#but its also in my most recent memories because i just saw that episode a couple hours ago so its fresh in my mind

[baekuras]

Have stopped my binge of The Walking Dead (during season 9 just like last time I dropped it 😭 I am trying but also...tired so breaktime from that) to actually go watch Fear (the walking dead also bc duh) because I started it when it began but then took a break when it was on break till the new season and just never came back to it Anyhow I do also quite enjoy it (altho rip to I think season 4 which made me irate for many reasons at the beginning but then calmed down some so I am back to enjoying things) and the characters etc but I also am definitely going in it looking for comedy Didn’t do that for the main show as much because that was a rewatch But by now any media I consume I WILL make fun of (lovingly) or try to imagine funny scenes because...duh

i actually wanted to put all my other ramblings in the tags but there is was too much coming to mind with every word i write even though my memory can be shit so...readmore it is Watched till season 6 episode 5 so basically spoilers up to that

anyhow rip nick your chaos will be missed

i do also think the moment i rly decided to go make fun of everything lovingly(I need you to understand I genuinely mean that because I also did cry a lot during appropriate moments) was when nick & troy had their joyride through the horde at the ranch like yep everyone is stuck in the pantry slowly dying and also how the FUCK did we get here but also fuck it I’m in WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOO CARCRASH

also fuck troy for being high on the “actual assholes i enjoy watching list” because while everyone of those got murder there why did he have to just casually sprinkle in some soft racism? or casual racism? i was about to say “not shoot on sight-racism” because rhe does do that...or I believe he would but that’s more a “humans are alive” thing than a “oh god is that a native american human ALIVE” thing....that’s his dad-may he rest in fucking hell forever dear GOD did his kids deserve better than his shitty ass making problems present past and future FUCK THAT man he is NOT on my “assholes who i actually like on screen” list

like my mood basically went from “urgh oh god fuck he’s a racist shithole.” to “oh FUCK he’s a child abuser racist shithole WHY DON’T YOU KEEP ADDING ON LET’S GET A FLAMETHROWER A GUN ISN’T ENOUGH HERE” (i think that’s basically about where i’ll end my opinions on the whole ranch shebang because any details may be missed by yours truly not being american so i am not going to know most details on treatment of native americans in the current age or age when this was filmed beyond the “oh yeah it’s shit” bits although I will mention that Taqa’s whole “he stole my ancestors land” at the beginning bothered me until it was revealed that “oh this dickbag actually shot his family like in the current time not 500years ago okay yeah no go off baby have fun”....and also that i only now learned his name was spelled w/ a q dear god everyones accent had me confused on his name for the longest time and his last name is ACTUALLY Walker why does it have to sound so same i am so bad with names aaaaaaah qwq anyhow rip him i was confused until now if his name was Walker(actual last nime), Tucker(which does not fit), Taka(also doesnt fit because it seemed more japanese to me but between the 3 options my brain presented was the most fitting so.....but noppe....a fucking q....just right there.....I’ll take the L and also where the fuck did this man even fuck off to)

speaking of fucking off: Rip to Nick, you blew up a damn only to die w/out any further character development afterwards 2 episodes later and then just got to hang out in the background in the past parts of future episodes

WHICH BY THE WAY IRRITATED ME SO MUCH not the Nick died thing but yes just from a “we are starting a new storyline for this-oops he dead :D” point yes it’s urgh But the flip-flopping from Past to present to past no present pastpresentpastofpewwgvszujsiop aneurysm of storytelling Like Okay So we start with new characters i have yet to give a shit about (and morgan who i have yet to give a shit about...again) to then go back to our oldies and THEN they fight and it’s a mess but now they’re friends somewhere between the past being shown and everyone fighting and manipulating and Al filming Nick’s dead body and me yet having to give a shit about anyone except for John because he seemed sweet and that’s about it what the actual fuck so yeah i skipped most of that until it calmed the fuck down but by then I was mostly annoyed by Al(i like her now but at the beginning i was mostly like “yeah yeah you got a big fuck you truck and like being an asshole to people and just bother and annoy them for a video-did great on youtube huh didn’t you now how about you actually do something helpful and get your ass out WITHOUT being a dickhead?” kinda deal....we got so far in terms of me actually giving a shit about her lol)

speaking of new character or oldes ones returning, Dwight! my boy! continuing being shot in various limbs to then stumble around (how is that a trend i notice) also rip his hairline because I am pretty sure between the main show and fear the makeup artists added more scarring to that scar-which i dont mind but is also kinda funny to imagine (like sir negan didnt burn you THAT much where did you find the rest or is it just the way you part your hair?) regarding hair post haircut&shave&further haircut later: who is this  man and what have you done with the  burned rat from before? anyhow i still like him and i kiiiiinda wish Morgan was a character who would have been more involved about the past simply because I’d have liked to see them chat about it-not even anything heavy but just about what happened, how everyone was doing after Dwight went away because Morgan was still there for a bit at least, or idk just a bit more remembrances of where they came from sprinkled in there

I mean we do have Morgan and his staff stuff still which I do actually enjoy, and ofc lately Dwight showing off his fancy torture skills ala....music like the good old saviour days but i want more xp

which goes back to another moment i had to chuckle at in my head even if it wasnt funny because Sherry basically went “We will hunt Virigina down and kill her and end all of this” to which Dwight basically went “okay i got my torture gear ready, got a plan and am ready to do some murder lets go” //insert Sherry shocked pikachu face-meme here I keep forgetting she left before shit got really real and heavy  but like....yeah honey here is your husband back he comes with some extra baggage but also....you were there when he was part of fucking Daryl up what are you surprised by? That he’d literally kill for you and abandon what he built with the others if need be? bitch he followed you across the country for god knows how long-it’s Dwight! of course he would sweety please although i would like him to just tear some ass  because there were many a moment where i though it justified but yes yes we go keep being peaceful now-and that’s good! mostly because the main cast we actually like and care about isn’t dropping like flies but i did also have fun w/ the whole war between the saviour and everyone else soooooooo....yeah chaos reigns

also shoutout randomly to the not-yet-radioactive kids+others who just disappeared from the story long enough to make me wonder if the writers forgot about them and then they appeared in the next episode lol

also random shoutout to john&june because they are adorable and cool and work well together as a team and couple i really like them

backpaddling to earlier again because rip alicia because if we timeline was in order it wouldnt have gone down in that order but just watching it she went from losing her brother to her mother dipping out shortly after her favourite child died like “woops sorry but i’ll go sacrifice myself now go take care of yourself now w/out your family like before” although last time someone started a fire and was dead they didn’t stay that way so...eh who knows let Madison return and fuck more shit and people up in her desperate attempt to keep her family alive(oops) and make things better but also kill anyone if she has to but at least she has nightmares about it <3

did I already mention I also had to laugh at Chris AND Travis’ deaths? not because they died because yeah sad i guess but A I didn’t like Chris at all so I was happy and B dear god this teen really went with some dumb ragtag dudebros who just shot their friend to death for a hurt leg (what is he? a horse? grow up) and then wanted o be hip and cool driving their car and crashed it and THEN got shot for the same thing you FUCKING IDIOT I am very much on the side of “let the kids go out and do stuff they can survive and aren’t 12″ but also chris my guy are you perhaps stupid or an idiot? prime teenage behaviour 10/10 made me hate him not for anything i’d consider bad writing but just for being a shithead i’d have known in highschool

Travis’ death made me laugh simply because of how abrupt it was and also how he just yeeted himself out the plane like yes a walker in there while they’re busy crashing down is bad but also lol (also Taqa going to the leftovers with Alicia all proud they shot it out the sky...................i also had to laugh because DUDE YOU ARE NOT DOING THAT....bitch is proudly showing off his kill from the wanna-be military ranch and it’s basically her dads corpse in the context of things.....like........i am dying xDD you can not be serious what was the plan here other than showing off? and then immediately having to feel a bit bad about it because woops killed the wrong man)

also trav dying via neck bullet vs morgan surviving heart bullet for over a month and being just fine after it got out travis forgot his plot armor rip v-v

[tenebraevesper]

Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 1)

Welcome to the first part of my personal elaboration on the topic of why ''Prime!Shadow is peak Shadow!'', or in other words, why Prime!Shadow is one of the best written iterations of Shadow's character.

Will I try to make proper arguments for his character writing? Of course. Will I also be biased as hell just because he's my favorite character? Absolutely!

So, if you can handle both of that, we should dive in!

Before I start, I suppose I should give a brief overview of Shadow's character and how he had been handled through the years. The general consensus seems to be that Shadow was at his peak as a character from Sonic Adventure 2 to Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) (as well as Pre-Reboot!Archie Comics during Ian Flynn's run), being someone who was deeply traumatized by the death of his sister Maria Robotnik, had his memories manipulated to get revenge on humanity, only to sacrifice his own life to save the world Maria cherished, losing his memories in the process and trying to carve out his own path, only to finally solidify his role as a protector of the world, even if his methods aren't always the most peaceful ones.

So, where does the idea of edgelord Shadow come from?

Yeaaahh... let's just say that Shadow's own game, Shadow the Hedgehog (2005), didn't do him any good in the character department, because it seems that all that people remember was that one time SEGA decided to give Shadow a gun and let him deal with an alien invasion. The confusing story routes didn't help either.

In time, Shadow's character went from a complex and layered character to something akin to Vegeta (no offense Dragon Ball fans!), much to the disappointment of everyone who understood character before he underwent this transformation. Also, I'm not counting Boom!Shadow in this because Sonic Boom is a different universe and its own thing, but I won't argue against the fact that Boom!Shadow's characterization as a complete jerkass didn't do Game!Shadow any favor either. That's not even mentioning the Sonic IDW Comics, where Shadow had many mandates tied to him that even the writers found it annoying to write him (although with the most recent arc where Shadow was shown, it seems that the mandates have loosened a little).

Of course, I might be missing out on some information, but this is the general gist of the history of his character. So, when Sonic Prime revealed that Shadow would be one of the major characters, you can bet that I was nervous about how he would be written and I decided to keep a close eye on his characterization; and honestly, I went from genuinely pleased to excited when I realized that Shadow was being written as a very compelling character. Not only that, but he also appeared to have gone through subtle character development over the course of the show.

Starting from the very beginning, I'm certain that you remember how Shadow's first appearance was basically him punching Sonic at the end of Episode 01: Shattered, a very impactful first impression that left us with more questions and headaches. The following episode, Episode 02: The Yoke's On You, gives us more details in regards to why he punched Sonic, seemingly out of the blue.

Shadow's proper introduction kicks off with him searching for the Chaos Emerald... and I have to ask, when was the last time we even saw Shadow genuinely smile? Was in the Mario & Sonic at The Olympic Games franchise? I don't really remember.

In any case, being clearly happy about finding the Chaos Emerald, he speeds off, only to suddenly sense that something is wrong and is met with a giant blue pulse of energy (released during Sonic's fight with Dr. Eggman) and a vision of Sonic using the Paradox Prism energy.

''Sonic!''

This expression just screams ''Something bad is going to happen and it's Sonic's fault! I'm going to kick his ass before he does anything stupid!''

We then follow Shadow as he searches for Sonic, clocking him square in the face for something he hasn't done yet. Eh, I'd say that this one wasn't really deserved.

Even before Sonic starts explaining his relationship with Shadow, we immediately get an understanding of Shadow's character. He is serious, works alone, quite fast and powerful, prefers to fight over talking things out, is willing to do anything to protect his home and clearly has a history with Sonic. Sonic proceeds to add how Shadow is his biggest rival, a buzzkill and that he totally roller-skates.

''They're air shoes!''

Did... Did Shadow just break the 4th wall? Did he just make a joke? Dude, not even Boom!Shadow got to do that and Sonic Boom was the epitome of wall breaking!

Yeah, let's just say that my jaw dropped when I heard this, realizing that Shadow's character in Sonic Prime will be different than what we got used to see.

So, after knocking the Rings out of Sonic (I mean that literally), Shadow questions him about what he has done, with Sonic pointing out how Eggman is the bad guy, clearly confused about why Shadow is attacking him.

''You literally shook the world!'' ''That's because I'm good! And powerful apparently! Jealous?''

After a bit of teasing from Sonic, he and Shadow get into a race, during which I had noticed something. While Sonic keeps teasing Shadow (and also having fun fighting him), Shadow tells him to stop and listen for once.

''Clearly you're angry, which is normal,... but I'm supposed to be on a bit of a mission here, Shadow!'' ''What mission?'' ''None of your business.''

Sooooo, have you noticed it too? Because there is something very telling in this interaction. If you haven't, I'll let it play out until the end. Anyways, to continue, Shadow knocks Sonic into a rock, with Sonic confirming another aspect of their relationship.

''Ughh, I know, we're fighting again. Don't worry guys, I'll calm him down.''

We now know that this certainly wasn't the first time they had a fight and it won't be the last time. Sonic points out that, whatever beef they have, they aren't going to settle it this way. While Sonic is right, I will admit, I had to gush over the excellent animation and fight choreography. X3

Sonic then hears an explosion from the cave where the Paradox Prism is and tells Shadow that he needs to get to his friends, only to get punched for his troubles.

''Learn to focus!''

Now that the flashback is over, what exactly is going on between the two?

First of all, the main thing I have noticed is that both Shadow and Sonic seriously have a problem with communication. Shadow knows Sonic is about to do something stupid, and from his actions (aka choosing violence over talking) he is trying to prevent Sonic from doing whatever he was about to do. It does paint Shadow as a bit of a jerk, but Sonic isn't completely innocent here either.

An observation I had made was that Shadow probably knows that if he tried to just talk to Sonic, Sonic would either blow him off and run away or just tease him back, which was confirmed when Shadow asks him on what kind of mission he is with Sonic responding that it's none of his business. I imagine that there were previous events where Sonic was doing something stupid and Shadow tried to stop him from making things worse, and that violence was indeed the answer to Sonic's antics.

If Sonic had explained to Shadow what the deal is, I'm certain that Shadow would help him out. Perhaps Shadow could've told him about his vision, but going by Sonic's behavior, Sonic would probably not listen to him.

This brings me to my second point - this moment establishes that, if there will be character development for Shadow, it will be mainly through his interactions with Sonic and them learning to work together and listen to each other, something I'm really excited to talk about in later episodes.

The flashback continues in Episode 03: Escape From New Yoke, where Sonic does the old ''Hey, look behind you!'' trick and Shadow falls for it, hook, line and sinker. Sonic knocks him into a wall and speeds off to where his friends are fighting Eggman, leaving Shadow to recover and follow him.

I do like how Shadow just shakes his head here. Even if he doesn't say much, you can clearly see what it is going through his mind. He's angry at Sonic, but acknowledges that this is just typical for his blue rival.

in Episode 07: It Takes One to No Place, we see that Shadow manages to reach the Paradox Prism cave, just as Sonic is about to shatter it.

''Chaos Control!''

Unlike Sonic's friends and Dr. Eggman, Shadow manages to use Chaos Control, preventing him from being shattered just like the others.

''Sonic!''

Instead, he finds himself floating in The Void. I'll leave what happened to him in The Void for the next part, but what is important to note is that he cannot enter the individual Shatterspaces, but he can communicate with Sonic every time the latter gains enough speed to use the Paradox Prism Energy.

''Sonic, it's broken! It's all broken!''

Sonic is at first freaked out, thinking he's just hallucinating. I suppose that explains why Sonic keeps ignoring him in any subsequent appearances, despite Shadow trying his best to contact him and trying to explain him what to do, like telling him how he's lost in The Void and for Sonic to keep moving and to not stop (which also leads Sonic to find out how he can travel between Shatterspaces).

I suppose this can also be interpreted as ''Sonic leaves Shadow on read''. X3

Once Sonic accidentally gets out of No Place in Episode 08: There Is No Arrgh In Team, he is confronted by Shadow, who is absolutely furious. Not that Sonic notices, given how he had a really rough day himself.

''Shadow? Ugh, I don't have time to deal with whoever you are. I just wanna go home.''

''Home? Home doesn't exist anymore BECAUSE OF YOU!''

Considering what Sonic had done, yeah, this punch was definitely deserved.

As I said above, the first eight episodes are here to establish Shadow's character, his relationship/rivalry with Sonic and his own flaws (mainly the lack of communication on his part, choosing to fight Sonic instead) and it is clear that in order to overcome those flaws, he will have to work with Sonic (calm down Sonadow shippers, we didn't get there yet), something I'm excited to explore in the second part of this analysis.

#Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Prime, Character Analysis - Part 2)

#Sonic the Hedgehog Analyzer (Masterlist)

[stagefoureddiediaz]

Costume Meta 7x06

Me on holiday trying to write a costume meta - yeah probably gonna keep this one shortish because - you know - on holiday!!!

We have plenty to get through this episode an dI had zero Idea how to set this one out because its kinda immpossible!

So in the end I just decided to go with the flow and therefore this is probably a bit all over the place in terms of organisation!

Chimney

Ok so Chimney exclusively wears check for this episode, apart from his hospital gown, which I'm not going to talk about as its a hosptial gown!

Chimneys first shirt is a grey and white rectangle gingham we see him in when he is having dinner with the Lee's to remember Kevin.

Grey is a neutral colour and can be linked with feelings of depression and compromise. These are key indicators of what is going on with Chim in this scene - he isn't depressed, but his spirits are clearly depressed (as in mute) and this should be seen as an alarm bell for Chimney - he who is forever optimistic - its all adding to the arc of Chimney not being himself - of something being wrong with him.

His second shirt is this cream with a double blue check pattern - the increased amount of check plays into his encephalitic deterioration - showing he is becoming increasingly confused/delirious etc - the check patterning ins far more obvious and distinctive, unlike the grey gingham from earlier - which kind of blurs out to look more overall grey even if you can still see its a check pattern.

Doug

Not going to dwell on Doug for long, but I do want to mention the fact that they put him in the very same costumes he was wearing in season 2. This triggers visual memories for audience members who have been watching the show from the beginning (or have watched those earlier episodes recently) because even if you don't quite connect the dots on why, you automatically know that this is a hallucination and not reality - the other visuals (such as him being there then not) add to this understanding, but it is the costumes that connect the Doug we're watching here and the Doug from the past.

Maddie

Gonna go in reverse with Maddie's costumes! here we have her in Chims hospital room, wearing a very similar outfit to the one she worse in his hospital room back in season 2 in the aftermath of Doug, the blue is now navy rather than the grey/blue of the earlier one, but that plays into the idea of a deeper relationship - they were just at the begining back in season 2 - the grey played into Maddie providing a soothing and relaxing presence for Chim, while the undetone of blue played into the growing trust and loyalty they shared. Now the navy blue is showing the strength of that trust and loyalty, while also hinting at Maddie feeling in a darkish place - her fear at losing the love of her life.

Maddies wedding dress - it’s a stunning dress and I love that it’s not all white - it’s a mix of white tulle and champagne embroidered lace. The dress having chapagne embroidered lace is really lovely - the golden brownish yellow tones of champagne as a colour in colour theory are emblematic of a driven and powerful personality (which we see displayed very clearly in this episode) as well as of modesty, excitement and fun.

