#i'm only halfway through the episode but dAMN

[ryukenzz]

[This Attack on Titan episode.]

[happypotato48]

List of Thai BL dramas i've watched with short opinions about them i guess :P

Thai BLs that i finished:

A Boss and a Babe. It's cute for what it is, i loved the gaming friendships and i'm a sucker for forcebook. 7/10 need more unhinged energy from book.

A Tale of Thousand Stars/Our Skyy 2 : Bad Buddy x A Tale Of Thousand stars. this show reminds me a lot of early to mid 2000s lakorns. it's a beautiful by the book love story, i appreciated that a bl got to take a spin on this kind of quiet thai story. 8/10 loved it but still too vanilla for my taste.

Bake Me Please. Guide Kantapon is the cutest man alive and CAKES! that it, that all i have for this show. 6/10 it's a show that exist.

Be My Favorite. damn fluke gawin is so pretty what was this show about again? :P i'm kidding, i actually really liked this show. i watched it when i had zero knowledge about bl industry, i was oblivious about krist's controversy and i find krist acting to be charming and think kawee is very relatable as a cringe fail human myself. 8.5/10 this show made me want to collected weird thingies.

Cherry Magic (Thailand). oh boy this show. it's was everything to me also the only show so far that i've written extensively on this site. here is my personal feeling about this show. 9.5/10 would kill for taynew.

Cooking Crush. what! the fuc$! look look, i just learned that both offgun are older than me. when i first saw the show i thought they were some rookie actors with how young they looks. watching cute bl is gonna be the death of me. anywho this show is supercute don't have a lot of thought about it though. 7.5/10 cutting half a point cause of no samsee x metha.

Cutie Pie/Naughty Babe. what a fuckin legend of a series. all the characters have zero braincells and somehow all the rich pretty boys are engaged to each other and by arranged marriages nonetheless. wtf is this fanfic version of thailand and where can i get hit by a truck and get isekai to it. 7.5/10 still haven't watch Cutie Pie 2 U, i hope it get dumber.

Enchanté. this show is so dummmb it should've go full camp reverse harem yaoi nonsense but it didn't and ended up being kinda boring. 6.5/10. meh, i'm still a sucker for forcebook.

Last Twilight. UGHHH!! i'm still so mad. this show was going to be THE SHOW for me then ep 11-12 happened i legit mentally check out halfway through ep 12 and i basically blocked the ending from my mind. this show came out at the right place and the right time for me, the first 9 episodes helped me through a very tough time in my life. the story of two people helping each other finding their way out of the dark was very compelling to me. ughh. 5.5/10 (9/10 for ep 1-9) P'Aof why are you like this!!

Laws Of Attraction. yassssssss this show slay(literally :P) the show is a breath of fresh air for me despite how very lakorn of it is. i'm glad that there is a bl that feel this soapy and campy cause like i do love my angsty and innocent school bls but the industry really need show like laws of attraction. jamfilm also were very great in their roles espically film, charn is the most babygirl corrupted cute evil lawyer of all time. 9/10 no note headempty only charn's evil smirks in my mind

La Pluie. now, this is a romance. this show is one of the most romanctic media that i personally have experience. i loved that the show took the cheesy premise of soulmates and work it so well to do both deconstruction and exploration of the trope. i think using rain, thing that isolated people as a narrative tool for love connection is absolutely brilliant. last but not least pat is just the perfect bl love interest, he's an very idealized character but he do feels like an actual person. i want to give a shout out to Pee Peerawich the way he said "มันหนาวอ่ะ" in ep 8 sent me, the raspy voice, the eye twich and combo those with a back cuddle, sir! you just commited a mass murders with that move. 9/10 plz i need season two with my baby boy tien.

Love in Translation. the unhingendness of that first meeting is probably my favorite bl meet cute. look if you don't get into a fistfight with the guy you destined to be with then what is the point of life. this show fake date is very well done it's doesn't feel forced like in a lot of other bls and it make the growing attraction feels very genuine and it pay off in one of the best sex scenes in all of bl, yang is such a freak and i loved him for it. 8/10 the last two episodes did got slightly off the rail for me but i still enjoyed the show.

Moonlight Chicken. one of the most beautiful shows i ever watched. when watching this show i can feels, smells and tastes everything it depicted. from the comfort khao man gai to jim's loneliness, from alan's heartbreak to liming and heart's midnight motorcycle ride. this show gave me all the feels and i still can't completely shake it off. 9.9/10 this show is a healing.

My School President. These boys!!!! i can't, i loved these boys so much, all the boys, YES ALL OF THEM! this show is on the opposite spectrum of Moonlight Chicken for me. while MC give me the good heartaches this show give me unbridled joy it's like heartstopper on cracks. i absolutely adored tinn and gun and the show relentless optimism about thier first love. love is awesome no matter the romantic, familial or platonic kind and i think this show hit the marks with all three. 10/10(i'm super bias but fuck it idc i even liked the singing) this show made me started watching thai bl and it always will have a place in my heart.

My Ride. this show is lacking in intimacy but making up by being all heart. could this show be better if they fleshed out and explore more of tawan and his cheating bf's relationship, maybe but i'm happy for what we got. 8/10 mork and tawan were very cutie patootie, i don't remember much about the het and the side couple were just st ok.

Step by Step. man trisanu is exactly the same height at me and i want everyone to know that is the only reason i started this show🤣 . i feels like this show have a lot to say about stuff but i kinda got lost staring at man trisanu while watching. one thing i really loved is the very fem *ตุ๊ด coworker who got to be a real character not just a jokey sidekick and having a loving relationship with a hottie. 7.5/10 can i get more man trisanu in bl plz.

Triage. asshole doctor stuck in a timeloop for him to find the meaning of life, yes plz give it to me. i loved stories about assholes who need to better themself for love and other junk. tinn and tol are both grumpy bitches and i just loved that the show use the timeloop to soften these nerds. at the end i just want to wrap them in blanket and let's them cuddle each other forever. 8.5/10 the last ep is bit convoluted but i forgave the show for that cute clocktower kiss.

You're My Sky. i started this show for my boy suar and he did not disappointed. the pining and the longing for an older boy who been there for you most you life, chef kiss. this show also very beautiful to look at. 8/10 i'm kinda meh about the side couples, i do think they all got the "good ending" for their stories.

Thai BLs that i didn't finish or gave up and skipped to the ending:

Bad Buddy. Oh boy, am i gonna get murder for this??? sorry but idk why i didn't wholeheartedly love and give this show my undivided attention. i watched this show very weird and out of order, i started with the last ep than just watch other episodes in bit and peice. i think i've seen 70% of this show. plz forgive me this is the first thai bl i tried to get into but can't. maybe i need to give this show another chance and watch it properly. or idk maybe cause the way i watched it, it's ruined for me forever. 6.5/10 i loved the rooftop kiss plz don't kill me.

Dangerous Romance. this show is trash and not the good kind, how this show depicted relationship between a rich asshole and a poor boy feels very gross to me. i fast forward a bunch and gave up after the not just dumb but very cruel breakup. 4/10 it's watchable if you ignore the plot and the chatacters.

Hidden Agenda. wow this is the most nothing show that ever nothing for me. it's a perfected white noise while playing chill video games. i stopped watching after ep 8 cause look like there going to be a dumb break up, i have no desire to revisit this show. 5/10 joongdunk were kinda cutes.

The Miracle of Teddy Bear. this show is too god damn long with too many side plots the one and a half hour per episode killed the momentum for me. i liked the show and do think i want to revisit and finish it one day. 6/10 for now.

Vice Versa. why are they giving jimmysea this show. this show is so boring for me, i gave up in episode 6. 4/10 gmmtv give my babies better shows!!

