#but it is such a friggin' great ep

[murfpersonalblog]

IWTV Ep3 Musings - Claudia & Louis (Spoilers)

I'm still teary & choked up while typing this. SUPER emotional episode. It's incredible how much they packed into one ep, too! But the second half of the ep was BY FAR the most emotionally impactful IMO. Jacob's acting is just WAY too good; he had me choking up something fierce.

Louis taking pictures of his food for no effing reason like all the social media girlies do; I love it.

Louis STILL tryna be Claudia's knight in vengeful black. U_U But just like before when he tried to save her from Lestat, he can't save her from Bruce or the Theatre or even his own eff-ups. DANG. 😔

YES YOU DO. If you wanna keep pestering her about trauma she doesn't want to think/speak about, then be prepared for the consequences.

AMC, you GOTTA kill Bruce on-screen for us, either in QotD during all the Burnings, or during the PL trilogy (Killer's death was GNARLY).

LOOK AT MY DAUGHTER ALMOST CRYING RIGHT THERE. God's strongest soldier, she's suffered more than Christ, JUSTICE FOR CLAUDIA. All rapists deserve the death penalty, IDGAF.

Understatement of the century.

I CACKLED at that literal DEMON TIMING. Armand was already AT the door while y'all were concocting your lies! Then he just strolls on in, uninvited! 😭

BULLSH!TE. Not that it matters, since vamps have SUPER-HEARING and can READ MINDS, you morons! Pack your bags and go back to America RIGHT NOW. 💀💀💀

Louis, beloved, bless your heart, but if you don't take your garbage attempts at lying back to NOLA and stop playing with this ANCIENT immortal dressed in all white like the effing BOSS PIMP you USED to be.....

Alpha DADDY Maitre Armand Sir, I take back every bottom Uke Omega joke I ever said about you~! 😍

Yeah, about all that.... 😬

Aaaaannnnnd THIS is where you effed up, Claudia.

And Armand heard the WHOLE THING. 😭

Look at her FACE. 😭😭😭😭

They KNEW she hated being treated as a child, and they KNEW her time was numbered cuz she lied about breaking their Great Laws, so they DELIBERATELY made the "Baby LouLou" role to humiliate her, and EXPLOITED her image to bring in extra revenue (how many BLACK actresses did they ever have in their coven/stage? ZERO); all while KNOWING they were gonna kill her and Louis ASAP.

I hate this Theatre coven with ever fibre of my being, Maitre.

Excellent point, Louis. Cuz I noticed in Ep2 that their apartment is kind of crappy--I assumed it was cheap & low class cuz of the tenants all being college students & sex workers, and I noticed a bunch of chipped paint everywhere; on the doors & walls.

They're slumming it in a studio, sleeping in the living room, as neither has their own room & she has to use a Murphy Bed. Major step below 1132; the exact opposite of how book!Claudia & Lou lived in Parisian opulence--highlighting my point that AMC!Claudia got NOTHING out out being a vampire.

But it's also pointing out how Louis covers all the cracks--in his MIND, in the lies he tells himself, just to live with the glaring problems he desperately wants to cover up & deny.

I'm finna yeet myself out the nearest window.

This is SO bizarre, cuz in this version Lou KNOWS Lestat's not really dead! In the book Lou set him on FIRE. So ofc he'd think Les was really dead. But here it makes no sense why he's carrying all this guilt!

Armand knew Lou & Claudia LIED, sure--but he SHOULD know Lestat's still ALIVE--he's probably chained up in the Theatre basement in one of those friggin "wet room burial vaults!"

THANK YOU.

The guilt is out of control. Louis, if Les couldn't tell you loved him after ALL OF THAT, then he's a effing fool who neither understands nor deserves you. Now go chop his d**k off!

Is that what you tell yourself when DreamStat's in bed with you every night? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

I haven't seen mental trauma treated so well in Horror media since Senua's Sacrifice; this is incredible. 👏

Lou, give yourself a bit more credit--you're doing the best you can! :( Even if your best is an entire travesty. U_U

NOBODY TALK TO ME!

Just when I thought she was having a breakthrough, she doubles down on thinking Lestat lied to them about Europe being terrible. 🤦

(The way Lou clutches his pearls like he's having a heart attack--STOP it, ma'am~! 👌) And YES, you should've told her that you folded and spilled the beans to Armand and that she was walking into a trap, WTF!?! 😡

Jacob, your GirlDad is showing; PLEASE have mercy on us! 😭

EMMYS. 👏 GRAMMYS. 👏 OSCARS. 👏 TONYS. 👏

[bronx-bomber87]

Happy Saturday everyone. I always forget Eric’s wife had a spot on the show. Every time I get to this episode its a reminder. Also fair warning he’s gonna make me extra feral in this one. He is in a suit and yummy street clothes in this episode. Gimme gimme all day. I blame Eric for all my reactions in this ep for how he looks haha This is also a shorter review like last time but good stuff in it none the less. Off we go.

2x16 The Overnight

We start off with our lovely ship at American Idol auditions. A guy is getting arrested giving out meth smoothies. Lucy has to go back for his backpack. As she does she gets roped into an audition because it has his audition sticker. I’m surprised there wasn’t a gif set of her singing. It's such a good scene. I did my quick made one above with my phone. But a really good set should be produced. We get to hear Melissa’s wonderful voice again. It's in a much better context this time. Not a soul crushing and depressing way. She chooses a song from Aretha Franklin. 'I never loved a man'. She CRUSHES it.

I hope she gets another opportunity to showcase her voice in the future. The ending of this cold open cracks me up so much. The judges are impressed by her audition. Ready to give her that coveted golden ticket. Lucy hears Tim’s voice and bolts LOL Him bringing her back to reality. Their 'No no no' is so damn funny as she runs towards Tim. I love it so much. Tim having no idea what just happened. Thinking she's just running behind for no reason. Such a great cold open.

I love this scene for quite a few reasons. First and most importantly we get Tim Bradford in a suit. Sweet baby James. What a visual to start off the episode with. I need more this is my life. He should go to court more often. Honestly should be illegal to be that damn fine. *fans self* Second I find it very sexy he donates blood so often. I mean of course he does. To quote Lucy. Most Tim Bradford thing I've ever heard heh Tim as a person is just so friggin attractive.

Lastly I adore Nyla giving him a hard time. Doesn't waste a second before calling him a machine LOL Tim's face in that third gif is too cute. He's commending her shot and only shakes his head. How far Tim and Nyla have come. Reached a playful joking stage I love it. You know Lucy is enjoying someone else giving Tim crap. The proud wifey smirk of hers when he gets tossed his ball. I love them.

Lucy is running the front desk since Tim is off at court. She meets a reporter Valerie Castillo from the Herald asking for public arrest reports. She is looking for a scoop on recent robberies at 5 star hotels. Asking if Lucy has heard about them? Lucy says no. Valerie goes on to say she is trying to get away from Hollywood stories. Do something more impactful. So she can be taken seriously as a journalist. Lucy being her empathetic self wants to help her out. Lets her know the reports she’s looking at don’t have enough info. Tells her she wants CAD reports instead. Valerie asks what those are?

Tim comes striding in with the answer. Looking like sex on a stick in that suit. Good lord he can wear the hell out of that thing. Look at that fit on him. Thank you to his tailor. *chef's kiss* But I digress…Tim is clearly not a fan of this woman and what she is asking of Lucy. His cop gut going off and not liking this interaction at all. Tim instantly distrusts her and doesn't hide it.

Does crack me up they wrote Ros in as a character he can’t stand LOL I’m sure they had fun with this. Tim clearly doesn’t like the media especially her paper. Says her paper has a bias against cops. She bites back ‘Like the bias you have against me?’ She’s not wrong ha Tim says that's cute but isn't buying what she's selling.

Tim tells Lucy to get those reports back from her ASAP. That they’re gonna hit the streets as soon as he’s changed. Ooh lord the way he unbuttons his jacket and barks out his instructions on the move. Mercy. It shouldn't be that hot and yet here I am always a puddle. Ever the model just as much walking away as he came in. My god he's attractive haha It's truly not fair. Valerie says Tim shouldn't talk to her like that. Lucy is bemused by this statement.

Says he's her T.O. and its just his style with a smile on her face. (We all know she loves his style heh) I do love how this scene finishes out. Valerie saying ‘If ass is a style...but he sure can wear a suit’. Indeed madam indeed. Then proceeds to watch him leave LOL Checking out her own husband as he exits the scene haha Cracks me up. He does look damn fine in that suit. I can not blame her.

Tim instantly tries to steer Lucy away from Valerie. Telling her she’s bad news. Saying reporters always have an agenda. Lucy tries to be snarky and replies 'To get truth? Sounds Horrible.' Tim continues on despite her snark and says they aren’t to be trusted. Lucy being her sunshine self wants to see the good in Valerie. That she’s doing this to help the victims of these robberies. Tim thinks she’s being naive with this woman. Lucy battles back he just doesn’t trust anyone. Well that’s not true. He most definitely trusts you Lucy. With his life. But she has earned it ten fold out of him which is why she has it.

I’m with Tim on this one.(No surprise there I know ) That trust is something to be earned. I am the same way. It’s not something I just hand out like candy either. You have to prove to me you are worthy of that trust. Once you're in you're gold but you have to earn it first. He knows how trusting Lucy is and he doesn't want her to get burned by this person. This is his way of watching her back and trying to protect her from a potential disaster. Lucy doesn't heed his warning and it shows in her sassy face she gives him above. Lucy is so sure she is the right one in this situation. Like she is humoring him by listening.

They get a report of this idiot trying to use his snake to get out of paying for his car repairs. He pulls it out as a threat and It backfires pretty badly. As he waves the snake it bites him... (Like I said an idiot) I adore Lucy taking command of this situation. Also her heart for any living creature. I’m not a snake girl myself but I do love her taking the snake's side over this guy’s haha

This is our marriage scene of the episode. Tim says EMTs won’t step foot in here till the snake is neutralized. Tim says he’ll flush it out and kill it. Lucy is against this plan and tells Tim he can’t kill it. Their banter in this scene is primo. He is sassy right back asking what are they gonna do? Snuggle it? LOL Lucy ignores his sassy jab as she hops down and decides to do something herself. Tim isn't a fan of this plan since the snake is venomous.

Tim looks very concerned as he watches her. The way he raises his gun ready to destroy this thing if it goes after her. I love his face as she talks to the snake. Calling it by it's name, telling it she isn't going to hurt it haha He is wondering what she’s going to do with this thing. Then is impressed af when she traps the snake in a tire. What a bad ass moment for her. Snake whisperer can now go on her list of skills on the job ha Lucy proudly walks back to him with the best reply ‘Not his fault his owner is an idiot.' LOL I love this.