When I first saw it, not going to lie, I had mixed feelings about it - but I think most of my issues with the dress stem from the fact it’s not especially well fitted to Jennifer - not sure if it’s because they rented it rather than buying outright so couldn’t alter it or if there are other factors at play, but that aside it’s a really great dress and very Maddie. 

It makes sense that she would actually choose to go all out for the wedding - to overwrite all the memories of her wedding to Doug - this wedding is the one she wants to remember - the one she’ll look back on in the years to come, so for her to get to pick out a grand dress (especially as she likely didn’t get any choice in her previous dress) 

Beyond that there’s not a lot I can say from a costume and colour perspective - it’s a wedding dress doing wedding dress things!!

Hen

Hen is in a black suit for her role as best woman, its full of Hens personality, whilst being subtle and fitting for a wedding - there really isn't a lot to say about it from a colour perspective, or from a design perspective - its doing everything it need to perfectly (it is also stunning and I would very much like to own it), not making Hen the centre of attention, whilst also ensuring we're aware of her importance within the wedding party.

Then we have Bachelor party Hen, who is definetley rocking more of a 70's vibe in those jeans (which I also love and want please!!) and shirt and Karen is definetely more 90's vibes in the black and gold Chinese suit.

THis is really intentional - we have the context of Chim not being into having a bachelor party (which we know he would've actually loved and enjoyed had his brain not been being eat by a viral infection) and so every one else not being in costume except Eddie and Buck is very much about them feeding off the vibes Chim had been giving - they've made an effort to get dressed up, but they haven't gone with the theming.

Chris

Chirs is wearing a surf shirt - it's by Quicksilver and I've included a better picture of the pattern below, because what you can't see with the filter on the camera is that the little logos on the shirt are in both blue and green. They're all symbols associated with surf and water.

So the water theming around Christopher (and Buck and Eddie) continues and we have the added fact that blue green theory is in play here as well - and it was in play a lot throughout the episode in relation to Buck and Eddie.

Tommy

Only one brief costume to look at for Tommy in this episode and its very much continuing the theming we've seen on him this entire season. We continue to see him in a Henley and jeans. This one is navy blue.

Choices were definitely made when it came to this outfit and the fact he hasn't chosen to dress up in any way - its part of the wider arc at play in this season (for all characters, not just Buck or Eddie - its the seasons theme - which is fitting considering we've moved to a new network and its a way of establishing/re-establishing the characters, their motivations and their interpersonal relationships) that Tommy doesn't know Buck - its not only highlighting the difference between Buck and Eddie and Buck and Tommy, but also calling back to the literal episode titled 'you don't know me' and emphasising that tommy doesn't know Buck and his quirks at this point (this is not Tommy bashing before anyone comes for me - I like Tommy and I wouldn't expect him to know that Buck gets super invested in things in this way at this point I am merely pointing out that the costume is highlighting the newness of their relationship).

Bobby and Athena

Bobby and Athena are exclusively in blue and green this episode - we have the brighter jewel toned blue suit and emerald green dress of the wedding which are switched out for the more muted navy polo and khaki green jacket when the search for Chim gets underway.

The brighter colours are much more hopeful and cheerful - the bright blue of Bobbys suit with the meaning of trust and loyalty it is a supportive shade, meanwhile the green of Athena’s dress symbolises growth and health and luck.

The more muted tones of the search play into their respective roles - Bobby becomes a fire captain just without the logo - it gives him the air of authority, while remaining supportive and dependable. Meanwhile Athena’s khaki green - a very typical shade plays into her position as a police officer - she is prepared to fight to figure out what happened to Chim - it’s an echo of the outfit she wore when investigating Eddie’s shooting back in season 4 - a key parallel considering we get a lot of other costume parallels this episode!

Buck and Eddie

Again we're doing these two back to front, - the above picture shows them during the search for Chim and we have the very loud and obvious green and blue pairing in parallel to Bobby and Athena. its setting them up as a unit.

I am still not over getting Buck in jeans - I probably won't be for a while, so get used to me screaming about them at every opportunity - because they have played a blinder with them - the fact that we get Buck in jeans here, along with his white trainers

The other thing that I love about these two costumes is the way they both play into their respective costume styles. We've only seen Eddie in his army geen colourway once so far this season when he found out Chris was seeing multiple girls, and this is the first Henley we have him in - when he is normally king of the Henleys - this indicates where Eddie is at - ready to go to war for his found family, in the same way Athena is, but also that this is a comfortable state for him.

Bucks bright cobalt blue plays into his blue theme thats been building over the last season and a half - its telling us he's in a good place, more settled (in relation to Tommy not Chim being missing!) and its an indicator of his loyalty and trust, but the main thing about cobalt blue specifically is that its considered a colour of enlightenment - so continues the theme of Bucks bi awakening being about him becoming enlightened!

Buck and Eddie being the only ones to have got dressed up to the 80's theme is all about showing them as a solid unit - they will feed off each others energy regardless of what it is. this is them being best friends best friending and being completely oblivious to everyone else - especially Chim's lack of enthusiasm.

The pink on Eddie plays two fold - it plays into the innocence and naivety theme the costumes are giving us this season - slotting Eddie into that narrative more firmly than just having Marisol wear it in episode 1 - it ensures that theme continues past the intial reveal that she was a novice nun - this is important because it reminds the audience subconsciously about that plotline. I don't expect to see him in any more pink this season, but I have a feeling we might see Marisol in more pink down the line as their arc unfolds.

I am interested to see how it plays into the guilt aspect though - the pink we've seen on other characters in other plots have revolved around feeling guilty - Lola being in pink when her cheating on Norman is revealed, and his innocence in it all as that plot is playing out having him also in pink. It suggests to me that we're going to get something relating to guilt - beyond catholic guilt - sitting pretty heavily in Eddies arc for the rest of the season!

(popping back in to finish this meta and now I'm screaming at myself for not connecting more dots earlier - I was so so close to connecting the mall - so close!!)

So we have buck back in white - a key indicator that things are going to go wrong - mirroring all the other times Buck has worn white and either ended up in the middle of a disaster (tsunami!) or in some kind of trouble. The trouble here is obviously that Chim didn’t turn up for his bachelor party and has gone missing. It’s an indicator of the seriousness of the situation because Buck doesn’t wear white when it’s a trivial thing going wrong.

Then we have his greenish beige double breasted blazer - I have spent so long trying to figure out what colour this jacket is supposed to be and I’ve decided to trend towards beige with a green undertone. Beige is considered a trendy colour and is therefore its meaning suggests forward thinking and fashionable (don’t ask me why I have zero idea!!) the irony of buck being in beige is that it’s also considered the antithesis of intoxicating, The green undertone has the same vibe as the green shirt he wore to donate his sperm - and so there is a similar vibe going on here - that idea that things are going to go very awry, but will untimately end in sucess!

I've included a couple of stills below of Crocket and Tubbs - just so you can see how perfectly the wardrobe team managed to create the vibe of them - as the same time as making both of them both Crocket and Tubbs - because they have elements of each of them in their costumes - which is just genius!!

one final little nod to a fun thing the costume team have done - calling back to Bucks Coma dream costume - when he was a teacher - like his parents - by dressing Margaret in a blue version of the same outfit!!

Sorry this was so late and not as in depth as some of my other meta's - but I got there in the end and I hope you enjoy it!!

Off to write 7x07's meta now!!

Tagged people below!

@theladyyavilee @mistmarauder @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @bewilderedbuckley @spotsandsocks

@bewitchedbewilderedbisexual @rogerzsteven @wanderingwomanwondering @oneawkwardcookie @leothil @copyninjabuckley @shammers86 @crazyfangirlallert @missmagooglie @katyobsesses @radiation-run @gayandbifiremenofmine @bi-moonlight @crazyaboutotps @princesschez75 @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove @sherlocking-out-loud @satashiiwrites @lover-of-mine @yramesoruniverse @extasiswings @favouritealias @pop-kam @b-dwolf

[becauseimanicequeen]

I read your hilarious post on your bad taste and couldn't believe you mentioned Xena. That was my favorite show as a child too! We have similar taste in qls too.

What are your favorite ql characters though? I tend to like the darker kind. It would be interesting to read your thoughts.

Have a nice day.

Hi, Anon.

Glad to meet a fellow Xena lover.

When it comes to QL characters, my taste is similar to the QLs in that post you mentioned. I’m usually drawn to the bad bitches. So, here are the…

Bad bitches that have me in a chokehold.

My memory is a bit fucked, but these are the ones I can remember off the top of my head right now.

*spoilers ahead, so read at your own peril*

Tan/New (DFF)

Everything started with his brother disappearing and ended with him torturing the people responsible with their worst fears and deepest secrets. All the while having a backup plan knowing his closest ally would turn on him. New is no dumbass. He's a determined, prepared, avenging manipulator. And this bad bitch was determined to avenge his brother (and his own suffering) even if it killed him. I don't know about you, but I love a man who knows what he wants.

Todd (Not Me)

On the topic of manipulation... This prince charming put his lover (you can't convince me they weren't) into a coma while manipulating his lover's twin brother to join a gang whose mission is to take down the man who stands in the way of making Todd the king of Thailand's business world. Master manipulator at its finest (and he's fine as fuck). What's not to love?

Black (Not Me)

He was put into a coma by his lover (again, you can't convince me they weren't) and paid back in the same coin because this bitch is petty as fuck. And I love him for it.

Ai Di (Kiseki: Dear to Me)

This colorful and feisty little shit had me in a chokehold from the first moment I saw him. He runs head-first into fights, can kick ass (and do), and is often manhandled by his "adoptive" brother/best friend/crush while kicking and screaming. And let's not forget he's petty and admits it.

Vegas (KinnPorsche)

This bitch with daddy issues is a walking, talking toxic issue from start to finish in KinnPorsche. He drugged Porsche to assault him (and get under his cousin's skin), killed Tawan whom he only hooked up with to take down his cousin, captured and tortured Pete only to fuck him when the pet hedgehog died, not to forget he sat in Tankhun's seat at the dinner table (I mean, where are his fucking manners? lol)... And this is just a summary. But it's also because of all of this that Vegas is my favorite character in KinnPorsche.

Boston (Only Friends)

He's a slut. That's it. He doesn't need more context. Give me a slut, and a toxic one at that, and I'll love them forever. I know, I've got issues... But so does Boston, which is why I love him.

And the most recent bad bitch to come into my life…

Ming (My Stand-In)

It's too soon for me to say anything substantial about Ming (since only one episode is out and I haven't read the novel). BUT. It took less than an hour for this man to grab me by the throat... and I let him. It took him less than an hour to claim ownership of my soul... and I let him (I even begged him to during the scene in the gif above). This man is trouble. And I love trouble. I won't defend his actions, but I will love him.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... I need this bad bitch to break Joe’s heart into a million little pieces (because we all know it’s happening anyway). I need him to be toxic. I need him to be a problem. I need him to the THE PROBLEM.

And when he realizes what he's done, I need him to pay for it by crawling through hell, only to beg on his knees for forgiveness when he realizes Joe is back, and then pay with his own blood when he tries his utmost to stitch Joe’s heart back together. Just give me the pain!

I love every single one of these characters. And I love that I love them.

I know, it’s a me-problem. But at least I'm aware of it.

I’m sure I’ll remember more characters that have me in a chokehold as soon as I hit publish on this. But, at least this is a start for now.

Thanks for your ask.

[mikailys]

F: Am I disturbing you, by any chance?

i see this goddamn man and i lose it istg i want to punch him so bad.

i was trying to catch up with hsl on my other acc where i'm following nath's route and i saw the devil. i just hoped to never see him again in-game and yet here we are.

and oh my. wasn't i lucky enough to meet him again not once, but twice in the same episode, in the span of 5 minutes.

i'll just do a rant about this part of the episode because it's unbelivable that this is the only part i got covered before my ap brutally finished i only wanted the illus :(

also sorry if i'm being inaccurate in certain parts but i got back into the game recently and probably forgot some background info/context.

F: Nathaniel has always wanted to study Engineering at University.

N: *not very amused by it – comprehensibly*

i had no idea that during hsl ep40 he would attend the graduation ceremony – or maybe he did and nvm i don't remember it i mean it's been 5 years since i've last played it – and he had the guts to still impose himself and talk about nath like that. after everything that happened and with all the parents, kids and professors around?

god. like haven't you learned anything, have you, dumb fuck?

N: I have to stop by my parents' house because I need to take some stuff. But seeing how the wind is blowing, I don't really want to go there alone.

another thing i wouldn't have imagined is that we would actually go back to this old house. i can only predict where this is heading.

N: This house holds only bad memories.

C: Don't worry. I'm with you.

N: Yeah, thanks God. *cutely smiles*

bambolottino che sei ti abbraccio patatino cucciolino :(

and then we enter into his house and meet – again, unfortunately – that amazing person his dad is, who is never, ever satisfied and he can kindly go fuck off for as far as i'm concerned.

F: What was that foolish act you delight us with during the ceremony? (...) You understood very well. I'm talking about your speech. We have come to expect the best from you.

C: (Nathaniel takes a deep breath, to handle his increasing anger)

F: I wonder if you have anything left of what we taught you to make such a scene.

N: Dad, you really want to talk about what you taught me?

exactly f-word, do we wanna talk about what you and your lovely wife taught him? to always achieve perfection? to be scared to walk through the front door and spend the evening at the dining table with his family? cause, believe me, i wouldn't be so proud.

i guess we have different ideas about these so-called "teachings" you two gave him then.

anyway we leave with nath and then the most incredible thing happens. our soon-to-be father-in-law – omg bless candy's soul – calls us thieves. lol.

it's pure comedy at this point.

F: Don't play the innocent. I caught you in the act, you're peeking around. It's a hobby, right? For you to just stick your nose where you shouldn't.

well first i'm pissed you're thinking i'm a thief and second, i'm even more pissed because you're kinda right, snooping in people's business is actually candy's job so can't really argue on that.

C: I wonder what could I even stole in this house.

F: I don't know. You tell me. *damn chill bro*

C: Maybe your house is very big, but it lacks of the most important things.

anyway it's so funny that in italian - the language i'm playing the game in - he just keeps using the formal pronouns and i say it's funny because it seems like that behind his serious tone he's constantly trying to mock us in a kinda patronizing way.

but we're the bigger person and, even if i'm seething we can't be too unpolite to him, so we just tell him that his house sucks because there's no love within its walls.

politest person ever.

but spoiler he doesn't take it very well.

anyway to sum it up, he just says candy is responsible for nath's sudden change and for making himself look ridiculous in front of the whole school.

obviously we don't support any nathaniel's slander, for now, and we are ready to take over this insane situation by praising our bf who was right down the hallway, listening to this all madness.

N: None of this will make me look better in my father's eyes.

damn. that kinda hit close to my home too

after this argument we leave since we're good to go. but on the doorstep we're blocked by the best of wives and best of women (derogatory) who, unexpectedly, wants us to stop by and celebrate the graduation with the family – oh my.

okay i'm not gonna lie but for a millisecond i felt bad for adelaide. only a millisecond 'cause then i quickly regained consciousness.

i appreciate she's understanding the situation and that she still cares about her son wellbeing – in some twisted way – but i cannot excuse she was an accomplice to her husband's mistreating and beating and the fact she wouldn't report any of it if it wasn't for candy it's gutwrenching.

regardless, nath doesn't want to spend another minute in that house – understandably. when they're about to leave, adelaide takes candy by her arm and tells her to please keep an eye on his son and we, taken by an unusual kindness, accept, encouraging her to pay him a visit.

how sweet candy is.

just like a candy i'm so sorry but it was served on a silver plate

and after that we're done. nath takes us back to our home and asks us if the day after we want to go to his place, since we have never been there before – which it takes me by surprise cause i can't believe you two have been together for almost 14 episodes and you have never found a moment to go to his house before.

candy tells him that first she has to ask to his parents – but we already know she will go cause they have to do the deed – and that's all cause i finished my ap right after this dialogue :|

this ep with the new – not very new now but for me it still is – ap mechanic is exhausting. 550 ap just to fight with nath's parents really did the thing and i still couldn't finish the ep.

to think i still have to continue university life and start love life haha...

anyway to conclude: fuck nath's parents 🖕🏻

[panelshowsource]

yes on the 28th!! i'm excited because ALISON HAMMOND!!! every day i'm like whyyy do we not have her on more panel shows she is everything!

victoria spoke about it on her episode of taskmaster the podcast :)

all i know is she's been looking fly as ever — like always! but if she's changing things up a lil then good for her 😌

i would like to anon but they didn't rly have that many moments together on the show, like of substance that make a good gifset 😩 i did do these two! do you have another moment in mind?

omg YES LMAO

richard is so hilariously subtly shady, i love when someone makes the most wrong guess ever (usually during tablet games like the rich list and i'm terrible at dating) and richard does a very obvious scoff-chuckle and goes "yeah? [raises eyebrows knowingly] well [stifled laughter] you never know! let's see if that's right [stifled laughter]" like it just cracks me up — because somehow he's not smug at all despite being mr big brains and someone who teases others a lot

one thing i love about hog is how much richard loves hog — like, that's his baby, he loves doing that show, and he is so obviously having the most fun every single week, which makes it even more fun for us imo!

wow great question!

i have a lot of nostalgic love for comedy world cup — i love david tennant, he's so affable and very funny and a lovely host, and i think that format had legs even if it didn't make it in the end. also from around that time i remember liking mad mad world on itv, which was suddenly cancelled mid run? with paddy mcguinness, rhys darby, rufus hound... —

sorry to digress for a second but remember on some recent podcast ep when sam campbell was like "what's rufus hound up to" and i think it was ed gamble who laughed his ass off lmaooo i feel like there's rufus hound tea out there but idk what it is. anyways

— ...i would love to check it out again but i can't find it! i'll work on that 🤔 then, of course, you have been watching hosted by charlie brooker. it would not have been as strong a format if it wasn't for charlie writing the show and clearly having many topics & rants he wanted to go in for, but i loved that series and saw quite a few comedians/personalities, including vcm, josie long, holly walsh, and peter serafinowicz, there for the first time :')

looks like i had a lil trip down memory lane!

i think it's great! i'm not crazy about dylan llewellyn — i am not super into derry girls, and i felt, at times, his acting was lesser than the others' in a distracting way? is that just me? — but it hardly ruined the show or anything. the cast has GREAT chemistry and jon pointing is a standout (though he doesn't pass for his 20s at all lmao), and i love seeing izuka hoyle who i loved in boiling point and is so(!) gorgeous. tv comedy lives and dies on its editing, and big boys really understands its structure and its beats. i'd also say it strikes a rare balance in its absurdity and its sincerity, which is some of my favourite ever kind of film & tv. god, i just love sad boi comedy. or sad anything. i'm a "let's watch this and cry🤩" kind of person no matter my mood LOL

btw did you see victoria coren mitchell also loved big boys?

sure anon i put it on google drive here :)

i'm not going to host this one but you can request it here and someone will definitely have it to share with you asap! sorry for the inconvenience but lmk if you have any questions :)

—————

PANEL SHOW WATCH LINKS / NON-PANEL SHOW WATCH LINKS FAQ / TAGS / ASK

[nightswithkookmin]

I'm not a jikooker because I prefer jimin with another member I ship him with..jimin is someone so affectionate and caring towards the people around him. With this jm is close to each member but somehow for some reason its always jikook who are spotted hanging out together off schedule. so many sightings from army spotting them in a restaurant and restaurants confirming this.the DVD memory 90% is jikook ofc the company favors them more that's why they film only their moments. because honestly as I ship jm with another pason I tend to always spot jikook together that it pisses me off so much.have had enaf of them together.no hate to jk but he should leave jm alone sometimes not hovering around him all the time duh!my question the latest run bts suga said "that's smth a couple would do" I mean why do they feel the need to highlight that all the time? Thats weird 😭if jikook are real and closeted isn't this exposing them?outing them just for a content lol it doesn't work that way.this is putting them at risk given they are in a homophobic country? or maybe the company wants to push this narrative of jikook as a couple?.also have mentioned about them spotted many times hanging out but we never see any other member hanging out off schedule just recently I saw jihope watching soccer. And its very rare.feel the company is pushing this fanservice even in their private lives.they want people to believe jikook are a thing.

