontation is not far off.

[BK's Take: I am still hoping for a Lisa-Meredith reconciliation this season, but this does not bode well.]

[BK's Take, fashawn: Love Whit's jammies!]

The ladies gather and go over the day's itinerary: Roller-blading, go-karts, see the San Diego sights, and SLAY all day rosé! Lisa amusedly recalls when Jen came into her room the prior night topless and gave her a midnight hug.* This prompts Whitney to ask about what went on after she went to sleep. Heather, wearing sunglasses, says things "got a little rough."

Everybody asks: What do you mean?

Heather says: I think we all know what I mean. And she reveals her black eye for the third time in one episode.

While my heart goes out to all victims of Jen Shah (both physical and fiscal!), Heather's wild oscillation on the "I don't want to talk at all about this" and "I need to do a dramatic eye reveal three times" x-axis coupled with her OTHER wild oscillations on the "I don't know what happened" and "Everybody knows all of the details about this already, so I needn't even say them" y-axis is exasperating. Almost as exasperating as that graph metaphor I just tried to pull on u... Sorry! Just trying new things!

Whitney feels nauseous. Everybody is shocked. But Heather insists that she doesn't want to "make the trip about [her] black eye." Everybody decides to drop it for now, though we need to keep a black eye on Whitney, who, you may remember, is on a hilling journey...

To the Go Kart track!

Sorry they're called "GoCars" and they're just little cars for riding around San Diego in!

Most of the pairs are talking about the eye --

-- except for Heather, who is listening to Lisa soliloquy about her closet.

That was fun! For the second activity of the day, the group splits. Meredith, Jen, Heather, and Angie go to a winery. Danna, Lisa, and Whitney go roller skate.

During both activities, conversation inexorably drifts to the Black Eye. The roller skaters discuss theories of how it could have happened over waffle cones. Whitney says: Either she did it to herself (i.e. fell) or someone did it to her (i.e. Jen punched Heather).

Meanwhile, at the winery, Meredith expresses her concerns, and makes it clear that "whatever happened" with the eye "was not ok." Just as I understand the want to not discuss it, I also see Meredith's point: Obviously, if somebody on this group trip physically harmed another person, it is kind of the group's business to know... right?

In her confessional, Heather issues a meandering and bizarre statement about how she won't say anything about the incident until someone else says something. She won't show her cards because "nobody is showing their cards", she won't "spew her theories." In other, less insane words: The next step is the puncher admitting to the punch.

Jen remains silent. The conversation moves through Heather's fractured relationship w Whitney to Whitney's friendship with Lisa to Lisa before Jen speaks up to offer some tea on an SEC filing against one of the Barlow's companies. Also, the Barlows were seen crowdfunding $25,000 for their tequila business — isn't that a little tacky, coming from "the richest bitch" of them all?

On the boardwalk, the ice cream cones have long melted when Danna serves up some complementary tea: Meredith has been talking about an SEC document and a crowdfunding thing relating to Vida Tequila? Lisa goes ballistic. In a confessional, she hypothesizes that Meredith is reacting to her (frankly iconic) "hot mic moment" from last season. It looks like their conflict is about to breach new heights!

Lisa says: "I don't pop pills, bitch. You do."**

(In the sprinter van, Meredith essentially confirms that, yes, this is because she called talked about her dumb fucking family that poses on the hot mic.)

Meredith is suggesting and Heather is dramatizing the idea that Lisa could be a broke hypocrite. Angie is uncomfortable. Jen keeps her mouth shut, wisely.

It's 9PM, and almost time for the Greek Goddess-themed dinner!

Angie goes to visit Lisa, who is not dressed according to the theme by any stretch.

Lisa is upset about Danna's revelations. Angie is like, thank goddess you brought it up because Meredith was talking shit! Set phasers to Meredith!

Unfortunately for Mare, it seems like her closest allies at the moment are Jen and Heather, making them a little bit less than a united front.

Greek Goddess Dinner outfit awards: Whitney is best greek goddess (fashion), Jen is best greek goddess (halloween costume), Heather is best greek goddess ("Ask Me About My Evil Eye!"). Lisa is in good spirits until Meredith arrives to the table—then her nerves start to fray. "Who pissed in Lisa Barlow's Diet Coke?" Heather wonders.

