#if it is romance be really GAY or really unpredictable

[the-official-account]

Do you love detective stories but hate cops?

Do you love gay detective stories and hate capitalism?

Like disabled main characters who's disability actually comes up?

Like characters of color but not in the mood for stories on racism?

Tempted by the thought of romance at ages of 30+?

Does the idea of stories so queer you'll hesitate before calling any character a "man" or a "woman" make you think "Ah, yes pronoun shenanigans, just like my discord used to make"

And you into an abundance of strong, diverse female and nonbinary characters?

Do you fight for women's wrongs?

I know rep-only recommendations can be annoying, but I'm trying to grab your attention to promote some Indie media. Luckily, though, this post isn't rep-only!

To read my full reccomendation and review of Three of Hearts, click below. ♦️♥️♣️♠️

And if you aren't in the mood for a new thing right now, consider reblogging! Maybe even ping a friend who might be into this! You love supporting queer indie creators!

Note: I am not involved with the making of the show or the game space Kings. I just really like this podcast.

The story

♠️♣️♥️♦️Three of Hearts♦️♥️♣️♠️ centers on two paragovernmental agents in a fantasy, post-war, queernormative 1950s.

Roughly 20 years before the opening, a set of heroes purged magic from the world to turn the tide of the war. But scraps of this thaumaturgic energy still remain. S.U.I.T.S (securing unpredictable injurious thaumaturgic situations) is an agency founded to deal with everything left behind.

When two of the longest standing employees at S.U.I.T.S, Agent Vellum and Agent Felspar, are called onto a new case involving stone crops and a missing person, Felspar isn't surprised (Though Vellum, who's injury had him doing desk work most of his career, is). Things devolve quickly when the Agents realize this case comes from Felspar's home town of Cloven heart, an idyllic magical village that prefers to handle justice on it's own.

Answers yield only more questions, as the Agents realize almost everyone in town has something to hide, and Felspar isn't the only one whose past keeps catching up to him:

How much magic is still around? What's Vellum got sloshing around in there that people think is so juicy? What is Diamond, elven pop star and queer icon, doing in such a small town? Just how big is this case, and how can the Agents balance their legal responsibility, with promises they've made to Cloven Heart?

WHEN. WILL. THEY. JUST. KISS?

(if you're skeptical about central romances, I get it! See notes on aro/aceness and platonic relationships in the rep section for more info)

The combination of magic and newfangled war tech — think telegrams and radios — is somehow just as charming as a rotating cast of characters who will each stake their claim on your heart, but betrayal is imminent and mistrust is rife. The story strikes a wonderful balance between slice of life goodness, and edge-of-your-seat high drama, culminating In a show I highly recommend.

But are they just reskinned cops: my answer has got to be no. While they are technically law enforcement, the main two are entering a commune-like space, where that isn't so welcome. It's a situation they treat with caution and respect. The classic cop-plot of "Should I make myself judge, jury, and executioner because The Bad Guy™ deserves punishment" just isn't a problem. The justice system isn't perfect, in our world or the show's, and the story acknowledges that. But in a social, cultural way, they don't act like cops. They DO act like detectives. But the rules they choose to break and the ones they choose to follow will hopefully satisfy my fellow cop-haters who crave a good mystery

The format

♠️♣️♥️♦️Three of Hearts♦️♥️♣️♠️ is an Indie actual play — this is not DnD, hear me out — podcast in the game Space Kings. All the tension of dice rolls, without drawn out combat or clunkiness, it's a breeze of story-forward listening, even if you've never listened to actually play podcasts before!

If you've tried dnd actual plays, and haven't like the flow of them, I would recommend trying this. A few encounters that may feel random (though they're not) get the story kicked off at a fast pace, but it quickly settles into a story with a tight plot, great pacing, and impactful character development.

The use of a playing card deck to see the outcomes of risky actions means that no matter what happens, success or failure, the tension keeps rising. And the hosts do a wonderful job of explaining mechanics in the show, so it never interrupts the listening experience.

Actual-play connessuires who want to primarily see people playing a game might not be satisfied, as bonuses are given liberally, and I would describe the podcast as more story focused than game focused, But the risks are ALWAYS real, sometimes (often) with thrilling, shocking outcomes.

Also concerned AP listeners should know there's some chaos magic involved! I was surprised when it first came up, and doubtful about how it might affect the story, but it ended up weaving into the rest of the plot really well, and I feel neither like it had no affect, nor like it shook up everything the party was building in an unsatisfying way. Personally I would have preferred to go in knowing it was there, but I also don't think it's major enough to belong in the main synopsis. Now you know, though!

The hosts make a real effort to blend stats and story, and I think the pull it off wonderfully without spending too much time on mechanics. If you want to see that though, session 0 and other details are on the Patreon (where you get the same content no matter how much you pay, at a minimum of a dollar a month).

The pod has all the lighthearted fun and banter of a "friends around the table" show, but never once have I had that "oh my god, I'm not a part of your inside joke, shut up and play!" Feeling.

I think it's a delight for AP and non-AP fans alike.

The episodes: roughly 45- 75 minutes long, with a midtro and some post-end music scenes, so listen through the end music, or check that there isn't extra content by seeing how close the play head is when the end music starts. It's not too long and quite pleasant in my opinion! The midtros always come at a nice moment to step back from the story, and are not too long and not irritating. I enjoyed listening to them! At some point, a midtro starts getting reused, and I was slightly disappointed I wasn't hearing new jokes every episode, but it's a small thing. I skip the repetitive ones with my 30 seconds forward button, and while I haven't timed the Intro, that's worked really well for me. I don't have to fiddle with my play head to make sure I don't skip forward too far. Super convient.

Trigger warnings: the show is pretty lighthearted! Listeners sensitive non-graphic mentions of needles, blood, and/or guns might want to skip on this one, but most episodes don't get heavy. The few that do have pre episodes notes that warn you things get dark, how they get dark, and how to skip the darkest bits. Personally, I listened through them and enjoyed those parts a lot! But if that's not your thing, I agree with the warning that they're very skippable, and I think trigger-sensitive listeners will be pleased. As an indie pod, there are no fan made, super specific lists of triggers. However, my DMs are always open if you have particular concerns, and I'll answer to the best of my ability.

I try to emphasize the balance between lightheartedness and drama, but if you mental health is sensitive to grim & dark media, i think this one is pretty safe. Please always exercise caution! But I'd describe 30♥️s as emotionally restful.

Transcripts: transcripts are in the works, but do not currently exist. Three of Hearts is a non-scripted show, so those are also unavailable

The rep

Don't you hate when someone raves about rep and you go in expecting something good and get like. One dog-boy described as having "chocolate colored skin"? Or when people make a "watch for rep" post and then mention like. Gay and maybe trans people and that's it, even when shows DO have disability and POC rep? Yeah that's not me. Here's the spoiler free rundown, race is at the bottom because I get into more detail with it, not because it isn't important:

Edit: For more on some of these topics from a hosts perspective, see the reblogged addition by @/citrusandsalt

MLM characters: Main characters, one confirmed bi the other unknown

Wlw characters: Reoccurring side characters (present or mentioned in every episode I think) Married. Orientation unspecified.

Enby love: LOTS. It's actually hard to really categorize mlm and wlw stuff because almost every character is nonbinary. Anyways— it's VERY queer

Women: I...I don't know exactly which characters are women 😂. But there are many feminine characters, and they're badass as fuck. Some are compassionate, some are cold, some are chaotic, most are a mix! The two main characters are...masculine...(I say with much hesitation) but you will not feel robbed for your woman-ly content.

Non-traditional family structures: All of the families in the story, pretty much, are non-traditional. Adoption is super common. (You want some wlw who just KEEP adopting kids? You got em) Found family is a MASSIVE force in the story. Also, It's a post-war story.........which is to say almost everyone's parents are dead.

Edit: an MC had poly parents, which may not be obvious but is true!

Polyamory: to my knowledge so far, there are polyam characters, and it is definitely present in the world! But no poly relationships in the forefront. I am about 2/3 through the current episodes, so there may be a present polyamorous relationship later, but also if I confirmed it that would be a spoiler. This may be that "playing it by ear" thing that happens with ttrpgs. I wouldn't listen for the hope of polyamory alone, but I don't tell you it's not there/won't happen.

Trans characters: almost all of them. Might think "oh there are only a few!" And you are wrong. You are so wrong.

Neopronoun users: yup! To my knowledge, minor characters. A handful who use at least he/she/they or they/them and may also use neos in a manner im forgetting

Plurality: no system characters yet, but the creators are friendly, I asked ;)

Platonic relationships: YES. As an aro person who hates so many romance tropes this one gets my stamp of approval. There's no real jealousy drama, exes who communicate and are supportive, and romance doesn't kill friendships. There's a central sibling relationship and non-familial platonic ones that have conflict, drama, resolutions, and a deeply satisfying significance in the story. If you don't like romance at all, this one might not be for you. If you just don't like stories exclusively about romance, I think you'll enjoy this. Genre wise, I'd definitely describe three of hearts as a mystery primarily with a strong romantic subplot, not a romance itself, and that comes through in player and character's additives and priorities.

Aro/ace characters: none confirmed yet to my knowledge. Romance is very central, sex is joked about on occasion but it isn't at the forefront of the story at all. There are many, single characters who are thriving.

Edit: Actually! There is one character who discusses demiromanticism in cannon that I forgot, and another confirmed out of cannon character who is ace. Both are non-main major characters!

Age diversity: the youngest characters in the show are older to middling teens, and the oldest are in their 400s. Okay but the oldest in human terms are roughly 60-70. The most common age range, and the ones the central characters are in, is 30-40. The second most common is that 60-70, then some ~40-50 folks here and there, with people in their 20s being probably the rarest (no named ones off the top of my head?) And there are a small number of teens. This is not a story about youth and youthful beauty. Generally, the older a character becomes the most bad ass/spooky powerful they are, and older characters are very involved in the plot.