Thai BLs that i've watched all the sex scenes and have no intention of watching the actual show:

Kinnporsche: heheehehhehehe everyone were so hot, too bad i don't like rich mafia story. mile being a nepobaby also significantly killed the mood for me. 55555/dead bodyguards (idk how many there are but i don't care) the ost are bangers though.

Venus in the Sky and Love in the Air. cringe gay sex for the wins. 69/420.

ok, whoo that was a lot. gonna pin this cause i don't think anyone want to read all that in one sitting. i think i'm gonna make another post for non thai BLs in the near future. thanks for reading my unhinged opinions hope i'm not gonna get moider for it 55555555.

[animebw]

Seasonal Reflection: Winter 2024 Anime

My feelings on the first anime season of 2024 can be summed up thusly: Most of my favorite shows from winter 2024 were continuations of shows that were already great from last season, not new entries. That's not necessarily a bad thing, and there were plenty of new anime I at least enjoyed watching. But it became clear about halfway through the season that aside from a couple fall 2023 holdovers, there was barely anything truly exciting going on here. Most of the adaptations I watched didn't do much to truly elevate their source material, and most of the few original series we got ended up the worst of the bunch. I can't say nothing good came out of winter 2024, but if this is any sign of how the rest of the year is gonna go, we may be in for a slog. For now, though, let's take stock of the anime I watched this season, and which ones are worth your time.

Metallic Rouge: 3/10

If you asked me what the worst show I finished this season would be at the start, I never would've guessed Metallic Rouge. I mean, it's a cool-ass original sci-fi anime from Bones with slick 2D mecha animation, surely that's gotta be at least a little cool, right? Sadly, no. Because this is, without question, one of the most baffling scripts I've ever seen in anime. Almost every single detail of its world and plot are barely explained, if at all, and the mechanics of what's even supposed to be going on are so nebulous that every attempt at a plot twist feels like a twist on something that never actually existed. Characters are plopped into the story without even an introduction. At times it feels like whole scenes have been cut out entirely. The only thing I can compare it to is the original Suicide Squad movie from 2016: a story so cut to the bone in the editing room that you can barely tell what's supposed to be happening half the time, and yet enough of the original story remains to suggest it was never any good in the first place. The one thing it gets right is the prickly chemistry between its two leads, and then it fucking keeps them separated for like half the damn runtime! How do you even unforced error that badly?

Bucchigiri: 3.5/10

Man, this was not a good season for original anime. Bucchigiri might not have been as staggering a writing trainwreck as Metallic Rouge, but its sin is arguably even worse; it's boring. It's a wacky, colorful high school delinquent romp with rainbow-haired Jojo's punks beating the snot out of each other with genie powers, it's sort of a re-imagining of Aladdin, it's got freaking Hiroko Utsumi at the helm, and it's boring. Why? Because this show gets absolutely stuck in the quicksand of its own status quo and refuses to budge an inch. Character growth is nonexistent, the protagonist is an aggravating loser wimp who never learns his lesson, and nothing of actual meaning happens from the first episode to the end. Literally everything you think is setting up a character arc where someone learns a lesson or grows as a person, all of it amounts to nothing. It's a limp, inert world that perpetuates the same overdone jokes and contrived, misunderstanding-based drama over and over again until all the outsized Utsumi visual personality feels like a tacky coat thrown on top of a lifeless corpse. What an utter waste.

Urusei Yatsura Season 2 (1st Cours): 5/10

I'm still not quite sure what to make of the Urusei Yatsura remake. is it charmingly dated? Annoyingly dated? A welcome throwback or a sign that some things should stay in the past? If nothing else, it never fails to get at least a couple chuckles out of me every episode. But the more it tries to lean into being actually sincere, the more its inherent cheesiness and lack of depth starts becoming a problem. I'm sorry, this cast of characters is just too abrasive and purposefully insane to take seriously, and none of their relationships are healthy enough to unironically root for. Lum and Ataru are not a couple I want to see actually get together, at least not unless Ataru stops being such a fucking shithead. And if him being a jackass could be charming in season 1, then this season is really starting to test my patience with him. It's one thing to be a serial skirt chaser, but his actions this season regularly cross a line from womanizing to unambiguous sex pest, and there's only so many wooden mallets he can get knocked over the head with before it stops feeling like like he's getting punished as much as he deserves to be.

Undead Unluck (2nd Cours): 5/10

Good news, everyone: Undead Unluck finally gave up on those awful groping gags that were ruining its central romance! Bad news: at the same time, it spontaneously developed one of the worst cases of recap padding I've ever seen! I'm not just talking overlong recap segments at the start of the episode, I'm talking constant flashbacks to events we just saw just moments before, straight up playing the same footage again just minutes apart, all climaxing in a truly unforgivable episode that spends seven goddamn minutes on recycled footage. Not even Tokyo Revengers was this bad with its time-wasting. And to add insult to injury, once it finally gets its feet unstuck and returns to a reasonable amount of recap for the final arc, it's probably the best arc of the entire show! It's some of the most bonkers high-concept emotional storytelling I've ever seen attempted, let alone pulled off so spectacularly. It's proof that there is so much brilliance to Undead Unluck, if it could just get out of its own way. But as long as it continues suffering from such massive systemic flaws, it's only ever going to be an also-ran.

Solo Leveling: 5.5/10

Okay, look; is this show dumb as a bag of rocks? Absolutely. Is it as nakedly an adolescent power fantasy as any anime has ever been? Ditto. Does it solely exist for dweeby incels to feel like swaggering douchebag chads getting revenge on all the normies who looked down on them by becoming The Bestest Strongest Chadliest Awesomest Of All Time? You know it. But god dammit, it's actually fun. I cannot pretend I'm too mature and sophisticated to enjoy a big, helping heaping of dumb edgy schlock when it's actually done well. I'm the one person on the face of the earth who still caries water for Akame ga Kill, for crying out loud. And Solo Leveling makes two really smart storytelling choices that keep it (mostly) on the entertaining side of dumb fun: building a genuinely interesting and intricate world that exists well beyond the scope of the protagonist's actions (for now, at least), and making sure that no matter how stupidly overpowered Jinwoo gets, his opponents are always just a little bit even more stupidly overpowered, so he's still pushed to his absolute breaking point and barely scraping together a win by the skin of his teeth every time. There is an art to edge that's too often taken for granted, and this show is proof that being the living embodiment of a twelve-year-old boy's wet dreams is no excuse not to be at least a decent version of that. That said, let's be real, Jinwoo was so much more attractive before his supposed glow-up. Give my boy back his scraggly rat locks, you cowards.

Bang Brave Bang Bravern: 6/10

What happens when a campy, cartoony 70s-style super robot anime crashes headfirst into a much grittier real robot anime? Well, what happens is Bang Brave Bang Bravern, the latest ten-car pileup of mismatched genres from the Cygames masterminds behind "What if horse racing but idols?" Take a desperate war story of survival against impossible odds, airdrop a skyscraper-sized superhero into the mix, and watch him completely shatter the original tone one cheekily ironic powerup and power-of-friendship speech at a time. It's a beautifully bonkers sendup of mecha tropes that has some of the funniest individual moments in this entire anime season, and the absolutely wild twist it pulls with the titular robot's identity in the back half is more than worth the price of admission on its own. Unfortunately, if it wanted to be as perfect a parody-until-it-isn't mecha series as Akiba Maid War was a parody-until-it-isn't mob flick, it probably should've tried being as long as most mecha series tend to be, i.e. more than just twelve measly episodes. There's just not enough time to develop any of the characters or world beyond the most essential parts, resulting in huge chunks of the supporting cast hanging around with nothing to do but take up space. And it leads to this show, which is trying to be so big and over the top, instead feeling so small and half-formed. Also, the secondary romance is gross. Like, really gross.

