#only this time it was set in the Wacky West

[stephenrea]

I wanna talk about 'The Banshees of Inisherin' cause I really enjoyed it but I'd like provide ye a bit of context for the production of the story that might alter some of the analysis I've seen gettin passed around. A common misconception about MacDonagh is that he's an Irishman- he's not. He's English. His parents are Irish and he's spent many a Summer holiday in Ireland. But he was born and raised an Englishman. Irish stories of the 20th century have a tendency to carry a lot of political tension, far more tension than you'd see in 'The Banshees of Inisherin' because, like all irish stories for the past millennium, they work as fabels. They're all metaphors for recent irish history and the social mores of rural Ireland and understanding that is almost necessary for the enjoyment of the those kinds of works.

MacDonagh, being an Englishman, is less concerned with these politics; but irish influences remain strong in his works all the same. First and foremost, he's a playwright and this is evident in the structure of his screenplays. MacDonagh makes a lot of references to the film adaptation of John B. Keane's play 'The Field' both visually and by use of certain character archetypes in his film. Take 'The Irish Fool' (a trope that deserves its own post tbh) depicting a mentally disabled character whose function in the story is like that of Shakespeare's fool, only these ''''fools'''' are genuine depictions of how mentally disabled adults were (and still are!!!!!) treated/taken care of in rural irish society. Yet in spite of all the parallels between both stories, The Banshees of Inisherin makes one fundamental deviation from all other irish works which is that rather than having the interpersonal conflict between the protagonists be a metaphor for irish history- irish history is instead a metaphor for their conflict. This inversion of traditional Irish storytelling is present in other areas of the story as well, such as the banshee not being a screaming mourner- but a passive aggressive observer. It's MacDonagh's close connection with the Irish that allowed him to subvert tradition in a way that I personally believe to have been done masterfully. Hypothetically; you could tell this story in any location, but it's rural irish identy is what sells it. Between the isolation of island life, the consant threat of emmigration vs homeland violence, the blur between the natural and supernatural, and the total lack of privacy met with a mandatory level of trust; all these factors are what make 20th century Ireland the ideal setting for a a story of this calibre AND I LOVE IT.

[thelaithlyworm]

Daomu Biji Watcher’s Guide, May 2024

A few new entries have been popping up lately, and I’m always hopeful new fans will stumble into the pits and never leave so I thought I’d paste up a rough map.

(Obviously the best watching order, like the best reading order of Discworld or the Aubrey-Maturin books, is ‘whatever first comes to your hand’ but for the people who don’t like that…)

tl;dr:

Daomu Biji is a series about tomb raiding. Think Indiana Jones or Lara Croft but much, much longer. The protagonist Wu Xie is deeply in love with BFF1 Zhang Qiling, a hundred-year-old cryptid, and BFF2 Wang Pangzi, who was stolen in a raid from another book series. It’s comic, tragic, horrific, zany, prone to musings on life, love, desire, attachment, and has many, many piss jokes. (‘Journey to the West but modern’ is maybe the other comparison I’d make.)

Notes:

– This guide is not talking about “quality”. All of the adaptations have their own strengths and weaknesses and tone can vary a great deal, which is to say, if one of them doesn’t suit you it’s likely something else will.

– Wacky endings, and plot threads that disappear unfinished and get picked up a long time later, are as inherent to the franchise as the piss jokes.

– It’s common for the dramas to introduce characters and subplots a lot earlier than the books do. Sometimes we’ll see a character introduced ‘for the first time’ on multiple occasions and strangely familiar scenes. I’ll try to point out the biggest continuity clashes as I go.

The Soft Entry:

There are a few movies that are entertaining as standalones but will introduce various characters and background. I would recommend:

Escape from the Monstrous Snake + Mystery/Grave of the Abyss – two monster movies featuring Hei Xiazi, a supporting character. He’s a pragmatical mercenary who’s going blind in kind of a weird way, and goofy as hell when he isn’t tiptoeing over a vast abyss of existential dread. So many fun action scenes.

Time Raiders (2015) – so there are some textual clues that late in his career Wu Xie wrote this story as a memory-jogger for an amnesiac friend. The plot is a freewheeling wild ride which doesn’t directly match any book plot but introduces some major characters and how they relate to each other. It’s colourful and fast-moving. Enjoy, enjoy.

Conjuring Curse and Misty Creed are… theoretically set late in the series even if the actors look about twelve. Both work as stand-alone adventures, though Misty Creed is maybe a little deep in the lore. Again, colourful and fast-moving.

The Chronological Order

You could honestly start with most of these – they tend to come with a ‘what has gone before’ at the start or a newbie character that things get explained to. The only one I wouldn’t start with is Heavenly Palace in the Clouds, which is lovely but also the second half of a set and things won’t make sense if you haven’t seen Lost Tomb 2 first.

Lost Tomb 1 – a highly digestible 10-12 episode version of the Seven Star Lu Palace arc, ie. Baby’s First Adventure. Introduces A-Ning, Xie Yuchen, and Huo Xiuxiu early and a couple of og characters for Wu Xie to talk to instead of monologuing to himself. The restaurant scene at the end was raided from a later arc and you’ll see it again in Ultimate Note. A book character, Da Kui, was cut which is a small problem because how he died is a minor plot point discussed in Lost Tomb 2. 

Lost Tomb 2 – covers Raging Sea, Hidden Sands (underwater tomb) and Qinling God-Tree (weird bronze tree in the mountains) plus a whole lotta side stories and original content exploring the world and foreshadowing later plots. Mooostly in continuity with Lost Tomb 1 (see Da Kui above) and made as a set with Heavenly Palace in the Clouds – they share resources and a lot of actors, and some threads begun here are finished in Heavenly Palace.

Heavenly Palace in the Clouds – covers the Mt Changbai arc, a journey up a mountain to find a very old, very grand tomb. This was made so close to Lost Tomb 2 that LT2 borrows shots from Heavenly Palace and not the other way around, which is fascinating because it pointedly contradicts the last five episodes of LT2. It also brings forward some plotlines originally from the Tamutuo and Zhang Family Old Pavilion arcs (San-shu’s past in the underwater tomb, and the Huo Family videotapes) dragging some characters on-screen and forcing them to talk about their feelings, which they would clearly rather die than do. Given those plot-tweaks and the early, deliberate continuity clash, I’m tempted to call this a Canon Parallel Universe. Got some interestingly chewy character dynamics and luverly, luverly set design.

Mystic Nine – This is a prequel about Zhang Qishan – Fo-ye – and his peers, but later dramas expect us to know who Fo-ye was so I’m sticking it here. Kinda… picaresque? Lots of action scenes and Republican-era flavour and various factions jostling for power – kinda feels like an old-school wuxia story, only set in the 1930s with all that glorious Republican-era styling. Has some unfortunate cut scenes – the details of how Fo-ye recovered at his family’s house don’t make a lot of sense in the aired version, and there are a couple of missing fights in the penultimate episode. Shrug. Still a lot of fun. Comes with four side movies about supporting characters.

Ultimate Note – Covers the Tamutuo arc (a trip through the jungle) and two-thirds of the Zhang Family Old Pavilion arc (investigating Zhang Qiling’s past is like kicking a hornet’s nest). Very, very flirty and has some zippy-zip action choreography. Politely ignores Lost Tomb 1–Heavenly Palace continuity (Xie Yuchen is, once more, introduced for the first time, now with a romantically coded friendship arc) and brings in a lot of cameos from Mystic Nine and Sand Sea, which it was filmed after. Kinda tiptoes around parts of the book plot, which I suspect would be hard for anyone to film, re: Fo-ye’s actions in the 1960s. Fair warning, this ends on a cliffhanger. This is also where the Xinyue Restaurant scene appears again – two cakes!

Tibetan Sea Flower – If Tibetan Sea Flower ever airs, it will go here.

Sand Sea – Based on the Sand Sea novel. After Tibetan Sea Flower, Wu Xie goes into a bit of a decline and makes that the world’s problem. We the audience, plus Li Cu and Liang Wan, EDIT: a lovely doctor, are pretty much dropped in media res into a number of ancient conspiracies and complicated plots coming to a head in the manner of a boil. It’s weird; it’s messy; it’s mad fun. Like Mystic Nine, has a lot of factions jostling for power and colourful jianghu characters. We will, once more, see the Xinyue Restaurant scene. Also has some side movies.

Time Raiders – The textual hints that suggest Wu Xie wrote this, suggest he wrote it around Sand Sea-era, when his life was a bit complicated. I’m putting it after Sand Sea because I believe it caps a conversation that, ah, doesn’t quite make it into the drama. But notionally this is where it should go. Ah…. at one point, someone tells a story about an ancient ruler, King Mu of Zhou, who sought immortality from the Queen of the West in Tamutuo. The longer book conversation suggests that a) King Mu of Zhou engineered a “trap” for someone like Wu Xie to fall into in the future, and b) that Iron Mask Scholar, a villain from Lost Tomb 1, was an alias that King Mu of Zhou used in the Warring States Era. Which makes some of Iron Mask Scholar’s appearances in Time Raiders… interesting.

Reunion: Sound of Providence – sometimes known as Reboot. Having peaked in badassery in Sand Sea, Wu Xie has to consider what his life is going to be now, and also, he would like to track down a missing family member. So this was tweaked to make it more accessible to new viewers (so some parts of the back-story are not mentioned or conflated for simplicity) and that mostly works but I did find watching this first and then picking up the earlier dramas a bit of a mindscrew. Zhu Yilong is, however, a powerful draw and the rest of the cast sparkles. Probably best to think of Season 1 as two short seasons jammed together, which is to say, once the Warehouse 11 arc starts there are a number of characters who won’t reappear until Season 2. It’s a fun arc even so. Season 2 ends with a badass action scene and then a big party, which I think is a great way to end a story.

Escape from the Monstrous Snake, Mystery/Grave of the Abyss, Conjuring Curse, Misty Creed – these are all theoretically set around or after Reboot-era, though they can certainly be watched as stand-alones.

