#homer goes to college

[classic-simpsons]

THE SIMPSONS 05.03 | Homer Goes to College

[flyinghellfish]

[heliphantie]

"Homer Goes to College", ep.3(84) of S5 (October 14, 1993).

"Rosebud", ep.4(85) of S5 (October 21, 1993).

I want to make these drawings kinda sketchy and loose – because I want them to be done quickly, I’m getting lazy, and because I want to honor imperfect, loose style of original things. It’s not that easy to do deliberately sketchy work so it would still look finished and not half-baked. Maybe I’m going to master it to the end of this project…

[duranduratulsa]

Up next on my 90's Fest Movie 🎬 🎞 🎥 🎦 📽 marathon... The Simpsons : Homer Goes To College (1993) on classic DVD 📀! #tv #television #animation #comedy #thesimpsons #homergoestocollege #90s #90sfest #durandurantulsas4thannual90sfest

[megahorous]

Your Bra Bomb better work, Nerdlinger

[hieronymus-botch]

Pet peeve of the day: When leftists treat The Simpsons as proof that capitalism is getting worse. Main characters having far larger homes than they could realistically afford with their job and housing market is a well-established sitcom trope, and then on top of that The Simpsons is a fucking cartoon where a town government can enact prohibition and Homer can become an astronaut with no qualifications and 2 weeks of training, you should not be taking it as some kind of realistic accurate depiction of the average American standard of living in 1989.

[ur-mousey]

If you’re doing requests could you write smth smutty with jeffery from class of 09 x female reader w some dubcon

Benzo-Addict ~

- Yandere!Jeffery x F!Reader -

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Part Two, Part Three

summary Drugs have always been your friend. A source of courage and tonight's no different. Now it's time to fuck a nerd. Hope your BF understands. 1.8k

warning college AU, mature, non-con, heavy drug use, hostage situation, violence.

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** Choice ** Head home, hang in the res quad with the other losers, or hot box it in a classroom with Nicole and Jecka. * click *

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"Nicole, what the fuck is a benzosexual exactly?" Your head whipped to the side at record speed. "Sounds..." You wormed your finger into a salty chip bag while pondering something profound to say other than the obvious: "Not good." There goes anything English has taught you about synonyms. You popped a chip in your greedy mouth. The tang if vinegar and talt collided on your tongue. This shit was disgusting.

Yet, you were on the cusp of moaning with each solid crunch. But, you held your tongue at bay.

"I feel like we had this conversation before." Nicole hummed around the shared point. Inhale. Exhale. Then, she expelled a puff of smoke into the dust flurries kicked up in their shuffle.

The classroom was barren of decore. Stiff and desolate, a reminder that teachers truly made the space, whereas professors rotate. And this fact was wholly evident. The walls stay bare through decades of season. Autumn is born in beige and Spring arises in that same fate, ending the year in beige.

It's astonishing how this educational prison stood in the glory of its singular doodle of Homer with nothing accompanying it on the wall.

And the desks were neatly arranged, bolted to the ground. Only the chairs beckoned students to sit as they were haphazardly thrown. It seemed as if they patiently waited for the next class's arrival. Lonely in nature until chosen for the hour. But, Friday afternoon meant that classes seldom came to these halls

"It's because we had, Nicole." Jecka retorted before gesturing to you, "She just wasn't here for it."

Nicole scoffed, "Sucks for her that she missed all the pedophiles. Now she gets the regular-enough shit, aka standard rapists. I bet even then, they have CP somewhere on their computer."

Jecka puffed her chest up before sighing dramatically. "Remind me again why are you still Hitler? Oh, wait you just did. Grow out of it."

“I’ve grown, obviously~ because I can’t call every man a pedophile in relationship to me. Your whore sister, in 10th grade, she’s surrounded by them by the dozen… See!? Development, bitch.”

** Bzzzz **

"Okay, Nicole is Hitler, but what's a benzosexual?" You urged the pair on. You felt your phone buzz in your back pocket. But you decided to ignore it for now.

"Someone attracted to the unconscious," Jecka twirled her fingers around a singular strand of honey-blonde hair. It almost glowed too brightly in the setting sun. "There was this stupid, insufferable, jock named Kylar at our high school. Who was constantly -and I mean it, constantly- putting weird shit in girls drinks. They'll pass out, and I know he got off to it. A girl that helpless..."

** Bzzzz ** ** Bzzzz **

"Isn't that illegal? Like, shouldn't you guys've reported him?"

"He played lacrosse," Nicole muttered. "Reporting it wouldn't do shit. Sports players get molested all the time by their grimy coaches, and it’s the girl's fault.”

** Bzzzz ** ** Bzzzz ** ** Bzzzz ** ** Bzzzz **

"Truly the Pessimist," You hissed through gritted teeth while reaching for another bite to calm your munchies.

Nicole's stare momentarily flashed to your face, eyes redden and lazy, smoke swirling out her nose, before she leaned further in.

** Bzzzz ** ** Bzzzz ** ** Bzzzz **

"It's Jeffery, huh?"

Your phone was currently blowing itself shitless. The tone of each call or message traveled upwards into the silence. The vibrations climbed your spinal cord like a wooden ladder, propping its feet between your bones, propelling into your eardrums. You cringed. All of this, why? A single moment was swiftly grasped by Jeffery's sudden insistence on a response to whatever you didn't care about. You two were meant to be ex-lab partners, not penpals of 1000+ messages each.

You retrieved your phone. 20 missed calls and 50+ texts.

"Forget creeps like Kylar when there's Jeffery. God couldn't keep him away from us. It's always the kids like him who don't go missing."

Jecka cackled, and her chin came to rest on the top of your shoulder. She read while you scrolled languidly. "Um, good luck playing into his fetishes. Being his... mommy!? And all. Meow~"

You flushed all red, "Don't read it!"

This isn’t the first time Jecka teased you with the force of a rabid cat caller. She did it unabashedly and the pain of her comments left its marks on your face. You made a simple mistake, and that was defending Jeffery during the first week of classes. To you, he was a sweet, smart and charismatic guy, albeit all, a tad socially awkward. Scratch that -he was a lost cause concerning social interactions. It wasn’t horrendous or anything. It made talking to him before stress-free. Now it’s a different story.

There were times as Jeffery’s lab partner that should’ve had you sprinting out of Environmental Science. But, you sucked your tongue tight to the roof of your mouth and smiled without the corners reaching your eyes. He’d crossed the lines of your acquaintanceship too many times to count. You’re the one at fault, no? You were the one that led him on. Why the fuck didn’t you get angry at him but at yourself?

One random Monday, Jeffery gave you a hentai DVD to you with an accompanying notebook which explained his depraved inner thoughts; '@ 1:47, I watched as the 40-feet cat women stepped on guy's penis. And I wish that were you doing it to me The sight made my hand go faster till total completion.'

And frankly, you didn't want to know that. Jeffery, the weird otaku obsessed with NaruParty13, whom you felt bad for, proved to be a complete freak.