Angie is brought in by male escorts. A little grand, for somebody outside the main cast! But then she gives everybody a gift: An evil eye necklace. Lisa has a very canned response for her confessional: "I'm going to need this to ward off these evil bitches."

Then somebody asks how the day was, and things begin to begin. Whitney, shit-stirring for a brand new team, asks:

Nobody really speaks up, so Lisa doubles down. Meredith and Lisa get into it. Meredith is trying to downplay her part in having two on-camera conversations that put Lisa's business in a bad light, but she still feels that Lisa has done more to malign her. Lisa calls on Angie for backup.

Heather catches on that Angie and Lisa had a pre-dinner conversation, and she offers some condescending advice toward the head of the table:

"It's in poor taste to host a dinner where you stir up trouble right before it starts."

Meredith brings it back to Lisa's hot-mic rant, saying that when Lisa made comments about Mr. Meredith's business, she "endangered the livelihood of his 4,000 employees. That is reckless." This comment confused me.

[BK's Take: Meredith does not strike me as a particularly gracious person, at least to these women. I don't know what her principles are. She has a track record of assuming the absolute worst intentions of those around her and then reacting to those assumptions--see the above paragraph for a recent example. Having successful friendships does not seem as important as occupying a high ground of some sort and looking down from it. I don't love it. Would still like to see Lisa and Meredith come back together at some point, before Mare's bff Jen goes to prison and she's left with just Heather!]

At one point, when Lisa refers to her hot mic "rant", Meredith calls it a "tirade." Lisa: It was a rant! Meredith: It was a tirade. For the official record, these words are synonyms and are nearly interchangeable. I don't understand the nuance Meredith is suggesting. I think she's just a little bit dumber than she wants to appear in the moment.

Whit: "How do we move forward, knowing everybody remembers it differently, fills differently, knowing that we all love each other?"

Heather: "Maybe my eye is a metaphor for our friendships," she offers, because we don't know where it came from or how, but we roll with it, and sometimes we put a patch on it (?) and sometimes we don't. But I think these women are like Heather's black eye in other ways: You understand it's all being played up for drama, but when you look closely, you can see something wild, and violent; a retribution in waiting.

That's all! Thank you for reading. Episode 14 drops in two weeks. Until then, have a wonderful holiday, and Happy New Year. 🌌 BK

<><><>

Gay Imagery

Adding insignia to injury

<><><>

*Crystal Kung Minkoff would have filed charges!

**Cute delivery and all, but Lisa, there's nothing wrong with taking pills for our mental health. As Mother, you should know this!

[tropicalfreckles]

Finally started OMITB s3 (i'm behind y'all) spoilers ahead for each ep

Episode one and we have a nepo baby making out with his mom Oliver why are these people producing your show-

"he's gay so i can kiss him like that" it's still weird ma'am

also oh shit maryl streep

Oliver like "I'm your favorite right" lmao I love Mabel loves her favorite 2 old besties

LMAO HE'S ALIVE WHAT?

I still wanna know what's up with Mabel's aunt. I thought she was renovating for her where is she. Did her aunt give her her apartment. Is she dead?

Also Mabel missing her best friends :<

oh her aunt sold the apartment okay-

there we go dead ben lmao

Episode two!

Mabel freaking out about being almost 30 and not having her life together, OMITB don't come after my 31 year old ass-

Also y'all it's okay if you're still not sure what to do in life at 29 man 20s are just for stumbling around I'm going to be honest with you.

I also want Mable's outfit from the funeral please they always give Selena Gomez a great wardrobe

IS OLIVER HAVING A HEART ATTACK NO OLIVER (also mabel and charles in danger on the SECOND EPISODE)

"PTSD check, how we holding up?" "Okay, I already repressed it." "That's good."

Love Oliver's own subconscious using his friends to tell him to chill out and relax about the play and his take away was throwing himself into it to make it a musical.

Episode 3!

Charles enjoys getting insulted by Oliver jkdsfsdds (I guess the constant critiquing makes him act better)

Ma'am please stop kissing your son you're weird.

will mabel make a new friend this season, who knows (I also hope they bring back Theo very highkey cause I think he's funny and I like his actor) (tho I also heard he's not in s3 and if he isn't boo)

Oliver is kicking his own ass this season with his insecurity and narcissism.