Valerie catches Lucy on the way out for the night. Claims she got her story about a Murphy scam. Rich men hiring sex workers then the sex worker has a partner. They rob and steal from them. The victim can’t report the crime without copping to their own. Says she came by to thank Lucy with a drink. (Mmhmm....)

Lucy is hesitant and says she shouldn’t…. You know that cop gut of hers is telling her it's wrong. Valerie asks 'Is it cause Tim wouldn't approve?' Lucy looks behind her like she can sense Tim’s disapproval from afar. Valarie sweetens the pot telling her she can be her inside person. Lucy concedes and decides to go. This can only end badly Lucy….

They make it to the hotel and Lucy quickly realizes they’re not there for a just a drink. Valerie has tracked one of the women who’s been scamming these men. Lucy is upset and feels betrayed. Says she can’t arrest people on her own. She’s a rookie. Valerie notices the man being scammed is a big time movie producer. Says this will get her a killer story and her a high profile arrest. You can see the regret written all over Lucy’s face.

Lucy tells Valerie she is texting Tim. I love this. She knows she’s in over her head at this point. So she is going to reach for her lifeline. Tells Valerie as such letting her know she could get fired as a rookie. That she needs a senior officer on scene. Also she really needs him to rein this in TBH. This has gotten way out of hand and needs Tim to come help her.

Tim arrives and Lucy thanks him for coming. (Like he wasn’t going to come and bail his girl out.) Doesn’t even have to say I told you so. This entire moment is doing it for him really. Lucy doesn’t fight or deny the hot water she is in. Not even a little. Just says ‘I’m in trouble aren’t I?’ His sexy Mm-hmm will do just fine for her. You know she’s just so relieved he's there to get her out of this. To save her from herself in this moment. The way she looks at him like he is her saving grace. Makes my heart happy. Doesn't even care she is in trouble just relieved he is there. So much said in such a small scene.

He looks sinfully handsome in that denim jacket *oh my lord.* Valerie says she’ll write a story about Tim if he punishes Lucy for this. Lucy panics and tells her not to do that. Tim isn’t phased at all by her intimidation of a story. The cocky way he walks into the room. Takes control of the situation. Says the cup against the wall trick doesn’t work. You know Lucy is rooting him on while he does this. Tim makes a joke about there being an app for that. Valerie believes him cause he walks in so confident and says that so damn smoothly. She can't help but reply 'Really?'

The way he says ‘No’ to her LMAO I'm dying. He is having a little fun in this moment messing with her. I love this man so much. Why is he so damn attractive in this moment? I actually know why ha. He's protecting Lucy and trying to do damage control at the same time. Also by taking control back from Valerie, by putting this situation back in his court. Tim calls in backup to help them if the accomplice even shows up. Tells Valerie she’ll be far away from the action if it comes to that. Not gonna let her get her story after potentially endangering Lucy for it.

The accomplice ends up arriving and Valerie has a ‘See’ look on her face. Thinking she is validated in all she's done to this point. Getting to watch Tim in action and in street clothes? Don’t mind if I do. They’re about to go after the guy when they notice Valerie is missing. She’s gone out on the balcony to get a photo. Clearly back tracking on her 'Killer Story' that'll get her taken seriously for a paparazzi shot instead.

She ends up getting her shot on the balcony but slips and Tim has to rescue her. She is refusing to let go of her phone as she hangs on to the railing. Lucy tells her to let the damn thing go. The guy sees them rescue her and takes off. Tim gets her up and takes off after the guy. Leaving Lucy with Valerie while he does so. This is the last we see of our handsome hero him in this ep sadly. The accomplice ends up getting arrested by a grumpy and tired Lopez in the lobby of the hotel LOL

Lucy’s SL wraps up with Valerie signing her statement. I love Lucy telling her like it is. Letting her know how wrong it was to take advantage like she did. Lucy is inclined to trust people and it bit her in the ass this time. (What he was trying to protect her from.) Unfortunately for her Tim was right on this one. She did have an agenda. Tim didn’t rub it in her face but also didn’t say she wasn’t in trouble for it haha Lucy has a mic drop moment with her. Telling her instead of going for the serious story she sold her on she went for the cheap shot. Gets up and walks away from her. Boom. Once again not a ton to content but still enough goodies ❤️

