kovagiarequan11-blog

[nikkiruncks]

I’m really hoping Jay doesn’t get a new love interest introduced in S2.

[evapo-rated]

The context for the one below is Corpse Party which is a really dark and difficult horror game but has like such good music???

Just a dump of doodles from whiteboard, aggies, and one from a sketchbook

Melvin and Francis would NOT get along.. Melvin is another Nate just as smart or even smarter than Francis

I’m drawing Teddy a lot because I didn’t appreciate him enough and I’m glad I like him WAYYY MORE now to draw him all the time even if I mess up

Yes I call George n Harold, Nate, Greg, Nikki (might add Dear Dumb Diary or middle school the worst years of my life I’m not sure though? Let me know if you guys see this) the Diar-ic/Diaric kids or fellas 😁

(Sorry to the person that I literally never interact with besides one time for filling up so much space and I’m sorry if I scared you off with how annoying I was about giving info on BN 😭 I think you are cool though)

[cannonball5]

Things I noticed about Nate and Leia in part 3, spoilers to follow:

Nate taking the blame for the kitchen to be a hero to impress Nikki

Leia is the only one to call his sacrifice “heroic”

Leia organizing a gift for Nate as a thank you

Leia obsessing over why Nate would do it (leading to a fight with Jay)

Leia going into the men’s bathroom and threatening a professional wrestler for an autographed belt for Nate

Nate commenting to Red that he didn’t want to have to settle for his “second choice” like Red did (as if Kitty could be Red’s second choice, come on)

Leia attempting to convince Betsy to break up with Nate and spending time with her (risky move considering how Jay clearly feels about Betsy)

Leia attempting to look out for Nate by telling him he needs to break up with Betsy

Otis suggesting to Nate to say he cheated on Betsy with Leia

The recreation of the That 70s show intro with Nate as Eric and Leia as Donna

Leia obsessing over having her parents’ love story. Jay is her first love, but Nate is the boy next door.

We already see the cracks forming in Leia and Jay’s relationship. I mean this summer is the longest the couple has actually been around each other and Leia seemed pretty annoyed with Jay when he didn’t have any bro time with Nate. We’ll see how long they last over the course of a whole school year.

Meanwhile Nate and Nikki are back together but have yet to actually address the reasons they broke up in the first place. It’s great that Nate believes in Nikki but a fair chunk of part 3 was her complaining about how he wasn’t a very good boyfriend to her (I think he’s in a much better place to be a better boyfriend post Betsy, but still). Nikki and Nate are the Kelso and Jackie relationship dynamic of the series and that relationship was not built to last. I know Kelso and Jackie are married in the show but that has more to do with Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis being married irl than there characters’ compatibility. Also everything we hear about Kelso and Jackie’s marriage is just a bunch of red flags.

Am I being delusional? Probably. But I’ve been in this boat before and that ship sailed beautifully into the sunset, so maybe it will happen again.

If I missed and Nate and Leia moments from part 3 please let me know. I love them so much.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

By Peter Rosenstein

A jury of 12 New Yorkers has found Donald Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records. I was going to say a jury of his peers, but then that would be an insult to the jury. They are not equal to Trump. He thinks they are below him, and I think they are above him. I don’t know them, but to be a real peer of Trump they would also have to be lying cheats, philanderers, racists, homophobic pigs, found liable for sexual assault. But they, nevertheless, did a good job in deciding he is guilty.

They understood the concept of not confusing Michael Cohen with Trump. They understood this was a case against Trump, not Cohen. Cohen has already been convicted, and served time for his crimes. The prosecutor was correct when he suggested they didn’t choose a liar to work for Trump, he did. Guess it backfired. In his own warped mind Trump will surely forever believe if he had testified, he would have been acquitted. I think if he had testified, the jury would have needed even less than the nine hours it took them to reach the guilty verdicts.

So now we move forward. The judge will decide what punishment Trump gets. He said sentencing will occur on July 11 just days before the Republican convention. I don’t believe he will send him to jail in the middle of an election. Each count he was convicted of is a lower class felony in New York. That means the highest punishment could be four years in jail on each count, but they would all be served concurrently. Or the judge, who will determine the sentence, could just give him probation, which is the logical sentence during the campaign. That means Trump would have to regularly report to a probation officer. But we know Trump will appeal this case, and usually the sentence is held until after the appeal. But upon sentencing, the news media, and the rest of us, will be able to refer to him as a convicted felon. I know I will.

So, from now on when I write about Trump, I will say racist, sexist, misogynist, homophobic pig, found liable for sexual assault, and convicted by a jury of 34 felony counts. The description of Trump keeps getting longer. He will have the distinction of being the first former president convicted of a felony. And there are more possible felonies to go. But judging by what we are seeing and hearing, it wouldn’t surprise me if none of those cases, the ones in Washington, D.C., Georgia, and Florida, get heard before the election.

I have confidence in the decent people of the United States, that they will not make him the first felon elected president, no matter how loud his MAGA cult is. What will be interesting to see as the campaign moves forward, with Trump as a convicted felon, is whether there are any decent Republicans who have the nerve to finally say NO to him being president. What will Nikki Haley and Gov. Sununu do? Will they still stick with him, and go down in history as just two more Trump sycophants.

If we, the decent people in the United States, want to show a proud face to the rest of the world, we will say a loud and resounding NO to Trump. We will relegate him to the garbage heap of history, where he belongs. He is a man who has betrayed his country. A man who is only out for himself, a grifter.

While many believe this election is still close, it will be interesting to see how many of Trump’s voters walk away from him. Nate Cohn wrote in the New York Times, it is definitely winnable for Biden, and that was before Trump’s conviction. He suggested Biden could definitely take Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and that is enough for him to reach 270 electoral college votes, even if he loses Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Nevada, and Arizona. I believe he will win those three states, along with Arizona and Nevada. It is now up to the American people, and once again I have trust in them.

