#it is genuinely so. the commentary on what it means to be a successful woman

[thespoonisvictory]

the incredible sinking lorelais is one of the best episodes of tv ever written

[lindszeppelin]

I feel like it’s a PR relationship 100% kaia is using his fame for her own career. Like she did for Jacob elordi when they just so happened to be dating when season 2 of euphoria got released. Same thing when she dated Pete Davidson right when he was blowing up on snl. She needs to stick to modeling truly. I hope it’s just like a two year contract and we will here that they’ve “split up” by January. I’m sure he’s getting paid for it. It’s also so suspicious to me how she apparently started dating Austin not even a month after her split with Jacob when there 1 year anniversary was the month before. I also don’t fully blame her and I’m sure her parents have something to do with it wanting to get her name out there like she isn’t Cindy Crawfords daughter and couldn’t get any role she wanted without dating a man who was trending at the time. I just want Austin to be happy. I also hope she realizes that Austin’s not gonna want to get married for like 2-3 years minimum. He’s gonna wanna work on his career. Doesn’t mean he won’t actually date but he’s not gonna settle down anytime soon. I just want their relationship to be over. I don’t want to hate on Kaia but it’s just so frustrating when she is a literal model because of her mom, she’s an “actress” because of her mom. It’s not for her being her. Like all nepo babies nowadays are successful because of their parents.

First of all thank you for your commentary, anon. You're not alone in how you feel. There are plenty of us that think the same exact way, some just don't always vocalize it, so cheers for being one of them that speaks up on it.

I had quite a nice day today so I'm in a good mood to go a little in depth with my answer right now. And then go back into my little cancer crab shell lol

What's crazy to me is she looked so much more suited and happier with Jacob Elordi. They were always snuggled up to each other and he looks more her speed. If they were PR then they did a very convincing job because he actually looked happy to be loved up on her and to be seen with her, unlike someone we know lol. And she looked happy to be with him. Plus, she actually posted him to her socials and they talked about one another all the time in the papers. So. It's wild the 360 there between Elordi and Austin.

And yes I do remember that she was broken up with him and then 1 month later she was seen with Austin. That's buckwild, and the fact we still do not know at all how they got together in the first place is very strange

But yes to everything you express here. Also the thing with Austin, I feel like he's still focused on his career that i think 2-3 years isn't long enough of a gap to be honest. He was with V for 9 and he never popped the question. This man is dead set serious on his career first. And conveniently so he also uses that as his excellent and genuine excuse to not allow engagement rumors to flame with K, seeing as that died in less than half an hour with a quickness on social.

Let's just be fucking real here, K is not his forever girl. I feel like whenever Austin meets his one true love that he'll marry then he'll be all about it. People are getting married AND having children at older ages now, and while he's only gonna be 32 this year that is still young to where he could wait until mid/late 30s to get hitched. Who knows. The man has plenty of time, he's in no rush clearly. She however is only 21 and she's still a child and she needs more time to mature and grow as an adult with life experience. As a near 30 year old woman I remember how I thought i was tough shit and knew everything at her age and thought i was soooo grown up. But hell no, you're still a kid.

When someone is dying to get married, you have to question the reason why. There could be deep seated insecurities where by a certain age one feels like their clock is ticking and they need to settle down with the next available person immediately. Or maybe it's for security financially, etc. It could also just be desperation in order to feel like you're wanted. I'm looking at V here because she moved on with that Cole guy so quick and got engaged so quick and throws shade to Austin all the time. Still bitter about not being Vanessa Butler lol. But rushing down the isle is a big mistake. Austin's background dictates that he knows 100% the seriousness of a commitment and he will not just marry any woman when he knows divorce could maybe be in his future.

aaaaaand end rant lol. I pray Austin finds the Pam to his Jim one day!

[mother-of-houseplants-2]

my shameless hot takes! (please don’t hate me):

fiona was the best character on the show, and it was always intended to focus on her pov. that’s why the show took a dramatic nosedive in quality after she left.

lip wasn’t a horrible person for yelling at her a few times. he wasn’t always considerate or kind, but fi made mistakes and deserved to be called out. being a fiona stan doesn’t mean i ignore her flaws.

debbie was the worst character on the show season four onwards. she was annoying, selfish, and often unnecessarily cruel. she was also a subpar (if not straight up bad) mother. also we don’t talk enough about how she is literally a rapist???

fiona and jimmy-steve should have been endgame.

gallavich is cute and mickey is such a wonderful character but ian is the most annoyingest guy ever.

speaking of which, the gay jesus storyline was literally the worst thing to ever happen to shameless and literally makes me cringe every time i think about it.

mandy was a legitimately compelling and interesting character and deserved better. lip and mandy honestly should have been endgame.

on that note, tammy is the most annoying person on the planet oh my fucking god. lip should not have stayed with her, she was an annoying, controlling, stuck-up bitch. they should’ve had split custody of freddie and gone their separate ways.

fiona was the kids’ mom. and they never appreciated her for everything she did.

sheila was a hugely important and delightful part of the show and her loss was genuinely devastating. however, her relationship with jody was weird af.

carl’s growth and storyline was impeccable; one of the best in the show. however, it weirds me out to think of him as attractive because we watched him grow up!

liam deserved better! he was always treated as an afterthought in the later seasons, and the others never accepted or encouraged his attempts to connect with Black culture. also, fiona should’ve taken him with her when she left since she was his legal guardian.

kev and v were the best couple on the show! however, kev was in the right during the whole argument after the girls were born; v wasn’t the most attentive or caring mother at first.

none of the age difference / power dynamic couples were okay or hot or romantic or whatever. ian x ned and ian x kash was abuse and statutory rape. lip x that teacher in s3 was statutory rape. lip x helen was an abuse of power. debbie x tommy was weird on his part and also rape. the woman at the shrimp place sexually harassed carl. fiona x mike was an uncomfortable power dynamic. karen x frank wasn’t funny, it was predatory behavior that culminated in rape. none of this was funny or hot or okay.

lip was at his best in college, and should’ve gone back at a different school when he got sober. the bike shop was a weird turn.

fiona could have been a good businesswoman but failed because she tried to take risks without anyone else’s support. most of her business blunders were not her fault. and on that note, although she should’ve asked the kids first, it was her right to take a mortgage out on the house. it’s her house. she’s run it her entire life.

however. fiona baby why are you ok with capitalism stop it…

frank was abusive and neglectful. monica was emotionally manipulative and neglectful. grammy was abusive. it’s okay to feel bad for them as characters (i definitely felt bad for frank when he had dementia) but they are child abusers first and foremost.

frank probably would have been successful and happy if he’d never met monica.

seasons 1-3 was the golden era of shameless. as soon as it ventured into more of a comedy/weird ass political commentary show, it really veered away from what made it special: its gritty, honest, and vulnerable look into a family in poverty, bound together by love. that’s what made it so, so good.

[kiarpennington]

So……I have something to say….a lot to say really, and I really wanted to hold off bc it’s just been literal hours since the news dropped, but I can’t hold it……and it might piss some people off but……The Hunger Games should’ve stayed a trilogy

Before I get into my spill, two things: No, you don’t have to agree with me BUT stay respectful. And just bc I’m in the minority and don’t wish for the media to turn into a universe DOES NOT mean you can’t still enjoy it. These are just MY opinions

With that said, I really use to be a Hunger Games fanatic in my adolescence. While I’ve somewhat cooled off of it, I’d still consider myself a big fan of it. And I’d like to think it was bc I’m such a fan of it that I feel it’s run its course.

To backtrack a bit, a year or so ago Snow’s prequel story came out and now…..in another two years, there will be a Haymitch prequel (or rather, a story set during Haymitch’s games). In Snow’s story, the themes were that of psychology, sociology, nature vs nurture, and all that. In Haymitch’s, it’s hinted that the themes will be that of propaganda and how we view it.

While these add ons don’t necessarily take away from the og story, personally don’t feel they add to the themes of the og nor do they tell a different aspect. People praised TBOSAS for the moral questions it posed (are we born this way, does our environment change us, etc) but for me—especially regarding Snow—those themes can be seen in the og story. And I certainly don’t wanna judge before it even comes out, but I feel the same could be said of a discussion of propaganda. At least, I feel there was talk about propaganda in Mockingjay and even in Catching Fire.

To another, and admittedly petty, note I do find some ironic humor that some of the same people who were so insistent that it just HAD to be Snow’s story to be told and no other story (lest we be horrible capital citizens rooting for another HG) will be some of the same people to ride so hard for Haymitch’s story as well as the possibility of others now that THG has a real possibility of expanding into a several book series.

But I digress. Anywho, my big two issues is that one, why can’t THG stand on its own as a trilogy? For those that don’t know, Collins was inspired to write THG while flipping in between news coverage of war in the Middle East and reality television. So what’s really changed to the point that your themes need to be expounded upon? Genuinely? With the acknowledgment that we’ve seen some horrific things regarding war recently, personally don’t think it’s anything the og DIDN’T already touch on. Personally, there’s no need to add “new” themes. If bigots didn’t get it in THG, what makes Snow, Haymitch, or others so different that they’d get it with them, especially given how, I feel, the same themes are being played on.

