#and an identity crisis

[laf-outloud]

I admit I watched the prequel pilot and if it's okay, I'd like to share my thoughts with you on everything I observed.

1. This is definitely not SPN. This is nowhere in the same universe never mind the same neighborhood. Jensen's "mother ship" really is on point since SPN is in a different galaxy compared to TW. It's obvious that they're trying to connect back to it while also doing their own thing, but this actually might go off a bit better without claiming that connection or inserting "Dean" into it all. Not much better but a little bit better

2. The POC characters are obviously being used to further the protagonist's story line. Every scene they were in was still about John and Mary, or one or the other. We don't learn anything about Carlos or Latika themselves other than Carlos is bisexual & may have a crush on Mary, that Mary is mad at him about something going wrong on a previous hunt, and Latika is not experienced at hunting and is scared (and also has that damsel in distress vibe while Mary is being given the badass and strong vibe). Even when they have a conversation between themselves, it's about one of the leads. When comparing this to let's say WIndy, we did learn something about Calian, something about Kai, within the pilot itself. While we don't learn anything yet about Augustus, we do see other characters mention him (Calian), and we do get to see him featured in other scenes that don't include the protagonist. Not to mention we get that scene between Augustus and Calian alone. They're part of the plot, not furthering it. Where Carlos and Latika are constantly furthering Mary's and now John's arcs as well. Latika is used to make Mary jealous over John, and then is used to mention and hint at the story of Maggie for Mary for her character so the audience can see her have a moment while getting that information that might help to explain Mary's brusqueness. Carlos is used to not only save John with the van in that one cringe moment, but also to back Mary up in everything she does, and then the most incredible part: get the silver blade back to Mary and John so John can then kill the monster in the hole they're stuck in. Even Ada was used to further the story line in this way. She's connected to Samuel, it's her bookshop that the "coordinates" lead to where Mary finds out Samuel has definitely been there (via papers on a board just like, yep you guessed it, the SPN pilot), and the next scene she has after being exorcised: with John talking about the MoL which is once again furthering his story line. We learn nothing about her other than that she owns a bookstore in Lubbock, TX. That's it.

3. So apparently the big bad is the Acreeda (however you spell it) or whatever it's called, a monster not of this world. Again, I couldn't help but to think back to Jensen's "mothership" comment. It would make perfect sense to me if some alien monster hybrid eventually shows up.

4. Speaking of monsters, they were absolutely horrid...in design and execution. Hell, even the Wendigo looked better and that was back in 2005! There is no excuse now with all of this technology and make-up availability, not even with a low budget.

5. There is zero chemistry between Mary and John. All the supposed "cute" moments were instead cringe. You actually find yourself asking out loud when it will all be over and the scene will change to something else.

6. Drake seemed to do a decent job with what he was given. Same for Nida, Ada, and Millie. I feel like Meg has potential but not so much as this character. I'm not sure where I stand on Jojo yet, they did decently with some scenes, where the others it felt like they were trying a bit too hard and there was some overacting on certain lines.

7. In the first scene we see Carlos, I don't know why but he makes me think of Sister Jo in the way he speaks, the way he presents himself, and his overall attitude. I don't know why I had that thought but I couldn't shake it once I had it so I ended up not caring for his character too much honestly.

8. Dean did not feel like "Dean", at all. Not the narration, not even in the one scene he was in. Having Baby there didn't change that vibe for me. Instead, all I saw was Jensen wearing Dean clothes and having let his hair grow out a bit. Dean being connected to this story made it feel very disconnected everywhere else.

Overall, it's blatantly obvious that they're trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. I almost think that had they pitched this idea without "Dean's" involvement, it still would be horrible but at least it wouldn't be disrespecting the "mothership" or tearing down the 15 year legacy of the show it's leeching off of the way that it is. And some might have even given it a chance (though not many because who really wants to see the Mary and John story?). I can see this pushing forward a little, possibly even getting a full season (because since when do AA's or hellers care about quality?), but for it to go the long mile, I'm not so sure about that. Unless people are looking for absolutely mindless television to play in the background while they fold laundry, cook dinner, do something on the computer, or pay bills, then I don't see it lasting.

Perhaps if the Ackles were truthful and just said this is a reboot to appeal to a younger generation of fans. Perhaps if Jensen and "executive producer Danneel" had just admitted up front that this is a ploy for money and to dominate the brand, that they truly don't give a crap about the quality or the story or even the cast, then maybe...no, nope, it still wouldn't work. And it's very evident that the Ackles were on set for the pilot shoot, it's all crap. We'll see what happens with the other episodes they weren't involved in. I never thought I'd say this but I kind of hope that Jensen doesn't get to direct any episodes, not to be petty but because the episode might turn out better if he doesn't (and better is a loose term). Because guaranteed Danneel will be there with him "executive producing" (making playlists and talking about the love of the story and how she knows the 1970's are real) and then it's the pilot crap all over again.