[warcorrespondence]

Review: Born Ready

Born Ready by makeit_takeit / @makeit-takeit (whose complete works I, Nikki / @gorgeousundertow will now be reading, thank you)

fandom: generation kill

pairing: bradnate

explicit, 98199 words

I have literal pages of notes on this fic - that's how much I loved it. It's an unusual approach, but such a wonderful one, and it's helped me understand these two characters (about whom I had already given a great deal of thought) so much more deeply. Like this is basically canon for me now. It's the long road of how they got to be the people they are before OIF, how they (eventually) come together, and how they stay together.

Spoiler I really do feel you should know before going in: Brad and Nate don’t have so much as a conversation until you’re fully one-third of the way in. (The first one they have with actual dialogue tags, Nate is half naked though so DON’T WORRY THIS FIC WILL DELIVER).

This is actually a spoiler - heavy review, so if you’re not into that, leave now, knowing only this: this fic is incredible, read it immediately.

Born Ready genuinely is a character study, of both of them, the deepest I’ve ever encountered. It explores their (very different) paths to uncovering their sexualities which (another spoiler) they do before they meet. This is not a Brad meets Nate or vice versa and discovers whoops! I’m gay! (The guy I lost my virginity to said he lost his “accidentally" like he tripped over something, and I always think of that….anyhoo).

So there’s a lot of sex with people who aren’t each other, for the first 1/3. But it’s all for a reason, as my favorite kind of sex-in-a-fic is (whether it’s exploring a developing relationship, emotional state, stakes, etc). In this case, it’s character study and if you don’t think a BJ can be character study well you just haven’t read makeit-takeit yet. (And again, DON'T WORRY WHEN THEY DO BANG THEY BANG VERY WELL, IT'S EXTREMELY GOOD YES)

It also skips OIF entirely which I’ll confess I was sad about, because with this level of character study I actually wanted to get makeit-takeit's take on every single scene at least some crucial scenes at least the final unreadable look okay??? But the show is treated as canon we already know rather than something the author needs to fill us in on and contextualize…which, fair! And respect!

Even after they take the first steps they take a long time - A LONG TIME - to really make it work. Which, having understood these characters and their individual fears and hesitations so well, felt absolutely true and right. Frustrating? Yes. But right.

But they do make it work, and it's entirely in character and just the right kind of sweetness - because it's earned.

"I'm flattered, Nate." He looks at Nate resolutely. "But I"m not the guy you want, or-or the guy you should have. If you're honest with yourself, I think you know that." It sounds so final, like the Iceman has fucking spoken, and that's that. Nate can't keep the sneer off his face. "Fuck you." Brad's head snaps up. "Are you fucking-" "No, Fuck. You. Fuck you for not believing you're worth anyone's time - my time - just because some shitty people did a shitty thing to you, once. And fuck you for not trusting me to stick with you even when it's hard. Fuck you for treating me like I'm too fucking fragile to be burdened with any of the shit you carry around with you every day. And mostly, Brad? Fuck you for acting like you're doing this to protect me, when you're just trying to protect yourself."

[thatseventiesbitch]

That '90s Show Part 2 Review

Overall, I'm giving Part 2 4.5 Stars out of 5!!!! I completely loved it, and thought it was an improvement from last season. I am now all the more excited for part 3, given what I know is still coming. 😜

If you're interested, here's my real-time reactions thread from Twitter (pinned to the top of my bio).

Stay tuned for my breakdown (warning: there be spoilers here):

The Good

The H U M O R continues to be the brightest spot for me. This is a genuinely funny show - I laughed out loud (okay, closer to howled if we're being honest) several times. It feels similar (though not identical) to T70S' brand of humor. I can tell it was made by the same people. This season, like last, Ozzie was my main man and had the one-liners that sent me the most but I can say the same for Jay, Gwen, Nate, and Leia too. And Bob. Oh hell, all of them! I'm sure I'll be reblogging my favorite moments for months to come while we wait for part 3!

The C H A R A C T E R D E V E L O P M E N T is the other shining star for me. The first season was limited (disappointing?) in this regard - to be fair, they only had 10 episodes to introduce us to a whole new handful of characters and make us care about them, and they mostly did. But this season brought the depth I was looking for - and we're only halfway through! 🤯 We learn more about Jay's playboy past, and see how he's actively working to grow and change and do his relationship with Leia differently. Ozzie is humanized when he has his heart broken - and his friends are there to pick up the pieces 💔. Nate struggles with his feelings and relationship with Nikki all season, and by the end of episode 8 he seems to be grappling with still having real feelings for her that he can't move on from. Nikki's pregnancy scare really affected her, and not in the way one would necessarily expect. She ended part 2 feeling lost and unsure of her direction, or what she truly wants (and not her parents), for the first time in her life. Gwen's storylines were perhaps my favorite of all (I'm a big Gwen stan, okay?). I was impressed that they decided to 'go there' with the racism plot, and even more impressed at the frank conversation she had at the end of the episode with her white (and well-intentioned, but bumbling) mom. Was it perfect and resolved? No. I think that was kind of the point. Not to mention her navigating her first real feelings and her relationship (?) with Cole. And Leia, my lovely Leia - she is learning about communication, forgiveness, honesty - all with the gentle guidance of her family and her friends. And that's not to mention Red and Kitty, who had sweet, plot-driving storylines of their own. I loved their realization that they like their rut - but loved even more when Red was inspired to live every day like it's his last and pushed through his fears to go to Paris with Kitty 🥰. This longer season has afforded more 'filler-like' episodes for us to just hang out with the characters, and get to know them more intimately. What are their wants, fears, insecurities, innermost thoughts? We are getting there. We are really getting there. Let's see what 8 more episodes will bring!