That wraps up 2x16 for our ship. Thanks as always to you all for your likes/comments and reblogs. Forever appreciate them. Can't believe we're almost done with S2. 6 left to review in this one.

~~~~

Side notes- Non Chenford

Always enjoy Nyla’s SL’s. When I first watched this ep wanted her to her back with Donovan. But glad she didn't much better fit with James but we’ll meet him later down the road.

Wopez engagement ❤️ They so cute. I love them. Happy for Angela and Wes.

See you all in 2x17 :)

[starseneyes]

Chenford - Lucy Chen / Tim Bradford - The Rookie - Season 5 - Ep 17

"The Enemy Within" AKA Chenford Sucks at Babysitting

I've been so caught up in life (mostly great stuff) that I almost forgot it was Chenford night! Gee wiz!

But, for those following along:

we got an amazing deal on a car

we're this close to picking a roof vendor

I have another regular client for a few months

might have one more big contract coming in

See!? Good. Just busy.

SPOILER ALERT: I like spoilers very very much. If you don't, please run away. I will spoil the entirety of the episode and the whole series that has come before that if the Meta demands it.

All squared away? Awesomesauce. Let's dive in.

"Hi. Uh, don't hate me." "What did you do?"

Tim is actually smiling when he sees her scurry up to him, versus last episode when he was scowling.

He can't even look at her as he asks his question, because they just weathered the storm of Tim Metro Jenga and now what!?

"No, you're supposed to say, 'I could never hate you.'"

Tim throws a look her way, and we all know that while Tim could never hate Lucy, that's not the point. He needs to know what she did and fast because his imagination's already running wild.

"Fine. I got mad at you a few months back after a Tim Test."

Because she hopped in a TARDIS and took a trip back in time.

Look, I know the timeline on this show can be a counter to reality, considering the first year of the show was about 3.5 years. But we know from 4x05 to 5x06 was a year because both episodes take place on Halloween.

Tim and Lucy started dating in 5x10, and it was "a few weeks" by the time we got to 5x12. So, we're at least a few months past Halloween, meaning that Tim hasn't put Lucy through a Tim Test in well over a year and a half.

Now, it's possible Lucy has no concept of time, but I'll admit the line took me out the first time I heard it because I try to keep track of the timeline for the sake of these Metas.

Is it a ridiculous thing to be bothered by? Abso-friggin-lutely. And totally attributable to Lucy's inability to keep track of time. Her pregnancy might feel like a decade and her first child's first year in a blink of an eye.

I hear that's how it goes for people who have one kid, at least. My twin pregnancy was a breeze compared to my second pregnancy with my daughter, and the twins' first year was... survival.

What matters is—Lucy was so pissed she set Tim up.

"Which one?" "Oh, weird, I honestly don't remember. But, so, that's not important." "What did you do?"

Tim's mouth is open the whole time she's talking, just waiting for her to give him a straight answer. He knows this is bad with how much she's stammering and starting over.

"I signed you up to be a Make a Dream mentor and then I totally forgot about it. I'm sorry." "For when?" "Today."

Tim's eyebrows shoot up to the sky and his hand automatically rises in protest. Lucy's hands rise to meet them, and his falls away.

It's a part of their dance. Yes, this sounds like I'm high. No, I'm not high (and never have been in my life). I'm connecting dots over here! ... Which also makes it sound like I'm high.

Have you ever noticed how Tim and Lucy shift based on the other, sometimes? When they're outside the plane in 5x01 and they're holding onto one another, there's a sway to their movements. They do it, again, in 5x12 right before Lucy disrobes her honey so she can eat him up. *ahem*

Tim and Lucy have a feel for each other. For the space the other occupies. There are times when occupying the same space is a very good thing, of course. But there are other times where they simply shift to make room for the other.

It's such a sweet, subtle thing that is more than likely good blocking and/or actor instinct. But it makes for such a beautiful visual of give-and-take with Chenford. It's mesmerizing.

"It's a good thing... lifting up a sick kid who's having a really hard time. What could you possibly be doing with your day that would be more important than that?

Lucy grabs onto his arm and he spins back to face her. Most of the time, it's small, open-handed touches from Lucy when they're at work. But this time she full-on handles her future husband to get his attention.

"Nice job boxing me in" "Thank you."

Tim's mad-impressed with his woman. If he wasn't so pissed, he might suggest they slip into a closet Wopez style for a quickie.

Lucy gives Tim the most adorable little bow, like a performer appreciating the applause.

"Where are you going?" I gotta go out on patrol." "You are me are gonna be entertaining our Make a Dream kid together."

Because if I have a kid, that means you have a kid. Like, it's already a foregone conclusion for these two.

Remember, Lucy knows that Tim wants kids, and thought he'd have some by now. Tim knows Lucy wants kids because she talked at length with him about her ovaries (even when he didn't want her to).

They're on the same page. Someday (not right now) there are gonna be little Chenford babies running around.

But right now, let's see if these two can handle one kid for a day.

"What else could you possibly do with your day that's more important?" "Yeah, right. I should have seen that coming."

You really should have. And while I'm curious about the logistics of this, considering he's not her supervisor, anymore, so he can't decide what she does with her day, I'm totally willing to suspend disbelief and have some fun.

Chenford + Kid? This'll be fun!

"This is my son Jordy. Say hi." "Hi. I hear you wanna be a cop." "Yeah." "Okay, well, you're gonna be hanging out with us today." "So, I just pick him up at 3?" "We'll take good care of him."

Tim has a smile for the kid when Jordy arrives, but it's not his "stop kissing my girlfriend you asshat" face he usually reserves for Chris. This is that smile he often reserves for kids—welcoming and sincere, yet still subtle. You can see it on his face with the Little League team earlier this season.

Also, I'm very curious about how this system works. I know I'm that weird Mom who wants to watch her kids' dance and Ninja classes, but I've signed waivers with those places, too. So, did Lucy forge Tim's signature on a waiver of some kind? That would be an interesting fanfic!

Also, the use of "we" and "us" still gets me. You'd think I'd be bored of it considering they've been knocking boots a while, now, but inclusive language makes me warm and fuzzy inside.

This is what happens when someone with two communications degrees writes a Meta. I'm so, so sorry.

"So, I'm thinking Processing. Wanna take your fingerprints? Get a mugshot taken?

Tim is so cute with kids! He's really trying to give this kid a fun day, even though this is not how he planned to spend his day.

Lucy's little dance in this scene had me rolling, too. We're so getting a sneak-peek at these two as parents. Spoiler Alert... they've got some work to put in. Thank God the first year is (as Bradley Whitford said in one of my favorite shows) "an on-ramp".

"Okay. Give me your meanest face." "Now look miserable."

Is it weird that Tim reminds me of my dad in this scene? Doesn't help that it's hilarious, and my Dad's an ex-standup comic. Yes, I mean it. Never feed that man a straight line.

But this kid does look miserable. Poor thing looks like he'd rather be anywhere else than at a police station.

"This doesn't exactly feel like making dreams come true." "He looks like he hates us."

Because he does. He hates your guts. It's finally happened... someone hates Chenford.

And, I know in reality there's always someone who hates something. I hate mushrooms. My husband loves them. It does nothing to the mushroom's opinion of life that I don't want to eat it while Matthew does.

But the fact that this kid's literally mean-mugging Chenford had me rolling.

Also, Tim has his arm up on the counter before Lucy approaches. When she does, his arm moves out of the way so her arm can rest there. It's their dance—always making space for one another.

THEY LOST THE KID.

I wrote this over here, then glanced at Twitter and briefly wondered if we were going to have this as a trending topic because... oh my gosh, two cops just lost a kid.

And, look, kids can be sneaky. When my Eldest was 3, he decided to play Hide and Seek at 10PM and forgot to tell us.

We searched the entire house and were about to call 911 (even though he couldn't yet unlock the doors and they were all deadbolted shut) when I finally called out that we were going to throw away toys if he didn't come out.

He was standing on the sill of our bay window with the curtains almost flat against him because he was so tiny. I sobbed, hugged him, and told him that he couldn't play hide and seek without telling us first.

My kid didn't even mean to be sneaky. This kid clearly does.

"We didn't lose him. We misplaced him."

He's not a ballpoint pen, Timothy. You lost a person.

"How can you be so calm? What if this was your kid?"

The kid is inside a police station with lots of good people to watch out for him. Believe me, it could be worse.

"You know what, if we ever lose our kids, I'm gonna need you to take this a lot more seriously." "Hold up, our kids would know better than to pull a stunt like this."

Y'all expecting or something!?

And, no, this is not a question you should ever, ever ask anyone in real life no matter what.

I can't tell you how many times people asked, "Why aren't you pregnant, yet?" and I wanted to scream, "Because I don't ovulate, have a tilted sacrum, have endometriosis, and a preferential tube... but thanks for reminding me of the failed procedures, tests, and attempts at pregnancy. Really appreciate it."

But, since Tim and Lucy are fictional... I'm wondering if we're being set up for a surprise pregnancy.

Like, I think Lucy would definitely want to make her mark, first, with UC before purposefully conceiving. But, my mother knew a couple who twice got pregnant through three kinds of birth control used simultaneously. It can happen.

No matter what's coming down the line show-wise, I love how casually they are talking about it. This isn't a maybe for them, but an actuality. They truly believe that they will be parents together. And I believe it, too!

Tim remarks that they're doing well so far, and I wonder if something was cut for time. Maybe not, but it twinkles at my brain that I feel like I'm missing something.

Maybe that's just the fact I haven't had dinner, yet. Definitely missing some calories today! And Tim and Lucy are definitely missing their first kid together (second if we count Tamara).

"I found this kid wandering around and he said he belongs to you."

Their first time at a water park, this is so gonna happen. I can't tell you how many times I was on set, separated from my mother, and a random person would take one look at me and say, "Your mother's over there."

"He kept asking me what my childhood pet's name was."

This sounds like a scam. Like, remember the early days of the internet when we all did a/s/l? And then it evolved into these elaborate quizzes to post that were really data-mining schemes? Yeah... good times.

This kid's a walking BuzzFeed quiz. Beware, Aaron. Don't hit "submit"!

"What kinda kid doesn't like dogs?" "Tim."

I love her exasperation, here, but I also kinda want to write a love letter to Melissa O'Neil on all the different ways she says, "Tim" in this one episode.

I'll never forget this one actor on a movie my mother keyed who asked me to run lines with him. There was this short line he had me say over and over and over, again.

He was trying to get me to understand the many different ways you can say a line and how that can change its meaning. Kid-Rachel didn't quite get it, but adult Rachel looks back on that moment with fondness.

Melissa O'Neil really personifies that lesson in this episode. Here, Lucy's exasperated. Later, shocked and chastising. Later, still, enamored. It's one bloody word, "Tim", and yet her performance brings it to life in different ways every time. Beautiful.

THEY LOST THE KID, AGAIN

While I've been waxing poetic, Chenford's lost the damn kid, again!

"This is ridiculous."

Watching Tim and Lucy walking down the hall aghast and worried... Yup, this is totally their future. Tim's going to air-tag their kid to keep them from wandering off after this little experience.

Tim On One Knee

I know I wasn't the only Chenford-ian experiencing flash-forwards on that one. Also, the last time we saw Tim on his knees by the Shop he was looking for diamonds (also with Lucy). And now it's a kid.

Yes, this is reaching. Like, this is reaching past your cousin Burt to dip your latke in the applesauce reaching. But, come on, it's right there. I didn't even have to work for that parallel!

