#it just became yet another leo-goes-on-about-chris

[ewingstan]

We sort of touched on it in a prior post, but you’ve gotten a fair few details on how Mark and Carol raised Victoria by this point.

From what details you recall, how does her handling/raising of Kenzie fall into compare and contrast with those details?

Wooh. Hm. Well, I think she has Kenzie's ultimate wellbeing in mind more than Carol probably did while raising her and Amy. At the same time, when Victoria's first reaction to Kenzie getting publicly pilloried was "lets get you in front of cameras to argue your case, and also while we're at it lets keep our cape-network plan from falling through by jumping on the public-Scion-reveal grenade" I thought well. Yeah that's something Carol's daughter would think to do huh.

Its a dangerous relationship they're in. Victoria legitimately wants to keep Kenzie safe and stop her from overworking herself. She also really wants this cape group thing to work. She'd probably not consciously let the latter get in the way of the former, but she will let Kenzie fight as a hero if it seems like that's what Kenzie wants. The problem, of course, is that Kenzie wants what Victoria wants. Kenzie will act in whatever way will make the people around her happy, and so if she thinks Victoria wants her to be a hero (which you don't exactly need to be an observation tinker to notice), she's gonna make being a hero her whole thing. Not to mention that Kenzie also knows Ashley wants her to be an active cape, Sveta enjoys being on a hero team, etc....

I'll also say that the way Victoria's treating Chris.... kind of reminds me of how Carol treated Amy growing up? Victoria sees him as her responsibility: he's a member of the group Dr. Yamada asked her to shepherd, and he's a kid, and now that Dr. Yamada's gone that responsibility is even greater. Victoria is burdened with Chris in the same way Marquis burdens Carol with Amy; sure, Victoria does it a lot more voluntarily.... but she's also doing it more because she agreed to care for "the group," not for Chris. Chris is a responsibility that came packaged with what she wanted to do. And while the care she has for Kenzie seems to come from a place of genuine concern and affection, her keeping tabs on Chris feels strictly procedural. She's responsible for him, she'll keep tabs on him, nothing more to it. There's a lot of resentment and some frustration that boils into how Victoria treats Chris as a result. Insert your arrested development "I don't care for Chris" image here.

Hell, despite otherwise having pretty wildly different viewpoints when interacting with people, Victoria ends up resembling Taylor a lot in how she thinks about Chris, because it matches up so well with how Taylor thought about Regent. Its another case of "That guy I'm not as close to as the others, the dangerous one, the one whose probably a sociopath waiting to be let loose." I remember thinking that Chris seemed like "the Regent of the group" in my early reading, but they're really not so alike personality-wise, or even in terms of their place in the team dynamic; they're just positioned the same way in the mind of each text's narrator.

I read Taylor's reaction to Alec as one part fear-response to people who seem to delight in other's pain for no obvious reason, and one part a reaction to all the stuff she doesn't like about herself projected onto some twink in leggings. Her fixation on the idea that Regent must just like hurting people, that its just the kind of person he is, comes from the same scared confusion about why her best friend and the whole of the school started torturing her for no apparent reason. Its a reaction from a person who still categorizes everyone as bullies or victims, and is distressed about whether there's more to that and where she is on the spectrum. In her mind, he's a kinda evil dude that likes to hurt people because hes a bully and that's what bullies are, but actually maybe he's fine to hang around with? Which is getting churned in her head alongside her pledging to protect people by becoming a horrifying warlord and making long arguments to Pariah and Flechette about how villains can be helpful and heroes can be bullies. Taylor's relationship to Alec and her distance from him is symptomatic of her evolving views about who people can be, what power can be used for, and why people act the way they do.

Of course, Taylor conversely forms one of her strongest emotional bonds with someone who reminds her of her bullies even more than Alec does. But I think this makes sense for the same reason Chris and Kenzie could both remind Victoria of Amy but inspire such differing treatment. Bitch's first encounter with Taylor was a seemingly random attack that Taylor directly compares to the trio's assaults: she instinctively looks for a reason to hold back like she did for them, and then finds freedom in not having one. But while Rachel at first seems to directly fit the "bullies because she's a bully" model, Taylor learns pretty early on that Rachel has perfectly understandable reasons for her behavior, and that she can be predicted and made into a close ally if she just pays attention and puts in the work. Taylor's relationship with Alec is her sticking to the idea that the world is bullies and victims, and you have to find your place in it without understanding it because there's nothing more to understand. Taylor's relationship with Rachel, meanwhile, is her finding out the world isn't just bullies doing bad things because they're bad people. Rachel is the possibility of understanding the world, bringing it to heel, learning to love it and make it love you.

Similarly, Victoria's relationship with Chris is a reflection of everything she internalized from the Wretchening, while her relationship with Kenzie is her reacting against those internalized lessons towards something more hopeful. Chris is a medical freak who becomes a horrible misshapen monster on a regular basis and who suffers horribly for it, yet keeps choosing to do so. He's wretchening himself at the slightest provocation—he's impatient to wretchen himself! Add to that how his emotions rule him to the degree that they physically transform him, and that he shows absolutely no desire to reign them in, and its pretty clear why Victoria is often so negative to him. He's a powderkeg waiting to go off in a horrible way like his sister was, filled with strange and offputting desires turned into strange and offputting flesh, and unlike Amy he doesn't even have the decency to shamefully repress it. Chris is Amy as the deviant who qua deviancy will inevitably be a danger to everyone around him. Kenzie, meanwhile, is Amy as the sister who gave too much of herself. Victoria's shown at times that she hasn't forgotten how she loved Amy as a sister, how she wasn't inherently evil. She spoke with regret about not listening to Amy when she begged Victoria not to hug her. And she's pretty much said in-text "I don't want Kenzie, who I love as I once loved my sister, to exhaust herself to the point that she becomes lost in the way my sister did." Victoria looks at Chris and is reminded of all her fears of what strange and dangerous people will do, of her belief that bad people do bad things because their bad people. Victoria looks at Kenzie and remembers that's not true, and that she can do something about it.