BOB! Bob gets his own point, because I enjoyed him so much (and seeing him and Red eventually come together to be overprotective grandpas 🤣. I laughed so much at his relationship with Leia, how they were just chilling in the basement, how he wanted all the teen gos. And Gwen's "What the heck, do you tell your grandpas everything?" 😂

DONNA! I adore Donna Pinciotti (Forman?), always have, and I adore her even more in the '90s than I thought possible. I love seeing her as a mom and her relationship with Leia. More pls.

This season felt more '90s to me! They incorporated more '90s references and brought back the regular fantasy sequences that always set the original apart. Off the top of my head, I loved: Kitty's Carmen Electra fantasy/nightmare (😂), Leia's Lisa Loeb fantasy (🤣), the Macarena (that shit was e v e r y w h e r e in the mid-90s, man), the Mentos commercial, Jay and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith cameo!!! also, Leo's son???) and all of Kitty's '90s slang that she picked up from the kids at school 😂👏🏻

The guest stars! Mitch and The Angel returned from T70S, and I am a big Will Forte/that era of SNL stan so I thoroughly enjoyed his appearance, too (and know he's been involved on the OG series on the writing/production side).

Red's trains (callback to season 1 of T70S - whoa!!) 🥰

I thought they struck a good balance this season between those heartfelt, 'very special episode'-type moments that '90s sitcoms were infamous for, without actually being too sickly-sweet, ala a Full House or Girl Meets World type moment. Donna and Leia's interaction in Nikki's bedroom regarding the voicemail comes to mind, as well as the is-Nikki-pregnant storyline and Nikki and Nate's celebratory dance at the end 🤣.

Which reminds me - I thought Nikki and Nate's storyline was intriguing. I have always been sort of a fan of their relationship - I don't think it's as bad as some others seem to - but remain unconvinced that they're 'meant to be' or endgame or whatever. But I enjoyed watching them navigate their break-up this season and then reluctantly find their ways back to each other, though. We'll see where it goes in part 3!

I immediately noted (and was pleased!) that there was a Laurie mention and a Midge mention this season. Both very off-hand, but it was something I was curious about. Who will be next? Betsy Kelso? 😮

The Bad

For me, ngl, Topher Grace's (Eric) absence was really felt. It is definitely the kids' show now and a substantial storyline isn't one I'd ever expect, but gosh I missed him from the family scenes at the beginning (both those with Red & Kitty, and those with Donna & Leia). The silver lining is how the other characters continue to reference him - almost in every episode, really - and so we still learn things about him and his relationships to his wife, daughter, and parents through these mentions from other characters. There will always be a part of me that is crossing my fingers for another Eric appearance, though, and I think there always will be.

Kitty's characterization as an overbearing mother was overdone. To be fair, this isn't a deviation from the original show. This is how she was often written towards the end of T70S - overbearing, possessive of Eric, lashing out at Donna or feeling in competition with her. It was done for laughs, but it wasn't particularly funny to me (and never was) 🤷‍♀️.

Not enough Geia content for my 'shipper heart 😩. We got one boob touch 😂, and it is clear that Leia still prioritizes her friendship with Gwen above all else (I lol'ed when she worried Gwen was in jail and that she would have to commit a crime to join her) but I want more, damn it! Part 2 solidified for me that Geia is never going to be anything more than a crack!ship. 😰

Which reminds me - Jay and Leia are kind of 'meh' for me. They're fine, I don't dislike them together, and I do like how we're seeing them both learn and grow through their relationship but... it just inspires kind of lukewarm feelings, I guess.

There wasn't a lot of Sherri in part 2. I love Sherri. Hope to see more of her in the next part.

The Ugly

I am pleased to say that I can't think of anything!!! Fez was absent (although they didn't directly reference their break-up, Sherri is clearly single and on the prowl all season) but I didn't miss him (🤭). Ditto to Kelso and Jackie - although we did get one reference to Jay's dad and the Kelso family heirloom (aka porn). I would say the ugliest part is that I now have to wait until October for part 3!!!

[thestupidhelmet]

A(nother) Difference Between That '70s Show and That '90s Show.

I've written about depth of characterization before, but I realized today by looking at the T7S circle .gifs by @tht70sblog that the life issues the T9S kids face (save Oz) are nowhere on the same level as those from T7S (S1-S5, at least). This might add to the Disney show feeling people have expressed about T9S.

T7S has very realistic parental neglect and abuse issues and the emotional effects of that childhood wounding. Parents who don't set proper boundaries with their kid, which creates a different cluster of emotional wounding that affects the kid's worldview and behavior. And gives specific details (or the whys) to make all this characterization abundantly clear.

The threat of homelessness at seventeen (several times) and fears of a bleak future. Significant betrayal in teen relationships. A son whose more sensitive nature doesn't fit with his father's idea of masculinity, which has a breadth of consequences (some good, some damaging). A pregnancy scare for a high school sophomore. Teen girls whose gender expression and interests don't fit stereotypes.

The list goes on.

This depth, seriousness, and kind of issues facing the characters of T7S resonates very much with my time as a teenager in high school (long after the '70s 😅). For instance: a friend with an emotionally and physically abusive mother who kicked her out of home in the middle of the night (not for the first time), and that friend showing up at my home for shelter.

That's only one specific example with the most basic of details (because privacy 😁), but T7S reflects so much of my serious teen experiences in its stories (not necessarily autobiographically but in spirit). Also the fun and great times (and burns, which we didn't call burns) during those years, too -- just like the T7S characters. It was a mixture. Both harrowing in a lot of ways and fulfilling.