"I really hope you're enjoying your revenge for that Tim Test." "I'm really not. Come on."

And light-hearted as this adventure is, it's kinda perfect that Lucy's choice in "revenge" was something that would be helpful to someone else.

In an ideal situation, this kid would want to be here. And annoyed as Tim would be to lose his day, he would actually enjoy helping a kid. Because, Tim likes kids.

Lucy likes to screw with Tim. Not make his life (and hers, by extension, now) hell.

"If someone I worked for tried to put me in a wood chipper, I'd flip on them." "If someone you worked for tried to put you in a wood chipper, they'd be in the wood chipper."

I freakin love Angela. I know that this is a Chenford meta, but Nyla saying that was so badass and so true. My #3 is a fighter.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Ooooh, Tim broke out a curse word in front of a child. And, yeah, the kid broke into a secure police system, so it was warranted.

"Okay, do you even have cancer?" "Tim." "That part's true."

Look, it's out of line, but I totally get it. Tim doesn't trust people to begin with. He believes it has to be earned, but he cut this kid a break at the onset. Now, he realizes this kid played him and he's pissed.

But Lucy was right to call Tim out with a gentle admonishment using only his name because Melissa O'Neil if a rockstar who can convey all that with a single syllable.

"Okay, but you lied about wanting to be a cop." "Of course. Cops are whack."

The way I was rolling during that part. The way Tim and Lucy immediately look to one another? Priceless.

Also, Tim was kinda right. The kid does hate them.

"He said if I could figure out a way to get rid of his tickets, he'd buy me an ebike."

Asshole Dad. Poor kid. Like, yes, this kid is old enough to know the difference between right and wrong.

But so was Tim when he covered for his father's affair. These are children whose decisions are being influenced and informed by the adults around them.

"You are a criminal, Mr. Yates. And you made your son one, too."

I can't even imagine how hard this is. Because Jordy is a child, and he's already facing all the elements of childhood cancer. Adding charges on top of it?

And we all know that Tim won't charge the kid. But his dad's a different story. Tim has a problem with parents who hurt their children—be it physical or emotional.

"I can't go to jail. My family needs me."

This wordless communication is my favorite part of the entire episode.

At the beginning of their story, Tim and Lucy spoke completely different languages. Let's say Tim was barking in Latin and Lucy's finessed in French. There's enough root words to comprehend, but not truly understand one another.

Over time, they've learned one another's languages to the point that they don't even need words anymore. Tim has softened where Lucy has become more crisp and refined.

Lucy's look to Tim is a plea. There's so much to what this man is saying. Yes, he's clearly broken the law with all those parking passes, and then persuading his sick son to try to get rid of them.

But losing his license and car creates an added burden on this already-hurting family. This man is desperate. Dumb, yes. But desperate.

"His medical costs are killing us" struck me hard. On paper, my family looks good financially, right? But then there's the medical costs. Mine. My kids'. I'm on so many payment plans trying to stay on top of it.

So, an innocent bill might seem like nothing, but when paychecks are inconsistent and things break down one. after. the. other... it leaves us exposed. Matthew got a speeding ticket last month, and if not for his "taking no time off this month" bonus from the school, it wouldn't have been covered.

So, I get the fear and desperation. I'm just not as dumb as this guy.

Meeting her eyes, Tim's eyebrows shoot up. "Are you kidding me?" they say. In one look, he knows what she wants.

Look. How. Far. We've. Come.

It used to be that he was oblivious... then he would ask others how Lucy was. Then, he knew enough to ask her himself. He knew in a glance that something was on her mind, but didn't know what.

Now he knows what's on her mind. He knows exactly what she's thinking. At first he doesn't believe it. But he knows it.

He looks away, trying to decide how he's going to handle it. Then, he looks back to Lucy to confirm. She looks away, thinking she's pushed too hard, accepting whatever Tim decides.

Watch. Her. Listening when Tim tells Dumbass Dad he's not going to jail. Her eyes shift back up to him, grateful. Not only did her message get through, but Tim listened and took action.

They've come so far in their communication. But, Tim's also come far as a man.

He's always been a good cop. But he missed the human element, sometimes. He was afraid of it. Showing compassion made things worse, in his eyes.

And I'm not saying that we should just give every criminal a clean slate for no reason. But Tim made the compassionate choice, and I can only hope the Dumbass Dad makes the most of it.

"You're going to Daddy and Me Traffic school."

Can this really exist? Because it sounds a helluva lot more fun than the traffic school I had to go to back in the day. Yes, Rachel has a lead foot.

I got my first ticket on Thanksgiving when I was at university. My parents showed up to court to support me, and when the Judge noted them reacting to the cop's account, he called them out. They waved. He smiled. I got a reduced ticket.

So, the lesson of the story is that you can go fast and be okay if your parents are good enough actors.

"How can I make it up to you?" "Be a better father to your son."

Strong words from a man who will someday be an incredible father in spite of the monster who raised him, leaving him without example of what that looks like.

But Tim knows what a good father should be. Despite never having one himself, he knows. And while he'll make his own mistakes, he won't pass on the trauma to his children. He'll create an entirely new legacy of love. With Lucy's help, of course.

"Daddy and Me Traffic school sounds fun."

Whose desk Is this? Is this Lucy's desk? Is he doing paperwork out here because he doesn't want to go back to his office?

I'm sure there's a logistical reason why this scene happened where it did (maybe Tim's office can't fit three people... it is the size of a closet). But, when I fist saw him sitting there, I was confused for a second.

"It was a really nice gesture, Tim."

One word. Three letters. She's giving us a masterclass, folks. Rewatch it. You'll see.

"I wanted to throw that guy in jail for putting his son in that position." "But?" "You're a good influence."

Hell, yeah, she is. Lucy has helped Tim see pieces of himself that needed refining, but also the best of who he is. Part of what I love about this relationship is that even in the seasons when he was her superior officer, she matched him as an instructor.

They taught one another the whole way—Tim teaching Lucy to be a little more wary of the world, and Lucy teaching Tim to be a little more open. They're at their best when they meet in the middle.

"You're gonna make a really great dad one of these days."

Anyone else melt into a puddle? Or just me? I only recently re-congealed so I could write this thing.

There's such adoration in Lucy's eyes, because she's not just saying this to a coworker. She's saying this to the love of her life. Picturing him with their children, she's falling in love with him a little bit more.

And while I'm not in a rush for Chenford babies... I love that they're talking about it. That they are expecting it. That it's a part of the life they are building together.

Both of them were previously in relationships with no real future. No fulfilling one, anyway. This is the relationship neither knew they needed, but that's the proverbial Cinderella's glass slipper—a perfect fit.

"I'm gonna have to. You keep losing our kids everywhere you go." "Come on. Stop it!"

What did I just listen to!? Y'all are really tryin' to take me out with this one! But, seriously, much like the "gave me the will to live" line from 5x10, Tim is saying this strictly for Lucy's reaction.

It reminds me so much of my own relationship I could scream. Matthew and I constantly do that to one another. Mostly me, though. It's mostly on me. His reactions are so perfect!

I'm also getting major Double Date energy with the delivery of "Come on. Stop It." when we were all blessed with the Tale of Gerald the Goat. It's all in the delivery, and I love it.

Almost as much as I love Tim's real smile with teeth at Lucy's reaction. That smile is for her, and it's amazing.

Didn't expect to wrap this one so early, but loveyby went to bed early after getting our Littlest finally to bed.

I really am loving the journey Tim and Lucy are on. Were they the comic relief this episode? Yes. It's an ensemble show, and sometimes that's their role.

Am I trying to rush a pregnancy? No way. I know I called out the possibility of a surprise pregnancy in this Meta, but that's in no way scripture, here. It's simply a possibility.

But I do think these two are in a lovely place. And I'm so grateful neither has been dramatically killed off, yet. It's kinda nice to have a living, breathing ship! I'll try not to get used to it... just in case.

Side Note: Bristow earned her keep, so maybe it's a good thing Lopez didn't "get that woman out of [her] house". Made me chuckle when I watched thinking about it!

Thank you so much for reading! We have a bit of a hiatus, but we'll make it through together! One breath at a time.

[kmze]

Thoughts on 8x01-8x08 this is honestly the most I’ve just straight up enjoyed the show. I like the darker mythology of this season with the sirens, hell and Cade. It felt different but fresh and I thought it was easy to follow for the most part. The macguffins feel like a S1 homage. Scenes got to breathe again, Steroline had so many great domestic scenes and this is their peak relationship wise. If I cared about Bonenzo I’d say that’s good too. My only real gripe is Bonnie's storyline which feels like we took a step back after the progress of the last two seasons because why is she not fighting more to get her powers back? Plus Bamon is just non-existent this half but overall one of my favorite half seasons, it ranks just below S2 and S6 for me and you can read about why below!

8x01

This feels soooo much like a season one episode. I don't think the others do as much as this one though.

Why AGAIN did Bonnie lose her magic! Plot contrivance level 1000.

Everything Steroline in this episode is what was missing in S7! The teasing, the sexy time and hair stroking (I especially love where Stefan grips her hair after they kiss because he’s not ready to let go yet and kisses her forehead) but especially the phone call going over the plan! Feels like them in S4/5 which is FANTASTIC because it shows the friendship never died when the relationship started.

Mommy!Caroline is so great! I love the fairytale she told the girls and I love the scene where she finds them and is like "hi babies" THE CUTEST!

Okay so Virginia said whatever was in the vault wanted the twins and Damon says the voice in his head said it didn’t want Stefan yet. So yeah it seems the twins and Stefan were always a target at least.

I know KW co-wrote this ep but I just do not see how Elena is interpreted as Stefan’s hope. I know he goes out of turn but nothing he wrote was hopeful lol, plus he used Caroline’s words from earlier. Then there’s the fact that he looks miserable until Caroline asks if he wants her to move in with him.

Enzo leaving Bonnie clues about the siren was a great plot for them.

8x02

They should have just let Nat Kelley use her Aussie accent because she talks SO MUCH and I hear the struggle of her trying to hide her real accent. It would have made no difference!

How unbelievably boring is Damon's mind that he just keeps reliving this roadside scene over and over again. I don't even understand what the big deal is about this scene, wow so Damon met Elena first, who gives a shit?

Bonnie being a hater! I guess the sensation of watching Stefan and Caroline from the outside affects even those not in love with one of them.

Georgie was so good! Even if she has terrible taste in men she should have lived or at least lasted longer!

While I understand your frustrations Bonnie you got three years with Enzo and Caroline was stuck with fucking Alaric! The Baroline scene was sweet though, the Bonenzo scene is good too but the dialogue is so corny.

Really really REALLY unnecessary that we needed to bring Sarah Salvatore back just to murder her. Again killing off the WOC...

Okay see even more proof Caroline is Stefan’s hope because she says “you can’t give up hope” and he says I won’t and then FRIGGIN' PROPOSES TO HER! I mean do most people realize that’s not when he meant to propose? Like he bought the ring probably when she said agreed to live with him and he was going to propose with the room when he was finished. But in usual Stefan fashion every-time he plans to wait for the perfect moment with Caroline he fails because he loves her so much he doesn’t care about the pageantry he just wants her.