Two, and this is a problem with media in general these days for me, but must we continue to milk content that’s was already wildly successful and popular? Like sure, if it sold once, it’ll sell again. And I’m not even opposed to reboots—just let them be pieces of media that never got their due. Outside of that, there are so many NEW, FRESH pieces of media that have a hard time getting picked up bc people would rather focus on things that they should let die(or rather, things that they should let stand the test of time as opposed to revamping every few years). Especially medias written by Black and Brown people.

And speaking of Black and Brown writers, their stories with actual Black and Brown characters are pushed aside as far as live actions (and even in publication) for other stories with the SAME themes written by non BIPOC to sell largely and then be whitewashed when the adaptation comes round. It’s not cool.

Another note, so many people are praising Collins for dropping commentary (that she’s already written) on how messed up society is every couple of years. And, to be that person, what I’M seeing is praise of a white woman who observes mainly BIPOC hardships, writes and profits from them, without saying much irl….Not saying she’s said nothing—I’m sure she has at least once—but again, personally, nothing she’s writing isn’t anything she didn’t say in the og, so why not speak out irl as opposed to profiting off of fictional versions of oppression. Maybe that’s an unfair criticism for me to have, but that’s where my mind goes.

Bc, bottom line, to continue to expand this story, IS to profit of THG. I guess all this to say I have to come to terms with Collins, someone who wrote such a deep and commentary piece, not being exempt from being a Capital citizen…..nor are we as consumers (yes, I count myself altho I didn’t enjoy TBOSAS and have not real intention of really engaging with the latest one—regardless of who’s story is next). And sure, maybe that’s the point, that we’re all capital citizens unconsciously (or even consciously…..like Collins by continuing to add on, thus profiting off THG.) Honestly, if I must be a capital citizen, I think I’d rather be Effie. When she gained consciousness, she tries to no longer blindly follow the capital (even if she did miss coffee 😅)

In all seriousness though, it does aggravate me that I’m in the minority in feeling this way. Like sure, enjoy the stories, no one’s stopping you—even I argued for a Haymitch story over Snow (but I had preferred ANY story over Snow 🥴) but after seeing Snow’s story I’m just not confident that I’d really get anything meaningful from the story (and I should as is the point)—but at least acknowledge what it is: a capitalization off of BIPOC hardships written by a white woman (who may have had good intentions) which will then be pimped out so that other non BIPOC people get to feel as tho they are at the center of the revolution. Or, did we forget that everyone loves a revolutionist until they don’t look like them…..🤷🏽‍♀️

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk 😅😅

[shepfax]

time for an unhinged barbie rant lol. not really spoilers just my thoughts on the discussions surrounding it specifically on letterboxd. I love this movie and want to talk about the reactions to it.

a lot of people are genuinely acting like if you did not have a negative view of Barbie you're just as misogynistic as the right because it's "liberal feminism for dummies" or that the roles of Barbies and Kens are too cliche/unhealthy depictions of real world gender issues... guys it's a Hollywood blockbuster by one of the biggest toy companies on Earth about sentient toys on an island called Barbieland. did you expect Barbie™️ to read out Marxist feminist literature for two hours? did you expect cutting and innovative social commentary from a fucking mega corporation? personally? I think that's on you! it's borderline satire! lower your expectations for something that fell out of the capitalist machine maybe! there are phenomenal feminist films from smaller creators, if this movie really left that bad of a taste in your mouth please channel your energy into something that will bring you joy!

this is a lot of younger girls first exposure to someone influential (like Barbie, a real world famous image of an unreal woman) acknowledging the idea that a word for the nightmarish unseen cage they're in actually exists in the real world-- patriarchy. and a lot of women who have lived under patriarchy for years without consciously pursuing feminist spaces feel their struggles seen for the first time, through the lens of their childhood toy experiencing it too. it was very healing for a lot of people who have lived the terrifying and beautiful and painful and unifying experience of being a girl. so many families went to see this as a multigenerational bonding experience between daughters, moms, aunts, grandmothers, etc. hell my theater even had young boys clapping and smiling with their moms and sisters. you can't take that kind of joy from someone, they're always going to hold it somewhere even if you hold legit reasons to hate the film.

I personally don't care that it's an entry-level "patriarchy bad" popcorn flick. that is far more than we get from other big-budget movies catering to a female audience who just settle for ignoring the issue of sexism all together, or play it for laughs. it is so often in mainstream media when a woman character points out that patriarchy exists, the narrative paints her as some oversensitive SJW.

we also cannot ignore the big corporate elephant in the room. Mattel is stupidly allergic to the word "feminism" for a good reason: pretty much everything they make money from is built atop the suffering of women. they have tremendous ethical issues in their labor practices, with women in their factories living in absolute squalor. it's miserably ironic that one of the most poignant scenes in the film is where Barbie tells an elderly woman how beautiful she is, all while Mattel sells anti-wrinkle creams. after researching the company more I do not plan on buying these toys. my nieces can play with something else.

there is no ethical consumption under capitalism. there never will be. I can acknowledge that and still refuse this no-fun-allowed preachy-ass take that the movie is devoid of meaning and--more importantly--entertainment. it is fun. it is colorful and heartfelt and silly. just because you didn't have fun doesn't mean it is categorically not fun.

you can hate it for being just as shallow as some of us expected. you can hate it simply because it's Mattel pretending to be feminist while being a very unfeminist company and essentially mimicking more successful feminist works to save face. you can love it for being more adult than some of us expected with unique perspectives on the world from both real and unreal characters. you can love it for bringing you closer to your feminine family or your feminine self in a gentle moment of healing. what you can't do is act like there is 1 (one) way to watch a fucking big-budget mainstream film from WB and Mattel that automatically makes you better than everyone you disagree with who didn't watch the movie right or whatver. for Christs sake stop acting like your opinion of the pink toy movie is this most ascended and untouchable thing. you are not a better person for consuming media a specific way and you have got to stop thinking that you are.

[gothra]

If you’re making a video about tradwives, why is Nara Smith in the thumbnail? Is she an out and proud conservative who believes in the traditional definition of a Godly American marriage, thereby she is not a trad wife? No? Then, she is not a tradwife. Nara Smith is a thin, conventionally attractive woman who wears sophisticated outfits and has kids and cooks in her big fancy kitchen. She is not a tradwife, she is a professional, likely affluent model who runs the equivalent of an amateur TikTok cooking show. She is not attempting to manipulate you into becoming a submissive, dutiful housewife, she’s making money off of your engagement by maintaining a brand. She is polished and prim, not because she’s trying to portray some sort of natural ease in being a traditional mother, but because she doesn’t want to be clowned for a distracting dirty kitchen. She wears fancy clothes because she’s a model, who gets paid to wear fancy clothes, probably IN the videos. She has three kids because she wants three kids, or however many she has. She’s not perpetuating an unreality, or playing into some deeply insidious narrative about what it means to truly be a woman and a wife and mother, YOU are just poor, and SHE has money, so your lives look different, therefore making her reality inherently different to yours, which isn’t her problem. She doesn’t have to preface every video with an apology or an assurance that you don’t have to go through all of the trouble she does, and she shouldn’t have to. She is a BRAND because she is a BUSINESS. Her work, her videos, make her money! Of course the things she does seem staged and sterile, she is staging and sterilizing her work space to maintain an image online. It’s not her fault you don’t understand branding, and it’s not her fault you failed to learn the message the past decade and the most immediate technological “advancements” have been teaching us: sometimes things online aren’t real. Next are you going to tell me that you think that everyone in every advertisement is genuinely that happy to be wearing/eating/drinking/driving/using the product being advertised?

The elements of Nara Smith’s public persona do not add up to traditionalism, they add up to hyperfemininity at most, and at the very least, a minuscule injection of traditionalism from a Mormon upbringing. Tradwifery isn’t when women wear fancy clothes and cook, it’s when women DON’T work outside the house as successful models who wear crop tops to show off their pregnant bellies. It’s when women follow a traditional, Godly plan for marriage, birth control and childrearing. It when a man works outside of the home as something that isn’t “model”, and his wife (who also isn’t a model) stays home to raise and homeschool 2+ children, and cook and clean and maybe tend to a garden and read her Bible by candlelight and shut her mouth. It’s a woman who is jobless, uneducated, diminished according to “God’s” will. The tradwife isn’t just some lady you don’t like, she’s molded physically and mentally by her upbringing and shaped by the hands of the men around her. She is quiet, she is private, she follows her husband like a lost puppy. The pillars her identity rests upon are repression, conservatism and religious femininity, the kind that makes you wear skirts that go below the knees, and tops with collars to the neck. The most modern tradwife MAYBE has social media, and every video, every post is meant to perpetuate the myth that she is happy and that other women will be at their happiest if they follow her lead. The most important part of “trad” wifery, is the TRAD part, which stands for TRADITION. Miu miu is not traditional. Exposed belly bumps are not traditional. These “commentary” videos like the one I’m referring to do half of the work of investigating the perils of femininity and hyperfemininity, and traditionalism and only succeed in confusing themselves even more because it’s more important to them to pretend to be a journalist than sit with and analyze what they’re saying. This is coming from someone who has a finely tuned radar for subtly anti-feminist propaganda. I can and will scrutinize every aspect of a performance of femininity. I will squint and roll my eyes at every makeup tutorial and GRWM. I will question shaving and waxing and high heels and skirts and bras and porn. One thing I WON’T do, is use a term I KNOW doesn’t fit to make money on a YouTube video.