T9S isn't there. Maybe it won't ever be because it's not the same show as T7S and isn't intended to go that deeply or realistically into teen life.

But T7S does while still capturing the humor that exists during all the crap teens have to go through or get themselves into.

That being said, the T9S teens are a little younger than the T7S teens (talking about the characters, not actors). Leia fretting over having a first kiss with Jay is sweet, and it's definitely a dilemma fifteen-year-olds have.

But when I was fifteen, friends were often fretting about a lot more than a kiss. Jackie and Kelso's sexual relationship when she's a sophomore and he's a junior is closer to my specific experience (with a few first kisses sprinkled in).

I find myself and parts of my life in T7S. I connect to the characters, their connections to one another, and what they go through.

I love Red and Kitty in T9S and enjoy the teens' antics and personalities. Even if the show remains more surface with its depiction of teen life in the '90s, I hope it goes deeper with the characters and builds the connections / friendships among them so we understand*why* they care about one another and hang out (with Leia and Gwen's friendship as the exception since that gets good development in S1).

Give me a "Class Picture" (T7S, S4) type of flashback like how Fez became part of the group that shows why Oz chose the other T9S kids as friends and vice versa. Right now, I have no idea.

Gwen's brother, Nate, is Jay's best friend. Nate is dating Nikki, and Leia is Gwen and Nate's neighbor during the summer. That explains the *why* of their interactions. It doesn't explain or illustrate the deeper connections among them, however. With sixteen episodes for S2, I hope the writers use that space for episodes like T7S's "Hyde Moves In," "Sleepover," "Cat Fight Club," "Grandma's Dead," "Eric's False Alarm," "The Pill," and so on that showcase and develop the relationships among the characters.

---

Side note: If I knew had to add a *read more (under the cut)* on mobile, I would. 🫣

[charlieconwayy]

why jay/leia is the intended endgame: an unnecessarily long post

the very obvious answer to this is the whole legacy argument. who didn't know when the character descriptions dropped that those two would be a couple just for the whole "haha the kelsos are still driving the forman women crazy" joke? (which they haven't even made yet, which also makes me think we have in no way seen the last of them. we are DEFINITELY getting an eric freakout) kelso was a joke character nearly his entire stint on t70s. they never portrayed him as a good bf or caring ab . . . well anything other than sex, and then eventually betsy (trans!jay kelso theory?). jay, however, they make a big point of showing/saying that he is not like his dad. there is an entire episode dedicated to red realizing that jay is a good boy and that is not kelso just bc he is a kelso.

this is the jay defining moment for me. i think if they had cast a lesser actor than mace this could've come off as 'haha jay trying to get into leia's pants' but mace delivered it so genuinely and sincerely that it is very clear to me that leia is not going to be someone that jay gets over easily. he's this "reformed playboy," yet we never see him be anything less than a gentleman to leia. i am pointing out this line in particular bc of it's OBVIOUS parallel to eric saying that he needed to go to africa so that he can deserve donna.

i have trauma from the gmw fandom debating to death who the corpanga was supposed to be (as if that was a good thing lmfao) but there is literally no debate that jay/leia is the new donna/eric. jay is the cool hot love interest who centers the neurotic dorky protagonist. plus, i mean, the car scene within the first three episodes? be so serious here.

the show spent sooooo much time on jay and it would be so weird to me if they suddenly were just like "actually nate is the male lead now!" i think he probably got the least amount of screentime of any of the kids.

i know the showrunner came out and said leia needed to find a ~deep connection not built on lust~ and that's where nate came in. i do agree with that to an extent, but nate/leia is clearly just to throw off the viewers. also, nate is the kelso archetype more than jay is, lbr. (i could do an entirely separate blog post on that). yes, nate and leia connected. they were able to confide in each other about their relationship issues. does that mean there's romantic chemistry there? no. it just means that they were there for each other in an important moment.

is a big proponent of leia/jay's relationship built on lust? i would argue moreso on leia's side than jay's, but also, leia didn't like jay bc of his looks. she liked him because he made her feel special and treated her with respect. she liked the kind, sensitive part of him. it was only once they had that moment where she began to ~lust after him. and for anyone to argue that jay's feelings for leia are lust related is fucking stupid because

like jay could get any girl he wants canonically. he likes leia for leia. he likes her for all of her little quirks and flaws. plus there is ANOTHER episode dedicated to her feeling she needs to put out and him saying he only wants what she is comfortable with. c'mon man.

this is not some lust related fling that was built on nothing but mutual attraction. i'm not gonna act like their convos ever get super deep or anything (mainly because we only got ten episodes in season one), but nate/leia rly didn't either. like. they were both just upset about jay and nikki. and then they almost kissed.

are nate and leia probably going to be a focus in season two? oh, for sure. but the obvious endgame is jay and leia.

like be so for real.

i could also talk about the difference in her expressions here for hours but i'll just leave all of this here.

[scorpio-karma]

I honestly really don't get it, why after all these years, are people still obsessed and invested in TVD or with the cast? That show nothing but a complete shit show and dumpster fire garbage from start to finish (though the first few seasons did a better job in hiding it, because the show had promise and potential). Nothing  but one problematic thing after another and just so much negativity and toxicity surrounding it. And a lot of your stances raise a lot of questions and put a lot of things into perspective for me. 

First, it's so funny to me that you single out Nina for being a mediocre actress and using that as a reason to say her career after TVD flopped, or that she hasn't done anything since leaving the show. Because the majority of the TVD/TO cast (with the exception of only a few select), were also mediocre and not particularly good either. And honestly, what did you expect from a CW show, of all things? Also, the other cast members haven't done anything or gotten jobs after TVD either. 