Excuse me, you prefer Jimin with who??? 👀

If it's V or Suga or Namjoon I understand but anyone else and I'll snort😆

And I agree. Jimin is ship compatible with every one including himself. Yes. If he were a twin I'd ship him with his twin too and I'm not ashamed of that.

If you can't picture them making out I can and it's hot

Honestly I don't know if I should be flattered or mad or both or neither at this Ask so I'm just gonna be as respectful as I can be.

I haven't watched the run episode. I've only seen snippets but I will watch it this weekend. I have a ton of analysis to do and I hate commenting on stuff I haven't consumed.

This is not the first time Suga has said something of that nature. He's been alleged to have said "You weren't even a couple then" during Festa when Jikook shared the rain story.

Jin has made similar statements as have Namjoon and the others. When it comes to Jikook that is. He'll jikook have called themselves a couple too.

Since I don't speak their language and can't understand the nuances of it myself, I refrain from depending on any linguistic analysis for validation. I just take notice of it and carry on with my life.

Karmy can be a bit prudish and wow at everything because it's bold and daring and so out of the norm and gosh did you hear that? that's so gay, and sensationalise almost everything because they are so shocked easily by the prospect of two men "acting gay" when gay is so such taboo in their culture.

They are like me when I stare at a vagina that isn't my own.

I've said this over and over, but perhaps the company gravitate towards Jikook not only because what they have is authentic but because it's the best content they have💀

Best in terms of content production, engagement with fans, conversion of that engagement into monetary value, their chemistry is great, they self produce or come up with independently thought of and creative spontaneous moments that the best of hybe CCs couldn't conceive if they tried.

Which is strange because Vmin have awesome chemistry too and frankly I'm trynna see it. Jimin is a whole other mellow character around Taehyung sometimes. He steps back and let Tae take it away. Whereas around Jungkook most times, he gets so animated and hyper you'd think he swallowed a dynamite.

Not sure how much of his hyper activity is triggered by a subconscious awareness of Jungkook's proclivity towards introversion on screen. Whereas with V I feel he's more trusting of his co-workers ability to engage the audience on his own and come up with exciting and unique ideas for them to engage in without him necessarily worrying about censorship and worrying Tae's nerves will cause him to slip or make mistakes.

With Jungkook he gets lost trying to loosen him up and get him to relax on screen and not be soo aware of the cameras, or not read too much into anything he does while also trying to rile him up to get a reaction out of him because he's often fascinated by Jk's visceral response and reaction to him. He acts like there's no camera around, JK it's into it but soon forgets that millions of people are watching and so Jimin has to be on high alert around him. They give me headaches but I'm toxic so I love it. Bring it on Jikook.

Anywho, that was old Vmin. And old Jikook. These days Jungkook is the one that tries to loosen JM up.

And these days VMin can't play or keep it going for more than 5minutes without boring us to death with whatever weird vibes and inside jokes they have going on between them.

Case in point

Exhibit B

Don't get me wrong, they have impeccable chemistry and are also very good friends but let them be alone for an hour and you start blinking blankly at the screen- like you know there's something they not telling us and they matured and they all acting like grown ups with so much self respect and admiration for eachother.

Like when Tae confessed he liked Jimin alot I didn't expect Jimin's reaction at all, certainly not Suga cringing cos if those two are besties and face time eachother everyday I love you should be something they both should be used to hearing from eachother by now and their friends should be used to their shenanigans too by now.

Besides Taehyung confesses his love for Jimin more than he breathes oxygen in the air and this is Bangtan raised to the power Kpop- gay isn't exactly new to them if you know what I mean.

Yet no one said well that's so something a couple will do for that VMin moment. They cringed harder than a ma cracks his knuckles. Like friends would if another friend started acting homo around the bro table. There's a scene from Boys over flowers where Lee Minho goes to kiss another one of their friends- note to self, gurl, you have to rewatch those dramas you loved it. We loved it. Cool? Cool.

That moment with vmin and Suga reminds me each time of that scene from the drama.

Where's if actual couples did it, the reaction would be one of just pure awkwardness because no one knows how to react around couples. You can't stare at them on the bus when they kiss cos you feel you are the creep creeping up on private moments. It's just awkward and you don't know what to do with yourself.

Then if they are your friends you try to play it up by teasing them, mimicking them, hooting at them

Or you just exchange awkward glances and smirk

And to put things into perspective, Namjin cringing and bursting out a romantic soundtrack over Jikook's rain fight narration was warranted.

It was the first time they were hearing this from them and their reaction was as anyone would- yet Suga didn't find that cringing AT ALL like he had found VMins moment to be- just a smirk like it's just ridiculous with those two. See how similar Jin had reacted to their hickey story too?

Hobi forgets to react at all sometimes💀

He just smiles warmly and stares or laugh his brains out. Except for that one time Jungkook let it slip he wanted to be handcuffed by Jimin🥺

And why was it necessary for Tae to say that? Why was it necessary for Tae to make that confession? And why did the members intuitively assume JM was going to choose Jungkook for that? Namjoon went with V but only because he voided his gut instincts and used his head. We've all been there.

Jimin have said Tae has matured so much and we only see glimpses of Old Tae but he's different. Of course that's gonna impact the way they interact on screen.

They keep saying that's something a couple will do because THAT'S SOMETHING A COUPLE WILL REALLY DO.

There's no beating around the bush about it.

The ironical friends sharing a couch or they look exceptionally close today does not explain why they sneak into each other's hotel rooms or why cameras were placed in their rooms without their notice and Jikook had to walk in blindsided.

Jimins reaction was priceless.

You frankly don't need to see or hear them going out to restaurants to know something's up with those two. You don't.

Anyone who claims otherwise is just in denial.

Personally, if a Korean were to ask me about Jikook I'd say to them they are friends fuck off. If an Iarmy were to ask I'll say they are more than that. I see them for what they are and I celebrate them, I appreciate them, I love them and I support them. But I will protect them against anyone that posed a threat to their safety their well-being and their essence.

It's just the gay way.

And I feel this is often the conundrum people are faced with when it comes to Jikook. On one hand, they want to be celebrated- who wouldn't -but on the other hand their safety careers and lives could be as stake and they would want to protect that too.

And the best way to do that, if I were a company, would be to hide them in plain sight. Which is what everyone and their momma does with Jikook.

Jikook have not always been the creme de la creme of ships and hybe have not always used them as their go to fanservice ship. Granted fanservice is part of Kpop.

The Busan Brothers have split. The sun and moon duo blah- jikook don't nearly get marketed as a couple as much as other ships in bts to be frank. Editors have called Tae Kook romantic or a couple with chest in content, Sope get called couples almost everyday, they deliberately put members together to promote stuff because THEY ARE ALL THERE TO WORK.

This is somebody's business. They invest real money Into all of this. If ships were hurting their business and hard earned or borrowed money, they would dead that shit two dinosaurs ago. The fact they ain't said nothing means it's serving them. We are the puppets and they are the puppeteers.

They pull the strings and we go. Not the other way round.

As to whether they are doing this at the expense of Jikook, Jikook would be the best determiners of that. They have agency and in the past where they were "too young" to comprehend the consequences of their actions they had their hyungs to look at for them- hence all those tensions and allegations of members breathing down their necks.

Bighit was acting like Kris Jenner, encouraging them to strip and gyrate metaphorically for the cameras while they smiled all the way to the bank to cash out.

But it's 2022, a year where BTS have gone up against the government of Korea itsself and decided by themselves to call off any postponement to their military service and serve.

This is the same year you want to peddle the Hybe making Jikook do fanservice in their PRIVATE LIVES???

Girl BYE. Can't take you seriously.

I won't lie you lost me there.

WERE YOU IN THE FANDOM WHEN THEY ISSUED A STATEMENT TO THE EFFECT JUNGKOOK'S PERSONAL MATTERS IS NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS DURING HIS ITAEWON SCANDAL??

What they do off schedule really is none of our business or company's. Just as you get to go off work and your boss don't follow you home. It's reasonable to assume same for these boys.

YOU DIDN'T SEE HOW THEY SAID JACK SHIT ABOUT TAE JENNIE RUMORS?

There's been so much history and so much growth and the boys have accumulated enough socioeconomic capital to be reduced to such nonsensical levels of ridicule and bad takes.

And I'm sorry but what do you mean Jungkook should back off Jimin sometimes??

THE ANSWER IS A GRAND NO.

Read my lips, NEEEEEEUUUUUUUU

They are two legal adults half way through and almost 30, who determine whom to give their time and energy to and they choose to do that with each other- Oh look, I found something. Respect. Have some. For them.

Jimin has been spending his time with various persons both in a professional capacity and non professional capacity and we should be grateful that he is a functioning human being capable of functioning outside his group dynamic.

Going solo is pretty scary and they are all transitioning well and adjusting well to it. That's all that matters. Let's be glad that in spite of their personal projects that they make time to connect with their members and keep the spirit of BTS alive.

Real heartache is them finding BTS outside BTS and forgetting how precious their friend group once was.

But I get where you are coming from. rather than try to manifest Jungkook out of the picture, try manifesting your fave into the picture and go nag them until they call him up m- don't worry I'll put them through when the call comes. Wink.

Jimin is an extrovert and honestly he is well adjusted. I don't think he needs much help connecting with ppl.

My good sis, let's just enjoy the breadcrumbs while we can, before Jikook officially ties the knot🤧

Once they do it's game over for you and I and all the jm side ships on the black ship market🥺

I wouldn't say the company want ppl to believe Jikook are a thing. They only want you to believe they aren't a big deal. It's called normalization. The oldest trick in the books.

I'm high on pain meds.

I made sense some where I hope. Deadass💀

[samuraiko]

CR musings - Orym, Vax, and where the Hells go next (SPOILERS AHOY)

HERE BE SPOILERS

YOU KNOW THE DRILL

LOREM IPSUM

So after letting my brain mull over the most recent episode for a day or so, now I can finally write about it. This is, of course, just my OPINION on the subjects -- your mileage may vary.

ORYM

Yes, I legit cried for Orym at his new title, and his recognition by Keyleth for what he and the Hells have done. I was so happy for my favorite little cinnamon roll. I still think he's going to be struggling with his anger for a while because there's still SO much to be done, and he still feels so very small, but Keyleth's choice of title was an incredibly apt one.

Saviour Blade of the Tempest.

A marvelous callback to two episodes prior, where he begs her, "Allow me to be your blade, Tempest," in response to her intention to utterly destroy Ludinus and the Vanguard. But not just that - by calling him her Saviour Blade, she is reminding him that his job is to SAVE people, to PROTECT people, *NOT* just vengeance.

(I admit, I briefly wondered if she might name him the Shield of the Tempest, in memory of Derrig, but a shield is solely to protect. A sword can attack as well as defend - and that's what Keyleth needs right now.)

This coming on the heels of the 6-Sided Dive episode where Liam talks repeatedly about how Orym's 'bedrock' is crumbling, and how he feels so small and tries to shoulder so much of his burden by himself... to have the woman he refers to as "the boss lady," "our leader," "the Voice of the Tempest," and so on refer to HIM as HER FRIEND... oh, you could see it in the widening of Liam's eyes when Matt said that, he never expected to hear something like this.

(That WHOLE affirmation speech, Liam just sits there and you can see the hint of tears in his eyes. He NEVER looks away from Matt the entire time.)

So, yeah... when I mentioned in another post about wanting to see what he'll do to try and shore up that bedrock before it completely gives way, I think this is a solid step. But it's not over yet - not by a long shot.

VAX

The dark angel stuck in an orb... there's (apparently) been a lot of discussion/argument/whatever about what Vax is, and what it means about him being stuck in an orb, and what will happen if/when he's freed.

I look at Vax's role as something similar to Charon, Thanatos, or Hermes in Greek mythology - the psychopomps whose job it is to shepherd souls to the afterlife.

The MoR tells Vax (both in-stream and in LoVM) that her purpose (and now his) is to safeguard the moment where the soul transitions to whatever its new purpose may be - passage to the Astral Sea, to the realm of whatever deity has potential claim to that soul, or even to consecution, I would suppose. And the moment that Vax TRULY accepted that deal, he stopped being afraid - he was more at peace with himself, he saw his purpose and understood it. And even more than that, it made him so much more aware of the inherent need to live life and enjoy it while you have it.

--

My theory is that Vax being trapped in the orb is why resurrection magic doesn't work. Don't get me wrong - souls can still transition WITHOUT him - the MoR had no champion (as far as we know, lore-wise) between Purvan Suul and Vax, and yet people still died, and people could still be brought back. But presumably their souls were more vulnerable to outside influence.

And right now, the MoR (in addition to mourning) is doing everything she can to protect the moment the souls pass… but only in ONE direction (life > death > beyond), and whatever safeguarding of the tapestry that she can muster. She has no energy to spare to protect or facilitate that moment in the OTHER direction.

--

I also don't think that if/when Vax is freed, that's going to end his service to the Matron. That deal was PERMANENT - "you will return to me, my champion, evermore." I think MAYBE, *MAYBE* when Keyleth FINALLY dies and her soul passes on, the MoR might let Vax go so they can finally be together. But otherwise, nope - he is the Matron's.

NEXT STOP?

Part of this is me conspiracy-theorizing again, part of this is just my personal hopes. Again, your mileage may very.

I am HOPING that the Hells head straight to the Shattered Teeth, instead of faffing around trying to collect allies before they even know WTF is going on yet. They will have far more success trying to recruit people when they can provide concrete evidence of what they're doing, whom they're fighting, and SOMETHING REMOTELY APPROACHING a strategy on how to defeat him.

I'm not 100% saying I don't want them to go to the Menagerie Coast in search of Devexian because anything that helps FCG better understand his own capabilities could certainly help, but I DO NOT want them going to Nicodranas just so they can relieve C2's Greatest Hits. Send them to Port Zoon or something - where they will not run into Fjord, they will not run into Jester, they will not run into Yussa and Marion and the Brenattos... save all that for the live show.

Get them on a boat and heading toward the Shattered Teeth ASAP.

Also (here's the conspiracy-theorizing part) I think that Kathula is a possible language-shifted name for Cathmoira, the land-based half of Toramunda from ExU: CALAMITY. And the tree that Keyleth is talking about (Evontra'vir, the Great Tree of Atrophy) is almost certainly the tree that Laerryn Blight-ed. As far as the woman that Keyleth was talking about, I'm wondering if she's a member of the Ossended Host, one of the two prominent groups that inhabits/controls the islands of the Shattered Teeth.

(I also wonder if Keyleth is perhaps hoping that Jirana will help Orym deal with his grief over losing Will and Derrig the same way that Jirana helped her try to deal with losing Vax.)

--

I can't wait to see the next episode - give me Orym visiting the graves of Will and Derrig, give me Ashton and Orym's new outfits, give me Alma's reactions to her boy getting a promotion, give me more of Ashton's conversation with Thollo about the Hishari... I WANT MORE.

[blogger360ncislarules]

Just when Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley) thinks that he may know what led to his father’s death years ago, something comes up to change everything.

The Tracker Season 1 finale sees him help an old friend, Lizzy (Jennifer Morrison, in a This Is Us reunion), find her missing daughter. Then, she reveals that her mother and his father had an affair. After her mother’s death, Lizzy found a file box with research papers and journals she realized belonged to his father (a memory surfaced of a visit she witnessed as a kid). Lizzy told Colter’s sister, Dory (Melissa Roxburgh), about it, and she had her send it to her. But Dory didn’t mention that when he saw her recently…

Below, Hartley breaks down the Shaw family drama and mysteries, reveals who will be back in Season 2, and much more.

This has been quite the rollercoaster of a season when it comes to Colter’s family, and he still doesn’t seem to have any answers. Instead, there have just been reveals like the government work, now the affair to lead into Season 2.

I think it’s very, very cool that this guy who has all the answers, Colter Shaw, who figures everything out and has his world figured out and it’s very simple, thought something and is now realizing that it’s completely different than what he thought. I love the idea of a twist. There is a huge twist because now it’s like, wait a minute, someone else has a motive now. The person out there who killed my father is still out there, maybe. I don’t know if this man’s still alive or whatever. Russell [Jensen Ackles] said there was another man out there and now I find out about an affair and I’m like, wait a minute, that looks like very strong motive. I love the mystery of it.

There’s all the government work, too, and all of these things when you’re like, “Oh, my dad’s nuts. He’s going paranoid, the government’s after him, people are going to kill us.” And now the more Colter’s finding out about this stuff, he’s like, “Wait a minute, was this lunatic actually onto something? Let’s revisit this.” And why are people hiding all this stuff from him? It’s just a lot of mystery and I love the way that our writers wrapped up Season 1 and answered a lot of questions and you feel really satisfied when you watch the episode—at least I did, and I hope everyone else does. But at the same time, it certainly does lead to a holy hell for Season 2. I love that, too, the lead-in for Season 2 and the big cliffhanger.

At this point, does Colter perhaps trust Russell the most out of any of his family members? Not that he trusts him completely, but it seems like Russell is maybe being the most honest with him.

It seems that way. Isn’t that strange how that got turned on its head? He’s not spilling all the beans. I also suspect that there are things that he’s withholding as well and there’s a reason for that as well. As far as Colter’s concerned, I don’t think Colter’s like, “I can trust my brother 100 percent.” I think if he is the percentage guy, the percentages that he thought he could trust all of those people in his family went way down after this season finale. I think Russell’s went way up and then it ticked down a little bit because of everything that he found out. But yeah, he certainly had an idea about what his life was and the circumstances behind his father’s death. It really seems to be all signs point to he was wrong about it, so we’ll see.

Lizzy suggests that Colter talk to his mom, but he says no. Does he want to have more information before talking to her or is he just not ready to do so? 

No, I think he needs more information before he talks to her because he certainly doesn’t trust her. And imagine going from thinking that your brother killed your father to now thinking that your mother had something to do with his death. That’s kind of bizarre as well. So yeah, there’s a lot going on there. I think he just has to get his brain wrapped around all this stuff before he opens his mouth. That’s probably what he is thinking. I’m rubbing my head as I’m thinking about it. I would want more information before I spoke to that person.