But this is all just my opinion. Thank you for letting me share all of that with you.

Thank you so much for sharing your review! I truly enjoyed reading it.

I wouldn't be surprised if Latika or Ada are dead by the end of the season (Carlos is gaining a following, so I doubt they'll go). But the others are just canon fodder. They go and nothing changes the storyline. Lovely way to treat the POC's.

Rubber monster aliens! I don't know how the cast can act around those without cracking up every time.

It's like they cast Mary and John separately based on what they thought of the characters without realizing they needed chemistry reads. I can't imagine what the failed chemistry reads look like with other actors (if there were any).

"...they're trying to fit a square peg into a round hole." They would have been better off creating a show with brand new characters, just set in the SPN universe. But then, we wouldn't get Beau Dean dealing with amnesia trying to remember that he's from Kansas instead of Texas, or what happened to his parents (or the fact that he has a younger brother, but since he's got heaven-esia and can't even remember how to get to his parent's heaven house so he can just ask them to tell their story, it's understandable.)

Loved reading your opinion, and I agree, honesty would have gone a long way towards tempering people's opinions about this whole mess. (Now it's too late for any kind of honesty... not that we'd believe them.)

[disasterhimbo]

I don’t know who I am and also I hate myself

[niccoguedes]

O Favorito do Demônio

[chloesimaginationthings]

What’s William Afton’s problem in FNAF….

[skyenish]

[Insert funny joke]

[divorcedfiddleford]

hold shifty gentle like hamburger

[caprart1]

Cloud is the og "I'm him"

[emositecc]

Based on @katzone’s Ice King Identity Crisis AU

[teamhangaround]

Obi-wan very much regretting the decisions made tonight.

[ohrackham]

It is not what you do for me that makes me love you. It's your kindness. Your empathy. How much you care. Just being you is enough, Colin. I do not need you to save me. I just need you to stand by me. To hold me. To kiss me.

[vinylfoxbooks]

September 6 - Glass | @into-the-jeggyverse | wc: 292

“So since you’re dating Remus now,” Mary says to Sirius, “That leaves James as the only straight one in your group, right?”

Marlene nearly spits out her drink at that, “You think James is straight?”

“You don’t think that he is?” 

“Please,” Dorcas adds from where she’s sitting behind Marlene, “That boy is not straight. The closet is glass.”

Mary moves from looking at the two of them to flitting between Sirius and Lily, “Do you guys think that James is gay? I mean, you dated him, Lily. And you’re his best friend, Sirius.”

Lily hums, “I think there’s a possibility that he likes men, too. James feels like the type of person to not care about gender.”

“I don’t see it,” Mary shakes her head, “Sirius, what about you?” Sirius just shrugs, not sure of what to say. It’s not like he can just go, ‘yeah, James is completely and utterly in love with my little brother and brought several men to the dorm before then’ and completely out his best friend.

Mary groans at his lack of reaction, talking about how he’s impossible to work with. She turns to Alice and Frank, “You two, back me up here. Frank, you work with James all the time. There’s no way that he’s gay.” However, she stops short when the portrait to the common room swings open and James comes walking in. And while that’s normal, what isn’t is that he’s pulling Regulus behind him by the hand, leaning into the younger’s body and laughing at something, absolutely enamoured by the sight of Regulus. He’s quick to lead the younger Black towards the boy’s dormitories and Mary groans, “I guess that answers my question. There was absolutely no straight explanation for that.”

[digitalfossils]

[thevoidstaredback]

Okay, so, crisis averted. Both of them, really. Red Robin had not asked or attempted to get any more of Danny's drink and the World Ending Crisis was less World Ending and more World Threatening. Either way, no one is hyped up in lethal amounts of caffeine and the world is in no more pieces than it had been before.

That brings attention to a new problem, though. It's uniquely Danny's problem and Constantine and Zatanna and Deadman won't stop laughing at him. He's also pretty sure that Raven is laughing at him in the privacy of her mind, so that's making him feel worse.

The problem is that every single hero that had been at the meeting a week ago that was not a part of the JLD has been overly concerned about him.

So what if he half died when he was fourteen and therefore will never look over either fourteen or eighteen? So what if he consumes enough caffeine to kill an elephant within a few minutes? What is he gonna do, die? That's not a real threat as long as he only fights as Phantom.

