#category: tv

[arbitrarygreay]

So I have this hot take, which is that Utena did nothing wrong during the first arc's Touga episodes. People high on having freshly discovered fictional analysis love to make a lot of hay about Utena not paying attention and ordering Anthy to say what she wants to hear. Implicit is that therefore Utena deserves to have lost, as well as being as complicit as the rest of the Student Council. Such analysis tends to also point to the later 3rd arc moments where Utena admits that she was selfish about her prince self-image. I now find this analysis pretty facile. Per my current Utena post with the most notes, the girl is 14, not even in high school, and an orphan. Holding her to the standards of immortals operating on 5 layers of subtext isn't something we should do to anyone, much less a 14 year old orphan. In fact, I'd think that Utena was showing a higher respect of Anthy's agency to assume that she wouldn't take such obvious rhetoric as a literal command, because Utena was treating her as an equal who is allowed to either disagree with her or might appreciate someone speaking in solidarity for her. What benefit is there to policing Utena's already extremely milquetoast language? (And that doesn't even get into the part where Anthy was lying the whole time about her obligation to obey her "groom". The whole point of the damn show is that she could chose to disobey even Akio. Utena never had any authority over Anthy, and neither did Utena have any evidence of an enforcement mechanism for that obedience, which is why Utena thought that she could dispose of that power dynamic by simply saying "nah, we're not doing that", which is fully reasonable to think!) Watching Star, another aspect comes into play, which is culture clash, particularly as it applies to class dynamics. In Star (which is centered on Atlanta Black culture), people talk over each other and make orders on others' behalf and order each other to do things incessantly. Speaking in the declarative just how they talk. Noticing, much less having or respecting boundaries is for for the people who didn't grow up in the lower class (and so scoffed at by the people in the neighborhood). In fact, not crossing those boundaries is often a limitation on getting ahead, dictated by the need to hustle. Being overly familiar with each other is often cast as a love language. Holding back for dignity is seen as class privilege, and the upper class in turn wrongly sneer at the apparent lack of sensitivity as vulgarity. What does RGU look like if it was set in inner-city America? What does that first Touga arc look like? How should 14 year old orphans speak when defending their friends from bullies? What ethical/moral judgements should be imposed upon their language?

[aphel1on]

i have such a love for characters who descend into madness or villainy out of deep, deep empathy. characters who fundamentally cannot cope with the cruel realities they find themselves in and blow up about it in spectacular fashion. fallen angel type characters with tears of outrage in their eyes. characters who break before they bend, and break so badly they splatter blood all over their noble ideals. every variation on it gets me so good

[dykejaskier]

THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER 1.8 — The Raven

[writeouswriter]

Look, look, some of the deepest, most intricately detailed, real and profound media I’ve ever seen is also the stupidest, most ridiculous and strangest media I’ve ever seen, promise me you’ll get real weird with it

[rawliverandgoronspice]

I think what particularly annoys me with the "zelda was always gameplay before story" is that... it's not true? At least I don't think it's true in the way people mean it.

Zelda games were always kind of integrating story based on the standards of the time. When game stories were in game pamphlets, Zelda's stories was in the pamphlets. ALTTP tried to tell a pretty complicated stories with the limitations of the time. OoT was actively trying to tell an epic, cinematic tale packed with ambiance and expand what 3D could offer that 2D games struggled with. Majora's Mask is deeply character-driven in many, many ways. Wind Waker and Twilight Princess are both pretty concerned about their stories, down to the point that some people were bored by TP's cutscenes in particular. Skyward Sword, from what little I have played it, is very very invested in its characters and their journey (and 2D Zeldas have Link's Awakening, Minish Cap... None of them are visual novels, but they are concerned with emotional journeys, character arcs, mysteries about their own world...)

What is true is that the narrative wraps around the mechanics, and not the other way around. The mechanics drive themes, aesthetics, emotional beats and character journeys; and that's great. The world is a puzzle, and the world is delightfully absurd when it needs to be, full of heart when it calls for it, dark and oppressive when it suits the player experience.

That does not mean the games aren't invested in their stories. Even BotW has a pretty complicated story to tell about an entire world rather than one specific tale or legend --all of it at the service of the gameplay, which is exploration and mastery of your environment.

So. Yes, none of the Zelda games are million-words long visual novels that care deeply about consistency and nuance; but stories don't need consistency or deep lore to be meaningful and serve an emotional journey. Again: gameplay is story. The two cannot be so easily parsed from each other.

And Zelda as a franchise obviously care deeply about story, characters and setting (and still does right now --otherwise there wouldn't be a movie), even if it doesn't try to imitate prestige narrative-driven games, which is great and part of why I love this series so much. Doesn't mean it couldn't have done better in the past, it obviously could have, but I feel like pretending that nobody ever cared about story or character is just... false? It's a huge disservice to the devs too. Some of them obviously cared immensely.