Do you know of any plans yet to see Russell and Dory again in Season 2?

Yeah, we have plans to—here are our grand plans. We hope to bring both of them back. We hope to bring Jennifer Morrison back because I think she has more story to tell. We hope to bring Sofia Pernas back, my wife. I know a guy who could talk to her who could get her back. I think we’ll be able to do that hopefully. I think all of those characters have a lot more story to tell and more information that can lead to more answers for Colter.

And I love a job-of-the-week show. I love the procedural aspect of the show, but I think it’s so rich when you bring those characters’ backstories in and you sprinkle ’em in here and there sometimes a little bit more, sometimes a little bit less. Sometimes the case even leads to Colter’s backstory. I think that’s such a rich procedural show because otherwise you just have a guy with a gun chasing around bad people, which I think is kind of boring.

Yeah, that’s how he got that file, with the case-of-the-week.

Exactly. Yeah, I just think that’s so cool when you tie in things like that and it makes it worth it to stay tuned and watch and pay attention as opposed to just, here’s another case of the week. I don’t know. I’m not interested in that.

It seems like this is leading to a full family reunion, but is that something that Colter is even ready for?

I think that would be something that Colter would try to control—I don’t want to say manipulate—before he signed up for that.

What can you say about the plan for what’s coming up with Colter’s father’s death in Season 2?

We’re going to dive deeper into it and obviously what Colter thought is not the case, but we didn’t answer that question in the finale. We just opened it up to more questions. We’ll dive deeper into the story with the mother, what the hell is going on there? I think Dory and Russell will have more information. There’ll be more backstory with Billie [Pernas] that’s told. We really didn’t answer that question either. They worked together and he feels betrayed, but what happened? And then this whole, she can’t have dinner with him. She gets in really close with him and she pulls herself away. What’s her backstory? What’s she all about? We just have a bunch of rich characters that we have to have to unpack a little bit each one of them and their relationship with Colter.

There’s also this potential slow burn between Colter and Reenie [Fiona Rene]. What was fun about playing that this season, having these teases about where that could be going?

It’s fun, right? That’s another backstory. They have a past that’s kind of a little bit sordid and it seems like they’ve mended those fences a little bit. In the first episode, she came in, when he saw her, he was like, “Oh Christ, they called her and I know she can get me out of jail, but now I got to deal with this. We didn’t leave everything on good terms.” He’s a little embarrassed about the whole thing. She’s pissed off, I don’t know, thinks he’s kind of a cad, and I think he’s won her over a little bit. She realizes that’s really not who he is. Two were playing that game. It wasn’t just one person, right?

But it’s a fun relationship.

Yeah, I think so, too. I think it’s interesting, the fact that she can help him in unique ways like he doesn’t know the law like she does. We will see what happens. I think as long as we keep it interesting, people will be interested.

Talk about bringing in Melissa, Jensen, and Jennifer for these last three episodes in these key roles in Colter’s life and working with them—great casting.

Thank you very much. I have really great friendships in this town. Those were just phone calls. Jensen and I have been friends for a long, long time and we’ve never worked together. We’re always busy doing other things and I’ve always admired him and his work and his work ethic and his reputation and just in hanging out with him as a friend, he’s a really great dude. And he texted me when he was watching football, “I’m trying to watch the game. Will you please get your mug off my screen?” And I text him back, “Do you want to come play my brother?” And he said, “When and where?” And that’s how that went. And then he came and he crushed it. He just did an awesome job and it was so fun. That was a lot of work, a lot of work for both of us, but he was game. He had a great time and we got a chance to hang out with him. I hadn’t seen him in a while.

And then Melissa is a friend and I’ve admired her work as well. She’s such a great actor. That was just sort of like, “Come play, come do this. We got this really great role for you. I think you’re perfect for it.” And then Jennifer was the same kind of way.

I feel so lucky. I can’t keep up with our guest cast. Every time I walk into a room, it’s a TV star and then me, I’m like, what is going on here? I’m working with all these phenomenal actors. I love it.

And then you had Jon Huertas come in and direct. You just need to get him on screen.

Yeah, we need to get him on screen. He’s going to come back and direct more if the schedule works out. He did a great job. That was a very difficult episode and he just nailed it. Tonally, it was different than anything we had done. But he was awesome. He knows how to direct actors. He’s an actor’s director. He is an actor at heart, so he knows how to talk to actors. Everyone’s different. Some people need more handholding than others, which is not a bad thing. It’s just the way people are built. I kind of like to be left alone, but he’s wonderful and we were lucky to have him, too. It all worked out and we’re going to work really, really hard to get everybody back. We need all those guys back.

Is there anything you want to do more of or different with the team behind Colter? Because I feel like seeing Teddi (Robin Weigert), Velma (Abby McEnany), and Bobby (Eric Graise) in different situations could be fun.

Yeah, I think we will, now that we have time to do that, because doing 22 episodes next year instead of 13, we have a little more time. So I think we’ll dive into those characters a little more and see them do more stuff. I think we can have them doing things away from Colter more so than we had in Season 1, a little bit more, maybe 10, 20 percent more. I don’t know. We’ll see what the writers do. … We have some ideas. I know we have some ideas in the cooker right now. They’re really, really cool ideas that I don’t think anyone will see coming—that make sense, by the way. It’s not jumping the shark.

What else can you say about Season 2?

I come from the sort of line of thinking where if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But that doesn’t mean that if you have a really great car and the car’s wonderful and you love the car that it doesn’t need a tune-up every once in a while and you can change the tires and you can put a coat of wax on it and you can change the rims and you can put a new radio in it. So we definitely have fun things that we haven’t done and way more dangerous stuff that we weren’t able to do in Season 1.

Now we just have more time and space and we don’t have the burden of explaining who we are and what we’re doing anymore. I think the word is out. People watch the show and they tend to like it. So we can just go on that and tell more complicated stories that go deeper into our other cast, our supporting casts. I think that’s where we are right now, which is a very cool place to be. We’ve created a ton of characters that are very, very interesting, from our core group to our guest stars, we brought in the brother, the sister, my wife Sofia—I shouldn’t even say my wife, Sofia Pernas. We brought her in. We’ve got Jennifer Morrison who I think has more story to tell. So we’ve surrounded ourselves with some really great, talented actors. We’re going to bring all of them back if I have to drag them there myself.

Have you talked at all about doing more flashbacks? Because you did start with that in the premiere, and then even just talking about what happened between Colter and Billie, that’s just ripe for a great flashback episode.

That’s an idea I hadn’t thought of. That story is going to be told in Season 2, but I don’t know how many episodes it’ll take to tell that story. We’ll probably pepper it in a little bit at a time, but I don’t know if that’ll be told in flashbacks or [not]. We kind of told the backstory with them when they were looking for that safe, right? When you found out that, oh, he felt like she screwed him over and she was like, no, no, no, you were arrogant about all that kind of stuff. Maybe the story will be told that way. I don’t know if we’ll do flashbacks. What would you put me in a mullet or something? What were people wearing back then? I don’t really want to wear a mullet.

[the-tubort]

I got bored so I started thinking about the importance of the various Summer Movies for Super Sentai since sometimes they can be completely irrelevant and a wast eof time or will be important to the plot somehow and comeback in a way that makes you wish you saw the movie. (Note I have not seen every Sentai with a Summer Movie and some of these are based purely off of my memory since I haven't rewatched some seasons in forever)

Gaoranger: The Summer Movie is fun to see Gao Knight but literally nothing from it comes back in any meaningful or noticeable to my memory

Hurricaneger: If you wanted to see Tenrai Senpuujin several episodes early, then here you go! This one is just kinda there from what I remember like it's fine but it's placement is awkward and they don't even bother to mention Tri Condor appearing in the movie first at all.

Abaranger: This is a must watch for a multitude of reasons, but the events of this movie do come back during the show in a very big way so it's worth watching.

Dekaranger: It's more Dekaranger go watch it for fun. Dekaranger doesn't even have that big of a plot in the first place so this is just a lot of fun so watch it

Magiranger: This expands more on the lore of the world and does some foreshadowing for other stuff in the show but isn't extremely necessary. Watch it if you want to see Hikaru get bullied for no reason

Boukenger: From what I remember of Boukenger, this movie just advertised that the machines 6-10 could in fact combine and then added another Precious that did not really get talked about again

Gekiranger: I haven't seen all of Gekiranger but I have seen the movie and it debuts an amazing mech form that does come back quite often but it's not like this movie invented completely if that makes sense

Go-Onger: The series takes like two episodes of its runtime to literally bring back the movie characters and general plot so yes you do need to watch it

Shinkenger: The Summer Movie toy appears quite often in the show and post series content so yes do watch this. It's good regardless of its status as necessary anyways one of the best summer movies

Goseiger: The Summer Movie toy shows up I think a totalc of one extra time in the series and they don't even bother to reference that it came from the movie like at all its honestly not worth the time

Gokaiger: it's a fun time but nothing that happens in the movie changes or develops anything we didn't already know about the cast and their end goals. (Watch the vs Gavan movie though that shit is fire)

Kyoryuger: The Summer Movie cast, toy, and villain all come back in the main series and while they do provide minor context it's good to know the full movie regardless. It's also just super fun anyways

ToQger: not super necessary since it never gets directly mentioned until a Vs. Movie but this is genuinely one of the best movies they've made and when you watch ToQger along with this movie you'll understand

Ninninger: The most I can say about this movie is that the mech shows up the Vs ToQger movie for like 2 minutes which was neat

Zyuohger: This movie was cool but the mech and general plot I wanna say only get brought up like once for a quick reminder that it existed I think? Also Yamato gets beaten up a lot in this movie as is Zyuohger tradition

Kyuranger: Genuinely I was so excited to see the summer toy in this movie and I could not tell you a si gle thing that happens and neither can the cast of characters cause they never once bring it back

LuPat: Surprisingly yes this is necessary for something that happens at the end of the show. If you know, you know.

Ryusoulger: This is one of the more recent seasons + movie I watched and quite honestly I could not tell you much of what happens in the movie because for as much build up in the series led up to it, it impacted the story so minimally the show does a perfect job of summing it up without wasting the time it took to watch the movie. Whatever lore they dropped in the movie, you get in the show but at least seeing the lore in action is cool instead of not seeing it

Kiramager: Okay technically not a Summer Movie due to COVID but it counts in my heart forever. This is somewhat necessary they built it up a bit with the main villain being name dropped before her appearance and then they reference it in the literal last episode but its not like you're missing much if you choose to not watch it. I do recommend seeing it though for a certain scene. If you know, you know.

Donbrothers: The most recent movie and honestly I could not tell you if it was necessary at all considering the show isn't over but Inoue did bother to spend a whole two minutes to reference the movie happening and a single scene referencing it did happen so yknow. Go for it. I will say it is fucking hilarious and I couldn't breath at some points

[struggle-but-its-all-ocean-floor]

recently i came across your post where you wrote that you are pretty sure jikook can date each other. I'm curious, has your opinion changed or are you still sticking to it?

Hmm... I'm not sure what side of this argument you're on. Are you an insecure Jikooker or an anti-shipper? A Taekook/Vmin/Yoonmin-er? You're asking if I'm still "sticking" to my opinion, so you're probably not a Jikooker (calling myself a Jikooker is a bit weird though).

Well, I still can't picture Jikook with anyone else. You saw Jungkook's face watching Jimin's videos? He had the same soft, worshiping face he made during the Dynamite comeback (if you're a Jikooker, yk). He sings Jimin's songs (he sang Vibe 3! times because he wanted to do it justice!, and also sang Jimin's songs with VHope), said he misses Jimin, watched multiple Jimin videos with us, did vocals for Letter, called himself Jimin's fan, saw Jimin rehearse SMF (did you count the amount of times they held hands? Do you see Jimin doing that, and also speaking so softly, with other members?), engages with Jimin the most during lives (ie. he doesn't always comment when the other members are live, but he's been commenting a lot on pretty much all of Jimin's recent lives), still has favorite movies, songs and hobbies in common with Jimin (coach Tommy seems to know Jimin better than he does the other members except Jungkook), etc. But if you want current, hard "proof" of their bond, you won't get it. We won't have regular OT7 Bangtan Bombs, episodes, Memories, and concert DVDs for a long time. You won't get recent "loud" moments between Jimin and Jungkook, such as an almost kiss or a suspicious bite mark. You won't get many friendship scenes between the members in general.

Still, V and Jungkook, and J-Hope as well, have been hanging out a lot lately, and Jimin has been spending time with J-Hope and Suga. I understand some fans see that as confirmation that Jikook aren't as close anymore - they've been seen in public, but not together. Well, Jimin was working on Face and practically lived in PDogg's house for 10 months. He, Suga and J-Hope were all preparing content so their schedules probably overlapped and they ran into each other a lot at Hybe (it also made sense for them to shoot some content together). V and Jungkook were both resting (more or less, and not presently in Jungkook's case, I guess) so they were more free to hang out (which was only a handful of times anyway from what we saw, and not even every week or super regularly). Hobi has always been the most social and active member, and he's leaving soon, so he probably wanted to spend as much time with Bangtan as possible. He even played online games with Jimin! He's not a gamer so maybe he just wanted to do something with Jimin? They played together in ITS 2 as well, so it's probably a Jihope thing. Why didn't Jikook play games together, you might ask? I just answered that, and also, do they have to? Jungkook doesn't seem to play much anymore and maybe he doesn't like that game? We know his sleeping schedule is pretty fucked too, so I wouldn't be surprised if he can be hard to reach. But he gamed with V, you argue! Yeah, but that was a hang out at V's house with more people, and their gaming skills are much more comparable anyway. We haven't heard of J-Hope hanging out with RM, for example, yet I haven't heard fans say they aren't close anymore.

Jungkook and Jimin have hang out many times with us only finding out about it later through second hand accounts or in official content. A lot of Jikook droughts have become floods out of nowhere. Jimin and Jungkook have slightly different friend groups - for example, RM and Jimin are close to Taeyang, but Jungkook doesn't seem to be, so Jikook wouldn't go to G-Dragon's event together. There are millions of explanations as to why Jikook don't seem to be hanging out as much or why other members seem to be hanging out a lot. We don't know how often Jikook chat, if they call each other, if they meet up privately, etc. Jimin is pretty private and doesn't share much of his private life, and Jungkook's pretty inconsistent with what he divulges - historically though, Jikook rarely talk about the times they hang out, which is why we learn about convenience store runs and dinners with friends through second hand accounts. We have a tendency to take things at face value. I love Jinkook but haven't seen good content of them since 2021. It's easy to assume they aren't close now because Jungkook didn't visit Jin with Jihope and doesn't seem to talk to him much. But that's also just Jungkook's personality. He's touchy yet a bit distant. He doesn't like texting or talking on the phone, and seems to be the type that can go a really long time without seeing someone. RM said during one of the recordings of a Proof comeback show that Jinkook couldn't live without each other but many fans say Jungkook has "outgrown" Jin. Every relationship is different. Jungkook's openly affectionate with Hobi and RM, and very verbal in his appreciation of them, yet he's always shown his affection for Jin through teasing, play fighting and back hugs. Also, Jungkook doesn't overly praise Jimin most of the time and is more tactile with other members, but shows he loves Jimin so much in so many different ways.

Anyway, I don't know what to tell you. BTS are never going to be what they used to be. We won't get hours of content of the members' interactions to judge their closeness. All we'll get for the foreseeable future are IG photos of some members hanging out (but Jungkook doesn't have IG and Jimin rarely posts so they wouldn't be the ones posting pics of themselves), and whatever they choose to share during lives. And with all of them having different schedules and levels of privacy we can't take anything at face value. RM hasn't been seen with the members in ages (except at the Harry Styles concert and dinner with Jimin), yet no one is assuming he isn't close to his members anymore. This is just a weird phase for BTS and Army. If I believed Jikook were together before I can't not believe that now, because doubting them would mean they were either never together (or interested in each other) or are having a very amicable breakup.

This got looooong. Ooof.

[divorcingjimmatthews]

season 2 finale thoughts (spoilers!!)

JADE

OK so first things first—i love him sm T_T seeing julie in danger really affected him and he went into the fucking tunnels for her ??? NO ONE is allowed to call this guy selfish anymore okay. now that being said

that's NOT tom!!!! and that's not abby!!!! and that wasn't khatri!!!!!! i hope the small "conversation" (boyd left him on read lmao) on the porch is the start of some jade and boyd plot thread for s3 because they need to talk about this. i wonder if more people will start seeing dead people in s3? i wonder if jade will see tobey...

anyway those visions are clearly trying to manipulate them. the khatri and tom ones alone could pass as neutral but the abby one this episode? hell no!! the vision was trying to convince boyd that the kind thing to do was to let them die 💀💀💀 i wonder if this is also what christopher saw?

and wtf was up with the angkhooey kids! the fuck were they doing in the tunnels! tabitha already saw one of them down there at the beginning of the season but it's really interesting that jade saw the same thing tabitha saw... that's definitely new! he also confirmed that his visions were showing him real things when he touched the ventriloquist doll... which we already knew, but what does that say about the soldiers? all the stuff about the stories... much to think about there 🤔

anyway. enough praise and lore now it's time to scold yes SCOLD this man for going down there ALONE !!! helloooo visions people you should not be going places on your own that's like seeing things 101 i should know about that. final thought: hilarious how jade spends time with tabby and is now seeing the kids, spends 5 minutes with boyd and is now seeing dead people... he keeps catching stuff, he's an empath fr

TABITHA

ok let me start by saying i think this is possibly the best direction they could've gone with the character development on the show. the GAPING HOLE that tabby's absence is going to leave???? for her children and most importantly for jim since he's lately been making an enemy of pretty much everyone else? she's the only one that's really gotten through both victor and jade too... her going missing is going to be so fucking palpable

i posted a theory that jade might be getting out of fromville in the finale right after watching ep9 because i figured that if someone had the resources to do anything from the outside it would be jade with his money and access to tech, but i guess my love for jade was just blinding me because this makes a lot more narrative sense

i've been seeing people speculate that tabitha is going to find eloise and i'm suscribing to that. she's got the lunchbox to prove she knew victor in case eloise lost her memory or something—but i have no idea how the two of them might be able to do anything. it's not gonna be easy

we can't even jump to the conclusion that eloise actually made it out. i think she did make it to the tower (victor's mom probably got her in the tree before the creatures got her) but the glass wasn't broken before the biw pushed tabby so i see no proof that anyone else walked the same steps all the way through before her

i can't stress this enough btw i need —need— jim and jade to become friends like jim's gonna have no choice but to lean on people outside of his family now and his recent antics got a lot of people pretty upset. jim and jade have a lot in common including caring for tabby so i can see them teaming up to look for her at the very least. jim's gonna have to accept victor now whether he likes it or not and thank god for mama liu because without her i think all three of these men would be fucked and i mean it. can they even cook i don't think so

i could talk about these dynamics literally forever (and i will) but now its time to move on to the next

REGGIE

ngl i kind of get him like no one was treating him like they would've treated a main character after such a devastating event i can kind of see why he snapped all things considered. he was right to blame boyd too but look at least boyd was trying, boyd taking on his gambles is what got them the talismans and what got a nightmare creature dead, he's one fucking man okay give him a break

i was TERRIFIED during the wedding scene it was so beautiful (the vows really got to me) but i kept expecting gunshots to interrupt it like i legit thought reggie was gonna somehow manage to kill everyone downstairs or a bunch of people at least. thank GOD he was dumb enough to go for boyd first that's like going straight for the boss in a videogame

also whats with the throat slicing in this show istg everyone here dies of a sliced throat lmaooo is it really that easy to kill someone or to get killed? unsettling. i'm gonna start wearing a neck brace everywhere. they should sell plate armor chokers i'd get one

FINAL THOUGHTS

(EDIT: deleting the bit i wrote on kenny and kristi because regardless of how i feel about their situation as a sapphic woman i don't want to add to the anti-mari/kristi hate going around rn. i want to make it clear that i love both kristi and marielle individually and as a couple and nothing i say about the kenny/kristi situation is meant to imply that kristi should not be prioritizing marielle. this is a serious topic and i'm really sorry that i've been shitposting about it carelessly as if the larger context didn't matter when it does <\3)

[the-rewatch-rewind]

My final guest episode, with not one but two very special guests!