I enjoyed the mood Meryl Streep set in the Nanny's song (I also liked kimber's background vocals)

I know omitb always has that one running gag I hate as much as I love this show but I wish this seasons wasn't weird nepo baby relationship kdsfsd

Episode 4! finally catching up

cinda continues to be an eccentric weirdo

"I take offense to that!" "That was my intention." Charles and Oliver continue having great banter lmao

charles mental breakdown black out WHY ARE HIS PANTS OFF

"I know I'm not mentally healthy, but that's okay-" Charles you are relatable but my man get therapy

I need to ask again do the writers to know how people around my age or younger act again

Mabel setting her boundaries good for her Annnnd I'm all caught up! Do I know who the villain is yet? probably not lmao but I got ideas

[teaforce-steph]

Decided to watch the last two episodes of Stampede at 7am on a Sunday with emotional support tea. (So I have 4 hours to recover and compose myself before catching up with normal people in the city) My totally unfiltered thoughts include:

Episode 11 was immensely distressing I'm glad I waited to watch it together with 12.

Knives kicked out of the club, get outta here!

Meryl is such a pocket size badass I love her

Vash's hair did the thing! +10 style points

Wolfwoooood... onya, mate. (And now he's carrying a weapon under each arm! What a unit)

MILLY! Milly confirmed! Please let there be a second season give us Milly 🙏😭

Chronica!

Coherent thoughts to follow.

[amazing-spiderling]

17, 20 and 22 for the violence asks >:)

17. there should be more of this type of fic/art

I feel like this is more of a twitter thing for me because I ended up following a lot of artists from Japan and Korea for Spideypool content there, some of whom have made the leap to Daredevil- but gosh, I keep seeing GORGEOUS anime style Fratt art and I'm like... why no Mattfoggy? T___T Not that there aren't tons of talented Mattfoggy artists, but for whatever reason, Foggy seems really underrepresented in the anime/manga style or if he shows up, it's usually just part of a Nelson Murdock and Page cutesy image. PLEASE put him in your yaoi aesthetic doujinshi four panel comics, I'm begging y'all. XDDD

20. part of canon you found tedious or boring

I am trying so hard to be spicy, but unfortunately my taste is immaculate so the things I don't like are pretty much universally panned. XD (No, Cat, you're just basic.)

To take it back to Metal Gear for a moment, I know that fandom is sort of split between what my friends and I used to call the "old" and "new testament" fans. People that were into the games set in the 60's-80's featuring Big Boss, Kazuhira Miller, Revolver Ocelot and the Diamond Dogs etc versus the games set in the 90's-2000's starring Solid Snake, Otacon, Liquid Snake, Meryl, Raiden and also Revolver Ocelot but with a mustache now.

Broadly speaking, while people will debate whether MGS 2 sucks or MGS 4 holds up, or whether the storytelling of MGS V still manages to shine through despite all of the obvious cutbacks caused by Konami- the fandom at large agrees that Metal Gear Solid 3 (the first game where we learn about Big Boss as a hero and his motivations etc) is lauded as the best game in the series. (With some people even saying it's the one you should play first?) And I gotta be really really real here.

I don't give a crap about Big Boss.

I mean, being introduced to the series in something more like release order- he's the antagonist, or at least behind a lot of the events that trouble the protagonists. He set a lot of wheels in motion that had consequences even he couldn't account for. Even when we get his motivation, I'm mostly like, "Cool story. Still war crimes." And yeah, everyone in these games is a war criminal, but some people are war criminals to try and put a stop to nuclear war and others are war criminals bc they think the world should always have a place for soldiers. Basically, nothing anyone could tell me about Big Boss's past could make me like him, and if I don't like characters it's harder for me to care about them. So while I can appreciate MGS 3 and V as games, and still watched people play through them and such... I just don't like... care about them.