With your first semester ending, you closed that chapter of being his lab partner. In came new housing, with your boyfriend and away from the dorms, and less frequent trips to the dining hall, which meant fewer interactions with Jeffery. For literal fuck sake, you shared zero classes together, nor were you a part of the same major. Your paths strayed from one another. You entertained small talk here and there when it felt inevitable. Any sane person would let this lack of relationship go. Not Jeffery. 

"I'm not playing into anyone's kinks aside from my own." You stuck your tongue out, shoving Jecka away.

"And sometimes your sleaze boyfriend."

"Yeah, 'cause I'm perfect 10 with a high libido." You mocked, matching your pitch to Jecka's. "And Cody's not a total sleaze."

Nicole tapped your shoulder with the joint in hand, "He's as depraved as any other man. Hence the usage of the word total."

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** Choice ** Snatch the weed, or confront Jeffery. * click *

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You could deal with Jeffery another day.

You were like a kite soaring through the sky. Your mind fell far into a different plane of existence than your own, but you didn't mind. The world was spinning. And, if you were in a room, you couldn't tell. No amount of stable ground could keep your feet stationed. Your vision was decorated in fuzz and pixels. And, in a twist of fate, you thought yourself tumbling forward.

You had taken it. Nicole's shit- that joint was strong as fuck. The first drag knocked your chest back in reverie. Yet you kept ripping. By the time you had left campus, you were inflicted with giggles, and you'd remained starry-eyed throughout dinner.

Then came the Friday night club scene. You downed shots like a bad bitch. Ghandi would be proud.

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You stumbled through the shared flat with Cody. Your lips entangled with each other in battle. His hands groped your hips and pinched its flesh with fervent joy. His lips were chapped and his tongue held the remnants of beer. You enjoyed its taste against the mint of your gum.

Your boyfriend pulled away. Your name breached passed moans and whines, sobering your tequila-filled belly slightly. "Babe, please grab the Percocet... In the cabinet." Cody damn near whined. You nodded furiously, and your brain rattled against your skull.

He smacked a sloppy kiss on your forehead before shooing you away.

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** Choice ** Sober up with water, or take a dive into prescription pill wonderland. * click *

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And down the hatch, the Percocet goes.

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"You... you little shi- Fuck!"

Cody? Was that you?

His words felt miles away and your head ached. You knew Cody was crying really ugly. Was he talking to you? Were you dying? You were neither here nor there. And faintly, you registered the sound of skin impacting skin. It was unmistakable.

Cody screeched, "That hurts dipshit!"

"You ruined her. People ruined her," A disembodied voice spoke over you. You groaned, head swirling with more things than one. Could it be a dream? Where were you? How were you here? If you opened up your eyes, would you be able to see? "She was absolutle... Beauty! A perfect girl rivaling those of the anime girls in Doki Doki Daisuke. It was as if God answered my prayers and brought her to life in front of me. That's who she is to me -perfect as the day I met her... Before she met mean girls like Nicole. And, before she allowed you to defile her."

"Fuck," Cody screeched. "What the hell are you talking about!? We were dating before that whore, Nicole!" Who are you talking to?

Cody? I'm scared. I can't... get out of my own head.

His voice continued. "Look man, she was never going to be with you. We started going steady in high school. You were some bizarre loser, a complete neet, who got assigned as her lab partner. For fuck sake, she would've ignored you still without me or her friends. You are just a nuisance who can't take no for an answer! Is this your final attempt to get her to look at you!? Huh... HUH!? Well? Is it working? Does she see you now? Fuck no -she's unconscious! Guess who you're talking to? ME!!!"

Fingers carded over your scalp, itching at your crown. You tingled all over, and the coldest breath ghosted over your cheeks. "I would treat her better. I would put her on a pedestal that rivals Yuno Gasai, whom I believe to be the sluttiest and most desirable anime girl."

Was that voice Jeffery? You managed to whine at that, and you were promptly shushed -consoled like a child.

"She's like this because of you. You're supposed to protect her. What boyfriend allows his girlfriend to get this drugged out."

Silence.

Cody? Are you still there? Like actually, there? I don't understand. Why is this happening? What even is happening to me?

After a while, your boyfriend tsked, "She's a fucking addict, and it is hot as shit. Imagine what a drugged-up slut would do to please you."

Pause.

"Besides, You aren't at all above it. Don't act like you're better than me. Ain't it true that you roofie bitches? Hehe, now you're coming after my druggie girlfriend. Some SHIT!!"

"Y'a know, you talk too much," Jeffery whispered. And you found the strength within yourself to peel your eyes open. You were home. The few nicknacks you displayed glared into your retinas. Once, twice, it felt unbearable to blink. Your gaze started at the carpet, swooping to the left then the right, along the walls, and down to center

Your boyfriend's stared back at you. Then came the...

Screams.

You hadn't comprehended the missing beats of Cody's responses until then. In that state of limbo, words tied together rhythmically. Now, each plea and wail came out differently past battered lips. He begged you to run through swollen tongues and lips.

Each pause was a catch of breath. Cody's chest rose and fell in quick succession. His face was bloodied. Swirled vermillion, slathered by a pair of hands. Where the original wound is, you couldn't tell. It was all over the place. Ropes circled his chest, soaking up red, and kept him strapped to a wooden dining chair.

"Co-" You sputtered. You couldn't stop the onslaught of coughs that inched its way up your throat. Before you could say anything more, Jeffery's palm smashed against your mouth. He finally gained your attention, all while waving a knife around.

"My darling sweetheart," Jeffery cooed with adoration. "I'll handle the trash. Go back to sleep. I was just about to silence him."

You wanted to vomit. You hoped that the acidity would transport you to a reality where you were kneeling over a toilet. Or a bush, fuck it. It could be anywhere than this. You'll take on hang-over Central despite any day over this. You'll say fuck drugs and then by next week, you're on it again.

You just couldn't stay away from Percs and Robo.

Jeffery's appearance was disheveled, a stark contrast from what you were accustomed to. His hair was overgrown and unkempt with inky strands that poked from every angle. It was utterly impossible to look away. His crazed eyes darted across your face, searching within you for something you weren't sure you had to offer.

He turned from you, speaking to Cody. "Stop screaming! I'll gut you if you interfere."

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** Choice ** Figure out what's next, or miss part 2, bitch. * click *

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Thank you for reading! Request rules are here! Follow my ig = lil.thoughts.xo! Part Two, Part Three

Due to the nature of the game, I tried writing differently than what I consider normal. But I had so much fun writing for this fandom. Can't wait to do it again.

[midmaysunray]

Hello there, it’s me Momo🩷

(Also, this is a shit posting blog, might wanna check out @shunrehihosumedha )

Here’s a little description of things I love and envy

I’m from the Indian subcontinent.

Spent my entire childhood between mountains and valleys. For a change shifted to Delhi which I regret tremendously.

I love farming, gardening, stitching clothes, crocheting, writing poems and maintaining a journal.

I enjoy long walks and bicycle rides.

I prefer going to a bookstore or a restaurant all by myself. I love self-dates.

I want to settle someday at an unknown meadow with mountains and lakes at a cottage core house, with big windows and minimalistic furniture with a wooden chimney, a library with some cats and the man I love.

I’m a student, fortunately academically gifted/blessed.

