#on the upside they delivered on the ending of episode 7

[jestpoll]

JUST found out that the usual Lupin III dub cast recently dubbed part one and let me tell y'all it's certainly A Trip

[marjansmarwani]

maybe, I’m afraid 

3.8k || ao3

Episode 2x06, but with Carlos (as it should have been)

Just me here again to give Carlos the screen time he should have had. 

A little late to the party maybe (I have no idea how you all manage to get fics up within 24 hours of the episode, I am in awe of that ability) but I still felt the need to make my contribution.

--------

Most days Carlos was pretty sure that after 7 years on the force he had seen everything there was to see. 

Other days he got a call to respond to two teenagers trapped in a homemade minefield and he was forced to reevaluate that sentiment. 

It doesn’t take long to figure out all there is to know, including just how bad it really is, and by the time the familiar ladder truck pulled up (because of course it was the 126) he was waiting outside the passenger door to give Owen the rundown. 

“Officer Reyes,” he greeted when he saw him, “I’m surprised to see you. I thought this would be a little out of your jurisdiction.” 

Carlos shook his head, “Just barely within it, another half-mile and the sheriffs would be handling the call.”

“But you managed to snag it, lucky you.”

“Can’t say I would have been too upset if I had missed out on this one,” Carlos agreed drily. 

Owen hummed in agreement as he surveyed the scene, “What are we looking at, exactly?”  

It was a bleak picture: two brothers, trapped. One injured, both scared and stuck in an active minefield without a map. And the bomb squad was at least 40 minutes out. He saw his concern reflected on Owen’s face as he considered the situation and all the implications. If they waited, the boy would die. If they went in, he would be possibly sending some of his people to die too. 

And yet Carlos knew what choice he was going to make before he even opened his mouth. He had learned so many things during his time with TK, and one of them was that in so many ways he and his dad were a lot alike. If it were his call, TK wouldn’t have been able to leave those boys in there either. So when the instruction came, he wasn’t surprised. 

“We’re going to need the heaviest duffel we can find and spray paint - the brighter the better.”

Carlos locked eyes with TK briefly as he and the rest of his team turned to start gathering supplies, giving him a smile and hoping that it conveyed everything he wanted him to know: it would be alright, no matter what. 

He almost believed it too. 

All was calm at the start, the 126 functioning like the well-oiled machine they were. In no time they were prepped and Owen was striding back towards the ambulance, asking the new guy if he was ready to go. The discussion quickly transformed into an argument and Carlos couldn’t help but glance back over at the minefield and the brothers. Every moment they argued was one less moment these boys had. Carlos was considering stepping in when a new voice entered the discussion, effectively bringing the escalating argument to a halt. 

“I’ll go.” 

And Carlos froze because he knew that voice. He would know it anywhere, it drew him like a moth to a flame in any room. He turned slowly to find TK standing slightly apart from his crew, stance relaxed but jaw set in determination. 

“I was a dual function FD medic in New York,” he explained, voice calm and firm, “all my certifications are up to date. I can do this.” 

Carlos didn’t need to be looking at him, didn’t need to see where his gaze shifted to know that those last words were directed at his dad. The knowledge made Carlos’s heart ache. The fact that his boyfriend still felt the need to prove himself to his dad after all this time and all he had accomplished killed him, but the thought of TK willingly walking into the minefield killed him even more. 

But it wasn’t his choice to make and when Owen nodded, he felt a cold dread spread throughout his body. This wasn’t how today was supposed to go. Today was not supposed to be the day he watched his boyfriend walk into an active minefield. That day was never supposed to come, and yet here it was. 

He walked over to where TK was switching out his gear, struggling with a strap that was twisting over his shoulder. He reached out for the strap without a word, smoothing it out and snapping it in place. They didn’t speak as Carlos stepped back, surveying the harness and gear for any other twists or issues. 

“It’s going to be fine, Carlos.” 

TK’s voice, soft and reassuring, broke the silence and Carlos met his eyes sharply. He wanted so desperately to believe him, but there was a field filled with explosives that had already claimed one life today behind them and he was finding it hard to be optimistic. 

“Are you sure about this?” he asked instead. 

TK pulled his helmet on, his steady gaze never leaving Carlos, “Of course I’m sure, the kid’s going to die if we don’t go out there, Carlos. I need to help if I can.” 

Carlos reached down to grab his medical bag and held it out to him. He didn’t like the thought of the man he loved purposefully putting himself in harm’s way, but he also knew TK. As much as he might hate it sometimes, this was TK: always ready to help, always willing to put himself at risk if it meant saving someone else, and there was nothing Carlos could do to change that. And he wouldn’t want to - it was a part of TK that made him who he was: someone that Carlos loved with all his heart. 

When TK reached out to take the bag from him, he didn’t release it immediately. He let his grip linger for an extra moment as he studied TK, his heart pounding in his chest.

“Just, be careful,” he told him softly. TK gave him a small smile, and Carlos released his grip on the bag, allowing TK to walk away, towards the minefield. He was still watching as he ascended the ladder that would drop him out onto the minefield when he felt the presence of others appearing at his side. 

“He’ll be okay kid,” Judd said quietly, eyes never leaving the sight of the two Strands climbing to the end of the ladder. 

“You don’t know that Judd,” Carlos responded just as quietly, already feeling his fingernails digging into his palm as he clenched his hands at his side. 

“No,” the older man agreed softly, “I don’t. But I do know they’ll be as careful as they can.” 

Carlos nodded, eyes tracking every movement desperately. They had reached the edge of the ladder now and he watched as Owen tossed down the duffel, as they both reeled back in preparation for an explosion. He could feel his heart skip a beat and his breath catch in his throat as they waited, but there was only silence and after a moment, he allowed himself to breathe again. 

“I don’t know if my heart can take this,” Paul lamented from his left, “that was nerve-wracking and they still have a long way to go.” 

Carlos nodded wearily, but caught his retort before it slipped out of his mouth: if they made it that far. He didn’t need to release that idea into the universe and the others didn’t need to hear it. So he swallowed it and continued watching. Each and every movement they made was agonizing to watch, but each and every thud of them landing unharmed gave him a moment to catch his breath, a brief reprieve for his heart to beat normally. They had settled into a rhythm, and everything was going smoothly. 

Until it wasn’t. 

The sound of the mine exploding filled the air around them and worked its way into Carlos’s soul. It sent shockwaves through his body as he watched, desperately trying to see through the haze of smoke and debris. He couldn’t see him, he didn’t know if he was okay. 

That fact was more than enough to bring on the fear. It attacked him with a vengeance, freezing him to the spot. He felt as if the whole world froze in that moment; suspending him in the terror of not knowing, trapping him with doubt and fear. 

And then he heard TK’s voice, and he could breathe again. It might just be the most wonderful thing he had ever heard. 

When Owen’s voice sounded across the radios, confirming that they were both in one piece, time picked back up at its usual pace. He felt himself sag in relief, grateful for the knowing and supportive hand on his shoulder from Judd. He spared a glance at the others, seeing his relief reflected on their faces and in their stances. 

Marjan let out a long breath, “That was…” 

“Intense,” Paul agreed grimly, “let’s never do that again.” 

They all nodded, and Carlos couldn’t agree more. 

If there was an upside to that moment it was that the path forward was now clear and the two Strands made quick work of the rest of the journey, closing the distance between them and the boys in seconds. Carlos watched in awe as TK slipped into medic mode the moment he reached the boys’ sides, calmly managing the scene and taking care of the patient. It was a wonder to watch. He handled it all with focus and compassion, quietly reassuring the boys even as he gave instructions to his dad and administered care. He was cool and steady even as he delivered the lifesaving compressions, forcing the teen’s blood to pump through his veins with his own hands. It was only minutes before his voice sounded over the radio, announcing that the injured boy was stable and no amount of fear or worry could have stopped the intense pride Carlos felt in that moment. 

“Kid’s got some skills,” Judd observed with a fond smile and Carlos could only grin. 

Paul nodded, “Looks like someone’s been holding out on us, that was pretty impressive I must admit.” 

“Badass is more like it!” Mateo exclaimed and Marjan, standing next to him, laughed even as she placed a hand on his arm. 

“Steady Probie,” she reminded him, “they still have to get out of there. Let’s not jinx anything.”

Her words tempered the celebratory mood of the group, but even though Carlos had never let go of that fear (he knew he wouldn’t until TK was out of the minefield and at least 2 miles away) it felt different from before. It was wrapped in that pride now, and even as Carlos watched them prep to move and the bomb squad moved out to locate and detonate any mines along the path, he couldn’t shake that. It was almost stronger than the fear now, this pride he felt for TK. That was his boyfriend; the person who had just saved two young brothers in the middle of a minefield was the man he loved. Just when he thought that he had come to know every bit of his body and soul, he managed to surprise him all over again. 

It took every ounce of restraint and professionalism Carlos had to not rush over to TK the moment he cleared the edge of the minefield. He forced himself to wait, focusing on his own job while keeping a watchful eye on TK as he reported back to Captain Vega, as he got an exam from the new paramedic. It wasn’t until he headed back to the ladder truck that Carlos broke away from the crowd, meeting him at the side of the engine. TK looked up as he approached, a smile on his face and a greeting on his lips, but Carlos pulled him into his arms before he even had a chance to speak. 

He held him tightly, savoring the feeling of his breath on his collar and the faint sound of the beating of his heart. His familiar scent filled Carlos’s head with each breath and he closed his eyes. He would have been happy to stand there forever, feeling this and just being them and while he knew they couldn’t, he was determined to have at least a few moments more before the world interrupted. If nothing else, the universe at least owed him this. 

“I’m okay Carlos,” TK said evenly, his voice muffled against Carlos’s shoulder. 

But you almost weren’t. The words rang through his head, but he didn’t speak them. Instead he pulled away just enough to see TK’s face as he asked, “Are you sure?” 

“Yes,” TK assured him firmly, placing a steady hand on his chest, “the new medic looked me over but I could have told you anyway, I’m fine. Not injured, my dad and I both made it out and so did the boys. This was a win Carlos, I’m more than okay.” 

And he was, Carlos saw as he studied him. He was beaming; enthusiasm pouring out of him. His eyes were alight with something Carlos couldn’t name and he was practically vibrating. Despite everything, Carlos couldn’t help but smile at the sight. He was still worried, still terrified by all the ‘what ifs,” but seeing TK like this gave him a lightness he couldn’t have imagined feeling even a few minutes before. 

He shook his head, trying to mask his smile with little success, “I am glad you’re so pleased with yourself, considering you almost gave the rest of us a heart attack.” 

He had been going for a joke but he instantly regretted it when TK dimmed, “I’m sorry,” he told him sincerely, “I didn’t mean to scare you guys, especially you. I just knew I could help…” 

Carlos interrupted him, moving his hands so they were on each of TK’s shoulders, “You have nothing to apologize for Ty,” he assured him firmly, “you did the right thing. You saved a kid’s life and you did amazing. I am so proud of you.” 

TK’s smile returned, softer than before but still glowing with pride, “You are, are you?” 

Carlos leaned down to place a soft and tender kiss on his forehead, “I am. So incredibly proud. You’re a pretty impressive guy, you know that?”

TK’s smile could have lit up the world and Carlos would have been happy to let it. But they were both still on the job and decidedly not alone, as they were suddenly reminded when Paul peaked around the side of the engine. He smirked at them before calling over his shoulder, “Yeah, they’re decent back here, you guys can come around.” 

Carlos rolled his eyes at his friend while TK casually flipped him off. Paul crossed towards them, completely unfazed before reaching out and pulling TK into a hug of his own. “You can’t keep scaring me like that man,” he told TK when they pulled apart, “I’m getting too old for that crap.” 

TK rolled his eyes at his teammate and Carlos chuckled. He looked behind him to see the rest of the team materializing. 

“That’s my cue,” he told TK, “I need to get back to work and get this scene wrapped up anyways. I’ll see you at home later?” 

TK nodded, reaching out to squeeze his hand, “I’ll be there right after my shift.” 

“Think you can make it until then without nearly dying on me again?” 

“I’ll do my best,” TK assured him and Carlos smiled. 

“That’s all I ask,” he responded, “I love you.” 

“Love you too, Carlos.” 

Carlos smiled at that, the warmth he felt every time he heard those words from TK rushing through him. With one last squeeze of the hand holding his own, he stepped away, letting TK’s team get in their time. As he reached the corner of the engine he looked back, still feeling the whirlwind of emotions deep in his chest. 

But TK was safe and happy - he couldn’t ask for anything more. So he turned the corner and returned to the task at hand. 

----------

“You know, that call today? It felt good, really good.” 

Carlos looked up from his dinner sharply to see TK idly playing with his, his focus clearly elsewhere. “Please don’t tell me this means you have decided to become a real-life minesweeper, I am going to have some objections to that,” Carlos deadpanned. 

TK laughed lightly, shaking his head, “No, not quite.” 

“Thank god, I don’t think my heart could handle that.” 

TK shook his head fondly at Carlos before his expression grew more pensive, “I didn’t mean the minefield, or even the danger or adrenaline. I meant the saving the boy part. I know I do that all the time as a firefighter, but there’s something different about doing it as a medic. I haven’t had the chance to really do any medical calls since moving to Austin, with the way the department is structured.” 

“You’ve never really talked about it before,” Carlos noted, “I’ve seen you do medical stuff in the field, but before today I didn’t even know you were dual certified.” 

TK shrugged, “It just never really came up, I guess. It’s pretty typical in New York, but their firehouses are structured differently. I guess once I made my peace with being down here I never really thought about it again. It’s not like I could do both the same way I used to.” 

His tone was almost wistful as he turned his gaze down to his plate, but Carlos had a feeling he wasn’t really seeing the food on it. “Sounds like you miss it,” he ventured after a few more moments of silence. 

“Sometimes I do.” 

“So why not go for it?” 

TK looked at him sharply, but Carlos just shrugged, “What? You’ve spent most of the past hour talking about it and you mentioned how the new guy quit and there’s an opening on the paramedic team within your first 10 minutes of showing up tonight. I know you and I know you’re already thinking about it, so why not try it?” 

“Even if I applied, there are so many other candidates. There’s no saying she’d pick me.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that. She knows you and how dedicated you are to your job. She saw you in action today, willing to take the risk that someone else wasn’t in order to save a patient. You did the job well and you did it under insane pressure after months of not doing it. If I were her, I’d be wondering what you’d be capable of on an average day.”  

TK looked startled at the efficient takedown of his doubts, but Carlos just raised an eyebrow, “Next?” 

He would dismantle his boyfriend’s doubts with logic one by one if need be. Whatever it took for him to start believing in himself the way Carlos did. 

“I’d have to leave the team,” he said softly, “I wouldn’t be working with them anymore. We’re like a family, I can’t just leave them.” 

Carlos reached across the table to take TK’s hand in his own, “It’s not like you’d be leaving the station,” he reminded him, “you’d still be in the same building and on the same schedule. And they’re not going to feel like you abandoned them, Ty, they’ll still be right there. And right here,” he added with a laugh, gesturing towards his living room, “we’ve fed them, I don’t think we are ever going to get rid of them now.” 

That pulled a smile out of TK, but there was still so much doubt in his eyes that it hurt Carlos to see it. 

“What do you think they would say, if you told them it was something you wanted?” he asked instead, “Do you think they would tell you to forget about it? To stay with them because it was more comfortable?” 

“No,” TK said quickly, “of course they wouldn’t.” 

“So why are you worried about them? They want what’s best for you and they always will. Unless,” he hedged when TK’s expression didn’t clear, “they’re not the ones you’re worried about.” TK pulled his gaze up from the table and Carlos saw all the confirmation in them that he needed, “Your dad?” 

TK nodded, and Carlos sighed. “TK…”

“It would be a big change Carlos,” he said softly. “Except for my probationary period, I have always worked with my dad. I don’t want him to take it personally.” 

“But it is a little personal, isn’t it?” 