Mental illness and neurodivergency: to my knowledge so far no characters are in cannon confirmed to have a specific mental illness or ND, though I wouldn't be surprised if it was part of a character or the main characters, and just hadn't come up. Listeners with cluster b or "scary" disorders, or with conditions that may cause them to lash out, will find satisfaction with how compassionately the narrative treats werefolk. To say more encounters spoilers. I would also say that depression, while the word isn't used and it is not central to the story, is present as a narrative force, and also treated wisely and with compassion. Still, as is usually for a good story, all of these bitches need therapy.

Disability: LOTS. There's a lot of "different, not broken" themes that disabled listeners are likely to love, but both of the main characters are disabled! One is a cane user, the other experiences migraines. These have a genuine, pressing, mechanical impact on the story. It's COMES UP. It's a real joy. For a magical world, there is no magical healing! Or there is, but it isn't a perfect solution, which in my opinion is just a magical version of real healing, though yours may differ! Also, there is a minor, reoccurring character who's a wheelchair user, and I think he's really fun.

Disfigurement: Excuse me if I am not prepared with the most sensitive way to speak about this, but I'm doing my best! There is a character with no eyes or nose, who is central and lovely. To my knowledge, there are no amputee characters or characters with limb differences (of the wheelchair user I'm not sure if it's specified whether or not he has legs). There is a character of questionable morality who has significant facial and bodily disfigurement. In as few spoilers as possible: this was not injury or genetic related. The disfigurement is treated with a firm compassion, and does not exist as a "this character is evil" signal. It's a long arc, but I imagine people who relate will be satisfied, though I cannot speak for anyone.

Characters of color: many! The main two are Hispanic and Asian. Terms like "dark skinned" are used for characters, but in the fantasy world race doesn't exactly translate, and I wouldn't call it "important" in this story. Read more about race below:

Fantasy racism: sort of! The word "race" is used to mean "humanoid species" and I know some folks don't like that? None of these fantasy races are oppressed, but specific people (Magic versus non-magic people) have conflict about that aspect of their identity, and policing is a related concern. I would place the allegory more in the space of transness and disability/neurodivergency if pressed to choose, but it doesn't feel like it's trying to tell a story about real-world oppression, primarily. I have more complicated thoughts on exactly what I'm trying to communicate here, but they involved some spoilers. DM me for more info!

Hosts/creator identity: out of three hosts, two are white, one is not! They are very queer, and disability is also...a thing! These are real life people, so I'm not going to get into detail, but check out their twitters plugged in the show for more on how they self-identify.

Okay but are they racist: Real talk! As a black person who thinks I keep my ears sharp, I would say no! Not at all! This is one of those situations where I was like "YOU'RE WHITE?" And shocked about it, (if you listened to TSCOSI, same vibe) which is a very good thing in my books. The hosts are open and sensitive, and I have no complaints, however, this is just one perspective! This isn't coincidental, race is an active consideration in how the story is told — just not a central theme.

Edit: One of the hosts, Essay (@/citrusandsalts) discussed more on hosts identities in a reblog! If this concerns you, and you want less of me walking on eggshells about other people's identities, read her addition too!

Edit 2: Jordan, the GM also has commented additions!

Minor but worth mentioning: A minor character has a name with what I believe is the Nahuatl "tl" sound in it, which is not pronounced correctly. It's a really hard sound! I can't really do it! But if that really irritates you this might not be the podcast for you.

People who might be interested in this post, as always let me know if you don't want to be pinged (I rarely ever do this) and it won't happen again: @citrusandsalt @fyeahaudiodrama @boombox-fuckboy

[vesarcanus-if]

Demo: 9/6/23

Your parents are the biggest Vampire mobsters in Vas Arcanus and are the heads of the notorious Florentia Family. On your 25th birthday, your parents gift you with an important role in the family: running Blood Bank, their nightclub and base of operations. Unfortunately, a few years ago your first love, a burlesque dancer at Blood Bank, was murdered. The culprit was never found …supposedly. With your new position within the Ves Arcanus Underground, maybe you can finally find answers and serve justice or revenge.

In the city of Ves Arcanus, you’ll encounter Supernaturals of several different species and work alongside the most powerful families in organized crime: the Arcanus Six. The Six includes the Florentia Family, the Lombardi Family, the Seth Family, the De Mevius Family, the Sundale Family, and the Vatura Family.

Demo Features:

Play as male, female, nonbinary, or transgender; gay, straight, or bisexual.

Navigate organized crime within the Ves Arcanus Underground, and maintain the Florentia’s infamous reputation or run it into the ground.

Work to solve the “cold case” murder of your first love and choose to be judge, jury, or executioner.

Run a popular Vampire nightclub and keep the cops, and your rivals, from sniffing around.

Play as a Vampire in a city inhabited by Faeries, Selkies, Witches, Demons, and humans.

Romance or befriend one of the six gender-selectable RO’s and choose to hook up* with seven of the many side characters

Content Warnings (18+): drug and alcohol use, violence, blood, strong language, optional explicit sexual content, death/murder

Lisa/Leon Whitlock, 27- Faerie

A young director who got lucky and stayed lucky, Whitlock could be your way into important Faerie circles. They’re fun, sweet, and adventurous enough to sneak around with you given the right motivation. Like all artists, they’re unpredictable and don’t seem quite ready to settle down yet.

Alessia/Alessandro “Ale” Lombardi, 30- Vampire

The eldest child and former heir of the Lombardi Family, Ale is no stranger to crime, intimidation, and violence. They’ve used their family’s influence to fund a political career and leave mob life behind, supposedly. They take some time to warm up but are a loyal friend and lover once they do.

Charlotte/Charles “Charlie” Cole, 35- Cambion

After a rough childhood, Charlie became a cop to help troubled youth like them. They don’t love being a cop, but they feel it’s the best way they can help kids. Charlie has turned their life around, but maybe you can persuade them to break the rules for you.

Serafina/Sero De Mevius, 24- Witch

A spoiled rich kid with an Ivy league education, De Mevius isn’t like most mobsters you know. They have an air of mystery and don’t really seem to care about upholding their family’s name. They love to spend their dads’ money on parties, charities, and maybe on you too.

Dion Parker, 25- Dragonkin (half dragon/half human)

Your friend since high school, Dion is just along for the ride as you look for answers. Whether they agree with your methods, Dion sticks around to hopefully keep you out of trouble. Your parents trust them to keep books at the club so they’re always nearby.

Eliana/Elio “El” Rivera, 28- Unknown

El will do most anything for a story, especially when it keeps them alive and out of jail. They are fearless and stubborn as a bull, but that may be a front to hide how alone they feel in Ves Arcanus. El has eyes and ears everywhere in Ves Arcanus, but can you get close enough to learn their secrets?

Sam (they/them) early 20s, Witch*

Tall, lean with some muscle, very short curly brown hair, warm brown skin with vitiligo | A Kitchen Witch from a civilian family on the outskirts of Ves Arcanus.

Jewels (she/her) mid 20s, Fastus (Pride Demon)*

Short, curvaceous, waist length straight black hair, honey brown skin (Indian) | One of Lamia’s top spies.

Tisa (he/him) early 30s, Faerie*

Moderate height, muscular, buzzcut black hair and stubble, light tan skin (Korean) | Lives in Neráida Forest, a friend of Alvina Sundale.

Vance (he/him) late 20s, Vampire*

Somewhat tall, some muscles, short black hair usually slicked back, olive skin | A regular at Blood Bank, he’s had a crush on you for years.

Lamia (she/her) mid 50s, Succubus*

Short, slim, shoulder length blonde hair, pale skin | Former head of the Seth Family, now the most infamous spymistress in Ves Arcanus.

Honey (she/they, transfem) late 30s, Faerie*

Tall, lithe but curvy, long brown hair, tan skin (Brazilian) | Lives in an apartment not far from Neráida Forest.

Jennifer/Jensen Albright (gender selectable) 25, Dhampir*

Long/short black hair, fair skin, septum piercing | Your Right Hand as the Florentia Family heir.

Jeanette Heart, mid 40’s, Vampire

Moderate height, fair skin, shoulder length blonde hair, brown eyes | Your therapist last for the 3 years.

Sebastian De Mevius, 24, Witch

Tall, curly dark brown hair, light brown skin, brown eyes | S. De Mevius’ twin brother and De Mevius Family heir.

Billy Marston, early 50’s, Demon

Tall, brown hair, brown eyes, stubble | El’s editor.

Georgina, mid 20’s, Vampire

Average height, blonde hair, grey eyes | Bartender at Blood Bank.

[the-splorts-eye]

Do you love detective stories but hate cops?

Do you love gay detective stories and hate capitalism?

Like disabled main characters who's disability actually comes up?

Like characters of color but not in the mood for stories on racism?

Tempted by the thought of romance at ages of 30+?

Does the idea of stories so queer you'll hesitate before calling any character a "man" or a "woman" make you think "Ah, yes pronoun shenanigans, just like my discord used to make"

And you into an abundance of strong, diverse female and nonbinary characters?

Do you fight for women's wrongs?

I know rep-only recommendations can be annoying, but I'm trying to grab your attention to promote some indie media. Luckily, though, this post isn't rep-only!

To read my full recommendation and review of Three of Hearts, click below. ♦️♥️♣️♠️

And if you aren't in the mood for a new thing right now, consider reblogging! Maybe even ping a friend who might be into this! You love supporting queer indie creators, right?

The story

♠️♣️♥️♦️Three of Hearts♦️♥️♣️♠️ centers on two paragovernmental agents in a fantasy, post-war, queernormative 1950s.