A Sign of Affection: 6/10

I think this show has helped clarify something for me: I'm really getting tired of how quickly modern romance anime get their main couple together. As much as we rag on the endless will-they-won't-they of ages past, taking so much time to build up the characters and their relationship before they finally make it official can result in some truly one-of-a-kind storytelling when done right. I might agonize over how long Sawako and Kuronoma take to get together in Kimi ni Todoke, but the payoff is so transcendent that none of those complaints matter. Whereas Yuki and Itsuomi getting together so quickly in A Sign of Affection... I mean, they're cute, I guess? His cool demeanor plays off her sincerity very well? But it feels like the show's in such a rush to get to the good stuff- and so determined to make Istuomi the dreamiest, most perfect boyfriend ever- that it skips over so much of the careful character-building that makes all the best anime romances so special. It's a sugary sweet confection, but wipe the frosting away and there's just not that much cake underneath. Honestly, I find the side characters a lot more interesting because they're allowed to have messy internal conflicts with a bit more meat on their bones. But hey, props for putting a deaf heroine at the center of your shoujo romance and taking so much time to explore how that affects the way she interacts with the world. That's a cause well worth celebrating.

Sengoku Youko: 6.5/10

Rejoice, everyone, we finally have an adaptation of a Satoshi Mizukami work that doesn't look like absolute garbage! After the flaming disaster that was Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer's barely animated hackjob production, Sengoku Youko has arrived to give the cult fave manga artist a chance for his work to actually shine on the silver screen. As someone who only knows him through Planet With, I've always wondered if Mizukami deserved the reputation his manga gets, and with White Fox delivering as tight and intense a production as they gave Re:Zero, I guess it's time to finally find out. And the answer is... mostly? Like, the biggest problems in this sci-fi/feudal fantasy mashup are the characters being a little too eager to state the themes out loud and one pretty crummy death that's about as hamfisted and over-telegraphed as I've seen in a while. But there's a shockingly gripping narrative underlying it all, a story about the scars trauma leaves on people, of characters making bad decisions and facing real consequences for them, of hatred and poisonous ideology forced to reckon with the more complex reality of the world as a whole. And it all climaxes in an absolute barn-burner final episode that knocked my score up a half point all on its own. If future seasons can make good on all the potential this first season has set up, then I may just end up a Mizukami fan myself when all is said and done.

Blue Exorcist Season 3: 6.5/10

I'm of two minds about Blue Exorcist's second return after a six-year gap between seasons. On one hand, it's clear the new staff is just nowhere near as talented as the folks who first brought this series to life at A-1 Pictures. The action is abysmal, the storyboarding is clunky, and the animation feels like it's constantly fighting for its life to maintain a passable standard. And it sucks that a series that once brought such great life to its story is now held back by such a mediocre production. But on the other hand... holy fuck, am I glad Blue Exorcist is back. I once described The Devil is a Part-Timer as the mathematical average of anime as a concept, but if you were to ask me what the best possible version of that mathematical average looks like? It would be Blue Exorcist. This is, hands down, one of the best straightforward shonen action stories in the whole medium, a reminder of why all the most generic and overused tropes were once powerful enough to become generic and overused in the first place. It's proof that even the simplest of "superpowered teens kick demon butt with the power of friendship" concepts can result in a wonderful goddamn series when handled with good old-fashioned storytelling fundamentals. And not even the rough-as-hell production is enough to keep season 3 from delivering on the thrills, tears, laughs, and cheers that make this series so magical. Just, please, give the next season more time in the oven so it doesn't feel like it's wading through molasses to hit those heights. Okay?

Delicious in Dungeon (1st Cours): 7/10

Delicious in Dungeon's biggest problem is that it takes a while to really settle into itself. The opening scene of the protagonist's sister being devoured by a dragon sets the tone for an intense and desperate rescue mission, but the actual series that follows this harrowing opening is as lackadaisical as can be. And it's jarring to be thrust into a gag-filled, character-driven fantasy cooking comedy where the harsh tone of that opening scene and the ticking clock of Falin's digestion completely disappear from the characters' heads in favor of how beast to cook and eat the various fantasy monsters they encounter in the dungeon. Yes, it makes a little more sense once the mechanics of death and resurrection are explained later on, but it's a weird note to start on. Which is a shame, because once Delicious in Dungeon gets a handle on what kind of story it's trying to be, it's really fun! Its sense of deadpan comedy coupled with Trigger's expressive animation makes for some really unexpected gags, and the way it explores its fantasy cuisine is genuinely some of the most creative stuff I've ever seen in the cooking anime genre. Plus, with the dark tone coming back in at the end of the first cours- and landing much more naturally this time- I have high hopes for how this series will marry those two sides of itself moving forward. If the manga fans' reactions are any indication, I think we're in for a damn good time.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (2nd Cours): 8/10

So remember in my last post how I said that it was kind of disappointing whenever Frieren turned into an action show because of how disconnected the fights were from the beating heart that makes this show so special? Well, apparently the writers heard me and decided what I meant was I wanted this peaceful, meditative tale about grief, change and the passage of time to turn into the goddamn Hunter Exams for ten episodes straight. It's one of the most shockingly ill-advised storytelling swerves I've seen in an otherwise good show, discarding all this series' strengths in favor of a half-baked tournament arc with tonally jarring grimdark elements and a bland, overstuffed cast of characters who only start becoming interesting in the rare moments they're allowed to stop slinging spells at each other and just, like, talk about life? You know, the stuff that Frieren's actually good at? Not this brainless slice of shonen envy that only avoids being a complete slog thanks to how spectacular the action is across the board? Ugh. Look, Frieren is officially the most beloved anime on the goddamn planet right now, and its best moments are so incredible that I wish I could join that chorus as well. But it's so disappointing to me that a show this singular and special has so often chosen to be the least interesting version of itself.

The Dangers in My Heart Season 2: 8.5/10

It's official: director Hiroaki Akagi is the master of middle school rom-coms. No other creator so perfectly grasps the specific blend of immaturity, awkwardness, cringe, and heart-on-sleeve sincerity that defines the love stories of early adolescence. That was already clear with his work on Teasing Master Takagi-san, but now that he's pulled it off twice, there's no room left for argument. And just like with Takagi-san, the second season of The Dangers in My Heart takes a show that was already shockingly good and catapults it into all-time greatness. This is a coming-of-age triumph, a soaring tribute to embracing your own cringeworthy self, flaws and all, and sharing that self openly with the people who matter most to you. Ichikawa's journey toward maturity, Yamada's journey toward self-love, and the way their romance sparks the best in both of them is the stuff that dreams are made of. I laughed, I cried, I squealed like a little girl, and I felt my heart grow three sizes by the time it was done. This is a new gold standard for anime rom-coms, and if you can stomach a bit of groanworthy fanservice, it more than deserves your attention.

The Apothecary Diaries (2nd Cours): 8.5/10

Most of the time when I cover a two-cours show on these seasonal reflections, I end up in a pretty different place by the end of the second cours than I did at the first. Either it sort of fell apart in the second half, or found its footing and took it to the next level, or it changed in some interesting way that affects how I view the show as a whole. But The Apothecary Diaries has stayed the course from the first episode all the way to the end. Start to finish, it's remained pretty much the same show, with the same ideas and attitude, exploring the same themes in the same ways. And you know what? When you're as good as The Apothecary Diaries ended up being, there's nothing wrong with that. This is a spectacular historical drama that builds such a rich, compelling world for its equally rich, compelling characters to inhabit. It's a powerful exploration of how old society treated the disadvantaged- women, poor people, people with all severities of disability- and how one deeply abnormal girl carves her way through this viper's den with her body and soul intact. It's the kind of mature, thoughtful series we so rarely seen done this well, and with the announcement of a season 2 already confirmed, we may well end up with close to 50 episodes when all is said and done. That, folks, is what a true shoujo/josei renaissance looks like. And I'm so happy such a deserving series is leading the way in reminding us how damn good women's stories can be when they're given a chance to shine this brightly.