I did my undergrad from Indraprastha college for women under the university of Delhi in the discipline of geography Hons. Currently pursuing my masters from Jamia Millia Islamia.

I love movies; and my favourite genre is dystopian reality. So far I have watched 750+ movies which include almost every linguistic diversity as I strongly believe in the adherence of, “you can’t find gold unless you dig the dirt.”

I love reading books, like a lot. I can speak 5 different languages and out of them, 3 languages are engraved within my system. Starting from Greek Literature Iliad by Homer to metaphysics by aristotle; reading short stories of Rabindranath Tagore in Bengali as well as reciting Gazals of Gulzar in Hindi itself, I believe I have defined base in my own culture as well as to others. Again, when it comes to dystopian, I envy reading The Hunger Games and The Maze Runners. Do Androids dream of electric sheep? Comes under my top 5 dystopian reads; as this book was later adopted into a world class movie franchise called The Blade Runner. I lean towards Harry Potter more than The Lord of the Rings. I have read A song of ice and fire which people are so batshit crazy about and famously known as the “Game of thrones.” I didn’t watch a single episode but I know more than any fan I believe.

If you intervene and ask, then yeah you can think of me as a “nerd” hehehe because my preference and taste of things leans towards being more of geek tbh🩷🩷

I also enjoy watching animated series/anime and sit coms. I’m a sucker for The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon and will rewatch them for an eternity if asked. My favourite anime is Gintama but the list is peculiar and long as I have been watching anime/reading manga since I was 9 years old. My first anime was Dragon Ball z and Pokémon. I also watched Doraemon and Shinchan series/movies. The list goes on when it comes to entertainment but mine is more restricted than common which people watch out of peer pressure. Below are some examples for understanding my taste and likings.

My favourite dystopian movies are (Top 20)

1. Shutter Island.

2. Interstellar

3. The Dark knight

4. The Dark knight Rises

5. Captain America: the winter soldier

6. Rouge one: a star war’s story

7. Tron legacy

8. Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban

9. The Hobbit: the desolation of Smaug

10. Star Trek Enterprise

11. Star Wars: the empire strikes back

12. Blade runner

13. Blade runner 2049

14. Dune

15. V for vendetta

16. Maze runner

17. The Hunger Games

18. Oblivion

19. The Truman show

20. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind

Top 15 Anime

1. Gintama

2. Neon Genesis Evangelion

3. Berserk

4. Mob psycho

5. Steins Gate

6. Violet evergarden

7. Monster

8. Parasyte

9. Heavenly delusion

10. Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure

11. Full Metal Alchemist

12, That time when I got reincarnated as a slime

13. Campfire cooking in another world with my absurd cooking skills

14. Barakamon

15. Bunny Drop

Top 10 Anime Movies

1. Princess Mononoke by Studio Ghibli

2. Up from the poppy hill by Studio Ghibli

3. My neighbor Totoro by Studio Ghibli

4. The End of Evangelion by Hideaki Anno

5. Spirited Away by Studio Ghibli

6. Perfect blue by Satosi Kon

7. Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo

8. Ghost in the Shell by Mamoru Oshii

9. Violet evergarden: the movie by Taichi Ishidate

10. Doraemon: Nobita’s new dinosaur by Kazuaki Imai, Toshihisa Yokoshima, in collaboration with Kyoto animation studio Wasabi Mizuta, Megumi Ohara, Shihoko Hagino.

I know it may seem boring and I usually don’t find people with such diversity, but it would be good to be a part of this community. I envy people who respects art and literature of every culture and not demeaning them.

[ladyloveandjustice]

I liveblog the Odyssey (The Liveblogyssey)

'I've been listening to and reading The Odyssey (Emily Wilson's translation) and I've been rambling a lot to my partner, so I thought I would also liveblog my first impressions! I read parts of The Odyssey in high school and college but never the whole thing start to finish.

Athena spoils half the plot right off, I mean obviously I knew it already, but still. We start near the end of the story with Odysseus trapped on Calypso's island, Telemachus really upset that the suitors are EATING ALL THEIR SHEEP, and the beginning follows Telemachus around as he travels around to try to learn about his dad and if he's alive. Which... we know he is so that takes a little of the tension out of it.

(Seriously, Telemachus is very fixated on the sheep thing. I get that it's a big source of food but maybe you should be a little more concerned about your mom fending off 108 suitors bud).

Athena in disguise goes to meet and accompany him, appearing as an older man, and this translation is very simple and accessible (though there are definitely moments of beautiful prose) but this sometimes leads to really awkward lines like Telemachus telling Athena in disguise "I will give you a precious, pretty treasure as a keepsake to mark our special friendship" which like. are you hitting on him Telemachus you just said you think he's fatherly.

Telemachus is going thru it though. so you can't help but feel bad for him. "My mother says I am his son, but I can't be sure [...} I wish I were the son of someone lucky, who can grow old at home, instead the most unlucky man alive is said to be my father." Like that one of the times you feel the connection going back thousand of years so fiercely, the idea of having no connection to your father because you've never met him and he doesn't even feel like your dad, just a story, and too bad you can't be the son of someone who's around.

Meanwhile, a super unintentionally funny lin from young Mac is "The poets are not to blame for how things are, Blame Zeus." which yeah, that sums up most of Greek myth doesn't it! (also very funny of Homer to be like "be nice to poets, they're cool".) He also tells his own Mom to go back to the kitchen so he can assert to the suitors he's in charge and there's a man in this house, but we are reading a story from 8th century BC so.

Anyway he goes around with Athena travelling and learning about his dad, and honestly, the Odyssey is so funny. Love the part where Nestor is like "oh if only Athena favored you as she did her father" and Telemachus is like “Yeah Athena’s not on my side” :/ and she's just. sitting there with him and says”hmm are you sure I think she maybe is probably"

(and then she's like "btw to gods don't control who lives and who dies TELEMACHUS we can't even protect our mortal loved ones (but please ignore all the times we've actively killed people) and also! also! I think your dad should be grateful to go on a cool quest and be alive when he could have just died the second he left Troy, think about THAT!!!)

then she just randomly turns into a bird and leaves after ensuring Telemachus has good sleeping arrangements. Telemachus never reacts to this, everyone else is just like "omg Athena!!" he says nothing I assume he was just standing there in slackjawed shock for the next couple of hours and going over all the embarrassing things he said.

Also we get to see Helen! And I knew from earlier Greek studies that people today acting like she was dumb just because men found her attractive was misogynist nonsense. But now I get to be extra mad because the woman isn't just not dumb, she's really intelligent and observant!

Not only does she immediately figure out who Telemachus is because she saw him when he was a newborn (how??) and relays that during the Trojan war she was the only one able to recognize odysseus when he came to her place in disguise and gave him intel, but most importantly she talks about "the day the Greeks marched off to troy, their minds fixated on war and violence. They made my face the cause that hounded them". Just subtly calling the whole army out. She knows they didn't actually go to war for her. She knows she was just an excuse, and a weak one at that. She knows they wanted this war, they wanted this violence.