He was careful to keep his tone even, non-judgemental and he watched TK closely, waiting for his response. 

“Maybe a little, yeah,” TK admitted. “I feel like this would be a way for me to really see who I am without him right there. It’s not like this is a reaction to him or any news he may have shared recently,” he added hastily, “I would hope I’m past the ‘blowing my life up to piss off my dad’ point, but it is something to consider. And…” 

He trailed off, but Carlos had a feeling he knew what was going to come next, “And you’re worried he might take it personally?” he suggested. 

TK nodded and Carlos sighed and set down his fork, reaching across the table again to pull both of TK’s hands into his own, “Look,” he began, “what’s important is why you’re thinking about this. So, what is it? Why are you thinking about becoming a paramedic?” 

“Because I think I’d love it,” TK said without any hesitation, “because I feel like it’s the best way I can help people.” 

Carlos smiled at him, squeezing the hands in his grasp softly, “Then I think you have your answer. You should do this because it is what you want and because it is right for you. That’s all that matters. Everything else - and everyone else - will fall into place.” 

“And if they don’t?” TK asked softly, and Carlos felt a pang in his heart at the sound of so much doubt in the other man’s voice. 

“They will,” Carlos assured him. “Nothing ever stays the same, remember? And your dad knows that. We all know that. And,” he added, leaning forward in his seat to close some of the distance between them, “I will be here for you, every step of the way. No matter what.”  

The smile TK gave him warmed every inch of his body. They sat in companionable silence for a while, intertwined hands connecting them across the table until TK spoke again. 

“If you really mean that,” he began with a grin, “I could probably use some help with my resume.” 

“Anything for you,” Carlos quipped back, but even as he said the words he squeezed their clasped hands. He meant that, in every way possible. He would be here for resumes and job interviews and everything in between, as long as TK wanted him to be. 

Judging by the way TK met his eyes, and the soft ‘thank you’ that fell from his lips, he had a feeling he felt the same way too. 

[fuckyeahisawthat]

Still thinking about the near-universal Mediocre Critical Consensus on Trust. Because when I find something I LOVE and someone else just...doesn’t connect with it, I get really curious as to why.

I’m giving the critics who only got to screen the first three episodes a pass, because the show really does not lead with its most compelling material, and also that’s a dumb way to ask critics to provide an honest review of a serialized story and networks should stop doing it.

But there are a number of critics who were writing week-by-week summaries (including the guy who complained about the Calabrian characters speaking too much Calabrese, but not only him) who just seemed to completely miss so much of what made the show interesting. And I can’t help wondering how much of this was due to a disconnect between how they expected the story to be told and how it actually was told.

All the criticism I read is blending together a bit now, but there was more than one reviewer who seemed...unduly fixated on Fletcher Chase. And, hey, don’t get me wrong here. Brendan Fraser is great in that role. But he’s a secondary character. And while he’s a useful narrator and tone-setter, other than in episode 2, where he incorrectly ascertains that the kidnapping is a hoax, he contributes...almost nothing to moving the plot along, in the sense of making choices that shape the narrative. In many parts of the show his main role is to be a scene partner for Gail, who is the one shaping the narrative a lot of the time she’s on screen.

And the thing is, you can see a more conventionally-told version of the story where Fletcher Chase is the hero. He’s the closest the story gets to a cop character, the traditional POV character of many crime stories. (He’s the character who gets played by Mark Wahlberg in the movie, and I mean that in both a symbolic and literal sense.) A lot of kidnapping/missing person stories place the audience identification and agency with the searchers/rescuers, not the victim, and certainly not the kidnapper. The searchers may be law enforcement or they may be family members, but we’re very used to seeing the story from their perspective.

Trust doesn’t completely flip that POV, but it distributes our attention and the narrative agency (whose decisions make the plot happen) much more evenly between Gail, Little Paul, and Primo. And this means that we end up understanding their perspectives and motivations pretty much equally, even when they’re set against each other.

To be fair, it is a bit of a slow burn to understand exactly what the show is doing. For me, watching it the first time through, it clicked somewhere around episode 4, which has a lot of scenes with Primo pursuing a goal on his own (it may be related to Paul but he’s not sharing a scene with him). This is where you start to understand why Primo is doing what he’s doing, on an emotional/psychological level and not just a financial one, and maybe start to root for him a bit against an uncle who doesn’t seem to have a lot of faith in him. Which is the perfect thing to do before the show completely flips our perspective upside down and makes him the antagonist for all of episode 5. Because we’ve spent time getting to know him a bit, the show can do that without completely breaking our identification with him, even when he is being very scary and a direct threat to our other main character.

Even if it takes you a while to adjust your expectations, the structure of the narrative should be very clear by the end of episode 6, when we have the Meeting of the Two Dons, Salvatore and Old Paul. Because this whole sequence is about showing both how the two families are alike and how the Gettys are just operating on a vastly different scale in terms of power. (It’s a real trick to make an organized crime syndicate look like the underdogs but they manage it.) If you haven’t yet figured out that this is a story about two families and the ways they mirror and echo each other, not just a story about the Gettys, it should be obvious at this point. This is also the sequence where, if you haven’t yet picked up on the fact that this is a show about capitalism and class, you get hit over the head with it in a delightfully unsubtle way.

Then, after pitting Primo against Paul and Gail in episode 5/6, the show realigns them, so that they all have the same hope and fear at the end of episode 7--hoping that the ransom will be delivered, and fearing that it won’t be. Meanwhile we’re watching the other Pauls screw everything up for them. (This might have been, watching the first time through, where I put it together that Primo’s not just...an antagonist who’s appealing to identify with, but not really the antagonist of the series at all. Which is the absolute perfect place to realize this, since episode 8 is all about rooting for him. And which is not something I have seen any mainstream review touch on even though once the whole narrative structure of the series is laid out, it seems incredibly obvious to me.)

Perhaps, like me, you read that review and aside from rolling your eyes at the complaint about having to spend NEARLY AN WHOLE HOUR reading subtitles, you also thought...how in the hell did anyone not find episode 8 unbearably suspenseful?? But the thing is...suspense only works if we care about the characters who are at risk. And the suspense of that episode is entirely driven by worrying about Primo, Leo and Leo’s family. Paul is allllmost incidental to the narrative in episode 8.

Now, y’all know very well by this point that I think the show does a good job of developing the Calabrian characters into three-dimensional human beings who have specificity and vulnerabilities and moments of kindness and interesting relationships to each other, and in allowing us to understand how their world works and why they’re doing what they’re doing. And one of the best things about the show is that it doesn’t just explore the why that gets talked about in a lot of the show’s publicity--why would the richest man in the world not pay a ransom for his grandson?--but it takes on what I think is the much more interesting why. Why did the kidnapping happen at all? What kind of life circumstances make crime and violence an appealing option to someone? And this is where we’re really talking about capitalism and class.

But, if you’re someone who’s not open to or interested in the places the show is leading you to as it unfolds toward its conclusion, then you miss all this. Then episode 8 is boring, because it’s not clear why we need to spend a whole episode with “just” the villains and their problems and their families and their social rituals. Even though episode 8 is an almost perfect mirror of episode 1, when we spend just as much time with the Gettys and their problems and their families and their social rituals. And then you miss why the end of the show is so satisfying, because “he removes kings and he sets up kings” only works if you’re paying attention to both sides of the equation.

[lgcmanager]

SIDE EVENT 009.

** a shoutout to @lgcxjinah and @lgcsoyoun for giving us the inspiration for this side event !! **

a reminder on side-events; they are non-mandatory occasional events that your muse can choose to participate in or not.

while missing an event might mean missing out on points, be aware that choosing to take part in it could have positive or negative consequences for your muse. there is also no telling which part of the event will have consequences either since they will be tailored to make it difficult to guess what could impact your muse. while the final consequences are decided at the same time as the event is created, we will only reveal them the sunday after the deadline. so choose wisely: are you willing to make a gamble with your muse?

LEGACY ENTERTAINMENT HALLOWEEN PARTY

** we are aware that HALLOWEEN can be a sensitive time for some. while making your threads and posts, please make sure to properly identify possible triggers at the top of your post. also, please refrain from posting an image that could be considered as a trigger straight on dash! you may link to it or put it under a read more if you desire, once again with all triggers tagged **

on the week of october 19, every trainees and artists of the company are officially invited to LEGACY ENTERTAINMENT’S YEARLY COSTUMED HALLOWEEN PARTY. if there’s a place to be on OCTOBER 31, it’s there! every year, legacy is known to host the biggest marketing event on that one day. brands compete ferociously to be the one that the company chooses! this year, it’s none other than SEOUL ESCAPE ROOM that won the bid.

on the day of the party, they are tasked to provide the decorations of the huge hall that can accommodate up to 300 people. they do not fail to deliver the best halloween day atmosphere. however, the twist is revealed as soon as the guests enter the room; everything is upside down, and therefore, the party is happening on what would be the ceiling of the room. the festivities will begin at 8PM and end at 3AM. servers will be passing through the venue during the entire evening with finger foods and non-alcoholic drinks. a dj will be in charge of the music, while a host will hold different events during the night (examples include a dance contest, noraebang battle, and more) and will crown the person with the best costume! a couple of photobooths are installed for everybody to make memories of this night. to prepare for the event, everybody will be freed from their schedules at 3PM on the 31st.

furthermore, upon entering the hall, every attendee will be given the same clue ‘you’. everywhere in the room, other clues have been hidden all over the place. those who can find them all will be able to create the sentence ‘who are you dressed as?’. once they think they have the answer, guests are invited to go to one of the cameras set everywhere around the room and give their answer. should they fail, they will receive a gush of air straight in the face. should they pass and tell who they are dressed as, they will be asked why did they pick this costume, then given a 50,000 won prepaid card gift to be spent anywhere.

since press and seoul escape room representatives will also be present on the scene, trainees and idols alike are requested to have fun but still keep it professional!

the videos will be released on SEOUL ESCAPE ROOM’s official youtube account starting from NOVEMBER 3.

however, BAE SIWOO and SEO HANEUL of DBSD are ready to strike this year again...

ORIGINAL PRANKSTERS

Source: Naver [ TRENDING ] BAE SIWOO AND SEO HANEUL PRANKING SHOW SEASON 2 CONFIRMED!

last year, the famous duo has begun the tradition of pranking other celebrities in the industry and their fellow labelmates. with the success of last season’s pranks, ‘hanwoo’ are back it.

NEW BUILDING VISIT: after months of announcing that legacy will be moving to a new building, the time has finally come. while the official move will be on november 1st, during the week of the 26th, staff, artists and trainees alike will be taken in group of 2 or 3 to visit the new building. the first to go will be PROJECT ORIGIN MEMBERS on monday. they will be taken on a full tour of the building and won’t notice any anomalies. from tuesday, the rest of the company will be taking the same tour, however, upon reaching the 10th floor (cafeteria level), they enter either a PURPLE, A LIGHT BLUE OR A DARK BLUE ROOM that the guide lock them in. they learn that they can only leave the rooms once they have solved the room!

for the PURPLE ROOM, people first have to find the numbers 2 0 0 8 hidden in a book to unlock a box that will give them their second clue; a candle. matches will be hidden around the room. if they light up the candle, it will quickly burn and reveal the final clue; girl. the three clues taken together hint the girlgroup ‘BLAZING’. to leave the room, they will have to enter the password (BLAZING) on an ipad that will only turn on once they have found out all three clues.

for the LIGHT BLUE ROOM, people first have to find the numbers 2 0 0 9 hidden in a book to unlock a box that will give them their second clue; a paper with three letters ‘X Y Z’. the paper will seem pointless until they finish completing a puzzle of the korean penisula. they will find the three letters next to the words nation (x), little (y), brother (z). all clues taken together hint the boygroup ‘DAEBAK SHIDAE’. to leave the room, they will have to enter the password (DBSD) on an ipad that will only turn on once they have found out all three clues.

for the DARK BLUE ROOM, people first have to find the numbers 2 0 1 0 hidden in a book to unlock a box that will give them their second clue; a small sun shaped light. upon further inspection, if somebody opens it, it will be written inside ‘she can only me seen when i’m asleep’. this hints to the lights needing to be turned off. once they are the final clue will be revealed on the ceiling ‘once i awaken, i complete it’. the three clues taken together hint the boygroup ‘HARU’ (day). to leave the room, they will have to enter the password (HARU) on an ipad that will only turn on once they have found out all three clues.

PAJAMA PERFORMANCE: in the meantime, PROJECT ORIGIN MEMBERS (without jung miso), are by MBC to perform in different locations for a special episode of Show! Music Core just as some seniors have before them. each unit will board a bus on monday late evening on the 26th; LGC GIRLS will head towards GWANGJU and LGC BOYS towards BUSAN. both units will rest at a hotel minutes away from the actual cities. their accommodations are a large room with mats for everybody to sleep together, a small cooking area and a bathroom. these types of rooms are very common on the countryside and not so out of place. however, they are in for a surprise when suddenly, the ceiling ascends and the walls go down, and they find themselves on a stage with 500 fans silently waiting for them. after confettis are thrown, the music begins: DUN DUN for the girls, followed by HIP SONG, and MIROH for the boys, followed by ROUND 2. (watch this video from 7:20 to have a proper idea of the prank). for LGC Boys, Seo Haneul and Bae Siwoo will appear on stage after the two songs to announce the prank, while for LGC Girls Park Haemi and Song Hanui of BLAZing will be the ones doing so. they will also break the news that there’s no Show! Music Core recording lined up.

REQUIREMENTS

NEW BUILDING or PAJAMA PERFORMANCE: Write a 300+ words solo or a 4 replies (minimum 8 lines) thread with another trainee about the pranks. REWARD: +8 POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE ANYWHERE, +2 NOTORIETY !

HALLOWEEN PARTY: Write a 300+ words solo or a 4 replies (minimum 8 lines) thread with another trainee taking place at the party REWARD: +8 POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE ANYWHERE, +2 NOTORIETY ! ** this requirement can be done twice. **

make sure to tag all your threads with lgc:halloween2k20. you have until DECEMBER 6 to complete the requirements and claim your points.

to validate your skill points and collect your notoriety points, please submit the following form ONCE on the points blog before DECEMBER 6, 11:59PM EST.

TITLE: MUSE NAME ∙ HALLOWEEN 2K20

- HELL WEEK 1: +8 ( skill points distribution ) + 2 notoriety [ LINK ] - HALLOWEEN PARTY : +8 ( skill points distribution ) + 2 notoriety [ LINK ] - HALLOWEEN PARTY : +8 ( skill points distribution ) + 2 notoriety [ LINK ]

[peterstanslizzie]

Re-watching Lizzie Mcguire: Episode 2.9 (Party Over Here)

Ohhh hey there Zachary! 😍

- Kate’s turning 14 soon and she’s forced by her parents to invite all of her classmates, including Lizzie, Gordo and Miranda to her birthday party. I thought she’s a year older than everyone since she revealed to Claire in Season 1 she got held back in kindergarten? Since they’re in the 8th grade, shouldn’t she be turning 15 instead? Unless, everyone else is turning 14 in the following year since it’s the fall right now. 

- In addition to handing out paper invites, she has a whole entourage sing an entire song, which I’m assuming it’s called ‘The Kate, The Party’ to the invitees. It was pretty cringe but very on-brand for Kate. Lizzie wasn’t gonna RSVP to her invite but after hearing a couple of kids talking about Kate giving her guests goodie bags with cellphones in it, she quickly changes her mind. I think ALL of us would change our minds lol.

Lizzie’s Next Attempt At Lying

- First things first, Lizzie needs to convince her mom, Jo that Kate’s party will be well-chaperoned even though Kate’s irresponsible 18 year-old cousin, Amy (played by Hilary Duff’s sister, Haylie) is going to be the chaperone. However, Jo is pretty set on not letting her daughter go to this party and this causes Lizzie to get upset. 