[randompony03]

The Amazing Digital Theme Park

I'm FINALLY ready to share this au with you all!

It took a very long time bc I kept taking breaks from it, but the second episode has me thinking about it again and I finally got around to designing all of the main cast which is what I wanted to do before showing it off!

With that out of the way, let's jump in, shall we?

AU Information

The Amazing Digital Circus is now a theme park! And a massive one at that. This takes a little inspiration from West World (really just premise wise, not so much plot as I only saw bits and pieces since my parents were binging it while they had covid).

Every character interacted with in this theme park is an android. There are several sections in the park itself. Each one has one particular android that is “in charge” of their section and everyone else in it, that's our main cast.

It also important to note that the sections are exactly that. Sections. They are divided from each other. Per park rules, no characters from different sections should interact. This, however, does not mean that park guests are not allowed to discuss a different section with the androids. They are programmed with a certain level of knowledge of the other park sections and are learning ai.

Characters

Pomni

Pomni is in charge of The Kingdom Jokesalot. This section resembles a fairy tale kingdom with characters who are wacky and jokesters, most resembling various clowns. This section also serves as a gift/souvenir shop. There is a “marketplace” with it that has products for guests to peruse and purchase.

Pomni, as a jester character, will poke fun at other characters and sometimes even guests. However, to give a balance, she is a “clutz” so guests are less likely to be disheartened by her jests. While Pomni is in charge of this section, there is a “king” of Jokesalot.

Ragatha

Ragatha is in charge of The Playroom. This section has characters resembling various types of dolls and toys. There are activities park guests can partake in, most of which are some form of children's game. This section also serves as a candy store, as there is a sweets shop within it. Ragatha herself is equipped with candy hearts to pass out to park guests.

Ragatha is a pleasant conversationalist. She's very gentle with guests and well coordinated. The other characters are programmed to come to her with “problems” to allow for a narrative guests can participate in.

Jax

Jax is in charge of Toon Town. This section, as the name implies, is based around cartoons, more so specifically the rubber hose era of animation. The characters mostly resemble animals, but there are human characters in the mix. This section also acts as an eatery, as there are multiple “stores” or “restaurants” within the town where guests may have their pick of meal type.

Jax himself serves as the supposed “main character” of the “show”. He's a prankster and will get into various shenanigans with other characters, often having park guests tag along and be his accomplices. This can vary from spooking “travelers” on a dirt path or helping him steal a pie from the local baker. Jax is programmed to act differently with guests of different ages. Adults he is more prone to tease and pull harmless pranks on. Children he is more gentle with, playing with them and doing things in their presence to keep them entertained.

Zooble

Zooble is in charge of The Museum. This section is focused around arts and crafts types of entertainment. There are different stations set up to engage park guests in different forms of art. There are other characters who embody these different forms. The Museum also has a caricature stand.

Zooble themselves seems very dismissive in behavior. They will roam around the museum, criticizing the works of other characters. When commenting on the craftsmanship of park guests, they speak only high praises. Guests are also given a choice to leave an artwork in The Museum for display, or take it all home with them.

Gangle

Gangle is in charge of Make Believe Theater. This section is all about the performing arts. The characters there are of various types of performer. There are curtains, lights, costumes, makeup and props of all kinds. This section also serves as a costume shop or rental.

Gangle herself is a “director” of sorts. She oversee the performances. Park guests may find her with a “predicament” of missing one or more cast members, which will then lead to her throwing them into the mix. Guests are encouraged to fully embody their roles to the extent they are comfortable with. Gangle will treat guests as her “star actors” and use them as shining examples for the other characters to follow.

Kinger

Kinger is in charge of Board Land. This section is themed around various board games, which all the characters reflect. Kinger is in fact considered as one of four “rulers” in this section of the park. If questioned about the king of Jokesalot, he will acknowledge him with mild curiosity.

Kinger is a gentle “king” by nature and tends to the other characters, though is programmed to be “jumpy” for added comedic entertainment. He is the only Manager Android to have a “spouse” or “partner” of any kind, his being Queenie, the black queen on the chess board.

Caine

He's the first face you see! Even before you enter the park, given he's sort of the mascot. Caine can be found at the park plaza where he gives directions, helpful hints or even just general banter with park guests. It is made out that Caine is the one operating the entire park given he's the one most aware of everything and everyone else.

Caine is very amiable and pleasant to talk to. He's programmed with knowledge of the entirety of the park to be as helpful to guests as possible. He's equipped with maps of the park to hand out if wanted.

Bubble

Bubble can also be found in the plaza. He has a bubble blowing station with tubs of soap and various bubble wands. There is also a bubble blower to have the constant stream. It's simple and peaceful, fun for all ages!

Bubble himself is a little cheeky, but first and foremost is focused on making it fun for guests. Bubble and Caine are “buddies” of sorts and will have banter of their own.

[quill-of-thoth]

Letters From Watson, The Noble Bachelor

Case and Themes: For once, no crime has been committed! So let’s talk about Holmes’ manners and those wacky Americans! Fair warning, because this covers the British empire (ongoing) and the early years of United States imperialism, the start of the overview is a little heavy. If you only want to read about Holmes, skip to the end. Victorian Attitudes towards the United States:

Mid and late Victorian attitudes towards the US were pretty weird if you only have a modern context, but in 1880-1900 the US was not a global superpower. We were only a hundred years and change from having been a British colony. Canada was still a British colony in 1880. (Most other British colonies would gain their independence in the wake of either world war 1 or world war 2 - either in the late 19teens / 20′s, or in the 1940′s.) Some people in England, Holmes apparently included, apparently thought there was a distant chance that Britain and the USA would eventually kiss and make up, which would be economically very profitable, given the US’ influence on the majority of Latin America, which was already growing in the late 1880s. 

The United States Civil War, 1861-1864, was obviously something of a hurdle when it came to US influence on countries in Europe, or European colonies, because we were fighting ourselves and our government was not seen as stable. But prior to it, the abolition movement in the states had support from British abolitionists: enslaving people in Africa and transporting them across the Atlantic had been illegal in the empire since 1807, but it took until 1834 for the Slavery Abolition Act to be passed. I want to be EXTREMELY CLEAR here that this act only ended the practice of hereditary chattel slavery in the British Empire: they definitely continued to take advantage of things like imprisoned labor throughout their colonies, and their non-European subjects were still often forced to labor under threat of violence and systematically denied basic human rights. From a historic standpoint, many of these situations still count as slavery, they’re just not the same specific type.  After the conclusion of the US Civil war, expansion into territories that would later become states sped up: not only was there a lot of post-war infrastructure such as trains, a greater amount of manufactured goods, and ever increasing attempts at food preservation via refrigeration to make it easier, there was economic and social incentive for defeated confederate supporters to start a new life out in the frontier. Former owners of plantations, especially during the first years of the reconstruction era where it looked like we might have a legal guarantee of equal civil rights for black Americans before the 1960s, could go west into areas where there was a much less robust legal and social framework and continue to make money by exploiting people, especially if they had some money to get set up with. Some also moved to central and south American countries to continue a lifestyle of plantation farming with enslaved labor: every time a section of Latin America freed itself from Spanish rule in the 1800′s there was immediately a flood of grifters and hucksters trying to install themselves as a new elite or a new government there.  For people with less money to recreate a system of opression for themselves, the ongoing government programs of giving away land for white Americans to settle, as a means of pushing out the native Americans that already lived there,  there was a lot of alleged economic opportunity in what would eventually be known as “The Wild West.” There was also a lot of danger, as we see in Francis Moulton’s story. US policy towards native Americans was a system of genocides, and native American groups often fought back. Although the United States is objectively huge compared to what is now the UK, it is unlikely that the British, who had global imperial holdings, were too impressed by the sheer size of the country, especially when it only legally owned all of the land that is today the contiguous, or “lower 48″ states by the 1850′s. To the Victorians, the United States must have seemed like an imperial wannabe: an imitator of themselves. 

Attitudes towards the American people: The similarities to the British colonial system during this period would have been fairly obvious to the average English writer: people would go to a place that was not heavily populated by Europeans and their descendants in the hopes of making a fortune. The successful ones would obviously prefer to come back to “civilization” at some point, and to a British Victorian, “civilization” was Europe, ideally England.  All the tropes about brave young men seeking their fortunes in the colonies would easily apply to Americans, especially for Victorians with only cursory geographical and social knowledge of the United States. But at the same time, as we will see time and time again in these stories, Americans were stereotyped as being just a bit less “civilized” than actual members of the British empire. For example, Quincey Morris, Texan landowner of Dracula fame was never intended to be a serious contender for Lucy’s hand in marriage (because it would obviously be more correct for Lucy to marry an Englishman - any Englishman, though a member of the nobility is obviously a better match than a doctor). In the portion of A Study in Scarlet that we skipped, which concerns Utah in the late 1840′s, early 1850′s, we see a good dash of exoticism in the Victorian attitude towards the American west, where even the white European settlers they would normally approve of are rendered titilatingly dangerous by their distance from the social mores of “civilized” society.  San Francisco of 1888 is closer, conceptually and practically, to “civilization” than Utah in the 1870-something, because of the high volume of oceanic trade. But Hattie choosing Francis is still conceptually a double insult to St. Simon: he has no title, and he’s an American, so whatever class his new fortune entitles him to in England, an equivalent Englishman would always be better. While obviously, since Hattie and Francis are already married, there’s no possibility she could chose otherwise, if they’d simply been engaged I have no doubt that it would have been much harder to convince St. Simon that he was simply a victim of chance.  Bonus: Holmes’ reputation for Rudeness

I have no doubt that new readers of the series have seen a Sherlock Holmes adaptation before, or at least heard of the most recent television and film adaptations, which present Holmes as overall a much ruder person than he is in these stories. Whether that’s BBC Sherlock continuously trying to shock the audience, or the Guy Ritchie films playing into any bizarre circumstance that Holmes and Watson could possibly find themselves in, it may be a surprise to read this far and find that Holmes is a socially competent member of his community! Watson is not primarily there to do damage control as he pisses off everyone he meets! Holmes has been demonstrated to be thoughtful of both Watson and his clients, and to be careful to make his revelations in the privacy of his own drawing room so that the parties involved can make their own decisions before the entire rest of the world knows what’s up.  Holmes is, however, immediately reactive to snobbery. 1) He’s perfectly civil to St. Simon until St. Simon drops that little dig that Holmes’ prior clients could not possibly have been as important as himself. Holmes’ response is instant one-upsmanship: his latest client of this sort was a king, and you can’t challenge that assertion without impugning Holmes’ professionalism. If you impugn Holmes’ professionalism, he probably will not take your case.  2) He’s almost joking around with Lestrade, dropping hints that the man has gone off down the wrong course, until Lestrade, who does NOT have the leisure to sit around and be amazed by Holmes, gets snappish and dismissive of Holmes’ capabilities, so Holmes doubles down. If Lestrade is going to be aggressively wrong, Holmes will save everything up for an “I told you so” later.  