Second, only singling out Nina for being problematic and doing shady things, when all of the TVD cast, including your dear and lovely Kat Graham, have done a lot of fucked up, problematic, and shady shit as well. Absolutely none of them are innocent or saints. Ian acted like a straight up, petty, and bitter manchild after he and Nina broke up and he got with Nikki Reed, while Nina handled that whole situation with grace and maturity, even with how shitty both Ian and Nikki treated her. On top of that, he's a fucking abuser who threw away Nikki's birth control pills, coerced her into pregnancy, and bragged about it publicly on a podcast as if it was something to be proud of. 

Third, singling out Nina for supposedly being racist (which to my knowledge, I've never seen her make any racist posts or comments), but say fuck all about Matt Davis, the biggest racist piece of shit in the whole show. Or Nate Buzolic, who on top of being racist, is also a raging homophobic and anti abortion rights. Most of the men on the show have done way worse than Nina or any of the girls, yet I don't see any posts from you calling them out on their shit behavior. Because as always, men can do the most abhorrent shit, they can be racist, homophobic, sexist, misogynistic, they can abuse, rape, or even kill somoene, and still have people defend and support them. But god forbid women aren't perfect and have flaws or make mistakes and fuck up. 

And you all wonder why the TVD fandom had such a bad rep back then, and still continue to have such a bad rep now. The very definition of toxic. 

First of all sweetie, you seem to be responding to some old ass posts from like 2019, so you the one that's still obsessed. Second of all, if you searched my Tumblr thoroughly (which I know is hard given Tumblr piss poor searching system) you'd find posts critical of all cast members. In fact, I'm pretty sure the only one I'm not critical of is Trevino because he knows when to stay quiet. And lastly, I'm definitely only skimming that whole message because you're clearly an unhinged Nina fan who went searching for shit to be mad at since they're tagged as "anti" meaning your not the audience for these opinions. Maybe find more recent and relevant criticisms before blowing up someone's inbox anonymously with a dissertation as to why they're wrong. In fact, maybe put this in an actual response to that post so they know what the fuck you're going on about.

[lonelywriter2710]

Review on That 90s Show

Overall, I really enjoyed the show and it was better than expected, I loved seeing the original cast back but not repeatedly which made that 90s show more separated from 70s and did not focus solely on the past, but Leia growing up and her summer in Point Place. Many of the moments were cringe but that’s another reason what made 90s more authentic within itself and I guess captured the essence of Leia’s character through the show and emphasising her being the protagonist. It did not feel so much worse than 70s but it will never be the same, and I see that as a good thing cause what would even be the point of creating that 90s show for it to be the exact replica.

Leia

LOVED Leia’s character, definitely is Eric’s daughter with her smartass energy yet also extreme awkwardness. I really liked that she was portrayed like this as it made her more relatable, especially when she started liking Jay and then when they broke up, and generally feeling like an outsider and not good enough. I enjoyed her development and her learning new things and would love to see her again, she’s also extremely pretty lol. However, I did want her to be like Donna too, a bit more aloof and confident, but I personally think as she becomes more independent she will get the characteristics of Donna aswell.

Favourite Characters

Definitely Leia, Gwen and Ozzie. Leia is me, I am Leia. Gwen is just sooooo cool, her chaotic energy really made her stand out and she was just such a great friend to Leia and I am sensing lover vibes in near future from them. The actress is also extremely pretty and her style was amazing. Ozzie is just hilarious, his coming out was so beautiful and i’m glad he chose kitty to tell it to, I really enjoyed the trio of Leia, Gwen and Ozzie, probably cause that’s my irl trio too lol.

Leia and Jay’s Relationship

MIXED FEELINGS. I’m a sucker for opposites attract and really do believe Jay has genuine feelings for Leia and isn’t like his dad, he really is smitten and never not enjoyed being with Leia. I don’t ship them in the long run though unless Jay matures, I think Jay would be a good summer fling for Leia as she likes/liked him too and he got her out of her comfort zone and always understood everything she did and never judged her unlike the other characters in the show, so I would like to see more more of them too. Also they look really good together.

Leia and Nate

Probably am the only one that’s thinking this but it felt sooo forced, I expected Nate to not feel happy with Nikki anymore but not him liking Leia over a tiny moment when Leia still did like Jay (his bestest friend) and was upset over their very recent break up, I think the writers will definitely carry on that storyline in the future and will set them up but I also don’t see them lasting a long time cause I overall do not see the chemistry between them apart from platonic.

Nikki

I am so confused about Nikki. I relate to her in a lot of ways as I am very straightforward too, enjoy school and am very ambitious but it feels like the writers based her on Leia but gave her the confidence she always wanted, especially when it comes to boys. I don’t necessarily dislike her but it didn’t feel like she made any contribution to the show and her personality developed half way through the show, and she often had some opinions which made Leia second guess her judgment purely because that’s not what Nikki what have done. It just gives off doing this to Nikki on purpose so we without a realisation like Leia more and probably to also carry on the Leia and Nate storyline, although I personally do ship Nikki and Nate.

[nikkiruncks]

Top 5 favorite Gwikki moments in season 2

1. “Easy Nate. She’s not a couch.” *Nikki laughs*

It’s such a small detail, but I just love it! Gwen burning Nate and Nikki just laughing reminds me of how Jackie burned Eric in Bye Bye Basement and she and Hyde shared a high five. It’s always the little moments that make up a ship, not just big and grand scenes.

Bonus:

My girls make a great team, all I've gotta say.

2. "I thought we were actually friends Gwen. And that I was more than just Nate's girlfriend, but I guess I was wrong."

There are so many good Gwikki moments in Something To Talk About but I had to pick this one because this scene gets me emotional for so many reasons, one of them being that this confirms that Gwen and Nikki continued to hangout alone after Step By Step. If they truly only hung out one time, then this dialogue wouldn’t exist. Because Nikki truly cares about Gwen! She thought they had a real connection and she ended up getting stabbed in the heart when finding out that Gwen lied this whole time.