DROPPED

Cherry Magic: Dropped at 2 episodes for looking like butt and the central romance feeling pretty lifeless.

High Card Season 2: Dropped at 1 episode because I realized I didn't care anymore.

Ninja Kamui: Dropped at 2 episodes for being dull tryhard edgy bullshit with overdone fight scenes that are impossible to follow.

[rhoorl]

Week in Review | Oct. 1

Happy October! This month is a really special month for me personally (more on that later). It marks three months on Tumblr! I’m approaching a pretty significant follower milestone (for me) which is really cool. I try to not pay attention to numbers because that’s stressful and I'm trying to treat this as my fun space (and me time), but this milestone made me pause and think about the little community I’ve found here and how special it is to me. To anyone who has left a comment, reblog, like, ask, or message - thank you! You’ve brought some laughter and smiles to my days. My inbox is always open so if you want to say hi please do!

Anyway, here we go with the week in review… 

Fics I read this week:

Frankie Morales

The Pilot and His Girl by @avastrasposts - I don't want to spoil what happens in the latest chapter but ahhhh this series is just so so good. But seriously, pack some Kleenex for Chapter 33.

Grocery List by @frenchiereading - I love everything in the Mr. Morales and Miss universe. This is just such cute Frankie fluff.

Delta Palms Tropical Resort by @linzels-blog - You know I love a Triple Frontier AU and I’m so excited to see all of the goings on at the resort run by the boys!

Joel Miller

Body Language by @cupofjoel- Joel shows up at your place with a camcorder and some fun ensues…

Happy Birthday by @trulybetty - Needless to say Joel had a very good birthday this year based on some of the fics I added to my TBR list. However this fic right here?! I was a mess after the first freaking sentence - soft smut is your specialty friend!!

Another entry from @linzels-blog this time in the way of some cute Joel fluff when he attends a parent-teacher conference. 

Javier Peña

It's Never Too Late by @javierpena-inatacvest - I was seriously smiling the whole time I read this latest chapter. If you’re looking for a softer Javi (who is still spicy, can’t take that part out of him), then this is such a great read!

What Do We Have Here? by @secretelephanttattoo - We get a little more insight into what Javi’s relationship with Elisa could have been like. I loved all of the references to the show.

Drenched by @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin Javi comes home from work sweaty (hello sweaty curls sticking to the back of his neck) and he and reader both end up drenched. 😉

Marcus Pike

Headshots by @secretelephanttattoo - Reader is a photographer tasked with taking headshots at the FBI office.  Marcus is so freaking cute in this. 

Dieter Bravo 

Destiny & Deliverance by @mysterious-moonstruck-musings is a staple on this list and the only Dieter fic I’m consistently reading at the moment. Sounds like we may need to form a support group based on what may be happening in the upcoming chapters, but I am ready.

Fun Posts

Dieter and @morallyinept were back this week dishing out some self-care advice. I seriously love the way Jett puts these posts together, they make me laugh and think.

I shared some of my favorite things on this post, which also included some photos I've taken.

Feral corner:

Joel’s birthday coupled with photos of Pedro on the picket line kept the feral corner well occupied this week. I mean, look at him. I don't even care how he ties his shoes because he's adorable no matter what.

I found there’s a name for the affliction that I and many of us suffer from - Chronic Pascalitis. There are ways to lessen the symptoms, although do you really want that?

Also, the Pike Puddle is getting deeper thanks to posts like this and like this.

Can we also appreciate how beautiful this photo of Pedro is from earlier this year when we appeared on Seth Meyers' show?!

Things I watched:

I started watching this show on Max called Mosaic featuring Garrett Hedlund. It’s been interesting so far, I’m only about halfway through. There was an episode where looked like Benny and I about lost my damn mind.

Personal Update

This month is a really special month for me personally - my daughter was born in October, we rescued our dog in October, and we got married in October. Needless to say, there’s a lot to celebrate but it also has me in my feels as I sit back and reflect on a lot of things.

The past two years and the transition to becoming a mom has been hard and I’m a work in progress on that front every single day. But we've made it and I'm pretty lucky to have the independent, fearless, and hilarious little girl that I do.

My parents have been in town for the past couple of days to celebrate my daughter’s birthday. As a result, my husband and I get to take advantage of some free babysitting help and are doing a little overnight trip. It’s an early anniversary present for us to stay at one of the on-site hotels at Universal and go to Halloween Horror Nights for the night. Yay I get to see Joel and the TLOU house again!

Aside from that, we have some fun things planned this week. I’m excited for the weekend when I get to go see A Strange Way of Life in theaters! I’ll be sure to include a spoiler-free review here next week!

Fic updates:

I should have the next chapter of Working Title out soon. Thank you to those who have listened to me rant and ramble on about it. I’ve been struggling with the latest chapter. Once I get that out then I’ll work on Delta Landscaping - Will and Katie go on their date, but we also have Friday night plans for the others too. I also shared a little tease about a new neighbor coming to Mule Fall Court.

Thanks as always for reading my ramblings, I hope you have an awesome week!

[shakingparadigm]

Genuine question but if were half way through the story already what on earth is the second part going to be about. Cause we've got 1 round left so is everything after that going to about the rebellion?? I'm curious what you think is gonna happen plot-wise

That's what I've been wondering, too. When they said that we were only "nearing the halfway point" I was confused. There's more? There's only 2 people left in the damn competition.

Personally, I think that ROUND 7 is either 1) not actually happening (because of interruption/hyunamizi intervention/some other kind of setback) or 2) going to happen and then the rest of the series afterwards will be about the rebellion trying to abolish Alien Stage. Or fuck it a secret third thing since the rug has been pulled under me too many times to count at this point.

According to the news in TOP 3, the fear and paranoia over human pets seems to be reaching a new high. Debates on the news, protests on the streets, aliens being held at gunpoint by rogue humans, and the latest season of ALIEN STAGE becoming increasingly more chaotic as the human participants begin acting out. It seems like the ownership of human pets is becoming more and more controversial as new issues begin to rise. Not to mention the human rebellion is growing in numbers and taking noticeable action, most prominently with Mizi's rescue. I believe there's a chance we won't be getting ROUND 7 right away (short videos inbetween, similar to the likes of MIZISUA or TOP 3). Maybe there's a chance that they push back ROUND 7 to the very last episode (I doubt this, though) with some other events to fill in the episodes inbetween. There's still a lot to cover, especially since Hyuna just stepped into the light at the start of this year. I believe the next episodes going forward are finally going to center on Hyuna, Luka, and the rebellion. I could be absolutely wrong though, as I usually am.

[the-simple-creature]

The teacher has the AS or at least is VERY suspicious.

He is the ONLY person (besides Tessa, V, and N) that cares about her being damaged.

"We think there might be something damaged with her programming, how is she at home?" Teacher - episode 2

This relates to the EXACT thing Tessa said.

"We know it mutates in damaged AI..." Tessa - episode 6

Why specifically him? "Oh, he just cares about his students!" No, no he doesn't.

Lack of care towards students.

He was straight up told that his students where EATEN.

"So missing some campers here." "Yo, I get hungry, idiot." "No name calling, just a question."