We’ve seen that showing off was part of how Holmes initially made friends with Watson, and that he still manages to overshoot and irritate his best friend occasionally. It’s not a stretch to suppose that Holmes methods of making friends with other potential collaborators, like police inspectors, follows the same pattern with less excellent results, because Holmes is both stubborn in following through with a line of explanation and sensitive to rejection. Police inspectors like Lestrade, especially if they are told they’ve wasted a day’s work or more, do not always take this well. (Note that in The Resident Patient the police inspector was much more flexible: he’d only just arrived on the scene and started assessing it. It’s much less frustrating to have the consulting detective pop up at what you thought was a suicide ten minutes in and tell you that not only does he have case background about people stalking the dead man, but he also instantly turns over physical evidence to support his claims. If you’re dredging a pond for corpses in the rain all day before Holmes tells you that all you’ll ever find is a wedding dress, it feels a lot more like he’s mocking you.) When Holmes met Watson, Watson was both an ideal audience for his chemical discoveries (being familiar enough with the theory to listen and pose questions, but not working in that field, so unlikely to stumble across any flaws or insist upon starting up some competition) and chronically bored from being cooped up in the apartment all winter. Even now, with Watson about to marry and establish a separate household, their pattern has not changed: Holmes returns with the facts of a case, talks it over with Watson’s competent commentary, is praised by Watson, and concludes by retreating into his favorite, non-work-related hobby, the violin. Which, perhaps not so coincidentally, Watson has always enjoyed, especially on days where his chronic pain has flared. 

[boombox-fuckboy]

Hiyaaa

I'm thinking of listening to radio outcast and night shift..... Have u listened to them?? If u have could u tell me about the basic vibe of the story, the characters, etc

Thank you<3333

Both underrated and very well made productions. They feature very good soundwork, both in quality and design, a solid cast of VAs, and excellent cover art. The writing isn't life-changing but is good, just more in the entertaining sense. Both also have official art of all major characters if that's something you're interested in.

RADIO: Outcast has a sillier vibe (expected with comedy as a second genre) but intentionally so. The characters are wacky and memorable, though with a major cast of about four, you're unlikely to get mixed up anyway.

The main characters are Charles, a sharply dressed, self-impressed master conman who seems to be able to get himself into, and occasionally out of, any sort of trouble imaginable. Helix, former messenger goddess of sound who's spent the last few decades partying, but after being cast out by her abusive ex-girlfriend is now stuck in the 1880s instead of the 1980s. And Jesse, a young cowboy with a perfect shot, strong sense of duty and general dislike of social situations, seeking to avenge his father (and is unfortunately now stuck with these two).

They're also crowdfunding for season 2 for another week

Night Shift fills a very specific personal need: fictional investigation/indie docudrama podcast (big fan), but, in an urban fantasy setting. This flavour of urban fantasy is humans only, just with magic. In the setting, major magics have been gone some time, but elements of it are everywhere including:

Small inherited magic such as perfectly recalling a memory from a photo you took or luminescent threads in your hair

Magi-biotech which is grueling to induce, tightly controlled, and mimics superpowers

The ability for remaining ambient magic to warp people to various degrees, body and mind, into Shades, who are poorly understood and potentially powerful, but rarely ever the threat most people think they are

Rare, small phemomena also caused by ambient magic which may include holes in reality

More of a serious tone, but it doesn't take itself uncomfortably seriously either.

There's a lot of characters, but Sebastian, the lead, is a good presenter and will introduce them all, sometimes more than once. A decent number of characters have very distinct voices, and there's always transcripts. They're a decent crowd, some stand out more than others. Sebastian himself is a good balance of sharp and clever and an absolute dumbass. He has a strong sense of justice but open willingness to change his opinions on new information, which I think is a good combination for a reporter, but his drive and impulse might not be such a good fit as a barista.

Majority queer characters as is common for pods, though being early days a lot is still word of god (processing how surreal that would've been a decade ago. "Majority queer characters as is standard.").

Profiles under the cut.

RADIO: Outcast

Synopsis, via the official website [accessed 2022-06-17]:

"When Helix, the Messenger God of Sound, gets yanked from the 1980s and sent to the 1880s by her abusive ex-lover, the God of Time, she must forge unlikely alliances with two humans: Jesse, a cowboy out for revenge, and Charles,  a conman running from his past. The three of them embark on a journey across the American West, each with their own goals and secrets waiting to be revealed.

Throughout the season, the characters' travels take them to dangerous wastelands, the lawless town of Deadwood, roller rinks in the middle of nowhere, a magical showboat on the Missouri River, and many more unexpected places. Magic and the American West collide in this kooky western about three strangers struggling to work together"

Genres: Western, fantasy, comedy, with sci-fi elements.

Available on: All major podcasting apps, Spotify.

Transcripts: Available on the website in pdf format [link]

Content Warnings: Spoken at the start of each episode (included in the transcript)

On Tumblr [here]

Night Shift: An Urban Fantasy Audio Drama

Synopsis, via the podcast feed [accessed 2022-06-17]:

"Sebastian Fen finds himself entangled in a series of unexplainable events in Echor City, from the conspiracies surrounding the biotechnology giant Augur Corp to the secrets of the magical anomalies that transform those who encounter them into the stuff of nightmares...

Night Shift is a queer-led, serialized docudrama. Elements of magic, science fiction, mystery, and mild horror throughout."

Genres: Urban fantasy, investigation, "true" crime.

Available on: All major podcasting apps, Spotify.

Transcripts: Linked in the description of each episode as a google-drive hosted pdf.

Content Warnings: Written out in the description of each episode

On Tumblr [here]

[twistedtummies2]

A Few Upcoming Fics/OCs

Just so you all know, I wanted to create a little list of planned stories I have for “Twisted Wonderland,” which will introduce various OCs of mine. Keep in mind, these are not the ONLY TW stories I have in my head or plan to do in the near future, there are plenty more. These are specifically the “Chapter Stories” - similar in structure to things like “Friends in High Places” and “The Sinister Serpent” - which are made in a formula similar to the way chapters in the Main Story work. This is the order in which those stories will be published, and which OCs they will feature or introduce. “The Scarlet Pirate” - Chapter Story for James Killian and Smitty McCarthy (based on Captain Hook and Mr. Smee). Features Nakoda Spivak as a major supporting character. “Belly of the Whale” - Chapter Story for Maelstrom Baleno (based on Monstro); features James and Smitty as supporting players. “Defying Gravity” - Chapter Story for Theodore Hamilton (based on the Wicked Witch of the West); currently planned to feature Billy Geant as a supporting player. (I have not decided on what to do with Maelstrom as potential supporting player yet.) “Heart of Stone” - Chapter Story for Grit Gravelle (based on the Nome King); features Theo as a supporting player.  Sometime before “Defying Gravity,” I also plan to write a short story called “No Good Deeds.” This will be a sort of “Vignette” story, set during Beanfest (taking place at the same time as an earlier piece of mine, “Of Pirates and Monsters”), which will introduce both Theodore and Grit. I ALSO have plans for at least two “Event Stories,” at least one of which will likely feature at least one of my OCs. However, when these get published is entirely up in the air. One will be based around a racing-type event, with different students from Night Raven having control over different vehicles, inspired by a combo of the obscure live-action movie “Midnight Madness,” and the non-Disney cartoon series “Wacky Races.” (Might throw a little reference to “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride” in there, too, we’ll see.) The title for this concept is still pending. At the moment, this Event will not likely feature any OCs. The other will be a St. Patrick’s Day special Event, which I currently plan to entitle “Wearing of the Green.” It is inspired by the movie “Darby O’Gill and the Little People,” and will feature a new OC antagonist: Bannor O’Brien, based on King Brian Connors from the source film. The only certainty aside from that with the story is that Malleus will play a major role; I may or may not include at least one of my OCs in the piece. If I do, I don’t know who it will be or what role they will play. PLEASE BE AWARE OF THIS: I have no idea when I will actually be able to properly work on, let alone complete, ANY of these projects. It could be a couple of months, it could be a whole year or more. Just know they are ideas in the works, and that this is the basic order in which my current OCs of note will be introduced. And again, also remember that there will definitely be other stories in-between things, of one sort or another. Just be aware that these are plans and OCs in the making. :)

[silverstar22x]

Yashahime : The sequel that could have been everything

As many of us know we all have a favorite comfort show or movie that brought us much happiness and nostalgia , well for me it was "Inuyasha" (created by Rumiko Takahashi) which was first debut as its manga of the same name before it was later adapted into an anime in the early 2000's. The anime follows the journey of Kagome Higurashi who came accidentally traveled to the feudal era though a mystical well and Inuyasha the young Half-human half-dog demon the illegitimate son of a powerful demon lord as them and their friends Sango the demon slayer , Miroku the cursed monk and Shippo a mystical fox demon child travel around feudal era Japan collecting shards of the sacred Shikon jewel that has the Ability to enhance the spiritual power of those who whether demon or human. While the show itself had its up and downs it still became a memorable series to watch . . . that is until we get to "Yashahime: Half-demon Princesses" the sequel to the anime that did not really live up to the hype that many old and new fans were hoping for as the show had its own that we will discuss.