22. your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

I can't say everyone ignores it, but there's SO MUCH FIC that revolves around Nelson vs. Murdock (and I get it, there's a lot of meat there to chew on) but DAMN the way some of the early S2 episodes make me feel. Watching Foggy running up stairs looking for Matt and cradling his head in his lap before dragging him back to his apartment (somehow???) Foggy strolling into the Dogs of Hell's club- even Foggy's moment of badassery (set to the music from the Columbia steps flashback- maybe hinting at how Matt has changed Foggy for the better perhaps?) in the hospital with the gang members? ARghhh The Daredevil fandom wants to zoom in on the "Matt chained to a brick wall" scene from S2 but I'm like... waving my arms at all this other good stuff from the beginning of that season begging people to do something with it.

[gnomebud]

vash as well you freacking nerd

YIPPEE!!!!!! hi lune i love you :)

first impression

first impression was the "transmascs stay winning" fancam which truly set me up for success. looked at him and went oh he's beautiful and a little pathetic. i need to know everything about him

impression now

he is still beautiful and a little pathetic and also i Love Him So Much he is everything to me. i feel so normal about him. he's my favorite goofy little guy and also wuh oh he has so many issues! please take care of yourself vash.... please.....

favorite moment

him dodging the bullets in ep 1 is still one of the coolest moments and probably my favorite :') also hm. honorable mentions are him running around all wild at any given moment where he's being chased or shot at, the Extremely Normal "wolfwood...." moment in ep 7, and him being rlly smart in his responses to wolfwood in ep 4!!!!!

idea for a story

i have like a billion in my head but it's so hard to pin down specific ones. big one is a fic with him & naï!! especially after last ep.... i also want to write smth unpacking what he and wolfwood know abt each other from this season bc along with being gay as hell their dynamic is so fucking fascinating. they're so weird. i love them

unpopular opinion

i think there is a tendency to baby vash that i am also. guilty of. but sometimes it makes me nervous lol. idk if that's unpopular

favorite relationship

him and wolfwood... they're so strange. i love them. also him and meryl!!!! i love meryl very much, she's such a great character; i wish we got more of her and vash's friendship considering she's kind of devoted herself to helping him at this point. unfortunately there is so much going on all the time in stampede

favorite headcanon

trying desperately to think of things we've talked abt that are headcanons. mmmmm. he will never Try Gun (this is nothing)

[scarytheory]

My predictions and wishes for Survivor SA9

– I think that Dino is sadly our Nick Iadanza. Amazing student of the game, super smart, very social, winner of our hearts… but he'll go out around merge. (I hope I'm wrong but…)

– Seamus is my winner pick. From the first boot in his season to winner? Yes please! His pre-season interview was so good, he seems like he have everything what it takes to win. Two things to think about: he's not as well connected as others (but that can be a double edged sword) and he's a big strong guy (great for a pre-merge, not so great for a post-merge).

– I have high hopes for Toni but damn, I wish she didn't get the Survivor tattoo with PK and Tevin

– there's no way they let Chappies to get to merge

– ditto Palesa

– I'm rooting for pre-mergers SO HARD. Like, it will be devastating for some of them leave a game early AGAIN. Please win every single immunity.

– Shona, I love you and you are going to surprise EVERYONE

– my queen MARIAN is back!!! I hope that she'll stay away from Shane because they were such a tigh pair and it could destroy their game

– I kinda want PK to go out first because I'm petty and he was a dick talking about his break up with Marian

– Tania is either gone early or final 3

– I did't care about Meryl much (I hated how bitter she was towards Nicole) but she won me over with her interview. She is a super fan? She has a big theater kid energy? She seems actually lovely?

– ngl, I'm scared how they'll manage 4 episode a week format (and how I'm gonna manage to watch it and not spoil myself)

Anyway, SUPER EXCITED FOR THIS SEASON! Let's gooooo

[mhkeiger]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Lilly Pulitzer UPF 50+ Solia ChillyLilly Dress in Amaryllis Red Secret Hideaway.

[crowdvscritic]

round up // OCTOBER 23

It’s official: October is the best weather month of the year for the Midwest. When else can you leave your screen door open and keep the air off while you rewatch Gilmore Girls and Stranger Things? 

This month’s pop culture top 10 is full of new-to-me tricks and treats for your TV, your earbuds, and your bookshelf, including our first major contender for Best Picture, a Turner Classic Movies marathon, and returning TV shows worth keeping up with.