WHAT A MOMENT! I love both proposals for them but this one I just love how it’s so them! Stefan shows her the room because his love language with Caroline is acts of service. He’s showing her the meaning behind his words saying she’s his family, he’s tearing down a room in his home the only constant he’s had in his immortal life because he knows she will always be a part of it. And he thinks he’s so clever with the drawer ‘hey check it out, it’s antique’ but Caroline is Caroline and she wants the speech and he teases her about that like are you sure and he does the cheesy speech knowing she’s gonna laugh. But THEN she kisses him and he’s so consumed by how much he loves her and wants her and just gets SO INCREDIBLY SEXY grabbing her face and whispering against her lips between kisses that he wants her to marry him! I STILL GUSH OVER IT!

8x03

THE JUNE WEDDING! It’s still so hilarious that throwaway line in the pilot ended up coming true. Caroline is the greatest manifestater of all time!

GET HIS ASS CAROLINE! She really enjoyed stabbing him with that pole!

Man the one thing I’m jealous that Valerie got and not Caroline was Damon-less Stefan. She deserved Damon-less Stefan more than anyone!

The way Stefan smacks Damon like “why are you such a little bitch” because Enzo is fighting the mind control and Damon isn’t cracks me up!

She’s got a point Stefan! But like LOL Bonnie Stefan doesn’t even like Enzo as if he’d pick him over Damon regardless. The almost forehead touch and the way Caroline grabs Stefan and pulls him towards her, Paul and Candice did such a great job of showing the sweetness between Steroline this season. They're partners and it doesn't feel right when they aren't on the same side.

UGH FUCK THIS! I cannot believe this is how Tyler dies after everything!

8x04

The troll job with the “I love yous” all on the phone! Although they did that to Forwood too I noticed in my rewatch.

The dialogue has been very on point the last few episodes, I especially like how Stefan’s been written. This is probably my favorite Stefan because he’s being active in helping to save Damon but he’s not letting it overtake his life. I honestly don’t get why people think Paul was “mailing it in” this season, I think it’s because they all believe in the good brother mythos he performed in the earlier seasons. That guy doesn’t exist anymore!

Stefan's having way too much fun torturing Sybil with that tuning fork lol.

Two sirens and one being the friggin’ nanny was a great twist! And the flashback scenes parallel Defan’s scenes so well.

I like that they switched up from the torture dungeons to the secret lab rooms for interrogations. Feels fresh.

Georgie looking at Sybil through the glass has Elena and Katherine looking at each other vibes.

So funny how we’re all pretending anyone’s gonna care that Damon killed Tyler just to you know piss me off even more about it!

Stefan so scared for Caroline’s twins!

Matt finding Tyler’s body is heartbreaking. Damn that scene really hurt.

Seline is way better at the creepy whistle, Seline is the better siren in general I wish they’d killed Sybil earlier and just had Seline.

8x05

Seline’s evil look before closing the door lol. I love when actors ham it up in the best way possible.

Really like how Caroline subtlety told Stefan to STFU about Damon and mourn Tyler because she needed comfort and he instantly got that. Married.

Damon’s like “what’s so surprising about me being awful” and I AGREE!

That Baroline phone call was so sweet. I love how Caroline talked about what made her turn her humanity on about her Mom.

Bonnie pulling a Damon! Sometimes you have to go to extremes for the people you love!

WE ALMOST HAD IT! Stefan put Damon down at Caroline’s urging and it was such a good parallel to him saying "I'm lost" in 6x05 to "I'm sorry" now.

I’m sorry but I just don’t get anything from Bonnie and Enzo even with the powerful narrative the show tries to give them I *snore* I tried.

I like when the show parallels back to Stefan doing something weird, because like Stefan is very weird! He brought everyone back to the carnival for a memorial like he did in 4x02 with everyone saying a few words and then group activity time!

Tyler deserved so much better than this memorial and he really deserved for his death to mean more than it did. Matt was the only one who really seemed to care that he was dead, though I do give Caroline credit for Damon killing Tyler being the thing that made her give up on Damon. Then she pushed Stefan to do the same and he didn't really hesitate. I do LOL at Stefan not being able to say a nice thing about Tyler even in death, disliked his ass until the very end.

THIS SCENE IS SO PRETTY! It’s their prettiest scene and I am in love with the completely in awe lovestruck look Stefan is giving to Caroline while she talks to him. I know I say it all the time but I love Steroline because of scenes like this, their conversations feel deeper because they have so many moments they callback on to show their progression. And I love how Stefan just listens to her and really takes her words in, she inspires him so much.

God I’m stressed and I know what happens!

8x06

Pain. But I like how Stefan accepted it with no fight, just another day of Damon ruining his life.

Ric was ready to turn Enzo into a vegetable but Stefan couldn’t be absolved for killing him without humanity.

I cannot BELIEVE people want to give Damon credit for saving the twins when it’s made abundantly clear that he just wants to get out of hell. He just knows that in order to get Stefan to go along with the plan he needed to use the twins as leverage. Ruined his life AGAIN!

I didn’t realize how triggered this episode was gonna make me!

Ric’s talking a lot of shit for someone who does nothing to solve the problem!

I’m sorry but I think Stefan has more than enough blood on his hands for Cade Sybil. Paul Wesley just wanted to do a fight sequence it’s fine.

Stefan earned his hero hair this episode. The look between him and Caroline as she’s hugging Josie :( gets me every-time.

Candice was stellar in this episode, definitely one of her strongest episodes ever.

All he wanted was 24 hours with her. This is THE Stefan episode for me, this was his final heroic act and unfortunately he never really gets to come back from it. Paul really did such a fabulous job with this episode directing, acting, even song selection (he picked the song used in this scene) he went out with a bang.

Actually I really like the bickering sisters with the sirens and how they keep backstabbing each other, sounds familiar (that's the point)!

8x07

My heart. Stefan channelling his inner Buddy the Elf and putting up all the Christmas ornaments and the morning Steroline scene is such perfection. They deserved to have that peaceful domestic life together longer than they got. Stefan's diary entry pulls on the heartstrings too, I'm glad Caroline at least got to read that and I feel like it might give her some comfort knowing Stefan promised her his heart forever even before that moment in the finale.

You can tell right away that Caroline is ready FOR SCHEMING on her phone call with Bonnie and I am HERE FOR IT! She's so great this whole episode.

It made perfect sense that Cade would be so interested in Stefan without the retcon in the finale that it was all Katherine having him wrapped around her finger (which was RME).

CRYING! HE GOT ANOTHER ONE! Cade being like "I didn't care about your remorse but this crazy bitch did" because they always do! Crazy bitches and the Stefussy like moths to a flame. Bonnie and Enzo are nice this episode too I feel like they’re having real conversations instead of quasi-DE dialogues.

Peter's not really a bad character I just don't care. Matt has surprisingly not been annoying though I liked when Damon was like "you killed me" and he looked and him like AND I'LL DO IT AGAIN!

This Christmas dinner is so stressful! Not like 'The Bear' stressful but it's up there!

I’m sorry but Stefan’s logic of “yeah I ate kids but never on Christmas” truly kills me! As if that makes it okay!?!

Cade explaining really well why I never got into SE especially in S1 because of how Stefan inserted himself into her life because he saw her as his redemption, the "good" Katherine.

"When I was the Ripper I was one of a kind, no one can do what I can do" (!!!) Ripper Stefan truly was one of the best villains, if this season had 22 episodes we could have had a longer arc of him.

CAROLINE FTW! She’s so damn smart no wonder Stefan loves her.

Mistletoe toe kiss and finally the I love yous face to face! Admit-tingly totally worth the wait this is one if their best scenes. The way he drags her down the stairs and kisses her so passionately under the mistletoe. I love that when he nods for her to look up he continues staring at her, Stefan wanted to give her some peace and romance before everything changes forever. Again Stefan wanted to be with Caroline before he essentially walked into damnation.

I love the evolution of the “off switch” with Stefan. It was so much more dramatic in S3 when he was forced by Klaus and now he just closes his eyes and lets the evil eyebrows do all the work. It’s because he’s accepted the Ripper part of him more. My favorite aspect in this scene is how he waits until he left MF to shut it off, because that’s his home aka Caroline.

8x08

“Clarity over cleverness” that’s a pretty accurate description of Damon Stefan IDK even if he never said it he’s sure followed it!

See this is the first time Stefan is actually TRYING to not fly off the handle as a ripper, he even said in 6x17 he doesn’t have an elaborate system to keep himself in check but now he’s trying one. Obviously doesn’t work but I thought it was interesting it was dripping blood from the vein since that’s what pushed Caroline over the edge in 6x17. This episode is FULL of callbacks to their humanity-off arc I love it! They’re very subtle but there’s a bunch.

Sybil hasn’t started annoying me yet but more importantly I am SO HAPPY Caroline is getting scenes solo with the “big bad” of the season because I don’t even remember the last time that happened! Maybe S4 and Silas?

Ripper Stefan picking out Dr. Elena to teach Damon a lesson is DIABOLICAL! The way he stabs Damon with a vervain needle (of course!) and yells “Omg is there a doctor here” DYING.

“Cade never said I couldn’t take a shortcut” “A win is a win”

Oh yeah this place (100 dead witches house)! Good callback

"And you lived up to your potential" HE'S SUCH A MANIAC!

Oh Violet is teen Misty on Yellowjackets!

Threatening to burn those kids alive was pretty stressful! Thank god Caroline had her assistants to do the dirty work for her.

Ripper Stefan making Damon throw the necklace out the window is like when NH!Caro made Stefan burn the letter. Biggest missed opportunity was not having Ripper Stefan ask Caroline to turn it off and join him instead of Damon because that was sitting on a plater after this episode with excellent callbacks to the no humanity arc.

Love the way Ripper Stefan going off the rails was filmed and Malarkey’s song is perfect. He looks so feral in that last shot! Great job again Ian and the writing in this episode was so good.

Lines that made me laugh:

Damon: I disagree with all your opinions (when I read the TVD Reddit)

Bonnie: How else was I going to our Caroline Forbes-Caroline Forbes (I loved this scene and Bonnie was right she had to pull out the big guns)

Stefan: Would it be going out on a limb to say that we stab her with it? (LOL Stefan was like I got a wedding to plan lets wrap this up)

Ripper Stefan: That figures (as he shakes his head in disappointment at that damn necklace again!)

[jedusaur]

good things this week:

THE KRAKEN WON GAME 6! god, we go down by one friggin game in the series and suddenly everyone's all "welp, it was a great season, impressive to have gotten this far really" man, y'all could go fuck yourselves when you were yammering about Colorado in 4 and y'all can still go fuck yourselves now. GAME 7 HERE WE GO

it was a GREAT game too, our power play is finally coming together, passes lookin crisp, energy through the roof, so much fun

got all my seeds in! I love muckin around in the dirt

cleaned up the spare room and now I have space to work out without bumping my elbows into anything \o/

this week's Ted Lasso ep was good, loved how they did Colin's storyline and I also like what's going on with Roy

made a really good avocado sauce over pasta, and a black bean quesadilla, and potato salad, and a blood orange screwdriver that turned out great

I was listening to two dudes talk playoffs on the radio and completely out of the blue in the middle of the conversation about the Seattle/Dallas series one guy says to the other "are you a cab guy or merlot? you're a man's man, you're tough, you should try a spicy zinfandel" and I hurt myself laughing, wtf, what a plot twist

someone commented on one of my fics saying it connected with them in a very personal way that really touched me <3

the fucking Grindr post has FINALLY (at 42k notes) settled down enough that I'm not getting the 99+ badge on my notifs every single time I visit tumblr