"Yashahime" is the spin-off series of the original Anime and Manga "Inuyasha" that released in June 27, 2021 which shows us the adventures of Towaqa , Setsuna and Moroha who have set out on journey to uncover their unknown past and reunite with their parents while also fighting powerful demons and getting into wacky high jinks.

While in the original series the focus was on the adventures of Inuyasha , Kagome and their friends however the Sequel takes a different approach as it main centers on Towa and Setsuna the fraternal twin daughters of the great demon lord of the west Sesshomaru and his orphaned ward Rin (who's relationship we will discuss later in this post) its shown in the first episode of the series that when the twins are four they get separated from each other in a forest fire then caused Towa who was desperately searching for her sister when she falls into the bone-eater's well transporting her to modern world where she is and then later adopted by her Uncle-in-law/ Kagome's younger brother Souta Higurashi , a decade pass and time-traveling portal of the bone eater's well finally reopens allowing the sister to finally reunite with until it is discover that Setsuna who shown to have become a harden warrior and demon slayer under that tutelage of Kohaku , Sango's now adult younger brother it is then when it's discovered that when the twins were separated Setsuna fell pray to a demon who not only stole her dreams but as well as her memories of her beloved sister Towa. It is during that time when the twins come across Moroha the quarter-demon child of Inuyasha and Kagome and she later joins their group as they embark on their epic journey together.

As excited as many fan of "Inuyasha" sequel "Yashahime" i myself do not share the sentiment as the show itself present a lots of issues never discussed in the series but is very obviously noticed by the fandom like the mischaracterization and lack of understanding the values and principle of of character of the original anime like making the character Miroku abandon his family for the of training and don't even get me start on weird character designs and it doesn't help that the pacing of the story is confusing .

while the show did introduce us to Moroha it feels insulting that the show would her the child of the original main character to be pushed to the side for comedic relief, then their the biggest issue with this Sequel is the fact that Sunrise the production company behind Most of Takahashi's works made Sesshomaru and Rin a canonical couple and made Rin the mother of the twin in the sequel which is pretty gross when you think about as in the original aRin was only 8 years old when she was taken in by lord Sesshoumaru after he revived her when she was murdered by a pack of wolves and in the flashbacks in "Yashahime" show her to look no older than 14-15 years old when she and Sesshomaru get together. This shocking discovery did however come with plenty of criticism from fans of the fan base as very clear that their relationship in the original was meant to be a platonic/ familial one where Rin and Sesshomaru had a father and adopted child relationship that work both ways for Sesshomaru he need someone to show him that humanity was something that was worth protecting and fighting for, However these word at the time did not sway Sesshomaru as he was left confused as to why his father would say such things when those very beliefs are what led to his early demise. while these things cant be said to be the same for Rin ,her life before meeting by Sesshomaru was not an easy one, as a young child Rin's entire family was killed by bandits which lead to her becoming a orphan in another village the entire experience causing her to become mute , she later then find an injured Sesshomaru , who despite his attempts to keep her bay did not work on the kindhearted child , we continue to see their relationship progress as Rin start to view Sesshomaru as her protector/ or Father , someone who will anything to protect. Sadly despite all the fact reflecting on the true nature Sunrise production and their director still had the audacity to make this kind of thing happen in the sequel which in my opinion this is not an anime i would recommend to others no how much it had brought in its release.

This is Ashley's Anime Opinions signing off Bye !!!

[michaelsavageusa]

Stepping into Sneakerhead Paradise: A Glimpse into the World’s Most Outrageously Expensive Kicks

By Mike Savage, New Canaan collector of sneakers

Forget diamonds, folks. The real treasures these days are nestled between toes and secured with fancy laces. Welcome to the wacky world of rare sneakers, where a single shoe can cost more than your used car and a complete collection might fetch you a small island.

The niche collector category actually boasts a variety of global collector communities around the world. But every unique collector shoe has a unique value to the collector in all of us.

Buckle up, sneakerheads and curious onlookers alike, as we take a hilarious romp through some of the most valuable kicks ever to grace asphalt (or, more likely, pristine display cases).

Here are some of my favorite sneaker stories.

1. The Moon Shoe: Giant Leap for Sneakerkind (and Your Wallet)

Moon Shoe sneaker

Imagine a shoe so rare, it predates the internet (gasp!). That’s the moon shoe, a 1972 prototype crafted by Bill Bowerman, the co-founder of Nike, using his wife’s waffle iron. Yes, you read that right. Waffles. Only 12 pairs were ever made, and one recently snagged a cool $437,500 at an auction. Talk about sole-searching! Mike savage New Canaan

2. Air Jordan 1 “Chicago”: His Airness, His Kicks, His Millions

Air Jordan 1 Chicago sneaker

Michael Jordan’s iconic “Chicago” Air Jordan 1s are like the Mona Lisa of sneakers. Released in 1985, they were banned by the NBA for being “too colorful,” which, of course, only boosted their mystique. Today, a pristine pair can set you back a casual $100,000. Just remember, these babies are for admiring, not slam dunking.

3. Kanye West’s Air Yeezy 1 “Prototype”: From Grammy Stage to Auction Block

Kanye West Air Yeezy 1 Prototype sneaker

Before Kanye became a fashion god (debatable, we know), he was just a rapper with a killer shoe deal. His Air Yeezy 1 prototypes, the ones he wore at the 2008 Grammys, are now sneaker holy grails. One pair fetched a whopping $1.8 million in 2021. So, next time you see Kanye rocking some outrageous kicks, remember, he could be walking on a small fortune.

4. Nike Dunk SB Low Paris Bernard Buffet: When Art Meets Soles

Nike Dunk SB Low Paris Bernard Buffet sneaker

These Dunks aren’t just sneakers; they’re tiny masterpieces. Created in collaboration with the French artist Bernard Buffet, only 200 pairs exist, each featuring his signature swirling brushstrokes. And the price tag? A cool $90,000. Talk about expensive feet!

5. Solid Gold OVO x Air Jordans: Bling for Your Soles (and Your Bank Account)

Solid Gold OVO x Air Jordan sneaker

If you’re looking for sneakers that scream “I’m rich and fabulous,” then look no further than the solid gold OVO x Air Jordans. Dripping in 24k gold and diamonds, these beauties were a gift from Drake to his October’s Very Own co-founder Oliver El-Khatib. Price tag? A cool $2 million. But hey, at least they’ll never rust!

So, why are these sneakers so valuable? It’s a cocktail of factors: limited production, cultural significance, historical importance, and a healthy dose of hype. They’re like tiny time capsules, capturing a moment in sneaker (and sometimes pop culture) history. Plus, let’s be honest, there’s a certain thrill in owning something so rare and coveted. It’s like having your own personal mini-museum on your feet. savage new Canaan

But before you start raiding your piggy bank for a pair of moon shoes, remember: these sneakers are for the one percent. For the rest of us, there’s a whole world of amazing (and affordable) kicks out there waiting to be discovered. So, lace up your trusty sneaks, hit the pavement, and create your own sneaker adventure. Just don’t step on any million-dollar masterpieces along the way!

And hey, if you ever do find yourself with a spare $2 million lying around, feel free to send a pair of solid gold Jordans my way. I promise to take good care of them. (With kid gloves, of course.)

ABOUT MIKE SAVAGE OF NEW CANAAN, CT

Mike Savage from New Canaan is the Founder of 1-800 Accountant that helps businesses with their accounting services and needs through cutting-edge technology and customer support.

In his spare time, Savage enjoys creating unique koi ponds, building vintage Lego sets, and admiring muscle cars and unique pop art. He and his wife also spearhead the Savage-Rivera foundation to help impoverished families in Honduras.

[mikesavagenewcanaanusa]

Stepping into Sneakerhead Paradise: A Glimpse into the World’s Most Outrageously Expensive Kicks

By Mike Savage, New Canaan collector of sneakers

Forget diamonds, folks. The real treasures these days are nestled between toes and secured with fancy laces. Welcome to the wacky world of rare sneakers, where a single shoe can cost more than your used car and a complete collection might fetch you a small island.

The niche collector category actually boasts a variety of global collector communities around the world. But every unique collector shoe has a unique value to the collector in all of us.

Buckle up, sneakerheads and curious onlookers alike, as we take a hilarious romp through some of the most valuable kicks ever to grace asphalt (or, more likely, pristine display cases).

Here are some of my favorite sneaker stories.

1. The Moon Shoe: Giant Leap for Sneakerkind (and Your Wallet)

Moon Shoe sneaker

Imagine a shoe so rare, it predates the internet (gasp!). That’s the moon shoe, a 1972 prototype crafted by Bill Bowerman, the co-founder of Nike, using his wife’s waffle iron. Yes, you read that right. Waffles. Only 12 pairs were ever made, and one recently snagged a cool $437,500 at an auction. Talk about sole-searching! Mike Savage New Canaan

2. Air Jordan 1 “Chicago”: His Airness, His Kicks, His Millions

Air Jordan 1 Chicago sneaker

Michael Jordan’s iconic “Chicago” Air Jordan 1s are like the Mona Lisa of sneakers. Released in 1985, they were banned by the NBA for being “too colorful,” which, of course, only boosted their mystique. Today, a pristine pair can set you back a casual $100,000. Just remember, these babies are for admiring, not slam dunking.

3. Kanye West’s Air Yeezy 1 “Prototype”: From Grammy Stage to Auction Block

Kanye West Air Yeezy 1 Prototype sneaker

Before Kanye became a fashion god (debatable, we know), he was just a rapper with a killer shoe deal. His Air Yeezy 1 prototypes, the ones he wore at the 2008 Grammys, are now sneaker holy grails. One pair fetched a whopping $1.8 million in 2021. So, next time you see Kanye rocking some outrageous kicks, remember, he could be walking on a small fortune.

4. Nike Dunk SB Low Paris Bernard Buffet: When Art Meets Soles

Nike Dunk SB Low Paris Bernard Buffet sneaker

These Dunks aren’t just sneakers; they’re tiny masterpieces. Created in collaboration with the French artist Bernard Buffet, only 200 pairs exist, each featuring his signature swirling brushstrokes. And the price tag? A cool $90,000. Talk about expensive feet!