[phoebehalliwell]

how would you rank the seasons from least to most favourite?

alright okay right off the bat worst season season 7. for starters i think this season has no staying power i mean like since i’ve been running this blog 4 so long now my knowledge of charmed is encyclopedic and insanely vast more than like it ever need be but for the longest time. i could not remember season 7. like wtf even happened there?? evidently leo became human??? cole returned? the avatars??? like all of it was just. it’s not even necessarily forgettable it’s just i straight up could not remember it for the longest time. and i’ve said it before the concept of utopia was way to advanced for a show like charmed to tackle i am not watching charmed for moral philosophy i am watching bc i love these girls ♥ hee hee hoo hoo magic adventure ✨ tho if i am to offer a single comment on utopia: it’s awfully rich for a show to go on about destiny and fate and then take a stand against utopia in the name of free will. but w/e. i don’t like leo in the avatars i don’t like his dynamic with piper in this season i don’t like whatever phoebe’s doing this season there’s like leslie?? maybe there’s someone else? boring & flavorless they should have been setting up her endgame instead of puttering around. and kyle. zoo wee mama. could have been a great antihero. morally gray. duplicitous. self serving. but no. they gave him all those traits and called him hero/love interest. s7 left a lot to be desired out of the characters and their relationships also gave us phat L’s such as the charmed ones are werewolves don’t worry about it and feminism peaked with naked women. shout out to zankou: demon, dilf, dub & the noir episode.

you know what? fuck it i’ll say it second worse season 5 genuinely fuck season five. this is probably a Very Specific beef 2 me But. i hate what they did to the charmed universe. this was the season that marked the transition of charmed from supernatural drama to campy soap which like. i love camp! i do! but fr. fuck this season and what it did to the worldbuilding. the early season have Such A Vibe to them man with warlocks and witches and just a couple niche monsters from assorted lore that the show took and made their own. season five opens with mermaids goes directly into fairytales then gives us superheros whatever the fuck was going on in that mummy episode the sandman leprechauns and nymphs. and i hate it for that. it takes away from this urban fantasy things that go bump in the night what lurks in the shadows of the back alleys of san francisco in favor of the ugliest cinderella dress ever put to television and an onslaught of horrible irish accents for a full episode. other issues with season five: cole’s still here? why? they don’t know and neither will you! we’re not redeeming him! phoebe’s not getting back together with him! yes he died we just refuse to let him go! the cherry on top of course being a cole-centric 100th episode. shout out to. hmm. lemme think about what i actually liked about this season. i like jason dean as a love interest i don’t remember what he did in s5 but i know he was there. the season finale i’ve talked about how stupid & shitty it was but idc i still love that episode and then shout out to bacarra the only original villain this season that was a proper serve. the crone gets second place.

next on this come on we all saw it coming season 8. it’s a bad season! and i get bts there was a whole lot happening budget cuts missing actor etc. but it goes beyond that. it was a bad season. billie and christie were bad. and i’ve said this before but billie in herself is not an inherently bad character. she was just the literal worst for the show. she was a dollar store buffy blonde confident cocky skilled and ready 2 fight evil But. we are not following her like we followed buffy we are following her mentors. it’s like if we had a show called giles that aired for seven seasons And Then buffy showed up. billie was insanely irritating to watch from our perspective and in general wasn’t like. well written. attempts to humanize her / give her more depth often fell flat. and then christy. oh nelly. oh my god. barely a character. not well acted but hey it would have been a miracle if she was. negatives include dumain who was a mess omg bringing back the triad bringing back the source billie & christy obvi and also involving homeland security. which is season 7′s fault which is why it’s the worst. dubs on the other hand include both coop and henry i really liked them the shoehorned love interests weren’t great but i like their characters i though the way the got rid of leo to save on the budget was really creative and gave us a great piper episode and of course the sugary sweet finale i love it i do what can i say.

yet another controversial choice aptly coming in fourth is season 4. i respect what season 4 set out to do. i think it was a good idea. long form narratives, keeping a darker tone, focusing on character-driven drama and growth. too bad it fucking failed miserably at all of this. cole as the source and phoebe as the queen of hell was just so so botched. they had a very unique opportunity following the death of prue to explore these characters and what it means to them to be charmed, to be witches. they saved the world but the cost is insanely high. they’ve lost an older sister. they’ve gained a new sister. how do you even begin to cope with all this? episodes such as hell hath no fury and brain drain fuck so hard because they work with exactly that. had the whole season been like those episode season four would sit at number one with flying colors absolutely no competition. but alas. we can’t have nice things. the show got so bogged down with phoebe & cole, in a way that was just so, so messy. for starters, whether you loved cole or hated him before, we can all agree source!cole sucked. he was such a strong 180 from what we had seen that the show had to make the source some type of possession to justify half the shit they were trying to pull. and then to pit phoebe and paige against one another over a man was just. disgusting. and the ending of course felt rushed because it was! they wrapped up that entire issue in a nice little bow much faster than they reasonably should have been able to. it could have been a great season. it was definitely not. shout out to the seer an iconic mastermind on barbas levels, as previously stated brain drain and hell hath no fury Specific shout out to piper’s scene at prue’s grave shout out to paige as a character i like what they did with her and um. yeah that’s it.

okay we’re exiting the shit tier in favorite of the good tier welcome to the upper half. kicking us off is season 6. season 6 did what season 4 could not in that it gave us a long form plot that still left plenty of room for like. normal demon of the week episodes. i love phoebe early in this season with her faboo haircut her brand new empathy power and her relationship with jason dean. obvious strikes against for whatever the fuck that baby crazy stint was and also the mata hari episode. yikes. i love paige’s hair color in this season nothing paige as a character necessarily stands out to me however i like how they seem to have hit the blend of work-magic with paige where she wants a life and career outside of magic however she still loves the craft and embraces is with an open heart and mind. season six also gives us chris who was a very fun male lead imo we really didn’t have many like him he’s bitchy. he whines and bitches a lot he’s got an agenda he’s a bit secretive but at the end of the day he just wants a family i like him. i like the character growth we see out of piper i like seeing her try to move on from leo i love seeing her get back together with leo i like her dynamic with chris and her fears about motherhood. i also liked richard but that one takes a lot of justification. L’s are witchstock hyde school reunion used karma off the top of my head also the paige/richard/addiction plotline was so tone deaf. also the girls were mean to darryl : ( he deserved so much better. dubs were chris as a character, tbh the episode little monsters, phoebe with empathy specifically saying i love you too to jason i could write a dissertation on that line alone also the courtship of wyatt’s father and i thought the reveals of evil wyatt and chris being piper and leo’s son were both fun and interesting plot twists.

coming in third is actually season 2 a season i really do love it’s just. it lacks structure. imo there is a lot to love about season 2 morality bites and pardon my past are both delightful time travel episodes we get jack sheridan and bane jessup two of my personal favorite prue love interests we get p3 h2o and a great prue plotline regarding the death of patty we get the super cute cupid episode it’s a great. collection of episodes. it’s not a great season. there’s just imo not a strong enough thread connecting the stories together it’s mainly held together by having the same characters in it over and over again i really liked dan personally but like. i knew we were wasting time there. he was just an obstacle. a super cute loving and caring obstacle who’s great with kids but lbr piper and leo were always endgame. wasting our time on dan was stupid. i do love the sister dynamics in season two “gotta hand it to those pesky little demons they sure have brought us closer together” but again. this season could have benefitted from a rex and hannah type or even like a cole or zankou. this season is less of a season and more of just like a handful of episodes, and while there are some fat dubs, there are also some definite swings & misses. shout out to the time travel episodes the prue centric episodes phoebe’s character growth and maturity throughout this season (e.g. her going back to college) and i also think the fashion got a lot more fun this season.

second place i’m saying season one season one was a really strong start and gave us these really compelling characters with interesting relationships between one another But. a lot of it just kinda falls flat. and credit where credit is due it was a brand new show getting its feet under it but the fourth sister feats of clay which prue is it anyway they just simply aren’t dubs imo. also i don’t like that 70′s episode bc again i am an asshole concerned about The Lore i can’t believe one bitch ass warlock caused the Charmed Ones to grow up without powers. it just really bugs me. all in all the plots as a whole like aren’t great imo they’re nothing to write home about (save for from fear to eternity) it’s really the characters that make this season so goddamn good.