Gwikki getting the angst era I wanted it is a win in my book.

3. “Nikki... I know your parents are on your ass about all this stuff, but that's on them.”

Baby Baby Baby is easily one of the Gwikki episodes this season for so many reasons. There are so many good moments, but I pick this one specifically because it shows how good they are together.

Nikki has always been an overachiever and wanting to please her parents. She has a whole plan being made for her, and it doesn’t turn out as she hoped, and she’s relieved because the plan is what her parents want, not her.

I love Gwen pushes Nikki here to live for herself and not care about what others think. And I fully believe this advice is what pushed Nikki to take more risks in Friends In Low Places and get out of her comfort zone.

It shows why they’d be so good together. Gwen lives her life to the fullest and how she wants to, while Nikki is more worried about living her parents' lives. But together, they can balance each other out.

4. "Are you two dating?"

Okay now this is just my shipper self squealing, but like I get these vibes of “Gwen had a boyfriend and didn’t tell me” and even a little jealousy haha. I just love any interaction with Gwen and Nikki so this makes my heart happy. The writers could’ve given this line to anyone, but they gave it to Nikki and I feel like that’s a sign haha.

5. "Your bras always match your underwear like in the commercials."

Idc what anyone says, there’s something so gay about this line. Like there is NO reason for Gwen to casually be mentioning Nikki’s bra and underwear combo here. While I don’t think they hooked up, Gwen and Nikki definitely went shopping together (ty @randomwriter23 for bringing up this hc) and changed in the same rooms.

Gifs are all mine

[mitchmarnier]

so what are you thoughts on t90s then? spill all the tea

This might all sound like complaining lol although I did particularly enjoy the show but it should have been at least 12-15 episodes. I think we need to bring back full season series, especially when the episodes are 30mins. There's not enough time to cover everything and leaves things feeling unfulfilled and rushed (for example, the entire nate/leia situation.)

I also would've liked a little more Kelso/Jackie/Eric, and a little less Fez. It's a bit weird to me that he's the only original member of the gang that got a storyline?

I wish they would have at least mentioned Laurie? Outside of the one throwaway comment from Red. I understand the original actress has died, but they also recasted her... before that happened? And if they wanted the character to have died (sad) I also would've liked to have had that mentioned. Eric and Laurie may not have been close, but they were siblings and siblings are rare as hell in television tbh.

I totally understand and respect why Hyde wasn't mentioned and obviously why he and Jackie were never going to be endgame or get back together. And I'm overjoyed that the writers got their shit together and realized that Jackie/Fez was horrible pairing so I really am okay with Kelso and Jackie ending up together. I just wish that they didn't have reduce both characters seven years of growth and revert them completely (in the 2 minutes we saw of them), to the couple they were in season one.

WHY did Jay and Leia not know each other prior?? I understand people grow apart and maybe Eric/Donna & Jackie/Kelso didn't stay close but you'd think them having kids together so close in age as young as they were, Leia and Jay would have at least been around each other when they were very young. Estranged childhood friends to lovers would have been a way more compelling and interesting romantic storyline for the two of them than the good girl falls for player boy (he's like 14?) and the player boy wants to change his ways for her crap.

I really actually don't have any complaints regarding the rest of Gwen's gang, aside from that I wish the seasons were longer so that we could see more of them develop and backstory into them.

Gwen/Nikki >>

[cannonball5]

Was I expecting a lot of Nate and Leia in Part 2? No.

More than we got? Yes.

That said episode 1 (and the little bit of episode 2) just proves to me that Leia and Nate will have a beautiful relationship whether it becomes romantic or stays platonic. But there’s some interesting symbolism here:

Nate and Leia’s awkward hug (which reminded me of Leia’s accidental crotch grab from season 1 but this was way funnier to me) where they get caught on each other and have to be forced apart, something that continues throughout the rest of part 2 them not being alone together.

Gwen commenting Leia “isn’t the couch”, implying that unlike what Nate and Nikki’s relationship became this season, just sex, that Leia isn’t just an object for his gratification.

The entirety of The Circle, (and the subsequent sequences after) showing that Nate and Leia are completely on the same wavelength, showing they both get each other.

Leia and Nate barricading the basement door while completely forgetting the other door. Plus the matching looks of panic.

Both of them trying to apologize to the person they aren’t dating.

Ozzie shouting that everyone should just make out with everyone to move on (foreshadowing?)

Leia joining into Jay and Nate’s hug commenting that she’s glad “they’re all okay.”

The matching reactions to Nikki flicking them in the forehead.

In episode three Nate is playing basketball in the Forman’s driveway (both a connection to Leia, a Forman, and a basketball player) he misses his shot which Nikki gives back to him as they have a conversation about their breakup. All the while he holds onto the basketball, Symbolizing giving a Nate another shot, but with whom? Leia or Nikki?

Are these maybe a stretch, and me reading way too much into things? Oh absolutely, but I’m fine being in my delusion. Who knows maybe we’ll get a really good slow burn romance out of this.