- The next day in school, Lizzie complains to her best friends about not being able to go to Kate’s birthday party. Miranda is also on the same boat as Lizzie but surprisingly (or maybe unsurprisingly), Gordo’s parents are allowing him to go because he’s basically a good boy and never really gets into trouble. Except, he did actually got into trouble at least one time before this. Didn’t he get grounded last season for sneaking into an R-rated film in the episode, Rated Aargh? 

- Lizzie and Miranda try to think of ways to convince their parents once more like volunteering to do more chores around the house but they’re not so keen on doing that either. Miranda then thinks about the other option, which is to lie to them. Sounds a lot like the Rated Aargh episode. Hopefully, Lizzie’s a better liar this time. 

- They come up with a plan, which is to get Jo to drop them off at the mall but instead of staying there, they will then get on a bus to go to Kate’s house. Lizzie is quaking in her boots because poor girl doesn’t know how to lie well. Gordo, who’s trying to prove to everyone that he’s not some goody two shoes reveals that he lied to his parents by saying that he’s at Miranda’s place but in actuality, he’s going to go the party that he was already allowed to go to instead. That sounds so unnecessary but whatever floats your boat, Gordo.  

- Before taking off, Jo gives Lizzie some cash to spend on some treats at the mall, which instantly makes Lizzie feel guilty. This reminds me of the ‘Between A Rock and Bra Place’ episode, where Jo also gives Lizzie some money to go shopping for bras, which made Lizzie feel guilty as well especially after telling her mom off at the changing room. 

Kate’s Cousin Is The Worst

Eww, I hope that woman washed her hands before flicking Gordo like that. How rude! 

- They get to the mall and Lizzie and Miranda then change into their ‘party’ outfits whilst Gordo waits for them outside the ladies room. Just a little after 7 pm, they arrive at Kate’s house. Lizzie is still feeling the guilt from her mom giving her 10 bucks. Only 10 bucks? Lol, I thought she gave more than that...just saying.

This actually happened to me once at a club in Spain....lol

- Kate’s party is filled with older kids, whom are probably around the same age as Amy and probably older. Our trio doesn’t seem to recognize anybody...well, except for Amy:

This is so funny to me because it’s Hilary watching her big sis, Haylie doing a ‘7 minutes in heaven’ thing. Well, this is why Jo and Daniela are against their daughters going to an Amy-chaperoned party 

-  The three of them decide to just ditch the party but before they could make their escape, Kate finds them inside the ‘7 minutes of heaven’ closet they were hiding in. Isn’t hiding in there kind of gross? It looks like Kate doesn’t want them to leave so soon seeing that she wants them to at least be around for when she cuts her birthday cake. 

Amy is like the worst....lmao. First of all, she got Kate a strawberry cake when she knew Kate preferred chocolate but what’s even worse is that she forgot that Kate’s birthday is today. How does Kate even deal with her? 

1:06 gif

You can’t help but feel bad for her at this moment.

Lizzie Helps Kate...Again

- Lizzie goes upstairs to see if Kate’s doing okay and she then sees Kate on the phone with her mom to let her know how much of a disaster her birthday party is. We also find out that the only reason why Amy’s chaperone is because Kate’s mom is out of town. Lizzie tries to talk to her but Kate’s still very upset. 

- They both sit on Kate’s bed and Kate reveals to Lizzie that all she wanted for her birthday is just to go to the movies with a few of her close friends. However, her mom wanted her to have a ‘grown up’ party instead. She’s 14 (or 15)! She doesn’t need a grown-up party. Lizzie obviously feels bad for Kate and decides to ask her to tag along with her and Gordo and Miranda to the mall to watch a film together. That’s so sweet. And Kate’s reaction was sweet too!

-  However, Kate doesn’t think it’s a good idea to leave her house in the state that it’s in. I actually think she should just leave and let Amy take all the blame since she is the chaperone and ADULT in this situation. I’m sure Kate’s mom would have punished Amy and not Kate for any possible destruction of property lol. 

Why are Gordo and Miranda me in most parties? Just be eating cake all the time lol

- Lizzie thinks the best solution is to call her mom to put an end to this party. How about no. Can’t they ask Kate to call an aunt or an uncle or something? Anyways, she eventually calls her mom, who was eating ice cream whilst watching a sad movie (that’s so me as well) and she quickly makes her way over to Kate’s house. 

- Lizzie makes an attempt to get herself off the hook by telling her mom that she doesn’t deserve to be punished since she did a responsible thing, which is to call her. However, Jo isn’t fooled by this and tells Lizzie that she’s grounded. She also tells Miranda and Gordo that she’s going to inform their parents as well. 

- We then see Jo turning the party upside down by getting everyone in there to behave and she literally brings the party to a halt by unplugging the music speaker, causing everyone to stop dancing. She then orders everyone to get out of the house.

Amy vs Jo lol 

- Amy gets an attitude with Jo for disrupting the party but Jo isn’t gonna let any 18-year old walk all over her. You got that right! Jo asks Kate if she wants to come home with them but Kate politely declines. 

Okay...so it was definitely Kate’s 15th birthday and she’s still just lying to everybody hahaha

- Kate decides to swallow all her pride and thank Lizzie for helping her out...for a minute. She then goes back to mean girl Kate shortly after. I’m so sick of this charade Kate’s playing with Lizzie. Just suck it up and be friends lol. 

B-Plot: Fun Dad 

- In this episode, it isn’t just Matt getting into some weird albeit fun venture but Sam is also involved in it too. They reveal that the both of them were chosen to be the spokes-family for ‘Cardio Punch’ sport drink, which includes them starring in a commercial. Jo thought that she is to be part of it too but unfortunately for her, it’s just a father and son thing. And she’s feeling pretty salty about it. 

Hey there Zachary!

- Matt and Sam arrive at the studio and they’re greeted by the casting director and Zachary Quinto Steve, the director. It looks like Steve isn’t playing around  as he wants them to get fitted into harnesses straight away because they’re gonna have to rock climb; Sam is all sorts of terrified. 

-  Steve goes over all the steps they need to take once they scale that wall with them. It’s not very complicated but at the speed he was delivering the instructions, I wouldn’t have caught most of it lol. 

- We fast forward to the both of them pretty high up on the mountain wall. However, Sam is petrified and can’t really move. He explains to Matt that he experienced a bad rope-climbing incident, which made him greatly afraid of heights ever since. Steve, the director grow impatient and yells at Sam for not moving. He even makes fun of Sam’s weight. This angers Matt and he proceeds to scale back down to the bottom and gives Steve a piece of his mind. It turns out, Matt telling off Steve made great film for the commercial. 

- At the end of the episode, the full commercial is out on TV and the Mcguires are in the living room watching the final product.  The commercial is just so hilariously bad, especially that shoddy dub on Matt, by Matt. It didn’t even fit his lip movements. Sam was also edited out of the commercial. After all of that anxiety? Poor Sam. 

Overall Thoughts

- This was a pretty enjoyable episode to watch. Nothing significant really happened except that we got to see Zachary Quinto guest star in this episode as well as Haylie Duff guest-starring again. Lizzie helping Kate out is nothing new but as I’ve mentioned it earlier, I’m kinda over Kate acting like she hates Lizzie when deep down, she doesn’t. It’s getting really old. 

- Jo definitely got to shine as a character in this episode, which is awesome to see. I particularly enjoyed her setting the older kids straight like a military sergeant. I’m also glad she was involved in the A-plot instead of Matt’s B-plot, in which the latter is usually where she appears in most of the time. 

- Speaking of the B-plot, it was one of the better ones frankly speaking. It didn’t involve Matt doing something ridiculous like an extreme hobby or whatnot. It was just him and his dad, Sam starring in a somewhat cool sports drink commercial. The highlight of all of that was definitely Matt standing up for his dad in front of Steve. Although, it didn’t really do much to Steve except making him happy and excited that he got great film out of Matt’s rant lol. 

[somegirlsnerdywords2]

Anime i’ve Watched

That begin with a B (Part 3)!

Yep this is how i’m going to bring over all the anime and manga i’ve watched and posted about on the old blog. It’s not so detailed but it will have to do. Anything new I watch or read from this point on will have their own posts.

Boku no Hero Academia (My Hero Academia):

Genres: action, comedy, school, shounen, super power

Synopsis: The appearance of "quirks," newly discovered super powers, has been steadily increasing over the years, with 80 percent of humanity possessing various abilities from manipulation of elements to shapeshifting. This leaves the remainder of the world completely powerless, and Izuku Midoriya is one such individual. Since he was a child, the ambitious middle schooler has wanted nothing more than to be a hero. Izuku's unfair fate leaves him admiring heroes and taking notes on them whenever he can. But it seems that his persistence has borne some fruit: Izuku meets the number one hero and his personal idol, All Might. All Might's quirk is a unique ability that can be inherited, and he has chosen Izuku to be his successor! Enduring many months of grueling training, Izuku enrolls in UA High, a prestigious high school famous for its excellent hero training program, and this year's freshmen look especially promising. With his bizarre but talented classmates and the looming threat of a villainous organization, Izuku will soon learn what it really means to be a hero. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 10/10

Finished airing in 2016 with a total of 13 episodes.

My Thoughts: Perfection delivered in 13 episodes. What a beginning to an amazing series and honestly who doesn’t love a good underdog story full of heroes and villains? I know this girl sure does! Amazing cast of characters, story, music and art/ animation. A must see for fans of the superhero genre and a great place for fans of Western comics to start their anime journey in my personal opinion.

Boku no Hero Academia 2nd Season (My Hero Academia 2):

Genres: action, comedy, superpower, school, shounen

Synopsis: At UA Academy, not even a violent attack can disrupt their most prestigious event: the school sports festival. Renowned across Japan, this festival is an opportunity for aspiring heroes to showcase their abilities, both to the public and potential recruiters.

However, the path to glory is never easy, especially for Izuku Midoriya—whose quirk possesses great raw power but is also cripplingly inefficient. Pitted against his talented classmates, such as the fire and ice wielding Shouto Todoroki, Izuku must utilize his sharp wits and master his surroundings to achieve victory and prove to the world his worth. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 10/10

Finished airing in 2017 with a total of 25 episodes.

My Thoughts: A second season that’s as good as its first?! Virtually unheard of but here you have it in the form of Boku no Hero Academia season 2! I just love this story and these characters even more with each passing season. A must watch for fans of the 1st season!

Boku no Hero Academia 3rd Season (My Hero Academia 3):

Genres: action, comedy, school, superpower, shounen

Synopsis:  As summer arrives for the students at UA Academy, each of these superheroes-in-training puts in their best efforts to become renowned heroes. They head off to a forest training camp run by UA's pro heroes, where the students face one another in battle and go through dangerous tests, improving their abilities and pushing past their limits. However, their school trip is suddenly turned upside down when the League of Villains arrives, invading the camp with a mission to capture one of the students. Boku no Hero Academia 3rd Season follows Izuku "Deku" Midoriya, an ambitious student training to achieve his dream of becoming a hero similar to his role model—All Might. Being one of the students caught up amidst the chaos of the villain attack, Deku must take a stand with his classmates and fight for their survival. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 9/10

Finished airing in 2018 with a total of 25 episodes.

My Thoughts: I have no idea why season 3 lost a point but a 9/10 from me is basically perfection and all the praise so don’t let the point lower rating deter you from checking out this installment of the series. Suppose it’s time to watch the 4th season, eh?

Bonjour♪Koiaji Pâtisserie (Bonjour♪Sweet Love Patisserie):

Genres: slice of life, comedy, reverse harem, romance, shoujo, ONA

Synopsis:  Sayuri Haruno dreams of becoming a pastry chef and enrolls in Fleurir Confectionary Academy, an elite school located in Tokyo's trendy Aoyama district. At Fleurir, she finds herself surrounded by charming boys, each one distinctly unique. Out of the entire class, Ryou Kouzuki's desire to become a pastry chef is the strongest. Blessed with unparalleled technique, instructor Mitsuki Aoi acts like a prince and is hugely popular at the school. Gilbert Hanafusa, the mood maker of the bunch, is a student from France. Yoshinosuke Suzumi is not very good at expressing his feelings, but underneath his stony exterior lies a wholehearted passion for wagashi (Japanese sweets).

As Sayuri pours her heart and soul into making her dream a reality, she encounters many happenings... (Source: NTV)

My Rating: 6/10

An ONA that finished airing in 2015 with a total of 24, 5 minute episodes. 

My Thoughts: A reverse harem style ONA featuring delicious looking treats... all brought to you in short 5 minute bites! As far as reverse harem animes go this really wasn’t all that bad but like most others in the genre (or look to fit the genre) there just wasn’t much deapth... though honestly what do you expect with 5 minute episodes?! Pretty male characters and lovely art. 

Brothers Conflict:

Genres: reverse harem, romance, shoujo

Synopsis:  Ema Hinata is a sweet girl with only her father to call family. One day, she learns that he will be remarrying Miwa Asahina, a wealthy fashion designer. Though she's glad she has a new place to call home, the family she gains is greater than she could ever imagine—Ema now has 13 step-brothers! Wishing to give her father space, she moves into the Sunrise Residence where her brothers live . As she settles in, Ema realizes she may not experience the loving kinship of a family that she has always longed for, as many of her new brothers exhibit feelings toward Ema that aren't just familial. With each brother desiring Ema's attention in his own way, will she be able to work toward a happy ending for all, or will she choose one brother that has stolen her heart? [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 6/10

Finished airing in 2013 with a total of 12 episodes. 

My Thoughts: And here we have yet another reverse harem... also not the worst of the worst but really nothing to write home about. Definitely uncomfortable with the whole step siblings premise so if you’re like me and weirded out by that one i’d avoid this anime. Aside from that there isn't really much to say. The story and characters are lacking but there’s a male character sure to fit every persons tastes so there’s that... I suppose? 

Bungou Stray Dogs:

Genres: action, comedy, mystery, seinen, superpower, supernatural

Synopsis:  For weeks, Atsushi Nakajima's orphanage has been plagued by a mystical tiger that only he seems to be aware of. Suspected to be behind the strange incidents, the 18-year-old is abruptly kicked out of the orphanage and left hungry, homeless, and wandering through the city. While starving on a riverbank, Atsushi saves a rather eccentric man named Osamu Dazai from drowning. Whimsical suicide enthusiast and supernatural detective, Dazai has been investigating the same tiger that has been terrorizing the boy. Together with Dazai's partner Doppo Kunikida, they solve the mystery, but its resolution leaves Atsushi in a tight spot. As various odd events take place, Atsushi is coerced into joining their firm of supernatural investigators, taking on unusual cases the police cannot handle, alongside his numerous enigmatic co-workers. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 7/10

Finished airing in 2016 with a total of 12 episodes. 

My Thoughts: You know what? This is honestly one I truly wanted to love but for some reason it just wasn’t a fit. I know plenty of people that love this series and i’m afraid my own comments won’t do it much justice so if any of you guys have any thoughts or opinions to add be sure to send them my way! Love, love, love the art style.

Byousoku 5 Centimeter (5 Centimeters Per Second):

Genres: drama, romance, slice of life, film

Synopsis:  What happens when two people love each other but just aren't meant to be together? Takaki Toono and Akari Shinohara are childhood friends, but circumstances beyond their control tear them apart. They promise to stay in contact, and although the progression of time widens the distance between them, the chain of memories remains ever-present. Byousoku 5 Centimeter is a romantic drama that focuses on the mundane and harsh reality of long-distance relationships. Stuck in the past and unable to make any new memories, Takaki and Akari cling to the hope of seeing each other again. They live their everyday lives half-heartedly, both hurting themselves and the people around them. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 7/10

A film (or three part) series that aired in 2007.

My Thoughts: The artwork and sound are outstanding but this one was another miss from me. After rave reviews I expected more and was a bit disappointed with what I got. This is all the more true considering I recall very little about this title. 