If Nara Smith bothers you, she just bothers you. If her inaccessible cooking style bothers you, it just bothers you. If the way she dresses bothers you, it just bothers you. That’s it. It JUST bothers you. You’are allowed to feel bothered, and annoyed, so what’s the point of lying? Are your personal feelings so under attack that you have to resort to making up a reason? That you have to resort to making yourself look stupid to justify a half-assed thinkpiece about her? If you want to discuss her potential plagiarism from smaller creators, discuss that. If you want to discuss her kitchen safety, discuss that. Don’t insult me by making shit up, because I’m on the same internet you are! I can watch her videos too! I can take notes too! And I can easily see that your problem with her is the fact that you are simply tired of being advertised to. You’re tired of seeing rich people, and you’re tired of seeing pretty people. Who cares? Be tired of it proudly, but be tired of it and do your research? Quit using areas of feminist study as a personal kiddy pool and get real!!!!!!!!!!

[semper-legens]

126. Conjure Women, by Afia Aakora

Owned: No, library Page count: 395 My summary: The baby is a bad omen. His skin is pale and his eyes are pure black. Rue knows he is a curse, but what can she do about it? The former slaves are free. The Big House is no more. The white masters are all dead. But emancipation does not mean there are no more problems. Secrets are built on secrets, lies on lies, spells on spells - and when it all starts to come unravelled, the ghosts of the past come knocking at the door. My rating: 4/5 My commentary:

This was an interesting book. I just picked it off the shelf because it looked as though it could be worthwhile - I really like stories about folk magic and folk healers - and it turned out to be a thought-provoking read about the legacy of slavery and the nature of race in the United States. While I wouldn't go so far as to describe a book filled with atrocities against black people as 'enjoyable', per se, it was interesting and engaging and certainly told its story well.

(Warnings for slavery, anti-black racism, and systemic abuse under the cut.)

Our protagonist is Rue, a titular Conjure Woman and folk healer in a black American community just after Emancipation. She is something of an outcast, not quite having the same level of respect that her mother once did in the community, but is completely dedicated to them and wants them to both live and thrive, as they could not under slavery. The book is told with narration in the present day and extended flashbacks to the past when the characters were enslaved, slowly revealing pieces of a larger picture until the reader understands the context behind everything that is happening. Rue is a woman on the edge of desperation. She is doing all that she can to keep her town alive, but faces the constant threat of white soldiers from without, and from the tension within. The people never really trust her, not fully and completely. And they're never really demonised for that - the reasons they don't trust Rue are understandable, and she's far from a saint, which makes the push and pull between her and the town far much more engaging.

Magic plays a huge part in the story - magic and Christianity. Oftentimes Rue, a folk healer and traditional herbalist, is contrasted with Bruh Abel, a Christian preacher who is slowly converting the town to a more devout Christianity. Rue notes that in the slavery times, they had been trooped up to the church and forced to participate in the service, but Bruh Abel's brand of Christianity is from a black men, for black people. Rue's healing, on the other hand, is slowly being seen as demonic or evil, despite the fact that she has a lot of success, and that the people still go to her for charms and curses. Sometimes she'll make them, sometimes she'll give more of a placebo or practical cure. Interestingly, as with the conflict between Rue and the town, neither side is really treated as being 'right'. Bruh Abel offers one thing, Rue offers another. We are led to be mistrustful of Bruh Abel, but that's largely due to Rue being our point of view character - she mistrusts him, so we do too. It's an examination, really, of the distinctions between folk beliefs and practices from Africa, handed down through family lines, and newer Christian faith, originally forced onto the enslaved people by their enslavers, but later genuinely believed and practiced in their communities, for their communities. It's a dichotomy that persists to this day, and the book shows the beginnings of it.

And, of course, there's the subject of race. A lot is made of skin colour in this narrative. Rue is quite dark, her friend Sarah is quite light and is probably the illegitimate daughter of the plantation owner, and Sarah's child is so pale as to be basically white, but with pure black eyes. The kid (Bean) is seen as being a curse, and that curse is tied to Rue. Mostly because of those eyes. It's interesting that the light skin is not really commented on so much, but the dark eyes are, especially when other characters are mentioned as having 'deep brown African eyes' and the like. Colourism plays a huge part in the story, with constant emphasis on characters' skin colours and the role that plays in their lives. At the end, Bean ends up leaving for the North alongside a white woman, completely passing for white - Bruh Abel is very light-skinned, which helps people trust him, while other enslaved/ex-slave characters are dark, and aren't given respect as human beings because of it. It's a constant part of the checks and balances the characters place on their world, and the portrayal is interesting for how it's woven into the narrative in a sensitive and subtle way while still being plainly apparent. The knife-edge the black characters live on is obvious, and the fact that even after emancipation they're all still far from safe really brings home the reality of being black in 1800s America.

Next up, World War Two, and a glint of hope in the midst of a concentration camp.

[bigassbowlingballhead]

Jacob Hill on Abbott Elementary is a fantastic character.

He wants nothing more than to be accepted by the older teachers. He’s genuinely so excited when he has a successful bonding experience with one of them, see Jacob and Barbara in the garden and Melissa with the south Philly union guy

He’s also a wonderful commentary on ally culture. He means well, but does too much. Luckily his coworkers are there to remind him to reel it in and stop telling black people what they already know

“I saw a chance to support a strong black woman”

I genuinely love Jacob so much because of his absurdity

[whirlybirbs]

GIVE US HOWZER? ANYTHING? PLEASE?

PROMISED      ;     captain howzer / reader

summary: and that was the moment hera realized you and the captain are definitely more than co-workers.

pairing: captain howzer / twi'lek!reader

a/n: this is most hera-centric but god i love her. here's some tender howzer content because we all know he loves strong women. referenced this ryl dictionary for some little bits and pieces! also, this beautiful gif is by @e-zra, from this gifset of howzer.

Moments of peace were rare nowadays.

Hera Syndulla seemed to see to it that they were even rarer.

"Hera..."

Your uttered complaint does little to satiate the young girl — that, you suppose, is Chem's side of her soul. Though her mother, Eleni, held a dash of mischief in her own heart, you'd come to realize that most of Hera's quirks were born from her father's influence.

She was headstrong; and when she wanted something, she got it.

Like now, when she's dragging you from the celebratory dinner, excusing you both. It wasn't as if you had any stake in staying. After all, Howzer had excused himself from the meal before it even began. Something about a debrief.

All the time to celebrate when the war is won, General.

Hera's hand is tight around your own as she drags you away from your more... political duties — and you're almost thankful.

Almost.

"Where are we going, lia’ry," the fond Ryl nickname for the girl rolls off your tongue as your lekku swat in irritation, "You're going to rip my arm off—"

"You have to show me," she babbles, out of breath as she drags you down the newly reclaimed corridors of the palace, "You promised—"

"Not during dinner—"

Hera suddenly stops dead in her tracks; a look of pure irritation sweeps across her face as she prods you in the stomach. Her own lekku have gone rigid, lips pulled into a pout.

"You've been gone for weeks, Alema!" she nearly shouts, looking as if she's about to be five again and stomp her feet.

You tsk, bending down. "Hera, you know I had no choice."

You didn't — no, you'd been by Chem's side for the last cycle, pushing back the occupation with success that has granted you this stay in the Southern Province. The palace, once home to the region's ruling family, is settled on lake — here, south of the Capital's border, the dust isn't so prevalent. It's not as dry. It's... well, it's beautiful.

"But, you promised."

"Promised what, exactly?"

You'd know that voice anywhere.

Your eyes lift from Hera's face, falling on the Captain and his gaggle of troopers meandering down the corridor. In the moonlight, Howzer looks... happy. Calm. Not so rigid, not so formal.

A rare sight.

It's like your whole world stops — just long enough that Howzer can offer a smile that makes the corners of his eyes wrinkle, and you're left staring at up him with parted-lips.

Moons protect me.

You try to will your lekku to relax. You can't help that the ends swat in interest. Hera watches, with dawning intrigue, as you try to hide the language behind your posture, and ignore the delicate tinkering sound the jewelry adorning them creates. Your dress pools against the cool clay tiles as you remain at Hera's level.

The young girl squints at you.

"Captain," you nod in soft greeting, "We were just talking about—"

"—About how alema," the word means protector in your tongue. It's a titled earned as Eleni's lady-in-waiting, and by being Chem's second-in-command, "Has refused to show me her marksmanship—"

Your jaw falls open. "I have not refused—"

Your ay’kou, your brothers in arms, behind Howzer are sporting grins. Doom and Fog watch the exchange with genuine curiosity. When you lean around Hera, giving the boys a pleading look, you're met with little snickers.

They're quick to bid their Captain a goodnight and head down the corridor past you and Hera towards their makeshift bunks.

"Hera," comes Howzer's gentle nudge, "Aren't you supposed to be attending your father's dinner?"

"We both are—"

"Senator Taa slurps when he eats," comes the sudden sharp commentary from the girl as she pokes you once more, "You said it yourself—"

Howzer muffles a laugh into a cough as you slap a hand over Hera's mouth. You give her a stern look, whispering I said no such thing in your native tongue. Hera is fast to laugh — no doubt amused at how the Captain seems to hang off your reaction.

It wasn't often he saw you like this... no, they were used to the guerrilla fighter, the tactician, the dead-eye shot. Never had you ever anticipated him seeing you here, playing big sister to the General's daughter. Though you've known this role for a long time, the war has been preoccupying your time.