5. Solid Gold OVO x Air Jordans: Bling for Your Soles (and Your Bank Account)

Solid Gold OVO x Air Jordan sneaker

If you’re looking for sneakers that scream “I’m rich and fabulous,” then look no further than the solid gold OVO x Air Jordans. Dripping in 24k gold and diamonds, these beauties were a gift from Drake to his October’s Very Own co-founder Oliver El-Khatib. Price tag? A cool $2 million. But hey, at least they’ll never rust!

So, why are these sneakers so valuable? It’s a cocktail of factors: limited production, cultural significance, historical importance, and a healthy dose of hype. They’re like tiny time capsules, capturing a moment in sneaker (and sometimes pop culture) history. Plus, let’s be honest, there’s a certain thrill in owning something so rare and coveted. It’s like having your own personal mini-museum on your feet. By Mike Savage, New Canaan collector of sneakers

But before you start raiding your piggy bank for a pair of moon shoes, remember: these sneakers are for the one percent. For the rest of us, there’s a whole world of amazing (and affordable) kicks out there waiting to be discovered. So, lace up your trusty sneaks, hit the pavement, and create your own sneaker adventure. Just don’t step on any million-dollar masterpieces along the way!

And hey, if you ever do find yourself with a spare $2 million lying around, feel free to send a pair of solid gold Jordans my way. I promise to take good care of them. (With kid gloves, of course.)

[domono08]

New doodle ,Tex Avery which reminds me ……..

Ok review time!

So the wacky world of Tex Avery,well I remember a time where this show was hated and called the most despised cartoon ever until adult party cartoon.and where people said this show basically disrespected the great animator.but I watch it and it was kinda ok,not good but ok. I mean the voice acting is ok,animation is ok,but being off model and or unappealing at sometimes and the jokes are hit and miss.sometimes you’ll find one worthy of a chuckle sometimes you’ll have one groan worthy but it ok. There’s back story to the show ,back then a second rate animation studio called dic entertainment want to start a new outsourcing company in France and they want to get some talent there. So they decided to get the Tex Avery name from his daughter Nancy Avery. But there were problems like dic being dicks to Nancy Saying that they could get the name from turner and that they were just being nice. That set Nancy off ,so wanna know what she did? Got chuck jones ,her father’s colleague,to consult her on the situation.chuck jones basically told her that her father would be ok to give them the rights to be financially stable because Nancy was trying to get money to send her kids to college.so she was brought on as a producer and was made to receive royalties from the show. 65 episodes made,a dream team of people like ren and stimpy animators mike fontenelli and Eddie Fitzgerald,Disney afternoon writers jymm magon and mark zaslowe and longtime animation writer Jeffrey Scott as head writers ,and legendary voice actors billy west,Maurice la marche ,Cree summer,Kathleen Barr,Scott McNeil and Lee tockar. This was plan to be a smash success! But it didn’t .the show was panned by critics and aired at early morning hours on fox and Upn stations (seriously,8 o’clock weekday mornings on fox most kids are on the bus or at school). the show wast pick up for a second season(then again, the limit for most cartoons was 65 episodes.aired them ,rerun them again over 13 weeks then aired them sporadically ) but the show was actually a big success in France and Italy ! I mean, I couldn’t believe that there were dvd releases of the show and a dance pop theme song sung by the lovely Italian Christia d’avena . Uh back to show they’re some good segments like the Tex Avery cartoons and Pompeii Pete cartoons. And I found it pretty decent,and in a interview with former dic vice president,Robby London, he said that he was trying to make a tribute to Tex Avery and personally loved his work.and he also said that in 2001,during September 11,he got call from the cia who told them that one their cartoons in the show had a character that hijacked a plane I think was going to ram it into a building .(he said it was one the weirdest things he every heard.) but it’s a ok show,I suggest you watch it . It on Tubi for free but only 40 episodes are available the rest of the 25 are basically lost media . But it’s up to you to judge so, get on your horse and grab your guitar and ride into the wacky world of Tex Avery!

Well run,like my man Pompeii Pete!(don’t speak English really good!)

[bewitching-elizabeth-olsen]

Press: Elizabeth Olsen, Much Like Wanda Maximoff, Comforts Herself With Classic TV

W MAGAZINE: For W’s second annual TV Portfolio, we asked 26 of the most sought-after names in television to pay homage to their favorite small-screen characters by stepping into their shoes.

WandaVision was the first television show produced by Marvel Studios, and any gamble Disney+ took to make the series happen immediately paid off. At one point during its nine-episode run, WandaVision was the most popular streamed show in the world (beaten only recently by another Marvel series, Loki). The suburbia-set series received critical acclaim, snagging 23 Emmy nominations—one of those for Elizabeth Olsen, who was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her performance as the titular Wanda—and convinced even the biggest Marvel skeptics to buy into its delicious plot.

It might come as a surprise, then, that Olsen doesn’t really watch that much contemporary television herself. But who could blame the actress, when most of her time is spent filming scenes for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Wanda Maximoff (also known as the Scarlet Witch), a wielder of chaos magic who materializes in the small town of Westview—first as a 1950s-era housewife married to a humanlike robot named Vision (played by Paul Bettany), then as a ’60s housewife, then a ’70s housewife, and so on. When the actress does watch television, though, she prefers to get into some of those older shows, like Murder, She Wrote, which she chose to re-create above, and, of course, episodes of ’90s sitcoms like Full House, of which there was no dearth in the actress’s childhood.

My contract with Marvel was done. Kevin Feige, who runs Marvel, had me come into his office, and he pitched me WandaVision. I loved the concept of it, but I was terrified of a new streaming service—that is now Disney+.

Did you know the entire concept going in, or was it revealed to you over time?

He told me that he wanted to create a story about Wanda Maximoff manipulating reality to mimic the sitcoms that she grew up with in order to comfort herself. He wanted it to be kind of trippy, for it to feel like a sitcom, but twisted, kind of Twilight Zone-y. That reminded me of Twilight Zone: The Movie, where there’s a boy who is obsessed with television, has a horrible family, and he conjures up a bunny that kills his whole family. It’s really wacky. I just thought, It would be incredible if we do anything that’s a piece of that.

Were you personally a fan of I Love Lucy and other old sitcoms?

Yeah, I watched Nick at Nite all the time. I loved I Love Lucy, Laverne & Shirley. I didn’t like The Brady Bunch, but I loved the Brady Bunch sequel movies. That made me excited to get to reference The Brady Bunch [in WandaVision].

Did you shoot the episodes in order, or did you go back and forth between the 1950s and ’60s?

We tried to film everything in order. The exteriors, though, we hopped around. Our fences, the color of the houses, the flowers all look different from decade to decade. Luckily, it was pretty contained, but it really was sad to wrap the sitcom. We wrapped it when Paul and I and Kathryn [Hahn] and Teyonah [Parris] were filming the ’70s opening montage to the Brady Bunch theme, and that was how he wrapped it—in six bizarre outfits, with a pregnant belly on a tandem bike.

Did you keep anything from the set?

I’m not a keeper, because I feel like I’m not allowed to [keep things]. I feel like everything goes into some box that they hide from everyone, then maybe eventually they’ll retire and reuse shit. I have no idea.

I thought you might keep Wanda’s apron!

That would have been a really impractical apron. It was made out of gauze. Anything would bleed right through it.

Do you have an understanding of women in each decade now? Did you have to wear the undergarments and the whole nine yards?

Yeah. I loved the undergarments. It’s all helpful for the time, for the character, for how women move, how they talk. The shoes were the worst. I did wear vintage period shoes. And that’s awful. My feet don’t even like heels, let alone heels that have quite literally no support.

Is it difficult to have kissing scenes with all the purple paint on Paul Bettany when he’s dressed as Vision?

It’s really hard. It comes off on me, even though they try as much as they can to powder him. They have to powder his hands all the time, because if he wants to touch my face… They have to be on top of us for those scenes. It’s really not practical.

So which character did you decide to play for our portfolio?

I decided to be Angela Lansbury [as Jessica Fletcher] in Murder, She Wrote. I asked my friend Clayton Hawkins, who’s a hairstylist and great with wigs, if he could get a cheap wig and wrap my hair. And that’s what we did. I was watching Murder, She Wrote in London a lot.

During lockdown?

I was filming there, and in and out of lockdowns, but filming through lockdowns as well. And that was one of the things that would be on the television. I think I never really sat down and watched Murder, She Wrote until then. It’s fabulous. Great guest stars, great whodunits. My favorite moment is when they solve it and play it out for you in the solving of the mystery and going backwards. It’s just delicious, and it feels good to watch. There’s a great horse-racing episode that I loved, because I love the racetrack.

Did you have a TV show you loved growing up?

I never did Dawson’s Creek, I never did any of those shows. What did I watch, though? I loved Family Matters, Step by Step, The Torkelsons. And I loved Full House. We had all the VHSs, and it was very easy to watch at my house.

Did you have a crush on John Stamos?

Yes.

Who was your cinematic crush when you were growing up?

Frank Sinatra. I didn’t know they were old movies that I was watching. So when you say “TV shows,” what I consumed as a child was all old musicals, like Oklahoma!, Guys and Dolls, Carousel, West Side Story. I loved classic musicals, and I was in love with Frank Sinatra. I would do scenes with him in my bathroom, which then turned into scenes with George Clooney as I got older and I realized Frank Sinatra was an old man. I was like, Well, maybe if I get older, I can at least work with George Clooney, as his daughter’s friend or something, and then we have a thing.

What was your first red carpet look? Was it for Martha Marcy May Marlene?

Yeah, Cannes was my first red carpet look. I was in the Row. I was in a black Row skirt and a lace top, and I didn’t have an undergarment on. I didn’t know that flash photography at night was going to be my enemy, and my publicist worked really hard to try and remove those pictures from the Internet. [Laughs]

Do you have a secret skill?

You know what I’m really good at? Removing stains. I believe I can remove a stain from anything.