[myhahnestopinion]

THE AARONS 2019 - Best TV Episode

A lot of streaming services are switching over to a more traditional weekly release of episodes instead of dumping a whole season all at once. It may be because they, like me, want to highlight the unique achievements of singular episodes. It could also be that they don’t want people, like me, signing up for free trials to binge watch one show and then cancelling before they are billed anything... Here are the Aarons for Best TV Episode:

#10. “Chapter Fifty-One: Big Fun” (Riverdale, Season 3, Episode 16)

Chapter Fifty-One of Riverdale is quite aptly named. With a talented young cast on hand, Riverdale often indulges in music numbers, but their full-blown musical episodes still manage to stand out. Incorporating songs from the Broadway adaptation of Heathers, Riverdale uses the famous high-school satire as a meta-criticism of its own ever-growing ridiculousness. The characters give a fervent lament of their inability to be just regular high school students, but, in the end, are forced to confront their status as mere players on a stage and puppets of a ravenous following. Riverdale is often quite fun; how much more can it do for our amusement?

#9. “Striking Vipers” (Black Mirror, Season 5, Episode 1)

Though it made its name in pessimistic twist of fortune, Black Mirror has been best when indulging in affectionate tales. In its fifth season premiere, what begins as two friends testing out a near-future fighting video game swiftly and surprisingly switches gears into a sweet story of longing and vulnerability. The episode chooses not to map its relationship onto any existing conceptions of sexuality and gender, suggesting ways in which they may continue to evolve alongside new technology. Though there are hints on darkness on its edges, the episode is one of the heart-warming tales that have always been the series’ most striking.

#8. “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” (Game of Thrones, Season 8, Episode 2)

The second episode of Game of Thrones’ final season was the calm before the storm in more ways than realized at the time. As its characters brace for their imminent battle against an undead horde with a night of quiet companionship, the show produced its last great moments before being swallowed by backlash to its rushed and illogical ending. Unlike the show after that point, the episode does right by its characters, building off their storied histories and delivering earned and endearing pay-offs to several relationships. “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” forges the last vestige of good in its world; it would have been wise to say ‘good night’ afterward.

#7. “The Trial” (What We Do in The Shadows, Season 1, Episode 7)

The What We Do in The Shadows franchise has conjured a lot of comedy from the long legacy of vampire tropes; in the seventh episode of the new TV iteration, it put the spotlight on the various actors who made up that legacy. As our regular characters arrive for their criminal trial, the show lines up an impressive amount of guest stars, including, but not limited to, Tilda Swinton, Evan Rachel Wood, Wesley Snipes, and the trio from the original What We Do in The Shadows movie. The show doesn’t just use these stars to hang upside down on its laurels though; it’s plump with jokes certain to stir the blood. It’s a very large gathering of vampires, and it doesn’t suck one bit.

#6. “Replay” (The Twilight Zone, Season 1, Episode 3)

Jordan Peele was a promising voice to head up the new incarnation of The Twilight Zone, but the insightful, livid spark of his film projects seemed to get lost along the way for most of the season. “Replay”, though, was one that managed to replicate it. Like the best of the franchise, the situations are supernormal, but the anxieties are very real: a mother discovers a video camera that can rewind time, but still finds herself unable to protect her son from a prejudiced cop hunting them down. The fear of powerlessness is all too palpable; though a fantastic episode that’s worth a watch, it would be hard to sit through again.

#5. “Danny Patrol” (Doom Patrol, Season 1, Episode 8)

The company’s new streaming service has likely doomed Legends of Tomorrow from ever being able to reclaim its title as weirdest DC television series ever. Taking inspiration from writer Grant Morrison’s run in the comics, Doom Patrol is pure absurdity. In episode 8, the team’s quest to find their kidnapped leader brings them into the path of Danny, a sentient genderqueer teleporting street (Yes, like the streets you drive on. This one has thoughts and feelings and can teleport). This odd premise paves the way for the show to reemphasize its core message of learning to love one’s self. The episode most affecting moment is its big karaoke celebration of this idea from Matt Bomer’s Negative Man; the streets are alive with the sound of music. 

#4. “A Quick One, While He’s Away” (BoJack Horseman, Season 6, Episode 8)

The first half of BoJack Horseman’s final season spent a lot of time saddling up its characters to ride off into the sunset… and one episode indicating they won’t get off that easy. The show has frequently experimented with new storytelling tactics, but it has never felt as purposeful as this one, which focuses exclusively on three ancillary characters from the show’s run. The show effortless transplants its engrossing conflicts and noted animal puns to the new trio, but the tragedy at play is knowing, without it being explicitly stated, that we are witnessing BoJack’s worst actions still reverberating in the lives of others. As the show prepares its definitive statement on the series-long question of whether BoJack can find happiness, the toughest answer to acknowledge is that we’ve been backing the wrong horse.

#3. “407 Proxy Authentication Required” (Mr. Robot, Season 4, Episode 7)

While its long-gestating final confrontation against the manipulators of the world economy wouldn’t be for another handful of episodes, “407 Proxy Authentication Required” was the one that finally brought balance to the world of Mr. Robot. Pairing down its characters and sets and stabilizing the series’ deliberately off-kilter cinematography, the episode unfolds as an intimate five act play, slowly preparing Elliot and the audience for a heart-wrenching revelation. It’s a brutal, but ultimately cathartic bit of television, and the finest hour the show has produced. The series rips all its long-standing proxies away, leaving the viewer no choice but to engage with its raw pain and hope for healing.

#2. “I’m In Love” (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Season 4, Episode 17)    

After an improbable four season run, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend gave its final bow in 2019, but the show had one last dramatic turn before exiting stage left for good. Having held herself responsible for her actions and addressed her underlying issues, the series finale, in which she is torn between three equally meaningful romantic interests, sees Rebecca Bunch thoroughly and healthily in love. In its final twist, the episode’s title proves as much of a misnomer as the series’ has been all along. Subversive, stirring, and sidesplitting to its very last breath, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s impeccable eleven o’clock number sent the series off on a high note.

AND THE BEST TV EPISODE OF 2019 IS...

#1. “This Extraordinary Being” (Watchmen, Season 1, Episode 6)

Masks as a method to hide trauma was a prominent theme of the Watchmen comic; the TV show sequel added a few interesting wrinkles to the idea. In its boldest reinvention of the source material, the episode presents an interpretive origin story of the mysterious comic character Hooded Justice through the eyes of his descendant, laying bare the show’s anxieties of inter-generational trauma. Just as the comic toyed with the composition of its medium, the episode also engages with its own make-up. It illustrates the visual arts’ power to either further the erasure or promote the healing of such lingering pain. As a singular piece of television, comprised as it is with standout guest actors and impressive technical qualities, it’s a great use of the artform; placed within the context of its historic inspirations on- and off- the page, it’s something truly extraordinary. 

NEXT UP: THE 2019 AARON FOR BEST TV PERFORMANCE!

[ariaadagio]

Things I loved about S4

1.  Lucifer was completely de-flanderized.  He was allowed to be smart, ask relevant questions during investigations, and was never once handed an idiot ball.  This was my number one wish for this season, and the writers granted it with bells on.  

2.  Tonally speaking, the show was perfect!  It kept its great sense of humor and horrible puns where appropriate, but scaled way way waaaaaaaaaay back on the camp for camp’s sake (looking at you, S3), and also allowed itself to go full dark when necessary.  Also, the writers were absolutely correct in how they chose to utilize their newfound ability to curse — sparingly and for great effect.  

3.  Pacing was perfect.  No one major event was allowed to go on too long.  I was really worried in the beginning that Chloe was going to spend the whole season working with Father Kinley, but she didn’t.  Can you imagine if S4 had been on Fox?  Chloe telling Kinley to fuck off would have been the mid-season finale or something, we all already would have been ready to rage quit, and then Eve would come along for the back half to take us into S5.  Just yikes.     

4.  Speaking of Eve.  Eve was likable and 3D.  She was not just there to be a wrench in the works, nor was she stereotypically catty or jealous with Chloe or any of Lucifer’s other friends.  She was selfish, but she was also kind — a lot like Lucifer, really — and her backstory was both tragic and interesting.  

5.  The Eve / Lucifer / Chloe triangle didn’t feel forced.  In fact, I’d go so far as to not even call it a triangle so much as a brief “reshuffle.”  It was relevant and developed organically — all three characters had some major realizations they needed to make, and the reshuffle very importantly helped them do that.    

6.  Chloe took her time with her reaction to Lucifer’s revelation, and even better, her reaction was both relatable and in character.  I mean, really, as much as I’m sure we all wanted her to immediately be YAAAAAY DEVIL! don’t forget she was a self-professed agnostic and, literally, her entire worldview just got flipped upside down.  Of course, she would need time for her head to stop spinning, and while still spinning, she would be extra-vulnerable to gaslight-y characters like Kinley.  But she’s also very oriented in empathy and personal experience, and all it really took, after she calmed down a bit, was some more time with Lucifer for things to start coming back together for her.  Her journey was complex but, in my mind, to be expected, and, most importantly, interesting.  (P.S. How lovely was that moment when Amenadiel told her about her dad, and his meaning sank in for her?)

7.  The “the beginnings of a beautiful friendship” vibes Chloe & Lucifer were giving off by the end of the season were fabulous.  This was my second major wish for S4 — that Chloe & Lucifer remember why they’re friends and then develop that friendship organically now that there are no secrets between them — and the writers, once again, were there with bells on.  

8.  The found-family plot of Linda, Maze, and Amenadiel was fantastic.  I normally don’t go in for baby and pregnancy plots but this one was done in a really lovely way.

9.  Maze/Eve.  I ship it.  What are we calling this one?  Mave?  Eaze?  Whatever we decide: please, sir, can I have some more?

10.  All the pairing cross-pollination was lovely.  I loved seeing Amenadiel & Dan again.  I loved Dan & Ella.  I loved Maze & Dan.  Dan’s journey in particular was suuuper hard to watch, but his final scene with Linda was perfect.  Also, for a while there I really thought Ella’s crisis of faith was going to be resolved with a reveal — is she our next one if the show gets an S5?  

11.  I loved that Lucifer really started using his words toward the end.  He was able to admit aloud that he didn’t like who he was with Eve.  And, while I think this will be an unpopular opinion with Deckerstar shippers, I also really liked that he was also able to admit he wasn’t sure he liked who he was with Chloe, either.  I mean, this was certainly through no fault of Chloe — who again I felt reacted realistically — but rather from the tough situation Lucifer found himself in this season, where he was being inadvertently pulled between his two extremes (angel / devil).  I could understand where he was coming from with that — he just wants to be Lucifer, not ANGEL!Lucifer or DEVIL!Lucifer.  Part of the whole point of this season was Lucifer figuring out what “being Lucifer” means for him.  Who is he?  Along those lines, I also loved that we started getting more context for his Fall and who he was many years ago.  My head canons are definitely revising themselves as I type this.  

12.  All the oodles of supernatural goodness!  This was number three on my S4 wishlist.  Let Lucifer be the freaking Devil.  He is not human.  He has skills and perspectives that are different from ours.  And holy crap did the writers deliver here.  Except they upped the ante and gave me DEVIL!Lucifer, ANGEL!Amenadiel, DEMON!Maze, NEPHILIM!Baby, POSSESSED!Army, and a partridge in a pear tree.  

13.  How sweet was that ending exchange of ILYs between Chloe & Lucifer?  It felt really earned and really true, now that Chloe knows exactly who she’s saying she loves, and Lucifer has gone on his much-needed “who am I?” journey.

14.  HOW SWEET WAS THAT ENDING WITH LUCIFER ON THE THRONE OF HELL?  OH MY GOD WHAT A POWERFUL MOMENT.  At the very end of the final episode when we saw this, I turned to @tarysande and said, “Holy shit I LOVE that, but I HATE it.”  I’m still not really sure how to articulate my bucket o’ feelings about this.  It was hopelessly sad on a Deckerstar front, but for Lucifer personally ... wow.  Just wow.  And I really, really want to see where things could go from here.  

Overall, when @tarysande and I started watching this, I had some reservations.  I kept saying, “Oh, man, I don’t know how I’m gonna feel about this if they do X.”  But the writers kept walking right up to the line of whatever X was in that moment, they kept toeing it exactly before my "NOPE!” point, yet never once did they cross it, and in the end, they produced a brilliant season.  Probably my favorite yet.  

I am so very glad this show got renewed, and the writers had a chance to tell this story.

[theputterer]

Favorite Movies of the 2010s

A non-conclusive list that isn’t really in an established order. Maybe you don’t think these are all “good” movies; but remember, all of your favorite movies are good movies.

1. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD [2015]

An absolutely perfect movie, my favorite of all-time. Absurdly fantastic filmmaking by George Miller; practical effects that are jaw-dropping, night scenes in blue and black, brilliant oranges and reds that stick out even in the desert. The soundtrack by Junkie XL is one of my favorites. The scene in the gorge with Max and Furiosa firing from the rig raises goosebumps on my arms.

They are looking for hope.

What about you?

Redemption.

2. ANNIHILATION [2018]

No movie hit me so deeply as ANNIHILATION. Self-destruction amidst creation. Biology turned ragged. Fighting yourself and what crawls out from the other side. Loss and trauma hollowing out the soul. A soundtrack that rattles the room and bones. A bear scene that is not like anything I’ve ever seen before.

I think you’re confusing suicide with self-destruction.

3. STAR WARS EPISODE VIII: THE LAST JEDI [2017]

The redeeming act of failure and recovery. The importance of resilience, the importance of seeing someone fight for you when no one ever has before. Learning that you are your own best thing. Letting go of what you have been told you are meant to be. Stunning visuals in the use of the color red. Subtle set pieces that turn into magnificent pay-offs. Making your own choices and dealing with those consequences. Putting your faith in people over the importance of things.

The greatest teacher failure is.

4. BLACK KKKLANSMAN [2018]

Spike Lee is a Legend, and BLACK KKKLANSMAN hit me just like DO THE RIGHT THING did. I’ve watched this movie again and again. Unapologetic, sharp, and unsubtle. Gracious and delightfully humorous. Impeccable casting. Fantastic guitars holding down a blistering soundtrack. John David Washington delivers. Black faces turned ethereal. There is so much love in this movie, and it is not afraid.

We were born in jail!

5. INCEPTION [2010]

This walloped me; I was sixteen. Clever, and not bothering to wait for you to catch up. Remarkable bits of visuals; Paris turned upside down, skyscrapers crumbling into oceans. The hallway fight scene is immortal. Madness in creation. A convoluted and heavy-handed love letter to movies and storytelling. “Time” by Hans Zimmer is one of my favorite songs.

An idea is like a virus.

6. PACIFIC RIM [2013]

“Drift compatible” as a concept. ICONIC. Robots fighting giant monsters. A plethora of love stories, familial and romantic. a score for the ages. Brilliant casting choices; an Idris Elba introduction. The world unites and the good guys win. the creation of the “Mako Mori” test.

Today, we are canceling the apocalypse!

7. GONE GIRL [2013]

Even when you know the ending, the story is so tightly paced and set that you are engrossed the whole way. Ben Affleck is the perfect Nick, and Rosamund Pike nails that fine line of innocence while treacherous. My favorite Fincher movie. A color scheme that sets the tone all the way through. 

The primal questions of a marriage: What are you thinking? How are you feeling? What have we done to each other?

8. PATERSON [2016]

A story of two people who love art and each other. Poetry as language and hobby, inspiration as something to be found anywhere you look. The sweetness of daily life when you spend it with someone you love. This movie is the definition of “soft.” What you become when you spend time with someone who just wants to see you grow and supports you the whole way.

If you ever left me, I'd tear my heart out and never put it back.

9. X-MEN: FIRST CLASS [2011]

I really love this movie! It’s anchored by great performances by James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. There is so much here about friendship and family, and the trauma that unites and breaks it apart. Survival and forgiveness, and reaching an impasse and parting.

Listen to me very carefully, my friend: killing Shaw will not bring you peace.

Peace was never an option.