You're beautiful.

It's not a new revelation; no, Howzer has thought it from the moment he met you. But, now in the calm of peace, you look... good. Not so battered by war. Softer. Like a woman he could marry someday when it's all said and done.

"I think someone is getting a bit bold," you say as you stand, "Dragging me from my meal—"

"You hate bantha!"

"It's an expensive import!" you hiss back, waving your hands to shoo Hera, but it does little to dissuade her as she laughs. You can't help how your face splits in two at the sight of her smile. You reach, thumb smoothing over her headband in a sisterly manner.

You catch Howzer smiling again.

"Bantha steaks, then?" comes his amused rumble, "I'm jealous."

"Yes, well, I was going to come and find you, Captain — offer up some..."

This time Hera sees the interested swat of your lekku in full. She can sense that... oh. You two are speaking like there's a joke there. Like there's something else beneath the surface of this exchange.

Then, she catches the tips of your tattooed lekku curl at the sound of his laugh. It's an enamored expression between Twi's. A language Hera has seen between her parents many times...

Oh.

OH?

Hera blinks.

Father never said anything about alema and Howzer.

...Does Father even know about alema and Howzer?

Does mother?!

The girl blinks rapidly between the two of you, too preoccupied with a soft look to notice.

Forget target practice.

This is much more interesting.

[mrslackles]

what do you think are gg's biggest flaws?

Ooh, Anon! It’s like you’re in my head. 

I’m busy making a video (that will probably never see the light of day) about this --  my distance from the show has really helped with some super objective clarity -- so I’ll use my notes from that to help me answer. 

I’ll preface this by saying what I was most shocked by after putting down all the points was that Rio isn’t even mentioned until really far down??

Anyway, let's get into it.

These are Good Girls' greatest flaws in my opinion (and relative to season 1 -- while I think it had its flaws too, the list is far smaller and I think that's a separate post)

1. It didn't stick to its guns

What set this show apart from others in the 'Everyday person does crime (poorly)' genre was its comedic lightness, strong friendship element, relatability and emphasis on girl power.

a) By season 2, the lightness was already slowly disappearing to make way for season 3's darkness. (Quite literally; this show said sunlight scenes for WHO.) It also stopped being as fun. Remember how it genuinely used to be fun? I mean let's not forget The Best Scene Ever where Ruby shoots Big Mike by accident and we all laughed our asses off. (Compare and contrast to a similar-in-tone-and-context scene -- or even the whole episode -- like Boomer popping up behind them as Rio's package in season 3.) I think season 3 had some great lines and laughs, but in general, the fun element was completely missing for me.

b) As was the friendship. We already know Annie and Ruby basically became Beth's backup dancers in season 2, but at least then they still seemed to have some type of agency. In season 3, they rarely question Beth's (truly questionable) decisions, don't talk to her about shit like why she's still with her horrible husband and have very few true friendship moments as they did in season 1.

c) Which made it less relatable, but what also contributed was the major plot holes (it's less easy to relate when you're constantly having to remind yourself to suspend your disbelief). And, to be honest, their stupid actions. Just the most common-sense things weren't followed, like not taking your children to a crack den or not putting a hit out on a gang leader. It's frustrating watching a TV show -- where characters are supposed to learn things, have arcs and improve over time -- and feeling like you have more logical sense than all the main characters in every scene. (WHO would think a hitman was going to use a sniper rifle on people in broad daylight on the side of the road???)

d) You don't have to look any further than the title or the stans who shout "THE SHOW IS ABOUT THE GIRLS" -- or, hell, the first 10 seconds of the show where Sara is literally talking about the glass ceiling -- to know that the main characters being women is very important to the show. If not formally feminist, it was at least supposed to be empowering or feel like "girl power" (a term I hate, but we won't get into that now).

And I think it did it pretty well in season 1 -- it actually played on my favourite theme of the show, which is the world's perception of these women being what ultimately allows them to get away with so much. (Rife with opportunities for commentary about white privilege, but also a genius way to upend patriarchal beliefs.) But more and more it seemed like the show was asking you to accept empowerment as simply "these things are being done by women, yay".

And, well.

2. Its marketing

I'll keep this one short because I think we all know how messed up this situation is. Basically they're selling a show (every week!) that they're not making while ignoring all feedback on every social media platform. Which brings us to...

3. The marriage of Death

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times -- Beth's character development starts with getting rid of Dean. Her growth is stunted by him on multiple fronts and it's frustrating to viewers since she's constantly put forth as the main character. Not to mention how the audience, separately from Beth, was originally conditioned to see Dean as the scum of the earth (think of scenes like him crashing his car because he was perving on a woman jogging) so keeping them together is really... a choice. To actively root for this marriage (which seems like what the show wants, at least for the protracted moment) means either thinking Dean is a great person (which, as I said, we've only seen the opposite of) or believing he's all Beth deserves. Which leads me to...

4. Beth's (socio)path(y)

Is sociopath a 'good' word? Probably not. Have I seen dozens upon dozens of posts talking about whether Beth is one? Yes. And I see it from a huge variety of people -- from viewers who just binged the show last weekend to those who've been watching for years, the question keeps coming up. And I entirely blame the writing of the show that, by the way, I don't believe is deliberately creating Beth to get this reaction. I think she's written (and, to an extent, acted) in a way that is much too aloof and I'm not convinced it's meant to come off as cold and unfeeling as it does. Everything else leads me to believe that the audience is supposed to root for Beth, but it's just so difficult.

Beth does a lot of messed up shit that requires dialogue to sympathise with her and the inner workings of her mind, but in the later seasons Beth rarely gets to express herself verbally. And every time she does get to speak about her emotions, the dialogue is a pick-your-own-adventure between "She's in so much denial", "This person feels no emotions" and "I'll go find an analysis/fic later to explain this" (scenes like "Nothing" or "I was just bored"). Compare and contrast with some of the great scenes in season 1 where she emotes, like her paralysing shock after they first rob the store or admitting she enjoys crime, or (one of my favourites!) the one in the park where she's mimicking the other mothers beside her.

5. Brio

I said in the beginning that I was shocked Rio doesn't get mentioned until this point and that's because I've always felt like he was an integral part of the show. When people say the show is about the girls, they're truncating -- the show is about the girls getting into crime. That crime is represented by Rio over and over again -- they never bring in another criminal at his level (which is another one of its flaws, but that's also a different post); Rio is it.

And though I stand by Rio's importance, the truth is that Brio isn't as essential to the show, by which I mean that if all of the above were done well, it wouldn't be as sorely missed. In lieu of riveting plot, a fun friendship, character development and empowerment, most viewers have glommed onto Brio like a lifeboat (or ship, heh).

Unfortunately it's also what the show has most stubbornly refused to develop significantly.

It's honestly a toss-up for why I feel Brio is a flaw: is the flaw that they got together? That they never got together well enough? That the writing keeps bringing in these 'chemistry-filled' scenes that are ultimately filled with air?

I don't know. Maybe all of them; maybe just one, depending on the day.

6. Its criticism falls flat without intersectionality

This is a big one because Good Girls is *trying* to do something very clever. As mentioned previously, my favourite theme of the show is how the women's apparent innocence/vulnerability in the eyes of society is their biggest strength. The show plays with this and other interesting themes with varying levels of success, but ultimately they all fall a little flat when they don't feel intersectional.

When Ruby gets sidelined. When Turner, who sees and all but calls out by name Beth's privilege, is portrayed as the villain. When Rio is told he's gonna "pop a cap" in his young child's "ass". When the racist grandma becomes a sympathetic character whom we must later grieve. (And she really didn't have to be racist, now that I think about it? It was just that one line for laughs and that was it.) When, despite the real-world implications, Dean can loudly announce in a store that he's buying a gun to kill someone with and the show just glides past it. When Ruby has to grovel for forgiveness from Beth for trying to protect her husband and family from the system, with no acknowledgement from Beth about how their realities are different. When Rhea gets booted off the show as soon as she's done serving Beth's plot. When Rio gets treated like a prostitute for absolutely no reason. (Oh, and is accused of raping Beth and is literally spoken of as an animal and starts only existing in zero dim lighting as a one-dimensional stereotype... the list goes on.)

7. PR/The actors

I'll risk my life here to sprinkle this in because I do think it's a massive problem. The Manny/Christina of it all is just the tip of the iceberg (although wtf Good Girls? There's nothing you could do to get these two into an interview together??). The main actors do the bare minimum to promote the show and it's weird. I also think it's the height of unprofessionalism to keep characters on the show against the wishes of the majority of the audience just because you enjoy their actors (Boomer confirmed; Dean highly suspected). While, on the flip side of the coin, limiting a character's screentime because you aren't best buddies with them. Having less and less Rio when he's such a fan favourite is dumb; as is not including him in any series marketing material. It feels personal and that isn't how a TV show should be run.

8. The entire hair and wardrobe department needs a stern talking-to

[nct-oli]

I haven’t talked about Lovely Writer on here at all I think, but I really am loving it so much. It took a while to grow on me, especially given how attached I have been this year to A Tale of Thousand Stars (it was hard to open my heart to another show lol), but I really do look forward to each episode, and I’ll be genuinely so sad when it ends next week.