He gave ZERO fucks that the students got munched, he wasn't even mad or annoyed at V.

Colored eyes

OK, I'll admit it, this one might be a bit of a stretch, but he is the only "adult" drone with differently colored eyes... except of course Yeva and Nori, whom are infamous for having the solver.

Conveniently missing

He is always just... missing from the action. Look to episode 4, supposedly he was just sitting there with his hat and chair... doing nothing, that never sat right with me. He would have been an easy target for Uzi.

Damn near emotionless.

This can easily be explained away by: "His job has drained him." but I think it's more then that, if he was in cabin fever labs I'm willing to bet that he has been through some shit.

Miscellaneous.

A detail in episode 4 I saw was that when you look at his list, for some reason, halfway down it says ":D friendship", I have no idea what that's about. This is the ONLY emotion he has shown so far.

At around 13:05 in episode 4 you see orange eyes looking at N, it's most likely Doll because they changed her base eye color in ep-5 at least to a weird orange, but this is before that point, her eyes are still red.

Lizzy somehow NEVER dies, I suspect that this could be her father (the teacher) saving her.

He's the only character (besides Uzi) we've seen drink something on camera, probably robo-whisky but we never see what's in the flask.

[taeskooksbin]

BEGUILE ; kth

CHAPTER TWO

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you respect his fucking relationship. yes you do.

i kept telling myself over and over again and searched up his details, according to the media, kim taehyung is over thirty nine years old.

and so fucking handsome.

he had a god-like body, out of the world facial features and perfect fashion sense, he almost seemed perfect. he was a well known lawyer, not only in korea, not only in italy but all around the world, everyone knew him.

he was truly a whole package of brain and beauty, a package that clearly did not belong to me.

i bit my nails anxiously and searched up another thing that was making me interested and nervous.

kim taehyung and ciandra park.

almost immediately swarms of pictures of taehyung and ciandra took over my laptop screen.

his girlfriend, ciandra, was pretty, no wait she was gorgeous. no wonder she was his girlfriend. she was over twenty seven, had a perfect symmetrical face which almost made me insecure as well, almost.

glass like tender skin almost pale like paper, perfect pair of plump lips and the most enchanting eyes ever. she had a lean and slim figure, her thin arms standing out of the most and most importantly her height.

she had no breasts whatsoever but her hips did stand out, long and healthy black hair complimenting the pale skin.

i searched her up and it turns out she was a model. of course. however to top all of the 'insecurity' that was building up in me, she also had her own fashion line, not quite popular but it did well, she was pretty-much known in business with over ninety something followers on instagram.

damn, i'm nothing in front of her, no wonder he chose her.

disappointment filled me to the brim after getting to know he was in a relationship, i mean not like i was planning on getting with him, but i did raise my hopes to at least flirt with him.

nevermind, alex will do for now.

━━━━━

"once again, how much older is he than you?" aurora asked while looking at her nails that were almost done. "twenty years" i answered back. "oh, well atleast he's handsome right?" she said.

"very much" i answered back while sophia kept doing our nails. "very well then, he isn't married right? you can shoot your shot" she said while sophia looked at us and then back at her work.

"he has a girlfriend" i sighed as i slightly rolled my eyes, "it doesn't matter 'ella, if he cheats on his girlfriend with you, that ain't your fault" she replied back.

"i don't know 'rora, it might be your thing but it's a no for me, truly" i sighed while trying my best to look at the bright side.

but no matter how much i try, he is just a forbidden fruit that i can never have.

"well it's alright but remember, if he flirts, then flirt back"

━━━━━

it was thursday and i was shirtless scared, although aurora's idea was slowly taking over me. i mean it's not my fault if he flirts with me now is it?

of course i'm not gonna make the first move but if he does it then who am i to stop? right? well, then a little bit of seducing wouldn't hurt anybody.

ugh i'm so stupid to think that he would even glance at me while leaving his model girlfriend. he wouldn't allow a dumb nineteen year old to destroy his perfectly made relationship.

but nevertheless, i got up and took out a green sleeveless dress which revealed the majority of my cleavage and ended till my knees. 'perfect' i thought as i stared at my reflection.

i was halfway through imagining my victory when i heard the main door opening, "he's here 'ella!" i heard mom yell from the kitchen and ran downstairs only to stare at the godly figure in front of me.

"fiorella, pleased to meet you" he smiled to which i smiled back at, politely.

"likewise, mr. kim" i smiled and he shook his head, "please call me taehyung" he smirked and leaned down to leave a peck at my cheeks which had my knees trembling.

i took a sniff at the expensive cologne he was wearing, only if i could wake up to this smell surrounding my whole body. not once did he glance down at my exposed legs or my cleavage which surely left me disappointed.

at least, he's loyal.

"well, where are we gonna start now?" he asked and leaned back, "will dad's office room work?" i said and he nodded. "of course, i just need to focus you anyway" he smiled and we walked to father's office room.

after reaching there, i took a note - not once did he try to stare at my cleavage of my bottoms that i was trying to use to seduce him desperately.

he saw the organised and really neat books and the things that were kept there which i made sure doesn't looks messy, he chuckled "i could not even imagine how much you were disappointed at your grades"

he looked over at where he was staring and smiled, "oh i bet you can't". he picked up one of the books, "i'm getting ptsd just by looking at it" he said while i chuckled.

"can you show me your result again? i need to know the area of improvement" he asks and takes a seat at one of the chairs while i nodded and walked to the table to grab my pad and handed him the results.

we went through the whole exam and re-solved the questions together, two minutes into it and i was feeling damn stupid.

i cursed myself fully knowing that i studied way too hard for this exam and didn't do a single thing correctly.

when we received the results, i heard the degrading chuckles of the teachers and smug faces of the people who deteriorated me into saying that i'd be better off as a housewife. the teachers were really cruel though.

"i'm feeling so damn stupid" i said as i looked at the common mistakes i made which degraded my grades more than before.

"don't be darling, do you know how many times i had to re-do my exams?" he chuckled. "wait really?"

"of course, in college, i was way too immersed in all the bad things that were called the 'cool-kid things' back then, such as drinking, partying and being a playboy, i did everything but study which cost me a huge loss" he let out a laugh.

"but even though i suffered, i'd still say that a little bit of fun wouldn't hurt anybody, instead it will refresh your mind surely" he smiled.

"but despite all the obstacles and distractions, i still managed to get through, and i'm sure you would too" he smiled and kept a hand on my shoulder encouragingly, not once did his eyes slip from my face to the cleavage.

it made me ashamed of my acts, did i come out as too desperate? or should i dress up a hot more revealingly next time?

the grades and his gentleman-like behaviour was making me overwhelmed, i was upset not because i was ashamed of my acts but because i wasn't able to woo him.

stop doing this, he's committed.

"hey, why are you crying?" he looked at me with concern lacing his voice.

"i'm sorry" i muttered, "don't be, princess, i know how hard it is for you, it is for everyone but you would pass it no matter what, i do see a lot of potential in you to do so" he said while patting my head.

"yeah, i can be a baby sometimes" i said when the embarrassment rushed through me, my cheeks blushed since at this point i was totally giving off a vibe of some spoiled daddy's princess who didn't get what she wanted.

it was the grades, in my case.

"don't worry, we'll work this through, alright?" he said and held my cheeks in his hands wiping a tear off of my face. i nodded and refrained myself from pouting when he took his hand back.

girlfriend fiorella, fucking girlfriend.

"i'm giving you some homework for today, you need to prepare for the first portion of your test and i'll return with a test next week to make sure you got everything right, is that okay with you?" i nodded

"we need to change your study method as well so how about i stop by on monday to see how you're doing, how does that sound?" he said with a little smile to which i nodded.