10. ARRIVAL [2016]

Knowing what is inevitable, and what can be changed. Time as circular and happening all at once. Language as a gatekeeper to memory. (Time and memory are two words for the same thing?) Seeing the loss and choosing to embrace the love that leads to it anyway. A beautifully composed script that articulates a nonlinear story smoothly.

You know I've had my head tilted up to the stars for as long as I can remember. You know what surprised me the most? It wasn't meeting them. It was meeting you.

Alternates:

2010: THE GHOST WRITER, THE OTHER GUYS, THE SOCIAL NETWORK

2011: 50/50, BRIDESMAIDS, BEGINNERS, CRAZY STUPID LOVE, JANE EYRE, YOU’RE NEXT

2012: LES MISERABLES, LINCOLN, LOOPER, MOONRISE KINGDOM, THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, SKYFALL, SOUND OF MY VOICE

2013: 42, GRAVITY, INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, PHILOMENA, THE WAY WAY BACK

2014: CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER, DEAR WHITE PEOPLE, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, I ORIGINS, INTERSTELLAR, LAGGIES, THE LEGO MOVIE, NOAH, SELMA, SNOWPIERCER, THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU, X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

2015: THE AGE OF ADELINE, BRIDGE OF SPIES, CINDERELLA, CRIMSON PEAK, EX MACHINA, MAGIC MIKE XXL, ROOM, STAR WARS EPISODE VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS, TRAINWRECK

2016: HIDDEN FIGURES, LION, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, MISS SLOANE, MOONLIGHT, THE NICE GUYS, ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, STAR TREK BEYOND, THE WITCH, WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT

2017: THE BIG SICK, GET OUT, IT, HAPPY DEATH DAY, JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE, LOGAN, LOVING VINCENT, MOLLY’S GAME, THE POST, THE SHAPE OF WATER, SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING, THOR: RAGNAROK, WONDER WOMAN

2018: A QUIET PLACE, BLACK PANTHER, CRAZY RICH ASIANS, OCEAN’S 8, ON THE BASIS OF SEX, SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER VERSE, WIDOWS

2019: CAPTAIN MARVEL, GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS, HAPPY DEATH DAY 2U, KNIVES OUT, LONG SHOT, SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME, US

There is no such thing as a bad movie year.

Alex Garland and Rian Johnson are making movies For Me Specifically.

Science fiction continues to rule!

It is not easy for me to like a comedy.

I need to watch more movies.

tagging: @anexitlike​, @winedarkseas​, @lisa-in-the-sky​, @illuminahsti​, @leaiorganas​, @callioope​, @cassianserso​, @magalis​, @amorosoed​, @alittlemomentum​, @i-am-slain​, @rolodexthoughts​, @sortedcrayons, @fortysevenswrites​, @gloriouswhisperstyphoon​, @vaderkat​ and anyone else who wants to give it a shot! beware: this way lies madness. :)

[julia-sets]

Summergen 2018 Recs

Okay, so this is a loooong post because Summergen was so amazing that my recommendation could just be the masterlist. But maybe some people wanted some actual pointers, so these are my faves from this summer. There are a lot and honestly I probably missed a few (it’s hard to remember with so many great fics!)

The Room Upstairs Summary: Sam comes back from hell, but he’s inside-out and all wrong, and Dean can’t fix him. A heart-wrenching look at a Sam who comes back really, truly broken.

Chick Lit References Summary: “This is just typical,” Dean says angrily. “Cas puts us in a yurt, and you won’t let me leave because you think we need this to ‘fix us,’ but here’s the thing, Sam, next time you’re mad at me, maybe you should try this thing called talking instead of going straight to chick lit references that will soar over my head.” Sam and Dean working through things post-Michael in a story that’s alternately hilarious and sad and touching. The author does a good job of capturing how the boys often talk past each other, but at the end finally reach some common ground. Sleeping With the Fishes Summary: Dean won’t rest until Sam sleeps. Season 7-era fics are rare in fandom and this one makes me wish that wasn’t true. It captures so much of what I liked about that season. Sam is not sleeping and struggling. Dean is generally broken but trying. 

Death Unhinged Its Jaw Summary: death unhinged its jaw and swallowed them whole, only to spit them back out again after. This was the fic that was written for me and hooooooly crap did it deliver. I don’t want to say too much, for fear of spoiling it. Please read this. Saving Him from Hell Summary: Dean was stone number one Another bit of canon that’s under-developed: Sam in between seasons 7 and 8. This fic is a look at his devastation and all the messy complexity of the brothers’ relationship. It’s an Experience Summary: Claire is working through some feelings about the death of a certain angel. When Jack tries to help, they both realize something new. The author captures both Claire and Jack’s voices so very well and their bonding is incredibly sweet. Sadly probably won’t get as much attention because it doesn’t focus on the boys, but it deserves more love. Sweet Dreams are Made of This Summary: Pre-series fic dealing with Sam going to Stanford. Another one I don't exactly want to spoil. Another awesome look at some pre-series time. I could see this slotting into canon perfectly. Freeport, Illinois Summary: June, 1998. John has left Sam and Dean in a small Illinois town while he is working. Two teenage boys, not much money, and time to kill…  Perfectly characterized pre-series fic that looks at the boys’ hardships but doesn’t get maudlin about it.

Black Coffee in Bed Summary: Breakdown in Nebraska, and the mornings after. I’m a sucker for anything about the episode Breakdown, which I loved. This one is gorgeously atmospheric.

Open Sky Summary: Magda lives, and ends up spending some time at the bunker. Magda lives! This is a very sweet story written in Magda’s POV that uses her staying with them to explore some of Sam’s issues.

Fledgling Summary: When four-year-old Emma arrives the Bunker, Sam wonders exactly what it is that Cas brought him—what he made without his soul. This is written like a bit of a fairytale. Kidfic is normally not my thing but I really appreciated Emma, especially as Sam learns how to care for her and then learns where she came from.

 Wintering Summary: Dean is hurt on his first hunt and lets Sam take care of him. Short and sweet bit with pre-series Winchesters.

Sicko Summary: Now fully human, Jack navigates the realities of both past and present. Wonderfully explores Jack adjusting to being human, learning more about Lucifer and Sam.

scenes from a highway at the edge of night  Summary: Birthdays are also anniversaries. Don’t want to spoil anything, but ranges from sad to bittersweet.

pain is a well-intentioned weatherman  Summary: When Dean gets home from apocalypse world, Sam is on traumatic brain injury protocol. He was fine when Dean left. He was fine. How many Sam Has a Head Injury fics will I read? Answer: all of them.

Misplaced Summary: Dean facilitated a divine family reunion and God’s sister gifted him John Winchester. The world is upside-down—but they’ve rescued Sam, and doesn’t the world somehow (always) hinge on him? For the prompt: Season 12 Au where John was brought back to life instead of Mary. For a short piece this one hits hard, hinting at all the very messy ways that John’s return would be difficult.

These are the days of miracle and wonder (this is the long distance call) Summary: Sam Winchester's life has been touched by many things - love, loss, fear, hope, pain, and always, in the background, witchcraft. Holy shit it’s witch!Sam! I love witch!Sam. I especially love this witch!Sam, which reimagines the entire show a little bit and works so well and is so touching and sweet and sad.

At first I was afraid Summary: Three months after Michael leaves Dean's body, Sam wants to take on a case. Woah. This fic is amazing. It takes place in a soon-to-be-AU Season 14 and explores some of the lasting consequences of Michael but also how they fit into some of the show’s ongoing, unexplored Issues. And have I mentioned that it’s fantastically written and in character?

Wreckage Summary: It’s a slow procession out the front door of the Bunker that first week until it’s just the two of them left. Jack wants to comfort Sam after Michael takes off with Dean but doesn’t know how, and Sam is obsessed with how to get his brother back, no matter what the cost. I’m a sucker for more Sam and Jack content. This one is incredibly sweet and ends with another thing I love, which I won’t spoil.

[thezodiaczone]

August Forecast for Pisces

Cleanup in Aisle Pisces! The August starscape is about pulling your act together and corralling all the scattered bits-n-bobs of your life. With the Sun in Leo and your organized, health-conscious sixth house until August 23, you might finally get the motivation to make concrete personal improvements. From joining a gym to hiring help to booking appointments, the only way through it is to do it.

But keep your plans simple, because you WILL be swimming upstream a bit. Throughout August, you’ll feel the counterforces of six retrograde planets: mindful Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Neptune (your ruler), Uranus and Pluto. Because of their sluggish energy, you’re not getting those vitality refills that you could really use right now.

The chief culprit is action planet Mars, which has been retrograde in Aquarius and your sleepy, subconscious twelfth house since June 26. You may be handling a lot of old emotional baggage or struggling with burnout. On the upside, it’s been a rich time for spiritual epiphanies, creativity and forgiveness work since the imaginative twelfth house is the dreamy domain ruled by your sign. One Pisces friend reported “losing track of linear time” all summer yet having some wild dreams and even psychic visions. But productivity hasn’t exactly been at its highest as Mars here pulled your sign into old addictive patterns, including the urge for escapism.

Mars will remain retrograde until August 27, but on August 11 it will dip back into Capricorn and your eleventh house of groups. It’s a great time to reunite with inspiring old friends, especially ones who can help you snap out of a self-sabotaging or codependent funk. Just pace yourself until Mars resumes forward motion at the end of the month because too many social demands could leave you overwhelmed. You might also plug back into a humanitarian or social cause that you fiercely believe in and become an outspoken advocate. You may want to wait until Mars goes direct to really come out with your message, though, as it will be better received then.

In the meantime, keep busy (or distract yourself from temptation) by finishing up all those boring-but-essential tasks: paint the kitchen, get your accountant the quarterly tax documents, interview a babysitter for the fall. Mercury, the planet of communication, technology and travel, is retrograde in Leo and your orderly sixth house until August 19. This is a classic time of confusion and chaos, especially around information, and with Mercury awry in this precision-oriented part of your chart, it will be easy for wires to get crossed.

Load up on immune-boosting foods and supplements since Mercury retrograde here can make you susceptible to a late-summer cold or virus, especially if you’re overwhelmed by stress. The sixth house rules gut health, so if you’re not feeling your finest, check for food allergies or consider doing a (supervised) cleanse.

On August 11, a solar (new moon) eclipse lands in Leo, which could bring an a-ha moment about the way you’re running your life. This is the second-to-last eclipse in a series that’s been landing on the Leo/Aquarius axis since February 2017, recalibrating your approach specifically to health and healing, work, stress management and control-versus-surrender. You’ve been learning (intensely!) when to lean in and when to let go, and it’s been a wild ride at times.

This eclipse could give you a burst of motivation to start a new eating regimen or exercise routine, or it could uncover any medical mysteries that have befuddled you, perhaps through an amazing new doctor, healer or naturopath. If you’ve been looking to hire service providers or specialists, you could meet the righthand person of your dreams. You might also get a moment of sharp clarity around your master plans, which will help you (finally!) make an important decision. Events will unfold between now and the January 21, 2019, Leo full moon—a total lunar eclipse that will complete this two-year eclipse cycle with a dramatic flourish.

A few days prior, on August 7, changemaker Uranus will start its annual five-month retrograde backspin, which might actually be a relief. Uranus is known for throwing curveballs and triggering sudden shifts, and you’ve been feeling those in new areas ever since Uranus entered Taurus for an eight-year journey—its first visit here since 1942!

Uranus is in “fall” in Taurus since it’s the planet of change and Taurus rules stability. For you, Taurus rules your third house of communication, neighborhoods and ideas. You may have radically shifted your attitude about something, made a few innovative new friends or started scouting out different areas to live. But processing all of this may have further thrown you off, and you may feel overwhelmed by all the new information you’ve been absorbing.

In November, Uranus will dip back into Aries and your second house of work and money for a final visit, not to return until the 22nd century! From November to January, your cash flow could be a bit erratic, so build up a “cushion” now if you can. On the upside, this backspin can give you time to integrate all those changes. A writing, media or teaching project that was sparked by this transit could now get your focused attention.

Leaning on your steady supporters will be oh-so anchoring, and you can do that starting August 23, when the Sun settles into Virgo and your seventh house of partnerships for a month. Concentrate your energy on your tried-and-true peeps, and team up for the win. With Mercury retrograde now in the rearview, you’ve got the green light to sign contracts, solidify a business alliance or make a clear(er) decision about a romantic relationship.

One of the best “people” days of the year is August 25, when the Sun forms an auspicious grand trine with structured Saturn and innovative Uranus, which are in the most friendly and communal zones of your chart. A casual acquaintance could turn into a serious contender for love, a work partnership or a blissful new bond. This day might bring a real meeting of the minds with some legit kindred spirits. Perfect strangers can feel like people you’ve known for lifetimes (maybe you have…?). Attend a gathering or host a party and adopt a “more the merrier” approach.

The next day, August 26, brings it all on home as the year’s only Pisces full moon beams into your sign, giving you a surge of confidence and charisma. Finally, you feel ready to make an important decision and act on it. The spotlight might also seek you out, or you could have a chance to advocate for something you passionately believe in. With Mars ending its retrograde the next day, your fires will be relit. Speak up and let the world hear you roar!

Love & Romance

Sizzling summer: incoming! On August 6, romantic Venus will plunge into Libra, turning up the intensity in your erotic eighth house. You’ll always take more seduction and intrigue in your life, and vixen Venus delivers. Couples should slip away for some private time and make it a priority to reconnect on a mind-body-soul level. No matter what your relationship status, Venus helps you reclaim a sense of inside-out beauty, and your magnetism will be palpable!

Just make sure you aim it in the right direction. Sultry Mars is retrograde from June 26 until August 27, a tricky time for making clear decisions about love. With the fiery-tempered red planet gone rogue, everyone is feeling intensely reactive and acting on impulse. You could find yourself fighting over the same old issues or getting hooked on a troubled-but-tantalizing person. Uncertainty could flare: Is this person trustworthy, or is something shady going on? If you’ve been struggling to let go of an ex, this cycle could push you to do the necessary work. For happily coupled Fish, this is a time to lean heavily on your mate for support now.

Until August 12, Mars is retrograde in Aquarius and your twelfth house of fantasy and illusion, which can lead to obsessing over an unavailable person or casting a completely unrealistic projection onto the object of your lust. When Venus and Mars sync up in a fast-moving trine on August 7, you could have one of the sexiest and most fantasy-fueled days of the year. Will it be with the “right” person? That remains to be seen—but you’ll be so far gone, you won’t listen to a word of your friends’ advice anyway…so, um, might as well enjoy it?

With Venus in your play-for-keeps eighth house, you might decide to make things official with someone who totally sweeps you away. Fair warning: Venus will make a second trip through Libra from October 31 to November 16, when she will be in a tricky retrograde backspin that starts October 5. Trust issues could emerge, or you may have second thoughts after getting completely consumed by a love affair. (Pisces Justin Bieber, we’re looking at you and your PDA-heavy sessions that led to an engagement after a month of dating.) Take your time making things permanent—you’ll want to make sure the attraction survives both of the love planets’ retrogrades.

You might get a little more perspective after August 12, when Mars dips back into Capricorn and your objective eleventh house, helping you assess a situation with a little more emotional distance.

Key Dates

August 9: Venus-Saturn Square It’ll be hard to know what someone else is thinking today—and next to impossible to get an accurate read on what they’re FEELING. As a result, part of you may try to get closer, but when you don’t get any positive feedback, you could retreat into your cave. There’s no analyzing this one. Just sit with your feelings and intuition and trust what comes.

Money & Career

Life might feel like an episode of The Office this month: Cubicle walls, paperwork, endless emails…anyone need another cup of coffee? As the Leo Sun heats up your sixth house of administrative tasks, systems and daily work, there’s no getting around those unsexy to-do list items. Might as well dive in and enjoy the relief of a clean, uncluttered schedule and space as your reward.