I’m incredibly critical of the media I consume, and I think my standards are quite high when it comes to specific aspects of that media. I think the BL industry romanticizes a ton of toxic bullshit in their series, and fans eat it all up without ever recognizing the problems at play. I can’t 100% blame fans for enjoying the media that is blatantly presented to them as positive and not automatically finding the faults, but it’s a really toxic relationship between BL creators and BL fans. The supply and demand for really problematic content is so high.

A Tale of Thousand Stars and Lovely Writer, in my opinion, have been so refreshing as someone who was getting honestly really tired of BL series recycling the same toxic tropes over and over again. Neither of these series are perfect (that should never be the expectation), and they both have elements I’d still deem controversial or troublesome. But in comparison? Absolute standouts.

A Tale of Thousand Stars was able to tell a beautiful queer romance without the coming out drama, without the homophobia, without the oversexualization, and without the bland, two-dimensional characterization you too often see with queer characters. The only coming out scene was tastefully done and perfectly fitting with the story, and the rest of the series could play out as a mlw romance, if you were to replace one of the characters with a woman. Queer people deserve those romances, the ones that center around two people simply falling in love regardless of gender. Queer people have been asking for those stories for ages. There’s nothing wrong with the cliches, but the creativity shouldn’t stop there every time. A Tale of Thousand Stars was, at base level, just two people finding love in the mountains, and I’m so grateful for that. On top of that, the show also avoided so many toxic tropes (i.e., power differences, violent jealousy, romanticized SA). Add phenomenal acting, ridiculous chemistry, beautiful scenery, an interesting plot, and P’Aof to all of that and you have my favorite BL drama and one of my favorite general series to ever exist. Yes, I said it. (I add P’Aof because he’s an actual queer man who cares so much about portraying realistic and beautiful queer relationships, and I am so grateful to him for taking his talents and efforts into the BL industry. I think he is and will continue to be such a force for needed change. I appreciate that man so much and will be watching every series he creates.)

But then we have Lovely Writer, which I appreciate for somewhat similar but relatively different reasons. Sometimes I’m not even sure to what degree it’s all intentional, but the COMMENTARY on the BL industry is *chefs kiss.* I mean, the stark contrast between the gentleness of Nubsib and Gene’s real relationship versus the romanticized aggression of the fictional relationship within Gene’s novel is so important to me. I get so uncomfortable watching the scenes where they are filming the series because the comparison is so obvious and it’s mind boggling that so many people find the abusiveness so attractive and romantic. That’s such a huge issue in the BL industry, and I love how blatantly obvious they make it in the show. In addition, the series has highlighted the facade that is fan service, the fetishization and oversexualization of mlm relationships, and the issue of BL stories never being written by queer men. And most recently in episode 11, I think they really showed how the BL industry loves making money off of the queer community but doesn’t give a shit about queer people in real life. What I mean by that is, Gene is forced to write BL novels despite his own wishes, no matter how inauthentic they are to him as a writer, because the company believes they are marketable and profitable. But when Gene and Nubsib’s real life relationship comes to the surface, they are treated like dirt for the sake of the company and the show… for the money. There were other solutions to that issue, but the easiest in the company’s eyes was throwing them, actual queer people, to the side and telling them to essentially get over it. Sure, that’s just capitalism, but it really is a massive issue in the BL industry that needs changing. So to see that portrayed within the show is incredibly satisfying. They’re really bringing to light so many problematic aspects of the industry that have been hidden or downplayed for too long.

And then both of them are telling stories about actual queer people, which I love more than I can explain. And by that I mean characters who actually use words to say they are not straight. I’m so freaking tired of the blatant avoidance of the word “gay” or even the words “I like men” (plural men) in BL. And I’m especially tired of the “I don’t like men. I just like x” trope. I really, really appreciate both A Tale of Thousand Stars and Lovely Writer telling queer stories by making their characters actually queer. (And this isn’t at all about those who choose to not label their sexualities. That is absolutely valid, but unfortunately in the BL industry, the avoidance of any words indicating sexuality is generally done to separate the show from the actual community being profited off of, not to avoid labels for empowerment.)

I’ll stop rambling, but I just finished ep 11 of Lovely Writer and I had so many thoughts. 2021 has started off really well with both of these shows airing, but it also means my expectations are so high now… welp! Looking forward to the Lovely Writer finale next week. I’m really glad a show like this exists, and I hope it makes even just a few fans realize how they may be participating in toxicity or just a few creators realize they can have a successful series without romanticizing problematic behaviors.

Thank you to A Tale of Thousand Stars and Lovely Writer for restoring some of my faith. I’m grateful to you both.

[caffiend-queen]

I HATE Chris Pratt, but tbh Brie Larson is kinda a bitch, and i really don’t give a shit if no one came to her aid. Her fucking ego is the size of the Grand Canyon and you can tell her own cast mates hate her or at least dislike her. Even if all of her ego troubles are just her bad attempts at humor (or so I’ve heard) she needs to fucking stop, get off her little throne and deflate her head. It doesn’t work. She’s a decent actress at best and she needs to shut up. I would much rather have an actually nice GENUINELY EMPOWERING (bc fr let’s face it, Brie is just not as strong as the character she portrays) woman have a role as big as hers. Someone not obnoxious who still lifts up women as Brie always tries and inevitably fails to do. What these people were doing to her was not right under any circumstances. But the lack of empty white knighting doesn’t actually upset me here.

I’ve interviewed Brie, but only once for her first major film, Room - for which she won a Best Actress Academy Award. She’s tough, but I suspect a lot of her behaviors are coping measures to deal with the endless bullshit she still endures. If you look at her commentary and compare it with male actors you find likable, it probably matches up. Perhaps it “sounds” arrogant because a woman is saying it. But nice or mean, it’s the fact that she was persecuted for being female, and successful. That was her crime. Which means she deserves our support.

[weaselbeaselpants]

I have a lot to say and not enough time to say it. It hurts, but ya’ll know what this is about so if you want my full fandom retrospective opinion thing guys, here.

I’ve been following Vivienne’s art and career since I found her on dA in 2009. I’ve basically grown up with her and have a wide range of opinions up and down her collective work. I must stress that I do not know her as a person and no matter how critical I get in my personal time if I somehow met her in real life or converse with her online again (like, back in the day we went back and forth. She was pretty nice to me), I’d be humble and congratulate her for her success.

Critique does not, EVER equate to attacking people.

But

the reason I don’t call myself a VivziePopVivzmind-fan is the exact same as to why I don’t like the proud use of ‘anti’. Let me try and explain -

The vast majority of Viv fans are just that: fans. Viv’s one of their favorite artists and they’re happy for her and obviously defensive when some mouth breather pops into their fan discussion calling her and all of them trash. Quite a lot of the Hazbin fans I know in my circle of friends are all pretty accepting and agree on the problematic notions and implications of her work.

HOWEVER, there’s a vocal minority in the VivziePop fandom that were and still are toxic. Their specific interest in Viv back in the day was toxic...and now that she’s moved on into a successful career I doubt they’ve gone away, considering the things I’ve heard. These people - they’d flood Viv’s comments sections and stuff with messages like they were talking to her when they weren’t and they’d unironically call her a god in a way that feels like gaslighting, ex: “I’ll NEVER be as good as you Viv! My art is just sooooo unpopular oh god you are incredible no one will ever like you as much as meeeee”. It made me uncomfortable. It made me not want to be around her because these people took Viv’s role in their lives so seriously and their demand for her attention...it struck a nerve.

These same fans have been around long enough to see actual shitlords - the likes of Kiwifarms and tapatalk wikis - come in and actually harass Viv. Viv’s been sent revenge porn by sick freaks who think they’re funny and believe she deserves it. No. In my non-name fan bystander opinion, Viv’s got some shit to work on, but no one deserves raperevenge porn. EVER. It was genuinely bad and yes Viv and her base have every reason to NOT TRUST these communities. Unfortunately, when these incidents happened, these particular fans took it upon themselves to gatekeep the fandom and act like Viv’s unofficial guard against any kind of decenting opinion of her, all without her say so.

((to the critics who will be all “but Viv or Faust said THIS to their fans-”, like I said, Viv’s far from perfect but regardless of how much she prolly wanted people to side with her I’m gonna guess that she didn’t want people sending transphobic death threats to DollCreep. Again, and this is coming from a bystander here, I have a feeling Viv knows about some of the toxicity but doesn’t know how/want to address it - which is a conversation all it’s own.))

This particular breed of VivziePop “fan” holds so much toxicity in her fandom(s). They aren’t the only cause, but they’re there. They feel entitled to her attention and her approval. They creep me out. Having spoken to other much-less critical admitted fans of Viv around me, these fans appear to creep everyone else out and put the rest of the fandom on edge. They’re gatekeepers. They’re creeps. Like the bronies and SU fans of yestertodayyears, they know harassment exists and that people have crossed the line - so they think any means is necessary to prevent that is automatically good. I could pile together all the incidents and folks who’ve had bad runs ins with this aftershock of Viv-obsession, but I do have a life of my own and this post is already stupid long so I’ll just list out the biggest examples and provide receipts when asked.

Critical blogs have gotten RAPE and death threats because they don’t like Viv’s art. HonestZoophobiaCriticisms, a blog I interracted with back in the day, def got one. Now Viv’s opinion of crit-blogs is that they’re “bad takes” but I can assure you she doesn’t want that shit being said on her behalf.