the silly ficlet about why tf Jamie said he was flattered has ~1.7k notes, which is a nice substantial but manageable amount of attention that does not stress me out like going viral does

bee friend on my rosemary :) and some lil pink flowers popping up around the yard, idk what they are but they're cheerful!

[mlobsters]

supernatural s7e2 hello, cruel world (w. ben edlund)

HALLUCIFER Right. You think this fruit-bat fever dream is reality? You come back, I'm sorry, with no soul like some peppy American Psycho, till Saint Dean glues you back together again by buying you some magic amnesia. You’re real. I’m very real. Everything between is what we call set dressing.

heart is breaking for sam already

HALLUCIFER You’re still in my cell. You’re my bunkmate, buddy. You’re my little bitch, in every sense of the term.

in general i am overly literal and what i see is what i get when it comes to show canon but i'm trying so hard to hold tight to the illusion in my mind that hell-torture for sam and dean didn't involve rape but they're making it really fucking hard. there's been other references, i think one in the last ep no less. just keep thinking to myself "gloss over it, they're just being edgy, they don't actually mean it". i start to get real upset if i think about it so yeah.

i know i'm wearing the wincest goggles but again i feel like i am capable of picking up what a show is putting down regardless of a ship i might be invested in, but i feel like i'm losing it with cas and dean's relationship level. i feel like we have seen so little of cas in general, that they keep TALKING about how they're all close but we've seen so little of it?? i'd think with 22 episodes a season they'd have room to establish this onscreen 🥴 but here's dean crying over presumed-dead cas. i guess i'm just gonna have to go with it and stop complaining about sHoW doN't TeLL

god what is this weird music transition into the doobie brothers black water - just because the lyrics work does not mean the music does :P hard left turn after mushy dead cas scene. i fear i have slipped into overly critical mode

short and gruff version of hannibal tending will graham's wounded hands post-tier

i get that dean's freaked out and scared but he's being such an asshole to sam

what an exceptionally cruel hallucination they're giving sam. i might need to look up how long he deals with this before it gets fixed because.....

DEAN Yeah, well. I’m not Sam, okay? I keep my marbles in a lead friggin' box. I’m fine. Really.

big fat fuck you, dean. you can't out tough psychosis.

BOBBY Of course. Yeah. You just lost one of the best friends you ever had, your brother’s in the bell jar, and Purgatory’s most wanted are surfing the sewer lines, but yeah, yeah, I get it. You’re – you're fine.

one of the best friends you ever had. ok. O K. (nevermind how depressingly in-the-basement-low the bar is being the number of people he could call friends he's had)

looks like bobby's computer got an upgrade! seems untitled 1 and 2 desktop has made it to the actual desktop 😂

s6e4 weekend at bobby's his 3.1 desktop LOL

okay so hell politics, heaven politics, the clear next step is purgatory politics. who is the boss of the leviathans *pulls out the org chart* (god i just don't care)

sam's hallucinating dean now, great. do not like

DEAN This is real. Not a year ago, not in Hell, now. I was with you when you cut it, I sewed it up! Look!

little gift to wincest kink writers everywhere, dean helping sam by inflicting pain

DEAN Hey. I am your flesh-and-blood brother, okay? I’m the only one who can legitimately kick your ass in real time. You got away. We got you out, Sammy. DEAN Believe in that! Believe me, okay? You gotta believe me. You gotta make it stone number one and build on it. You understand? SAM Yeah. Yeah, okay.

dean looks like he might fall over he's so relieved.

DEAN (on phone) You cannot be in that crater back there. I can’t… If you’re gone, I swear, I am going to strap my Beautiful Mind brother into the car and I’m gonna drive us off the pier. You asked me how I was doing? Well, not good! Now you said you’d be here. Where are you?

well this is awful. first hallucifer encouraging sam to kill himself repeatedly and now dean saying this. also do not like.

(also very serious things happening and then that cheesy ass special effects on the leviathan's face -_-)

the winchesters getting an ambulance and going to the hospital for an injury, wonders never cease.

[threemoonwatchers]

DR part 2 ep 2

Ras still being a great value Oni I see

Lloyd, in the distance, internally: they haven’t put together I’m part dragon

OH GOSH KAI AND WYLDFIRE ARE GONNA FAIL SO BAD THEY CANNOT WORK TOGETHER

BAHAHAHA NOT THAT SORA

Wyldfire once again giving Peril energy “the afternoon naps someone your age needs”

“Less close to sleeping” ahskfnfkfn

They’re playing frisbeeee 🥺🥺🥺 Dad Lloyd REAL

“That was the last of our dinner plates.” I CAAANT

And because the universe hates Lloyd this is no longer smooth

THAT WAS NOT A FRIENDLY SHIP

Aaand we’re back to season 1 serpentine enemies great

OH GREAT NOW THERE’S A GIANT CRAB

(Shiny from Moana plays in the background)

HANG ON DOES THAT GUY HAVE AN AROACE FLAG PATCH or maybe I’m just starved for canon rep shskgbdkgn

NO THATS DEFINITELY AN AROACE FLAG (happy dance)

Update I’m stupid it was just the enby flag but the lighting combined with my sheer desperation made it look like the aroace one anslsbgogn wHoOpSiE-

Honestly the only problem is friggin Tamatoa from Moana showing up

Lloyd is so sassy I love it

“gOtCha”

I have a guess as to who would to something like that tbh

NAH BRO JUST GOT GIVEN AN ANIMUS TOUCHED STRAWBERRY 😭🤚

[inkedmyths]

S2: E2 "Everybody Loves a Clown"

Brought to you by Today's 70's Heardle, which was exactly what you think it was and I figured I was legally obligated to watch at least one episode

This episode featuring: car maintenance, funny mullet guy, Dean continuing to put his foot in his mouth, and, you guessed it, clowns

This is already looking to be a great ep by title alone

Is the clown Dean. His clown shoes squeaking. Squeak squeak squeak

[ Silas says I'm the clown. Harsh, but fair. ]

OH BOY! THE FAIR!

Murder clown time? Is that what's going on? I bet it's murder clowns

Oh that clown looks creepy

Aaaand it's gone!

I think it was kind of funny how it just waved back at her whshsy

He just wants to be friends!

This kid has absolutely zero sense of self preservation hello

Oh fuck a whole funeral pyre?? I mean I guess in their line of work fire is like, a precaution and a way of assuring they're at peace or someth

[ Kayla: salt n burn em ]

He is fixing his car and dropping the parts

WJSHSHSH SCREAMS DEAN

Just. Being a snarky brat about Sam trying to talk to him abt what happened

Oh a voicemail?

Who's Ellen?

[ Kayla is excited for this bit. More cool characters I assume. ]

Oh they are borrowing an old van GDHSGSGS "This is humiliating. I feel like a friggin' soccer mom."

Oh this is a bit funky a bit weird

Is he drunk and passed out or is that guy dead

LMAO AT GUNPOINT

Hi ladies how are you

SCREAMS just puts the guns down "Hey I'm Ellen"

She's got fire I like that

:(

"We're alright" Dean buddy that's a lie

"Ash!" (drunk guy) WHUUUH

STATISTICAL OVERUSE

This guy's hilarious actually

51 hours

"All business up front, party in the back"

DEAN YOU WHORE STOP

[ Silas asks if he's standing gayly. No, he's just being bad at flirting again. Melon says asking him to stop is asking him to go against his nature. I know. I know. ]

SCREAMS SAM IS AFRAID OF CLOWNS??

So Dean hates planes and Sam hates clowns. Someone put them on a plane full of clowns

[ Silas says I'm evil for this. Melon muses that it sounds like something the show would do, but he has no recollection of if they have or not. Then she says that she's sure Dean at some point dressed as a clown and stood over baby Sam's bed at some point. I agree, because that is peak older sibling energy. ]

"Great. Paranormal scavenger hunt. Woo."

Look I think killing a monster or whatever is good for keeping you idiots active and not wallowing in your inability to process your feelings in a normal way

I saw a clown! The clown probably

I actually think the clown isn't evil or at least that it's not that simple? There has to be some kinda twist here

Anyways man imagine ur kid walking in with a clown

ARE THEY GOING TO TRY AND JOIN THE CIRCUS

[ Melon: Clown assimilation ]

SCREAMS DEAN KEEPS SAYING SHIT AND THEY ALL START YELLING AT HIM AND SAM JUSTS STARTS LAUGHING

This is wild

They are joining the circus

[ Kayla: nikolacore ]

Sam's daddy issues have increased sevenfold

HAHAHA TRASH CLEANER SAM

Oh there's a child seeing a clown

Interesting interesting...

I still feel like the clown thing isn't as simple as they think

What the hell

Well u guys fucked that up

"Mommy Daddy they shot my clown :("

Yeah John did seem to have a fallout with literally everyone

Dean u r bottling up shit

NEITHER OF YOU ARE BEING HONEST WITH YOURSELVES

They are stupid

Rakshasa! I have heard of that because of Trails

"You go check if Cooper's got bed bugs" ok this wasn't the turn I was expecting but it IS interesting

ohhhh OHH

PLOT TWIIIIST BABY

WHAT was that cgi face melty

Sorry Cooper

They are now trapped in the clown maze

Ohhh the pipe organ! Smart

Knives! Knives! Knives!

Pterodactyl screaming

Ok well that was fun

"We were working a job. Clowns?" "Clowns?! What the f—"

I like Ash he's funny

Yeah he has to go finish his car

WOAH smashy breaky?

BESTIE NOT YOUR CAR

Oh in memory of Peter Ellis. I don't know who that is but rip

---

So surprising no one the boys are Not Coping. But they have a guy with a demon radar so that's something. Still working on the car though, that'll take a while, good job Dean.

[lurkingteapot]

Step by Step ค่อย ๆ รัก Ep 3

Ep 3, let’s go.

- Oh, this is the kind of “morning after” regrets that really … urgh.

- (standard disclaimer of “I’m not fluent but”) text convo has some linguistic nuance lost in subs, not just because the subs cut off: Pat addresses Ae as เจ๊ /tɕéʔ/ (honorific for older women, particularly of Chinese descent) and talks about Jeng as ‘Khun Jeng’; Ae, in her response, calls Pat อีพัท /ʔiː pʰát/ -- his name with impolite/intimate prefix อี /ʔiː/, commonly transcribed as ii or ee, the feminine-speaker equivalent of dudes calling their friends ไอ้ /ʔâj/ [name] -- and มึง /mɯŋ/ while using กู /kuː/ for herself.

พัท มึงบ่นเรื่องนี้กับกูมาจะอาทิตย์นึ่งแล้วค่ะ อยากรู้ก็บอกเลยสิคะอีเสือ ไม่ก็ทำอะไรสักอย่างเถอะ ถือว่ากูขอ!!

“Pat (derogatory), you’ve been bugging me about this for a week now.” “If you want to know, just say so, tiger (derogatory)” “Or if not that, just do something, I’m begging you here!!”

She’s throwing ค่ะ/คะ “kha”s in there (Pat was not using polite particles with her) which gives it an overall sarcastic/exasperated tone, and I’m pretty sure given the overall tone the อีเสือ /ʔiː sɯ̌ːa/ is also meant as a “you coward” kind of thing considering tigers are generally considered strong, brave, and bold – sort of like English “go get them, tiger”.

As always: more advanced speakers please chime in with additions/corrections, I appreciate opportunities to learn.

Okay, on with the episode …

- Jaab is Jeng’s BROTHER???? Oh this explains SO MUCH, whoa, not least the friggin names (one’s เจ๊ง -- (very) skilled, great, awesome, one is จ๊าบ -- cool, spiffy, sharp-looking …)

- oh no, he’s read it and he’s worriiiiied/taking it to heart :(

- oh no oh no Jaab baby “Do you (big brother) have a method how to stop liking someone?” these disaster brothers, I swear.

- oh goodness, Jeng, is that the approach you’re currently trying to take with Pat?

- Jaab I get that you’ve got a crush but ffs stop hitting on the dude with a boyfriend, that way lies pain for all involved.

- oh god this is excruciating

- ahaha plot twist (of COURSE)

- he can COOK, too!! my GOODNESS

- remembering all the reasons I’ll never be a party person, yike

-15k?? what in the hiso, who’s dropping that kind of money?

- okay this is just toxic now, in both the literal and metaphorical sense of the word.

- love this “I only know this person by the name they go by in daily life because nobody ever uses their legal name” thing

- careful with the camera ffs those things are EXPENSIVE

- Jaab, you’re self harming here and I’d like you to stop

- okay but Jen you’re also NOT HELPING

- these two are like a car crash

- OISHI ZERO my old friend

- oh kids don’t DO this to yourselves

- … what was this cut, am I missing something? (youtube)

- the AWKWARDNESS here, holy shit

- omg, did he crash at A Place Of Jeng’s? we knw that they Jeng said he didn’t go back to the apartment he shares with his brother, so …????

- okay apparently these men just have too many houses (or I’m misunderstanding things, which is just as likely)

- ohhh Pat come ON this is NOT HELPING

- AWKWARD

- I’m laughing my ass off at Jeng, he’s incredible.

-  “WORK DISCUSSION” you’re making it WORSE please Jeng

- vibes say this is yet another dad for the bad dads of BL collection, huh. Jury’s out on the mother.

- Pat, WHY are you still in Jeng’s clothes