Roughly 20 years before the opening, a set of heroes purged magic from the world to turn the tide of the war. But scraps of this thaumaturgic energy still remain. S.U.I.T.S (securing unpredictable injurious thaumaturgic situations) is an agency founded to deal with everything left behind.

When two of the longest standing employees at S.U.I.T.S, Agent Vellum and Agent Felspar, are called onto a new case involving stone crops and a missing person, Felspar isn't surprised (Though Vellum, who's injury had him doing desk work most of his career, is). Things devolve quickly when the Agents realize this case comes from Felspar's home town of Cloven heart, an idyllic magical village that prefers to handle justice on it's own.

Answers yield only more questions, as the Agents realize almost everyone in town has something to hide, and Felspar isn't the only one whose past keeps catching up to him:

How much magic is still around? What's Vellum got sloshing around in there that people think is so juicy? What is Diamond, elven pop star and queer icon, doing in such a small town? Just how big is this case, and how can the Agents balance their legal responsibility, with promises they've made to Cloven Heart?

WHEN. WILL. THEY. JUST. KISS?

(if you're skeptical about central romances, I get it! See notes on aro/aceness and platonic relationships in the rep section for more info)

The combination of magic and newfangled war tech — think telegrams and radios — is somehow just as charming as a rotating cast of characters who will each stake their claim on your heart, but betrayal is imminent and mistrust is rife. The story strikes a wonderful balance between slice of life goodness, and edge-of-your-seat high drama, culminating In a show I highly recommend.

But are they just reskinned cops: my answer has got to be no. While they are technically law enforcement, the main two are entering a commune-like space, where that isn't so welcome. It's a situation they treat with caution and respect. The classic cop-plot of "Should I make myself judge, jury, and executioner because The Bad Guy™ deserves punishment" just isn't a problem. The justice system isn't perfect, in our world or the show's, and the story acknowledges that. But in a social, cultural way, they don't act like cops. They DO act like detectives. But the rules they choose to break and the ones they choose to follow will hopefully satisfy my fellow cop-haters who crave a good mystery

mid post note: I am not involved with the making of the show or the game space Kings. I just really like this podcast. Also, if you are seeing this text you are looking at a copy of the original posted on an unused sideblog so that I can keep the notes separate from my naturally spreading original without looking like a bot, and not get blaze notification spam.the references to "look in the notes for more" won't work for you. Yes, I spent my own money on this.

The format

♠️♣️♥️♦️Three of Hearts♦️♥️♣️♠️ is an Indie actual play — this is not DnD, hear me out — podcast in the game Space Kings. All the tension of dice rolls, without drawn out combat or clunkiness, it's a breeze of story-forward listening, even if you've never listened to actually play podcasts before!

If you've tried dnd actual plays, and haven't like the flow of them, I would recommend trying this. A few encounters that may feel random (though they're not) get the story kicked off at a fast pace, but it quickly settles into a story with a tight plot, great pacing, and impactful character development.

The use of a playing card deck to see the outcomes of risky actions means that no matter what happens, success or failure, the tension keeps rising, because there are only so many successes in the deck before you shuffle. The hosts do a wonderful job of explaining mechanics in the show, so it never interrupts the listening experience.

Actual-play connessuires who want to primarily see people playing a game might not be satisfied, as bonuses are given liberally, and I would describe the podcast as more story focused than game focused, But the risks are ALWAYS real, sometimes (often) with thrilling, shocking outcomes.

Also concerned AP listeners should know there's some chaos magic involved! I was surprised when it first came up, and doubtful about how it might affect the story, but it ended up weaving into the rest of the plot really well, and I feel neither like it had no affect, nor like it shook up everything the party was building in an unsatisfying way. Personally I would have preferred to go in knowing it was there, but I also don't think it's major enough to belong in the main synopsis. Now you know, though!

The hosts make a real effort to blend stats and story, and I think the pull it off wonderfully without spending too much time on mechanics. If you want to see that though, session 0 and other crunchy details are on the Patreon (where you get the same content no matter how much you pay, at a minimum of a dollar a month).

The pod has all the lighthearted fun and banter of a "friends around the table" show, but never once have I had that "oh my god, I'm not a part of your inside joke, shut up and play!" Feeling.

EDIT: i did not know "friends around the table" was the name of another podcast. no hate to them I'm sure they're lovely, this was just the use of a phrase.

I think it's a delight for AP and non-AP fans alike.

The episodes: roughly 45- 75 minutes long, with a midtro and some post-end music scenes, so listen through the end music, or check that there isn't extra content by seeing how close the play head is when the end music starts. It's not too long and quite pleasant in my opinion! The midtros always come at a nice moment to step back from the story, and are not too long and not irritating. I enjoyed listening to them! At some point, a midtro starts getting reused, and I was slightly disappointed I wasn't hearing new jokes every episode, but it's a small thing. I skip the repetitive ones with my 30 seconds forward button, and while I haven't timed the Intro, that's worked really well for me. I don't have to fiddle with my play head to make sure I don't skip forward too far. Super convenient.

Trigger warnings: the show is pretty lighthearted! Listeners sensitive non-graphic mentions of needles, blood, and/or guns might want to skip on this one, but most episodes don't get heavy. The few that do have pre-episode notes that warn you things get dark, how they get dark, and how to skip the darkest bits. Personally, I listened through them and enjoyed those parts a lot! But if that's not your thing, I agree with the warning that they're very skippable, and I think trigger-sensitive listeners will be pleased. As an indie pod, there are no fan made, super specific lists of triggers.

I'm trying to emphasize the balance between lightheartedness and drama, but if your mental health is sensitive to grim & dark media, i think this one is pretty safe. Please always exercise caution! But I'd describe 3o♥️s as emotionally restful.

Transcripts: transcripts are in the works, but do not currently exist except for episodes 1 and 2. Three of Hearts is a non-scripted show, so those are also unavailable. Some of the money given to the show will be used to hire a queer disabled transcriptionist! So if you listen and love it, consider sending cash their way. All transcripts are on patreon for free.

The rep

Don't you hate when someone raves about rep and you go in expecting something good and get like. One dog-boy described as having "chocolate colored skin"? Or when people make a "watch for rep" post and then mention like. Gay and maybe trans people and that's it, even when shows DO have disability and POC rep? Yeah that's not me. Here's the spoiler free rundown, race is at the bottom because I get into more detail with it, not because it isn't important:

Edit: For more on some of these topics from a hosts perspective, see the reblogged addition by @/citrusandsalt

MLM characters: Main characters, one confirmed bi the other unknown

Wlw characters: Reoccurring side characters (present or mentioned in every episode I think) Married. Orientation unspecified.

Enby love: LOTS. It's actually hard to really categorize mlm and wlw stuff because almost every character is nonbinary. Anyways— it's VERY queer

Women: I...I don't know exactly which characters are women 😂. But there are many feminine characters, and they're badass as fuck. Some are compassionate, some are cold, some are chaotic, most are a mix! The two main characters are...masculine...(I say with much hesitation) but you will not feel robbed for your woman-ly content.

Non-traditional family structures: All of the families in the story, pretty much, are non-traditional. Adoption is super common. (You want some wlw who just KEEP adopting kids? You got em) Found family is a MASSIVE force in the story. Also, It's a post-war story.........which is to say almost everyone's parents are dead.

Edit: an MC had poly parents, which may not be obvious but is true!

Polyamory: to my knowledge so far, there are polyam characters, and it is definitely present in the world! But no poly relationships in the forefront. I am about 2/3 through the current episodes, so there may be a present polyamorous relationship later, but also if I confirmed it that would be a spoiler. This may be that "playing it by ear" thing that happens with ttrpgs. I wouldn't listen for the hope of polyamory alone, but I don't tell you it's not there/won't happen.

Trans characters: almost all of them. Might think "oh there are only a few!" And you are wrong. You are so wrong.

Neopronoun users: yup! To my knowledge, minor characters. A handful who use at least he/she/they or they/them and may also use neos in a manner im forgetting

Plurality: no system characters yet, but the creators are friendly, I asked ;)

Aro/ace characters: none confirmed yet to my knowledge. Romance is very central, sex is joked about on occasion but it isn't at the forefront of the story at all. There are many, single characters who are thriving.

Edit: Actually! There is one character who discusses demiromanticism in cannon that I forgot, and another confirmed out of cannon character who is ace. Both are non-main major characters!

Platonic relationships: YES. As an aro person who hates so many romance tropes this one gets my stamp of approval. There's no real jealousy drama, exes who communicate and are supportive, and romance doesn't kill friendships. There's a central sibling relationship and non-familial platonic ones that have conflict, drama, resolutions, and a deeply satisfying significance in the story. If you don't like romance at all, this one might not be for you. If you just don't like stories exclusively about romance, I think you'll enjoy this. Genre wise, I'd definitely describe three of hearts as a mystery primarily with a strong romantic subplot, not a romance itself, and that comes through in player and character's additives and priorities.

Age diversity: the youngest characters in the show are older to middling teens, and the oldest are in their 400s. Okay but the oldest in human terms are roughly 60-70. The most common age range, and the ones the central characters are in, is 30-40. The second most common is that 60-70, then some ~40-50 folks here and there, with people in their 20s being probably the rarest (no named ones off the top of my head?) And there are a small number of teens. This is not a story about youth and youthful beauty. Generally, the older a character becomes the most bad ass/spooky powerful they are, and older characters are very involved in the plot.

Mental illness and neurodivergency: to my knowledge so far no characters are in cannon confirmed to have a specific mental illness or ND, though I wouldn't be surprised if it was part of a character or the main characters, and just hadn't come up. Listeners with cluster b or "scary" disorders, or with conditions that may cause them to lash out, will find satisfaction with how compassionately the narrative treats werefolk. To say more encounters spoilers. I would also say that depression, while the word isn't used and it is not central to the story, is present as a narrative force, and also treated wisely and with compassion. Still, as is usually for a good story, all of these bitches need therapy.