I’ve seen young artists get blacklisted from sites and forums cause they so much as post a redesign. Viv and co get told through the grapevine that someone’s making hatespeech and so preemptively block said person (prolly cause they’re in the middle of WORKING and can’t deal right now) only to find out after the fact that no, it was just a kid drawing their version of her characters. There’s serious miscommunication issues within the fandom about who’s ‘good’ or ‘bad’ and once you get the actual staff involved in this game of telephone you’re begging for trouble. The problem acknowledged, however, it’s souly from the “Viv never did anything wrong camp”. No word is said about how ugly the fandom is under the surface it’s all one type of person’s fault and not complicated’. Blah

I’ve only ever had ONE obsessive ‘fan’ who’d stalk me, mock me, and then redraw my art just to get attention from me. That shit fucked with my head. As a follower hundreds of miles away from Viv who’s agreed/disagreed with her through the years - I absolutely believe her when she says she hates ‘creeps’ and that she doesn’t want anyone in her fandom spreading hate on her behalf. It’s the one thing about her I’m POSITIVELY sure of. Whether she believes that said underlying harassment exists and/or is even a problem within her fandoms is anyone’s guess. That’s not what I’m here for. I’m here to write stupid blog entries like this, talk about fandoms and media and how they and the real world affect one another, and rb fan art I like. I’m cautiously optimistic fan with a side of salt.

Mixed opinions and critique within a fandom CAN and SHOULD exist. Hazbin Hotel has been greenlit by a studio! It has a product line of merchandise you buy. Helluva Boss is getting eight more episodes this coming year (yeeee:3yeeee). Two of Viv’s properties are now products. Nothing is immune from critique. And in critique you will find a lot of people who are not ‘nice’. Critique or analysis doesn’t have to be nice. There will be, in Viv’s words’ ‘bad takes’ on her writing. Maybe they will be actual CinemaSins-styled bad takes or maybe Viv is just mad that people don’t love and feel inspired by her characters the way she wants them to - it’s a fact she’s going to have to get used to.

((TBH, I’m pretty sure she’s already realized that criticism of all types need to exist. It’s just that, again, her and the SpindleHorse staff are kind of overwhelmed by all matter of takes and opinions coming their way they kinda can’t deal weeding out the fair ones from the assholes, so she lumps them all together.))

Shitposters, ironic fans, unironic fans, critical fans, just critics of Hazbin and Helluva CAN and WILL exist. They should exist and not feel threatened by the megafandom. There are people out there who are one step further and rightfully bothered by Hazbin/Helluva’s use of incorrect symbols, portrayal of certain topics, and the response by creators. These people have strong opinions and are actually disgusted by Viv. They deserve to exist too and should not be vilified because, like me, they’re commentary doesn’t consist of anything personal towards the people at Spindlehorse or the fans of her works. They can rant, they can be professional, they can be petty and they can be fair. But they will exist. You have to deal with it.

I am an ADD/OCD ridden autistic woman with serious anxiety issues who has no one to talk to half the time and so only HAS my fandom to communicate with. But that’s just it - it’s a fandom. A community. You have to learn to not think souly of yourself and of others in a community. A fandom doesn’t exist just for you or any one person. You have the right to be angry and defend or be offended. And it’s in the spirit of that that I ask, prrraaaaaay even, that I please

NOT BE CALLED AN “ANTI-ANTI” for not liking the moniker?!

I DON’T TO BE AN “ANTI”. Not ironically, not unironically. ‘Anti’ should be for politics and shit like pedophiles, necrophiles, nazis, serial killer stans, Trump, racists, antisemites, terfs, animal abusers, rapists, and antivaxxers. Anti should only come into critical media analysis when these ethical issues follow suit IN TO fandom discussion. ((EX: Anime and MLP proudly waving their cp and non-con into the public eye; Hazbin appropriating cultural symbols which are not satanic; Basically anything that concerns John K or Butch Hartman.))

If your DNI list unironically consists of the entirety of one fandom:  CONGLATURATIONS! You have done the exact same thing these particular creepy Viv fans have done: monopolize the conversation. And yes, people I’m referring to, IT’S STILL A PROBLEM EVEN IF YOU’RE FIGHTING RACISM/SEXISM/HOMOTRANSPHOBIA.

There are hundreds of Vivziefans who ARE more critical, accepting of faults, interested in discussion and especially rewrite and redesign stuff who would LOVE to engage with you and give you a follow. There’s hundreds of people who no doubt agree with you!

But the thing I’ve seen these very proud AntiHazbinVivzieHelluvaWhatever blogs do is lash out at fans for continuing to like Viv and consume Viv’s art in a healthy way. What the actual fuck is your problem?

I get it. Say a crazy Hazbin fan gets on your case for even SUGGESTING Viv could be homophobic ((”SHE’SBIANDWORKSWITHGAYPPLblahablahblah”)). They get in your face, make some callouts, try to rile up support against you, leave disgusting harassment throughout your social media? Absolutely ban worthy. After that it’s perfectly understandable why you don’t want to engage with anything HHHBZPVivzierelated because you’re so fucking tired of being labeled an abuser or “just jealous” for having an opinion on a show you don’t like. I’m with you!

But,

A fan agrees that something in the canon is bad or that Viv did something they don’t like?

A fan likes your silly shitpost meme?

A fan asks if they can like Hazbin and follow you at the same time? 

A fan does fan art of something you don’t like?

If your response to any of these ^^^ things is to get LOUD and accusatory, Vivsplain them about how they’re an absolutely awful person to ever question YOUR opinion, or just block them without a second thought? You’re a petty, vendictive shit and you also need to learn to let things go. I’m sorry but you do. As I already said, Viv’s work is a brand at this point, not just the work of a singular person. As such, there are gonna be mixed opinions and you can’t judge every single one of these people by what they like. You’re a shitty critic with a shitty attitude and yes that will demean the value of what you’re saying. This is bad because, if you’re trying to point out how Angel Dust’s abuse IS handled terribly; gay rep in Viv’s work is weak and terrible; the show appropriates closed practices; the fandom makes excuses for predatory artists and creepy behavior and individuals who have sketchy pasts - I’M WITH YOU. WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS SHIT. JUST BECAUSE THESE ARE ADULT CARTOONS SET IN HELL MEANS THERE SHOULD BE ANYTHING CLOSE TO 2013 PONY-TUMBLR. <<<---- this shit is as important to me as it is to you and I really don’t like being called an abuser or apologist for saying “hey maybe blowing up at ppl for the shows they like ISN’T the way to go about this”. 

But I have, just like the good old days of 2015 Zoophobia of yore, been blocked because I admit to being tired of ‘Anti’ being equated to ‘critical’. Same with hater.

Critical DOES NOT = Anti+Hater. I’m fucking tired of people saying it does and I’m tired of people taking up the term as some weird form of fandom reappropriation. It’s stupid.

Tl;dr: Once upon a time, I was in a budding fandom for something I liked made by an indie artist I watched on dA. I wanted to be a bigger fan than I was already, but was told by toxic people within said fandom that I couldn’t be part of it for reasons they’d made up in their head about my ‘motives’ against Viv. My admiration for Viv or what I liked about Zoophobia didn’t matter because I thought the story was really rushed and people weren’t being truthful with how they really felt about it - ergo, I HAD TO GO. 

Flash forward 8 years later- My opinion of Viv’s body of work has changed but I still find myself in love with her style and some of her characters. I want to be on a forum or service that gives a healthy look at the problems there are with this series and fandom...and I’m met repeatedly by petty bs where people are again at each other’s throats. And yes, I do think it’s causing more harm than good especially when you insist there’s a “x person shouldn’t be trusted” mentality when fighting actual fucking racist, xenophobic, predatory bullshit.

[aion-rsa]

The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 12 Review: Diary Queen

https://ift.tt/3snx5Yt

This The Simpsons review contains spoilers.

The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 12

The Simpsons Season 32, episode 12, “Diary Queen,” may be the sweetest offering of the series. It’s not only sentimental and self-esteem-positive, it’s downright edumacational. At least for Bart, who certainly learns a lesson. Thankfully, as the episode explains by example, he probably won’t retain it.

“What’s the matter, Bart? I figure you’d be used to failing by now,” Edna Krabappel once consoled the spiky haired kid who seemed so determined to get through school without schooling. Marcia Wallace, who played the Springfield Elementary teacher, died unexpectedly in October 2013. Edna’s death was first acknowledged in “Four Regrettings and a Funeral,” from season 25, when Bart wrote “We’ll really miss you Mrs. K” on the chalkboard. He only wrote it once. Her death was punishment enough. Both the character and the voice actor were instrumental in the chemistry of The Simpsons, and chemistry happens to be one of the few things Bart’s ever excelled at in school, even pranking a talent show in the “Haw-Haw Land” episode. But he gets his beakers crossed in the latest installment.

“Diary Queen” opens with an inspired West Side Story song parody, “Too Nice” replacing “Tonight.”  It’s time for Ned Flanders’s annual yard sale, and he’s on a holy mission to undersell eBay. Comic Book Guy is looking for a broom to play Quidditch on, Waylen Smithers is going to score some kitsch, and Ned will finally toss those fuzzy dice Maude bought him to the bottom of an impulse item box of jokes he did not get. The Flanders family are parting with their humble possession in a public bid for humility, in case no one notices. Ned gives up Rod’s teeth. Todd consigns his toys to the auction block on the grass. “Playing is a sin that we regret,” one of the Flanders kids explains.