October Crowd-Pleasers

1. Taylor Swift-palooza!

And to think this isn’t even my first Taylor Swift-palooza! As you scroll through an Instagram feed full of Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce couple costumes, let’s not forget what else happened this month: 

On the 13th (natch), Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour hit theaters, and because Swift is a “Mastermind” always “scheming like a criminal” to make us love her and “make it seem effortless,” it’s no surprise this is a home run for fans new or returning to the Eras Tour. Read my full review for ZekeFilm. Crowd: 10/10 // Critic: 9/10

She dropped a live version and remix of “Cruel Summer”

She released 1989 (Taylor’s Version) with six killer new vault tracks

And because I’m me, I finally watched Taylor Swift: The 1989 World Tour - Live (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7/10) to inform my review of the Eras film, which was a fun blast from the 2015 past

Girl can write a song!

2. Only Murders in the Building Season 3

Three things I did not know I wanted in one of the two shows I keep up with on a weekly basis: Paul Rudd! Meryl Streep! A musical! Selena Gomez, Steve Martin, and Martin Short’s sitcom is still zinging jokes at an impressive rate, and the Agatha Christie murder mystery plotting is still delightfully twisty. Full of both tricks and treats—and more beautiful coats on Gomez!

3. SNL Round Up

As for the other show I keep up with on a weekly basis, we’re back in Studio 8H for season 49! (Side note: IMDb has 954 episodes listed, which means we’re on track for an 1000th episode celebration in season 52!) Since last season was cut short by the Writer’s Strike, it felt like an extra long (or “cruel,” in Tay’s words) summer without our not-ready-for-primetime players. These have been my favorite sketches, bits, and camoes so far this season:  

“Fox NFL Sunday” (4901 with Pete Davidson) - This also would’ve been a valid entry of this month’s Taylor Swift-palooza

“Protective Mom 2” (4902 with Bad Bunny) 

“Biden Halloween Cold Open” (4903 with Nate Bargatze)

“Nate Bargatze Stand-Up Monologue” (4903) - Yes, I am also from the 1900s

“Hallmark Horror” (4903) - Let’s make this movie a reality

“Washington’s Dream” (4903)

“Chef Show” (4903)

4. Death Becomes Her (1992)

Goldie Hawn, Meryl Streep, and Bruce Willis turn Ethan Frome into a zany comedy! Author Hawn and Broadway star Streep are youth-obsessed divas vying for Willis’s affections, but Isabella Rossellini’s promise of eternal beauty makes their rivalry more complicated. Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 8/10

5. Good Boundaries and Goodbyes by Lysa Terkeurst (2022)

While the editor in me thinks it could lose 20-30 pages, this book is full of crunchy thoughts and questions about setting healthy boundaries, why we people-please, and what Scripture says about saying goodbye to relationships.

More October Crowd-Pleasers: Dolly Parton: Here I Am (2019) is a solid documentary about a delightful (and enigmatic) country star // Colombiana (2011) is a solid action thriller starring a pre-Guardians Zoe Saldana

October Critic Picks

1. Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Martin Scorsese’s latest is less about murder and more about the lies we tell ourselves, about talking about both sides of our mouths, and about the discrepancy between our public and private lives. It’s very good (and very 3 ½ hours). Read the full review at ZekeFilm. Crowd: 7/10 // Critic: 10/10

2. Gothic Movies

I have discovered my perfect Halloween film formula: a naive young woman marries a wealthy man with a giant mansion, but plot twist: he might be a murderer! (Also see: Rebecca.) The October Spotlight on Turner Classic Movies was Gothic Movies, and I caught every one of these spooky literary adaptations I hadn’t seen before. Most of them follow some variation of that formula, and many of them star Vincent Price. These were the standouts:

The House of Seven Gables (1940) - George Sanders and Vincent Price war over the family’s cursed home, and Margaret Lindsay’s kind heart is caught in the middle 

Jane Eyre (1943) - Joan Fontaine and Orson Welles star in Charlotte Brontë’s classic

Experiment Perilous (1944) - Hedy Lamarr’s fancy pants husband may be gaslighting her, and only George Brent’s doctor can help her find out

Dragonwyck (1946) - Gene Tierney becomes a governess for wealthy Vincent Price’s daughter, but his mansion has as many secrets as rooms

Secret Beyond the Door… (1947) - Joan Bennett elopes with Michael Redgrave but then discovers his hobby is recreating murder sites in his mansion

The Woman in White (1948) - Eleanor Parker plays two roles as a sister engaged to be married and as a mysterious woman escaped from an asylum in Victorian England

House of Usher (1960) - Vincent Price refuses to let his sister wed or to remodel the family’s riven mansion that would fail every inspector’s test in this Edgar Allan Poe adaptation

Bonus: Many of them qualified as new additions to my Letterboxd list “’40s Gals Just Trying to Live Their Best Lives BUT SOCIETY.” 