Disability: LOTS. There's a lot of "different, not broken" themes that disabled listeners are likely to love, but both of the main characters are disabled! One is a cane user, the other experiences migraines. These have a genuine, pressing, mechanical impact on the story. It's COMES UP. It's a real joy. For a magical world, there is no magical healing! Or there is, but it isn't a perfect solution, which in my opinion is just a magical version of real healing, though yours may differ! Also, there is a minor, reoccurring character who's a wheelchair user, and I think he's really fun.

Disfigurement: Excuse me if I am not prepared with the most sensitive way to speak about this, but I'm doing my best! There is a character with no eyes or nose, who is central and lovely. To my knowledge, there are no amputee characters or characters with limb differences (of the wheelchair user I'm not sure if it's specified whether or not he has legs). There is a character of questionable morality who has significant facial and bodily disfigurement. In as few spoilers as possible: this was not injury or genetic related. The disfigurement is treated with a firm compassion, and does not exist as a "this character is evil" signal. It's a long arc, but I imagine people who relate will be satisfied, though I cannot speak for anyone.

Characters of color: many! The main two are Hispanic and Asian. Terms like "dark skinned" are used for characters, but in the fantasy world race doesn't exactly translate, and I wouldn't call it "important" in this story. Read more about race below:

Fantasy racism: sort of! The word "race" is used to mean "humanoid species" and I know some folks don't like that? None of these fantasy races are oppressed, but specific people (Magic versus non-magic people) have conflict about that aspect of their identity, and policing is a related concern. I would place the allegory more in the space of transness and disability/neurodivergency if pressed to choose, but it doesn't feel like it's trying to tell a story about real-world oppression, primarily. I have more complicated thoughts on exactly what I'm trying to communicate here, but they involved some spoilers. DM me for more info!

Hosts/creator identity: out of three hosts, two are white, one is not! They are very queer, and disability is also...a thing! These are real life people, so I'm not going to get into detail, but check out their twitters plugged in the show for more on how they self-identify.

Edit: One of the hosts, Essay (@/citrusandsalts) discussed more on hosts identities in a reblog! If this concerns you, and you want less of me walking on eggshells about other people's identities, read her addition too!

Edit 2: Jordan, the GM also has commented additions!

Okay but are they racist: Real talk! As a black person who thinks I keep my ears sharp, I would say no! Not at all! This is one of those situations where I was like "YOU'RE WHITE?" And shocked about it, (if you listened to TSCOSI, same vibe) which is a very good thing in my books. The hosts are open and sensitive, and I have no complaints, however, this is just one perspective! This isn't coincidental, race is an active consideration in how the story is told — just not a central theme.

Minor but worth mentioning: A minor character has a name with what I believe is the Nahuatl "tl" sound in it, which is not pronounced correctly. It's a really hard sound! And I, op, can't really do it! But if that really irritates you this might not be the podcast for you.

[ryuichirou]

How do you imagine the Scott Pilgrim characters interacted with the twst characters?

Anon, this is such an interesting but complicated question, and I, as always, took it way too seriously lol Both TWST and Scott Pilgrim have so many iconic characters, but it would be impossible to talk about every possible combination. So you know what, I’ll go through the cast of Scott Pilgrim, since it’s a bit smaller… Although I did ended up missing a bunch of them anyway because I didn’t have anything to say or because I simply forgot about them lol

Also, while the image of the characters in my head is all over the place right now with 3 different versions of the story, I’m mainly thinking about the anime version.

Alright, sooo.

The easiest one to talk about is unsurprisingly Wallace lol We like to joke about him enjoying his time at the Mostro Lounge and being a regular customer there. He is loved by the staff and especially by the Tweels and Azul, because he pays well, knows a lot about cocktails, doesn’t bother anyone (he could’ve if he wanted to, but the place is chill, so he behaves even when he gets drunk… just don’t tell anyone that the Lounge has alcoholic beverages now lol). They love him so much that whenever he visits they prepare his favourite spot at the bar for him. They love him so much that they named a cocktail after him lol They also love to gossip- I mean, exchange information with him (there is a sketch on our ko-fi with Wallace at the Lounge…)

Wallace would also probably enjoy spending time with Lilia, I feel like these two are quite a dangerous mix. Are they going to tease someone together or flirt with each other aggressively and end up having sex for some reason? Both, but the order is unpredictable.

But ironically, when it comes to romance and stuff though, I feel like out of all the twst guys the one that’s closer to Wallace’s type is Trey. Trey is such a Jimmy it hurts.

Now, Scott… I look at him and my mind is blank, I feel like he would just be freaked out by everything that’s going on, because this whole thing is too harry-pottery and weird; I can’t really imagine him befriending someone or someone being interested enough in him to even hang out… but at the same time, I feel like Scott will end up fighting all the housewardens for whatever reason. He’ll have more luck with some of them (Riddle, Kalim who didn’t even want to fight) than with the others (Vil, for example), but ultimately everyone wouldn’t know why this fight is happening. Ramona certainly doesn’t know – she is too busy hanging out with the first years, asking them questions about this world. A part of me wants to say that someone would get a crush on her, but these boys are too gay for that…

Stephen would find himself in the light music club, being bullied by the club members (mostly Lilia). They tease him, they torture him by not telling if his music sucks or not… Playing with them is unusual, because his own band’s energy is quite different, but it’s fun overall. If only they didn’t bully him like that..!

Kim is at the light music club too, quietly wishing to disappear and not witness this clownery. But unfortunately for her, Kalim would try to talk to her and just wouldn’t shut up. He just feels like since she seems so quiet and upset (angry??), maybe he could cheer her up by talking about the drums and stuff. In general, he only makes it worse, but surprisingly talking to someone so genuinely good-natured would be a refreshing change.

Matthew is a theatre kid, so sticking him to the Pomefiore people sounds fair in theory (and he would’ve definitely have a delightful conversation about music theatre with either/both Rook and Vil), but I feel like Kalim would’ve invited him to hang out… which means that Matthew is Jamil’s problem now. At least Jamil expected him to be a problem, but he was actually much less obnoxious that Jamil expected him to be, so it was a nice “huh” moment.

Lucas… he is such a Savannaclaw bro, and yet for the most part I can picture him surrounded by the first years, especially Epel lol Oh how much Epel would love him. He would really want to learn some skateboard tricks, and Ace and Deuce too… But I don’t think Lucas is really interested in teaching them, he just flexes for the most part lol

Oh, Cater skateboards right?? That’s perfect, considering he would also try to hunt Lucas down to take a picture with him, but probably wouldn’t succeed for some reason: Cater isn’t really lucky. Floyd would also be around (because Azul sent him to stalk big celebrity that arrived at their school for some reason) but wouldn’t get all the hype. He would be very into the whole skateboarding thing though, he’ll absolutely try to steal Lucas’ board to try it himself. Which means they’re going to fight and Epel is going to watch in awe…

Todd and Envy would also be stalked by a) Cater (he really wants his damn picture); b) one of the tweels (it’s Jade this time). Cater wouldn’t succeed again, this poor guy, but Jade is just unnoticeable and quiet enough to hang around creepily and learn some info for Azul. He also would invite them to the lounge at some point.

I feel like the only company in the NRC that wouldn’t drive Envy insane would be Vil or Jamil, so anyone who isn’t completely obnoxious and is bitchy enough to complain about petty stuff with. And since Jamil is a bit more secretive about his pettiness, Vil probably works better. Showbiz sucks, and certain annoying people from their lives also suck, so…

Todd would have an absolute journey. He could start by hanging out with Envy and Vil, but then, despite loving him to death and all, Envy would politely ask Todd to please go hang around somewhere else for like 20 minutes. Maybe it’s because Vil wouldn’t be impressed with the vegan talk at all… if only Vil knew the science.

It’s honestly surprising just how difficult it is to think about what Todd could’ve done: Todd works in mysterious ways. He doesn’t casually flex as much as Lucas, but he still might end up having a fight with someone. And knowing Todd’s luck, he might do it with someone who is also good at teleportation, which means… Todd, please don’t be stupid, don’t fight Malleus—This is such a stupid combo but also?? Would Malleus be amused by this foolish man? He might be.

But then at some point he’ll also end up at Mostro Lounge and see Wallace… and Azul would have to think about whether he wants to kick them out (he would’ve if it was anyone other than Wallace) or offer them a nice private room at his dorm. Maybe Azul should consider this as some new business model? Because with these two it worked surprisingly well lol

(Todd would definitely miss the opportunity to show-off his bass-playing skills :( too bad, I would’ve watch him duel both Lilia and Jade)

Julie would fucking hate NRC but at the same time she would instantly figure out who the most important and influential people are in here. So, she’d skip Heartslabyul (after kind of befriending Cater for mutual beneficial reasons), skip Savanaclaw (they have a prince, but he isn’t motivated enough to be useful), befriend the Octa-trio (yay more gossip and bitchiness!), befriend Kalim and probably annoy Jamil by this ‘cause parties, she would try her best to befriend Vil, skip Ignihyde (great, more nerds and virgins) aaand she would really want to get closer to Malleus but couldn’t, but she would still manage to befriend Lilia somehow. This girls works the hardest.

Roxie has nothing to catch at the NRC but at the same time she hangs out with dumb boys with anger issues all the time so maybe this is actually quite natural to her lol but she would still hate it and complain about  this stupid place having no girlies. She’ll definitely kick a lot of ass just out of frustration, but then somehow end up befriending someone very random like Jack for example. I guess she would consider him to be the least annoying, but even then it’s not much of a friendship, they just happened to be at the same place.

Or you know what? Get her to Diasomnia, let train with Sebek and Silver. She would be so annoyed with their dynamic, it would be priceless.