[burkhaart]

ok i finished that t9s "part" or whatever last night and i did watch the entire thing while high so dont ask for much but one thing about me i WILL have opinions SO i will say the show is just not good and it isnt just the writing like many claim. the acting isnt there, the chemistry isnt there, the line deliveries are all terrible. and even the og cast isnt doing a good job if im being fr (could indicate it is in fact just the script that's the issue but i just cannot sit here and pretend i think the new leads are strong enough actors REGARDLESS)

jay and leia have the chemistry of two rocks. i think leia is a character with potential, i can see they are trying to make a mix of eric and donna, i think my main issue is the acting. having a redemption arc for jay without even showing us what he's being redeemed for is boring as hell. yes you told me a million times he was a player. i didnt get to see it though. so this redemption does nothing for me

i think people are underestimating just how much the acting is hurting this show. i dont necessarily think t7s is a show with good writing but i can assure you i will have fun lol. and the acting was excellent like at least 95% of the time... at the very least....

jay and nate are the best characters and the only two decent actors but can you really compare them to say kelso and fez? i dont care if you people dont like kelso and fez as characters, the acting was good, the body language was good and their chemistry was good.

i think nikki and nate are an interesting dynamic there's lots of potential there, again, not trying to be rude but the actress doesnt really sell it though.

gwen has to be a lesbian like i cannot read this girl as straight im sorry. i do love the character but i dont think the actress is selling it either🙈 less comparing her to hyde (she's too put together imo!) and more comparing her to fez (straight?)

ozzie is like a gay stereotype but i dont necessarily think that's a bad thing? like if they want to have a character be unapologetically gay that's cool, my main issue is again, the acting. ALTHOUGH ive heard this actor is particularly young so i feel extra bad saying it lol.

as for the adults. red and kitty both seem very odd to me, kitty is TOO crazy and red is too.... all talk no action. however i try to rationalize both because i think people start changing when they age, your crazy grandma does get crazier and your grandpa will probably be nicer to you than he was to your dad. but idk if this is enough of an explanation lol

first half had no plot but it picked up on the second half with shenanigans such as the shoplifting, the unplanned party, that kind of thing

which brings me to another point. this type of show doesnt work in under 20 episodes. this is a sitcom you NEED filler. give it AT LEAST 20 episodes or you're doomed to fail im sorry. i'd say 25 is a perfect number but let's aim lower baby (expectations on the ground)

the tone is completely different to t7s, i feel like t7s has very crude humor and sometimes i would even call it dark comedy. t9s is how many people have pointed out before, too disney channel, with the shocking contrast of characters talking about sex alcohol and drugs. which just makes for a weird experience lol

there's lots of jokes thrown in there that feel SO t7s. but like i said before, everything inbetween is so disney channel, it's a very odd contrast and the acting isnt good so the jokes are funny and all, but very out of place. and it's like. trying to eat just the marshamellos out of your cereal..... like.... you gotta get through a lot of boring to get to that one fun thing

the timeline doesnt make any sense and also it ruins canon even more, but i have chosen to ignore this as canon like this just doesnt exist. i always say i havent watched s8 and dont count it as canon, so no obviously t9s is not canon for me either, im literally just bored out of my mind lol

did it improve from last season? yes, it just wasnt enough. and like i said, we're looking for gorgeous not cute!

[violetmuses]

Silhouette || Chapter 16

Tag Team: @norabrice1701 @stylesthesunflower @dreaminrubies @lovie-barnes @zemoslittlebird @belle82devart @myvillainarc @degreeinsimping @ajokeformur-ray @handmaiden-of-mischief @karimac

======

2023

Helmut Zemo

Neon signs and framed pictures lined almost every single wall as soon as we walked into this space. From the corner of my eye, Nicole turned her smile downward. Nostalgia seemed to wash over her perfect face. Now, various patrons did not mind our entry, still mingling among one another as music played in all directions.

I used to love working here.” Nicole just continued holding my hand, not bothering to immediately order drinks yet for some odd reason. I did not know what to believe, especially since customers were seemingly oblivious to my own presence.

“What changed your mind?” I whispered and gently questioned my best friend, squeezing her palm for a moment. Those booming rhythms still thumped out loud, currently signaling all-around happened , despite the end of summertime here.

“We’ll talk about that later. Hold on.” Nicole mumbled towards my ear, but paused before standing near one of the only vacant stools. Brackish air still would waft to my nostrils from outdoors, reminding me that we reached the sea after flying.

“All right.” I stepped backwards, watching as she released my hand and moved away from me. My thoughts jumbled once more until she cleared her throat and emitted some sort of cheerful call out loud.

“Ooh-ooh, Ooh-ooh!” Her voice echoed, facing the back of this venue instead of resounding towards this main area. Before too many patrons could their heads grumble with confusion, steps nearly thundered and presumed workers appeared.

“Nicole!” Three other women seemed to yell at once, shocked and joyful that Nicole arrived. Even with the reality of time, every member of that trio seemed to age in the same manner as my best friend, still extremely attractive but wiser than before.

_______

Once Nicole had introduced me to her coworkers, I quickly discovered that several of the framed pictures here in this bar featured visitors. Models. Athletes. Socialites. Entertainers. Millionaires. Billionaires. The list seemed to trail on and on here.

“Is that how you became involved with the hospitality industry?” Facing Nicole, I had looped my arm around her shoulder as we all cornered into one booth, watching this crowd of young people and different bartenders work around us.

“People suggested modeling for years, but I ended working for a resort down here before starting Trove Tourism as a venture. If it wasn’t for the business, I’d probably show up in music videos back then.” Nicole answered, smiling.

“We all knew that Nikki would have been great, but life moved differently before everything could start.” One of her former coworkers smiled, glancing between Nicole and I.

“Tina, Is that a new ring?” Nicole asked her coworker, reaching out move away from my hold and lifting Tina’s hand.

“Don’t get too excited, Nicole. I just changed its jewels. Nate and I divorced just before The Snap.” Tina seemed to reference her ex-husband here.

“Damn. I’m sorry, T.” Nicole whispered, squeezing Tina’s hand in the name of reassurance.

“Life promises nothing, girl. We all know that.” Tina mumbled, lowering her eyes for just a moment.

“Absolutely.” Nicole agreed.