So yeah, Helen is smart as hell! Screw that "Everyone wanted Helen of Sparta I wanted someone a little smarter" shit from Epic, sexist nonsense, I'm glad that song was cut.

She also mentions that "Aphrodite made her go crazy" when she agreed to run off, which could be literally true (Aphrodite did tend to do that) or a clever way to protect her reputation after leaving her husband.

Helen also has drugs, which I imagine is a big reason everyone liked her. The total package. But uh, she also does drugs everyone's drinks without apparently telling them. With what sounds like superpowered magic weed or something, to make them mellow and calm and erase anxiety and depression. It says "Whoever drinks this mixture for the bowl will shed no tears that day not even if her mother or father should die" which uh actually seems kind of dangerous! But Telemachus is goin' thru it, so maybe he could use it. but apparently it doesn't work (or takes a long time to kick in} because Telemachus gets upset anyway and says things like "This makes it worse! Courage could not save my father's life!" and wants to go to bed. (PS she got the weed from Egypt, and it's nice that the story is very complementary about Egyptians, calling them the "healer's people").

And then we've finished Telemachus's depression session and get back to Penelope. THE SAGA CONTINUES IN PART 2.

[contritecactite]

As ever, it takes the tiniest hint of encouragement (thanks @grimboigio ) to goad me into generating a wall of text. Well, actually, the wall was already there. Big big Hades II spoilers below in the form of messy half-baked notes I've been jotting down as I play. Some are just things that I got excited about, but there's a tiny sliver or two of theories and expectations.

I think we're headed for no happy ending, just acceptance—the battle is against Chronos, but it's really about *time* as a concept; for these gods, time really did take its toll and change the way mortals relate to them. Supergiant will never make another sequel for the same reason: things belong in their own time.

The lycaons *could* just be heralding Cerberus, but they somehow give me a sense of the trappings of Roman the Empire creeping in (in an intentional, storytelling way). Same with the emptiness of Ephyra and the hints of war in the mortal aspect. It feels like this is the fall of the cultures we now call "ancient Greece" as told through the eyes of the gods who get left behind or changed.

Apollo is giving me traitor vibes. He had a line about how we "have all the time in the world," and there's just something too carefree about him.

This feels like a lovely little patchwork quilt of Supergiant games. Homer is more reactive like the Bastion narrator. The music, the social bonding opportunities, and the inventory and lore screens feel a bit like Pyre. Some upgrade systems remind me of Transistor, and the mood reminds me very much of it as well. The writing and combat are still very Hades, and there are new aspects that speak of a team that has taken the time to understand what works, what doesn't, and what improvement and innovation should look like within their existing framework.

Echo's whole thing is fucking clever. Those gifts: Either repeats or diminishing returns—just like an echo. Holy fucking shit the way I vibrated when I met Echo the first time.

I love my randomly assigned college roommate who never goes to her classes and moves all my shit for no reason (Dora). If she were my actual roommate, I would feel a very different way about this.

Eris is perfect. I love her being mean-spirited mischief rather than brute force or accidental mischief; it feels like a unique character composition. She's awful. I can't stand her. She's perfect. She also reminds me of Spoiler from Pixie Tricks, a series I read as a kid (both in personality and, vaguely, design).

Nemesis and Artemis sound like they have a no-strings on-again off-again kind of thing going on and I love that for them. Also hope Charon and Hermes get to see each other again soon bc I'm rooting for them so hard.

I literally shrieked when taking out one of the sirens *actually impacted their contribution to the song*. I shouldn't have been surprised, but it was so much fun to hear it happen anyway. Very immersive! I'm also in love with Scylla. She reminds me very specifically of Ryan Stiles' Carol Channing impression and a little of Dolly Parton. Also. Her fucking hood. Jesus.

One of my favorite things about Hades is that there was nothing that an enemy or boss could do that you couldn't do through some combination of boons, weapons, and upgrades. The same seems to hold true here so far, and I just can't say enough how *cool* that is. The worst part of any combat-heavy game to me is the realization that the boss or even the cutscene of your character can do things that you, the player, can't initiate or control during a regular battle. Hades says "yeah, fuck that. It'll look different when you do it vs. when that sea serpent does it, but you can accomplish the same action/effect." Likewise, there's practically nothing your character can do that isn't also usable by at least one enemy. That keeps things balanced and combats the sense of "ah yes, you are the Most Special Chosen One" that's often inherent to RPGs. It gives the sense that skill matters a lot and makes me as a player feel skilled—I'm not visually doing anything that my enemies can't do, so... maybe I'm actually kinda good at this? (I am mediocre at best, but the game lets me *feel* skilled).

Additionally, just as in Hades, the enemies in an area are very informative about how upcoming bosses will behave. It rewards a player for paying attention and makes each enemy populating an area make *sense*.

After beating the sirens, ALL I wanted was for Melinoë to be able to have one single fan among the shades like Zagreus in the Theseus map. What I got was even *better*; the same type of interaction, but in a way that takes into account *her* task-focused, serious personality while still giving a little bit of levity. She is *done* with being here and ready for everyone to clear out, and that grumpy shade is not having it. He even makes a new little face! Love you, purple shade in the corner.

Oh, hey, charybdis, there you are

THE 2 IS IN *ROMAN* NUMERALS I'm having a moment

yeah that's it that's what I got. For now. My gaming buddy keeps falling asleep when I try to gush and talk through things, so Tumblr gets it instead.

[oatmeal-stans-the-trash-rat]

So, I Watched "My Roommate is Hades"

Here's some reactions from me as I watch the pilot episode. Maybe be a bit of rant/long post. Told and expressed in bullet points (list).

Trigger/Content Warning: nude/naked mention (vague), all-caps, cursed image, boomer, fire (fake, CGI)

Major Spoilers: My Roommate is Hades (MRIH) [Pilot Episode]

SIR, I HAVE THOSE SAME GLASSES, WUT-

his name is Homer. like the Greek poet, Homer.

FUN FACT: Lehrer means "teacher" in German

Homer Lehrer -> Greek poet name and also surname means "teacher"? oh f*ck yeah

Matthessy? like... like Odessey? or am I just a nerd.

nice theme song ya got there - catchy

"yeah, that Hades" what other Hades would he be, your main audience are all queer as f*ck, we KNOW Greek Mythology

second time to college - good to note

first degree in chemical engineering but went nowhere? love me some "Thomas projects on his characters" content

Homer is a sweetheart, look at him in his little videos on campus, he's ready to learn, a curious poet man

over 10 years since he last went to school, m'kay

"oh sheesh" -> I laughed at his reaction to how long it's been since he was in school LMAO

yeah, some adjustment period, huh?

Homer's lighting is warm hue and Hades' lighting is cold/icy hue

"HEy-" ffs, Hades almost scared me, jfc

why does Homer look scared in Hades' POV but in his own POV, he just looks annoyed?

^hmm, interesting...

ALSO: NEW MEME/REACTION IMAGE UNLOCKED

^I'm laughing, omg-

"doughy mortal" my dude, you make him sound like a pastry

Homer says "mortal rights"

just love the interaction of Homer thinking doughy means he hasn't been working out or something & Hades is like "no, I mean you're soft" and goes on a mini tangent about how he'd die to the easy-feat crocodiles back in Ancient Greece

I have a feeling Hades is gonna talk about Ancient Greece a lot throughout this series - cause it's home

"again with the crocodiles" -> man has talked about crocodiles before, hasn't he?