The "gameplay above story", at least in the extent to which it is paraded today to defend TotK, mostly, is a really recent development. And I think it's one that deserves to receive some pushback.

[nerd4music]

THE WALKING DEAD: THE ONES WHO LIVE | S1E5: Become

[jone-slugger]

As someone who got into science fiction later in life, I find it quite comforting to see that there are still a lot of people obsessing and discussing about tv shows that were on the air 30 years ago.

It makes me feel much less alone, and connected to a whole group of people who, like me, find some of these stories and characters so compelling they can't not talk about them and share their love for the narratives.

And that's the power of fiction, of stories that make us feel closer to our humanity and to humanity in general.

[mewkwota]

It wasn't until I joined Twootor that I realized people had the hots for Omega-Xis. In hindsight, I shouldn't be surprised, but I never really considered it back then. Think of this like an "Ah I see..." moment.

Btw I'm not shaming any of you, just know I see it and I understand.

[memesfromstuff]

* THE BOYS S01E01 STARTERS.

"how's he gonna find his dick? it's invisible."

"get up, get up! come on, come on!"

"stay back. just stay the fuck back!"

"what are you smiling at?"

"you okay?"

"can i… can i get a selfie?"

"i really need to talk to you about something."

"later, kid."

"i'd like to make an appointment for you to come over and lay some cable."

"that doesn't mean what you think it means."

"laying cable means sex."

"that's disgusting."

"despite your best efforts, i'm actually still hungry."

"i'm actually more hungry now."

"where are we gonna go after all this hot talk?"

"what was i supposed to do? kick his door down."

"i said okay."

"yeah, but you didn't mean it."

"i don't think that's… i don't think that's true."

"well excuse me for waiting."

"you ever heard of chivarly?"

"listen, this is about you getting what you deserve."

"hey, don't you ever besmirch billy joel."

"i can't stop, i can't stop, i can't stop, i can't stop."

"let the energy go through the wall."

"you should look away."

"i hated it. i mean i can still smell the hairspray."

"but it wasn't a joke to me."

"since when did hopeful and naive become the same thing?"

"i mean why would you get into this business if not to save the world?"

"just, uh, don't get upset, okay?"

"i sign this and i can't talk about it?"

"look, i know you're upset, but we're just trying to help."

"then say you're sorry."

"i mean, you people say 'our condolences' and 'my sympathies' and 'our

regrets', but nobody can look me in the fucking eye and say 'i'm sorry!'"

"i'm not signing anything, get out."

"can i think about it?"

"we could really use the press right now."

"don't worry, i didn't get the job."

"if you're negative, negative things happen to you."

"come sit with me."

"good for you. you want to make this right, what happened. but you can't."

"this is a lot of money. we could really use it."

"be realistic."

"you can't do this."

"you don't have the fight, you never have."

"i'm sorry, but it's true."

"are all these people here for me?"

"i- i haven't done anything yet."

"yeah, that's why we love you."

"so, you ready for your life to change?"

"pretty cool, huh?"

"i used to stand in the mirror, pretending to be where i am right now."

"on my first day, i felt like a fraud. but the good news is, everybody feels that way."

"and hey, we're a team now. we'll help each other out."

"i hope that's not inappropriate to say."

"settle down, we're just talking."

"look, i know that you're powerful. i get it."

"your powers are no joke."

"goes to show you, doesn't it? the bollocks people will believe, if you get them

scared enough."

"cool. cool, cool."

"i'm not gonna piss you about. i heard what happened."

"i'm sorry, who are you?"

"i said who the hell are you, how do you know that?"

"listen, i was thinking that you and me should have a bit of a chat."

"you don't sound like a fed."

"you got it all wrong. it's what i can do for you."

"if you knew half the shit they get up to… fucking diabolical."

"how do you spank a supe?"

"you'll love it."

"thank you for an extremely weird conversation."

"i don't wanna go to a second location with you."

"this is your one and only, mate. once i go i'm gone."

"what have you got to lose that you ain't already lost?"

"where are we?"

"keep your mouth shut."

"fucking hypocrite."

"you want to hear something crazy?"

"dude, that's nasty."

"they're fucking laughing."

"so what are you gonna do about it?"

"oh, for chrissakes. clean yourself up."

"never let them see you like this."

"someone's fucking hiding something."

"like what, like i'm fucking james bond?"

"no, no. i can't, okay?"

"i'm not an infiltrator."

"i'm sorry, i'm just gonna fuck it up."

"i'm not… i'm not like you."

"i know, i know, it's a tough swallow."

"i think maybe you can."