first place congratulations to the one the only season three. this is just because it kinda hits all my requirements in that it has some banger one offs (e.g. all halliwell’s eve, the good, the bad, and the cursed) it has an overarching plot at the exact same time as the source becomes more prominent and obvi cole is also there with murderous intent i like the character growth we see especially from prue i like piper and leo finally get married overall i really like the aesthetic of this season that blends a darker urban fantasy tone with still some charmed fashion and whimsy. strikes against tbh phoebe and cole’s relationship i am insanely picky with my enemies to lovers and the do not come remotely close to cutting the mustard in fact they are almost immediately disqualified however from afar i can see and respect The Drama. shout out to recasting victor prue with pistols death as a character and shannen directing episodes

[mmguitarbar]

A bad guitar, 1961

In a recent interview with Reverb.com, Fender CEO Andy Mooney laid bare his true feelings about the Jazzmaster and Jaguar, and let me tell you, they were anything but glowing. In the exchange, he brands Leo Fender’s original designs as “not very good guitars” at the time of release, declaring the mistakes of the past fixed in Fender’s latest entries into the offset line. 

Mooney takes a hard stance here, but to be honest his perspective here is nothing new. These critiques have been around for years, and even with the informed views of dedicated users of the Offset Guitar forum, the main axe associations with high profile players like Chris Stapleton and Nels Cline, and my own work over the last decade advocating for the guitars in print and performance –– pardon the horn tooting –– opinions on these fascinating guitars among the general populace are still very much divided.  

I don’t blame folks for holding these opinions because even I, Dear Reader, once believed the very same things. Back in high school I had an Olympic white Japanese Jaguar, a parental purchase spurred on by my love of the band Bush. The kindest way I could describe the guitar is problematic; the strings skipped off of their saddles, the bridge shimmied down, and it would not stay in tune no matter what I did. 

Eventually I traded it in on something more reliable, unwilling to wrestle with the instrument. When I finally came back to the offset guitar 14 years later, I realized that insatiable tinkerer Leo Fender wouldn’t have released a guitar he didn’t think was ready, and so I pushed through my preconceived notions of its flaws to gain a better understanding of the thing. I came out on the other side with a deeper appreciation for the man’s work. 

It seems to me that when a player has a bad experience with these guitars, it’s often because they’ve been poorly maintained. In cases such as these, I view it as an opportunity to educate and reevaluate. After a conversation or a quick adjustment, the player might still decide the models aren’t for them, but more often than not they seem to “get it.” And that’s enough for me.

So here I am, returning from an extended hibernation like a grumpy, shaggy bear; like the aging ensemble cast of a ‘90s sitcom, lured into a reunion for the cameras by the dangling carrot of a handsome payday, each secretly knowing that the end product would not be nearly as good as the show’s initial run; like a cherished childhood movie that, upon re-viewing for the first time in 30 years, has way more adult themes than your young mind could then comprehend, causing feelings of retroactive discomfort because you watched it with your parents in the SAME ROOM???

Prodigal namesake that I am, I have returned with my proverbial pen pressed to the also proverbial page of the Guitar Bar website to feverishly scrawl this open[ish] response in an attempt to give some context and gentle rebuttal to his comments. 

“They were not particularly good guitars when they were first introduced.”

When the Jazzmaster and Jaguar were first released in 1958 and 1962 respectively, they were not only top of the line models, but top sellers as well. While neither model was exactly embraced by the Jazz community, they nonetheless found favor with a varied group of players and all but defined the sound of Surf music while still in its infancy. For a time, they seemed to be everywhere. Admittedly, perceived popularity does not a good guitar make, so let’s look at a handful of early adopters.

At first, session players and country pickers liked the models well enough to use them on stage and in the studio, including Wayne Moss, Hank Garland, Willie Nelson, and Luther Perkins, who has an engraving of the model on his tombstone. If more proof is needed, here are three separate performances of Roy Clark absolutely shredding “12th Street Rag” on a bone stock Jazzmaster and Jaguar. These videos remain favorites of mine because they show someone really digging in and playing fast melodic runs on guitars that people seem to think can’t handle that kind of vigorous right hand technique. 

But if they were so good to begin with, why did sales eventually taper off?

A refinished ’65 from a couple of years back. I actually put the stock bridge back on this one instead of the sloppily installed TOM. It was awesome.

Previously, I’ve explained that the most common complaints with the model aren’t the fault of the design, but rather, trying to make that design do things it was never intended to do: wearing a set of light gauge strings. In the Jazzmaster, Leo Fender’s intention was to appeal to Jazz guitarists by creating a solid body guitar with the string geometry of an archtop: a pitched-back neck, a floating bridge, and a tailpiece, and most importantly, all specifically designed to work with heavy gauge flat wound strings. We’re talking 12s, 13s, and 14s. 

Once lighter gauges (9s and 10s) became the norm in the early to mid 1960s, inadequate string tension reduced the downward force on the bridge, resulting in tuning problems and string skipping. It’s like going off-roading with bald tires: you can certainly do it, but expect to slide around a bit.

At this point in my career I’ve set up well over a thousand of these guitars over the course of my career, and in the overwhelming majority of cases, once you throw on a set of 11 gauge rounds and shim the neck as Leo intended, they just work. They were good guitars then, and they’re still good guitars today.

For more information on setting up these guitars, have a look at our Demystifying series and my May 2017 cover story for Premier Guitar. 

“We’ve made them functionally better”

It’s true that Fender has devoted a significant amount of time and resources into solving the perceived problems with these guitars, including modified vibrato positioning, redesigned bridges, strategically placed nylon bushings, and even neck pockets angled at the factory to eliminate the need for shims. These are all good ideas, a few even great; as is often the case when chasing mass appeal, some have not been as successful as Fender might have hoped.

Take the Classic Player, which features an angled neck pocket and an Adjust-O-Matic bridge yet can still fall prey to the same string path issues of more vintage-correct models. The AOM style bridge was not designed with a vibrato in mind, with sharp, shallow saddle slots that can cause tuning problems of their own. And that’s to say nothing of the mismatched 12” radius bridge on a 9.5” neck, which causes the E strings to be higher off of the fretboard than the D and G in the middle and makes for an inconsistent feel across the neck. 

My friend Brian’s wonderful later model MarrGuar. An amazing guitar that set up beautifully.

Mooney specifically mentions the Johnny Marr model –– indeed a killer guitar ––  yet it’s worth noting that many of the earliest of the bunch left the factory with 56mm bridge string spacing, which turned out to be only a hair slimmer than the width of the neck. Many players reported problems keeping the outer strings on the fretboard, which eventually led to Fender adopting slimmer 52mm spacing in later production runs (linked in case you need one). Here’s a shot of a lovely black one with the worst example of this I have yet to see. 

#gallery-0-5 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-5 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-0-5 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-5 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */

Scroll to see the neck and bridge string spacing problems.