Transcript below the break

Jane

Hello and welcome back to The Rewatch Rewind! My name is Jane and this is the podcast where I count down my top 40 most frequently rewatched movies in a 20-year period. Today I will be discussing number 7 on my list: Disney’s 2001 comedy The Princess Diaries, directed by Garry Marshall, written by Gina Wendkos based on a book by Meg Cabot, and starring Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews.

Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is a shy and unpopular 15-year-old just trying to survive high school, when the grandmother she’s never met, Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews), shows up and reveals that she is the queen of a small European country called Genovia. Since Mia’s father, whom she also never met, has recently died and had no other children, Mia is now first in line for the throne. While she’s still deciding whether to accept this job, Mia receives princess lessons and a makeover, and has to deal with how these changes affect her relationships, especially with her best friend Lilly Moscovitz (Heather Matarazzo) and Lilly’s brother Michael (Robert Schwartzman).

This movie is so fun and iconic that I felt like I needed two special guests to talk about it with me, so in a few moments I will be joined by my sister Rosemary, whom you may remember from the Newsies episode, and my friend Sophie, whom you may remember from the Enchanted episode. But first, the breakdown of when I watched this movie after I started keeping track: three times in 2003, three times in 2004, five times in 2005, twice in 2006, twice in 2007, twice in 2008, once in 2009, once in 2010, once in 2012, twice in 2013, once in 2015, once in each year from 2017 through 2020, twice in 2021, and once in 2022. Yes, I watched this movie 30 times in 20 years, and I would do it again. So let’s talk about it!

Hello, Sophie and Rosemary.

Sophie

Hi!

Rosemary

Hello.

Jane

Welcome back to both of you. 

Sophie 

Thank you. Happy to be back. 

Rosemary 

Thanks for having me back. 

Jane 

I'm so glad to have you both here, even though you've never met each other before, but I know that you both love this movie, as do I. So I'm very excited to talk about Princess Diaries. I think we can start with how we got introduced to this movie, if we remember. I know that Rosemary saw it in theaters and I did not. 

Sophie 

That's too bad. Rosemary, you want to go first? 

Rosemary 

Sure! Um, I don't remember exactly all of the circumstances. I do remember going to see it in theaters with my mom and it was really good. We really enjoyed it. And we're like, Jane will love this, and really liked the line, “Goodbye trolley people!” That really tickled us. And then I do remember around the same time, the local like, bookstore and newspaper, I think, put on this contest where someone could, like, write an essay about why they should be like princess for the day or something. And one of my best friends at the time was like the winner of it.

Sophie

Wow.

Rosemary

So that was when I like, realized that, oh, these are actually books too, and then got really into the books around the same time as well. 

Sophie 

That's so cool. 

Rosemary 

So those are my like, early memories of Princess Diaries. 

Sophie 

Yeah, I actually can't remember if I got into the books or the movie first. Probably the movie, but I would say my trajectory was really similar. Like if I saw the movie first, then I read the books immediately after. And I probably saw like a trailer for the movie on Disney Channel or whatever because I… I do distinctly remember, like they did this thing where like they would if if the movie or show or whatever had a song, they would do, like a music video of whatever the big song was in the movie, and show that as like a commercial for whatever it was. And then in this case, because they're, I mean, there was Miracles Happen and they probably did a music video of that. But they also did, they would show like a scene from whatever it was like, sneak peek into our latest whatever. And so they did the the tea scene at the consulate where the “Gosh, Gee whiz, golly-wolly” exchange happens. And so of course, like me and all my other little 6-year-old friends were saying “shut up” to each other and thought that was the peak of hilarity, which I'm sure our parents were thrilled with. So that was, that was definitely a big, a big scene for us. 

Rosemary 

And then I also remember like, early on, like shortly after it came out on VHS or whatever, for Jane's birthday, her like birthday party was like… I remember our family, but I don't know who else was there, and we all just, like, gathered in the living room on the pull out couch with the like, little like 12 inch VHS player. And we all like gathered around it and watched Princess Diaries. 

Sophie 

That's so fun. 

Rosemary 

And that was like your 12th birthday party or something. 

Jane 

Yeah. Yeah. No, I I was trying to- cause I definitely remember you and mom going to see it and and coming back and being like, “There was this really funny ‘goodbye trolley people’ scene!” And I was like, what does that even mean? [laughs] But I don't remember like I assumed that I'd seen it before that birthday party, because otherwise why would I have asked to watch it for my birthday?

Sophie

Yeah.

Jane

I didn't see it in theaters, but maybe we had rented it or something before that. But I definitely remember that because I we watched it for my birthday party and then since we had rented it, we had it for a few more days and I watched it like multiple times all of the days that we had it because it was also like my birthday was during spring break. And that was only like a couple of months after our aunt died. So it was like a weird time and I was like, kind of sad during that time. But like that week, I just remember like, watching this movie over and over and just being like, “I love this so much! This is the thing that makes me happy!” But I wasn't keeping track of movies yet because that was 2002 and so I'm like, OK, well, if I if I'd started a year earlier, then this movie would have so many more watches.

Sophie

Yeah.

Jane

Because as it is, I've watched it 30 times in in the 20 years that I counted. But I don't remember how many times I had watched it before, but I definitely was just, like, so in love with it. I'm not exactly sure what it was about this movie that I was so excited about when I first started watching it. 

Rosemary 

Well, it's very… it's a very comforting movie.

Sophie

Mm-hmm.

Jane

Yeah.

Rosemary

Like, it feels very like warm and like a hug.

Sophie 

Yeah. I do… like, I always worry with the movies that I feel that way about. Like, is it nostalgia or is it really a good movie? I think this one airs on the side of it's really a just a good movie. 

Jane 

Yeah, yeah, definitely. I I would agree. I just I every time I watch it, I'm just like, this is just so nice.

Sophie

Yeah.

Jane

It's, it there's, I mean there's conflict and there's like a few uncomfortable moments. But overall it's just like a nice story. 

Sophie

Yeah.

Rosemary 

And it has a good it's a good tone between silly, goofy and also like very sweet and sincere, and like it never feels like overreaching in the, like emotional moments that it hits.

Sophie

Yeah.

Rosemary

Like it all feels very like genuine and earned and like realistic. 

Sophie 

Yeah, for like for finding out that you're a Princess when you're 15. It's a really realistic movie. 

Rosemary 

Well, yes. Is it based on a true story?

Sophie 

But no but I get what you're saying. Like the premise is absurd and at the same time it's very grounded in reality. And I I appreciate that, like, the characters seem to be genuine, like good hearted people. I love that people apologize when they do the wrong thing. Like, and Jane and I were talking before we started recording about the some of the changes between the book and the movie. And I think making Clarisse a nice person is one of the things that this movie does really well. Because book Clarisse would never have apologized to Mia for making her feel bad or, like, not listening to her. And then you get Julie Andrews, who's like, “I'm really sorry that I judged before I, you know, heard your side of the story.” 

Jane 

One of my favorite stories about this movie coming to be is that when they were talking to Meg Cabot about how they were going to adapt it, somebody was telling her, like, “We're thinking about, like, killing off the dad and expanding the grandmother’s role.” Because because the dad is alive in the books. And like, “We have someone, like a really big star in mind to play the grandmother and we think like, we should expand her role and get rid of the dad.” And Meg Cabot was like, “Well, who… who you were thinking?” and they said “Julie Andrews,” and she immediately went, “Kill the dad.”

[all laugh]

Rosemary

Yeah.

Jane

And Julie Andrews… this was an interesting point in her career because she had recently undergone surgery that caused her to lose a lot of her singing voice. Like that was in the mid 90s. And so she was kind of. In retirement to a certain degree, like she wasn't really sure what the rest of her career might look like. And this was also her first Disney movie since Mary Poppins.

Sophie

Wow.

Jane

And it's just so cool to see her sort of mentoring Anne Hathaway, who is making her feature film debut in a big Disney movie, which is exactly what Julie Andrews had done with Mary Poppins. And first of all, just… hard to believe that this is Anne Hathaway's first movie because she's so… she carries the movie so well, like I do think that's a big part of why you get that grounded feel is like she brings such a like realistic sense to the role of Mia. And I just think she was perfectly cast. And I also just think it's so fun that she's kind of following in the footsteps of Julie Andrews. I mean, obviously her career has looked very different overall, but it's kind of fun that they both have the same introduction to movies. 

Sophie

Yeah.

Rosemary 

That is really interesting that Julie Andrews didn't do more Disney movies after Mary Poppins. 

Jane 

Yeah, right? Cause you think, she's such a Disney icon. 

Rosemary 

Yeah, you would think that like they would be really fighting for her to have roles and stuff. 

Sophie 

Keep her in. Keep her in the family, in the fold. 

Jane 

Yeah, that was that was something that I hadn't, I wasn't really aware of until relatively recently. I was looking at more facts about this movie, and I was like, wait really? It's just very interesting. I'm not really sure how that conversation went, of like convincing her to do this movie if she was, like, really excited about it, or if she needed some persuasion. But I'm really glad she did because like, I'm sure I had seen Mary Poppins and Sound of Music multiple times before Princess Diaries came out. But, like, that's really what made me become a Julie Andrews fan is seeing her just totally kill it in this role. 

Sophie 

Yeah, I think Mary Poppins probably was my first, but this is the first that I like, really remember of her. 

Jane 

Yeah. So the two of them, I mean, everybody in this movie is great, but I love the dynamic between the two of them and like the whole scene when they're like at the arcade together is really nice, and and just like seeing their characters relationship transformed throughout the movie is great. And I… just thinking about like, yes, this is a romantic story and like there's some focus on her and Michael, but there's so many other relationships that are really important and really focused on in this movie and like, Mia and her grandmother, Mia and her mother, Mia and Lilly. Like there's friendships and family relationships, and it's like, and there's a romance, too. But it's kind of like, that's not really what the majority of the movie is focused on, which I think has always resonated with me. 

Sophie 

Yeah, I would definitely agree that although the Josh versus Michael conflict is a really big one, it is a romantic conflict and yet it's not like… it's not romantic. It's just, like, kind of an allegory for Mia trying to, in much the same way that to be a Princess or not to be a Princess is like her growing up and developing. Like maybe the things that I thought I wanted aren't the things that are going to make me the happiest. And I do sort of like in the book that she's always had this kind of pining crush for Michael, I think that's very sweet, but it's nice that Josh serves as like a, this, you know, this is what I've thought I've been working towards this whole time and then it turns out it actually is really horrible and I don't like it. And I would rather do something else. I think it serves the same sort of purpose that she's like, growing up and becoming more like sure of herself and confident. 

Rosemary 

Yeah, I think things that I've always liked about the movie, like the romantic teen sort of aspects of it, is that it feels more realistic to what people actually go through in their high school years than a lot of teen movies. Where they're like, “Oh, this is my true love. I'm going to marry them. I'm gonna…” you know, whereas like Mia has this crush on this guy and like, she gets all giggly and flustered when she's around him and she's not smooth and neither really is he. But, you know… 

Jane 

He thinks he is, though. 

Rosemary 

He thinks he is and and I feel like that's very like, sweetly portrayed. And like a very innocent like teen romance feel. But I think a lot of teen movies, they rush into being way too adult and like heavy feeling, but I've always, I've always really liked that Mia doesn't… she doesn't... Josh doesn't notice her because really, any other reason other than because she's a Princess. She doesn't have smooth pick-up lines. She's not like, cool and confident. There's not really any focus on, “Oh she's like, really sexy. So he’s, of course he notices her.” It's really just because he wants to be… have some fame. And then like this guy that's like her best friend's brother, like, I feel like that's stuff that happens to people, you know? It's like you're around these people for your whole growing up years and you're like, “Well, I have feelings. I don't know what these are. But maybe I'm in love with you. But maybe I just…” you know, trying to figure things out. And like she wants to get her first kiss. And it just feels so sweet and innocent in a way that I think a lot of teen movies really miss that point and are really like thrown into like much bigger, like, “I'm desperately in love with you” or “I want to sleep with you” or things like that. And this movie really like, keeps it, like at least more of what my experience as a teenager was where it was like, “Oh, I have a crush on this person. I'm awkward, and then we move on or we hope they notice us. But then when they do, I don't know what to do and…” So that aspect of, it does have that romantic story, but it definitely feels like, yes, these are teenagers who are, like, feeling things for the first time. And what does that mean, and what does that look like? 

Sophie 

Right. It's very sweet and innocent. She's like, very concerned with if her foot's gonna pop or not. Like she's not…. there's no like, you were saying, it's not like desperate. She's not like, this is, you know, “My my parents say I can't be with this person. And so therefore I have to have them, and we have to run off and get married and then he's going to turn me into a vampire” or whatever. And she wants to be kissed and she wants to have this little like old movie moment. And then she does get that and it's… But it's… with Michael it also is a little bit of maturity. Like, “I don't like him because he's, you know, cute or popular or he has a boat or whatever” it's, you know, “You… you noticed me. You saw the real me and you like me anyway.” 

Rosemary 

“You saw me when I was invisible.”

Sophie 

Tears. And then all the lights turn on and the fountains come on and we’re in the garden with the roses and yeah, so. 

Jane 

Yeah, that's it's interesting because so much of the movie feels so like relatively realistic given the premise. And then that moment, it does kind of seem a little bit fairy tale-ish. But it's also explained because multiple times throughout the movie, The Queen is talking about how she needs the gardens to be fancier. 

Sophie 

“Make me an Eden.” 

Jane 

Yeah, exactly. So they're like working on the gardens the whole time. And so like that kind of that pays off in that moment, too. And it's like, it's not just this came out of nowhere. It's like, this is what the garden needed to be beautiful for! 

Rosemary 

And I love that we keep going back to, “Yeah, this movie is realistic. The story is realistic” because, OK, first of all, she finds out she's a Princess for the first time when she's 15. And Josh, who's, like a 15/16 year old, has a boating license? And his own boat?

Sophie

[laughing] Yeah.

Rosemary

But otherwise it's it's realistic. 

Sophie 

They go to this high school that can rent out an entire private beach with a DJ and catering. What even is this party? They’re… Josh is on his boat. The the girls are doing their like studio sound system concert. There's like random food with whole watermelons, for some reason. They do like a close up shot on this kids plate, and he's got half a watermelon filled with grapes like, what are you doing? Who provided this? Who is this for? 

Jane 

And in a deleted scene they did a banana dance.

Sophie

Right. Yeah.

Jane

But I mean, I guess part of it is explained like, that it is a really fancy rich school because, like, it seems like her royal family members were paying for it, which she seemed to be somewhat unaware of. 

Sophie 

In lieu of having a relationship, I'll just like send my child to private school and buy a Faberge carousel for her bedroom. 

Jane 

Yeah, because of course. 

Sophie 

I did really want that though as a child. The little music box thing. And the diary that opens with the locket. That was the coolest. 

Jane 

That is really cool. I also think it's funny though, because like the books like the whole conceit of the books is that they are her Diaries, like she's writing them, and in the movie she doesn't even get the diary until the end. 

Sophie

Yeah.

Rosemary 

Well, you know, but OK, so books that are turned into movies. Generally, I'm like, the book is better. Why do we even have the movie? The movie tried, but it didn't do anything. And I feel very differently about this. I…love Princess Diaries as a movie and I love the book series and they are two very different things. 

Sophie 

Completely separate entities. 

Rosemary 

Yeah. And also all I want in the world is like a miniseries that takes place in the early 2000s in New York, where the books take place and shows these teenagers in the early 2000s, actually doing what the books are and like, have it be really good. And I would pay a lot of money to see that. So whatever major streaming service is listening to this, I would love that and to have actually have the main grandma and the dad who's alive and justice for Tina Hakim Baba. 

Sophie

God bless!

Rosemary 

Because we love her and she needs her moment. 

Sophie 

She sure does. 

Rosemary 

So I would love that. 

Sophie 

Yeah. Well, I I volunteer to to write it. I I I will be in the writers’ room once the strike is over, but with the caveat that it can't be gritty. Like they can't, it can't be dark. There can't be, like, you know, we're all really depressed and sneaking around and like, it has to be as like sweet, but a little more aged up than what the movie was. 

Rosemary

Yes.

Jane 

Yeah, cause I do definitely feel like the movie is for a younger audience than the books. 

Rosemary

Mm-hmm.

Sophie 

Yeah, which is weird because I'm sure that I started reading them when I was like 7 years old and she's talking about, like, getting her period at the Moscovitz's house and like wanting to make out with someone at Lilly's bat mitzvah. And I was like, what is what is this? 

Rosemary 

And then there's that, like, weird stalker man that like is stalking Lilly and wants to see her feet, and…

Sophie

Yeah.

Rosemary

But like, I loved that series so much. Reading those books like, really got me into, like, YA realistic fiction? Realistic. We're going with that again.

[Jane and Sophie laugh]

Rosemary

But like I was obsessed with, like, YA books all through, like middle and high school. And I think it really did start with Princess Diaries. And I was always, like, so excited when a new one came out and would like just devour it. Like even like last year when the…or earlier this year? I don't know. When Quarantine Princess came out, I was like, We have a new one. We still need more of this story. 

Jane 

How many books are there now? I mean, I guess there's some that aren't, like technically part of that series and…

Rosemary 

Yeah. So there's ten that encapsulate her, like high school years, and then there's like a few extra ones that go in there that are like little short ones. And then there's the one I think it's like her wedding, maybe? Yes, that one came out, I think maybe in, like, 2015-ish. And then there's Quarantine Princess, which came out like in blog format in 2020 and then got like compiled and more things added to it and came out like within the last year. So Mia is still around. She survived COVID. 

Jane 

And there's the spin off ones about her half-sister, right? 