The twins would just go straight to Ignihyde and hang out with Ortho. They would really want to see Idia and discuss robo-mechanics with him, but Idia refuses to go out of his room because just hearing that “there are twins who want to see you” is too terrifying...

And Gideon and Azul are almost the same person, so it they would either join forces (while also planning to backstab each other at some point) or compete with each other openly. The first option works better I think lol And unfortunately, they’ll likely learn a lot from each other.

[herefortheships]

I feel like a lot of modern ships are missing the "zest" that ships used to have years ago like around the mid 2000s to around 2017-ish. Especially the gay ships.

And I KNOW I shouldn't complain at ALL. Because, after all, we finally have couples that are openly gay (or bisexual, too) from the start, and we get to see them develop without the wondering of "but COULD this happen? Are they REALLY? ARE they going to go there?"

... And, I think I just figured it out in this silly little post. That's what's missing. The wondering, the passion. The question of "will they? Won't they?" We are given couples that we know are going to end up together because, either the show itself is ABOUT these couple falling in love, OR the two are just the gay characters in the show so they simply end up together with minor complications.

To some extent, you could say that gay ships are being treated as straight ships in TV shows nowadays, but truly I don't think so? They might be treated as straight ships within the romance genre (I guess you could say, Good Omens, to give an example, is romance genre despite the fantasy elements: it's a fantasy-romance).

I think that's why ships like Destiel were (and continue to be) so popular: There was chemistry and passion that spawned between them naturally, without the show being a romance or being about them falling in love. They weren't put there with the intention to show the audience a gay romance; it just happened. The show wasn't a romance show, but there was romance in it, like there usually is in any TV show, and it just so happens that this time, the chemistry and "will they? Won't they?" question happened between to male characters (or male presenting, in Cas's case).

One of the selling points of the romance genre is its predictability: the characters must end up together. Maybe the issue then is all on me and the romance genre just isn't for me. But I don't think there are gay ships happening naturally in shows within other genres, and if they do, you know something will happen because it's the only gay characters in the room.

The unpredictability; the question of "will they? Won't they?" is the zest that is missing. It's something we've only gotten as an accident in shows and between characters where it was never intended.

Get what I'm saying? I don't know if I'm expressing myself properly. I think this topic needs a proper essay 😅.

To summarize, I just feel like ships today are kind of "too easy"? And even bland to some extent. I don't know. Maybe I just need to get used to this, coming from the hyper-analytic Destiel fandom, where it was commonplace for us to deconstruct scenes and look at all the little details to find the subtext and point at all the evidence that Destiel was indeed intentional, because, that's kind of what slash shipping used to be. It all existed only in the subtext, and it was all entirely valid as well. (I believe that subtext is still a very important part of the story and it's just as canon as the irrefutable text we can see and hear on the surface of the story.

I would like to see gay ships that develop naturally, within shows that are about anything else, where we get to speculate if it could happen or not, "will they, won't they?" and all that, as it's so commonplace to do with hetero ships.

[yuripoll]

KNOCKOUTS: Yuri Espoir (2019 - ?)

Yuri Espoir (or Yuri de Naru♥Espoir) is an ongoing romcom by Mai Naoi about a teen girl escaping from her impending arranged marriage by fantasising about strangers being gay.

After finding out she is to be forced into an marriage of convenience as soon as she graduates high school, Kokoro sees her life ending before her eyes at her father's wishes. And so in her final year of high school, she decides to indulge in her love of other women, and create an incredible sketchbook of lesbian romance to leave behind as her legacy. As she observes the young women of her town, she learns more about their desires, their struggles, and the unpredictable whims of love. - MAL

ENG localised by Tokyopop, JP available at Book Walker.

CWs under the cut. General severity rating: significant.

suggestive scenes

arranged marriage <- between a teenager and a grown man. inciting incident. universally framed as negative. it and kokoro's intense discomfort surrounding it is frequently explored.

grooming/predatory adults <- arranged marriage above. ch3 states that the art teacher is known for making advances on students, but this ends up being a false rumour (heads up though that he's still very... Not Normal about one of his students being engaged to an adult). the same rumour is brought up in ch11. ch11.5, a background character talks about how he was dating a high school girl and is really gross about it. there's just generally a lot of talk of predatory behaviour throughout.

sexual violence <- part and parcel with the above. primarily just implied through a general fear of the impending marriage. ch2 nightmare sequence has implied sa. ch11, a character talks about being assaulted, but its later revealed that she was lying.

violence <- slapping every once in a while. ch6 has some mild bloody imagery as a metaphorical device.

heteronormativity & misogyny <- also part and parcel with the arranged marriage of it all. minor scenes involving side characters.

homophobia <- brief depiction in ch3.5.

vomiting <- scene in ch8. on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 is a "blehhh" sound effect from another room, and 5 is that one scene in chainsaw man, i'd say this comes at like a 3, maybe 4. another scene in ch11.5 which is more of a 2?

disordered eating / purging? - ch13, character tries to throw up essentially as a coping mechanism for anxiety?

panic attack in ch13

ch15.5 in particular touches on very sensitive issues, and includes a warning at the start of the chapter for homophobia, depression, blood, death, and suicide. not massively gory but it is both bleak and relatively graphic. not counting this chapter to the warnings above since its self contained.

[sunspira]

I thought the "women choosing the bear" thing was in reference to many fairy tales where girls and young women fall in love with a gentle talking beast or bear creature who later turns into a husband or prince. the trope which respnates when adolescent girls start to desire love & companionship and the idea of a future partner and or family. but the idea of men and really most boys their age are cruel, terrifying, petty and shallow and often exist as bullies. or the sexual and romantic elements that come with a mature adult or teenage relationship may be so beyond her developmentally, even as a concept or fantasy, that they just seem strange, foreign, stressful and off putting.

but the bear or beast character will be a symbol of companionship, friendship and semi platonic, yet tender and devoted intimacy and dedication. the special devoted bond between the girl and the bear or beast does represent a proto-romance that she is actually developmentally ready for and in tune with. the scene where belle dances with the beast and at one point, hugs him, resting her head on his chest, actually calls back to the way children may play dance with their fathers, as well as the way a successful mature romance in the future is built on sincere closeness and friendship. it is no coincidence that this beast romance trope is so popular with autistic or other neurodivergent girls who experience developmental delay, often late bloomers in romantic or sexual interest. but still craving those profound intimate bonds, same as any of their peers. (same goes for lesbian girls where the beast character represents a comforting "non-man" alternative to love, in the face of comphet. of course if she's on the spectrum and also gay it's a bit of both as she may not be interested in anyone yet, even girls, as she develops at her own unique pace)

either way no i would not prefer to be in the woods with a wild bear instead of a man. i think a bear attack is so uniquely scary that the terror of seeing one would go beyond that of encountering a strange man. that's not so much a compliment to men but a statement on just how unpredictable inescapable and brutally painful a bear attack is. regardless, i get the point of the analogy and i think it holds that men can be far scarier than a wild animal. maybe not a bear for me but yes lol

anyway women when they choose the bear and he comes with a second additional man at no extra fee

[dayplays]

@synnrrgy said: ✿ alicia and blaze 👀

PRE-ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS MEME- Accepting!

FRIENDSHIP.     childhood friends  /  work buddies or coworkers  /  family friends  /  friends with benefits  /  smoking buddies  /  adventure buddies  /  fake friends  /  recently friends  /  party buddies  /  friendship of need  /  dying friendship  /  circumstantial friendship  /  partners in crime  /  old friendship  /  [ your muse ] is the good influence  /  [ your muse ] is the bad influence  /  [ my muse ] is the good influence  /  [ my muse ] is the bad influence  /  opposites attract  /  ride or die  /  frenemies  /  roommates or flatmates  /  penpals  /  exes to friends  /  enemies to friends  /  other

ROMANCE.     childhood sweethearts  /  [ your muse is mines ] childhood crush  /  [ my muse is yours ] childhood crush  /  exes  /  exes to lovers  /  forbidden lovers  /  highschool sweethearts  /  secret relationship  /  opposites attract  /  long distance  /  unrequited [ from your muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from my muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from both sides ]  /  skinny love  /  friends to lovers  /  enemies to lovers  /  spurious relationship  /  power couple  /  newly entered  /  soulmates [ metaphorical ]  /  soulmates  [ literal ]  /  awkward  /  turning toxic  /  toxic love  /  cheating [ on your muse ]  /  cheating [ with your muse ]  /  other 

FAMILIAL.     siblings [ half ]  /  siblings [ step ]  /  [ my muse ] is an older sibling figure to your younger sibling figure  /  [ my muse ] is a younger sibling figure to your older sibling figure muse  /  [ my muse ] is a parental figure to yours  /  [ my muse ] is a child figure to your muse  /  guardian figure  /  legal guardian  /  adoptive child  /  foster child  /  [ your muse ] is taken under mines wing  /  [ my muse ] is taken under yours wing  /  other

ANTAGONISTIC.     dangerous to each other  /  dangerous to others  /  unpredictable  /  rivals  /  petty  /  developing into sexual or romantic tension  /  based off family matters  /  based of off circumstance  /  based of professional matters  /  based off misunderstanding or lies  /  conflict of ideology  /  betrayal  /  hero - villain dynamic  /  enemies  /  fight club  /  friends turned enemies  /  lovers turned enemies  /  exes turned enemies  /  other 

Sal and Blaze have never interacted in a meaningful way as far as I know, and I think that's just a damn shame because these princesses really do go through it and having someone that they can relate with (like, y'know, each other) would be a relief for them both mentally.

I'm a big fan of princesses who get exhausted with the frivolous, political rabble of their royal lives and need breaks & stress relief. Even bigger fan of two of them making due with it together.

I definitely view them as already being friends through their mutual connections, and could even see their two kingdoms having political ties now that they've made travel between them easier.

... and as lesbian, I am also obligated to push the agenda of gay princesses hiding their relationship from their families because it would be an absolute political nightmare for them both.