A too-wide bridge…

…causing the E strings to fall off the neck when fretted

Strangely, the earliest American Professionals which came a few years later had the same problems, sometimes necessitating the need for aftermarket parts and prompting another mid-run update. 

As for the new American Ultra guitars, they may not be for me but I can understand why many of the features might appeal to other players looking for a more modern take on the Jazzmaster. With an additional lead circuit control knob, a re-purposed rhythm circuit layout for out of phase operation, rollers for individual pickup volumes, and an S-1 switch for series options, it could be argued that functionally they’re more complex than ever. 

However, once agin Fender curiously employs a mismatched bridge radius, this time a 9.5” bridge mated to a compound 10-14” radius neck, which puts the D and G strings higher off of the fretboard than the Es. Generally, compound necks work best when the string path is treated as a cone, flattening as it expands. In this case, a 16” bridge radius would set up far better than that of the stock part. I suspect we’ll start seeing even these guitars sporting alternative bridges before too long. 

So yes, while it’s good that we’re seeing R&D dedicated to making adjustments, some of those adjustments haven’t actually solved the problems, but rather, changed the nature of them instead.

“Now you can actually play them.”

I’ve made this point abundantly not only in this piece but in nearly everything else I’ve done over the years, but the fact is that Jazzmasters and Jaguars were always playable –– stock bridge included. Take it from an ardent Mastery user: the original bridge is as viable as any other, and once it’s adjusted correctly it’s as fun as it is functional.

Not only is there a wealth of great music made with them over the years as proof, you can refer to articles on this blog, numerous posts on both my personal Instagram as well as Mike & Mike’s showing that the stock bridge is dependable and musical. Hell, every offset guitar the shop sells goes through the same setup process to show off what incredible instruments they can truly be with just a little extra effort.

Closing Arguments

Would you play this stripped ’61, original bridge and all? It was a total beast of a guitar.

Real talk: I get that Mooney’s comments may be a marketing tactic to steer customers toward the current lineup in the Fender catalog, and just in time for the holidays at that. You know the old song and dance: newer is better! Fender does make a great guitar and innovation can be a good thing, so to this I say, fair play. 

Still, I have to believe there’s a better way to say so without throwing heritage –– and our beloved vintage instruments –– under the bus. 

You see, over the last five or so years, it seems to have become fashionable in Fender’s corporate culture to downplay or outright disparage the legacy of Leo Fender, with reps at NAMM overheard saying things like “Leo didn’t get everything right” and “we fixed his mistakes,” phrases repeated at the onset of the latest feature set or spec tweak. 

At best, comments like those in the previous sentence (as well as those which are the basis of this response) make Fender seem out of touch, and at worst, could erode the trust of a very loyal legion of customers.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll be saying it for as long as it needs saying: the Jazzmaster and Jaguar are Leo Fender’s most brilliant and misunderstood designs. It may have taken us 50 years to catch up, but now a growing and dedicated group of fans have found a unique sound here unlike anything you can get from other more traditional guitars. 

Speaking personally, no matter what other instruments are available to me, I reach for an offset first. I have found my musical voice in the Jazzmaster and Jaguar, and I’m never more comfortable or more adventurous than when I have one in my hands.

One last quote: 

“I have Jazzmasters and Jaguars… I have four in a line on my wall from 1966.” 

Andy, if you’ve read this and have found any of it compelling, I’d love the chance to show you just how good those guitars on your wall can be. All I’ll need is a few sets of 11s or 12s, a screwdriver or two, and maybe a couple Cold Ones to share between us. Burritos are good, too.

Oh, and parking validation –– it’s a bit of a drive up from Long Beach and the last thing I want to deal with is finding a spot on those notoriously crowded Hollywood streets.

A bad guitar. A very bad guitar

  An Open[ish] Response to Fender CEO Andy Mooney’s Thoughts on Offset Guitars In a recent interview with Reverb.com, Fender CEO Andy Mooney laid bare his true feelings about the Jazzmaster and Jaguar, and let me tell you, they were anything but glowing.

[mfackenthal]

MFackenthal: A Week in Reviews

Welcome all to the first ever “MFackenthal: A Week in Reviews” - the post where I list everything I have read this week and provide a short description to entice you to read them too.  This is where we learn that I spend too much time on tumblr.  As this is my first post like this – if you have suggestions for how I should do this post in the future – please let me know.  I consider this blog always to be a “work in progress” and I welcome ideas for how best to organize things so to be better for you my dear readers!

What follows is a list of the fics I reviewed this week.  Quick note: This list does not include headcanon posts, ABC posts or any post that wasn’t directly related to a story or storyline.  This also only includes reblogs and not work I “liked” but wasn’t able to provide commentary on.

This means that if you want to find out what I specifically thought about each chapter, that can be found on my blog.  To more easily search my blog, search the phrase “mfackenthal reviews ________” and fill in the blank with the blog name.  IE “mfackenthal reviews maxattack-powell” to find the work I reblogged specifically by @maxattack-powell.

In case it’s not obvious: I recommend ALL of these fics and ALL of these authors.  I cannot say enough about the fabulousness that is these authors. 

The list is organized by love interest.

If the “read more” works then you’ll find the full list under the cut.

Maxwell:

1.  Maxwell gets an education – MC can thank Adelaide later … 

Wild Thoughts by @pbchoicesobsessed

Liam:

2. Does Liam even know what love is?  Catch up with me – I think parts 7 and maybe even 8 are out now.  I’ll be reading those this week for sure!

You Have Never Loved Me Part 4 by @kawairinrin

You Have Never Loved Me Part 5 by @kawairinrin

You Have Never Loved Me Part 6 by @kawairinrin

3. When a couple isn’t on the same page about children … when does separate pages turn into different books altogether?  When mistakes are made how do we come back from that?  I cannot wait to see where this series goes next!

An Heir (Part 16) by @viktoriapetit

An Heir (Part 18) by @viktoriapetit

An Heir (Part 19) by @viktoriapetit

An Heir (Part 20) by @viktoriapetit

4. Honestly – I live and breathe for this series!  I am currently so pissed at Liam. 

TSS: Part 35 by @choicesfanatic86

TSS: Part 36 by @choicesfanatic86

TSS: Part 37 (1/2) by @choicesfanatic86

TSS: Part 37 (2/2) by @choicesfanatic86

5. If I’m pissed at Liam in the TSS series, I am head-over-heals in love with him in this series.  If this was the Liam of the books, Drake would not stand a chance.  

If only: Chapter 9 by @choicesfanatic86

If Only: Chapter 10 by @choicesfanatic86

6. This story is about Liam and MC, but damn if I didn’t fall in love with Drake in this one. 

Terrible Love – Chapter 15 by @confessionsofabrokegirl

Terrible Love – Epilogue by @confessionsofabrokegirl

7. The conversation you didn’t know you needed MC to have with Liam.  It’s so beautiful! 

Wait by @mrswalkerwrites

8. If MC is gonna be the mistress – she should have some fun – and she does!  It’s not all fun though ...

The King’s Mistress by @captainkingliam

The King’s Mistress – The Duchy – Pt. 3 by @captainkingliam

9.  All the Scandals that the King gets to see … 

Arrangements by @hellospunkiebrewster

10.  I’m still mourning the loss of the corgi.  This story in three parts is sad, it’s angsty, it’s going to set us up for so much more drama.  