Ignoring the fact that he can, in fact, get hurt to the point of near death as Phantom. It's not like anyone knows that, though! Besides, ghosts run on god rules. They can't die, only fade when forgotten. People aren't likely to forget about most ghosts, though, even if they can't remember their names.

He's not gonna share that, though. Let Batman keep his contingency that won't work because the only contingency that will work for Phantom is the one he made himself. Tried and tested! He's marked it off of his Bingo Card.

Anyway. Heros and their kids/proteges have been trying to track him down for the entire week. He can't risk even leaving the House of Mysteries because the Supers are all probably listening out for him and they can't hear him through magic. It sucks. He just wants to go get a cup of coffee as Danny. The second he leaves, though, the Supers will be on him like bloodhounds. He'd leave as Danny, but the rest of the JLD don't know what he looks like as Danny and he'd like to keep it that way, thank you very much. Being stuck as Phantom was going to start causing issues to his human half if he doesn't get to leave soon.

Should he risk it? Is coffee that won't kill him really worth risking the Supers finding out his civilian identity? Sure, they wouldn't tell anyone, but he didn't like the idea of someone being able to pick him out of a crowd when all he wanted to do was blend in. It's why he avoided Gotham and Bludhaven, actually, but that's both self explanatory and another story for another time.

"You're still here?" Zatanna sat on the couch beside him. "You're normally gone by now. You can't not be tired of us yet."

He sighed and sunk down into the couch slightly. "Believe me, I'm tired of being stuck here, but I can't leave. I can't leave as a human because you guys don't know what I look like and, no offense, but I'd like to keep it that way. I can't leave as I am now because Superman will be on my ass quicker than I can blink!" He whined this time, "I just want a cup of coffee."

"What about your special brew?" Raven asked, coming into the room.

"I want to drink coffee as a human. That stuff will kill me if I drink it as a human."

"At least you know your limits."

"That sounded like a dig at someone, Z."

"It was."

"Why don't you just go out under a protection spell?" Raven offered, "We could cast one over you and you could leave. Superman can't hear through magic, so he won't be able to tell. Neither will Superboy."

Danny thought for a second. "You're a genius, Raven! Has anyone ever told you that?"

"A few times," she blushed.

"Well, it needs to be said more!"

Zatanna laughed. "Alright, kid, let's get you outside before you drive yourself crazy."

Practically vibrating in place, Danny waited for the protection spell to settle over him. The second it did, he was out the door and wandering the streets of whatever city the House of Mysteries decided to drop him as Danny instead of Phantom.

"Who are you," was not the question or voice he wanted to hear the second he stepped into the open as himself.

"Danny," he squeaked out through his absolute panic. He didn't dare turn around.

The sound of fabric moving minutely clues him in to the second person behind him. What the hell were these two doing out? It's the middle of the day and there's no attacks going on anywhere in Gotham!

"Where did you come from?" Robin asked.

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! This was really bad! Why did the House drop him *here* of all places? Does it *want* him to die again? It was very painful the first time, thank you very much! "Illinois?"

"Was that a question or an answer?" Why is Red Robin here now?!

"An-an answer?"

"Ah, you guys are scaring the little guy!" That was Nightwing. They're surrounding him! Why is Nightwing here? This is Gotham, not Bludhaven. "Give him some room to breathe."

They did not, in fact, give him room to breathe. Maybe coming outside was a bad idea. If he gets out of this no more dead than he already was, he was going to move to the middle of nowhere and become a hermit. Smallville is a town in the middle of nowhere, right? He'll retire as Phantom and move to Smallville until the people get suspicious and burn him as a witch-!

Maybe moving to a big city would be a better idea. Or locking himself in the basement of the House of Mysteries. Yeah, yeah that's a good idea.

"-even listening?"

Oh shit. They were still talking to him! Now is not the time to panic! "Gottagobye!" And then he was running.

Good job not panicking, Danny.

Part 1 Part 3

[haunted-xander]

Who's the "real" me?

+ some references for the Rise-related things I included <3

[daily-dose-of-danno]

Some exterior shots of Fenton Works :)

Season 1, Episode 1 - Mystery Meat

Season 1, Episode 8 – Prisoners of Love

Season 1, Episode 17 - Maternal Instincts

Season 2, Episode 1 - Memory Blank

Season 2, Episode 3 - Pirate Radio

Season 2, Episode 6 - Identity Crisis

Season 2, Episode 7 - Fenton Menace

[casmiick]

you felonious fiend 😠 !!!