Which is less of a "pre-established" thought and more of an "eventual" thought, but I'd work with either-

[princesssarisa]

the 7-questions-ask: Scrooge

Three facts about them from my personal headcanons.

His mother was alive during his childhood. She was just emotionally fragile and easily ruled by her stern husband, like Clara in David Copperfield, which is why she allowed him to send little Ebenezer away to the harsh boarding school and not even bring him home for the holidays. She was able to raise Fan into a sweet, lovely girl, though. (I've just decided on this because I'm tired of adaptations killing her off and using her death to explain the coldness of Scrooge's father, when the book never even mentions her as dead or alive in Scrooge's childhood flashback.)

He's of Scottish descent. His family surname was originally the Scottish "Scroggie," but they changed it to the more Anglo-sounding "Scrooge" when they relocated to England.

He's in his late fifties or early sixties during A Christmas Carol, and is going to live about twenty years longer, eventually dying at a ripe old age surrounded by loved ones. In the original timeline that the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come shows him, he would have died much sooner, but his new and improved life will bring him better health and more will to live.

A reason they suck:

Well, at the beginning, he's a mean, cold-hearted miser who does nothing to help the poor, and who neglects his clerk's needy family.

A reason they are great:

In the end he becomes so generous and kind, and he proves that it's never too late to change or to find happiness that you thought you would never have.

A reason I relate to them:

I sometimes feel tempted to be self-absorbed and solitary, but I'm always happier when I remember to caring and generous.

(what I consider to be) the top tier otp/ot3 for that character:

Belle in his youth. In his old age, none, though it might be nice to imagine him reconnecting with Belle, finding that she's a widow, and reconciling with her in a December/December romance.

Five things that never happened to the character that I believe should have happened:

He should have met with the spirits of some of the good people from his past – e.g. his sister Fan, or Fezziwig – as well as with Marley's Ghost. It would have been nice for him to see that they were proud of his redemption.

He should have been able to see the vision of Belle with her family, and regret that he missed his chance to have children, without Dickens-as-narrator interrupting the scene to talk hornily about Belle's grownup daughter and wish he could be one of her little siblings so he could unpin her hair, touch her lips, etc. Why did 19th century male authors have to be that way about women?! (Although if the Muppet version, with Gonzo as Dickens, had included that scene, and Camilla the Chicken had played the daughter, it could have been funny.)

He should have realized from the beginning that the dead man being discussed throughout the Christmas Yet to Come scenes was himself. It's not exactly a shocking, unpredictable twist. But then, he probably does realize it's him, and just won't admit it to himself until he sees his name on the tombstone.

He should not have teased Bob Cratchit on St. Stephen's Day and made him think he was going to fire him only to raise his salary instead. Bob must have been terrified! (Not that I really disapprove of Scrooge's teasing Bob, it's a funny and unforgettable scene, but still... it's good that he rediscovers how to have mischievous fun, but I hope he knows not to let pranks go too far!)

He should have been able to tell someone about his adventures with the ghosts. I like to imagine that a few years later, he will tell Tiny Tim about them.

Five people that character never fell in love with and why.

His sister Fan. No incest.

His nephew Fred. No gay incest.

His nephew Fred's wife. Beautiful though she is, she's too young for him, and he would never betray his nephew that way.

Jacob Marley. They were only partners in the business sense.

Mrs. Cratchit. She's a nice woman, but she'll only be a friend.

@faintingheroine, @ariel-seagull-wings, @reds-revenge

[treesap-blogs]

Review for “Ophelia After All” by Racquel Marie!

Hello, Tumblrians! I’ll try to publish at least 4 reviews this week. If I go on another unpredicted hiatus, at least I can have all this writing to make up for my sudden absence? 

Real talk though, I’m sorry about the inconsistent schedule. I get pretty self-conscious about this Tumblr account (there’s a reason I don’t use hashtags anymore), and also I’ve been kinda exhausted in the last week. I already told you guys about South Carolina. (There was originally gonna be a 540-word rant after this but I cut it. That was definitely for the best!)

I really gotta set realistic standards for myself. I keep thinking I’ll be prepared to upload reviews for this account but then I get hit with anxiety paralysis and just never upload anything. It feels like a chore sometimes, even when I made this for fun. I know not many people follow this, because I stay out of hashtags and the people who actually choose to follow me ‘cause they saw my reviews somewhere and liked them leave because I’m inconsistent. I’m sorry for repeatedly disappointing you all.

Okay! Time to actually start my book review! 

Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie follows 17 year-old Ophelia: daughter of an Irish English professor and a Cuban immigrant, she’s spent her whole life being a passionate rose gardener, gossip lover, and hopeless romantic with a crush on nearly every boy she meets. But a few weeks before prom, when she undeniably falls for a female classmate named Talia, she begins to question the identity she’s developed over time—and how much of it was because she wanted to appease the people around her. 

I really loved this book! Ophelia was a realistic teenage protagonist, and especially liked the dynamic she had with her friend group (which was one of many relationships paramount to the story). They teased and supported each other, called people out on their shit, fought and later made up, like a lot of friend groups do. While I get that not everyone likes to read about teenage drama, it was resolved by the end, and it didn’t take the melodramatic approach. There was also an interesting examination of Ophelia getting used to being around guys and not necessarily liking them romantically! Maybe it’s because I’m gay but I appreciated that too.

Anyhow! Other things I liked: Talia and Ophelia’s friendship! Ugh the embarrassment in the middle though😬 (WHY OPHELIA). I did like that even after everything they maintained that platonic relationship, though. I was expecting for it to be a romance because a lot of the YAs of this variety I read typically are, this is the first one I’ve read where the MC didn’t get the girl and learned to deal with that! (Also, Talia was sweet.) The multifaceted discussion of Ophelia’s identity was cool too, mixing together discussions on heteronormativity, culture, and dealing with the future in a coming-of-age story. I also just really love queer contemporary stories! It’s something about the light, sometimes snarky but overall honest writing style of basically every single one I read that leaves me whizzing through several hundreds of pages in under a day.

And of course, you can’t go wrong with the additional rose anecdotes sprinkled throughout the story.

(Sidenote, though: I was reading this the same week I was reading and listening to Bianca Torre Is Afraid Of Everything, so there was this weird coincidence between the two where both MCs had Shakespeare-obsessed moms who named their children after lady characters from his plays, assumed they were cishet, and initially weren’t trusted in their coming out journeys lmao?!) 

Uhmmm I don’t know what else to add on, except for that I just really liked that although everything was resolved there were still consequences and (eventual) self-awareness, and this and Felix Ever After are probably my favorites of the “messy coming-of-age” queer contemporary subgenre! (Which isn’t actually a real subgenre, but it should be considered one, right?!) My positive reviews are always very short, lol. Just look at my When The Angels Left The Old Country one, I remember I was going in circles? So I’ll cap it off here!

Book rating: (predictably) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 Finished 06/07/23.

(Book content warnings: Homophobia, lesbophobia, racism, outing, mentions of aro/acephobia and islamophobia.)

-Paz, signing off! ^^

[gillianthecat]

The Devil Judge: Episode 14

I just finished The Devil Judge and something about this show compelled me to take copious notes - it had emotional intensity and layers of mystery. These are long and rambling, so they're likely not of interest to anyone else, but since I spent all that time writing it I decided, why not post it. Perhaps someone will find it interesting.

Below are my moment-to-moment reactions, predictions and analysis as I watched episode 14.

eps 1&2  ep3  ep4  ep5  ep6  ep7  ep8  ep9   ep10  ep11  ep12  ep13  ep14  ep15  ep16

I wrote about my initial impressions, up to episode 5, here and here.

This is cleaned up only slightly. I followed the spelling given in the Viki subtitles. I mostly don't explain what I'm reacting to, so this will probably only make sense if you've seen the episode recently. Occasionally I give timestamps. 

I'm thinking about her death more.  I don't think i would have been angry about it if they hadn't gotten together right before hand.  because i can see other narrative reasons for her death - to make Ga-On break down and push him closer to Yo-Han (which could have been the mentor's death instead, although not as impactfully), or to remove his anchor to morality.  And it's still fridging, but it's not fridging based in a lie, which is how it feels now. he can't be shown to choose Yo-Han over Su-Hyeon, because that would be gay.  but now that she's out of the picture, he can go be with Yo-Han by default because that is somehow not gay.    it's like they want to keep their cake and eat it too - be both gay and homophobic at the same time, so she had to die.  boo hiss fuck you

ok. .the funeral.  oh, Ga-On.  he can't even go closer 💔

i was literally just thinking, Yo-Han's going to appear soon and he came onscreen one second later.

Yo-Han's unreadable face

My anger is pulling me out of my suspension of disbelief.  On the one hand, that's a powerful statement, an intense interaction.  On the other, do you guys think you're the only people in the world who've felt grief?

grey suits! is this the first time we've seen our men in grey suits?

I still love that Judge Oh is on the superhero team now.

it could be my imagination, but i feel like they've slightly lowered the swoop of Yo-Han's hair style, which is making him look less alien (from his high forehead) and therefore more human.

I keep wanting to say that prez Heo is overdone and implausible, but unfortunately he's not either :-(  And I think from a US perspective, where the government usually maintains a public image of cohesiveness, some of this very public infighting also feels over the top, but it actually isn't as overdone as I think.

Seon-Ah is still wearing chains around her neck

unformed thoughts on this convo between prez and Seon-Ah.

prez buffoon is fucking insane! Does Seon-A think it's too far?  I can't tell, and I can't predict.  I love that she still feels unpredictable.