When Three Became Two by @laniquelove

When They Give Up by @laniquelove

When They’ve Had Enough by @laniquelove

11. Husband and wife swap lives. Let’s just say she does a better job at being him than the reverse.  A very humorous read.  

Freaky Friday – Part 1 by @xxrainbowprincessxx

Freaky Friday – Part 2 by @xxrainbowprincessxx

12. If you haven’t started this series yet, it’s time to do so.  Then start whining for more with me! Find out what happens with MC leaves, Liam is hurt, Olivia gets a little too much power, and Cordonia moves towards democratization ...

We the People Ch. 6 – A Dinner Party by @captainkingliam

Drake:

13. I am absolutely in love with this series.  In the AU, everyone is working at an elementary school.  I need more ASAP @larryssunflower!

TRR AU – Teachers (part three) by @larryssunflower

14. It’s built into the title – this is Everything You Ever Wanted. It’s funny.  It’s creative.  Read it.

Secrets – Part 12 of “Everything You Ever Wanted” by @lizeboredom

Foreign Affairs – Part 13 of “Everything You Ever Wanted”  by @lizeboredom

14.  This is another series that I live and breathe for.  Catch up and learn one more reason why I hate Constantine!

Queen of My Heart – Chapter 19 by @walkerismychoice

Queen of My Heart – Chapter 20 by @walkerismychoice

15.  I live for the snarky teasing that Drake provides as written by @tmarie82.

Fireside Games (Part 1) by @tmarie82

16.  Did I mention that I love Drake and snark?  Drake gets the last word in this fic … 

Idle Threats by @lizeboredom

17. An AU where Drake met MC first and while he was in college … I can’t wait to see where this goes!

Bonfire by @traeumerinwitzhelden  

18.  When Drake is fluffy my heart melts. 

3 AM by @drakewalkerwhipped

19. A Poly story where Savannah is less than supportive.

Ours Forever by @bobasheebaby

Conflict by @bobasheebaby

The Blow Up by @bobasheebaby

Bastien:

20. A slow burn that is anything but slow.  Check this series out and you may never see Bastien quite the same way again … 

More Than This – Part Seven by @honeylightningambition

More Than This – Part Eight by @honeylightningambition

Leo:

21. Liam and Leo fall for the same girl ... so far only one of them has admitted it ... Catch up on this series and cheer Leo on with me. 

Duties of a Prince – Chapter 17 by @theroyalweisme

22.  Catch up on this series and help me decide if I want the father to be Liam or Leo … 

The Waterfall, part 7 of The Other Brother Series by @captainkingliam

The Test, part 8 of The Other Brother Series by @captainkingliam

Original Characters:

23. Okay – if I had to choose a favorite of the week – this would be my favorite.  Of course, this piece was written for me and makes me character in the world of A Prince of the Sea as written by @captainkingliam.  This references the only fic I have ever written and may be the only fic I ever write.  (We’ll see.)  I still claim what I wrote was more support than fic.  You can read it here: The Case of the Maligned Prince. Luca sends me my favorite flowers.  I love you, @captainkingliam!

The Case of the Maligned Prince – Luca Tribute by @captainkingliam

24. I love Luca!  This is the series about Luca.  I’m the president of a fanclub about Luca and his siblings. Obviously, I’m invested in this story and think you should be too.  In case you don’t know, Luca is the oldest son of Riley and Liam and this story is about his social season.

A Prince of the Sea – Chapter 9 by @captainkingliam

A Prince of the Sea – Chapter 10 by @captainkingliam

A Prince of the Sea – Chapter 11 by @captainkingliam

Damien:

 25. I know these were listed about but it’s a crossover.  So I’ll simply repeat what I said above: It’s built into the title – this is Everything You Ever Wanted. It’s funny.  It’s creative.  Read it. 

Secrets – Part 12 of “Everything you Ever Wanted” by @lizeboredom

Foreign Affairs – Part 13 by @lizeboredom

26. Damien gets played by MC.  Win win really.

Tell Me You’re Mine by @mrsnazario1223

27.  Romantic comedy meets realism in this beautiful fic. 

The Moment by @mrswalkerwrites

Chris:

28. When MC feels guilty for spending time with Nathan … 

Wake Me From This Nightmare by @darley1101

29. If you love Chris and haven’t yet found the better more thorough recount of The Freshman as written by @maxattack-powell, then today is your day!  This chapter highlights the way Chris and MC support each other.  I love it.  You’ll also get just a little time with another OC who I love: Ethan. 

The Freshman 2-8a: The Hospital by @maxattack-powell

30. Chris struggles with the “no strings attached” line he has given MC … 

Caught During the Storm: Part 3 … Out Came the Sun … by @emerald-bijou

Seth:

31.  When one Minah is mad at Seth … he finds comfort with a different Minah.

Lucky by @lizeboredom

Kenna x Val

32.  Chapter 2 of 23 about the Queens of Stormholt.  I’m a bit behind on reviewing this work, but I think we’re up to chapter 9.  I’ll be reviewing this week, if I can.  Catch up with me.  If you read The Crown and The Flame – or even if you didn’t.  It’s time for us to revisit it through this series. 

The Queens of Stormholt: Chapter 2 by @kennaxval

note: Another big thanks to @drivenbyfantasy for creating the graphic.  She and many others (notably: @maxattack-powell, @captainkingliam, @theroyalweisme, @trianiasti, @queencatherynerhys, @tmarie82, and @lizeboredom) helped me think through what this post would look like each week.  Thank you to all of you for your help and to any of you who read this!

One final note:  I reblogged 56 fics this week.

Yes, I have a problem. No, I don’t (yet) want help.

Last, but not least, on the off chance that I missed a fic that you know I reblogged, my apologies! It was unintentional and is not a reflection on you, but upon my inability to maintain my own blog.  Also, if a link or a tag doesn’t work - I am sorry! My excuse:  56 links. 

[gadgetsrevv]

Arsenal and Tottenham entertain but aren’t a threat. PLUS — Juve and Napoli dazzle in Serie A title preview

Gab Marcotti is here to recap another busy, dramatic weekend in soccer. Welcome to Monday Musings.

Jump to: North London derby lessons | Juve, Napoli show flaws | Barca drop points | Lukaku abused | Man United’s transition | Bale back for Real? | Dortmund’s wake-up call | Salah, Mane drama? | Super Simeone and Atletico| Rome derby a fun one | Trouble for Lampard? | Big statement by Bayern | And finally… Bas Dost

Derby lessons: Arsenal, Spurs miles off the pace

What struck you most about the North London Derby was how ragged and stretched these two teams became in the second half. When the distance between the back line and the attackers expands like it did on Sunday, it’s usually the result of a tactical breakdown. You could chalk some of it up to fatigue, I guess, but it’s not what you expect from coaches like Mauricio Pochettino and Unai Emery. The former has had plenty of time to build a side with a distinct tactical identity, while the latter is in his second season and has a reputation as a tactical savant.