Hades is an early sleeper, I guess??

^also, 3pm? my dude, that's the afternoon, no need to sleep that f*cking early

love how Hades can just whoosh into visibility from the shadows - excellent for stealing pizza from roommate

"I like my money" OKAY THEN, RICH BOI.

wait, wtf are you doing in college, you f*cking snobby pizza-hoarding mf?

Hades is just walking around with very little to no clothes on, and Homer just closes his eyes and takes off his glasses like "this f*cking dude" in annoyance

"In Ancient Greece, everyone was naked all of the time!" -> everyone in Ancient Greece was also very gay and queer, shut up

^"puppet shows-" WAIT WUT

"You keep bringing up the meaninglessness of mortals' lives." // "To be fair, you're pretty good at bringing it up yourselves."

^I HAVE PERISHED (/pos)

"that's gen z" // "I'm a millennial, I can only be depressed-"

^gonna cry, omfg LMAO

Homer being surprised at Hades' confession that he doesn't want to be here either is something to note; perhaps they both don't want to be the situation they're in, for different reasons

^something to connect over?

Hades misses his doggo

ah yus: brother Zeus says "ya kinda weird bro" and then yeets him into mortal college

"f*cking community college-" I DIED, H A-

mm, love it when Gods get yeeted by their siblings into mortal bodies to learn a lesson - very delicious trope

"yes I did, Benjermin Franklin" // "what the f*ck-"

HE CALLS HIM BENNIE - I'M SOBBING

Bennie is my favourite, omg

never pause this video - oh god

HERE, HAVE A CURSED IMAGE

^suffer with me :3

"college is useless, death is inevitable" -> you would get along with gen z, wouldn't you?

"fate worse than immortality itself" -> using this every time I have a mild inconvenience

Homer has an existential crisis - relatable

"So, upon seeing the ghost of Benjermin Franklin, something broke inside my brain."

^HADES, STOP BREAKING YOUR ROOMMATE'S BRAIN. MORTALS ARE FRAGILE; THEY BREAK EACH OTHER'S BRAINS ALREADY ON THEIR OWN, DON'T ADD TO IT

Homer being like "learning that Gods exist was a shocker, but hey - worse sh*t has happened" is my fav thing about him

^this is him upon learning the Afterlife is real

RIP Homer's Sanity, never had a chance, 2023 to Never

ah yus, Greek God eats grapes like he's posing for a statue made after him. classic Gods behaviour

FLORAL SHIRT - the flower motif continues

love how chill Hades is about the Afterlife/explaining it as if Homer didn't just have his entire worldview and reality break in half

5 rivers, Tartarus, Rive Styx - love all of this Greek Mythology knowledge

^the true gayness comes out when GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Hades doesn't know Beyonce - a true Greek tragedy

"is any of them, idk, nice?" // "eh-"

^that's not reassuring

Homer's Existential Crisis, Part II

scales of judgement, mm

...can we please give Homer a hug? he needs one.

Hades has teal/light blue fire- neat

Homer studied Greek Mythology in school? that's very gay of you, sir.

Afterlife has Purgatory and Cool Kids Club, confirmed

Hades not putting people in places cause grey areas and "too much paperwork" - relatable lmao

I just realized Hades is basically like "back in my day" with Ancient Greece

^is Hades a boomer-

^^OH GOD, HE'S A BOOMER

Homer really said "um morals tho-" and Hades gets angy

Hades complaining about the weird deal between Zeus and Menelaus(?) is funny to me

wait, Hades complaining about Orpheus is funnier, omg-

I sense some "no one listens to me or heeds my advice" angst from Hades

"f*cking artists-" laughing, crying, TIME TO PERISH

"not even mortals listen to me" -> I WAS RIGHT

hmm, a wager? interesting...

this is gonna get so gay, oh dear lord

"little man" -> Homer is short, confirmed

THE FIRE-WHEN-MAKING-A-DEAL TROPE - YUS

Immediately recognized Hermes, the casting is brilliant

gay-ass Hermes, yep

THEY'RE ALL HERE - uh oh-

Persephone is mentioned and then Hades is like "skjhfkajs- I mean, oh really? haha, how is she?"

Hermes being like "I have no f*cking clue" is funny to me LMAO

Hermes is a flirt, confirmed

^he literally winks/flirts with Homer lmao

Zeus heading a fraternity? most canon thing in canon

"if there's one thing I care about less than humanity, it's my family"

^LMAO Hades is an emo edgelord with a literal God Complex

"a living hell... in a bad way" -> why is that funny-

"I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO COLLEGE"

the best ending line, lmao

mm, outro

===

Some Overall Thoughts

Because this is the Pilot episode, and Thomas had admitted somewhere that he's not entirely sure how to do what he intends to do, I didn't expect perfection. I was right not to. This is still a very good pilot episode, even with the random things I noticed. It does sound a bit more scripted in an obvious way. Which can be a bit... just eh. We'll see how this goes.

The different lighting choices for Hades and Homer was a nice touch. I appreciate the blue/icy lighting for Hades, as he is portrayed as a cold character. I also appreciate the orangish-yellow/warm lighting for Homer, as he is portrayed as a kind and moral character. There's even some colour themes with them, evident in their student cards. Homer has that beige theme, and Hades has the light blue theme. Hades' fire is even teal/light blue, which is a nice little detail.

The generation jokes were funny (to me, at least), but I can recognize how they'd be kinda blah with other people. Hades seems to be a bit of a boomer (always talking about Ancient Greece in the back-in-my-day fashion), while Homer is a millennial (literally says so in one of his generation jokes). Even then, still funny to me.

^But still, can be a bit flat in the humour department.

I love everyone's distinct personalities already. We have our protagonist, Homer Lehrer, who just wants to go to college and make something of his life; Hades, a Greek God who's "out of touch" with the real world and thus has been sentenced to community college; Hermes, who's a flirty, flamboyant mf with no clue who tf sent the letters or where tf they came from (even though he's literally The Messenger); and we have everyone else, yet to be seen on screen.

The family banter already (between Hades and Hermes) is 100% my fav part about the Greek Deities. Them just bickering like mortal family members would. I love it!

Some lore/theories to think about! Who sent the letters that knocked all of the Greek Deities out and sentenced them to mortality and community college? Why did this happen? Where did the letters come from? How tf did Hermes send himself a letter and then blackout like his amass of siblings & family members? What's the deal with Persephone and Hades? Why won't she talk to him? What happened between them?

What is Homer's purpose of being there, sans him going back to college for self-fulfillment reasons?

How tf did Zeus head an entire faternity so fast?

Homer being roomies with Hades is the funniest sh*t about this entire series.

I do both love and feel weary about the sitcom vibes from this. Sitcoms are funny in their own corny, classic way. It's scripted in a sorta obvious way, but there is a good amount of natural flow to it.