"friendship does cut both ways."

"i don't know what you're talking about."

"i'm fine, i'm just having a bad day."

"and… i didn't fight. and now i just feel sick."

"turns out i'm not who i thought i was."

"sorry, i didn't mean to just dump all of that on you."

"just 'cause you fall on your ass doesn't mean you have to stay there."

"that's not who you are. so, who are you?"

"i'm a fighter. i'm gonna fight. i'm gonna take that son of a bitch's head clean

off his body."

"little scary, but- but cool."

"okay, man. i'm in."

"don't want to be late to your first official meeting."

"i had a whole welcome speech planned."

"beginning to wonder if you'd even show up. all that pressure, it's a lot for

anyone to swallow."

"i'm here, and i'm not going anywhere."

"can we get back to this, please? this is a serious crime."

"now, what i do want to hear, is who you saved this week. huh?"

"that's that? that was- that was a lot. th- i've- hold on, can you just- can you

repeat it again?"

"or you can take the blue pill. or is it the red pill? anyway, take the other pill

and quit being a cunt."

"which pill do you want me to take?"

"just quit being a cunt, that's what i'm saying."

"could you empty your pockets, please?"

"accidents happen, right?"

"after all, i mean, you were saving the world."

"can i use your bathroom?"

"and i look him right in the eye, and i smile."

"that was awesome, man."

"i get why you dig this job."

"i think it's best that i take it from here, you know what i mean?"

"i know you can help. i got it."

"you ever seen an asshole tear up 45k?"

"i'd appreciate your discretion."

"of course. you have my word."

"you think i wouldn't find this?"

"who was he?! he put you up to this?"

"do you think i'm a fucking idiot?"

"sorry about the mess."

"you should fuck off."

"you're gonna fucking tell me, or i'm gonna smash your fucking scalp off."

"is he… is he dead?"

"well, he ain't moving."

"would've taken me forever to work that one out."

"let's get him in the booth. the trunk."

"we're both in a shitload of trouble."

"what?! then who the fuck are you?!"

[pinkdean]

I just. I'll shut up soon. But Tumblr already has a "for you" tab, recommended posts, blogs you might like, AND the "best stuff first" option. You don't need to change anything else those features are already there for the freaks that want them. Leave the rest of us alone

[things-ford-pines-missed]

hello ! this is a blog for compiling a list of various things ford missed out on due to getting portaled!

asks more than welcome!! :D you can send as many asks as you want but itd be nice if you kept it to one item an ask !! anything more than two items per ask is almost definitely going to get deleted sorry

posts are tagged with the year, general category, and poster for organization

queue posts three times a day now to make it more manageable

(we're working on the 1982 timeline, presumably *correct me if I'm wrong*, so anything you can think of that occured/was created after late february 1982 and before early august 2012, it's fair game. send away!)

[arbitrarygreay]

Another thing I really like about Numb3rs (finishing S3) is how they've handled cast turnover. They introduce the replacement characters super early and have them recur several times before the exiting character does so, so that we have new team dynamics already well in play. As well, there's amounts of team role overlap, so that once a character has exited, the fact that some of their role is taken up by remaining characters shows how those relationships had permanent impact. Plus, the lower ambition procedural part means that there's no artistic urge to kill these characters off. They can just get on that bus and come back whenever the actors feel like it. The way Numb3rs has given themselves a lot of options this way prevents them from getting kneecapped in the writing when cast members leave or need a temporary absence. To compare and contrast, look at Person of Interest, who in the earlier seasons had this flexibility when it came to enemy factions. Some of their best episodes came from the fact that three or more factions were interfering with each other simultaneously. However, in the latter seasons this narrowed down to just Samaritan. And then when Sarah Shahi needed maternal leave, this resulted in their sandbagging on plot until she returned, not having good enough options to rejigger the arcs Shaw's absence truncated. Of course, it's not like modern shows can afford to go back to the Numb3rs model, because Numb3rs was from an era of relatively unambitious procedurals who could expect to get many episodes and many seasons to come, so they could slowburn these developments. Right now, it's all about the laser focused pseudo-film miniseries approach, with the odds that they'll get cancelled without warning. If the old procedurals were pyramids, the new shows are Jenga towers.

[chalamet-chalamet]

7/12/23-Apple is nominated but this is still cool

[dykejaskier]

We have to remember that there's the family that you're born into, and then there's your chosen family. That's what we are. We're a chosen family, and it's a rare thing. — Guillermo de la Cruz, "The Portrait" (S3E10)

[mylittleredgirl]

anybody genuinely clicking "follow" on a blog they like right now is so brave, it's like they're walking into machine gun fire. their pinned post had better be a video of them selecting each image containing a bus

[altontowerspolls]