3. The In-Laws (1979)

Neurotic dentist Alan Arkin and carefree criminal Peter Falk’s children are getting married this weekend, but first, they’re going to get mixed up in a international espionage hijinks. Falk is just doing comedy Columbo! Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 9/10

4. Do We Get to Win This Time? (2023)

In this eight-episode series on The Big Picture feed, journalist Brian Raftery digs into the history of Vietnam films, including Apocalypse Now, Born on the 4th of July, Coming Home, The Deer Hunter, First Blood, The Green Berets, M*A*S*H, and Platoon. Because of their bleak outlook, these films are not my favorite, but the each episode gives new context to the filmmaking and ‘70s culture. Listen to the series here. 

5. Good Reads

A grab bag of good stuff about tech:

“The Internet Is About to Get Much Worse,” NYTimes.com (2023)

“Blessed Are the Rich, for They Can Afford to Limit Their Kids’ Screen Time,” ChristianityToday.com (2023)

“Streaming Has Reached Its Sad, Predictable Fate,” TheAtlantic.com (2023)

About workplaces at varying levels of functioning:

“To the World, McCarthy’s Exit Is Just Another Example of U.S. Disarray,” NYTimes.com (2023)

“The Magic Number: 32 Hours a Week,” NYTimes.com (2023)

"‘I Just Wasn’t in the Mood to Work.’ American Employees Reinvent the Sick Day,” WSJ.com (2023)

About the movies:

"‘Who wasn’t complicit?’ How Martin Scorsese Won the Trust of the Osage Nation,” TheGuardian.com (2023)

“Dan Harmon Gives Update on ‘Truly Terrifying’ Community Movie,” HollywoodReporter.com (2023)

“Hollywood Reporter Critics Pick the 50 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century (So Far),” HollywoodReporter.com (2023)

“The 100 Greatest Film Books of All Time,” HollywoodReporter.com (2023)

Also in October…

In 2023, we think of the March on Washington as the ideal standard of a peaceful, history-changing protest. At its best, Rustin (Crowd: 7/10 // Critic: 7/10) reminds us that was no guarantee in 1963. Read my full review for ZekeFilm.

Photo credits: Good Boundaries, Do We Get to Win This Time?, Good Reads. All others IMDb.com.

[its-chelisey-stuff]

My 2020 in dramaland pt 1/4

I’m doing this at the start of december but I’m scheduling it to be posted on Christmas Eve, because that way I can say to everyone Happy holidays! Anyway, these are the Korean dramas I watched this year (listed in the order I saw them, NOT including my favorite dramas, those will have its own post!)

Love Alarm (2019): I don’t think I need to say what this was about lol if you haven’t seen it, chances are, you’ve heard of it. This is like all those Netflix shows I binge in one day, hate them but still can’t help but want to know what happens next and immediately need a season 2. Btw, this drama has the type of love triangle that I tolerate the most: the men who like the girl are also BFFs and never actually turn against each other, or at least suffer because they don’t really want to hurt the other. Bros before hoes! Kinda.

OTP: Jojo&SunOh. Hate that I love them tbh. But it’s mostly all thanks to him. To me, KimSoHyun’s chemistry with SongKang is the best chemistry she’s ever had with any of her co-stars. Well, maybe it’s a tie with Jisoo. Sorry Jang DongYoon. 

Thing I enjoyed the most: Knowing there’s a second season coming. I NEED CLOSURE! Dramas should never have seasons, it’s cruel.

Do I recommend it? Uhm... Yes. But beware of old tropes like Noble Idiocy super idiotic, a FL that never speaks her mind and a whole lot of nonsense angst and pining. Hey, your average kdrama basically.