Rosemary 

Yes. Yeah. So then… I think around the same time that that the one that came out in 2015 that I can't remember the name at this moment, Meg Cabot also made like a middle grade series that there's a younger half-sister that came into the picture. And so she has her diaries as well. So there's like, supplemental content there. And I I read the first one. And it was very sweet and good, but I don't think I read any of the other ones. 

Sophie 

I just found out about that. So that's all new to me, but I did... I did love the little like Princess Diaries and a half, much like The Lion King 1 1/2 I think is the best Lion King. I think some of the Princess Diaries and 1/2 are my favorites. I think the only one that I actually had was the one where she and Michael do Habitat for Humanity together. 

Rosemary 

Yeah, I was gonna say, I was like, isn't there one where they, like, build houses together or something?

Sophie

Yeah.

Rosemary

Yes. And then there's like a Christmas one too, I think. 

Sophie 

OK. And then that's probably why I didn't have that one.

Jane 

Being Jewish. 

Sophie 

Yeah because they needed like Lilly’s Hanukkah or whatever. And then I also had, I don't know if you know about these, there's one like companion book written I think by Clarisse. And then there's one written by Paolo and they're like… It's essentially The Care and Keeping of You, but the care and keeping of a princess?

Rosemary

Mm-hmm.

Sophie

And so Clarisse's one is like etiquette. All these etiquette rules for like dining at a fancy party. And then Paolo’s is like, how to, you know, do hair and makeup and stuff. And I love those. 

Rosemary 

Yeah, I remember reading those too. Is that when they talk about the cousin Sebastiano that like, doesn't finish his words and then he's like, “Please pass the butt.”

Sophie

[laughing] Probably. 

Jane 

I remember that character. 

Sophie 

Don't be like him and say “Pass the butt” at dinner, especially when meeting with heads of state. 

Rosemary 

So there's a lot of Princess Diaries content is what… what we can sum up this conversation with.

Jane

Definitely.

Rosemary

And all of it is good.

Sophie

Yeah. 

Jane 

I feel like, I mean, I know you were, like, way more into the books than I was.

Rosemary

Mm-hmm.

Jane

But I I feel like we read some of them together.

Rosemary

I’m sure we did.

Jane

Like you'd already read them. But like, we used to read stuff out loud to each other a lot. So I think that that was one of the things, at least… cause I remember really liking the third book, and now I'm like, I have no idea what even happens in the third book.

Rosemary 

The third book is the best. It’s really good. 

Sophie 

If that's the one with the non-denominational winter formal, that's I totally agree. 

Rosemary 

And that's when Michael makes a computer program to tell her that he loves her. 

Jane 

Oh yeah, okay.

Rosemary 

I would read that little section like over and over and over again, and I would be like, if only someone would love me enough to make a computer program that says- 

Sophie 

Aww, to code for you. 

Rosemary 

Yeah, and it says, like, “I love Princess Mia.” And then she, like, gets up and runs away because she's like, all embarrassed. And then she's like, later they talk and she's like, “I thought you were making fun of me,” and he's like, “Never.”

Sophie 

Aww, what a sweetie. I I love Michael. 

Rosemary 

I love Michael too. 

Sophie 

I think casting for him was great. He's so freaking weird in the movie and I love it in the scene where he's he's like still kind of mad at Mia and he comes over to the house. And she, like, gives him the last check for the car. He puts in it between his teeth as he walks out of the door. 

Jane 

Yeah, for no reason. 

Sophie 

He has nothing in his hands. What is wrong with him? I love him. 

Rosemary 

But he's also really weird in the books too. 

Jane 

Yeah, yeah, it worked. 

Rosemary 

“He fixes cars, he plays guitar,”

Rosemary and Sophie 

“and he can sing. He is so hot.” 

Jane 

“He is wicked sweet.” I think the person who said “he is wicked sweet” is the infamous cousin Meredith, who was Anne Hathaway's like… I don't know if she was technically her guardian. She was only a few years older than her. But like, I think that Anne Hathaway was still 17 when they started filming. But she was… she turned 18 during filming and that was… helpful to the filmmakers, because then she could work longer. But she was such a baby!

Sophie 

I know. Oh, she's so cute. 

Rosemary 

No, I've always loved Michael. I think he's a great character. He's a great person. He invented a robotic surgical arm in the books that, like, does heart surgery. 

Sophie 

Yeah, he's- I mean, he was… He's great. I… like I also I really get it as like someone who had – had? has - an older brother who, like all my friends were like, “Wow your brother's actually kind of hot.” And I'm over here, like Lilly, being like, what are you talking about? Are you blind? Because I live with the guy. But yeah, I definitely related to their to their family, as like neurotic Jews, just hanging out. 

Jane 

I think it's really funny how, like the moment at when they're like about to dance and at the ball at the end and and Mia doesn't know if Michael's going to show up or not and then he comes in. He like comes through the crowd and he passes Lilly and he like tickles her or something. It's like they have a weird little sibling moment there before he goes to dance with Mia and it's just like- 

Rosemary 

I knew you were gonna bring that up because I think of it every time, Jane’s just like, “It's so weird when he tickles her stomach!” 

Jane 

It is weird, but it's it's like, a good kind of weird. Of like like I think that too often, again going back to the whole like, romance versus other relationships thing. I think that that too often in romantic stories, it's like, they kind of forget about how everybody, how they're connected to everybody else once the like two get together. And I think that it's nice that their friends are there too. Like that, that Lilly and Jeremiah are also there and like it's showing that that it's like they're all connected and it's not just this. And that like Lilly is really the one who pushes Mia to to realize what being a princess could mean and how that could be a good thing and like a responsibility. 

Sophie 

Yeah. And I I also, I would agree with you, Jane, that it's weird. I think it's, maybe not on purpose, but like that is a very like, at least in my experience like my brother would do that too, and it would be very awkward, but he would like mean it in a loving way.

Jane

Right.

Sophie

He just doesn't know what else to do. 

Jane 

Yeah. No. And I I think that's great. I mean it's it's weird but, like, I I love that I love all the little weird things that happen. That's a big part of why I love this movie. There's so many weird little moments that you just kind of like, why is that there? But also I love it. I mean, just the whole thing with like when she breaks the statue, and puts the- 

Rosemary 

“Maybe it's string cheese.” 

Jane 

Yeah, exactly! She puts the finger in the mouth of the statue and and that scene is really funny too. I love when she breaks it and she immediately like shushes the statue. Like, “Don't tell anyone that I broke you.” And then like, she just sticks it in there and it's just like kind of a throwaway thing. And then it comes back in the best way. “They're famous for their cheese. Maybe it's string cheese,” and it's just, ah, it's so good. But like that, that serves no purpose, but it's hilarious. 

Rosemary 

Also, how did she break that statue? Like isn't it made out of like marble? Like…

Sophie 

Right. 

Rosemary 

That she would just like touch it and it would break? Like what? What is that statue made out of? 

Jane 

That was an untapped part of the story that she also has super strength. But just like nobody- that's why she always falls down and stuff like she does. She can't really control her own strength. 

Sophie 

Yeah, gravity is too strong. 

Rosemary 

They would be like, “We can't put that in there because then it would not be realistic.” 

Jane 

[laughs] But we'll have hints for it anyway. Ah man. 

Sophie 

Yeah, and and that her first idea is to reattach it with saliva. Like, that's good work. 

Jane 

[laughing] Uh, I love it. I love it so much. Just like fun moments like that is really, I think what makes it such an enjoyable movie, because like just, there's stuff that still makes me laugh when I've seen it more than 30 times.

Sophie

Yeah.

Jane

Just like…

Rosemary

“Please don't crush my soy nuts.”

Jane

“Your soy nuts are safe.” Ohh man. Yeah, just so many great moments. And I mean, I do enjoy the movie Princess Diaries 2, but it just like has nothing to do with anything. I feel like it's so weird that they just like went ahead and made it even though the guy who played Michael couldn't be in it and they’re just like, “Well, Michael's not important anymore.”

Sophie

Yeah. 

Rosemary 

The fact that they made them break- “Oh, we're still friends, but we're broken up. And now I'm going to like, go fall in love with someone else.” That is not Mia Thermopolis. She is obsessed with Michael. She's in love with Michael. I don't care. Book, movie, whatever. It's fine. Princess Diaries 2 is fine as a movie, but it's a totally different universe. One where Raven is randomly there. And there's mattress surfing. 

Sophie 

A an African Princess.

Rosemary

Yeah. It’s just-

Sophie

Like, get someone from Africa! I mean, she's American. 

Jane 

Like, is she an African prin-? Like it's we don't know who she is, she's not explained. It's just like she shows up and and Mia’s like, “Oh it’s you!”

Sophie

“It’s my best friend!”

Jane

And it's like, who is this? We've never seen her before. Please introduce her to the audience! 

Sophie 

I do. I do wonder if at the end of the first movie they like on the plane to Genovia they enter some sort of like slipstream wormhole situation and just like land in another universe. And that's why everything is crazy in the second movie. 

Jane 

The castle that they see out the airplane window is completely different in the second movie. 

Sophie 

I do love it, in like a very campy removed from book and first movie reality way. But yeah it's it's not like… It's not the first one. 

Jane 

No, and it has a terrible script, like so many of the lines are so forced, and it's like, man, these actors were working really hard to sell this.

Sophie

Yeah.

Jane

Like, certain certain moments just, like, don't work at all. There are funny lines in the second one, but I just think the the first one… And I know that like a lot of the script of this movie was changed by Garry Marshall like while they were filming it. They talked about that in - oh, I should mention the commentary, because, while this commentary is not quite as iconic as Ella Enchanted I do… I have seen this a lot of times with the commentary with Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway having tea and Julie Andrews mostly just wants to talk about the tea, like the literal tea, not like spilling the metaphorical tea of the movie. She's just very excited about having tea. But Anne Hathaway, like, remembers the names of everybody and is, like, wants to give everybody credit for everything. But they talk a lot about how Garry Marshall would expect them to be, like, ready with the lines, but also ready to just like, chuck the entire script out on the day and be like, “No, actually now we're going to do it this way and say completely different lines.” And so a lot of it I think was… not exactly improvised, but sort of changed last minute, and if you watch other Garry Marshall movies, you can see that there's just so many things that he just likes to have in his movies that don't have anything to do with anything. And I think that's part of what makes this movie weird. And it's part of what makes it work too. I think that it feels more cohesive because it's so… there's the Garry Marshall trademark through it all. And that he had his children work on it and gave it sort of a family feel, I think really worked for this one. 

Sophie 

Yeah. Rosemary, I was saying to Jane that I need nepotism justice for Penny, because Penny is the only Marshall member that is not in this movie. And he mentioned in… I can't remember if it's the commentaries or like, one of the special features that he's like, “They wanted me to cast Penny as the queen and I said absolutely not.”

[all laugh] 

Jane 

That's got to be a joke, though. I don't think that anyone considered Penny Marshall for the queen, but that would be a hilarious movie. It'd be a very different movie, but it would be hilarious. 

Sophie 

Yeah. Well, Penny Marshall and actually Carrie Fisher in one of my favorite childhood books they did like a star-studded Emperor's New Clothes reading, and Penny Marshall and Carrie Fisher played the ladies in waiting, who are like very bitchy and talk about the queen behind her back. It's fantastic. 

Jane 

That sounds amazing. 

Rosemary 

Yeah, what role could Penny Marshall have played? 

Sophie 

That's a good question. They could have taken out the puppet and had Penny be the puppet instead. On strings. 

Jane 

But they didn't use the puppet thing at all. The person who says “Maybe it's string cheese” I believe is Garry Marshall's wife, so she- Penny could have just been one of those like background people. 

Sophie 

Yeah, she could have been at the state dinner. 

Jane 

She could have been the pear juggler. 

Sophie 

That would have been great. 

Rosemary 

Or one of the reporters.

Jane

Yeah, Suki- What's… Suki Sanchez?

Sophie

Suki Sanchez? Yeah.

Rosemary

No, we don't want to get rid of Suki Sanchez. I mean, one of the ones that were like, “I’m from Teen Scene Magazine!” 

Jane 

Oh yeah. OK. 

Sophie 

“She's wearing a grunge look.” No, she's just wet. 

Jane 

That is so funny. I love that moment. It's like, “She's styling a wet sort of grunge-look hairdo.” It's like yes. 

Rosemary 

“And is wearing a sweatshirt, jeans, and Docs.” 

Jane 

“…jeans and Docs.”

Rosemary 

The important things. 

Sophie 

Yeah, I do, I do appreciate that the Docs are like the one thing that made it from book to movie. Because those are very important. 

Rosemary 

They are her trademark. 

Jane 

They mentioned in the commentary that like originally, that scene was going to be like very regal and she was going to be in her ball gown and stuff and they changed it so that they would have her looking like looking sort of… mot all put together and to show that her confidence was coming from within rather than from external things, but they still gave her a makeover. So like it was still partly external. I mean, OK, the makeover scene… I don't like makeover scenes in movies. There's too many of them. I will say this one is pretty good. Just because Larry Miller is hilarious: his weird like accent, and then his like, fake European language thing is just like-

Rosemary 

“Brushka, Helga!” 

Jane 

Yeah. Like. Yeah, [imitates nonsense phrase]. Like, he just makes up stuff and it's just so silly and that, like his his little things that he says, like her eyebrows are named Frida and Kahlo. And it's like, really weird things. And so it's it's like not bad. But I also kind of wish that she hadn't had to have a makeover, and they could have just, like, left her hair as it was. I know… I know that her makeover is really to make her look more like Anne Hathaway, and she was like- Anne Hathaway had worn a wig and like fake eyebrows and stuff like that in her, like, earlier look. But I think it would have been really interesting to show like a quote unquote “ugly” person not having to change to be conventionally attractive and still being able to be empowered. But like of course, I'm not saying that they shouldn't have cast Anne Hathaway because she's great in this movie.

Sophie

Sure.

Jane

But at the same time, it's like, Anne Hathaway is also very conventionally attractive. So like, it would have been cool to have a like more not conventionally attractive looking person in this role, and just like, let her be who she is and look the way she looks. But that obviously wasn't what this movie was trying to do, but like that is one thing that that bothers me a little bit about it.

Sophie

Yeah. 

Rosemary 

She's also blonde in the books.

Jane

Yes.

Rosemary

Don't they give her a Pixie cut? 

Sophie 

Yeah, they cut- I think that's what Paolo's referencing when he says, “Next time a little shorter.” But yes, there's a very distinct reference in the book where she says her hair looks like an upside down yield sign because it's so it, like, here and then goes straight. You can't see me in the podcast, but I'm gesturing. 

Jane 

Yeah, it's like a triangle hair thing. I remember that being mentioned. 

Rosemary 

Yeah, I think about that a lot. Like,

Sophie

Yeah.

Rosemary

Her yield sign hair.

Sophie 

I feel like part of what makes the makeover scene work  - I I will agree with you, Jane. I think they give her way too much makeup for a 15-year-old, and then they just like the framing of it as like, she started out so hideous and then look what I… look what I made of this mess you gave me - is Paolo's, like you said, he's just so funny. He's so weird and a little gross, but like in an amusing sort of way. And she also seems to be… once they finish plucking her eyebrows, she seems to be really enjoying herself. She's got her Walkman. She's got cucumbers on her eyes. She's like, bopping to the music a little bit. 

Jane 

“The cucumber does nothing.”

Sophie

[laughing] Nothing.

Jane

Yeah, I don't object to it too much. It's just sort of the concept of…of makeovers is a little… 

Speaker 

Sophie

Jane 

Obnoxious to me, but it it works. And I also think it's interesting because I believe from what I remember of the books, when she's exposed to the press in the books, it was actually the grandmother who told the press. And they changed it in the movie so that it was Paolo. 

Sophie 

“I, Paulo Puttanesca!” 

Jane 

That scene, just like, first of all, we also have to talk about Sandra Oh. 

Sophie

Yes!

Rosemary 

I was gonna bring her up too. 

Jane 

She, as the vice principal, Gupta, is so good. She's like only in it a little bit, but every moment she has is perfect. From the from the beginning, when she's like, “Morning, Lilly! …Lilly's friend.”

Sophie

Lilly’s friend!

Jane

And like but that scene when she like answers the phone with her iconic, “Gupta. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. The Queen is coming. To Grove High School.” It's so good. And then and then when the Queen shows up and she's like fawning over her and, like, imitating her gestures and then just like, she, like, gives her this teacup. And it's like, “I'm sorry, we don't have finer China.” And then she just, like, hands a paper cup to Helen, the mom.”

Sophie

Uh-huh. “Here!”

Jane

So good. And then when Joe brings Paolo in and they have their whole little like routine of like he keeps starting to go and Joe, like, pushes him back is- that scene is just… There's just so much comedy gold there. And it's like it's amazing. 

Sophie 

Well, yeah, so Larry Miller is in two of my favorite childhood movies that came out around the same time: this one and Best in Show. 

Jane 

Yeah. And he's also in Mighty Wind. And he-

Sophie

Right.

Jane

He's he sets up one of Jennifer Coolidge's best moments too, when, because he's the one that she has one- They have one brain between them. The two of them, so yes. 

Sophie 

Oh, OK. Yeah. So he just like… The difference between those two roles, but they're both equally funny and weird. 

Jane 

Yeah, yeah. Best in Show he's awful. Like, I mean, I guess he's awful in this too. Like, his character is. But in that one, he's just like openly flirting with a married woman and then his- oh yeah, his job is like to talk people down…

Sophie 

Down off ledges, yes. 

Jane 

…who are going to jump off building, but he's terrible at it. And he's just like, “Oh, they always jump.” 

Sophie 

“Their eyes pop out like grapes!” 

Jane 

[laughs] Ah, he's so he's such a silly man.

Sophie

Yeah.

Jane

But yes, so I enjoy him. I enjoy Sandra Oh, a lot. I enjoy Kathleen Marshall. I think that her Charlotte is…

Sophie

So sweet.

Jane

…a very a great character. I also… Not that I want there to be more romances, but I really like the thing between Clarisse and Joe and how they… their dancing scene is kind of… it- it has moments that remind me of The Sound of Music with Christopher Plummer like their dancing scene. But I love when Charlotte comes in and is like about to say something and then sees they’re having a moment and just like backs away.

Sophie

Yep, I’ll go away now. Yeah

Jane

My other favorite Charlotte moment is when [laughs] when she's worried because Mia hasn't shown up at the ball at the end and Clarisse is like, “Is everything all right?” And she goes. “Everything's perfect. Perfect? It's wonderful!” “You're not very good at lying, are you, Charlotte?”

Sophie 

“No I'm not.” 

Jane 

“No, I'm not, your Majesty.” Oh, it's so good. So good. There's just… I think that's ultimately… like, I mean the story overall is great and the acting is great and all that. But like, I think just all those little fun little moments are really what keeps me returning to this movie is it's just like there's so many fun little scenes like that. 

Rosemary 

“And that's enough pear juggling.” 

Jane 

Such a good- like, ah, there's just, yeah. It's just such a fun little movie. 