Ned’s bizarre outdoor bazaar is the only segment which has any meanness in it. The Springfieldians want to take advantage of Ned, and openly mock him. Carl and Lenny turn the yard sale into a yarn brawl, and Jimbo’s gang buys commemorative plates just to smash them. It’s enough to send Ned looking for the fans he always carries around in case of stress-induced hot flashes. As Patty and Selma are flicking ashes into Rod and Tod’s baby shoes, it seems Nelson, Bart, and Millhouse are the only ones worthy to buy Ned’s treasured mementos. And, of those, only Nelson’s purchase is authentic. He buys all the bad words, like “adultery” and “fornication,” which Ned cut out of his old religious texts. Nelson has a genuine use for them, you can just tell.

Bart and Millhouse buy the books. Even without the offending admonishments, they swear they’ll still find useful ways to better themselves. Their haul winds up being the fiery centerpiece for a supercool skateboarding feat which no one will ever see. It’s an old joke, but we do get to notice how big Millhouse’s nose looks when he’s picking it. One book, which gives the title to the episode, is spared the conflagration of Bart’s daredevil jump: Edna Krabappel’s diary. Bart recognizes the Ds and Fs, and Millhouse recognizes the smell of Parliament Lights 100s. It’s very telling how these are the most recognizable clues. They are each ready-made character punchlines.

The diary is a font of information. Bart and Millhouse learn all the teachers work night jobs during school hours, and the many lonely secrets of Groundskeeper Willie. But their first use of it is inspired gaggery. Bart learns Superintendent Chalmers keeps his car keys behind the visor. The two kids not only steal the car but take advantage of a free yogurt offer at a car wash. The idea that taking the yogurt and ditching the car is a “perfect crime” is great kids’ logic. It is a little odd, however, that Springfield’s Chief Wiggum sees fourth grade car thieves as inspiration for a little personal time with Officer Lou, but it works within Simpsons logic.

The central point of the episode is Bart’s relationship with his dead teacher, and his relationship with himself. He actually believes someone he thought only saw him as troublesome also considered him “smart as a whip.” It leads him to believe he actually has potential, which he translates to: all the time he was showing his butt he was showing promise. This spurs him into thinking about getting seriously educated. Not only does he try but he succeeds on his first dry run, resisting the urge to draw a skeleton head on a multiple-choice test grid, and getting an A. Not only does he finally understand how his sister Lisa doesn’t suck, but he puts himself on the same level.

Lisa goes through all the stages of jealousy, and even realizes she’s on the verge of obsession when even her imaginary comfort pony begins to look like Bart. This makes it worse, because realizing he is the only thing she can think about only makes her dwell on it. Lisa is usually the family genius, and how she reacts to Bart doing well really depends on the circumstance and need for story conflict. For instance, when Bart had to apply geometry to miniature golf in an early episode, Lisa brought a Zenlike understanding of all things which putt. Lisa does Bart a disservice tonight in the guise of doing the right thing. It’s her MO.

Of course, Marge and Lisa don’t trust Bart’s recent good grades, but while he comes up clean to Marge, Lisa digs up the dirt. Bart correlates “cruel” with “lying” because “they’re both great.” He thinks he’s going to win a Spelling Bee just because he has the potential to do it. Would it have been less cruel for Lisa to let him see how far his belief would get him? She’s set him up for worse humiliations just for an edge at science fairs.

Millhouse gets a few good gags tonight. When Lisa starts developing a rash because of the stress of not crushing her brother’s potential, he pulls cream out of his fanny pack labeled “rash stash.” Groundskeeper Willie is a highlight of the episode. His character has one of the most interesting takes on passive aggressive behavior in comedy. It’s not that he gets it backwards, so much as he pays it forward: Terrorizing Bart with the idea of simmering a new pet into rabbit stew when all he’s thinking of is how much bunnies love stewed carrots.

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Subtle social commentary makes its way into the episode. As this is the first episode since the Trump presidency, it opens with a Bald Eagle flying a sign asking “Is it safe yet?” We learn Ned doesn’t find Bill Maher funny. A priest tells Bart and Millhouse reading someone else’s diary in church is not the worst thing you can do within the hallowed walls. Moments later we see the priest handcuffed and escorted past the pews by the police. We can only wonder what offenses are happening at Reverend Lovejoy’s competition.

Fat Tony (Tony Montagna) tells his henchmen his crime family doesn’t kill children, “We wait till they’re 18.” Lisa is kept up at night by the cold dead eyes of Mike Pence. Subtle subversive commentary can be found when Principal Skinner declares the drug-free portion of the school assembly a success because Lisa, the only one in the auditorium, tells him she doesn’t do drugs. But the scene comes shortly after we learn Dr. Hibbert is pushing kiddie-Xanax “sleepies” and “dopies” on her. The best bad side effects are “Portuguese insolence” and the “tendency to see yourself as others see you.”

The episode has quite a few sight gags which work well. The sign outside the Spelling Bee contest reads H-E-A-R, and we see one of the losing contestants ripping up a dictionary on the way to the exit. When Ned starts to preachify in the treehouse, he only stops because Bart is drawing back a trigger finger on his slingshot. Mrs. Krabappel’s beloved cat not only was not harmed during the making of the episode, but was a willing participant, according to the closing disclaimer. One of the stills in the photo montage is of Krabappel watching The Bob Newhart Show, which Marcia Wallace was a regular on.

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For the majority of The Simpsons’ run, Mrs. Krabappel was a sexually independent woman who was often “looking for a substitute to teach me a lesson I sorely need.” She began dating widower Ned in “The Ned-Liest Catch” from season 22. They married in secret and stayed together until her death in “The Man Who Grew Too Much.” The cause of Edna’s death has never been revealed, except in a non-canon, future-set episode. For this installment, Wallace’s two lines are taken from earlier episodes. “Diary Queen” will be her last appearance.

This is a different kind of arc for The Simpsons. “Diary Queen” is on an uplifting trajectory until Lisa knocks it off course, and ends in a sudden life-affirming crash. Bart’s final warning to Marge, “I’ll go over the edge if you try to make me feel better,” is wonderfully skewered, but the final twist is a dose of treacle. The episode was originally slated to premiere on Valentine’s Day, and is a sweet sendoff.

The post The Simpsons Season 32 Episode 12 Review: Diary Queen appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[jmsa1287]

A Year in Review: The 31 Best Episodes of TV of 2019

There's never been more TV than this year. Thanks to the launch of new streaming services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ (with more to come in 2020!), there is an infinite number of hours of content out there. And while not all those TV shows are worth a watch, mot seasons of shows genuinely contain at least one great-to-amazing episode. The 31 episodes listed below are the ones that stood out the most; that either became part of the cultural conversation or were not well-watched but still resonated in a way that deserved more attention. Whether it was the writing, the acting, a visual moment or a hilarious scene, these selected episodes rose above the cut to show what TV can do in this unprecedented era.

31. “Striking Vipers,” Black Mirror Season 5, Netflix 

30. “Smell Ya Later,” Killing Eve Season 2, BBC America

29. “Chase Gets the Gays,” The Other Two Season 1, Comedy Central

28. “Refugees,” Ramy Season 1, Hulu

27. “Finish It,” The Deuce Season 3, HBO

26. “Chapter 7: The Reckoning,” The Mandalorian Season 1, Disney+ 

25. “Life’s a Beach,” Pose Season 2, FX

24. “Easter,” Better Things Season 3, FX

23. “Chapter 8: Overview,” The OA Season 2, Netflix

22. “Reborn,” Servant Season 1, Apple TV+

21. “Stories,” Broad City Season 5, Comedy Central

20. “Blondie,” High Maintenance Season 3, HBO

19. “The Trials and Tribulations of Trying to Pee While Depressed,” Euphoria Season 1, HBO

18. “The Bad Mother,” Big Little Lies Season 2, HBO

17. “405 Method Not Allowed,” Mr. Robot Season 4, USA

16. “1:23:45,” Chernobyl Season 1 HBO

15. “Dundee,” Succession Season 2, HBO

14. “Episode 9,” Mindhunter Season 2, Netflix

13. “401 Unauthorized,” Mr. Robot Season 4, USA 

12. “Take Me as I Am, Whoever I Am,” Modern Love Season 1, Amazon

11. “Part Four,” When They See Us Season 1, Netflix

Ava DuVernay's achingly painful "When They See Us" miniseries about the persecution of the Central Park 5 is capped off with its brilliant final episode; a showcase for Jharrel Jerome ("Moonlight") who undergoes a transformation here unlike any other actor on TV this year. Playing Korey Wise, we see Jerome go from happy-go-lucky New Yorker to a victim of the vicious prison system who is beholden to his truth despite its consequences. It is a harrowing 88 minutes of TV that is both devastating and beautiful, carried on the shoulders of Jerome's unparalleled performance.

10. “A God Walks Into a Bar,” Watchmen Season 1, HBO

The penultimate episode of "Watchmen," the buzziest show of the fall, is the most Damon Lindelof has been during this stellar season of TV. "A God Walks into a Bar" is a revealing episode in the same way as the last season of "The Leftovers," Lindelof's previous project. The episode reveals that for all of its surrealness and commentary about race and gender in our world, the "remix" of the popular comic book series is, at its core, a love story. Lindelof sets the episode as a classic cosmic joke but as it goes on, it exposes itself to be full of heart and emotion; about two people from different parts of the universe (and different parts of the space-time continuum?) connecting. At a bar. Over beer, conversation, and eggs.