The result was a 2-2 draw that left little doubt that these two teams aren’t where their managers want them to be. Tottenham in particular look a shadow of themselves not just tactically, but physically as well: maybe it’s the result of the summer training regimen, which is notoriously taxing under Pochettino but yields dividends later. At least Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen seem to be off the naughty step, Dele Alli is close to full fitness and, when Tanguy Ndombele returns, there will be more options.

Pochettino put a rather more positive spin on it — “I am so optimistic that we have the quality to build again” he said, adding that “the good feelings” had returned — but you wonder how much of that was “managerspeak.” It’s going to take more to convince most that Spurs have turned the corner.

Arsenal and Tottenham let it all hang out on Sunday, but the 2-2 draw just showed how far behind the top two they are.

As for Emery, he praised his team’s hard work to get a point after being 2-0 down at home, while also complaining about their tactical foibles in the first half. You wonder, though, what his game plan was to begin with. Going with a 4-3-3 formation while leaving out Dani Ceballos at home is a statement that screams: “we’re going to sit and counter,” which is fine even if a bit humdrum. But if you’re going to do that, at least do it well.

– Ogden: Fightback will buy Emery more time – Spurs ratings: Son stands out – Arsenal ratings: Aubameyang, Lacazette 8/10

The biggest concern, though, has to be down the spine. In midfield, for the bright spot that was Matteo Guendouzi, there was the nasty blot that was Granit Xhaka. And at the back, David Luiz had one of those “switch-off” games, while Sokratis Papastathopoulos was at fault for the first goal.

Was it a one-off? Do we expect these two thirty-somethings to markedly improve at the season wears on? And if they don’t, are we comfortable with Rob Holding (who hasn’t played since 2018), Calum Chambers (who mostly played midfield last year) and Shkodran Mustafi (who is, well, Shkodran Mustafi) to step up?

Nope, me neither.

This was the season many hoped the North London clubs would close the gap on Liverpool and Manchester City. Instead, the chasm still looks huge.

Juventus, Napoli flaws exposed in seven-goal thriller

For a minute, Carlo Ancelotti must have been thinking he was living his own personal Istanbul, only in reverse. His side were 3-0 down away to Juventus and stormed back to equalize. (OK, nitpickers: I know the difference as I was there. Liverpool’s turnaround took six minutes, this one took 15, but still …) And then, deep in injury time, Kalidou Koulibaly sliced a clearance into the back of the net in the cruelest twist to give Juve a 4-3 win.

For the neutral, it was captivating. For the two clubs, a sign that there is still work to do.

Ancelotti questioned the defensive mistakes — not so much Koulibaly’s own goal, but what came before — and why his team “only started playing in the second half.” He has a point, although sending on Hirving “Chucky” Lozano and Mario Rui at half-time undoubtedly rattled Juve and illustrates the range of attacking options at his disposal: it’s up to him to find the right mix in the right game.

– Horncastle: Juve, Napoli show Serie A is wide open

Juventus didn’t look much like a Maurizio Sarri team — possibly because his illness means he hasn’t taken training in several weeks and watched from a luxury box — but rather, for more than an hour, like a version of last season’s. They were stout defensively and devastating on the break, with plenty individual quality. Then came the collapse, and while fingers will be pointed at Matthijs De Ligt, it’s worth remembering the obvious. He only turned 20 last month — at his age Leo Bonucci had played a single minute of league football and Giorgio Chiellini had yet to make his debut in Serie A and both turned out OK — and he’s dealing with massive changes like a new league, a new language and a new culture.

Plus, with all due respect to the Eredivisie, you can probably count on two hands the number of opponents of Napoli’s quality that he has faced, and that includes Champions League and internationals. That said, De Ligt is a very different player from the injured Chiellini: for all his skills, he lacks the freakish athleticism that can help a young player paper over tactical cracks. Juventus will need to make adjustments while he develops.

Beyond that, there were plenty of positives for both managers to focus on. Gonzalo Higuain may not last 90 minutes, but he looked sharp and motivated and poised for a comeback season. The formation switch — 4-3-3 when attacking, 4-4-2, with Douglas Costa sliding into midfield and Blaise Matuidi going wide — also worked relatively well and might be the answer to carrying Cristiano Ronaldo and Higuain in a Sarri system. Napoli showed tons of personality and Fabian Ruiz, again, showed his quality and leadership, while Alex Meret made some key saves.

There’s plenty more to work on — Juve could use more width, Napoli’s center-backs need to get back to where we expect them to be — but the foundations are there.

Barcelona drop points amid Neymar drama

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez will supposedly return after the international break. When they do, they’ll find a Barcelona side five points off the pace in La Liga after the weekend’s 1-1 draw with Osasuna. Not much to cheer then, apart from the contributions of homegrown youngsters Carles Perez and, in particular, 16-year-old Ansu Fati, who came on and became the third-youngest goal scorer in the history of La Liga.

Much of the past week has been marked by Barcelona’s pursuit of Neymar. As I said before, this never felt like a football move (they already have Messi, Suarez and Antoine Griezmann up front) or, indeed, a rational one (Barca aren’t a bottomless pit of cash, and Neymar breaks the bank wherever he goes). Now, I’m wondering if it was ever real.

The rumour going around Monaco at the Champions League draw was that it more a case of Barca wanting to appear to be doing something in order to appease somebody. (Who? Fans? Media? Messi? Who the heck knows?)

The fact that PSG say they only received the first written offer on August 27 and that the only way this deal would ever get done was as a player-plus-cash swap, which is always complicated and time-consuming and suggests this was never the cards. And maybe both clubs knew it all along.

Cagliari, Italy must step up against racial abuse

It happened again at Cagliari. You’d rather talk about Inter’s 2-1, victory but the actions of the few imbeciles who racially abused Romelu Lukaku make it tough to do, especially since a whole string of players of color have been abused there, most recently Moise Kean and Blaise Matuidi.

Lukaku, to his credit, called for unity on Monday among players against this issue and there will be, rightly, calls for the authorities to act. But this illustrates neatly what the problem is and what Cagliari — both club and fans — can and must do right now. It’s not just about apologising and condemning; it’s about identifying (name and shame, let’s see what their families/employers think about this) those responsible and making it clear they’re not welcome at their ground. That applies to the supporters in the Curva Nord who heard the abuse and the stewards in that area of the ground.

The former ought to be encouraged to step forward (yes, there are cameras and microphones, but eyewitness accounts — even relayed anonymously — go a whole lot further in getting things done), the latter ought to be told to do their jobs.

Expect a long, difficult season for Man United

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer felt Manchester United “should have won” instead of drawing 1-1 with Southampton, blaming the fact they did not on “finishing” and “final passes.” To each his own. I’d be more concerned about how extraordinarily one-dimensional they look. It’s true that you can have success by doing the same thing over and over if you do it extraordinarily well; it’s just that much harder.