Crash Landing on You: You know she actually did crash land on him. Twice. I loved that they were so doomed, it was awesome. A forbidden and beautiful romance, they were all in for each other. He was handsome and cute I mean is HyunBin! but she was my favorite: brave, sassy, bold and a CEO. I hated when they shoot her. A pity they can only be happy in Switzerland, but I liked that about their ending. (I made a sort of review of the finale here)

OTP: Awesome chemistry, have you heard about all those dating rumors? But my favorite couple was actually the second lol. I will never forgive this drama for NOT giving them a happy ending. WTF? And that’s why it’s not in my fave’s list.

Thing I enjoyed the most: Apart from the love stories? North Korean soldiers from Captain Ri’s team. Bless them.

Do I recommend it? Oh, is there someone who hasn’t seen it? For real, go watch it. It’s a romcom for the ages. Lots of nonsense and cliches. Loved it, just *one* little flaw. ALBERTOOOO!

Witch’s Court (2018): A law drama. I never watch these types of dramas. Only did it because I had a crush on Yoon HyunMin at the time, my sister made me watch it (she also had a crush on him) and I thought there was going to be way more romance. Heavy subjects, a great mom’s love and a lot of prosecutor bs.

OTP: They were cute. Wish I’d seen more of them though.

Thing I enjoyed the most:  Yoon HyunMin. But the FL was awesome in her own right.

Do I recommend it? If you like law/criminal dramas and barely a hint of romance, this one is great. And justice is served at the end.

Hospital Playlist: It was an adorable, peaceful and relaxing watch, not what you’d expect from a hospital themed drama. Very healing (no pun intended lol). And I loved the songs they played! The weird thing is that I kept forgetting about it, and that’s why it took me so long to finish it. 

OTP: I do have one, but not the one everyone ships: Dr Yang SeokHyung and his resident played by one awesome Ahn EunJin. She confessed, he turned her down gently, Buuu!!!. Waiting patiently for S2 and HOPE their love story develops more. Dramas shouldn’t have second seasons!

Thing I enjoyed the most: The friendship of the five besties duh

Do I recommend it? Awww but of course! if you liked the Reply Series and slice of life dramas, you will like this one. Only 12 eps but they were as long as a movie lol

WHY (minidrama) 2019: Two good friends trying to cheer up their bff who just got dumped (without any explanation hence driving him slowly into a mental breakdown and an identity crisis) by going on a Jeju vacation. In the guesthouse they’re staying, they encounter two awesome, chill and fun noonas. What you’ll see here: a moving story about heartbreak and letting go, bromance and noona romance.

OTP: While most of the time the lead was in deep heartbreak thanks to his awful ex, there was a subtle romance developing while he was healing. At the end, there’s a time jump and he’s totally in the right state of mind to completely be with her and give love another try. Lovely ending.

Thing I enjoyed the most: Jung GunJoo! AKA Dohwa from Extraordinary You!!!

Do I recommend it? Of course! It’s an adorable watch. And it only takes like 2 hours of your time, maybe less, I don’t recall. Here, you can watch it on YouTube. Also, not really a fan don’t hate me lol but there’s Hwang In Yeob as the bff of the lead. And he has a very meaningful role.

Where Your Eyes Linger (minidrama): First Korean BL drama I’ve ever watched and I’m so glad that it was a wonderful first. Given the amount of time and resources I was expecting a lot less from this but they all did a very good job. Beyond my expectations, really. Wonderful acting and such an angsty friends to lovers romance that was delightfully done. I don’t usually give out scores to dramas but omg 10/10!

OTP: THEY HAD SUCH GOOD CHEMISTRY! UGH THE ANGST

Thing I enjoyed the most: Oh, everything!

Do I recommend it? Like BL dramas and want to see more of them in kdramaland? Then YES YES YES. A thousand times YES! The reason why it’s not on my favorites’ list is because I wish it was longer.

It’s Okay to not be Okay: It had been so long since I’ve seen a KSH drama. Since his alien days lol Plus, my sister is a huge fan. Horniest kdrama of the year, for sure. Which is hilarious since the message of the whole thing was more about family. From the first episode I was waiting for the OTP to have a steamy makeout and have sex HAHAHA You know, they actually delivered, so I was happy. My review about the ending HERE

OTP: Queen MoonYoung and her horny but super restrained caretaker, KangTae. Love them.