_____

“Your friends are wonderful.” Later that evening, we sat on the sofa together mindlessly “watching” television in our beachfront hotel suite during this conversation.

“You think they’re great now, imagine young Tina decades ago.” Nicole laughed, handing over this Twizzler candy to me.

“Do you have any old pictures online, perhaps?” I questioned, eyeing her phone as it perched onto the coffee table nearby.

“Sure!” Nicole beamed as usual, opening Instagram before I could mention anything else.

“Let’s see.” I chuckled, watching once more as she stopped scrolling to show me her phone.

“Here’s a good one. Me, Tina, Cheryl, Olivia and Vanessa Bryant. We were just about to close for the night when Vanessa showed up.” Whilst Nicole explained the picture, I read its caption quietly.

#TBT Circa 2002 - One of my favorite moments. She only ordered this glass of water and chatted with us for just a few minutes right before returning to the hotel. We love you so much, Vanessa, forever and always.

“That is a sweet photograph.” I grinned as she continued scrolling through more pictures and videos to give me another story.

“Thanks.” Nicole whispered again, kissing my cheek.

“You’re welcome.” I scooted closer on this sofa, closing space between us as my eyes looked towards her phone once more.

“Oh, I found another one.” Nicole returned her joy, hoping that I would smile again.

“Who is that?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“Greg surprised me with flowers in this old picture. It was my birthday.” Nicole told me, seemingly reminiscent.

We both turned silent, not discussing Gregory further to ruin this evening.

_____

The following day, although I had gifted this vacation, Nicole offered her own surprise. Once we sat down together after breakfast, I noticed that some kind of footage reached our television screen.

“Nikki, say hi to the camera!” Onscreen, someone gestured for Nicole to move her head as she shook this cocktail, working to give one customer their order despite noise of this space. She turned, grinning as expected and handing over one drink.

“This is amazing. How did you find this footage?” I expressed.

“I’ve already had it on my laptop for nostalgia, but connected everything to the television.” Nicole said, smiling again.

“Who is filming?” I asked, genuinely curious.

“Tina. She went to college for Video Production and had time off that night before showing up with a camera.” Nicole reminisced once more, discussing her friend.

“I rarely had true friends as a young man, let alone people this brilliant. Especially considering the fact that publicity impacted my personal life in Sokovia.” I admitted, allowing myself to set my head onto her shoulder.

“If privacy was an issue, why not tell your family?” Nicole glanced towards, looking downwards as my eyes faced her perfect expression.

“Communication was a struggle for my father and I. As I’ve said, Mum would’ve aided more if we were not as revered.” I sighed, feeling the touch of Nicole’s hand whilst she smoothed back my hair.

“What about your time in the military? Wouldn’t you build comradery with soldiers despite those ranks?” she whispered. It was a fair question after all. Silence fell between us before I responded.

“Yes and no. We supported one another in times of trouble of course, but I rarely contacted anyone between deployments. Most soldiers were also too distraught before even considering reaching me afterward. The bloodshed we inflicted on missions proved brutal, but we took no pleasure in them.” My words felt exposed, but she still held me, listening.

“I wish I could give advice on how you can heal. If it were possible, I would have already helped by now.” Nicole said, glancing down towards me again with those gorgeous brown eyes.

“You may not be able to rid my thoughts of every nightmare, but at least you have accepted me again.” I nearly drifted back to sleep despite the morning, still warming up in her embrace.

“I love you.” she kissed the top of my head, vowing her loyalty once more.

[thestupidhelmet]

If I could get rid of any T90S character it would be Ozzie. He was such a walking stereotype whose only job was being sassy and barely had a personality and storyline of his own. Which is sad because T70S was so good at subverting stereotypes in the early seasons- Donna is one of the guys but girly, Jackie is a girly mean girl but also smart and a badass when she wants to be, Hyde and Red are assholes with hearts of gold, the girl next door goes for her geeky best friend over the bad boy, Kelso is clueless about life but surprisingly good at math etc. Yet T90S seemed to be just stereotypes.

In T9S season 1, Ozzie is generally not well-integrated in his friends' storylines. His role is the sarcastic, snarky commentator on the action. His own storylines in season 1 don't generally involve his friends. He's either alone or paired with Kitty.

What bothered me the most about the way Ozzie is written in season 1 is his lack of true connection with his friends. He accompanies them to places, but he's portrayed as if he believes he's above them and merely tolerates their presence. The first season doesn't establish why he's in this group beyond meeting Gwen in detention.

Ozzie's analog in T7S is Fez. He's the insightful commentator in season 1 and the outsider (literally a foreign exchange student with a name given to him by his friends that means that very thing), yet his friendship with and connection to Hyde is firmly established early in the season. He forges a connection with (and develops a crush on) Jackie early, too, and he has a specific antagonism toward Kelso.

Unlike Ozzie, Fez is well-integrated into his friend group from "That '70s Pilot" (1x01). His personality is depicted as more than an outsider commenting on his friends' lives. He's an important part of his friends' lives and vice versa.

Fortunately, season 2 of T9S does the work it should've done for Ozzie in season 1. It develops his friendships with Jay and Nate, and his storylines involve them and Nikki.

The fact season 2 has sixteen episodes vs. season 1's ten allowed for these development more easily, but Ozzie could've (and should've) had emotional connections to at least two people in his friend group in season 1. Him crying over Leia leaving when the summer (and season) is over comes out of nowhere. Perhaps that was the point, in order to generate laughs, but the absence of his emotional connection with his friends throughout the season was due to bad writing (decisions, imo).

The more connection he develops with his friends in season 2, thee better integrated his storylines are with his friends' storylines, the more likeable he becomes. Instead of merely being a snarky punchline giver, he's a more rounded, fleshed-out character.