21:00 That felt like Yo-Han asked ga on on a date. obviously it's work, but the way they asked and answered...

the tenderness of Yo-Han's awkward attempts at caretaking <3

[I think even if they could be openly, gayly together at the end I wouldn't mind Su-Hyeon's death so much.  because then it could be a widower romance, finding love after loss.  I think they would also need more than three episodes to make this work though.  as is, it really just feels like they're getting her and the pesky question of Ga-On's sexuality out of the way]

I just keep forgetting that they told each other they loved each other.  In light of Su-Hyeon's death, their platonic hug feels, I don't know... convenient and fake? shallow?  I keep forgetting that he's mourning an actual romantic relationship rather than just what could have been.  this mourning would still make sense, still be as strong if they'd never gotten together.

I love Elijah's bluntness. both as a character trait and a narrative tool

"But it consoles me because it is awkward." I legit teared up at this.

(24:30).  Yeah, even if she doesn't have a moral objection to murdering poor people, realising a plague virus is insane and uncontrollable.  

It is a moral issue for her.  good.  I think I was expecting and hoping for that.  i like her nuanced and not entirely cold blooded.

(26:00) this exchange with Jae Hui! She's surprised. Seon-Ah's... a little hurt? by the business relationship comment? Maybe I'm projecting.  but there is something happening between them.  I still ship them.  Is something dramatic going to happen eventually? one of them dying in the other's arms?  i could honestly see that working either way

[it is certainly a choice to have a major contagious disease be a government conspiracy in a 2021 tv series.]

is this the fucking milgram experiment? (42:30)

This is an intense piece of theatre, but I'm not convinced it's strategic. Then again, this show keeps surprising me by seeming logical against the odds.

I try to ignore the implausibility of these trials. and I acknowledge that it's a dystopia, and the legal system is based on one different from what I'm used to.  but some things are still very hard to buy.  Can a judge just decide to execute someone 24 hrs later? and do it in the middle of his personal courtroom? even if there are no checks and balances, isn't there a bureaucracy at least? doesn't he have to cite the law in his decisions.  anyway. grabbing a crane to hoist my disbelief further out of the way.

(min. 46)  Professor Min here again with the moral center of the story

does Judge Kang have a strategy besides 'make him talk?' I feel like he must, he always does.  What I'm hoping for is that it is to somehow get the public to realize the cruelty and turn on Pres. Heo.  Was he hoping prof. Min would speak out in protest, be the opposition voice he couldn't play?  (but i suspect that's not the plan) Is he somehow driven more by emotion than logic in this? trying to catch YSH's murderer?

oh yes, and we still don't know the info she got from jeong joseph.  So maybe the other reason to kill her off was to create a mystery and make Ga-On doubt Yo-Han again.

I suppose prof. min could turn out to be a bad guy.  but I really don't think they're heading in that direction.  it would be a very dramatic plot "twist" but this show so far hasn't been into twists for the sake of twists.

I see why they got this (apparently) big name actor for the part.  he's good!

Yo-Han is reading Nietzche?! that's a little too on the nose.  although to be fair it wouldn't be obvious if it wasn't subtitled. and perhaps it's an intentional performance for Ga-On.  Yo-Han, babe, you can just talk to him.

Yo-Han's gone back to not explaining himself or his plan to Ga-On. I hope this has a character explanation and not just a way to keep the audience in the dark.

well, whatever else happens, the intensity between these two still works. wow. captivating.

hmmm.  I'm not sure where this is going or if it's working for me.  I know they had to set Ga-On and Yo-Han against each other again.  but this trial...

the problem with this is.. it must be so obvious to even to in world viewers that the trials are manipulated?  like how could it not.  so the gotcha loses weight because it lampshades the weakness of the show's internal logic.

eps 1&2  ep3  ep4  ep5  ep6  ep7  ep8  ep9   ep10  ep11  ep12  ep13  ep14  ep15  ep16

[cattatonically]

Mr. Jingle Bells - Leta Blake (Mr. Christmas, book 3)

Synopsis

Opposites attract as frosty business partners become fake boyfriends in this Christmas gay romance!

Playing fake boyfriends starts their sleigh ride into love!

After an emergency forces Ashton Sellers from his apartment, all he wants for Christmas is new lipgloss, zero contact from his abusive family, and a place to stay for the holidays. Cue his business partner begrudgingly taking him in.

Walker’s a fuddy-duddy with no sense of fun, but he does have a safe, warm home with four adorable dogs and delicious food on the table.

If it turns out Walker’s also a secret softy with a tender side and a hot body beneath his endless parade of golf shirts? Great, good, cool. And if Walker wants Ashton to pretend to be his boyfriend for his sister’s Christmas-themed wedding? Awesome, amazing.

Could Walker be the safe haven Ashton missed out on as a child? Could they be falling in love for real?

But when Ashton uncovers a painful mistake in Walker’s past, it hits too close to home. As the jingle bells quiet and the snow settles, will Ashton be able to forgive Walker, or will their relationship be over before it ever truly begins?

Mr. Jingle Bells is a gay Christmas story by Leta Blake featuring forced proximity, opposites attract, fake dating, office romance, steamy scenes, and a taffy-sweet happy ending. It’s set in the Home for the Holidays universe, which began with Mr. Frosty Pants, but can be read as a standalone.

Content warnings for childhood abuse, past addiction issues, PTSD episodes, and gambling.

My Thoughts

So far, the themes of this trilogy have grown more complex over the course of each book. And with the finale, we really hit the peak.

Walker and Ashton each have their own baggage and their own trauma walking into a very unconventional roommates situation. When that grows into an even more unconventional – and risky – fake boyfriends situation, everything in their pasts come floating right back up to the surface.

When we were introduced to Walker in the first book, I wondered what had become of him. And now I know. He gambled, he was miserable, and he pulled himself out of a very dark place. And he found support in his friend Casey.

It was nice to see Casey so settled into marriage with Joel, even if it was for a few short glimpses. And getting to know more of Ashton really was as delightful as I imagined it would be – even with his traumatic experiences with addition, and religious zealots as his primary caretakers.

I think what I loved most about this book was the very real feeling depiction of a PTSD attack. I know from personal experience how debilitating they are, and how unpredictable the recovery can be. I’ve never read another fictional account that felt more real, and more accurate. And I know not everyone experiences these episodes – the panic, the flashbacks, the anxiety – in the same way. But the way Ashton fell head-first into his attack felt almost exactly how my own PTSD affects me.

Ashton’s experiences were raw, and they broke my heart. I felt so protective over him. And part of that was projection on my part – how closed off I am, and the things I’ve done in order to protect myself, and keep myself safe. In a way, I saw a lot of myself in Ashton – for different reasons – and I just wanted to keep him safe, and secure.

This book was heavy, and dealt with a lot of very complex topics. But underneath it all were two men learning to grow, and learning trust.

I’m glad Walker and Ashton got their happy ending. I’m glad all of the couples in this trilogy did. I’m a way, it made the holiday theme feel more authentic, and less sugar coated.

This time of year is messy. It’s stressful. And honestly, it’s a lot of bullshit. But sometimes, good things can come of it, too.

[darcyfirth]

so im gonna submit my last assignments before this weekend and after that im officially a free bird. what im trying to say is please rec me some good tv shows to watch (can be on viki/netflix/accessible sites for people outside the us) since i think im gonna be unemployed for quite some time ;-;

[dateamonster]

ok im gonna try to put together a list of other horror featuring wlw to watch

particularly wlw horror that isnt also weirdly transmisogynistic. im channeling my annoyance at fear street into something productive ok fuck u.

as always look into content warnings as needed and proceed with caution and care. in case it wasnt obvious, this is horror, and as such youre not gonna find a lot of happy romances here. im just a gay bitch who likes horror and sometimes i like to see someone somewhat like me in it. lemme live.

the perfection: recentish netflix horror/thriller full of twists and turns thatll fuck with your head. very very dark but i personally find the ending sorta weirdly cathartic and its definitely one of the happier endings on this list. theres no easy way to talk about this movie with spoiling, nevertheless i can p much guarantee you will be in for a scare.

30 miles from nowhere: while i wouldnt say the sapphic elements of this are like Positive Rep i do like the way this movie portrays the messiness of interpersonal relationships and i feel like its nice that that messiness isnt limited to straight people if that makes sense? anyway its just a great movie. unpredictable and chaotic and darkly comedic at times. if you like horror movies where the protags in peril arent like Good People but are likeable, you may like this.

all cheerleaders die: admittedly i havent rewatched this in a hot minute so let me know if it like Doesnt Hold Up but as i remember it this movie is a campy fun time with similar vibes to movies like jennifers body and ginger snaps. its just a good ol fashioned undead teen romp with some meangirls social-politics and some girls who like girls. what more could u ask for.

the hunger: 1980s movie about vampirism and bisexuality with a kind of gothic horror vibe to it. i feel obligated to spoil and tell you its Not a happy ending type of romance, but i do still like it and i do really appreciate it as like a take on the intertwined horror and allure of vampirism and how that relates to ideas of sexuality.

ginger snaps: i know i know i know its not canon but youre not gonna be able to convince me that this isnt a staple lesbian movie. i feel like most ppl who follow me know about ginger snaps already but for the uninformed, its a werewolf-themed coming of age horror about two sisters. although naturally theres a big focus on ginger, the younger sister bridget is imo the true protagonist and she sorta intrigues me as, in my interpretation, a young lesbian who is witnessing her sister transform into a manifestation of her own fears regarding sexuality and growing up. thatll get its own post someday tho.

may: this movie is a partially grounded, partially fantastical, purely captivating feature-length character study on a socially isolated young woman trying to find a perfect person in a world of flaws. itll make you smile, itll make you wince, itll getcha with that slow sense of building dread where youre just waiting for something to go horribly horribly wrong. check it out.

what keeps you alive: a highly stressful survival-horror type thriller. i know that subgenre is usually reserved for games but im not really sure how else to describe the vibe of this. i wont lie its not one of my favs just because its not a mode of storytelling i tend to mesh with but i do think its undeniably a good quality movie and i think if youre the type to be drawn in by fast-paced thrillers you will be into it.

feel free to add on. literally the only criteria for this list is its gotta feature a sapphic character and not feature a horribly transphobic scene <3

[forgiveness-in-the-misery]

Arthur The Ventriloquist Penn is definitely not meant to be a parental figure to Oswald, despite that being said back when season five started by people working on the show.