===

Anyway: that's all my thoughts for now. Hope everyone enjoyed this lovely lil pilot. Feel free to share your own thoughts and theories!! I want to hear them.

[joechoui]

Was Clown Corps. partly inspired by that Simpsons episode where Homer goes to Clown College?

'Course not. Anyway, here's a sneak peek at an upcoming scene:

[quidfree]

bestie… thoughts on richard x henry because while im a papenathy girlie at heart…… they intrigue me terribly

inhales. ok.

i get where people get into it, what with richard's immediate 'henry is a god' vibe and also henry's protective instincts (paying for the bunny fiasco, rescuing him from hypothermia, etc) and general interest where richard is concerned. there's clearly some 'i'm just a broke-but-brilliant not-like-other-girls small town girlie and now i'm at college the hot smartest guy in class is suddenly looking out for me' romance novel energy there. plus it's arguably like... The most important study group relationship?

from myyyyy perspective, the interesting thing is kind of what henry sees in richard, and where that goes. his assessment of richard is so intriguing to me?? like.. original disdain for his homer comments and general Poor Vibes (hysterical) vs acknowledging him as a friend but still excluding him from bacchanal attempts (lmao) vs when he finally tells him about the murder fiasco- there's Very Obviously at least some part of it that's pure cold manipulation ('oh richard i knew You would get it'), but is that it? there are several moments throughout the book where despite henry's de facto position as group leader and richard's as group add-on, henry seems to turn to richard as something of an equal, whether that be because of his background (poisoning tips) or because richard is (somehow) easily the most pragmatic person there and henry trusts him to keep everything together. my personal favourite henry and richard interactions (besides the funny ones) are the rare occasions on which richard gets actually mad enough at him to speak frankly to him, whether that be going 'no henry you can't fucking poison bunny jesus christ' or yelling at him towards the end of the book bc he's gone full light yagami. it's when he comes closest to just seeing henry as a normal person. but henry to richard in so many ways is more of an aspiration than anything, bc he's so enamoured by/impressed by him from jump, and i think it's sooo telling that henry is what haunts him years down the line. he 'can't think of himself as a murderer' and he has no bunny ghost, but twenty year old henry winters still walks his dreams to cut him down and leave. if that doesn't show both the messy depth of his feelings vis a vis henry AND the way in which his feelings towards henry are also a reflection of his self-hatred(/later guilt)....

overall i do find the whole haunting / worshipful abstraction stuff very sexy conceptually. and i really genuinely enjoy what we see of their actual Friendship in the book. but for me at the end of the day the former stops the latter from really taking effect, bc henry imo never would reciprocate the depth of richard's feelings. there's too much of an imbalance there, and even when the disillusionment settles in richard never gets henry off the pedestal bc henry kills himself at twenty and immortalises himself in doing so. i like my relationships between parties who are on equal footing and who have similar feelings towards one another, whatever those may be (#egalitarian #leftist), so in terms of romanceee it's just not my gig.

[hydropyro]

Writer Interview Tag

Thanks for the tag @tavyliasin! I just finished reading yours and @redroomroaving's entries <3 I feel mine will also be quite heavy, though I don't struggle with the kinds of things you two beasts /pos do.

I will tag @dude-wheres-my-ankheg, @insanefan, @firlionemoontav, and @dark-and-kawaii,

Questions and answers below the cut -- potential mention of SA

When did you start writing?

I started writing before I could actually write. I would scribble lines onto paper or type nonsense into my grandma's computer and then 'read' it to her.

I was (am?) hyperlexic, and by second grade I had a high school reading level. In school we would do AR tests, and I had to check out books from the public library, as the in-school library did not have books that were challenging enough. This is also when I began to carry around a pen and paper and write my own stories.

The first I remember distinctly was a story about a butterfly who was lost. I don't remember the plot at all. I also wrote, and still have, a spiral bound 'book' that I wrote as a second grade project where we researched a topic (owls) and then wrote a non-fiction story about it.

As far as Fan Fiction goes -- last year! I did rewrite the ending of 'Lucifer' when that came out because they did it wrong -- but last year after playing Baldur's Gate 3 is when I first wrote a piece of fan fiction. And I am deep in these trenches.

Are there different themes or genres you enjoy reading than what you write?

I really enjoy crime and psychological horror. The 'Hannibal Lecter' series by Thomas Harris is a particular favorite of mine.

I also was enthralled with 'Animorphs' in third through fifth grade, and had read any and all that I could get my hands on. I was not a huge fan of science-fiction, though there were a few individual stories that I enjoyed. I also read the 'Warriors' series by Erin Hunter. Another beloved series was 'Inkheart/Inkspell/Inkdeath' by Cornelia Funke, the 'Eragon' series by Christopher Paolini, and the 'Purple Emperor' series by Herbie Brennan. Fantasy/(low-fantasy might be the genre) was a particular favorite of mine.

My favorite book, though, which I read in fifth grade -- originally because none of my personal choices were deemed challenging enough -- was 'The Iliad' by Homer. I don't remember which translation was used, but it was not in prose format, so that may narrow it down.

I used to read a lot. These days, I don't read much. By seventh grade when I started my first 'real novel' I was afraid of being too heavily influenced by things that I read. In eighth grade I stopped reading fiction entirely for this reason, after a teacher (vice principal) confiscated my work and viciously accused me of plagiarism as the things I was writing was 'too mature for someone my age to even know about' (Take the hint, mandatory reporter). From that point on, I only read Biographies/Historical reports. 'Operation Valkyrie' by Pierre Galante is thrilling.

Is there a writer you want to emulate or get compared to often?

Other than my 8th Grade vice-principal, teachers were always very encouraging of my writing. The school librarians, especially. I have had my work compared to 'The Hunger Games' specifically (though I don't agree with) and I was asked to take a test that would analyze a piece of work and tell you what well-known author it was most like. I had Hemingway.

I don't try to emulate anyone, and actively avoid being 'inspired' by any works, as I previously said. As an adult, I think I could better use other work as 'inspiration', where as a child it was more 'copying', which didn't sit right.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

From second grade, all through high school and into college, I carried around a spiral ring notebook (always college/narrow ruled! Never wide ruled!) and pen everywhere I went. When I say everywhere, I mean it quite literally. Over the years I have had hundreds of notebooks full of dozens of stories. Most of them have fallen into obscurity, but a precious few are near and dear to my heart.

I write, and have always written, where I am currently sitting. In school I would write during lectures rather than take notes (some teachers had a small problem with this, though I explained that I need to do that in order to focus. I guess ADHD wasn't as well-known back in the early 00s) and my grades were excellent, so I was allowed to continue. By middle school my father had purchased a metal clipboard case for me to carry, so I could write during sport events when I wasn't competing.

These days I write mostly at my kitchen table, where my laptop is set up, or in bed with one of my spiral-ring notebooks -- though if inspiration strikes while I am out and about I have Word and Google Docs on my phone. I prefer to handwrite and then type it out, rather than write directly on a computer.

What's your most effective way to muster up a muse?

i wish I knew how to answer this question. I have been asked many times over the years.