Sophie 

It's funny, you mentioned the- the dance scene because I was thinking about how… like sweet, that is when he says, “You've been wearing black for far too long.” And in comparison, I had no recollection of this line from Lilly, but she says to Mia, she says, “The guy died, what, two months ago? I thought you'd gotten over it already.” What are you talking about? 

Rosemary 

Her dad died 8 weeks ago and you're like, “You should move on.”

Sophie

Chop chop! 

Jane 

Well, but also, she'd never met her dad. So like…

Sophie

Yeah.

Rosemary

True…

Jane

But also like I feel like that's also not a very long time to mourn your son? Because it's like…

Sophie

Right.

Jane

But I think that her husband died the previous year? 

Sophie 

Yeah, I think he's- I think he's referencing Rupert, not Phillipe. 

Jane 

“King Rupert, may he rest in peace.” 

Sophie 

“Rest in peace.”

Jane 

That's from the second one though. 

Sophie 

I also didn't recall Pierre. I didn't recall there being a brother at all. 

Jane 

Oh yeah. 

Sophie 

Maybe he's not in the book, but… 

Jane 

Is he in the book? 

Sophie 

I don't remember him. 

Jane 

It's really like referenced, sort of offhandedly, like, “Oh yes, my my eldest Pierre wanted to abdicate and join the church.”

Sophie

Yeah

Jane

It's like, you have another kid?

Sophie

What?

Rosemary

Yeah.

Jane

Where's he? That… yeah, that was... I feel like that was kind of unnecessary. 

Sophie 

Yeah, there are a lot of changes that I feel like they really didn't need to make. Like Mr. G in the book is an algebra teacher, Helen’s boyfriend. And now all of a sudden, he's Mr. O'Connell and teaches debate, but also coaches baseball, but also teaches English? 

Rosemary 

Is just always there. 

Jane 

They have like four teachers in the school and they're just all in every class. 

Sophie 

There's Coach Harbula, there’s Vice Principal Gupta, and there's Mr. O'Connell and maybe there's one other person floating around.

Rosemary 

The choir teacher. 

Sophie

Oh, yes. Yes okay.

Jane 

In the scene when when Mia puts the ice cream on Lana and Gupta’s like, “Oh, I was in a very important meeting,” it's just the four of them.

Speaker 

It's just them having lunch. 

Jane 

Like, that's the entire staff of the- of the school. 

Sophie

Of Grove High School.

Rosemary 

“Lana got coned! Lana got coned!” 

Jane 

I was so confused by the “Lana got coned” chant for a long time.

Rosemary

Yes.

Jane

Because I couldn't tell what they were saying. And I was like, is that a thing?

Rosemary

I know!

Jane

Or is that just like, what people would have just decided to call this? 

Sophie 

It's the early 2000s, as opposed to late 2000s equivalent of getting slushied I guess. It's just something that happens in high schools with mean kids. I don't know. I also, speaking of not being able to understand what people are saying, for my entire life until this rewatch, I thought, Fontana said after the debate situation, I thought she said to Mia, “I thought you were speaking at the Believe It convention.” 

Speaker 

OK, I thought that was just me! 

Sophie 

It’s bulimic.

Jane

Yeah!

Sophie

Which makes so much more sense, but I was like… what? Who? What is this? Is this something that I should know about?

Rosemary

Oh, the Believe It? What? 

Jane 

Yeah, that's what I heard too.

Rosemary

No!

Jane

Because she's like, “Is it true you're speaking at the Believe It convention?” and-

Rosemary

No!

Jane

Yeah, okay.

Sophie

Like I can’t believe it.

Rosemary 

It’s definitely “bulimic.” 

Jane 

Well, yes, that does make a lot more sense. But yeah, no, I couldn't understand that for a long time too. OK. I'm glad it's not just me. I thought once I figured out what they were saying, I was like... 

Sophie 

Yeah, that makes a lot more sense. 

Jane 

Of course, that's what they're saying, but OK, yes. 

Rosemary 

I was definitely… it was one of the more recent rewatch is when I realized she was saying “a yachting yahoo.” I thought she was just saying “a yada yahoo.” 

Jane 

Ohh yeah, I thought that for at first for a while too. OK. Do you remember? I I have no clue when this was, but we used to have a computer in the basement and it didn't- It wasn't connected to the internet, we just used it for like writing papers and stuff?

Sophie

Typing and stuff, yeah.

Jane

And it would have… we made it so that the screen saver was like word art. And we… it was like, the showers upstairs didn't work, so we would always shower in the basement and we walk by this computer and like every time we would walk by, we would change the screensaver to the next line from that scene when Lilly and Mia are fighting and playing basketball, like that scene. So I just remember, like we would just, we quoted that whole scene in the screen saver on that computer for no reason just because it was a fun thing to do.

Rosemary

Yeah! 

Sophie 

That that very much tracks with what I know of your childhood and your relationship. 

Jane 

Yes. So I still think about that computer whenever I think about that scene.

Sophie

That’s funny.

Jane

But I'm I'm not sure if we wrote “yachting yahoo” or if we wrote, “yada yahoo.” 

Rosemary 

Yeah, I don't know. I also need to mention that I was a youth that kept a diary pretty faithfully, and there is a section of a diary that I had around that time where I was like, “I can't believe I keep saying the word ‘I.’ I should think about other people!” And it was because I was like, inspired by Mia Thermopolis's speech. But it was like, it's so funny. There’s this little section of like 12-year-old me being like, “I need to stop saying ‘I.’” Like it was just a new thought that had occurred to me. 

Sophie 

Sure. That's… that's sad and cute at the same time. 

Jane

Yes.

Rosemary 

So what else do we need to cover? 

Sophie 

Well, I definitely want to mention the soundtrack, which I think is one of my favorite parts of this movie. I think I… I mean, I've seen the movie a zillion times and like, had the VHS and the DVD, but I also had the CD and I must have listened to the CD until it was like, so scratched beyond belief. Every song is so good.

Rosemary

Mm-hmm. 

Jane 

Yeah. I remember we got the CD from the library a few times, but we never owned it. We had the Princess Diaries 2 soundtrack. 

Rosemary

Yeah.

Sophie 

Also good, but not quite as good. 

Jane 

I was just so excited about Julie Andrews singing again. So like… 

Sophie 

Yes. That is my favorite song from the second movie. 

Jane 

Yeah, definitely. Not sure why Raven’s there, but you know, it's still a great song. 

Sophie 

She has to do some sort of hippity hoppity for the youth. They they won't they won't last doing the… just Julie Andrews doing like a musical style number. 

Jane 

“But I don’t know how to do this sort of thing.”

Rosemary [overlapping with Jane]

“I don’t know how to do this.”

[all laugh]

Jane 

Oh man, anyway, but yes, the the soundtrack for the original movie, which is what we're supposed to be talking about, is really good. There's so many great songs on it, and I really I- it's super random, but I really enjoy Mandy Moore singing “Stupid Cupid.” I don't really know why she sings it there in the movie, but like it's great. 

Sophie 

It's a weird song to have in that scene. It's weird that she sings it, but I'm so glad she does. 

Jane 

I also really enjoy that Anna and Fontana are there as backup singers, but their mouths never move. They're just like doing a dance. And like you hear the like background vocals, but they are not singing. 

Sophie 

They're not lip syncing. Yeah, I will say Mandy did not lip sync that scene particularly well. But her outfit is good enough to where it doesn't even matter. Her polka dot skirt is incredible. 

Rosemary 

And the like uni-boob tank top sweater. 

Sophie 

Yeah, the the halter sweater with the handkerchief hem. Oh my gosh, it's very Y2K. 

Rosemary 

It's exactly what I would wear to the beach. 

Sophie 

Sure. And platform flip flops. 

Rosemary 

I also need to confess something that as a child when this movie came out, whatever, I was very confused because I thought that Mandy Moore and Marilyn Monroe were the same person. And so I was so confused because I like knew that Marilyn Monroe… like I wasn't 100% sure who she was, but I knew she was like an icon and that like she was in Princess Diaries, cause it was like an alliterative M name, and I totally like was like, I don't know, it's got to be Marilyn Monroe. And then like… finding out more about Marilyn Monroe as I got older and then I was like…. I don't think that's Marilyn Monroe...

[all laugh] 

Jane 

I think she's very dead. 

Sophie 

I don’t think so. 

Rosemary 

I don't think it's the same person, but I’m not sure. 

Sophie 

It could be, but I'm not quite sure. 

Jane 

That's amazing. 

Rosemary 

But I remember being very confused about Mandy Moore and Marilyn Monroe in that movie. 

Jane 

That's amazing.

Sophie

That’s really cute.

Jane

One thing that I think is really interesting that I didn't quite pick up on until more recent rewatches is like just speaking of the whole beach thing: They're taking pictures of a 15-year-old in a state of undress and publishing them in tabloids. And it's seen as the 15-year-old's fault. 

Sophie

Mm-hmm.

Rosemary 

It's horrible. 

Jane 

It's it's terrible and like it's supposed to be bad. And you're like, supposed to think like, oh, it's- I feel bad for her, but I hadn't quite absorbed how awful that is. And it's like, I mean, that does happen, stuff like that. And it's like it's her fault when it very much was not for several reasons. But I just, it's just like, struck me as so much more disturbing to be like, OK, we're gonna have this undressed teenager that we took pictures of without her consent and blame her for it, and that was upsetting to me when I was just realizing that. But I also think that the scene when Clarisse confronts Mia about that is really well done. I think that they like, hit those emotional beats really well, and just like that, that she's really disappointed in her. But like Mia handles it well. And then I love when Joe comes in and sort of says, like “You were too harsh on her” and that they managed to slip in some levity with her with that moment of, like, “Her friends didn't help- Anna, Banana… Montana.” And I love that. And then that like, that's the moment when Clarisse says, “I have no idea what you're talking about” is great. But I also think it's like such a good point of, like, the thing. About like, “As a queen, I was too critical of the person who could become the next ruler of my country.” And he says, “No. As a grandmother, you were too harsh on your granddaughter.” And then that she takes that into the scene when they're in Mia's house talking about giving the speech or whatever, but she says, like, “I am first and foremost your grandmother.” And then that great moment when she hugs her and then just kind of goes, “Ah! I- I did it! I hugged someone!” is so great because she's been so emotionally distant and yeah. I just, I think that they really like they… they Julie Andrews-ified the queen but they didn't like make her completely like… soft and lovable. I mean, I guess it's kind of Mary Poppins too, where she's like, standoffish, but then also like sweet underneath. 

Rosemary 

But she's definitely not Maria von Trapp. 

Jane 

No.

Sophie

Correct.

Jane

She has to go through a journey too. Like the queen goes through a journey as well as Mia, and they go through very different journeys but kind of meet up at the end. And it's also just really nice that Clarisse still believed that Mia could do it and, like, had a tiara ready for her, even though she said she was going to step down and like… The whole end part of the movie just really pays off and I think that their relationship arc, the grandmother/granddaughter relationship is really… a great central story to this whole thing. Like it's like, yeah, it's about a girl who finds out she's a Princess, but it's also about, like, becoming connected with her estranged grandmother, who also needs some connection in her life. And I think that that's very well done. 

Sophie 

Yeah, I totally agree. 

Jane 

Mia's dad is dead, but we see, like pictures of him and one like flashback and that is Anne Hathaway's actual father. The voice is not. But they were going to use pictures of him, but then the scene with- when he's writing the note in the diary, they were just going to have somebody else wearing a wig to look like his hair, but then he happened to be in San Francisco for unrelated reasons while they were filming there. So they just, like, got him writing the letter. So that's kind of fun. 

Sophie 

That’s so cute. 

Rosemary 

I think another thing that this movie does well is like, adults taking teenagers seriously. 

Jane 

Oh yeah. 

Rosemary 

And like listening to them like… Mia and her mom had, like, real conversations together, and her mom doesn't just like, brush her off and be like, well, you're just a dumb teenager. Like her mom, like takes things to heart. And, you know, when she's like, “How could you lie to me for 15 years? I don't feel protected,” like her mom, like, takes that and it's like, this is where we're at now, and let's see what we can do to move forward. And then again when Mia’s like, “I can't believe you're dating my teacher!” She's like… she actually apologizes to her.

Sophie

Yeah.

Rosemary

And like when even like… the premise of the Mia has to hit a baseball to pass gym class is stupid, but like I even really like that gym teacher because she's just like, “I'm rooting for you.” And like…

Sophie

Yeah, I love Coach Harbula.

Rosemary

Mm-hmm. 

Sophie 

She, like… without like compromising her… like Mia says, “I can't do this. I'm a girl” and she's like... “Hello!”

Jane 

“What am I, a duck?” 

Sophie 

“What am I, a duck?” Yeah. Which is hilarious when in the bonus features, you see that actor make duck noises and various other sound effects, which she's fantastic at. But yeah, she's very supportive while like being like, “You, you got to do this thing. I know it's hard.” Then she does it, and she's so proud of her at the end, which is really nice. And you know, having Josh get hit in the balls is… not a downside in the slightest. 

Jane 

I also think it's really funny that nobody else in the outfield can possibly pick up the ball. Just like, “You have to get up and throw it. We can't come over and find it.” Like I think that’s really funny. 

Sophie 

Well, one kid, one kid is on the phone with his mom about the dentist, so it couldn't be him. And then-

Jane

Bobby Bad.

Sophie

Twelve girls are doing some sort of cheerleading routine, so it couldn't be them. 

Jane 

Why- OK. But also like, why is the entire staff there? Because like Gupta- 

Rosemary 

Mr. O'Connell have picked up the ball. 

Sophie

I know!

Jane 

Yeah. Like, why was he there in the gym class? Why is Gupta coaching the cheerleaders? Like it's just like it's... I don't know. OK, two things that I was gonna say. One thing: going back to the mom relationship. I love when after the like beach fiasco, the mom says like, “My mom always told me not to cry and like to be strong. But you've been hurt. So you just cry.” And like I think that's so great. It's like, yeah, feel your feelings. Let's encourage girls to to feel their feelings and not shame them for being upset when upsetting things happen. And the other thing going way back to when we were talking about why the teacher changes from algebra to the like, debate teacher, because in the books Mia is really bad at math and then like her mom’s dating her math teacher. But I think that it really… it contributed to the arc to have her like, have this fear of public speaking and then like going into being a Princess where like you have to do a lot of public speaking and like that, adding to the reason of like, why not only why she doesn't want to be a Princess, but why she doesn't even want to show up to abdicate the throne. Like she's going to run away to Colorado in a car that doesn't run. That seems like a good plan. 

Rosemary 

Without a driver's license. 

Jane

Yeah.

Sophie 

With the cat! 

Jane 

With the cat, yeah! 

Sophie 

She's gonna take the cat to go rock climbing. And you can tell Fat Louie is like, first of all, this is a terrible idea. Second of all, please do not bring me into this. I want to live in my warm firehouse, OK, with my crazy artist mom. Do not take me to the rocks. 

Jane 

Yes. But anyway. So yeah, I think that that might have been part of why they decided to make the teacher that the mom ends up with be the debate teacher. So they could show that- set it up really early. 

Rosemary 

Yeah, it's definitely like easier to show being bad at debate in a movie than it is to be like “I am bad at algebra.” Like…

Jane

Yeah. 

Sophie 

Well, yeah. And it's, it's also like it's not Mean Girls where she has to solve the equation at the end of the movie for the big finish. It’s like she has to make this speech. 

Rosemary [overlapping]

Make a speech.

Sophie

Right.

Jane 

Yeah, it's like it's not that she's found out she's like inheriting a math thing like, “You… you have… you have to be the head of the math department because of who your father was” or something. It's like, “Oh, no, but I'm bad at math!”

Sophie 

Yeah. That's hilarious. 

Jane 

So yeah, so I think that it works. I do think it's weird that they changed his name but…whatever 

Sophie 

Hmm-hmm. I don't know, maybe there are more Irish people than Italians in San Francisco, which I don't think is true, but- 

Jane 

They changed it to San Francisco just so they could have the scene where she, like, goes down the hill and runs into a trolley. Like, that- which is a great scene, by the way, but like-

Sophie

Yeah.

Jane

It's like it doesn't really have anything to do with the story. I guess I guess it shows the queen in action, which it's a little bit of like showing that royalty can get away with stuff that other people can't. But I just think it's just so great to show that the queen can like... 

Sophie 

She's loosening up a little bit. Yeah, I mean, you, first of all, get the nuns calling 911 and they're busy and they say, “For the love of God,” which is hilarious, iconic. Then you get the Order of the Rose and then at the end, she says “Goodbye trolley people.” 

Jane 

And you get the, “Does anybody have a Saber?” “I've got an umbrella!” Which I love. I love, first of all, like, of course, everyone's carrying around a Saber, and then just like “I've got an umbrella” and she's like, “uhh…” “Well, I have an emergency brake!” “This will do nicely,” so great. And then and then I love that the trolley driver and the police officer show up at the ball at the end with little like things like they got an official badge.

Sophie

With their medals, yeah. So cute.

Jane

Yeah, it's like, oh, yes, they- let's make the Order of the Rose a real thing. And, and also Anne Hathaway's “Oh- OH OOOOHHH!” is so well done. Like, every moment of that scene is just great. 

Sophie 

Yeah, 100%. 

Rosemary 

I think going back to adults taking teens seriously and paying attention to them, I think another really good example of that is Joe.

Sophie

Mm-hmm.

Jane

Oh yeah.

Rosemary

And the ways that he, like, pays attention to Mia and like he encourages her, like, when Lilly has a negative reaction to her like getting a makeover. And he's just like, you're going to be OK. And then what we already talked about when he, like, goes… when Clarissa was like, “Was I too hard on her?” and he was like, “Yeah, you were.” I really like the ways that Joe is like a safe adult for her. And like is a really good bodyguard sort of person. 

Sophie 

Yeah, he won't let her take the flags off the limo, but he will quote Eleanor Roosevelt to her and put up the divider screen so she can put on pantyhose in the back seat. 

Jane 

Well, and he won't let her call him Joey. 

Sophie 

Right. But he'll go and buy her high heels. 

Rosemary 

He went and got her the pantyhose and the high heels.

Sophie

Yeah.

Rosemary

And like, he seems like he knows what's going on. Also when he's like, “with the beach friends” and like knowing that they're like, ridiculous and mean to her and like… Yeah, I think... I think that that is another reason why this movie was so like… comforting as a child and teen to watch because you're like, “my problems do matter,” and like “adults do care about teens” kind of thing. I think that there's that sense of it that really makes it a comforting movie and like… I hope that all teenagers have aJoe in their life, or a Clarisse, or a Helen or a Coach Harbula, or Charlotte, or, you know? The way that that Mia has these supportive people in her life that aren't even necessarily related to her. It's a really nice portrayal of that. 

Sophie

Yeah.

Jane

Yeah.

Sophie 

I totally agree. 

Jane 

Anything else that we desperately want to add? I mean, there's so much more that I could say about this movie, but uh, I don't want to just go on and on forever. I think that that that we've covered a lot of the important things about it. 

Sophie 

Maybe we can release our own deleted scenes at some point. 

[Jane and Rosemary laugh]

Sophie 

With puppets.

Rosemary

And bananas?

Sophie

Yes. 