With Alexis Sanchez, Matteo Darmian and Chris Smalling leaving this past week, the first team is down to 25 outfield players. It sounds like a lot until you consider that six of them are relatively untested youngsters, another two (Marcos Rojo and Eric Bailly are long-term injury absentees) and another is Phil Jones.

It’s obvious that this will be a long transition season with more players leaving by attrition: Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic and Ashley Young aren’t getting any younger. The question is: transition to what? And should worse come to worse — say, a mid-table finish — will they stick with it or embark on their umpteenth change of direction?

Is Bale a key player again for Real?

Right now, it feels as if Zinedine Zidane is simply throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks. The 2-2 draw at Villarreal saw him again switch systems and personnel (4-4-2, with Gareth Bale and Lucas Vazquez out wide) and we caught our first glimpse of the Karim Benzema–Luka Jovic partnership. But while they had plenty of possession, there were also jitters — and downright howlers, like Sergio Ramos‘ blunder — at the back and often chaos up front.

Bale’s two goals were his first in the league since March, although he rather put a dampener on his night by picking up two yellows in injury time. Does it mean he cares and isn’t actually just interested in playing golf? I’ll let others psychoanalyse him, since it seems to be a favorite leisure pursuit in and around Madrid.

Meanwhile though, you wonder how clear Zidane’s thinking is, particularly vis-a-vis Bale, given he spent the summer pushing him out the door only to then start him in every game this season. You hope things will come into focus after the break, when Eden Hazard finally returns.

Dortmund aren’t winning titles like this

Let Borussia Dortmund’s 3-1 bloody nose away to Union Berlin serve as a wake-up call. This was a horrid performance that can’t be explained away by the enthusiasm of playing away to a newly promoted club.

The summer spending, coupled with Bayern’s rebuild, had many thinking it could be Dortmund’s season. But that’s not going to happen with performances like this.

No worry about Mane, Salah drama

I like the fact that even winning 3-0 away to Burnley, Sadio Mane got angry that Mohamed Salah didn’t pass him the ball, despite that you’d imagine he’d be used to the Egyptian’s foibles after two years together. You want to see players holding teammates to account and putting the team first.

I’m not sure it’s greed on Salah’s part as much as it is tunnel vision in the final third. It’s something he’s had his entire career — and, possibly, what hurt his finishing early on — and it has long frustrated managers and teammates. Klopp has done a bang-up job of papering over it, but the reality may be very simple: with Salah you just have to take the good with the bad.

And as long as the former far outweighs the latter, you’ll put up with it.

Simeone’s magic working on new Atletico

The only perfect side in La Liga are Atletico Madrid. And while they had to huff and puff to come back from two goals down to win 3-2 against Eibar, they’re not just getting results, they’ve evolved and are more multifaceted (read: less “Cholistas“) than before.

I said on the FC TV show and I’ll say it again. When you consider the upheaval this summer with the departures of Griezmann, Rodri and, of course, Diego Godin, if they do win La Liga, they might as well rename their ground “Cholo” Metropolitano.

Whether it’s the reinvention of Thomas Lemar, the faith in Joao Felix, the fact that Mario Hermoso looks like he’s been there for five years or the belief in Renan Lodi‘s front-foot style, there is little question that Diego Simeone is earning his bacon this year.

Rome derby a real thrill ride

So much for the old trope whereby derbies are hard-fought, tight, fingernail-chewing affairs. Lazio and Roma finished 1-1, hitting the woodwork no fewer than six times between them and putting on a pulsating show.

Lazio look more like a team right now, which is what you expect given that this is Simone Inzaghi’s fourth season and they made very few changes over the summer. Paulo Fonseca’s side is a work in progress and they are going right down to the wire in the transfer market: Nikola Kalinic and Smalling arrived last week and Henrikh Mkhitaryan is his way. There’s more to come from both.

Lampard’s trust in youth leads to Chelsea draw

I’m all for giving youngsters a chance, but there’s a time and a place. On Saturday, Chelsea were 2-0 up at half-time and flying at home to Sheffield United. They conceded a goal immediately after the break and suffered through most of the second half. With six minutes to go, Frank Lampard replaced Mateo Kovacic with Billy Gilmour, an 18-year-old midfielder making his debut.

Gilmour wasn’t great, but he wasn’t the reason Chelsea gave up the equalizer (you can blame successive mistakes from veterans for that) but those are far from ideal conditions in which to make your debut. You assume Lampard knows him best and that the kid has the personality and guts to bounce back, but what Lampard’s choice shows most of all is that he feels zero pressure to do things according to conventional wisdom. This may or may not be a good thing.

A big statement by Bayern

Bayern got just what they wanted in their 6-1 walloping of Mainz. Ivan Perisic and Philippe Coutinho made their debuts in the starting XI, Robert Lewandowski scored again (what’s new?) and even the much-maligned Alphonso Davies got on the score sheet.

You can’t read too much into it because Mainz are awful and Robert Kovac was clearly shuffling his deck. But six different goal scorers feels good …

And finally…

Bas Dost came on at half-time and scored on his debut for Eintracht Frankfurt in their 2-1 home win over Fortuna Dusseldorf, leaving them fifth in the table. With one goal every 45 minutes, he’s on pace to score 63 goals this season.

This concludes the latest instalment of #BasDostWatch.

//due to VPPA compliance we can not send keywords through URLs implicitly in the US var countryValue = $.cookie("country"); if(!!countryValue && countryValue !== "us") {

(function() { var _fbq = window._fbq || (window._fbq = []); if (!_fbq.loaded) { var fbds = document.createElement('script'); fbds.async = true; fbds.src = "http://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbds.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(fbds, s); _fbq.loaded = true; } _fbq.push(['addPixelId', '1587432981493230']); })(); window._fbq = window._fbq || []; window._fbq.push(['track', 'PixelInitialized', {}]);

$.ajax({ url: '//pixel.mathtag.com/event/js?mt_id=694557&mt_adid=137010&v1=&v2=&v3=&s1=&s2=&s3=', dataType: 'script', cache: true }); } (function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;js.src = "http://connect.facebook.net/en_GB/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=116656161708917";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, "script", "facebook-jssdk")); Source link

via wordpress https://ift.tt/2zGvGCO

[papermoonloveslucy]

Lucy Digs Up a Date

S1;E2 ~ October 8, 1962

Synopsis

Lucy and Viv are looking for dates to an upcoming dance when Jerry comes home from school and announces that he got a "D" from "Old Man Taylor." When the "old man" turns out to be young and handsome, Lucy schemes to look at his driver's license to find out if he's married, but forgets to put it back in his wallet. She and Viv sneak into the YMCA where he's staying to secretly return it - but things don’t go as planned. 