The best way that I know how to explain my 'process' is that -- I don't write. (Obviously I do just follow me for a moment). I don't 'build' characters. The only time I use baby name generators or the like is when I have an inconsequential side character that needs a name for a paragraph. My characters are 'born', and they tell me their stories. I just record them.

As a child I spent a lot of time daydreaming -- called Maladaptive Day Dreaming by my psych professionals. While doing chores I would be living in my stories, and these experiences would inspire scenes. Walking through the forest while camping -- scene.

Though, I will note, that the hearing of my characters is not a hallucination. It is more like -- a memory of a conversation or experience and I am recalling it.

My hallucinations are very different.

Things that I have found are more likely to get my characters talking is TV shows with strong character development. I wrote a great deal during my 'Supernatural' and 'Lucifer' days. Baldur's Gate 3 has also helped get the creative juices flowing -- though my fan fic is, obviously, directly derived from that source material.

What is your reason for writing?

A sweet and simple answer is -- they make me. The characters and the story make me. My mind is never quiet, and there is a catharsis in allowing the story to flow from my brain and out through my fingertips.

The reason my therapist may ask me to give is more -- intense -- and one I had not realized was the likely case. Feel free to skip to the next question.

Stories -- my characters, the worlds I build, the relationships they form -- are my safe place. There were times in my childhood that I would have eagerly left my home to go to 'Abser' -- lightyears away.

They are the friends I could never have because we moved every year -- they could never leave me. They are the safe, strong, and capable adults I never knew.

They were my punching bags. I was a quiet and sweet child -- straight A student because school was safe. Star athlete because I was admired and loved there. Even when I went to church to a god I didn't believe in because it got me out of the house, I was the best worshipper -- i knew all the trivia at Sunday school. And so torturing my characters once I was forced home was cathartic.

They were my avatars. They could love and live and hate and die -- when they were raped as children they could grow up into successful, happy adults -- not damaged at all. They could have loving parents who would move Heaven and Earth for them.

And, they could live out the -- more mature -- fantasies that I had and hid away out of (appropriately placed, I later found) fear that making them known and -- god forbid acting on them -- would lead to ridicule and abandonment.

In seventh grade I created a character named Kacie. She looked like me. Protagonist. Loving family. Strong woman. There was another character I didn't like much, called Leon. He was mean. Aloof.

As the story developed -- Kacie didn't, so much. But Leon told me his story. Raised without a mother by a man who hated, abused, and neglected him and his little sister -- doing anything and everything he could to protect his little sister, even if it put him in danger -- hiding behind his art trying to white knuckle his way through life -- addict -- hedonist -- angry at life itself -- and utterly alone in the world.

Of course, it is art so his experience is much more extreme than mine -- (sorry, Leon).

ha, ha, fan fic though!

Still the above -- they make me -- but playing with these little dolls that I didn't make, but that I made my own -- is just fun. Sure, I'm probably expressing more yet-to-be-discovered trauma as well, but man do I love to justify my favorite devil and make Alakvyr and Abdirak kiss.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

For my personal work -- when I graduated high school my librarian gave me a notebook and wrote on the inside cover 'Never Stop Writing'. I have yet to use that notebook. When I finished the first draft of my complete novel I was brave and sent it to my family to read. They had never read my work before. My step-dad, who is my hero, said he 'couldn't put it down'.

For my fan fiction work, I love that other people also love them! As I said, I don't percolate on ideas, and for my fan-fiction I hardly even edit. I word vomit -- try to fix some grammatical issues -- and throw it out into the world. When writing fan fiction I wanted it to be solely for the passion of writing -- not perfect.

I love to hear when people catch the little references I put in (think 'call it a ninth sense' that Raphael says in game) and when people tell me that I 'captured' an established character well. Especially Raphael and Abdirak.

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

Firstly -- awe

Secondly -- I don't know if I want to necessarily be 'thought about' by my readers.

My original work has very few readers -- and though those who have read it have given raving reviews except @summerwarlock who beta read my work and gave an incredibly helpful and extensive review (still raving, but also helpful tips and critiques) no one has asked me questions or wanted to 'better understand' me, my story, or characters. So, as far as fan fic

Think of me as a fan! A fan with gremlins in my head and gloriously agonizing brainrot -- but a fan.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

Original Work: hahaha hahahahahaahhahahaha who knows? Probably the same as fan fiction, though.

Fan fiction: probably character development/character study. I love to pull characters apart to deeply understand who they are and why they do, say, think, and feel as they do. One of my favorite things to write is Raphael justifying himself -- and I feel especially successful when people read it and say 'holy shit, he's right'.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely for yourself, or a mix of both?

Original work -- I was held back by fear of being judged for writing the story the way it needed to be written. I have a character who is a power-mad king. An absolutely shit-pile of a person -- but I wrote him fairly bland. Other characters would tell you 'oh he's awful' but I never showed him being awful because 'what if people judge me for thinking this'.

Fan fic has helped me a lot with this, as well as Summerwarlock's tips. And so, the hedonistic, rapist, abusive king will do those things because it is in character. Sorry -- all the other characters.

For fan fic -- yes and no. I write for myself. I write because I enjoy it and fan fic is my passion project. I don't even edit my work, remember. I just passion all over the page (muhahah) and throw it into the ether. I love that other people enjoy my little weirdos as much as I do.

How do you feel about your own writing?

Original work -- oh, pure shit. Let's move on.

Fan fiction -- I'm a gods damned genius. No, that's a joke. There are some lines that I write that I think 'fuck yea, that came out of me?' but other than that, they're just silly little dolls I'm squishing together, so I'm not too concerned.

I do enjoy sharing it, though, especially with those who write similar things as I do. The Abdirak group I'm in are full of great, loving people who -- as writers themselves -- aren't afraid to give helpful criticism or ask questions that may make you think differently about your work. And they are also wonderful cheerleaders, as I hope I am for them.

I am a passionate person, but I am a very reserved person, so I worry sometimes that the depths of my adoration don't come across -- but I truly do adore you all, and I am so grateful to have found and been accepted into this community.

[knickynoo]

Back to the Future: The Animated Series, s01ep01 "Brothers" Review & Commentary

Well, I let you people vote on it, and you (overwhelmingly) urged me to do this. Not gonna lie; I'm excited. The animated series is. It's a thing that was made. It's kind of like that cousin or uncle that no one in the family really talks about or acknowledges. But, as far as a children's show goes, it is pretty fun. It's also ridiculous, and I can't wait to dive in, tear it apart, analyze it too much, and just generally have a good time talking about this weird little cartoon. These posts will be long, but I'm going to really try to make them enjoyable to read.

Before we begin! Some background info just to orient you: The series takes place in 1991. The Brown family has moved to a farm in Hill Valley and are continuing to go on adventures through the space time continuum because why not? Doc has thrown all caution to the wind, evidently. Marty is in college. I guess 1991 would put him in his senior year, so, maybe he's 20? I dunno. I'm going to have a LOT of fun discussing him, because--as you may have seen me mention briefly in the past--they really did a number on him character-wise.