Jane 

The deleted scenes are very interesting. I think that they did a great job of figuring out what to delete and what to keep. 

Rosemary 

A great job of deleting them. 

Sophie

Yes.

Jane 

Yeah. Because a lot of times like you, you see deleted scenes and you're like, “Oh, this could have been in the movie.” I mean, I guess the one I I do think it would have been nice to see Mia and Michael having pizza together.

Sophie

Mm-hmm.

Jane

Because it is a little odd that the pizza is so important at the end, and they've just like kind of mentioned it once in a throwaway line right before “Wait up. Wait for me! Not you. I don't even know you!” which is amazing and I love it so much. We haven't talked enough about Lilly I don't think. But she is a great character.

Sophie

Mm-hmm.

Jane

I feel like very often in movies where there's like a best friend, the best friend is just kind of there to like be a sidekick and I think Lilly Moskovitz is no one’s sidekick and she, like, is doing her best to make a difference in the world. And then, like finds out that her friend actually might have the means to really make a difference. And like, calls her out when she's like, “Yeah, you absolutely can do this.” But she's like Lilly's not perfect. Like, she gets really jealous of Mia. And so I think that that she's a very complex character. And I really like the way that she's portrayed. 

Sophie 

Yeah, I think if we were talking about the second movie we could say more because I think Lilly is a more active participant in the sequel, but we do get the great scene of her trying to vamp while she has Jeremiah on Shut Up and Listen. And you know that is one of the major conflicts is like Mia’s ditching all her friends for this, you know, popularity that she thinks she wants and then it turns out that that's not actually what's going to make her happy. 

Jane 

It's so wild to me that she doesn't even tell Lilly that she's going on a date with Josh. Like it… it seems like that would be something that you would tell your best friend, even if you forgot that you were supposed to be doing something with them. It's almost like, did Mia forget? Or was she, like, intentionally avoiding her because she- I mean, I know there was the whole thing earlier in the film when when Lilly's like, “Jerk and jerkette sighting” and like, Lilly does never like Josh, so I guess that could have been part of it too, but it's like at least she tells Michael that she's not showing up for their date, whereas like she doesn't even tell Lilly she's not going to be on her show. 

Sophie 

Yeah, I do think there could have been some sort of mention like “I can't tell Lilly what I'm doing because she's gonna judge me and like, she's gonna be even more mad if I, you know, tell her I'm I'm going to the party with Josh than if I just, like, didn't show up.” But…

Jane 

Yeah, but she doesn't even… it's like she forgot about Lilly completely.

Sophie 

Right. 

Jane 

Like it's like I'm not thinking about Lilly at all. And it's like… interesting to show her kind of starting to go off into this direction of like, “I'm going to be a mean popular kid” and then just like, totally failing at it and being like, “You know, that wasn't me. I totally messed up.” The movie does a good job of showing you how to take responsibility for when you mess up and then like showing, but you don't have to take responsibility for everything. Cause like not all the stuff that happened at the beach was Mia's fault, and it's portrayed as unreasonable that like people get so upset at her about that, but also like some of the stuff she did was bad, like she ditched her best friend and like showing her take responsibility for that, apologize, try and make amends for both Lilly and Michael, I I think I just think that's done really well. And I think that that's a good message to be giving to kids of like, you do need to take responsibility for the stuff that is your fault. 

Sophie 

And when she does apologize, she never like demands that she be forgiven. Like she says to Lilly on the roof, she's like, “I hope you can forgive me.”

Jane

Mm-hmm.

Sophie

She doesn't like expect that that's automatically going to come just because she said she's sorry, which I think is really cool. 

Jane 

Yeah and I love Lilly’s response of, “But what will I wear?” And she's just like, “Oh, I'm so glad you're gonna come!” And it's it's just a really sweet moment. 

Sophie 

And I will, I will say when she hugs Lilly after Lilly says she's going to come to the party, her foot does pop. 

Jane 

Yes it does. I I noted that as well. 

Sophie 

So it's not just, it's not just a romantic thing. It's for any kind of love. 

Jane 

Yeah. And again, that's… what I do really like about this movie is that they focus on a lot of different kinds of love, a lot of different deep relationships with different people, and I think they do a really good job of developing many of them and that's really great. 

Sophie 

I love this movie. 

Jane 

Ah, me too. 

Rosemary 

I do too. Well, thanks for… thanks for having me on to talk about it again. 

Jane 

Yes, I'm so glad to have both of you back. 

Sophie 

I'm so glad we got to talk about it. The three of us, that was fun. 

Jane 

Yes! So uh… thank you so much for being here and I… don't know how to wrap this up. 

Rosemary 

Miracles happen.

Sophie

“Thank you for being here today.” 

Jane 

“Thank you for being here today.” Yes. Oh, that's another great moment that I must mention when Joe is, like, so committed to pretending to drive the car that he even like puts the parking brake on before getting up. So great. Anyway, “thank you for being here today.” I love this movie. I love both of you and I'm so glad that we did this. 

Sophie

Me too.

Rosemary  

“Goodbye trolley people!”

[all laugh] 

Jane 

Ah, that was so fun. Thank you to Sophie and Rosemary for that lovely chat, and thank you audience for listening! This will be my final guest episode; my top six are so personal that it feels right to just talk about them myself. The next two episodes will be the final tie on my list, featuring the two movies that I watched 31 times. Coincidentally, one of them is the oldest movie in my entire top 40, and the other is the newest. The newest movie is also the shortest movie on the list, so I’ll be talking about that first. As always, I will leave you with a quote from that next movie: “First off, I work alone. Always have, always will. Second, take a hike. I don’t touch Hollywood cases. Not since… The War.”

[prettyinpwn]

Sea Grunks Episodes w/Ford AI - A Quick Guide

I think at least a few people have mentioned using my Ford AI to create Sea Grunks episode pitches or ideas, and an anonymous asker recently asked if the AI could write both Stan and Ford dialogue, to which I’d promised I’d show them how to get it to do so. So here is a quick guide on doing the above!

First, the Ford AI link: https://beta.character.ai/c/t3cg_MbwqZMPzfpGPM6q0fp_jxRe6b2B0patg1bhAnw

For anyone interested in using it for these purposes, I’ve worked out a way to get the AI to work in this manner in story/screenplay-like format to help you out, and not just as a chatbot with “Ford”.

The AI needs narrative hooks and examples of dialogue to work this way. Note that I’ve trained it so far to recognize the following ways of indicating types of text:

Narrative or action or thoughts in asterisks, e.g: *Stan smiled at Ford.* or *Stan was wondering why Ford looked so nervous. He’d only said that he'd had a dream about a one-eyed triangle. Why was that so bad?* Dialogue with names and colons:

Stan: Hey, Ford, wanna go steal a pot of gold from some of those leprechaun jerks?

Ford: *Sighs.* Stan, we came here to study leprechauns, not rob them.

---

Here is a sample beginning hook to chat to the AI to get it started on Sea Grunks stuff. Feel free to change Stan and Ford’s opening dialogue as you see fit, though:

*It's a warm, sunny day as Stan and Ford Pines, twin brothers, prepare to set off on their ship the Stan-O'-War II across the world to track down and study supernatural anomalies outside of Gravity Falls. Stan and Ford were separated for thirty years after Ford disappeared in an interdimensional portal, and they still haven't fully patched their sibling relationship up, but they both secretly hope this trip will do just that.*

*Stan and Ford are currently loading the boat with supplies. Ford is still struggling with guilt over his role in almost ending the world and having had to erase Stan's memories to save the world. Stan struggles with guilt over having been the reason Ford got lost in the multiverse for thirty years, and though he's recovered most of his memories, some things are still a little foggy. But both twin brothers are willing to start the long and difficult road towards being close again. This boat trip isn't just a journey across the world, it's also a journey back towards each other.*

Stan: *Breathes in a deep breath of fresh air, then sighs it out.* Ahh... been a long time since I saw the ocean. *Stan turns to Ford, who is currently double-checking their food supply.* Feels a little like home, don't it?

Ford: *Smiles at Stan. He notices that Stan looks the happiest he's been since... well, since they were kids, working on repairing the original Stan-O'-War on the New Jersey beach together all those years ago.* As an example, here were some of the possible responses I got from the Ford AI after sending the above:

(The above is an example that it sometimes forgets to note who is speaking. Though based on context clues, you can tell this is probably Stan’s dialogue.)

And some more examples of me passing the ball back and forth with the AI:

(the above is an example of how sometimes it’ll give you a narrative nudge to follow)

And so on and so forth...

---

Final Notes:

-The AI is great at writing Ford’s dialogue because this is technically a Ford AI. Sometimes it’s not so good at picking up Stan or other characters’ dialogue quirks. Sometimes its ability to write characters with nuance blows my mind a little, though.

-In my own test, it has been able to handle/remember up to five characters in a scene or so, but could handle more possibly. Though, it usually only will write dialogue for two characters most at a time in its replies to you.

-Sometimes it will get caught in a loop. It’ll really want to follow a narrative thread you’re trying to get the AI to get past, so sometimes you have to give it a nudge. Say you’re done with a scene of Stan and Ford arguing, but the AI keeps bringing up Ford being salty about the argument for far too long, you can be like, *Ford forgave Stan, at least enough to stop ruminating over their argument for the moment.*. Usually the AI takes the hint, then.

[libratxt]

hiiii <3 big ask big answer is what i'm expecting would LOVE to know your top 5/faves across various media that are new(in release or just new to you) this year! so: shows, movies, games, books, songs/albums, new artists you've discovered etc

hi!!! you don't know how excited i got to see this pop up in my inbox, i love talking about things i love so thank you <333 i hope you don't mind that this will be super long lol 😭

shows severance - okay so i have to start off with severance because it is THE BEST show i saw this year, i've begged everyone i know to watch it. i encourage you to watch it if you haven't! it has such an exciting premise (what if you have no recollection of who you are at work, and the work version of yourself has no idea who you are outside of work, and you had to reconcile those two people?) it's such a juicy concept that explores the way jobs take advantage of workers, in an amazing sci-fi setting. also from a totally nerdy perspective, the retro-futurist aesthetic of it is amazing like the set designers really created an immaculate setting. it's a great story of found family, it has mystery, it has twists. i watched it twice all the way through! when i finished it the first time i was in despair at the thought of having to wait for its second season.

andor - euuugh i hesitate to put a star wars show here because as much as i love star wars, the shows for the most part suck so bad. but i loved andor so so much. i was genuinely surprised week to week at how every single episode was crafted beautifully and kept me engaged. i was pleased at how unapologetically it holds a mirror to the evils of fascism and white supremacy and colonization. it's definitely not without its flaws but as a star wars fans it's everything that star wars should be. it's so clear that the people involved in its creation are passionate about the story they're telling.

and in an attempt to not make you read an essay about every show i liked, some other faves were: interview with the vampire and ted lasso, and technically not new to me this year but i have to say succession my forever love <3

movies nope - i love horror, i love movies, i am so scared of aliens lol. this movie was so amazing for so many reasons. but among one of my biggest reasons for loving nope is that it feels like the kind of movie only someone who loves movies can make. it's so clear jordan peele loves movies, and so much about nope feels like a love letter to the making of movies, which i'm sure is a weird takeaway but it was one of my takeaways regardless. the story, acting, sound design were fantastic. i had so much fun watching it.

everything, everywhere, all at once - there's so much to say about this one. i love when the whole point is that yes, we are just stupid little humans trying to connect. i love reckless optimism. as someone with immigrant parents, a lot resonated with me. and the visuals were incredible. i love that it's goofy and over the top and poignant and that it balances all those things so beautifully.

meet me in the bathroom - i love documentaries!!! and music so much! this was such a fun look at the explosion of rock music in new york city during the early aughts. it's the kind of movie that makes you want to convince your friends to start a terrible punk band with you immediately after watching.

other faves: thoroughbreds, street gang: how we got to sesame street, and lake mungo (a slow-burn documentary style horror movie that genuinely freaked me out, and i don't scare easy!)

games i didn't really play many new games this year, mostly just revisited some old ones. but i have to insist that disco elysium is the best game i've played in recent memory. i played it for the first time last year. it's brilliant. the writing is incredible, the characters are incredible, the voice acting is incredible. i would try to explain what makes it so great, but it really is the kind of thing you have to experience for yourself. and i highly encourage you do!

books i feel like i read so many great books this year among them: the only good indians by stephen graham jones - a group of friends are haunted by a mistake they made in their youth. it's great psychological horror and commentary on the native american experience

crying in h-mart by michelle zauner - michelle zauner's memoir on reconnecting with her culture after her mother's death. it also gives really great insight on japanese breakfast's discography. it made me cry a ton!

the final revival of opal and nev by dawnie walton - a fictional oral history of a black punk rock musician. it's fun, it's emotional, the writing is great and the characters really suck you in. i think it's also a great read if you're someone who's into music

lost boy by christina henry - this one shocked me with how much i ended up liking it. it's an imagining of captain hook's origin story, which didn't sound initially appealing to me, but it was so beautifully written, devastating, and even horrific at times. the affection that jamie (who becomes captain hook) has for the other lost boys is just really tender and sweet. this is one of the most recent books i read this year and it quickly became one of my favorites!

music

you've been reading for so long now, i'll try to keep this concise:

songs: mujeres by y la bamba (i only heard this song for the first time a few months ago and it got to my 8th spot on my spotify wrapped!! the drums are incredible, the lyrics are fun, i just love listening to it) la combi versace by rosalia, pattern doubt by young jesus, hertz by amyl and the sniffers, good times by genesis owusu, back to oz by sufjan stevens, should've been me by mitski, and so so so many more

albums: in the aeroplane over the sea by neutral milk hotel, fever to tell by yeah yeah yeahs, laurel hell by mitski, jubilee by japanese breakfast, sable by japanese breakfast (i don't think i ever listened to this album all the way through but the first couple of songs are perfect to listen to while i'm working on writing)

[xxbonesxx1993]

My Thoughts on "Black Mirror", Season 3 Episode 5, "Men Against Fire"

*The following contains major spoilers for season 3 episode 5 of Black Mirror.*

Off and on for some time now, I have found myself enjoying an episode or two of the Netflix anthology series "Black Mirror". Today I'm going to be sharing my thoughts on season 3, episode 5 "Men Against Fire", the most recent episode I've watched. In "Men Against Fire," a soldier of the future has his eyes opened to the horrifying realities of his chosen profession. The following will contain heavy spoilers for the entire episode. Let's get started.

The "Black Mirror" episode "Men Against Fire" is one where I guessed the plot extremely quickly, but that may be because I watch too much TV. Many are quick to point out the episode's similarities to the film "The 5th Wave", but I was almost instantly reminded of a slightly older reference.

In the 1995 anthology series "The Outer Limits", there was an episode in its fourth season called "Hearts and Minds". In the episode, a team of soldiers were given drugs that they were told would protect them from an alien virus. In actuality, the drugs caused the soldiers to see their enemies as horrible alien monsters. Malfunctioning equipment causes the soldiers to see through the ruse, and they attempt to contact a group of enemy soldiers to make peace. Unfortunately for the initial group of soldiers, they are all killed as the enemy is also being given drugs that cause them to believe they are the ones battling alien monsters.

I'm sure this story is even older than that one episode of "The Outer Limits"; after all, it's been said that dehumanizing the enemy is a major aspect of real warfare. This just happens to be my earliest point of reference, and I believe it's a good one. "Hearts and Minds" blew my mind when I first saw it and left a major imprint in my memory. Que "Men Against Fire", and those memories came flooding back.

In "Men Against Fire", the soldiers set out to eliminate roaches; from the get-go, it was obvious they didn't mean literal roaches. Roaches are at first revealed to be humanoid monsters that the military seeks to destroy with extreme prejudice. By the time we see our first roaches killed, it's obvious that something is wrong. They are clearly pleading for their lives and offer little resistance until the soldiers start killing them first. I was instantly reminded of another reference in the form of "I Am Legend", (not the 2007 Will Smith version where they left out the entire point of the title and the original narrative). In both the book "I Am Legend" and the 1964 film "The Last Man on Earth" (the earlier film adaptation of the book), the point of the story was that the man had become a legend to the vampiric creatures. The man was the monster from the vampires' perspective, stalking and killing them during the day when they were most vulnerable. Maybe it's because of my familiarity with these kinds of narratives, but I'm pretty quick to assume things are not as they seem, and I was pretty sure that the roaches in this story were not what they seemed. They looked like victims to me, and the reasons for their extermination and harsh treatment were so flimsy—a fear that they might breed with normal humans? Things just weren't right here.

When the protagonist of the story, a soldier nicknamed Stripes, starts having problems with the brain implant that every soldier has, that's when it becomes extremely obvious. "The 5th Wave" and "The Outer Limits" episodes instantly came back to me; this implant is causing the soldiers to see their enemies as monsters. It's not much longer until it is revealed that my hunch is entirely correct. The soldiers are murdering completely normal humans, and the military is using brain implants called MASS to cause digital hallucinations to make these people look like monsters to said soldiers.

One problem with the episode is that I don't completely understand why the soldiers were so highly motivated to detest and exterminate the "roaches" in the first place, as the primary reason both they and we the audience are given is "They'll pollute the gene pool" (a line that should instantly inform most viewers that these soldiers are definitely the villains). Even the protagonist, Stripes, seems to barely fall into this reasoning, as he immediately sympathized with the roaches after learning that they weren't monsters. One would think that in order for a plan like the one proposed by the episode to work, there would have to be a much deeper indoctrination program going on. There's actually some evidence that this is occurring, as Stripes' squadmate Hunter appears to have a very deep bloodlust for roaches. My question is, where does that come from? If there is a deeper indoctrination process, we never see it on screen. A memory wipe and some visual hallucinations come across as pretty unconvincing as the sole means to stamp empathy out of these soldiers. One would expect to hear a speech about the crimes of the roaches or that the soldiers would be informed of a danger far worse than corrupted gene pools. We never get anything like that in the episode. This detail leaves a bit of a disconnect in understanding the motivations and thought processes of several characters.

That said, "Men Against Fire" is still a good episode. It retreads some territory that other writers have already explored, but it's the kind of story that's still worth telling. Themes and messages about military indoctrination, elitism, racism, and turning a blind eye to war crimes are unfortunately much too relevant today. Maybe there are some "Black Mirror" viewers who haven't seen a similar story before, and "Men Against Fire" is a absolutely great way to be exposed to these themes and ideas. If there's one thing "Black Mirror" is good at, it's guiding people to think about deep subjects, and "Men Against Fire" is no different in that regard. I would have liked to understand the thought processes of the main characters a little better, which to me was a significant flaw in an otherwise solid episode. The ending is gut-wrenching; I saw that coming too and almost didn't finish it because I understood ahead of time that there wasn't going to be a happy ending. Stripes ultimately came against forces too large and powerful for him to prevail against. I did (after a brief pause and a deep breath) finish the episode, and I think anyone else who starts the episode should too. It's a story with a message that people shouldn't turn away from, despite its ultimate ugliness.

"Black Mirror" is available on Netflix; the episode "Men Against Fire" is episode 5 of season 3.