- … Jeng, is this you worrying about him? because “you’re so slow” is NOT the way to get people to feel supported.

- this is hitting my second hand embarrassment squick HARD rn, yikes

- oh you’ve got it BAD, Jeng, huh.

- Jeng really can’t catcha break, poor dude

- I want to go to Pearl & Oliver, that place looks so nice, gd

- ah, the classic “booze-fuelled honest conversations that half of the participants won’t be able to recall the next day” trope

- oh nooooo like Jeng needed confirmation that there’s ~potential there

- It’s so unusual to see actual more-or-less professional behaviour out of BL ship part, this is incredible (maybe sad that I think it’s incredible, idk)

- Nan is my favourite for REASONS, okay. PROFESSIONAL.

- … okay I take that back, the boy is thinking too much already, he doesn’t need MORE fodder for that, yikes

- Jeng is so sincere, it hurts me, goodness. He’s trying so hard!!

- oh no oh no this is BAD, you don’t get the aggressor and the victim into the same room for this kind of thing, ffffffffffff that’s gonna make things harder for Pat.

---

I love the pacing of this, and the fact that by starting late I don’t have to wait a week for ep 4. Good going me.

[murfpersonalblog]

IWTV S2 Ep3 Musings - Armand & Lesmand & Nickistat (Spoilers)

We got the Armand backstory! 😭 The first half of this ep had me screaming at my screen, cuz Armand's a effing LIAR; I was rolling! 🤣

We were already told 1000 times by Assad & Sam that Armand's trying to make himself seem as sympathetic as possible. That is SUPER important, cuz although he's my favorite book character, Armand is a effing MENACE in IWTV, TVL, QotD, and TVA.

Ok, they've clarified my confusion about the weird 1556 date, cuz it implied that Armand MET Lestat in 1556, which is entirely wrong.

So I'm glad my suspicion/hope was correct, that the date was out of context. 1556+239=1795, which tracks with what Les said in S1.

So Lestat met Armand ONE year after becoming a vampire. (No wonder AMC!Armand dish-ragged him, LOL!)

No duh, if you've only been a vamp for a EFFING YEAR. (I looooove the Time-stopping Gift! So happy to see it used again--the horses are especially impressive.)

This seems like Armand's taking Marius' place as Lestat's mentor (Armand WISHES, lol). And it's kinda smacking of narcissist!Lestat using him then dumping him once he'd learned what he wanted, like Daniel & Louis implied later in the ep. (He even grabs Armand's hand & drinks w/out asking; mighty bold! Ok sure, he kissed it first, but still!?) But their dynamic is SO different in the books.

I have a looooot of issues with AMC!Magnus.

Excuse you!? Language! 😤

Armand wanna be called "Daddy" so bad. 😂

BULL.

EFFING.

CRAP.

AMC/Armand officially butchered how awesome Magnus was--he was never a Child of Satan/Darkness, or in a coven--he was a human alchemist who STOLE the Dark Gift from Rhosh's fledgling Benedict!

That means nothing, if you don't explain that Lestat is Rhoshamandes' great-grandson, and that Magnus was a WIZARD. 😒 And Armand said Les' turning was "MAYBE" a horror show? 🤨 How does he not know, if they were so close? 🙄 And how would he have even known Magnus was his Maker?

Oh no. "Come to me" was ARMAND'S theme the whole time!? 😱 Thanks, I hate it. 😭😂

LESTAT SAID KISS MY ARSE!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I mean, I would, too-the CoD/S lived like bums! The reason Magnus was so friggin rich and had all that money he gave to Lestat was strictly cuz he WASN'T a penniless bum like the other coven vampires--he hid himself away in his TOWER. (If we don't get the Lesmand tower scene Imma be so mad.) He had no Maitre/Master.

NGL, I expected the Children of Darkness/Satan to be WAY filthier. :P

So Armand really IS Indian then? As in Roma/Ukranian/Russian?

Sadly, they didn't speak on Lestat's Harlequin mask being Blackface. But woah. "Dervish" as in Muslim ascetics & mystic dancers? So was 1700s!Armand Catholic or Muslim? Is that what he thought of Lestat back then? Or what 2022!Armand thinks of him now? If the latter, Armand converted to Islam....WHEN???

Armand glossed over EVERYTHING that went down with Nicki. He seems to imply that Les got with Nicki AFTER they met, which is beyond untrue. (And not a word about Gabrielle being there for all of this mess--MIGHTY SUS.)

We know Lestat loves his gay panicking needy alcoholic bottoms.

THE FRENCH GIRLS ARE FIGHTING.

Oh lovely. More racists--I'm not even surprised; I never liked Nicki in the book anyway; bye Felicia. 🙄

Iiiinteresting way AMC/Armand gave Nicki's abduction. (Again, no Gabrielle--MIGHTY SUS!)

And LAWWWWD, lemme find out Armand was telling the truth abt him & Les knocking boots in their theatre box on some exhibitionist kink while vamp!Nicki mean-mugged from the orchestra. 😭

So Armand's still to blame for Nicki's death, but not cuz of the darkness of "self-loathing," but jealousy cuz Lesmand were an item? BISH PLEASE! 🤣

(TBF, Loumand still blames Lestat, saying he "abandoned" Armand & Nicki & the coven. Which...is not entirely true. Lestat gave Nicki the Theatre, but didn't want to be part of it or Armand's coven, so he left with Gabrielle, but still kept tabs on everyone via Eleni. So whatchu mean??????)

LOUIS SUICIDE WATCH, stop playing with me, AMC! I want to see these vamps greet the sun and "taste the fire"! (And they had the NERVE to put the commercial break there; I see you, AMC.)

They were SHOWING OFF Armand's Fire Gift in this episode--oh yeah, Louis DEFINITELY got it from him; I'm convinced now. (I'm still waiting to see if Santiago has it, too; I hope to god not though.)

Lestat was a MENACE! XD "It's a fallen tree." What a brat!

The Lesmand eye-f**kery was INTENSE--Samothy was serving~!

Don't you DARE tease me like that, AMC! YES! I want 2022!Lestat in that Dubai penthouse by the end of this season, PLEASE. 🙏🙏🙏

What does all that say? Looks Latin or French? And WTF is Armand doing biting himself? (Reminds me of Louis with Jonah.)

This is why I'm convinced that the whole "Rashid" ruse in S1 was strictly for Armand & Dan's benefit, cuz in QotD Armand specifically said Daniel was the only mortal who knew his name & lived.

Chile, this episode was A LOT, and that was just the first 20 frikkin minutes, wtf.

[crippling-pages]

I just finished Ep52 of Hooky (since I am STILL waiting for the physical version of the book from the library, I started reading it on Webtoon), and I am SCREAMING

DORIAN MY BABY <3333333333333333 BRO I LOVE HIM SO MUCH *SOBS* he's so cute and adorable GAH he's PERFECTTTT omg the way he's not used to compliments and the way he's always blushing and PROFESSOR WYTTE AHHHHH omg literally in 52 (or 51) Dorian's face literally turns red and he's like "THATS CHEATING" bro thats my favorite thing ever man ToT omg the way he's throwing himself out there anytime ANYONE says "hey wanna play/hang out with us?' and he's like "UHH YESSSS" because he's never had any friends to play with before and dude was so freaking excited when Nico's friends asked him if he (and Monica, but she said no) he's literally running out the door ToT

UGHH AND HIM AND MONICA>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> THEY HAVE NO REASON TO BE THIS CUTE ARGHHHHHH the way right after Dorian left to play with Nico's friends Nico is like "BROOO NO WAY MY FRIENDS ARE GONNA LIKE HIM??? HE'S SO WEIRD AND CRINGE AND WEIRDER" and then Nico says "Right Monica" and she goes into a panic for a second and then she pictures Dorian and she's like "I THINK HE'S CUTE?!??!?!?!" girl you've thought he was cute since the beginning (well in the middle)

I knew Dorian and Monica were going to be a thing (the friend who told be about hooky told me) and I wasn't so sure because Monica was a bit of a brat ToT but her development throughout the story is MWAH one of the best I've seen no doubt she goes from bratty princess to literally a beautiful person inside and out and i just i love her

and NICOOOO bro what about Nico ??? ToT Everyone is forgetting about him!! DANI PLEASE BRING HIM BACK TO FULL SIZE ToT speaking of Dani, Nico is DOWN BAD DUDES... I'm on his side I swear no matter how much I laugh at him being jealous of Mark and just spying on Dani and him lmaoo i love the jealousy trope>>

and DANI AHH MY SWEET CHILD oh WHY did you quit being a witch!!??! ToT Well I do know actually- She and Nico are so cute and hilarious omgg ToT Dani and Mark are an amazing duo tooo (tho I dont think it as romantic tbh more platonic) okay but Dani with short hair is so friggin cute>>> she looks like a 9 or 10 year old thought- But still adorableeeeeeeeee

Mark is amazing too btw. During the ep/chapter where they go to the beach, I saw so many comments saying "What about a shirtless Mark???" and I was laughing so hard lmaoo Mark is great

Also William and Damien>> Haven't seen much of them but they are in love. What I GASPED and went into shock for a full minute when Dorian and Dani said that Damien was their older brother?? Like WHAT???

Btw kinda hating on the parents. Like they do care for their children but like....

One question though; on the Webtoon version, when does the second book start? Because I have books 2 and 3 in physical form next to be, and I want to know when book 1 ends so I can start reading my copy of book 2. I also heard there were bonus??

Okay well I'm off to go read ep53 now- ADIOSS TYSM FOR BEING HERE FOR MY TED TALKK

[taurustwister]

LAST UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2024.

ke huy quan - finding o’hana, eeato, abc, loki

jane fonda- moving on, 8b, book club, g&f

dan levy- happiest season

sarah kendall- radio interviews, the other one, taskmaster/coc3, game shows (guessable, rohouse of games, weakest link, wity, spicks & specs, question team), things you should have done, motherland, big zuu's big eats, frayed + bloopers + interviews, comedy shows, beehive (2008)?

ava capri- embattled, blast beat, fletcher's mv, do revenge, love victor, reply, the experience, interviews?

james lance- ted lasso, winx

oona chaplin- interviews, made to love, molotov jukebox's "neon lights" vid, treason, lullaby, anchor and hope

lauren graham- gg, mighty ducks, evan almighty, dinner takes it all, merry friggin christmas, zoey's ep, parenthood

alexis bledel- gg, handmaid's tale

melissa mccarthy- gg, mike & molly

jessica gunning- the outlaws, baby reindeer, interviews, pride, ps: tennison,

lisa ann walter - bitter trailer, the ladies, greys, 911, doubt, psycho st, the more things change clips, jersey, parent trap, ae s2, glow

jenna fischer- mean girls + int, the office, splitting up together

zoe perry- young sheldon

liza weil- the cleaning lady, htgawm, gg + revival, the passenger

natalia tena- i love you stupid, interviews, john wick4, hp, anchor and hope, wolfe, wisdom of the crowd, molotov jukebox vids, 10.000km

kathryn hahn- I love d*ck, happyish, I know this must is true, transparent, tiny beautiful things, mrs fletcher, private life, bad words, the shrink next door, flower, parks and rec

lily rabe- ahs, tell me your secrets, shrinking, fractured, downtown owl, the veil, letters from the big man, redemption trail, golden exits, presumed innocent, the great lillian hall, the tender bar, pawn sacrifice, a midsummer night's dream, the wizard of lies

hamish linklater- tell me your secrets, redemption trail, downtown owl, a midsummer night's dream

vera farmiga- hawkeye, at middleton, higher ground, boundaries,

neve campbell- hot air, pof5, lincoln lawyer

lance barber- young sheldon

charlotte ritchie- ghosts, taskmaster, the other one, wonka, feel good, you

catherine tate - doctor who 2023

david tennant- doctor who 2023

rosie jones- taskmaster

lucia keskin- things you should have done, mandy

diane morgan- frayed, cunk on earth,

sean astin- st

scott patterson- sullivan's crossing, gg, saw

elaine hendrix - parent trap, dynasty

poorna jaganathan- nsie, i'll show you mine, the out-laws

jovan bridges/yvie oddly- interviews

abby elliott- the bear

matty matheson- the bear

sarah paulson- the bears2

angela kinsey- the office, tall girl 1 & 2

amy ryan- the office, omitb, beau is afraid, beautiful boy

gaby hoffmann - finish cmon cmon and transparent

nick offerman- parks & rec

rashida jones- the office, parks & rec, angie tribeca

ellie kemper- the office, bridesmaids, kimmy s, happiness for beginners

kristen bell- the good place, the woman in the house across the street

winona ryder- gone in the night

lily tomlin- grandma, 80b, moving on, g&f

katee sackhoff- christmas sail

rainn wilson- the office, mom, jerry and marge go large

dolly parton- g&f

rakhee thakrar- rules of the game 

craig robinson- the office, killing it

andie mcdowell- maid

rita moreno- 8b, west side story, x fast and furious

sally field- 8b, spoiler alert

janelle james- ae s1 & s2

william stanford davis-  ae s1 & s2

sheryl lee ralph-  ae s1 & s2

tyler james williams-  ae s2

quinta brunson-  ae s2

courteney cox- shining vale

kelly mccormack - sugar daddy, aloto, ginny and georgia

keiko agena- gg, prodigal son

martin short- omitb

steve martin- omitb

mae martin- feel good

meryl streep- omitbs3

cristo fernandez- interviews

nick mohammed- ted lasso, taskmaster