The series makes use of live-action segments at the beginning and end of each episode, with Christopher Lloyd as Doc. He's often assisted by Bill Nye, The Science Guy. Most of the live action beginnings are framed as Doc telling a story about a specific memory or adventure, which then leads into the cartoon portion, which is the "bulk" of the story. Please keep this in mind. These are supposed to be actual life stories that Doc is sharing about the goings-on in his life post-trilogy. Okay, let's get to it.

We open in Doc's lab, where he's setting up a camera. I don't think it's ever addressed or explained, but he's got some sort of science show that he now runs for children? Honestly, these segments are delightful. Christopher Lloyd clearly enthusiastically jumped right back into the role of Doc, and it's great to see more of him.

There's our guy. Look at him. He's wearing his train shirt again, so he must have gotten a new one after the events of Part III. I don't blame him; that is a nice shirt. He's talking about the electromagnet that he and Jules have made, and it leads him into a story of another time the two of them built one, which was in 1864. Cue the cartoon portion!

The first cartoonified (?) character we get to see is Marty! He's supposed to be paying attention to a history lesson on the Civil War (using Doc's futuristic tech that includes a holographic teacher) but he's not listening at all. He's got his headphones on and is jamming on his guitar. Very Marty behavior. At least they kept that trait of his. Anyway, look at him. Look what they did to him. He's wearing a letterman jacket like some sort of jock, and I do not approve of it. Why did they not have him wear a denim jacket?? Denim was huge in the 90s. Who made this decision? Where are the strings on his guitar? I have so many questions and no answers.

Oh! I should probably mention that Marty is voiced by David Kaufman. Many of you will know him as the voice of Danny Phantom. Doc is voiced by Dan Castellaneta, who is also the voice of Homer Simpson.

When Doc enters the scene, he shows Marty the new feature he's added to the DeLorean. (Oh, yeah, the DeLorean is back, btw. He built another one) As a precaution against anyone trying to steal the car, Doc has modified it to be able to fold down into a suitcase?

It will only open up at the sound of Doc's voice or Einstein's bark, and it weighs over 2,000 pounds. Doc also has a fancy robot crane thing to help lift it and carry it around, but it malfunctions when he tries to demonstrate, and it catapults the DeLorean-turned-suitcase that weighs a literal ton RIGHT ON TOP OF HIM.

photos taken seconds before disaster. rip Doc, cartoon over.

He then shows Marty how the time circuits are now voice activated, and we also learn that the car can travel to locations throughout the world now. It is no longer confined to just traveling through time. Marty's thinks this is all very interesting (no he doesn't) and hurries off because he's late for his classes and Dean Strickland will be angry at him if he fails his Civil War exam. Doc goes into a mini soliloquy, saying, "Ah, the Civil War; a tragic moment from America's past. The powers of oppression and slavery versus the forces of freedom. The south pitted against the north—brother against brother. Thank goodness those days are far behind us."

Naturally, this brings us immediately to a very loud fight between Jules and Verne. Now, I actually like the way Jules and Verne are included and their personalities are established in the cartoon. And if anyone here has read my fanfic "Harborage", you know that I love writing Jules and Verne and take their characterization straight from this cartoon (though I do water them down, obviously. these cartoons are so over the top). Generally, though, I do like their dynamic. Jules is essentially a mini-Doc but even more so in a way? He's extremely smart, very logical, and speaks formally at all times. Verne, on the other hand, is all about having fun. He's loud, hyper, and thinks Jules is a huge geek. Verne and Marty are super close, and they're very much a "big brother, little brother" type dynamic duo of chaos through the series. Doc breaks up his sons' fighting, but Verne is upset that he always seems to take Jules's side.

Then, we go back to Marty (later in the day, I guess?). He's doing another virtual Civil War lesson but is still wearing his headphones and playing guitar during it. His virtual teacher gets annoyed and yells an important date from the war—February 11th, 1864 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Remember how Doc said the time circuits are now voice activated? Yeah, this date gets programmed into the DeLorean.

Verne, feeling neglected and looked down on by his family, decides to take a joy ride in the DeLorean. Marty witnesses Verne take off, and we actually get a good bit of Marty characterization! He sighs and says, "Perfect", which--as many of you know—is one of Marty's favorite words.

Meanwhile, outside, Verne nearly runs over his own father with the car, and Doc has the most hilariously cartoony reaction to seeing the car barreling at him.

Then, uh oh, Verne is sent right into the middle of the Civil War. He meets Beauregard Tannen, a Confederate General. (This is a good place to mention that Thomas Wilson actually voices all Tannen relatives in the cartoon!)

Back at the house, Doc, Jules, and Marty are all sick with worry and have no clue where Verne has ventured off to. I will point out that we haven't seen or even heard about Clara yet. Where is my girl Clara? *sigh* Anyway, it's Einstein who figures it out. He—he has mechanical gloves that he wears that basically give him human hands, so he finds a photo of Verne in a history book and...yeah.

Turns out Verne has been forced to join the Confederate Army as a little drummer boy. The book states that the group in the picture is "wiped out" a day after the photo was taken. The gang all race to the Time Train, which is hidden in an underground tunnel on the Brown's property. That's a pretty neat detail, ngl. I've wondered where Doc would store that massive train if he ever moved back to Hill Valley.

Once arriving in Chattenooga, Doc puts Marty in charge of guarding the train, and he is immediately captured and tied up. And, ya know what? Even though I feel like Marty is generally out of character a lot in this show, I'll admit it's pretty spot on so far. Doc and Jules are also captured and forced into the Union Army. They learn of General Ulysses S. Clayton, who is Clara's uncle, and Jules goes to try to convince him to put a stop to the upcoming battle. It doesn't work, but they do notice some sort of electromagnetic machine a doctor is using on Ulysses (to treat rheumatism), so Doc and Jules steal it.

On the battlefield the next day, as the armies are charging at each other, Jules gets thrown right into the middle of it all. Verne then runs to him, and they huddle together as they await their doom. (I must say that, as a first episode of a series, this is quite the story to open with. Very interesting choice.) As they soldiers prepare to destroy each other, they notice the brothers cowering together and stop in their tracks—struck by how sweet the scene is. Realizing that the war has pitted many family members and friends against each other, the men begin to hug each other and put aside their differences. On their way back home, Marty's history book changes to show that the particular regiment Verne was forced into never fought any battles. All those men apparently took the little lesson they'd been taught to heart. And I gotta point out that, originally, all those men died in battle, so Verne's actions led to a whole group of people continuing to go on, live their lives, and probably have children. But, seeing as this is a kid's show, the potential repercussions of this on the timeline aren't addressed. And that's the end of the cartoon portion.

We go back to Real Doc then. Yayyy! He shares this news with us.

The delivery of these lines is great. They're said with all the weary exasperation of a parent whose warnings have been ignored over and over. Doc does not feel bad for Marty.

I think Doc does an experiment then? But guess what. As I'm typing this, I'm realizing that I got distracted making the gifs and never actually finished the episode. I don't feel like pulling it back up and watching those last 2 minutes. Oh well.

I think that, overall, this is a weird episode to start a series on. It's not very fun or wacky. Mostly just feels like a history lesson with a "fighting doesn't solve anything" moral slapped onto it. This was fun to write up, though.

Tune in next week to see if we find out where my girl Clara is.