Thing I enjoyed the most: All hail Queen Ko MoonYoung! And the best hyung, SangTae.

Do I recommend it? Yeah. Let’s be serious for a moment lmao it was a healing drama and the ending was beautiful. A few things here and there didn’t make sense though. The mom’s comeback was crazy, but meh, what are dramas without crazy? lol I guess this is not on my favorite’s list because I wasn’t as obsessed as I wish I’d been.

Was it Love?: Mamma mia, here we go again, my my, I should have resist ya! it was ALL right there but the writer didn’t have the guts to do the story right. It COULD’VE BEEN Mamma Mia, but all the potential went to waste. THE POTENTIAL!! You want to know who the dad of her daughter is? The only dude she ever slept with, her only ex! Big surprise. The writer! There, saved you the trouble. My rant on the ending here

OTP: Well, it wasn’t the leads, that’s for sure. It’s the second leads (or was he the third lead and she the second?)who ended up together, or at least it was hinted at. The female lead had way more chemistry with the one dude she was never romantically linked to, which is hilarious to me. Ugh so much wasted potential...

Thing I enjoyed the most: Gangster dude and his son! Bless them.

Do I recommend it? Jesus, NO. DON’T. Watch Mamma Mia with Meryl Streep, instead. That’s gold and it’s what they wanted to try to do for a moment here. Still wondering how I managed to finish this...

Record of Youth: Another drama I can’t believe I actually finished. A handsome model transitioning into an actor and becoming the main provider for the family that never fully supported him and had to pay for the debt of the dad that always belittled his dreams. Underdeveloped characters, a female lead that was outshined by CAMEOS of other women(in her 1 minute scene, KimHyeYoon had more chemistry with PBG), plots that went nowhere and a terrible pairing that had very little chemistry. A ranting about the finale and my wasted time, HERE

OTP: who? Ah, yeah, I guess there sort of was one... The photographer friend and the sister of the jealous friend. Their ending was ambiguous.

Thing I enjoyed the most: PBG, he carried this mess on his back.

Do I recommend it? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA No. Please, don’t watch it.

Private Lives: An orphan who was recluted to become a spy and works for a conglomerate that holds the power to decide the next president of Korea AND a con woman who wants revenge because her dad got sent to jail. They meet and fall in love and it’s the cutest thing ever but on their wedding day he misteriously disappears and... that’s it. Everything that happens after that makes zero sense. By the end I was more interested in the second leads.

OTP: TWO (but mostly the second couple) and the reason why I finished this drama at all.

Thing I enjoyed the most: Second leads. BokGi and Eduardo (yeah, I know that wasn’t his real name). I’d watch a drama of those two. Even if it was by the same writer.

Do I recommend it? Well... not really. LOL If you’re interested to know more about it, read my “recaps” of each episode HERE or read about the last ep here. You’ll understand about the same as if you were to actually watch it, but you will not waste your time. I hope? LOL

Start Up: A grandma with good intentions, a FL that lost it all as a kid, letters that weren’t really that genuine, a rich, cocky and petty jerk who wasn’t the ML (I mean by definition he had everything to be the male lead lol) and the actual ML (a genius who suffers from the biggest case of Impostor Syndrome I’ve ever seen). No one except for the FL mostly is honest. A time jump that was there just for the sake of angst and not quite done right. Also, making a business with your friends involves a whole lot of nonsense and drama. And a “love triangle” that drove the fandom to madness. And wait, the sister was the second female lead? She was more secondary than the secondary characters. This drama is seriously not what it seems at first lol

OTP: DalMi&DoSan. Adorable. The oly reason I finished this. From the moment they announced the cast and learned who the leads were, I knew I was gonna ship them. And that’s how I never get SLS lol

Thing I enjoyed the most: The answer to that question is HERE

Do I recommend it? Honestly, yeah. Just turn off your brain and never discuss it on social media. Binge it and move on with life. Not the best drama, but tbh not the worst. Well it is the worst by the writer lol Wow it sounds like I hated it, but it’s just that the fanwars really got to me haha and it’s all so recent, but I actually did love the love story and the grandma was a treasure.