09. “Strawberries,” Ramy Season 1, Hulu

Unlike anything depicted on TV, "Strawberries," the peak of Hulu's comedy "Ramy," created by standup Ramy Youssef, is told in flashback, tracking a young Ramy in the days leading up to and after 9/11. Seeing the event play out from the perspective of a young Muslim child in middle school is heartbreaking and raw; a highlight that is thoughtful, meditative, funny and surprising.

08. "Shook One Pt. II,” Euphoria Season 1, HBO

It's not until "Shook One Pt. II" that "Euphoria" finally clicks and finds its groove. Playing out at a carnival, the episode raises the dramatic stakes for the show's young cast, where creator Sam Levinson's bold aesthetic choices complement the intense tension on display. Part thriller, part romance and all edge, this episode of "Euphoria" features stellar performances from Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Jacob Elordi and more.

07. “Volume 7: The Magician" + "Volume 8: The Hanged Man,” Too Old to Die Young Season 1 Amazon

It was hard to pick just one episode of Nicolas Winding Refn's twisted noir cop saga "Too Old to Die Young." The controversial auteur made a perfect thing for streaming age; somewhere between a film and a series. NWR said himself that you can watch the episodes out of order, or start from anywhere, which is sort of true. But it's the back-to-back episodes towards the back half of the series, "Volume 7: The Magician" and "Volume 8: The Hanged Man," that stand out the most; a chaotic and insane set of events that turn "TOTDY" on its head.

06. “Posh,” PEN15 Season 1, Hulu

"PEN15" is hands down the funniest show of 2019 but it's the Hulu series episode "Posh" — a thoughtful and insightful examination of racism in the 00s — that is the show's highlight. In the episode, BFFs Maya (Maya Erskine) and Anna (Anna Konkle) make their own version of the Spice Girls with a group of mean girls at their middle school for a class project. They force Maya, who is Japanese-American, to play Scary Spice — the only woman of color in the insanely popular British girl group, because Maya is the only girl of color among them. It sparks a deep divide between Maya and Anna that is explored in the short episode with maximum effect.

05. “DC,” Succession Season 2, HBO

Over the last few years, Americans have made Congressional hearings they're own sort of perverse reality show. So, it's no surprise that "Succession" would go there and put members of the Roy family on display and under scrutiny. The main targets here are Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) and Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun), who have to answer a number of questions about Waystar Royco's handling of alleged sexual assaults and crimes involving the company's cruise line. "Succession" had been building up to this moment since early Season 1 and the payoff is both cringe-worthy and hilarious.

04. “The Great War and Modern Memory,” True Detective Season 3 HBO

Filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier's ("Green Room," "Hold the Dark") crack at a TV show is nothing short of spectacular. With "The Great War and Modern Memory," he establishes an unsettling mood and tone to the third installment of "True Detective," a somber story about two cops investigating the disappearance of two young children over the span of several decades. The episode is poetic and solemn, featuring two mind-blowing performances from its stars Mahershala Ali and a career-best Stephen Dorff. They're both in tune with what kind of show they're in, selling creator Nic Pizzolatto's writing, which coming out of the mouths of other performers would likely sound dreadful.

03. “Episode 1,” Fleabag Season 2, Amazon

Filming a dinner scene is not as easy as it looks. For the first episode of the second season of the outstanding "Fleabag" both writer/creator/star Phoebe Waller-Bridge and director Harry Bradbeer hit out of the park. It's a whirlwind of an episode where PWB's Fleabag character literally tells the audience Season 2 is a love story, which, of course, involves the so-called Hot Priest (Andrew Scott). "Episode 1" is fast, zippy, and manages to get most of the show's cast in one room, featuring wonderful performances from not only PWB and Scott but also Olivia Coleman, Sian Clifford and Brett Gelman. It's a chaotic half-hour of TV that has a kinetic energy unlike anything else this year, taking an awkward family dinner to its limits.

02. "Series Finale Part 2: Hello, Elliot,” Mr. Robot Season 4, USA

The series finale of “Mr. Robot” is as emotional as it is shocking. Sam Esmail sticks the landing with his hacking drama, turning a story about a vigilante and his crew trying to right the wrong world into a personal journey of a young man struggling with deep trauma. It’s a beautiful sendoff, that is fully satisfying and a magnificent accomplishment of modern television.

01. “Never Knew a Love Like this Before,” Pose Season 2, FX

"Pose" proved itself to be an uplifting and hopeful show, uprooting cliched and tragic stories about trans people we've come to see on screen and instead, opts to show us something beautiful. But its "Never Knew a Love Like This Before" that is 2019's best episode of the year — a heart-wrenching and unexpected boom and a reminder that trans people, especially trans women of color, are often in danger. Here, Candy (an out-of-this-world performance from Angelica Ross), who orbited around the main cast in the series, is murdered. She returns to her funeral in spirit, having in-depth conversations with her friends, enemies and frenemies. Pray Tell (Billy Porter) honors her by moving forward with her wish — a lip-synch category for the balls that he previously rejected. It's a beautiful story about the history of queer culture that's personalized in an unexpected way.

[zorogane]

ok my Thoughts on all the trailers

46 days: this looks fun! good cast!! Looks incredibly silly in an entertaining way

an eye for an eye: I have mixed feelings? it looks like it might touch on some heavy, real issues - I'd be interested to see an exploration of things like corruption and nepotism.. but it depends on how much of this is just for drama and how much is commentary

drag, I love you: uh... what? is the plot supposed to be “homophobic/transphobic guy falls in love with a woman who is pretending to be a male drag queen, not knowing she’s a woman” ??? No ❤️ we don’t want it ... or am I misunderstanding? is this the one joss said he thought 3wbf fans would be excited for? I’m not seeing it..

fish upon the sky: this could def be interesting!! it’s by the same author as 2gether - actually I might be wrong, but I think this was the only trailer that drew attention to the author’s name... gmmtv really want a repeat of 2g’s success, which is understandable, they’re a business, but... when it involves portraying LGBT characters, I just hope it’s done well. I'm interested to see where they go with this – “when you love someone, you must change yourself” - maybe it’ll provide “be yourself” kinda message? also phuwin!! precious 🥺❤️

mama gogo: so many of my Sons (podd, toptap, lee) 🥰 I already love the main female character lmao, I'm HERE for jaded, bitter women. from the trailer it looks like it’ll be funny !!

mr. lipstick: yeah I already hate the main guy lmao.. really started out strong there with rating women out of 10 based on their physical appearance, bud. 🙄 I think this is my least favourite of all the trailers so far. I do like love score which they played in the trailer yess stan sizzy

never too late: they knew what they were doing starting off with glitching audio and nanon, lmao. I imagine these roles are going to be a great opportunity for the actors to show their Skills, and I can’t wait! this looks really interesting, I'm excited!

step darling: uh this whole thing kinda just feels off? I feel like they had some good, interesting concepts but... maybe it was rushed, or they didn’t really know what to do with this or something. idk if I'll even watch this

baker boys: at first I was just like aww okay yes this is cute... and then. at first I was thinking “ah this will be a show where the actors entirely carry the plot”, but... I'm very excited for the mystery element here? I love a Dark Twist™, and i’m excited to see Lee and Singto’s acting !!

enchanté: the book thing looks cute but like... dude if you wanna know who he is, just ask him through the book? tf.... also Gawin!!! overall, gives me Cinderella energy ?? I want to watch this !!

the war of flower: aye 🥰🥰🥰 the drama between the women “we’re such good friends <333 *cuts to them fighting*” looks fun sdkdsk also GUN!! I do love to make myself feel better about my own life by watching other peoples’ messy personal drama, so I'll watch this

bad buddy: okay ohm and nanon!!! I love the opposites attract thing, this could be good. I guess it’s some Romeo and Juliet type thing?? they secretly don’t hate each other?? I'm excited!! also miss love pattranite is in it ❤️

irresistible: yeah this just looks boring idk

the player: HOLY SHIT I am SO EXCITED FOR THIS !! Jane, Namtan, Chimon ... and TAWANSKDSK MY FAV BOY !!!!!!!!!! I'm very excited for this!! I love a good crime drama!!! honestly, it gives me “an inspector calls” vibes - maybe that’s why I'm so excited for it; studying that play in high school English lit was around when I fell in love w the whole story production process, and yeah family drama is just fun when it’s done right?? easily my #1 of these

not me: do crime, baby boys ❤️ VERY excited to see off and gun in roles that will give them a chance to really show themselves as actors!!! gun is playing twins? it’s what he deserves, he’s so talented ahh, and Gavin and mond are here? this looks really good wow

F4: so I've pretty consistently avoided every version of Hana Yori Dango because... it just sounds kinda toxic. but this looks like it’ll really take a different direction - criticising the same issues instead of perpetuating them? this could literally be groundbreaking? I'm seriously excited. I imagine Bright and Tu’s acting is really going to shine through here (I already love tu so much omg). honestly, I went from “great, another BOF remake 🙄” to genuinely thinking this could be one of the best shows of 2021... I mean we’ll see, but like.. this is a good trailer