The reasons for my disagreement being: Oswald already had a mom and a dad.

Oswald looked at Carmine Falcone like a father, he even to a similar yet mostly gay extent admired Jim Gordon. These things are important because Oswald has an obvious respect for men that he admires or sees as a sort of or complete father figure.

He treated Arthur like garbage, he treated him like he hated him most of the time. Which makes no sense if he respects him or sees him as a parent.

Arthur to me is an obvious Ed replacement, to a small extent in season four but to a much larger degree in the final season of the show.

Mr. Penn reminds me of Ed in the first and some of the second season of the show: both men tend to dress in a way that is bland, they stick to muddy colors that appear to cause them to blend in with their surroundings, their clothes often looking cheap, and ill fitted for their thin frames. Penn like Ed before he became The Riddler is socially awkward and often seems nervous, falling into being a “jittery loser” as Oswald referred to the Ed he first met. Penn just like Ed in the first half of season three cares possibly too much about pleasing Oswald and earning his praise and validation which we see primarily in season five, except unlike Ed he doesn’t get it.

Oswald loves Ed, he doesn’t love Arthur. Arthur is a pale imitation of Edward from the “good days” before Oswald fell in love and before Ed betrayed him.

With season four when Oswald finds out that Penn had been working for the Falcones he was pissed, but much like Ed pretending to help Butch in early season three it’s a soft betrayal especially because we know Penn had no real malicious intent. So we see Penn back by Oswald’s side, except being treated worse now.

I think Oswald took out a lot of his frustration and anger he had towards everything that had happened with Ed out on Arthur, he makes sure to never treat Arthur good like he had Ed, in fact he treats him like he’s not even a person. Just a thing that he owns. I’m not saying what they had was romantic and definitely wasn’t sexual, but the tensions and subtext of Oswald and Arthur feels like a romantic relationship, it feels like a twisted not right version of what he wanted with Ed. To live in city hall, the place him and Ed had once claimed before everything went to shit, running the guns and a good chunk of the city, even down to owning a dog albeit Ed definitely would not have let Oswald name their dog Ed. Except he isn’t sharing any of this with Ed, instead he has Arthur who seems like an older pathetic version of the Ed he had met years prior.

Even when Arthur dies Oswald isn’t incredibly upset, he’s bothered by it but it isn’t a death that haunts him because strangely enough Ed comes into his life soon after Arthur dies. Then when they settle into a new relationship we get an episode where Ed is annoyed by Oswald’s lack of commitment to building their submarine that Oswald named after his mother aka a way to claim it as his and his alone despite doing none of the work. The two bicker and Ed’s obviously hurt and upset by Oswald still after all this time being selfish and incapable of just being there when Ed needs him.

Then Arthur comes back with a puppet named Mr. Scar face and suddenly for me he’s a lot like Ed.

Ed became The Riddler because of Oswald and because of Oswald Arthur became Ventriloquist. Both villains have a personality disorder, both created an altar that is stronger and more bold than they themselves could be. Watching Arthur confront Oswald for the way he treated him, for the fact he didn’t even try and check for a pulse or heart beat or give him a burial but instead just left him there to be tossed onto the streets mirrors Ed’s season three pain at finding out Oswald’s obsessive selfishness lead to him having Isabella killed. What turned both men against Oswald were actions he took because he’s ultimately a selfish man.

I also like how Ed spends a lot of the time being irritated by Arthur and irritated to find out Oswald made another villain. That Oswald really hasnt changed. What cements Arthur as a rebound romance for me is that Oswald does end up faced with two men he had close ties to and hurt in different yet similar ways he confesses that he treats those in his life he cares about like shit. He treats people badly and pushes them away and he knows he’s doing it and he knows he’s alone because of the way that he is. As I said in another post, Oswald places people in boxes of what use they have to him, and a lot of times this results in those people hating him like we saw with Butch and Ivy and Barbara and Ed and Arthur. He could have had better and longer friendships or in Ed’s case a romance with these people if some part of his brain hadn’t slotted them in a box of “tool”.

The pentacle of this all being very gay and very much about romantic relationships is that after the puppet is....killed, Arthur is grateful to Oswald and also straddling his lap which is super gay, but also that Oswald seems like he would be willing to try to treat him like a person this time around....Then Ed kills Arthur when technically there was no cause to do especially because that could have triggered Oswald to turn on Ed. Ed explains Arthur was a lunatic and they needed to get rid of him, which I can’t argue with but Ed also is unpredictable in the same way as Ventriloquist. Ed explains that he accepts Oswald for who and what he is and that this thing of theirs works because Oswald accepts him as the trainwreck that he is. Oswald says maybe they are meant for each other and....all of that is gay.

Due to network interference it couldn’t be gay, but season five really drove it home as hard as they could. And Arthur was very very clearly a rebound romance and a placeholder until Ed came back into Oswald’s life.

Also just general shoutout to getting to see Ventriloquist in live action, like all of that was exactly how I would expect the puppet and character to look in real life.

[bipirate]

I’d like to call BS on book fans radically changing CQL scripts for 3 reasons. One is that the single biggest plot change in CQL vs book and the most difficult to work in scriptwise was writing in a closer relationship between LWJ and WWX from their first meeting, something that they had absolutely no reason at all to do if their endgame was WWX and WQ bc they could just have stuck with the original plot removing all romance and going for a best friends angle like the donghua did The centrality1

messages 2-10 below the cut, as well as my reply! i edited in paragraphs to make it a bit more readable, i hope you dont mind. @ my other followers, i recommend reading this if you’ve seen the earlier drama with the other anon on my blog and/or are worried about the cql script change that we discussed 

of LWJ and WWX relationship to the story CQL writers wanted to tell was clearly something that was baked in from the start, and we even have BTS clips where the director talks about and directs WWX and LWJ as a couple, the ending message about how the team wishes that WWX and LWJ get everything that they wish for clearly doesn’t look as people who were strongarmed into making CQL gay against their wishes. 

2nd reason is that a drama has two opposing forces between the creatives wanting to tell a good story and finance people wanting to make the most money on their investments with the less hassle, mediated through the censorship board. The latter two can and will try to affect the plot bc the finance people are risking real money and would like to not make a net loss if it turns unpopular (not all Chinese watchers would want to watch a non hetero relationship) and the censors won’t give you a license to broadcast as long as you don’t comply with all their demands. 

Cdramas in the past managed to get popular even with plagiarisms scandals or just like the Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty by adding in hetero love interests and calling it a day, so the CQL team didn’t have to pay attention to the weibo controversy bc fans wishes on the web don’t pay their production costs, can’t blacklist a director from the industry or help them pass censorship. Fans are not their bosses and just have no real power to alter such a contentious decision as the main relationship (even the agencies of WYB and XZ won’t take it lightly that the hetero script they signed for suddenly turned gayer bc of the impact on their idols’ image) if it wasn’t something the CQL team has already decided to do. You just can’t fight censorship policies with hashtags (look up what happened to the powerful Jack Ma for voicing light criticism). 

I clearly can’t vouch that everyone on set was behind CQL being centered on a gay relationship, if there were warring factions or what reasons allowed them to go for the version that we have seen, but pretending that no one wanted to tell that story and that MDZS fans making a couple of Weibo posts turned everyone around, without recognizing risks and pains the CQL creatives took in the censored Chinese movie industry to create the series is just plain insulting. As is painting them as money grabbers bc the book is also pay by chapter in China (so a money grab?) and screenwriters and directors are no less artists than writers are, I’m not sure why this is controversial in 2021? It’s just infuriating that people pretend that someone constrained by censorship in what they create is the same thing as someone who actually supports said censorship. (And btw who even shared images and scripts, trying to show that there was an audience for the non hetero version? Isn’t it necessarily people from the CQL production team who were committed to Wangxian?) 

The 3rd reason is that what would be acceptable to censors is mostly unpredictable and decided in one go after the whole series is filmed and edited. I have watched a vaguely bromance Cdrama once that even got pulled after release and censored again, so I have it on good authority that they really do remove small bits of scenes here and there, shorten long scenes where 2 male characters stand too close, and well bully for you if you had plot happening there and now it doesn’t make any more sense. CQL being higher budget than other adaptations was taking a bigger financial gamble so it’s not surprising that they had backup scenes sure to pass censorship while hoping for a best case when they would be approved as they are. 

They knew that being authorize to broadcast by censorship would be an issue from the start, so what were they supposed to do, just film, send it in and hope for the best, and then make really expensive retakes or just trash the whole series if the censorship board rejected them? Also generally, I’m super weary of oriented and uncharitable takes on events bc there is clearly a subset of MDZS fans that are really angry at CQL fans bc the drama is super popular or loved or idk why and who think that CQL fans don't deserve to be in the fandom and CQL has no redeeming value, so many of their analyses are just guided by spite. Chinese fans theories are also not immune from wtfuckery and exaggeration like that RPS one where WYB and XZ are in a RL relationship and sending each other love messages through the timestamps of their Weibo posts.

i totally agree with you anon, you raise some really interesting points that i don’t have much to add to! most of this was already going through my mind when i was arguing with the previous anon, but i didn’t feel like writing a whole essay explaining stuff to someone who was rude to me, and i think you worded it better than i probably could. especially your point that all fantheories are coloured by their personal biases towards the novel, live action and actors etc. but yes the big takeaway is that it seems ludicrous for fans to have so much power over a decision that could get a show greenlit or rejected by the censorship board.