With energizer Mars in low-power retrograde mode through August 27—and in your foggy twelfth house until August 11—you won’t have the energy to tackle any huge undertakings. It’s a fruitful time for creative visualization, soul-searching and investigating new ideas for what you could do next. On top of that, Mercury, the ruler of communication and technology, is retrograde until August 19, which could make it challenging to stay on top of all the details or get a clear answer out of anyone. If you’re looking for new electronics or office equipment, research the options but wait to buy until after the retrograde—or at least spring for the full warranty.

With an August 11 Leo solar eclipse spicing things up, there could be some intriguing workplace drama, like changing staff, new policies or even a stimulating new project. This is a great day to interview someone or test-launch a new project-management system. But hold off on making things official until Mercury goes direct (forward) August 19.

An awesome day to network arrives at the August 25 Sun-Saturn-Uranus grand trine, which gives you confidence and clout, helping you present yourself as an authority figure and a thought leader. Your message could get out to the masses in a big way, especially if it has a humanitarian or progressive twist. The next day’s Pisces full moon takes that even further, helping you get clear about your mission in the world and how you can use it to better people’s lives.

Key Dates

August 10: Mercury-Jupiter Square Details could be your undoing today, as a backward-spinning Mercury in your organized sixth house gets whacked by expansive Jupiter in your “more is more” zone. Trying to go too big or too fast will backfire, so slow everyone down and insist that things be rock-solid before you move forward. Frustrating, sure. But this will save massive migraines in the future!

Love Days: 9, 12 Money Days: 19, 1 Luck Days: 17, 26 Off Days: 11, 15

[truthbeetoldmedia]

Mayans MC 1x06 "Gato/Mis" Review

Last episode left a lot to be desired for me. The final scene made me so angry that it distorted my entire recollection of the episode. This episode, everything is a bit more back on track. I’m still not pleased with Miguel and Emily and their relationship. Those characters will continue to be tainted for me. Domestic abuse isn’t sexy.  

Anyways…

Episode 6 starts with Angel, Coco, and EZ on their way to meet with Adelita to deliver money to Los Olvidados. After last week’s episode, Angel is more determined than ever to know more of the grand plan than what Adelita gives him on a need-to-know basis. I can’t say that I don’t agree with him. If Angel is going to constantly be risking not only his life, but the MC’s as well, he’s going to need a bit more information from Adelita. She starts with her name; it’s actually Luisa Espina. Also? The rebels have larger numbers than they let on. Not hundreds, but thousands. Holy hell. What did you get yourself into, Angel?

Felipe and Jimenez share an emotional morning of drinking and reminiscing. Jimenez (who is a federal agent) had taken some time off and showed up on Felipe’s doorstep. He’s completely distraught over Felipe’s threat of harming his family. They delve a bit further into Felipe’s past. The photos from the last episode were very much real and were very much a part of his life that he was trying to leave behind in order to start a family with his wife, who was pregnant with their first child (and the love of my life) Angel. Making any threats between the two of them were wrong and that’s something they agree on.  

Jimenez’s bosses are being pressured by the US District Attorney for more information on the Galindo cartel. He’s feeling the pressure, so that’s why he’s putting more pressure on EZ and that’s why Felipe’s telling him to back off a bit.  

Meanwhile, Emily is becoming more engrossed in her husband’s...business. Dita isn’t so thrilled about this. She didn’t want this life for Miguel, so why would she want her daughter-in-law to be involved too? There is finally movement on the return of Cristobal. Adelita actually contacts Miguel and says they can have him back for 7 million pesos in cryptocurrency. I guess that’s one good thing of having posted Adelita’s face all around the Mexican towns surrounding the border. Pressure to give in or just really do anything. We know Emily is desperate for her son back. Miguel is just as desperate. As soon as they know where to meet Adelita and have Cristobal back, the cartel will slaughter every single person involved.  

Los Olvidados, however, have a plan. It’s briefly mentioned in the first scene of the episode, actually. Every tiny detail is planned and it has me on the edge of my seat waiting for something to happen. Galindo’s little mole in the Los Olvidados operation has to be the most obvious undercover person. Perhaps it is because he is a child, but I was just waiting for someone to catch on and I’m surprised something didn’t happen sooner. Coordinates are placed in plain view of the child, who relays the location to the cartel. Turns out, it was a trap for that mole. Los Olvidados take no prisoners. They will do anything in order to take down the Galindo cartel and that includes murdering a child. In fact, they have another child push that child off a roof and into broken glass windows. Absolutely brutal.  

Miguel is very briefly reunited with his baby boy and after a few moments, is arrested on the Mexican side of the border. His son is taken away from him again. Actually makes me feel just a small bit for him. After his actions at the end of the last episode, he was firmly at the very bottom of my character preference list. Him and Emily.  

Coco’s darling daughter, Leticia, makes a reappearance at the Mayans junkyard. Last time we saw her, she was hitchhiking away from Coco and her grandmother, promising to give the driver sexual favors. Coco was chasing after her. Since Coco has club business to attend to, EZ takes it upon himself to babysit. He discovers Coco’s daughter is bruised and she has a dead body in the trunk of a car; the very man she hitched a ride with. The plan is to make it seem like someone tried to jack the driver and to rid all traces of Leticia ever being with him. She offers EZ a chance to fuck her if he wants, but he makes it clear that he just wants to help her. Thank god. He doesn’t need any more crazy on his plate.  

We are treated to another flashback! It feels a bit randomly placed in the episode, if I’m being honest, but I’ll always accept more flashbacks! The memory is triggered by a Wildcats sticker on a car window. It goes back to the day EZ found his mother’s body in his family’s butcher shop. He’d seen a car with a Wildcats sticker in its back window making a getaway.  

Anyways, part of the plan is to put the dead guy back in his truck. When EZ goes to move the truck, since it’s broad daylight and people would notice two people moving a dead body, he is stopped by two men who know that that truck doesn’t belong to him. They believe he’s stealing it and a fight ensues. EZ manages to knock one guy out, but Leticia sneaks up on the second and stabs him in the back with a screwdriver. She just does it as if that’s something she does every day! If she’s anything like her father, she’s probably just a bit unhinged. She’s a marvel wrapped in a mystery and she can only be there to cause trouble for the club, including EZ and her own father, Coco.  

Bishop believes Coco could be the rat, so he’s going to obviously keep him close to keep an eye on him. It’s understandable, but we know that Coco isn’t the real rat. It’s Angel. Coco knows the bare minimum and I’m just wondering how long it’s going to take for the rest of the club to find out about Angel and his relationship with Adelita and Los Olvidados.  

A car chase ensues once a police cruiser spots EZ in the car Leticia arrived in. (Leticia is riding behind the car on the back of Angel’s motorcycle.) Turns out, the girl stole the car from her grandmother, so the cops have been looking for that car. This leads into another flashback for our dear EZ. EZ was after the man that killed his mother. He chases a car and causes a small collision. Back to the present, the chase gets a bit more complicated when another cruiser joins the chase. EZ ditches the car in a field and fills it water to destroy any evidence left behind and he just runs and hides.  

The end of this episode shows us that these people would do absolutely anything for the people they care about. Miguel will go to the ends of the earth for his son. Adelita and the rebels will protect what and who is theirs. EZ and Angel will help, not only each other, but also help out the loose canon of a daughter of their friend and “brother”. While Jimenez and Felipe are at odds, they are still family and Felipe will look out for him. These bonds they show us are strong and that was always one thing I did enjoy seeing from a Kurt Sutter-produced show.  

The biggest reveal of the episode was the return of Lincoln Potter (Ray McKinnon). For those familiar with Son of Anarchy, you’ll remember ADA Lincoln Potter. He was one of the show’s most morally grey characters in Season 4. He brought a world of hurt to Juice and it makes me wonder who he’s going to turn upside down in the Mayans MC. The last time we saw him on Sons, he was trying to take down the Galindo Cartel, but two members of the cartel turned out to be undercover CIA agents, forcing him off the case. This character’s return is mysterious, but it opens so many doors. Who else could Kurt Sutter possibly bring back?

Some thoughts:

Angel is such a good big brother. EZ immediately calls him to help him out once Leticia stabs one of the witnesses and he does without a question.  

Leticia is a compelling character and I’m down for seeing more of her.  

I can’t even believe Sutter brought Lincoln Potter back. His character wasn’t even a thought in my mind. Genius. He hasn’t changed a bit.

So far two children have been brutally murdered on this show. On both sides of the equation. How many more are going to die before the season ends?  

No love triangle action this episode so that’s a major win in my book!

Mayans MC airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on FX.

Sarah’s episode rating: 🐝🐝🐝

[alastheatlas]

Why Klance/Laith Will Probably Go Down - Masterlist

I know how season 7 broke many of us. We had a lot of expectations and this season, while beautiful and otherwise good, certainly failed at some points.

However it isn’t the end yet. Hopefully season 8 will resolve at least some of our disappointments. But when it comes to klance/laith, I’m pretty sure we’re going to see something happen. Nothing has to happen however. But I’m just saying, based on all of the things listed, it just simply makes sense that it would.

This is just a show so whatever happens happens. But I'm just saying I'll have faith in laith until if the very last second of the show tells us any different. And here’s why.

Are you ready? [CONTAINS SEASON 7 SPOILERS!!]

-----------------------------------------------------

but first some lecturing lololol

WHATEVER HAPPENS AND WHICHEVER SHIP BLOWS OUT THE BIG CANON IN THE END IS FINE. IT'S JUST A SHOW. A SHOW THAT DOESN'T EVEN REVOLVE AROUND ROMANCE. If you can't handle that then you can go bite ass. Oh and also, Don’t spread around hate or threats or any shit like that. You should know better. Just enjoy the show as it is. And yes, this applies to if your ship becomes canon and if it doesn’t. Spreading hate and threats are never okay. Accept whatever the outcome of the show will be, and let people ship what they want. This isn’t your story and you shouldn’t become sour just because it doesn’t go the way you want it to go, and if it does go the way you want it to go, don’t rub it in the faces of those who wanted something different.

Just be mature and decent guys, it really ain’t that hard.

-----------------------------------------------------

ANYWAY here's my half-assed list of why I believe klance/laith will be endgame by the end of the series:   

[I REPEAT THIS CONTAINS SOME S7 SPOILERS]

Let’s begin with some random stuff:

Lance’s one-sided rivalry with Keith seems to... have something a little extra about it.

The blue and the red star in the astral plane?? Do they hold a deeper meaning??

The bonding moment. It could be seen as platonic, but... The colours and the lightning y'all... Interesting choice. (Also... that a//urance parallel in season 6... Coincidence I think the heck not, purposeful I think the heck yes)

Keith being seemingly really impatient for Lance to come out of the healing pod after the bonding moment, and then appearing to actually sulk for having to wait just a small moment.

In one of the comic books Keith says that he’ll be training and suggests that maybe Lance should too, maybe or maybe not wanting to hang out with Lance and trying to create an opportunity, and then seems to become upset/disappointed when Lance rejects the idea.

Lance talking to the mice about his crush on Allura could honestly pass  as him talking about Keith as well. 

Honestly though was Lance flirting/trying to impress Keith as pointed out here x?

They really pulled the stuck in the elevator trope lmao.

This doesn’t actually have to do with anything but I still find it a funny parallel with Lance rejecting Keith by denying the bonding moment and Keith rejecting Lance and denying him a proper greeting and hug after returning. Are they even now? fuhidsdfu top 10 anime betrayals

The Feud episode (here are the s7 spoilers!!)

Lance chose Keith (read more here x). Look, listen. This was pretty gay. To put it briefly, Lance’s reasoning was kinda weak and he could’ve honestly as well have chosen Allura here. But... he didn’t. And then he seriously says that Keith is the future which is like honest foreshadowing (especially considering how unnecessary it was for him to say that part, at the very least in that way). And then to deliver the final blow he drops that soft smile (a la bonding moment) on us. I don’t care what happens in season 8, this moment was gay af. If I’m stretching a little bit this scene could be viewed a little bit like Lance choosing between Keith and Allura (looking to the side and then the other, pondering, choosing Keith).

Keith chose Lance (same read more link x). Again to put it briefly. We know Keith seems kinda grumpy here. You know what we also know? Keith doesn’t dislike Lance, and he cares about the fate of the universe, therefore invalidating his answer. His body language and expression alone said it all; he closed himself off. He wasn’t comfortable sharing the real reason why he chose Lance. Keith no doubt knows what Lance is capable of. He trusts Lance. Keith chose Lance for a reason (or several reasons), and him ‘not wanting to be stuck for eternity with him’ is definitely not the reason why Keith voted for Lance to escape. Worthy mention of Keith being the quickest here to choose and to finish.

Bii. Boh. Bi. Y’all. This shit. Call it a funny coincidence but the answer was “bi” and the Bii-Boh-Bi kept gesturing towards Lance basically during the entire thing. Call it a stretch if you want, but I have no regrets reaching for this cup. And call it a crack theory at this point but Bob tells the Bii-Boh-Bi “Maybe you could help this dum-dum out”, so this drink tastes like whatever-this-episode-even-was wanted to give Lance a shake. The name game wasn’t even valid. You can be bad at names and bad at remembering faces and still be incredibly smart. None of the games showed Lance actually being unintelligent. And Lance actually did very well in the last game, and I can tell you that game was confusing af so I’m impressed. With this in mind my arm has personally elongated so far that maybe Bob calling Lance ‘dumb’ here wasn’t a jab at his intelligence. Ok hi my ankle is broken but it was worth it. 

Interesting scenery colours and rainbows:

There are several cases of these, but they’re mostly subtle. I’ll leave some examples.

That one episode in season one (is it 06? or 07? you know the one) that is literally the bi flag. We have a lot of Lance in this ep.

In this ep we are also accompanied by at least two rainbows, one when Lance and Nyma fly across the water and another at the end when Keith teases Lance. (Honorable mention of Keith arguably checking Rolo out in this episode lol, we see u Keith x)

That episode when Lotor plays around with the paladins on that planet with the explosive gas, and when the team has split and Keith nears Lance with his lion and no kidding that's the bi flag as a background right there (upside down).

The very obvious, big ass, very not subtle rainbow that's seriously plastered on Keith in the season 7 trailer.

Random rainbow over Keith here as well

The scene where the paladins are in some galra place or something and Lance is sharpshooting and looking down at the others. Background + Lance’s suit + his gun = bi flag colours. 

Funnily enough in this scene when Keith shows up and starts fighting the galra robots (or whatever those things are) and Lance goes ‘I had that guy!’ he looks wayy too long at Keith. Like. Way too long.

Ogling/gloating and jealousy?:

“I’d recognize that mullet anywhere” I’m sorry but if that doesn’t sound like someone has been ogling then I don’t know what.

Again I’m sorry but Lance’s reaction to Keith when he returned wasn’t of the straightest caliber.

Still, when Lance keeps looking at Keith fighting for several solid seconds when he’s supposed to be shooting down galra robots. Parallels a//urance in a way a little bit too when Lance looks at Allura fighting and goes ‘that was awesome!’

But Keith isn’t all that better, apparently

Keith. Out of all people. Stops mid-battle to smile at Lance when Lance shoots away a knife heading towards Keith. Not noticing Axca coming up behind him and then almost getting his ass kicked by Ezor.

After the bonding moment Keith arguably seems like he's jealous when Lance starts flirting.

(Here’s some more hehe x)

How Lance being jealous when Keith is involved could actually be interpreted as ambiguous. It is never actually clarified who he’s jealous over. why not both

Really though the "Jealousy, thy name is Keith" from the comic could possibly be more true than it lets on (though not as you think, Lance).

Honestly I’ll never get over these danking looks:

Lance you’re excused but Keith?? What?? Is that face?? The boy flirted with a girl and ran off and got his lion stolen and you had to get it back for him and you make THIS face?? (Also I think this is the same face 80′s voltron Keith did at Allura at one point?) 

Lance you’re no longer excused. He seriously looks like he's daydreaming of prince charming coming and sweeping him off his feet. (Also remember the face he made when talking about Mrs. Blue Lion x?)