"thank you" i smiled and stood up. "anytime darling" he replied and stood as well, totally towering my small figure which had me ogling for a second.

he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me a bit closer to which i slightly widened my eyes, my delusional mind already making up all the possible (not) scenarios of all the possibilities of him liking me back as i wrapped my own arms around him

and thank you for the sweet words as well" i whispered in his ears sniffing his cologne. i was a bit disappointed when he pulled back since it left me extremely empty and lonely.

"not really a gentleman like behaviour if you see a pretty girl crying and don't help her out, right?" he winked a bit playfully and then broke into a gorgeous boxy smile instantly making me fangirl over him.

shit, i'm going to seduce the fuck outta him.

━━━━━

[ next episode ]

[ main masterlist ]

[piratefalls]

thanks to @priincebutt for the tag! i'm still tapping away at "alex overthinks proposing", but i'm halfway through a rewatch of psych and after watching my favorite episode, my brain ran away with it. for those unfamiliar, the basic premise of the show is that the main character, the son (alex) of a former cop pretends to be a psychic so he can solve cases with the police, he takes his actually gainfully employed but no less goofy best friend (nora) along for the ride, and falls for a junior detective (henry) along the way. the basic storyline i'm hijacking is from season 3, episode 16, "an evening with mr. yang".

In order to give himself time to get centered he decides to push his luck, just a little. Putting his finger to his temple, he loudly announces to the room that not only is he already seeing something, he can sense that the killer is near. After a long moment of feigned indecision, he dramatically points to a scrawny man sitting near the wall opposite him, pale like he’s never seen the sun in his life, brown jacket, ill-fitting pants, and thick black rimmed glasses. Even if he’s not their killer, Alex isn’t entirely certain they can rule him out as a serial killer altogether. Henry, quietly sliding up next to him, clears his throat. “Alex, that’s Mary Lightly. He’s a profiler who’s spent the last ten years studying Yang’s patterns.” “And how to make an attractive lamp out of human skin,” he hears Nora mutter. Alex is somewhat mollified by the fact that he isn’t the only one who sees it. “Play nice, will you?” Henry groans. “His knowledge could be invaluable. We need him.” Once introductions are made, Mary offers his very limp, damn near translucent hand for Alex to shake. Alex tries his best to hold in the cringe that wants to escape, but judging by the way Henry’s glaring at him he’s doing a terrible job. “Alex Claremont-Diaz, in the flesh,” Mary says. Both he and Nora fix their friend with a glare that can only be interpreted as an i-told-you-so. Henry rolls his eyes, but Alex doesn't miss the way he slightly shifts his body away from their new coworker.

tagging: @wellhalesbells and @ejunkiet, because y'all are my peeps, and taking @kiwiana-writes open tag. and you, reading this right now!

[touchstoneaf]

I'm reading summaries and transcripts, and once in a while forcing myself to watch episodes of anything after season 3 of Smallville (solely so that I can rewrite them in a way that's much more coherent (and CLexy, but that goes w/o saying))... and my GOD, they are so dumb sometimes. Poor Michael. having to convincingly say shit like "your girlfriend was possessed by the ghost of a witch" with a straight face! (Side note what the actual fuck is the plot in this season? Season 4 is insane and I don't even want to talk about it.) Yes the show has always been a little goofy and has some storylines that are questionable... but they are really pushing it now.

Also one of the main strengths of the show is the chemistry between Michael and Tom, and yet they have full episodes where they don't even interact, and it's just like, *what* are you doing?! And then to top it off, each summary just gets more and more ridiculous and complicated as the seasons goes on, and I'm just like oh thank god I have simplified it in fanfiction! They are no damn witches (because let me not even get started on how witches are portrayed in most TV shows!), there are no spirits floating around trying to possess people (just because you have Kryptonite around does not mean you get to hand-wave literally anything at all. Why in the hell would a Kryptonite nodule or some dust cause ghosts to exist? It affects *living cells* with *radiation*. I don't even understand why they would make a decision like that. They really must have been desperate for stories already, and we're not even halfway through the show yet).

I'm not going to even get started on my main gripes with the show that have existed from the beginning, like turning Superman into a self-serving, abusive, selfish liar who lies, or the fact that their main "villain" was created out of victim-blaming and abuse and then everybody's just gleefully happy for Lex be treated like shit for no fucking reason whatsoever, while his Literally Evil father is turned into some kind of pseudo "good" guy. Cuz yeah, abusers should be redeemable. but their victims should end up alone and tortured and treated like shit by everybody around them. That totally makes sense. I won't get started, I really won't, because I will be here all day. Or the fact that nobody seems to have figured out that Clark is a meta at the very least, when he does all kinds of weird shit all the time. These people are smart. Chloe and Lex especially are not fucking stupid by any stretch. It just simply would not have taken them four or more years to realize that he could easily one of the mutants in town. Nobody would be shocked in the slightest; but they play it like they're just too stupid to figure it out, and it's terrible because Clark is the worst liar in the universe.

Also, somebody who's not yet Superman is not going to be fighting beings like Doomsday when they're still like 20. It's just not going to happen. I'm not even getting started on creepy stuff like how they're totally sexualizing someone who's playing a minor because she is their eye candy on the show. Lana and Kristin deserved better! The female lead who basically existed to further the two guys' storylines for like three seasons finally gets her own story... but it's about being possessed by an ancient witch or some shit? They are actually sexualizing her near death experience, like some kind of creepy PG snuff film (who actually made the decision of trying to make Lana being slowly suffocated a weird sexy vibe?! So fucking problematic I don't even know where to start). And then the male lead's other love interest is summarily killed by their cardboard cutout villain of the week with his lack of character development, simply so that she can't get in the way of Supes' future storyline, because she was literally created only to be a roadblock to his future goals, masquerading as something to keep him from actually being lonely to death. All she did wrong was to wish she could free of stigma about Mental Health... then shortly afterward, when she was essentially killed about it, he turns around and is fine again because he gets a football scholarship. What the fuck?! (Yes, I'm looking at you, Pariah).

I can't even with this show sometimes. I'm so glad I quit when I did. I tend to forget how insane and Incredibly questionable a lot of it is until I have to watch something of it in order to rewrite it. But I guess that's why there's fanfic in the first place!

[cocktailjjrs]

Okay, so i thought long and hard about this, and i just thought that, this season can't end on a cliffhanger right?

Episode 10 ended halfway through ch 110; so if we think that the remaining .5 chapter takes a minute or two, so excluding op and ed we have 18-19 mins of anime only episode.

But then there isn't anything else remaining in this whole arc that they can leave the 11th episode on a cliffhanger and pick up in season 6 and have enough storyline to last that whole season (or even half). This whole decay of angels things is stretched thin as is, any more and it won't make any sense.

(I'm conveniently going to ignore the fact that the new episode is titled 'Twilight Goodbye'; theories aside, that shit sound terribly depressing. My soukoku heart cant take the possibility of it really being a goodbye...)

I also know that the whole mess getting magically cleared in one episode seems like a pipe-dream (unless the episode is 40-45 mins long); but spilling over next season to wrap this up in another two episodes seems weird anime pacing.

So i can only think that someone missing from the story till now is going to come in at this last moment to set things straight.

The only people still unaccounted for in all this mess are:

Yosano

Kyoka

Mori

Koyo

Verlaine (does he count if he isn't yet introduced in anime or main story?)

Katai

Naomi

Natsume sensei

Kajii (?)

the whole of Guild

I have a feeling that since Yosano was no where near the airport, or even in Anne's room, means she is away from this whole scene and possibly ready to jump in to save Dazai (i really hope) because the ADA members don't exactly need her there at this moment they can survive off the machines a bit longer, but Dazai needs to be saved.