~~~

michaela mcmanus- the village*

toni collette- mafia mama, knives out, hereditary*

elizabeth mitchell- sc films*

jodi balfour- ted lasso*

smg- do revenge*

[noa-nightingale]

On Fridays we wear orange (via Watcher’s twitter)

[fireflylies]

I know I’m a day late but holy shoot what was that

[redbird-art]

I’m listening to TAZ. it’s good. 

[dangerliesbeforeyou]

don’t read this

rant on kiss me again that no one should read cos i wrote it at like 11 at night listening to both the jesus christ superstar soundtrack, as well as various songs from post modern jukeboxes’ albums... no one should write blog posts with that much drama, guitar riffs and jazz... alas, here i am...

(disclaimer: so this is /my/ opinion on the series.. if u disagree then... cool? please don’t send hate lol)

ok 1st thing, and my main problem, why in gods name did they think having such a short series with 4 (FOUR) main couples, along with various side characters, was a good idea?? 

it barely worked in kiss: the series with just having 2 main couples (though that was partly cos the couple that wasn’t sandee & thada were just boring lol)... & esp when ur looking at essentially 3 budding romances (not including the chick that got with her ex... & yes i can’t remember most of the character’s names i’m sorry lol...), which need to have believable development in both their relationships with eachother, but also need to include enough interesting plot points & conflicts that either push the characters together, or pull them apart.... 

So, when you’re only allocating a few mins a week to each couple, there’s bound to be missing a lot of character development & missing scenes...

Now, if i’m being honest, i stopped watching the straight couples a long time ago... & it’s not as if it’s cos i don’t think straight couples can work in these dramas (i doN’T hatE THe straigHTS guYS!!!, most of my friends are straight don’t you know)... 

take sandee & thada from kiss: the series again; even though there were some plot points & scenes that were kinda like wtf (the whole baby thing is still a massive !??!?!? tbh lol), what made them work as a couple was that they were both likeable characters... they were also really compatible (they’re a great example of opposites attract, whilst also having quite similar stubborn & passionate natures that made them fit together well ... etc)...

let’s compare them to one of the straight couples in kiss me again; sanwan (glasses chick?) and the doctor dude... so she’s like a stereotypical nerdy character who isn’t really interested in romances but her parents wanna set her up with this dude right? and this dude is a doctor & also a womaniser & player... so in order to make their parents happy, they decide to fake date &, obviously, end up falling in love together... 

ok, so on paper, it sounds great lol right... cliche? ohhh yesss, but i have no problem with plots being overly cliche, as long as they’re done right.... this is not a case of that plot done right lol... point 1) the doctor dude is a dick... he forces sanwan to do things she doesn’t want, he drags her around & generally disrespects her... 2) he already had a girlfriend, who he had no respect for either... 3) the fact it’s just perpetrating frustrating hetero stereotypes that u see so much in asian dramas... (it’s not exclusive to asian dramas obv, the west is just as bad lol)... etc...

ok so, basically that couple was a massive mistake & also massively unbelievable ... & it’s not even about the actors (who i have no problems with, since both did a good job with the bad story they were involved in lol) but just incompatible characters that really shouldn’t end up together...

not gonna go into the other ‘problematic’ straight couple of the tall chick (sanson?) and the mess of all that plot & character lol... (we’ll be here too long & i’ll just get progressively more mad lol)

the other straight couple is the odd one out, and the least interesting of the plots... (it’s the girl who gets back with her ex btw) they could’ve made an alright side couple maybe? but as a focus couple, it just feels like they were adding more and more unbelievable scenarios in order to make their story a bit more interesting lol... but at least the characters weren’t awful... but that maybe was cos they were just really dull lol

ok now to the reason that 90% of us were watching; petekao.

i’m gonna start with the things i liked, before moving onto the mESS of everything else lol...

so 1) the actors had great chemistry ... i feel like people through this term around in these kinda of dramas, but genuinely these guys have a great dynamic (even when playing being ‘enemies’)... (also, when the guy, new (plays kao), was in waterboyy it was clear those actors didn’t rly work as well... also cos that series was crap lol fIGHT me if u disagree)... some of their best scenes were the ‘flirtatious banter’ scenes, not only cos i’m a sucker for that cute shit, but also cos it actually helped to show their budding friendship (& romance obv)...

2) i actually really liked the characters... yes, even pete & his very flawed nature lol... like i feel like the writers were genuinely trying to make an effort at character development in both characters, and especially with pete...& i think cos of lack of screen time some of that wasn’t as obvious as it shouldve been... however, i think pete represented a flawed, kinda a dick, character who could actually change to become a better person (to some extent lol...)... plus, some of the dick moves he pulls comes from genuine ignorance to his own emotions & the emotions of others, rather than coming from a place of spite (unlike that doctor dude smh)...

still 2), that paragraph was just getting a bit big lol... kao was probs my fav character, just in the way that it was very obvious that he had feelings for pete from the start (reluctant feelings... u know, the feelings where ur attracted to someone that is a bit of a twat & ur just like ugh brain why are you like this like idc if they have the face of an angel, they still kick puppies for fun), but when pete confesses he makes sure to stand his ground and not let impulsive and kinda wild pete walk all over him & break his heart... kao is a lot more sure of himself and his emotions than pete, which doesnt mean he isn’t oblivious though... (see: the fact that p’sun was like madly in love with him... i could write a whole other thing about why they decided to add that hinted romance of sun & mork?? like come on gmmtv pls stop adding side couples that you’re not gonna develop in anyway lol... anywayyyyyy)... kao doesnt really go through character development, but he still learns to trust & fall in love with pete throughout the series... if there’d been more screen time we’d have had more of this... 

(of course that would’ve meant he would’ve made pete 200 more ‘product placement’ flavoured instant noodles lol...)

there are more reasons why i really liked them... they’re not perfect, but considering some of the trash that exists out there, they aint bad lol...

howeevverrrr.... now to the negatives...

so you know what i was saying about not minding cliche storylines, well that is definitely still true... but a part of me wishes that their ‘origin’ story had more substance... or at least there wasn’t an annoying ex that’s involved... seriously... i’m sick of girls for being used as conflict points... (it’s why i like sotus so much, the only girl that acts as a kinda obstacle is the girl arthit was in love with... but really that was mainly to show a) the fact that once arthit falls in love with someone, he comMITS and b) to show that he’s not had a real relationship because of his pining, so it’s understandable that kongpob coming into his life would terrify him... there’s also the fact that she’s already in a relationship and the series never tries to suggest that her & arthit would ever end up together... anyway... that’s another discussion lol prepare for my 10,000 word essay on why sotus is the best of all the thai series’ by a milestone but yh ok back to this...)

mint is just there to be a nuisance... and what’s even more bizarre is that it clearly showed her having cheated on pete & then breaking up with him in high school, only to try and get him back & then be mad at him for breaking it off with her when he discovers that he doesnt like her anymore? (like yh, it was kinda a dumb and selfish thing for pete to get back with her after explicitly rejecting her countless times... but in some aspects i understand his perspective? like he see’s her and kao getting close & of course he’s gonna think that he’s jealous that she’s with kao cos she’s his ex... thankfully it only took like an episode with kao running off with p’sun for pete to realise ‘oh wait, it’s not mint that i’m interested in ... hmmm...’... so i aint excusing his dick move, but i’m just sayin i get why he did it...)... 

the next cliche that was just there just so pete’s dad would discover about their relationship (i bet the writers were like ‘oh shit, we only have like 2 episodes to wrap everything up & pete’s dad still doesn;t know... uuuuuhhh let’s have.... mint.... send him picks of pete & kao kissing yeh... seems a legit thing that would be happen...’)... like it would’ve made more sense if she’d have printed the photo off and posted it to the guy rather than the fact she had his number? anwayyy i get why they added that in, but it was kinda silly & very cliche lol

another problem was the fact that the cool gang kinda disappeared later in the series... though i haven’t talked about them yet, they are genuinely the best thing about this whole series... june is a legend (& i’m glad he was there for the final scene tbh.. i would have rioted if we didn’t see him again lol)... though sandee disappeared like halfway through through the series? i can only assume that maybe the actress couldnt be around to film those eps fsr? it did feel kinda sad though since i did really like her character...

ok so it’s gone midnight & rn i’m losing the will to live...

overall, if i look at the series as just petekao (which i do, cos the rest is trash), i’d actually say it was one of the more competent & interesting series...is it the best? lol no. but will i constantly be rewatching lazy subber’s petekao cuts on dailymotion for the next few weeks until i get it out of my system? you betcha!

in conclusion, sometimes it’s ok to like things that are kinda 75% trash, cos that 25% that’s good still deserves to be acknowledged and enjoyed... i think that in this society, we’re all too harsh on the media we consume... like yeh, be critical of things that have problems, be willing to acknowledge those problems & why they are problems & what needs to be done to change them (this is more a general conclusion btw)... that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a silly or trashy series... it doesn’t mean u have to over analyse everything u watch, and be critical of everything... remember that media is made to be enjoyed... & i think in the crappy world we live in rn, we need to take all the enjoyment we can get...

so yeh... i rly liked kiss me again (petekao cuts), even if it was kinda bad lol...