How did you learn to remove stains?

Probably started with my mom, who’s a soaker. That’s kind of the first rule: patience. And then, because I cook so much, I think I just had to learn. I’m pretty “woman of the house” handy.

I thought you were going to say that your secret skill was that you can sell real estate. Because when I first met you, you had a real estate license.

I did. It’s definitely expired. I got my real estate license because I didn’t want to work in a restaurant in New York as a summer job. So I thought, I’ll work in a real estate office. I was dealing with my sister’s friend who was a realtor, and I dealt with his rental clients. And I would mispronounce streets in New York all the time, because I had just moved there.

Press: Elizabeth Olsen, Much Like Wanda Maximoff, Comforts Herself With Classic TV was originally published on Elizabeth Olsen Source • Your source for everything Elizabeth Olsen

[juiceastronaut]

Okay so. I watched Q-force. And I have no idea what I think about it.

Imma just be rambling so I'll break down the characters and my likes/dislikes about them before giving my plot breakdown at the end. Only the main/prominent ones because I don't have time.

Steve Maryweather-Easily the best character out of them, with Deb being a close second. He could've very easily fallen into the trope of being someone who was incompetent but expected the world anyway, but he doesn't. He graduated top of his class, and despite his quirks is a genuinely competent team leader, and wants the best for his team. He wants to prove that he and his team are competent enough to get recognition, and has a genuine faith in the people around him. It was refreshing to see him hold his team in a genuine high regard, where a lot of times it's like "We're shit but lets do this thing now" He's a genuinely well-rounded character, and (and forgive me if this isn't the best way to frame this) it feels like being gay is an important part of his character, without encompassing the whole thing. I thought Benji and his relationship was super cute and I was sad when they broke up. I was afraid he was going to be, like a second but worse Twink with the stereotyping but gladly fell away from that.

Deb-I thought her and her wife were super cute (though I hate how the wife is designed ngl adjafkldajfd). I liked Debs character, but I feel like she had a lot of racial stereotyping that wouldn't be inherently obvious unless you were looking for them, her being the strong one, and also the "mama" type at the same time. No one treated her with disrespect, and her lesbianism seemed to be more authentic but I feel like there wasn't a lot of thought put into what these tropes were and why they were bad. Her being black and making her the mama type, as well as the big strong type could be read as tasteless. Again, I really liked her character but these were some things I noticed while watching.

Twink- You know, I didn't really like him at first, I thought he was the epitome of all the bad stereotyping (though I'm just glad him and Mary didn't get put into the same category). His humor isn't my taste, and it just kinda seemed like someone for half of his lines went "what twitter stan language can we put in here?" And sometimes it was a bit too random for my tastes. However! I do like that his drag was considered important and was an integral part to a lot of missions they went on, and not just "Ah look at that dumb gay trying to find reasons to dress in drag." His talents and expertise were both respected and, save for Buck (which his whole point was supposed to be offensive anyway) no one undermined Twink for his femininity. His back story is also kinda random but did play a role in the missions as well. Still, personally think he's the worst character. Plus, he's French so minus four-twenties amount of points.

Stat-You know, in a show where everyone was stating what letter they were every few seconds I was surprised that I had to look up that Stat was trans. I...liked her character for the most part, except the part where she was fucking a robot. Kinda weird ngl, outta left field, and with her being trans I wonder if her having that sort of relationship is problematic for her. Love her design tho, love me a hacker girl. She's also listed as "ambiguously gay" tho showed to have mostly girl love interests but, okay.

Buck-He's the straight guy, emotionally repressed haha and he's bigoted. Did think it was funny later on when he was more "accepting" but managed to be even more infuriating about it. Tied with Twink as worse character but you know they tried to do stuff with him.

Vee-Really liked me a boss lady, but kinda weird how they bait-and-switched us with her actually being a lesbian, then go "no she's straight tho" in regards to Karen. I thought her and Mary's relationship was cute, wish I saw more of it. But she did feel like a random plot device in later seasons, what with her disappearing and reappearing when it was plot relevant. (Tho she HOTOHOTHOTHOT bikini episode WOOOWEEEE)

....

Okay, so now the plot....which. it had one?

It felt like it was flip flopping back n forth about whether it wanted to take itself seriously or not, and it seemed to decide on serious more towards the end, but then it would have this random plot element that would be so out of left field it would pull me out of my suspension of disbelief. See the whole "Back cracking to unlock memories" plot point. This back and forth on whether it would be a comedy or not I think weakened both categories it tried to play into.

If I had to compare the show to anything it would probably be Futurama, but the thing with Futurma is, its set in the future, so you're suspension of disbelief is allowed to stretch a bit more because all the wacky quirky stuff can be attributed to future shenanigans. Q-force, to my knowledge, is set in the modern day, which makes the wacky stuff that much wacker, because it's set in our modern times, which you apply the rules of everyday life to.

A lot of the problems that I had with Q-Force is, in the attempt to write specifically about the "gay experience" revealed that the writers have really only had a very specific experience of interacting with gay ppl, what I call the "Urban Gay" experience.

The fact they're in West Hollywood, and all the things that were listed as "universal gay experiences" but were only things that you'd be exposed to if you were in the city. I think a flavor of "white gay" can be implemented here too, which Q force has exactly one black woman, who manages to be the only lesbian.

That coupled with the fact that, there's a difference between having Twink naturally being a drag queen, the whole team being gay to some degree, and the fact they interact with the gay community often without Drawing Attention to all of those things and self-congratulating itself on concluding it. Funnily enough, Q-Force had examples of doing this right and doing this right. Right way: In the second or third episode where Mary found that guy with the flash drive to the uranium in it and seduced him in the gay bar. Relevant that it was gay without overtly drawing attention to it. Wrong-Way: Having Pride go on while Girl Boss was trying to take over the world.

And, for the show that promoted itself as representing the gay experience, there were...two gay men, one lesbian, one trans person, one straight guy and...no bisexual people. Also no nonbinary people. Like of course it's unrealistic to include every single identity but you're one bisexual person who appeared for one episode and was promptly blown up. And also showed to be...more off than the other characters, what with the stealing of silverware and all. Just, bisexual people are already forgotten enough as it is and not including them in the show, but you include two gay men just kinda reads as tasteless to me (as a bisexual person, obviously).

Which makes it so weird that Stat was left "ambiguously gay" when she could've easily been bisexual (which still would be problematic because of the robot-fucking but at least you got the B in there somewhere in the main group)

Overall, it tried to market itself as the "be all end all" of what it was like to be gay, but ended up excluding the exact people that get excluded in real-life lgbt spaces. This combined with the indecision with what kind of show it wanted to be managed to make it fall short. If you arent the very specific type of gay person who lives in a city environment and doesn't fit the stereotypes showed you're not going to feel "seen" by the show.

Weirdly though, I didn't hate watching it, and I would probably watch another season if they managed to make one. The parts that did work, I think worked really well, and even the bad parts just read as tasteless, and not actively terrible. If they focused less on making "hey I'm gay" jokes every three seconds and just let each character be what they are I think the show would be stronger for it. And I think they'd find less problems overall if they did that too. In the mean time I'll just be here side-eyeing the whole thing.

Edit: I forgot to mention, and this is a problem a lot of adult TV shows fall into, that because they got the clear to show nudity/sex they felt like they *had* to show nudity and to a lesser extent sex every episode. So just that whole "Haha adult=sex obviously."

Oh! And this generally goes for the whole "shove it in your face" part, but a lot of the characters who are bigoted were shown to be. Very blatantly so. And not to say there isn't blatantly bigoted ppl of course they are but I don't think that's where you see a lot of bigotry nowadays. This was sort of touched on during the show but more of a jokey manner, but I think it would've been more realistic if we had more "girl with a gay best friend" kinda bigotry as opposed to the "I'm literally hurling slurs at you" bigotry, especially since they're in Cali.

[ladyloveandjustice]

The Westing Game Chapter 21

The Fourth Bomb

In a wacky misunderstanding, Theo thinks Alice is the bomber and tries to blackmail her with the info so he can borrow her bike (Yes, really. Go big or go home is Theo’s motto) but of course Alice thinks he means he knows ANGELA is the bomber.

And in what might be the most touching moment in the book so far, Alice responds to this by setting off a bomb and writing a thing indicating that she is the bomber in order to throw all suspicion off Angela. She eve loses her trademark braid in the process.

It really is incredibly sweet. Alice is very caustic toward her sister, but this isn’t the first time she’s indicated she’s ride-or-die when it comes down to it (she got rid of the evidence for Angela and warned her not to say anything to the lawyer), and it’s also a very lovely response to Angela’s early sacrifice- where she took the bomb she made to her face rather than have it explode to her sisters. But while Angela’s sacrifice was spur-of-the-moment motivated by guilt and panic as well as love (not that it makes it less meaningful), Alice’s is one she planned out and considered. She had time to consider the consequences. She knew that Angela willingly put herself in this position. But she still chose to take the fall anyway, and set off a bomb after seeing what the same thing did to her sister’s face.

She already feels meaningless to her family in general, and maybe on the surface she feels her standing (with her mother in particular) can’t get any lower. “I’m already the troublemaker, I’m already the unwanted one, I have nothing to lose, but Angela would lose everything” was how she convinced herself. (in addition to being aware as a minor she wouldn’t be punished as harshly, smart girl that she is).

But it’s also clear that Alice DOES long for her mother’s love and approval, and I think she also had to contend with a deep fear that after this action, there’d be no going back for them, that she’d doomed herself to be the ‘bad one’ forever. Yet she still did it.

And the loss of her braid is of course, incredibly significant. Angela said earlier that the braid is her “crutch”- she bases a lot of her personality around it. It was her excuse to spend time with her mother and now her excuse to spend time with Flora, it’s the trademark thing people can pull on and she can then she gets excuse to kick them and get in fights and form connections, it’s how she gets attention and relationships for herself without exposing her own vulnerability. But she sacrificed what little that makes her stand out, what little social currency she has to protect the same sister who she envies for being in the spotlight- because that bond is more important than her jealousy and her need for attention. Just like her sister sacrificed one of the things that bring her adulation- her looks- to protect her. Love is more important than those petty things.