Then we need someone to overpower Fukuchi if we are thinking of taking one order back from him...

Also, someone to outsmart Fyodor now...

All of ADA is down... So in a situation like this, i think the PM top brass (Mori, Koyo and Verlaine) coming through in the clutch would make more sense. The DOA marked them off in their first move, severely underestimated them...

Mori for all his vices is a very cunning man, he has an ability to be cool and calculating, and arrive at an the optimal solution without letting emotions interrupt his decision making. He is a war veteran, he knows how a war is fought and won and he is ready to take any means necessary, however ugly, to reach his end goal. With a bit of intel about the battle field, he can turn the tides in their favour. He already knew about Tachihara, so i don't think he will just sit back after knowing what dangers are just round the corner. He would have started planning then only, if not earlier.

I don't know how can one win over Fukuchi at this point, till the time he has that damn sword, he seems invincible (plot armour and all that crap included), but i think Natsume sensei will have seen him in his cat form, so i really hope he will have a plan to deal with that too...

We also don't know where the big hitters from guild are, Fitzgerald himself is a whole package and he even has eyes of god; something that was used against Fyodor before this... sooooo.....

OR the vampirism get's lifted and this time Shin soukoku finally beat the crap out of Fukuchi, i would love to see that...

Is there anything else that can happen?

[hils79]

Hils Watches Moonlight Chicken - Ep 5

I forgot this drama is only 8 episodes long so I'm over halfway through now. Wild. I'll be finished in a couple of days. Feels so quick after a 40 episode cdrama

So we're seeing what Alan and Wen were like before they broke up. I'm starting to have a theory about how this is going to end...

Also, it's weird seeing Mix kiss someone who isn't Earth. I've only seen the two of them together in dramas

Damn that fight scene was brutal but holy shit First and Mix are good actors. I was so focused on what was happening I forgot about the food that's in front of me

Thank god for Gong, who is apparently the only sensible person in this drama

Okay, here's my theory now that we're under the read more tag. I'm worried that the plot of this movie (two people who fall in love but don't end up together because of other factors) is what is going to happen to Jim and Wen. GMM typically doesn't make bittersweet BL dramas but this one is bit more mature than the others. I am bracing myself just in case this movie is foreshadowing.

That's about the highest level of praise you can get from a teenage boy

It's always Engineering or Architecture

Wen's just had a 'oh my kind of step-nephew is in love with a boy' moment. He looks so fond.

They don't live in a small town or anything. I don't think it's unreasonable for Jim to ask for someone who didn't show up at his restaurant and yell at him to deal with his loan application.

Yes, let's have a very thinly veiled conversation in which Wen is compared to a pen

It's just occurred to me that I've seen First play a high school student (The Eclipse), a college student (Not Me) and now a bank manager who I assume is meant to be in his late 20s or early 30s. All of these dramas were filmed in the last 2 years. That's some range!

Come on dude, don't be a total dick. You had better send off his loan application and not just toss it in the bin.

Okay, that's interesting given my comment above. Why DID Jim go to Alan's bank? Is he hoping to get turned down?

It's like he was reading my liveblog and is now answering all of my comments :D

Gong is my new favourite. He's so done with all Wen and Alan's nonsense

He is so right and he should say it

Well, let's see. We were having a nice romantic Christmas moment, then your ex-boyfriend who you still live with and share a bed with showed up. He yelled at you, then he yelled me, then he yelled you some more and shoved you over. Oh, yeah, and this dude is also in charge of whether I can borrow the money I need to save my business.

Okay, if this was closer to the end I'd be more worried that they were going to go with the bittersweet movie ending but given that there's another 3 episodes after this one maybe it'll be okay?

Alan really does like talking in metaphors. Wen was a pen, now Jim is chicken

I was saying today I am enjoying that for the most part characters in this actually use their words instead of just leaping to conclusions and making assumptions. Not always, but way more than most dramas. I'm glad Wen and Alan have finally had the mature conversation that they needed to have for both of them to move on

I still think Alan is going to end up with Gaipa but given that they haven't even met yet that may just be wishful thinking.

A good progressive boy

Bold of you to assume you can just move in with Jim

[nobodysuspectsthebutterfly]

Thinking about HOTD's future seasons and the Dance of the Dragons...

OK. So GRRM said he thinks they need 4 seasons (40 episodes) to properly tell the story of the Dance. Last I heard, "while nothing is carved in stone, the current Targaryen storyline is currently plotted to run only about three or four seasons" -- that is, they didn't know at the time how many seasons HBO will grant them. Hopefully it's four; the way they were renewed for a second season within the first week of broadcast, and that each episode had such high viewership and gained viewers each week, would make it more probable that HBO would be willing to invest the money.

Anyway, here's the major events of the Dance of the Dragons and how I think they could line up with each season (under the cut for major spoilers, all the spoilers in the world):

So. Season 2 could end with the the Battle of Rook's Rest... or the Battle of the Gullet. It really depends on if they want to have the ending trauma episode Rhaenys's death or Jace's… either way the whole season should involve a major build up for both characters. Jace in particular will be in the Vale and the North for a while at the start of the season before returning home, so bookending with his ending could work well on a character arc level.

On the other hand, to have two ep10s with the death of one of Rhaenyra's sons? It might be too on the nose. But also I can't see the Battle of the Gullet as anything but an enormous setpiece -- big ocean battle, little Aegon riding his dragon for the first (and last) time, dragonseeds firing on the ships, Myrish archers firing back, Vermax getting pulled down by a grapnel, Driftmark attacked, High Tide burned... that's a Battle of the Blackwater -level kind of episode. Maybe it could be S3 ep 2 or 5? But I really can't help but feel it's an ep9 or 10 kind of thing. But then, so's Rook's Rest, with a 2-on-1 dragon battle and all... 🤔

But either way, I'm pretty damn sure they won't go as far as the Fall of King's Landing as a season 2 ender. Only if they're only given 3 seasons... and ugh, the time compression involved there, it would make S1's timejumps look like amateur hour, so let's pray not.

Assuming 4 seasons, if I were doing it, I'd put the Sowing of the Seeds mid s2 followed shortly by Rook's Rest, end S2 with the Gullet (major loss for Blacks, Jace dies), and end S3 with the Butcher's Ball (major loss for Greens, Criston dies). That would likely put the Fall of KL in mid-S3, a good audience-grabber episode, lots of dragons. And then the episode after, so many executions! Tyland gets tortured! (paging @mylestoyne) Probably what happened to Maelor... happens. 😭 But I definitely wouldn't want to end s3 with the Gods Eye, as HBO will need Daemon and Aemond to carry into the last season... can you imagine the S4 trailer? Oh.

Anyway, the Gods Eye and the KL riots happen so close to each other, and they both definitely are last season material. So, I'd make S4 start with First Tumbleton and the Two Betrayers -- that would lead to Rhaenyra turning on the rest of the dragonseeds -- which is what makes Corlys defect and also is what makes Daemon decide to just go mano-a-mano with Aemond -- and that leads to her downfall and the riots and escape back to Dragonstone etc. This would also give a core arc to the first part of S4 of Addam needing to prove his loyalty, etc, as well as the arc of Ulf and Hugh turning traitor at the beginning but getting theirs by halfway/75% through the season at Second Tumbleton. (Keeping these secondary character plots within one season would be ideal, as watchers forget their investment during hiatuses.)

But I would for sure move Rhaenyra's final scene to after Second Tumbleton for irony purposes (she doesn't know that the tide is turning in her favor, but it's too late for her anyway), as well as prioritizing emotional investment. Not to mention the deaths of the dragons in 2T would lead to showing Sunfyre's horrifying state at Dragonstone.