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carmichael), Vivian Vance (Vivian Bagley), Candy Moore (Chris Carmichael), Jimmy Garrett (Jerry Carmichael), Ralph Hart (Sherman Bagley)

Dick Martin (Harry Connors) is probably best remembered as the co-host of “Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In” from 1967 to 1973.  He was born Thomas Richard Martin on January 30, 1922, in Battle Creek, Michigan. As a teenager he lost a lung to tuberculosis and used bottled oxygen for the rest of his life. Martin was a writer for the popular radio show "Duffy's Tavern" before teaming up with Dan Rowan in the 1950s. They played nightclubs and Las Vegasbefore Martin being cast as Harry Conners, his ‘acting’ debut.  He was married three times and died in 2008 of respiratory failure.

In this episode it is established that Harry is an airline pilot and that he and Lucy have been dating, although their relationship is not serious. The character is referred to in the first act, but only enters during the episode's final moments. This is the first of his ten appearances on the series - all in season one. He is mentioned but not seen in the series premiere “Lucy Waits Up for Chris“ (S1;E1), where we also meet his dog, Tiger. 

Guest Cast

William Windom (Henry Taylor) was one of TV's most recognizable character actors, with his first credit in 1949.  He won an Emmy for his series “My World and Welcome To It” in 1970.  The same year he guest-starred on “The Lucy Show” Windom appeared opposite Gregory Peck as the Prosecuting Attorney in To Kill a Mockingbird. This episode was his only screen appearance with Lucille Ball. He died in 2012 at the age of 88.

It is established that Mr. Taylor has recently relocated to Danfield from San Francisco and that he is a Sagittarius.  

Don Briggs (Eddie Collins, above center) appeared on the 1930s radio program "Welcome Valley" and played the title role in "Frank Merriwell," which led to his first film, playing the character in the 1936 Universal serial The Adventures of Frank Merriwell. He also starred with Lucille Ball in the 1939 film Panama Lady. He played the recurring character of Eddie Collins for seven episodes.  He later turned up on a 1970 episode of “Here's Lucy”. Briggs died in 1986 at the age of 75.  

In this episode it is established that Eddie Collins is a someone Viv sometimes dates, but like Harry and Lucy, they are not in a serious relationship.

Gene O'Donnell (Charley Graham, above left) makes his only appearance on “The Lucy Show” but he was glimpsed in the 1967 film A Guide for the Married Man, in which Lucille Ball had a cameo.

Robert Rockwell (Tom Bennett) was best known as the dreamboat teacher Mr. Boynton on “Our Miss Brooks” starring Eve Arden, which ran on CBS at the same time as “I Love Lucy.”  Rockwell returned for a 1973 episode of “Here’s Lucy.” He died in 2003 at the age of 82.

Vito Scotti (Vito, the Fencing Instructor) was born in San Francisco, but spent much of his youth in Naples, Italy.  Prior to this he played a Tijuana shopkeeper on “Lucy Goes to Mexico,” a 1958 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour,” and had a small role in the Bob Hope / Lucille Ball film The Facts of Life  (1960).  He will return to “The Lucy Show” for the 1966 episode “Lucy the Robot” (S4;E23).  He is probably best remembered for his recurring role as Captain Fomento on “The Flying Nun” (1967-1969). He died in 1996 at age 78. 

James Gonzales (Stan Williams, above center) was a popular Hollywood extra who first acted with Lucille Ball in the 1953 film The Long, Long Trailer.  He was seen in 23 episodes of “The Lucy Show” and 3 episodes of “Here's Lucy.”

Robert R. Stephenson (YMCA Desk Clerk) was born in England in 1901.  He returned to the series to play the Parcel Post Deliveryman in “Together for Christmas” (S1;E13).  

When Viv is trying to decipher the initials “RB” in her phone directory, her guesses include former beaus Ronnie Belmont or Rudy Brown, but it turns out to be her own ex-husband, Ralph Bagley.  Before this disappointing discovery, Lucy jokingly hopes “RB” stands for Richard Burton. This is the first celebrity reference on the series.  Burton had just finished up a run on Broadway in Camelot, which opened two weeks before Wildcat starring Lucille Ball. Camelot was also a best-selling original cast album at the time. Burton and his wife Elizabeth Taylor appeared on a well-publicized 1970 episode of “Here's Lucy.”

Apparently Lucy does some of her laundry in the kitchen sink! Both All and Wisk are still sold in stores today. It is possible these products were sponsors or prospective sponsors.  

It is established that Danfield has a clothing store called Kleinstaff’s and a new YMCA. The Young Men's Christian Association was founded in 1844 to put Christian principles into practice by developing a healthy "body, mind, and spirit.”  Toward that end, they serve as educational and community centers with gyms, classrooms, and sometimes swimming pools.  

Until the late 1950s, YMCAs in the United States were built with hotel-like rooms called residences or dormitories. The rooms became a significant part of American culture, known as inexpensive and safe places for a visitor to stay in an unfamiliar city. In 1940 there were about 100,000 rooms at YMCAs, more than any hotel chain. Today YMCAs with residences have become extremely rare, although some still remain.

When looking at his driver's license, Lucy notices that Mr. Taylor is a Sagittarius and she remarks that she is a Leo (same as Lucille Ball).  In real life, William Windom was a Libra.

The premise of the episode has Lucy and Viv digging up dates to attend the Starlighter's Charity Dance.  Tickets are $10, which equates to $80 in 2017. No wonder Viv is reluctant not to attend!  

This is the second episode to show Lucy outside a window.

Callbacks!

This isn’t the first time we have seen the girls in a gym.  In “The Charm School” (ILL S3;E15) Miss Emerson (Natalie Schaffer) puts them through their paces in her salon’s gymansium. After Vivian Vance departs “The Lucy Show,” the Countess (Ann Sothern) and Lucy work out in “Lucy at the Fat Farm” (S3;E21) where Mr. Mooney (Gale Gordon) is the one making them sweat.

The fencing exercises between Lucy and coach Vito are comically similar to those of Lucy Ricardo and Madame DuMond (Mary Wickes) in “The Ballet” (ILL S1;E19).  

Blooper Alerts!

Lucy calls Jerry’s former teacher “Mrs. Lopus,” named after Lucille Ball’s childhood friend Flo Pauline Lopus. In the previous episode, Lucy talked about a manicurist neighbor named Flo, another nod to her school chum.  However, when Mr. Taylor visits Lucy, he refers to the teacher he replaced as “Mrs. Lucas.”  

Apparently the set designers were not yet happy with the wall over the buffet. In the previous episode “Lucy Waits Up for Chris” (S1;E1), the wall featured a large painting and outdoor-style lanterns.  In this episode, the painting is gone and the lights have become candelabra style sconces. 

The biggest gaffe in the episode is the idea that Lucy could discover Mr. Taylor’s marital status by looking at his driver’s license.  Although California licenses of the time did have a checkbox for marital status, New York licenses have never included this information.  Like “I Love Lucy,” “The Lucy Show” was filmed in California, but was set in New York.  While Mr. Taylor is established as recently having moved from California and might still have a California license, it is unlikely that Lucy would know the kind of information contained on the driver’s licenses of other states in order to look for confirmation of whether a man is single or married. 

Throughout the episode, the kitchen clock over the stove continually reads 3:40.  Lucy needs to get that fixed!  

“Lucy Digs Up a Date” rates 4 Paper Hearts out of 5