KEITH. HONESTLY. WHAT.

Legit there are no excuses for any of these expressions.

Now for some parallels, some weaker some stronger:

[x] (Krolia/Texas and l0tura parallels, with a dash of Zarkon/Honerva)

[x] (a//urance and l0tura parallels)

[x] (s7 spoiler!), Might and might not be a reach but a//urance parallel (same energy lol))

[x] This entire scene (they make a great/good team). Let’s not forget the little hand glasp Lance does.

[x] (tlok parallel)

[x] (atla parallel)

[x] (atla and tlok parallel) Insert Lance in this context lol

[x] (tlok parallel)

[x] (a//urance parallel)

There are so many parallels tbh I can’t

Allura honestly parallels Keith so much and she LITERALLY plays Keith in the coalition shows

[x] Lance talking about Mrs. Blue Lion vs talking about Keith

[x] (l0tura parallel)

A//lurance and klance/laith paralleling with how both Keith and Allura lectures Lance about the coalition shows not being about the show but about the people 

Some romantic mood parallels:

The previous blue paladin with a (blushing) male galra

Now lets move on to some interesting stuff from interviews and the cast and producers (no sources or direct quotes because I’M LAZY:

We all know about the art Lauren drew with Lance and Shiro holding up the lgbt sign and the theory that goes with it.

Bex pretty much confirming that there'll be lgbtq rep in voltron through a sinister laugh in that vid (we know now this to be true bc of Shiro, but there might be more to come?.. or unfold hehe if you catch my drift). Voltron having lgbtq rep has also been brought up before at interviews. I THINK there’s been hinted that there’ll be a little something something between two characters? Not sure tho

Bex also either confirming or shooting down klance/laith during another vid BUT most probably confirming. You know that vid. Reasons to believe: 1. It was dubious, since we don't know which of the questions she shaked her head to. 2. High Hopes by Panic! At The Disco was playing in the background. 3. I don't think she would actually openly deny a ship when she could have just ignored the question, much less making it so dubious.

Kimberly: "Friendship" (may or may not actually imply something within the future of the show, or if it just was @ the thorsty klancers)

We know that Lance will have an endgame (and Keith happens to check all the points of what’s been said about that endgame)

Lance will end up somewhere different than he thought at the start (he wanted Allura at the start, and Keith certainly would be someone different than he'd thought).

What he wants isn't necessarily what he needs(/gets?? I don't remember lol) (and we know he wanted Allura. plus the lion exchange becomes a pretty interesting topic here, as further talked about here x). 

What he needs/wants is someone who’s self-assured and who knows who they are (I think it was) and hey look Keith is back! (who just happens to fit these criterias more than ever).

The plain fact of how Keith and Lance's arcs actually just seem to intertwine so well.

Also adding that klance/laith interview lol. With the "natural progression" thing and that. And also when Lauren said the only incompatible thing about Lance and Keith is the shipname 'klance'. 

Lance’s milkshake bringing everybody to the yard.

It’s been said that Lance remembers the bonding moment but wasn’t ‘emotionally ready’ for it, whatever that could possibly mean 👀 

And apparently there’s more story to unfold... 

Which may or may not be related but sure makes this a hella lot more interesting (I find this cup worth reaching for ok)

(lmao if you seriously think the folding thing was an accident)

I’m not saying that the pic necessarily implies klance/laith but it certainly implies something with them. Which will be. Interesting.

Some interesting theories:

[x] Regarding the “Red lion” and the “Blue lion”

[x] Keith’s vlog and some interesting tagging

[x] Some possible, interesting foreshadowing?

Highkey Lowkey scared this is actually foreshadowing (from a comic, Keith is the one saying ‘isn’t that love’, and Lance is the other one)

Also some reaches because we love long arms:

[x] Rivals to friends to lovers foreshadowing lol

[x] Interesting... Funny coincidence?

[x] I know I know but honestly you can’t deny his face here

[x] I’ll also add this while I’m at it because I can 

(s7 spoiler ahead) Look this is just an interesting concept ok, but in episode 2 in s7 when they’re splitting up in that tunnel, Allura goes one way and Keith goes the other. We see Lance going last, slowing up and almost seeming to take a little time to choose, before going the way Keith went.

So uhh yeah here’s my grand, half-assed take on it. Season 7 can come bite my ass if it doesn’t happen, I’ll be on the lookout until the very last episode of season 8. Klance/laith may or may not happen. But I strongly believe it will and honestly that’s just what makes the most sense to me. 

But yeah reminder that ships doesn’t have to be canon for you to ship them, and if your ship becomes canon you should not harass others about it and you shouldn’t harass others if your ship doesn’t become canon either. All in all NO HARASSING. NO HATE. NO SHADE. JUST. BE DECENT. This includes to the creators and other people in the fandom both. 

Always be prepared for voltron to sock you in the stomach. Season 7 might very well do so. Season 8 might very well do so. Be prepared for your expectations and hopes and wishes to go completely out the window. But no matter how it goes, let’s just sit back and relax and enjoy the show as much as we can beyond our internal screaming.

In the end this is an intriguing story with aliens about family and being a team and it’s beautiful. So let’s just enjoy it, no matter what.

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY

[wazafam]

The 100 has finished its series after its seventh series and ensured that fans were able to get a complete story. Shows from the science fiction fantasy genre, however, don’t have that long lives on-air, but The 100 lasted six years.

RELATED: The 100 Characters Ranked By Intelligence

Now that the show’s over, fans should branch out and discover similar stories to expand their fandom list and find new shows. For this reason, here's a list of shows that will make fans of The 100 feel at home, but also deliver quality variations in the genre they love.

Updated on February 5th, 2021 by Kristen Palamara: The 100 recently ended its run in 2020, and fans of the apocalyptic drama are looking for new shows to watch that approach a post-apocalyptic world in a unique way just like The 100 did. The juvenile characters on The 100 were discovering earth for the first time when they're sent to test if conditions on earth are livable, and the basic plot of the series is unique and engaging. Post-apocalyptic shows continue to be a popular genre in both movies and on television and The 100 balanced romance, the unknown, and wonder all within its apocalyptic setting.  

15 The Stand (2020-2021)

The Stand is a miniseries based on the Stephen King book of the same name that envisions a post-apocalyptic world after earth's population is decimated by a plague and the fate of the world's future is placed on a small group of survivors.

The survivors are in various age groups from a woman who is over a hundred years old to a much younger pregnant woman, but it's still a post-apocalyptic show that focuses on the ethos of good and evil throughout its run.

14 Snowpiercer (2020)

Snowpiercer the series began in 2020 and is based on the original graphic novels and the movie from Bong Joon-ho of the same name. The series follows the same plot of the graphic novels and 2013 movie and follows various characters aboard a continuously moving train built to avoid the deadly conditions outside in the freezing apocalyptic climate.

The show centers on Andre Layton (Daveed Diggs) who is part of the back of the train in the classist structure where the richest passengers are at the front and the stowaways are left to fend for themselves at the back.

13 Falling Skies (2011-2015)

Falling Skies is another show about a post-apocalyptic world but instead of climate change or plague causing the apocalypse it was an alien invasion. The show focuses on a group of survivors who try to fight back against the aliens who capture teenagers for an unknown reason, at first, and are wiping out the rest of the human population.

The show ran for multiple seasons with an engaging and unique storyline and well-developed characters who were never guaranteed safety in the apocalyptic world.

12 Teen Wolf (2011-2017)

Teen Wolf doesn't have an apocalyptic storyline but it does center on a group of teenagers trying to survive dangerous supernatural surroundings, and just typical high school life, in their small town of Beacon Hills.

Although there are several supernatural creatures, both friend and foe, that appear in the show they mainly focus on Scott McCall (Tyler Posey), who begins the show as a normal high school but is bitten and turned into a werewolf, and his friends.

11 Firefly (2002-2003)

Firefly was a sci-fi western show set hundreds of years in the future and although it's not exactly an apocalyptic setting there are terrifying creatures, Reavers, the smuggler main characters run into and the show does have dystopian storylines.

The show has a huge following even though it doesn't have many eipsodes. Firefly was canceled early on in the series and only aired for one season, but the characters were brought back for a movie called Serenity that continued their story.

10 The Walking Dead (2010-)

As far as post-apocalyptic shows go, The Walking Dead is at the top of the echelon – no other series comes close to it. This is why it should be the first stop when searching for another story featuring a group of survivors in a world that’s out to kill them.

RELATED: The Walking Dead: 5 Characters Who Would Make The Best Romantic Partners (& The 5 Worst)

The Walking Dead has been on-air for several years, and in that time the show and its characters have transformed completely. Remember, never get attached to a character here, as there are only two regular cast members from the first season remaining, and no one from the premiere episode. It’s an incredible watch to see how not only zombies spell civilization’s doom, but how the apocalypse has brought out the worst in mankind.

9 The Leftovers (2014-2017)

Fans of The 100 will be familiar with content that is aimed toward younger audiences, but we all have to grow up sometime, and The Leftovers is such a show for those prepared to have an experience that is mature in content.

The premise involves the sudden disappearance of 2% of the population in the world; an event called the Departure, and the fallout that this rapture-like event has caused. The Leftovers doesn’t paint a friendlier picture than usual apocalyptic shows geared toward young fanbases, and makes full use of its cable freedom.

8 Terra Nova (2011)

In what is quite possibly the closest show in terms of premise fans can find for The 100, Terra Nova features a story that has humans from 2149 travel to a parallel universe Earth that resembles the Cretaceous period. They do so because the Earth in the future has been ravaged by overpopulation crises and air pollution.

Unlike The 100, the show features a family as the main protagonists, with the rest of the colony attempting to adjust into the society, while battling another group who have sights on the natural resources of this Earth in order to sell it in the future. It only had one season, but Terra Nova is worth a go to have a fresh perspective of post-apocalyptic material.

7 Manifest (2018-)

A flight scheduled from Jamaica to New York experiences a case of extreme turbulence, but it manages to land in its intended destination. The twist here is that the flight was evidently missing for five-and-a-half years without the passengers ever knowing.

The series focuses on the survivors struggling to re-integrate into a society that has changed significantly during their absence, while also dealing with visions of what is to come in the future. Manifest has a highly intriguing premise, one that deals with dramatic fallout from the plot, while retaining aspects of the science fiction genre as well.

6 The Last Ship (2014-2018)

It’s good to have a setting that not only acknowledges the post-apocalyptic nature of the genre but also has a certain level of hope attached to it. The Last Ship can claim to be such a show, as it follows literally a last US Navy ship that is humanity’s hope to find the cure to a virus that has wiped out 80% of the population.

It could be called an adult version of The 100, since the show has a similar style, but focuses on a group of adults – mainly Navy Officers. It ran for four years, during which it had enough quality material for fans of The 100 to go and binge-watch the series.

5 Supernatural (2005-2020)

There’s no post-apocalyptic world here, but the two protagonists here stop the apocalypse from happening several times during the show. Supernatural features two brothers who travel across the country hunting demons and monsters, with the initial plot focusing on them vanquishing the demon that killed their mother.

The 100 fans must have had their fill of an abundance of characters to some degree, which is why Supernatural is absolutely the perfect way for a palette cleanser. The first seasons will accommodate the viewer nicely as it features a style geared toward teenagers; once they really get into it, viewers mature alongside Sam and Dean Winchester to witness them fight Satan himself, among several hundreds of primordial creations.

4 Fear The Walking Dead (2015-)

The Walking Dead was a roadshow in its first few seasons, but it settled into one community eventually from where it hasn’t turned away. Fear the Walking Dead is the companion series that still hasn’t shunned its nomadic premise, as the world here is grittier than from the main show.

Fans will enjoy seeing the heroes be constantly on the run, with the zombie-infected world out to get them at every turn. Fear the Walking Dead also sees a regularly rotating cast, but its nomadic nature ensures fans stick to (and care about) a core group of individuals brought together with the hope of surviving a dying world.

3 Under the Dome (2013-2015)

Coming from the very talented mind of Stephen King, Under the Dome is the inverse of The 100, with the story here involving people who are trapped inside a massive dome that has isolated them from the rest of the world. Due to the indestructible nature of the dome, the townspeople are now forced to survive off their own devices, and tension is super high.

Under the Dome goes in the nitty-gritty part of survival, with the townspeople panicking due to resources cutting down day-by-day. The viewer is kept intrigued by several storylines branching out, as people attempt to understand how to escape the dome, what it is, and the mysteries surrounding it.

2 The Expanse (2015-)

Another show that can be considered as the upside-down version of The 100 is The Expanse. The premise has the main characters in the backdrop of a future several hundred years away from ours, where humanity now survives in a space colony, with connections to Earth and Mars.

RELATED: 10 Shows To Watch If You Like The Expanse

The series thrives on the mysteries surrounding the fragile peace between the colonies, and the number of unexplained disappearances and tragedies aboard. The show, which is still on-air, keeps you on your toes with twists and reveals in regular intervals.

1 Lost (2004-2010)

The show that brought mainstream attention to the science fiction genre, and walked away with major awards to boot, Lost is one show you cannot miss. The series follows the survivors of a plane crash that landed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on a mysterious island. The resultant fallout between the survivors and the relationships they form between them is the base on which the show thrives.

With Sci-Fi and even supernatural elements injected into it, Lost has its hands on both sides of the wheel and steers into dramatic territory, while keeping its main genre alive. The overall mystery surrounding the plan crash is what will keep you watching one episode after another, culminating in a finale that is guaranteed to keep fans thinking after the end of the series.

NEXT: The 5 Best (& 5 Worst) Series Finales Of All Time

15 Shows To Watch If You Like The 100 | ScreenRant from https://ift.tt/2O0z5qr

[jae-bummer]

My Idol: Part Five

My Idol From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My Idol is a South Korean competitive reality dating game show. It currently airs on Wednesday nights on Jae-bummer’s blog. First broadcast in 2016, the show offers the opportunity for a lucky fan to go on seven blind dates with seven idols. The idol plans the date with the show throwing in specific missions to complete during the day. At the end of the initial dates, the show opens up an audience vote to decide what three idols will move on to the second date.

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 -  Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14 - Part 15 - Part 16 - Part 17 - Part 18 - Part 19 - Part 20 - Part 21 - Part 22

You groaned as you slid off your couch and began to pace the expanse of your hallway. Looking down at Bingu, you shook your head, trying to shake the annoyance of the intrusive thoughts you kept having. 

You were only on week three of My Idol and you were already a mess. 

“I can’t,” you whispered to yourself, pounding your closed fist weakly into the wall beside you. You shut your eyes, leaning your head against the cold stucco. Two men, two men had already entered your life and completely turned your world upside down. You had agreed upon signing the contract for the show that you would keep limited tabs on the internet and social media around you during this experience, but you couldn’t help yourself. You craved fans reactions, you wanted to know what man they were leaning toward. 

Because you sure as hell didn’t know who you were leaning toward. 

Not as if that much mattered. It wasn’t your choice to make anyhow. 

You didn’t realize until after your date with Taehyung that it would irk you so badly. In general, you considered yourself to be the master of your own fate. To have the decision making capability ripped from your own hands and thrust toward the people of South Korea was terrifying. If only you had thought this out a little more. If only you had considered the cons of the situation. You didn’t want to hurt anyone, and most selfishly, you didn’t want to get hurt yourself. 

You looked down to your watch again, clucking as the minutes ticked by. Whoever this guy was, he was late. The studio had informed you on the night previous that whoever the idol was for today had arranged for his own transportations. You needn’t be delivered to the studio, nor meet him anywhere. 

“Maybe it’s for the better,” you whispered to Bingu. Maybe if the show dropped you after the first two episodes, you could pick up the pieces of your hopeful heart and learn a lesson. 

Just as you had begun to come to terms with the thought of being stood up, a hard and heavy knock landed on your door. You took a deep breath, nodding to yourself as you stumbled over to it and tugged it open. 