And again, if it were my choice, the last 2 or 3 episodes would have Aegon II's brief reign and murder, Aegon III's crowning, and the Hour of the Wolf. (Even more executions!) If they want to end downbeat, the last scene could be a focus of little Aegon all alone on the Iron Throne. But if upbeat (my ideal scenario) then there will be a last episode after the Hour of the Wolf with a swift pass through Corlys's death from old age, the Regents doing their thing, and the Winter Fever (Alicent's & Tyland's deaths)... and finally end with Alyn bringing Viserys home to the embrace of his family. (Like @naomimakesart's perfect artwork.)

Or at least, I'd include the Winter Fever in the final episode, since I'd like to keep Alicent's death the same (mourning her lost children and her lost innocent childhood (and in HOTD, her love of Rhaenyra)), and also include it in the show. But I don't know if they'll do that. 🤷‍♀️

But then who knows how many of these battles they'll keep in this adaptation, or if they'll keep them in order at all. Still, I hope you all enjoyed my fantasy booking anyway!

[bumblingbabooshka]

You have fooled me. You have, on this blog, woven an intricate story, a beautiful story, and recently I have found it ruined; and I hold you accountable for my newfound and quite immense displeasure. I thought T’Pel and her children were real. I started watching Voyager because I saw Tuvok and T’Pel and their kids and thought “There’s a story I want to follow! There’s an interesting family dynamic!” And you know what I did? I watched the show! The ENTIRE thing! And they never showed up. I think halfway through I realized what was going on and that it was all for naught, but I held out regardless, some naive sense of hope leading me to stick things out. There’s still time, I reasoned. Maybe they’ll show up! Maybe we’ll get to meet T’Pel, whom I adore from what I’ve seen on this blog! And maybe we’ll get to see Tuvok interact with his children, and get to see what a good, loving Vulcan relationship looks like. And then the final episode roles around, and my spirits are finally crushed, and look where we are now. How could you. How COULD you? I am utterly distraught, and it is entirely your fault for writing convincing and well developed characters. You have destroyed and betrayed me and I will never recover.

Who between us is to be more pitied? The one who was lured into a castle by the music played therein only to find it empty, or the one who sits in the throne at its center - ruler of a barren land? You stand there, incensed to action and I tell you you are right to be. But do not raise your pitchfork to my throat - I created this all from nothing. Surely, there's beauty in that? We are two clowns in this bereft circus but think of this: You at least had hope. You at least could follow that sweet music for a time. I, the creator, never had such bliss. I knew from the very start that Tuvok and T'Pel never truly interacted. He spoke of her briefly. We see a snippet of one child and hear little of another, the other two completely cloaked in mystery. With these shriveled seeds in my palm I have created what surrounds you now - this marvelous spectacle. At least you can listen to the music without the burden of creation. You can go to the Tuvok/T'Pel tag and read what I have written there without the dark gray mark signifying it as yours. You, at least, can pretend. I have no such luxury. So despair if you will. Rage, scream, cry onto my shoulder - what have you. But then please, dear traveller...you've come all this way.... Leave a comment. A kudos. A like. Anything to water these shriveled seeds of mine. (I look out at my paltry garden, a rueful little smile on my face. I close my eyes as the music begins to play again) Ah...I think it's coming. Another fic idea. It will give me a comment. 'Cute'. Two, if I'm lucky. The music is wretched, I know. Built on such paltry offerings. (I turn to you now. I wear the tired hope of a man who's glad for the company. The smile of the damned.) But it brought you here to me, didn't it? And isn't that beautiful? (I laugh, soft and low. It joins the music, makes it louder. My joy.) Isn't it beautiful?

Close your eyes...and listen.

[robinade]

I started watching the 9-1-1 pilot, like many others drawn to the siren song of canonical queer representation.

And there are so many things I did not expect considering how tumblr talks about this show

Abby as an actual main character right there in the pilot?? The way she gets talked about I thought she was a there and gone again minor character, damn. (Also, knowing she and Buck get together at some point: girl, congrats on your cougar moment 🙏)

Everyone's favorite sunshine boy Buck is deeply annoying. Like, I'm sure he shapes up but my god the Captain has SO much patience.

Athena absolutely deserved to punch Buck right where he stood. What an asshat.

Also I was not expecting THE wall baby thing to happen right in the pilot! Like holy shit!

Athena is not having a great day. To be fair, clearly her husband isn't either.

Damn, there is so much going on in this episode. You can tell it's a pilot because they had way too many ideas and they're throwing them all out there to see what sticks.…

Omg there's MORE. How the crap is this episode only halfway through.

Buck are you seriously banging the snake lady

Buck why

Wait why is SHE banging the guy who killed one of her snakes??

Ok he definitely deserved to get fired for that stunt but the sad puppy eyes are very compelling.

Buck saved Athena! Ok.... You're allowed to stay. For now.

I mean definitely acab but I can't resist Angela Bassett. She's so beautiful. I know she and Bobby get together eventually and let me tell you, that man is seriously out of his league with her. He better give head like a demon.

[i-cant-feel-my-eyebrows-barbara]

okay so I can safely say after it taking months for me to get through and I'm still not even done with it, season 6 of buffy is HORRENDOUS (for me at least, enjoy what you want lmao)

like I completely understand that this season is supposed to focus more on the internal struggles of the scooby gang and its supposed to be rough and raw at times, but DAMN. I feel so stale and crusty every time I've sat down to watch a few episodes. I also almost feel like halfway through season 6 is where the show feels like it's on the other side of the hill after peaking in season 5. I haven't even gotten to seeing red yet!!! And I'm dreading it bc tara is one of the only things I'm here for atp!!!

I just want warren to get flayed already guys I was ready for him to get fish fileted when he was so ready to SA that woman to be their sex servant that was fucking disgusting and I wish someone ripped his dick off and threw it in the L.A. river for that

[waybeforeyourtime]

TALK TO SIMON ABOUT IT!!

Listen, Wille's right. Simon's right. People suck.

Look at Boris trying to teach August humanity 101.

IDK if I'm going to survive 2,5 more episodes of Simon's sad face.

you're dumbasses. your hormones have made you so stupid.

no one is being honest. including you two! and damn how do these two have so much chemistry!

SELL THEM OUT FELICE! SELL THEM OUT!

If micke hurts her, I'm going to punch my screen.

Damn, Malte for giving August so much depth.

Sara, this is why I love you. You know, and that's why you're always sad.

August, it's not a woman's job to make you a better person. (And anyone reading this, it's NEVER your job to make someone a better person.)

sidebar: I hated the comment 'we feel emotions more than others'. Well, tbh, that's bullshit. We can't gauge how anyone feels emotions. We can only see the reaction to that emotion. There is no such thing as an Empath. And it's not that people with mental illness feel things more deeply, it's that they don't have the coping mechanism to process that feeling or to work through it in a healthy way.

Let's sneak away and have sex because everyone is always watching us. And let's hold hands and grin like idiots in front of everyone to see. lol

They've said, 'I love yous'. It's more than halfway through the season. It's about to get bad. real bad. omg so bad.

Seriously, Simon?! All this time living with a neurodivergent sister and you haven't worked that out yet?

Shit. That's it. That's the moment Simon knows that he really doesn't trust him.

No please don't let that turn into something so bad that he cries again. :(((((((( But I know.

I hate this. It's like when I was watching the Oscars last night, and the Godzilla Minus One SFX team was up there, and I kept thinking, 'Don't you dare play the music over him, you monsters!!' And then they did. Yeah. That phone call was like that.