Alice is forced to talk to Judge Ford afterwards and, sharp as ever, Ford guesses that she’s protecting Angela.  This quote especially gets me:

The judge was astounded (…). Angela could not be the bomber, that sweet, pretty thing. Thing? Is that how she regarded the young woman, as a thing? And what had she ever said to her except “I hear you’re getting married, Angela” or “You’re so pretty, Angela”. Had anyone ever asked about her ideas, her hopes, her plans? If I had been treated like that, I’d have used dynamite, not fireworks; no, I would have just walked and kept on going. But Angela was different.

There’s a fascinating theme in this book about being marginalized, and the different ways these marginalized people both are pitted against each other and can overlook even each other while also finding connections and comradery with each other… I think I’ll have to wait until the end to fully get my thesis on the whole thing together, but I really find it interesting and appreciate it. Ford’s struggles as a black woman, Alice being overlooked for not performing femininity (thus envious of Angela despite knowing how shitty she has it), Angela being boxed because everyone wants to mold her as the perfect feminine ideal (thus feeling envious of Alice despite knowing how shitty she has it), Sun feeling out of place as a Chinese immigrant, Hoo knowing he’s looked down upon as a Chinese-American (yet still not considering the pain of his own wife), Chris struggling as a disabled kid, many people who are financially disadvantaged and/or feeling limited to the role of caretaker, Sydelle feeling overlooked in general and appropriating others’ struggles in her bizarre quest to get noticed- it’s all very interesting and pretty deftly handled, especially considering the time period the book was written in. 

And our antagonist is quintessential exploitative Rich White Man (obsessed with American Exceptionalism to boot), though it’s casually mentioned he’s the son of immigrants, an identity he seems to have actively shed, going so far as to change his name (if that’s why he changed it), so there’s even complexity there.

But the thing with Ford here is an interesting demonstration of that. Despite being smart and socially aware and having an even more fraught history of being dismissed and belittled, she didn’t give much thought to Angela and subconsciously went along with the same objectification everyone else does, putting her on a pedestal. (There’s a lot to be said about how Angela’s veneration and perceived “purity” by the others might interact with her whiteness, and how Ford realizing she bought into that narrative subconsciously might feel to her as a black woman, but I’m not really the person to discuss that. Anyway!)

The other important development here is that Alice also finally confesses that she saw Westing the night of his murder but mentions that the Westing she saw didn’t look dead, but asleep and like a wax dummy. This sets off alarm bells for both me and Ford.

So, I think its safe to say my earlier theory Sam Westing isn’t dead is probably true. What of the corpse that was present at the will-reading? I think people would have noticed it was a wax dummy, but a disguised corpse from his coroner friend still makes some sense. So where is Westing now? Considering Barney Northup doesn’t exist, could he be Barney?

But speaking of Westing, if we need further confirmation the man is the scum of the earth, he’s a union buster and he fired Sandy for trying to organize one in the paper plant.

We also learn Ford’s backstory with Westing at last: Her parents were household staff at Westing’s mansion and she grew up there as a result. She played chess with Westing frequently as a child, but not only would he brag and take pride in beating a goddamn pre-teen, he mocked her with racialized insults. She never won, but Westing ended up financing her education (that’s the ‘debt’ she owes him). She believes he did this to get a judge he could control, but has refused to play along, removing herself from any case involving him.

I can’t help but think Westing would have known Ford wouldn’t play ball, though. So he may have had another motive for sending her to school. It could be something even more sinister. Or… in his own twisted way, did he actually like her? He obviously realized she was incredibly intelligent during those matches, even if he sadistically enjoyed mocking her, enough to know she’d do well with an education. Did he play chess with her so much not just because he enjoyed tormenting her, but enjoyed her as a person as well? It obviously does not excuse what a racist sadistic shithead he is, and I’m not saying he’s secretly nice- just that it could be he was incapable of relating to anyone in a healthy way. I actually think sending Ford to school could have just been an extension of his desire to torment her AND the only way he knew that would guarantee he remained important in her life. He didn’t ever plan to cash in on her debt, but knew it would kill her just to BE in his debt, and got pleasure out of that alone. He probably just thought it was funny and it was also a way to guarantee he’d live in her head rent free- and because deep down he knew she was a cool kid, he also wanted that. He didn’t want her to forget him, maybe, which is sick! But much more interesting than simply “he wanted a judge he could manipulate”.

But it’s also worth noting this is Ford’s (perhaps) final chance to win against Westing in the ultimate chess match. And I can’t help but think he is well aware how smart she is, so he invited her here specifically because he knew she could be his undoing, the one who unravels everything. So- if we go with the ‘Westing is seeking atonement’ theory- did he invite her to give her that satisfaction of finally beating him, like he always knew deep down she could? Because he WANTS to be beaten, to be found out and knows she deserves to be the one after all the hell he put her through? Or in the ‘Westing is still a complete monster’ theory- is his intention to torment her one last time, to show her she can’t win against him? (if it is, I think he may well find he’s gravely mistaken there).

I don’t think Westing can truly achieve “redemption” with this “game”, nor am I one to easily believe the Ultimate Shitty Capitalist can change easily, but if one thing can shake someone’s worldview and make them reevaluate how they live their life, the death of their child WOULD be a big one. So “this will actually be Westing’s weird twisted attempt at atonement” is a possibility I just can’t stop thinking about. If it is, it’s kind of funny and incredible he can’t stop being manipulative and traumatizing even when he decides he wants to do something good.

On top of all that, Angela and Sydelle get more clues and finally figure out the ‘America the Beautiful’ connection. God, so much to chew on this chapter! I really fear for these last nine chapters. I might end up writing a novel longer than the actual novel analyzing and recapping them if I’m not careful. But that’s how you know it’s a compelling story, so hats off to Ellen Raskin!

[jeannereames]

Super weird question, but how did women in ancient times deal with their periods? Was it taboo? Was it acknowledged at all?

Pretty much everywhere, women on their menses have been expected to take special care, as bleeding is viewed as disruptive. What “disruptive” means, however, varies, and here we get into technicalities that can sound a bit odd to modern ears. Stick with me. I’m going to divide this into “How menstruating women were viewed” versus “What women actually did about it.”

Part I: How menstruation was viewed

Throughout the ancient Mediterranean and Ancient Near East (ANE), both women menstruating and women who’d just given birth were regarded as “ritually unclean.”

This should not be confused with sin. First, “sin” was much more of a thing in the ANE (and Carthage) than in Greece and Rome, where “impiety” mattered more. This is not hair-splitting. While “sin” could include strictly religious affronts, it also embraced a lot of what we’d call immoral behavior. By contrast, “impiety” might include moral affronts, but was more focused on religious error.

I’m trying to avoid going down the rabbit-hole of sin vs. impiety. The main thing I want to point out is that sin in the ANE carries different overtones than Greco-Roman impiety. And neither of them is necessarily connected to ritual impurity.

Certain aspects of human life were “unclean” and all involved bodily fluids. These “unclean” actions or states are things that you are not allowed to enter a sanctuary after doing, or are not allowed to do in a sanctuary. And I say “sanctuary” (temenos) because this is the broadest term for “land that is cut off as sacred.” Sacred space was set apart for the gods.

For the Greeks, one was not permitted to kill in a sanctuary, or have sex. One might be bad, but the other wasn’t. Similarly, someone who’d committed murder (not in war), especially kin murder, was barred, even if the killing was accidental. And not only could you not have sex IN a sanctuary, if you’d had sex the night before, you couldn’t enter until taking a special bath. Likewise, a woman on her menses couldn’t enter a sanctuary, nor could a woman who’d given birth. A certain number of days were required for a new mother to wait. That doesn’t mean having a period, much less giving birth, were “bad” things. Certain diseases weren’t permitted in some sanctuaries (except those to Asclepius). All Greek (and Roman) sanctuaries had “rules” about who was, and wasn’t, allowed inside that could be highly arbitrary. Some sites permitted only members of that city-state, or perhaps barred members of certain other city-states. Spartans might be barred from sanctuaries in Argos, for instance. Some sites wouldn’t allow women, others allowed only married women, etc. Many if not most chthonic sites required the one entering to have no bindings, from sandal lacings to braided hair. The restrictions depended on the god (or hero) involved.

But the broader matter of ritually clean or unclean spanned sites. Being “cleansed” was usually pretty easy. It involved taking a bath, or waiting a given set of days. In the case of murder, it might be more complicated, and involve a trip to Delphi (to be thwapped on the shoulders with a laurel branch), but the MORAL side wasn’t considered. So if you had sex with your wife, or committed adultery with your neighbor’s wife… either way, you’re ritually unclean. If you killed your brother with premeditation, or just knocked over somebody accidentally in the street who hit his head on a rock (and died)…you’re ritually unclean.

It’s not that murder or adultery wouldn’t carry their own CIVIC repercussions, but in terms of religious purity, it’s a different matter.

In the ANE, similar restrictions surrounded menstruating women (or those who’d recently given birth). There, it was also ritual purity, not sin, and the concern is sacred space.

Now, if you want a completely different view, I give you American Indian attitudes, at least those I know of the NE woodlands. Here, also, menstruating women were restricted in their contact, mainly with medicine men (not necessarily medicine women), as well as where they could sit relative to the Grandfather Drum. But in this case, it’s because menstruating women were regarded as so much more powerful than men, they disrupted male medicine. Why? They could give birth. (How this fit into ideas of the third gender varied, but there were men, and male-bodied; women and female-bodied, so a menstruating man might be subject to the same restrictions.) In any case, here, too, women’s menses were disruptive but for positive reasons.

We have to figure out how any particular group actually understood what was going on, not make assumptions based on our (culture-locked) views of their (equally culture-locked) actions.

Part II: What did you do when Auntie Flo came to visit?