“You’re la-” you began, but were caught off guard by an older gentleman standing in a chauffeur’s uniform. 

“Miss Y/N?” he asked kindly, the wrinkles by his eyes crinkling with his smile. He reminded you of your grandfather and you instantly felt the annoyance fall from your stomach.

“Yes?” you whispered. 

“I’ll be transporting you to your date today,” he nodded. You looked past his shoulder, noticing the two camera men standing to his left. 

“Ah,” you breathed. You exited your apartment, quickly locking the door behind you, and spinning to face the driver again. 

“I apologize for my tardiness miss,” the driver sighed, beginning to shuffle forward and out toward the sidewalk. “These two knuckleheads back here were running late.”

You  heard one of  the cameramen snort in annoyance, causing you to chuckle. You liked this guy. 

“What’s your name?” you smiled, just as you reached the sidewalk. 

“My name isn’t important,” he whispered, returning your smile. 

“Every name is important,” you said, scrunching your brows. 

“I’m Mr. Kim,” he chuckled. “Probably the hundredth you’ve met.” He reached around you, tugging on the handle of a black Rolls-Royce.

“Is...is this what I’m riding in?” you croaked, surveying the expensive vehicle. You weren’t sure why, but even when you saw the chauffeur, it hadn’t clicked. This was all incredibly extravagant. 

“Well you most certainly aren’t walking,” Mr. Kim laughed. “Now would you prefer these gentleman get in first, or you?”

You rolled your eyes as the cameramen shifted impatiently. “Ladies first,” you nodded, stopping yourself from sticking your tongue out at them. You ducked your head, sliding into the vehicle and gasping at the pile of red roses stacked on the seat. You picked them up, careful to not crush them as you slid across the leather. Each rose looked completely perfect, as if they were each hand shaped. 

Who could this possibly be? 

Your heart thundered against your ribcage as you pulled up to your location for the day. You hadn’t been driving very long, so you were surprised by the sudden stop. 

“Here already?” you breathed. 

One of the cameramen grumbled to himself as he shifted around, pulling an envelope from one of his many pouches. 

There was no way you were being given a mission already. Then you suddenly remembered: Since you and Tae had failed your first mission, the second mission was taken from you and placed onto this date, causing you to have to complete three. You just hadn’t expected that you’d have to perform one alone.

You groaned as you accepted the red envelope. 

“Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? Put on the blindfold provided and locate the one silk rose in your bouquet. Finish in three attempts and escape the penalty.”

“Aish,” you groaned, your stomach twisting in knots. You glanced over warily to the bouquet sitting beside you. There had to be at least three or four dozen roses bound together. 

The cameraman you had nicknamed “armpit” thrust a bandana at you, motioning for you to cover your eyes. You did as you were instructed, just as the other cameraman flopped the dozens of flowers in your lap. 

“Really?” you whispered, immediately beginning to feel each rose, one by one. You felt terrible as each finger motion rustled a petal, more often than not causing it to uncomfortably rip from the heart of the flower and flutter to the floor. You didn’t want to have to kill something beautiful to find the one imposter in the group. You took a deep breath as your hands skimmed over them, hoping to some silent force that it would guide your hands to the correct one. 

“Sometime today,” Armpit’s gravelly voice muttered. You shot him a glare, forgetting your eyes were hidden behind fabric. 

“Do you want to do the penalty if I fail?” you hissed, your hands not stopping. “Cause I’d love for you to play the peppero game with an idol.”

Armpit began to mutter to himself, audibly fumbling with his equipment.

The sound of your heartbeat was loud in your ears as you feverishly fingered through the petals. You gasped as you swore you had hit silk, tugging anxiously at the flower in your hands. 

“I’ve found it!” you nearly screeched. 

“You don’t have to yell,” the other camera man you had nicknamed “sweaty” grumbled. He yanked the flower from your hands. “Alright, take off the blindfold.”

You smiled to yourself as you tugged the bandana off and beamed at the men before you. 

“You can get out now,” Armpit muttered not so excitedly. You nodded, taking a deep breath and reaching for the door handle. 

“Oh no, miss!” Mr. Kim gasped. He bolted from his seat and raced to the door, ready to open it for you. “A woman never opens her own door on my watch.”

You nodded, making a mental note to send a thank you card to Mr. Kim later. Such a classic gentleman deserved a thanks in a stressful situation like this. 

The kind, older man pulled open the door, offering you a hand as you stepped out. You shivered as the cold January air blew past your face. You looked down as your feet hit the ground, your eyes slowly gliding across the pavement and to the pair of immaculately clean white sneakers standing only a few feet away. You refocused, moving up the shoes, up the ripped jeans, and up the black t-shirt that hung loosely from his frame. 

“Damn girl, I didn’t know it was like that,” he chuckled, biting his lip. “I’m Jay Park.”

“Like what?” you said flatly, eying him suspiciously. You had heard Jay Park’s music and listened to a few of his interviews before. You were impressed by his talent, his drive, and his capability. Other than that, you didn’t necessarily think on him fondly. He was what was known as the “bad boy” of kpop, if he chose to claim the genre at all. 

“Like that,” he repeated, his eyes widening as he traced your body hungrily. He took a few steps toward you and offered you a rose. “To replace the silk one they made me throw in there.”

“Thanks,” you whispered, looking down more happily at the rose than Jay. You looked back up to his face again, examining his features. He was incredibly handsome, but sometimes looks weren’t everything. 

“Come on, we hug where I come from,” he smiled, wrapping an arm around your waist and tugging you in close. You were caught off guard as you stumbled into him, immediately intoxicated by the smell of his expensive cologne. You found yourself closing your eyes for a moment, enjoying the scent and warmth of being in his arms. 

He pulled away again, his grin still pasted on his face. “You got a name?”

“Y/N,” you nodded, twirling the rose nervously. 

“It’s a pleasure,” he growled, giving a slight bow. His eyes never left you as he dipped. “And I do mean pleasure.” 

“Where are we?” you whispered, trying to assess your surroundings and not focus on the gorgeous man before you. 

“Ah, my favorite little five star hotel and spa,” Jay hummed, spinning to look at the building along side you. He wrapped a muscular arm around your waist. “Every beautiful woman deserves to be pampered...

...plus I figured you could use a good skin scrub after having to hang out with those clowns.” 

He mumbled the last part beneath his breath, inhaling the air around him sharply. 

“Excuse me?” you spat, shaking off his arm and stepping to the side. 

“Hm?” Jay hummed, a cocky smirk tugging at his mouth. 

You bit your lip, eying the cameras just past Jay and glared. “The only one acting like a clown right now, is you.” 

Jay’s eyes grew wide as he internalized your words. After a few moments, a smile broke out onto his face, followed by a deep and sincere laugh. 

“Shit,” Jay chuckled. “I deserved that I guess.”

“You guess?” you gasped. “Keep up with that state of mind Park, see how quickly I get back into that car.”

Jay nodded, his smile slowly sliding from his face as he looked to his feet. “Is now a bad time to segue to the couple’s massage?” 

“Not at all,” you sighed, trying to sound as disinterested as possible. You weren’t going to have him speak poorly of Jaebum or Taehyung. They were nothing but lovely to you. No matter how handsome Jay was, you weren’t going to let his cocky attitude slide. “I’ll need a massage to work out how tense you have me.”

“Mmm, should I take that as a compliment?” Jay chuckled, reaching over and taking your hand. His fingers fit perfectly between yours, but you shook your head, trying to ignore that. You looked down to his tattooed arm and couldn’t stop your heart from skipping a beat. Maybe, just maybe if he could manage his comments, you could manage your disgruntled sass. 

“I wouldn’t,” you muttered, narrowing your eyes at him. “But things can change.”

“I’ll be on my best behavior,” he chuckled, licking his lips. He knew exactly what he was doing. “I promise.” 

To Be Continued...

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10 - Part 11 - Part 12 - Part 13 - Part 14 - Part 15 - Part 16 - Part 17 - Part 18 - Part 19 - Part 20 - Part 21 - Part 22

[nightmareonfilmstreet]

[Recap] STRANGER THINGS 2, Episodes 6-9: A Stunning Finish

New Post has been published on https://nofspodcast.com/recap-stranger-things-2-episodes-6-9-stunning-finish/

[Recap] STRANGER THINGS 2, Episodes 6-9: A Stunning Finish

I’m back with recaps of the final four episodes of season two of Netflix sensation Stranger Things. If you haven’t looked over the recaps for the first half, you can find them here. Alright, let’s dig in!

Episode 6 – “The Spy”

If things start to come together in episodes four and five, six is where Stranger Things season two really begins to deliver on its potential. Following Will (Noah Schnapp)’s seizures, Joyce (Winona Ryder), Hopper (David Harbour), and Mike (Finn Wolfhard) wind up at Hawkins Lab where Dr. Owens (Paul Reiser) and his team struggle to properly diagnose him. What is clear is that Will‘s memory is being affected by the otherworldly presence and, as the episode progresses, his amnesia is symptomatic of the fact that he can no longer be trusted.

It’s unfortunate that the titles of Stranger Things are so prominently displayed at the start of each episode, because the reveal that Will has broken bad is blatantly telegraphed. Despite this, I still found myself swept up in the action, especially when Steve (Joe Keery), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max (Sadie Sink) wind up trapped at the abandoned car junkyard thanks to the appearance of multiple demi-dogs. Collectively the cliffhanger at the lab and Steve‘s near-death helps to ratchet up the momentum as the series heads into its final few episodes.

Odds and Ends:

The relationship building between Steve and Dustin is easily one of the episode highlights. Plus: the scene of the group walking along the train tracks is heavily evocative of Stephen King’s Stand By Me.

I’m no big fan of Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton)’s sojourn into conspiracy theory-ville with Murray (Brett Gelman), though his ability to diagnose their unrequited love affair is mildly amusing.

The fatal climax, in which Will‘s deliberately leads the soldiers into a trap, is a clear homage to James Cameron’s Aliens, right down to the images appearing on the radar screen. Love it.

This is the first episode of the series that doesn’t feature Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown).

Eleven’s standalone episode 2×07 “The Lost Sister” is a singular mistake

Episode 7 – “The Lost Sister”

UGH. I wanted to give this episode the benefit of a doubt, but five minutes in I began checking my watch. Then I did some laundry. Then I began surfing YouTube for funny cat videos.

Yes, folks, this is undoubtedly THE WORST episode of Stranger Things that the series has ever produced. Yes, it pays off Eleven‘s “family” arc by reuniting her with her titular “lost sister”, Kali (Linnea Berthelsen). Outside of teaching Eleven how to hone her powers and helping her to realize that Mike and the others are her real family, however, this is 55 minutes of duds-ville.

It got so bad that I began making jokey memes about its awfulness on Twitter to pass the time. Seriously, this is one to tell friends to avoid – as Alan Sepinwall of HitFix suggests, it plays more like a bizarre backdoor pilot for a spin-off series that no one asked for.

Odds and Ends:

This is the first episode of the series that doesn’t feature any of the rest of the regular cast.

When Kali and her friends give Eleven an 80s punk look, I couldn’t help but think of the iconic ditty from Clone High about makeovers. MAKEOVER!

This is your first Matthew Modine-cameo alert for S2.

Seriously, I’d like to know who thought this episode (and its timing in the season) was a good idea? The only element that I enjoyed was that weird moment where the episode turned into a home-invasion thriller in the vein of The Purge & The Strangers.

The harrowing escape from Hawkins Laboratory is a focal point of 2×08 “The Mind Flayer”

Episode 8 – “The Mind Flayer”

With the worst creative decision that Stranger Things has ever made firmly in the rearview mirror, “The Mind Flayer” picks up right after the cliffhanger from 2×06. The escape from the Hawkins Lab is superb, particularly the cross-cutting between Bob (Sean Astin)’s solo mission to reset the power and Dr. Owens‘ guidance on the surveillance cameras (shades of Jurassic Park). And while horror fans undoubtedly knew that the writing was on the wall for Bob the moment he was told his exit path was “home free,” his death – and Joyce‘s reaction to it – are well-done.

With the season’s big death crossed off, the time comes to reconvene the disparate groups at the Byers house and prepare for the big battle. This is the calm before the storm as everyone catches up and they strategically plot their options. I’ll confess that while I appreciate the effort made to gently address the lunacy of Dustin‘s Mind Flayer/hive mind connection plan, it’s pretty unbelievable that everyone basically just goes along with it.

Once again the focus returns to Will and, in a well-executed montage, the infected boy is awoken and treated to trips down memory lane that double as opportunities to communicate how to shut down the otherworldly threat (using Morse Code, naturally). With a plan in hand and time running out, the group is seemingly beseiged by demi-dogs when Eleven returns from Duffer Brothers purgatory to finally rejoin the main group. Thank goodness – let’s get this climax on the road!

Odds and Ends:

In an episode filled with highs, the extended scene of Billy (Dacre Montgomery)’s dad beating him up for losing track of Max just feels so unnecessary. It’s still unclear why this storyline needed to exist.

Eleven and Hopper’s reunion is one of the finale’s strongest emotional beats

Episode 9 – “The Gate”

Here we go – the big finale. If there’s anything surprising about this episode, it is how quickly the threat is dispensed with: we’re barely half through the episode when Eleven manages to close the gate. This winds up being a smart decision because it avoids a long, drawn out battle in favour of narrative and emotional closure for nearly all of the characters, while once again teasing another season of Stranger Things.

After coming together briefly last episode, our protagonists split into three groups: 1) Hopper and Eleven head for the gate, 2) Joyce, Jonathan, and Nancy create a home sauna to steam the demon out of Will and 3) the D-Listers (eventually) head back into the tunnels to draw attention away from the gate and clear a path for Eleven and Hopper. And barring the occasional hurdle, including – UGH – Billy, as well as one last encounter with D’Art, things more or less go to plan.

Of course I’m doing the finale a complete disservice by being so nonchalant. In all honestly “The Gate” is easily one of the most satisfying hours that the series has ever produced, hitting all of the right action AND emotional beats.

Let’s talk about each of those individually:

1) The action when Eleven goes up against the gate (and begins levitating!) is a stunning achievement. Visually (those special effects!) and aurally (that score!), the scene delivers a more bombastic finish than some big budget Hollywood tentpoles. Throw in Millie Bobby Brown’s absolutely commanding screen presence, masterfully conveying the entirety of Eleven‘s two season journey in a nearly silent performance and you have an absolutely killer sequence.

2) As significant an achievement as the action is, however, it would be nothing without the quieter moments. I was particular awestruck by Eleven and Hopper‘s extended conversation in the truck. There’s a reason why the Duffer Brothers paired these two together and while I complained about how repetitive their storyline was in the first few episodes, it really pays off here.

Ditto the moments when Mike attacks Hopper for lying to him and when Eleven and Mike lock eyes at the dance. These scenes only work because of our investment in these characters, so kudos on making us give a damn about these people in between all of the action and special effects.

Odds and Ends:

I mentioned last episode that I didn’t understand the point of Billy‘s storyline and aside from adding an additional obstacle to the team’s success, my opinions have not changed. I have nothing against Montgomery as an actor, but this was one addition too many in S2. Seeing Max finally stand up to her step-brother’s abuse (when he’s already drugged) just didn’t work for me.

Now that the Hawkins Lab has been shut down and Barb got her damn funeral, is this a wrap on #JusticeForBarb? PLEASE?

Nancy‘s pity dance with Dustin at the Snow Ball gave off some pretty heavy John Hughes vibes. If Stranger Things had been made in the 80s, I could easily see Molly Ringwald in the Nancy role.

So Joyce and Hopper are totally going to hook up now, right?

Finally, what do we think of the final teaser/twist? Personally I found it underwhelming (the Upside Down still exists? Colour me unsurprised!) but I appreciate that this is a way to hint that there’s more to come without undoing the narrative closure covered by the second half of this episode.

So that’s it for season two. What are your thoughts now that it’s all said and done? What do you expect to see in season three? Hit the comments below and sound off with your reactions and predictions.