Before I go into details, let me first recommend a really great book that addresses not just the status of women in ancient Greece but women’s health using the Hippokratic Corpus. As I frequently tell my students, the status of women in ancient societies depends on two things: control of fertility, and control of her own finances. Demand’s book addresses especially the former, and she talks about the states of a woman’s life, from birth to first menses to marriage to childbirth to menopause (for those lucky enough to live that long).

Birth, Death and Motherhood in Classical Greece, Nancy Demand, Johns Hopkins UP, 1990.

So, the practical side.

The BIG problem with such logistical matters is 1) that stuff doesn’t survive except under special, unusual circumstances, and 2) men mostly ignored what women did about Those Things. So they didn’t write about it. But we know a few things.

The first tampons, at least in the west (not counting Americas), seem to have been invented by the Egyptians. Softened papyrus around a reed. (Even softened…ow.) I note that women in Egyptian society had relatively high status and more freedom, so the fact they invented tampons doesn’t surprise me.

I wish we knew more about societies like the Scythians, where women regularly rode and (past a certain age) fought on horseback. Similarly with the Illyrians. But at least the concept of a “plug” was out there early. The Hippocratic corpus says Greek women put lint around a stick: same purpose. Romans used wool.

But these societies aren’t giving tampons to virginal girls. And not just because it might be uncomfortable. It could break the hymen…and that’s potentially disastrous for her reputation. But also, ancient tampons probably wouldn’t have been easy for young girls to use. (Modern tampons aren’t always easy for young girls to use,)

There are mentions of something like a menstrual belt, with clips for cloth pads. One can assume an enterprising ancient woman came up with the idea of a pad between the legs and something to hold it up pretty early. Certainly, the notion of the “girdle” was known to the Greeks and associated with virginity, first menarch, and marriage.

Other societies, however, weren’t that kind. Women stuffed rags into their underwear. Or they simply bled into their clothes. (Yuk.) My impression, though, is that just because the society in question isn’t writing about it (assuming they’re writing at all) doesn’t mean women IN that society hadn’t figured out how to deal with Auntie Flo. Certainly, there’s also hints of various teas brewed to deal with cramps.

A final, sorta wacky ancient idea I’ll leave you with … as I’ve mentioned in a few asks before, the ancients mostly had bad knowledge of women’s bodies. They thought the womb sorta wandered around inside the body causing havoc unless a woman was preggers. They also didn’t understand that menstrual “blood” was mostly fluid (and a little blood to give it color) from the womb shedding. They thought it was blood, which came from all parts of the woman’s body. And they assumed she was losing a LOT more of it than we know today to be true, even for those with a heavy flow.

But they also believed it was that blood from which babies were made. It was almost like soil, into which the father planted seed. Once fertilized, the blood turned into flesh and “built” a baby.

Yeah, weird, but they didn’t understand reproductive cell replication.

Another titbit…even at a very early period, menstruation was connected to the moon. Modern research has shown little connection between lunar cycle and menstruation (aside from the 28-day thing), but the ancients believed in it. So “moon-bleed” is a not uncommon term for menstruation. And of course, the term “menses” is the plural of the Latin word for “month.”

[onetwothreekimchi]

Week 1:  Understanding Korean History

To say I was excited to join the first session of the KPA was an understatement - I had my notebook, coffee and highlighters at the ready like a nerdy highschooler on her first day at school (yes, I was that girl). After a round of introductions from fellow KPA-ers, we kicked off Week 1 with an in-depth lecture from Dr Anders Karlsson (Senior Lecturer in Korean at SOAS, University of London) who took us on a whistle-stop tour through Korea’s illustrious history. 

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find ancient history a bit…inaccessible (*ahem* boring). So I thought I’d combine this week’s homework of presenting a (very) brief outline of ancient Korean history with a passion of mine: K-dramas, specifically that of historical Korean dramas or sageuk (사극). Maybe it’s the sumptuous costumes, the swashbuckling sword fights and horse riding scenes, or just my overly-romantic notion of the past, but it’s a genre that I’ve consistently been drawn to.

Prehistoric Korean history Dr Karlsson mentioned that most records of Korea’s early history have been destroyed, making it difficult to pinpoint when exactly these early civilisations came to be. However, it has been noted that even all the way back in 2000 BC, rice cultivation was already well-established around the Korean peninsula. The Bronze Age came to the tribes in the area at around 700 BCE and then, around 300 BCE they moved into the Iron Age, as noted in Chinese records for the first time.

Dramas set in this era are extremely uncommon - and probably for good reason. In fact, the only one I know of is Arthdal Chronicles starring Song Joong-ki which turned out to be…a bit of a train wreck. It’s supposed to be a fantasy drama (think Korean ‘Game of Thrones’) that happens during the Bronze Age and is ‘loosely based’ on the creation story of Dangun, the son of a heavenly prince and a bear-woman. Legend has it he goes on to build and rule the kingdom of Gojoseon (‘old Joseon’) in 2333 BCE, but Dr Karlsson points out those timings don’t seem to add up with historical records.

Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC - 668 AD) Around this period, the Korean peninsula was mostly dominated by tribes but by 57 BC, the kingdom of Kingdom of Silla emerged, followed by the founding of Goguryeo in 37 BC by Jumong (there’s an old but much-loved drama by the same name) and finally with the founding of Baekje in 18 AD by Jumong’s wife and her sons. These three kingdoms were heavily influenced by Chinese civilisation, especially with the spread of Confucianist thought and Buddhism which arrived in the 4th century.

The only drama set in the Silla period that I’ve briefly dabbled in is Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth which stars an A-list cast (Park Seo-joon, Go A-ra and Park Hyung-sik) but I’m sure is simply an excuse to put a bunch of very pretty looking boys in warrior uniforms. (I mean, hwarang literally translates as ‘flowering knights’ so case in point.)

Goryeo (918 - 1392) We fast forward to the founding of Goryeo which brought about ‘true national unification’ through centralisation of power, bringing under it the aforementioned three kingdoms as well as the northern kingdom of Balhae. One of the most well-known dramas set at the beginning of this era is Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (starring IU and Lee Jun-ki) which, thanks to its stellar acting but unsatisfactory ending is equal parts loved and hated among the drama watching community. (I just realised this is another drama with another all-star cast of very pretty men - are you spotting a pattern here? Haha!)

Joseon dynasty (1392 - 1910) The majority of sageuk that I know of are based somewhere within the 500-odd years of the Joseon dynasty. There is a wealth of material to work off - be it the kingdom’s relationship with the neighbouring Ming dynasty, various Japanese and Manchurian invasions, as well as Neo-Confucianism taking over as the new state ideology. 

It was also a time of great progress - the Great King Sejong created hangul, the native Korean alphabet in 1443, as sweetly depicted in one of my favourite fusion sageuks, Splash Splash Love, starring cute-as-a-button Kim Seul-gi and idol actor Yoon Du-joon. It’s just a 2-episode mini drama, but manages to pack in so much cross-dressing and time travelling hijinks, as well as incredibly well-fleshed out characters.

After fighting off a Japanese invasion (1592 - 1598) and Manchu invasions (in 1627 and 1636), late Joseon saw itself as a bastion of civilisation and successor to a waning Ming dynasty. However, the West soon came knocking at its doors. Another time-travel drama, the recently completed Mr Queen, is a gender-bending portrayal of the titular Queen Cheorin (1837 - 1878) set towards the end of the Joseon era. While this wacky but highly enjoyable drama is blatantly inaccurate historically, it references the Donghak movement, a Neo-Confucian philosophical ideology which came about in response to seohak (‘Western learning’) which arrived to Korean shores via Catholic missionaries.

The influence of Western ideology on late Joseon is further explored in Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung through a minor story line involving a Jesuit priest who disseminates his medical knowledge of vaccinations to combat smallpox, a disease rampant at the time. While Goo Hae-ryung, a female historian, is a historical impossibility and thus purely a work of fiction, her awareness of the importance of history and the accuracy in which it is recorded is summed up beautifully in this moving soliloquy, delivered whilst on her knees, with sword at her throat:

“Even if you slash my throat, our brushes will not stop writing. If I die, another historian will take my place; if you kill that historian, another will take their place. Even if you kill every historian in this land, and take away all the paper and brushes, you won’t be able to stop us. From mouth to mouth, teacher to student, elder to child, history will be told. That is the power of truth.”

As such, our first lesson on Korea’s ancient history was such an important one - it gave us the context in which to understand Korean culture as an accumulation of struggle, war, peace and progress through millennia. The fact that its history can be enjoyed so thoroughly through sageuk is just another of the many reasons why I’m a lifelong fan of K-dramas…not that I needed any excuses to watch them in the first place!

[aion-rsa]

How the Jaws Scene in Back to the Future Part 2 Predicted Modern Blockbusters

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Back to the Future Part II is a strange movie. As a sequel that director Robert Zemeckis and screenwriter Bob Gale never intended to make, the ambitious follow-up to one of the greatest sci-fi comedies of all time was put into production simultaneously with Part III, which may have ultimately hurt the middle chapter since Zemeckis was still shooting scenes filmed in the Old West while editing Part II’s trippy vision of the then distant future…of 2015.

Even so, there are elements in the second Back to the Future that still play like gangbusters today, particularly in the sequences set during 2015. To be sure, part of the charm now is what those wild guesses about the future got wrong—such as the idea we’d all be driving around in flying cars, or even simply own cheap cars that didn’t run on fossil fuels. There were no real hover boards in 2015 (or 2021 for that matter), nor even automated Texaco pumps. Yet what Back to the Future Part II got very right is the numbing horror of something like Jaws 19.

Indeed, one of the best bits in the whole film is a slight dig at BTTF’s own studio, as well as the legacy of the film’s producer. The original Jaws is of course the first modern Hollywood blockbuster and it put Steven Spielberg on the map. With its innovative storytelling of leaving the monster to the imagination before finally providing the spectacle in the third act, Jaws is a masterpiece in narrative restraint that could still play for all audiences.

…Which is something no one would say about the three cash-in Jaws sequels that Universal Pictures green lit in the span of 12 years after 1975. In fact, when Back to the Future Part II was released in ’89, it’d only been two years since Jaws: The Revenge, the one where the ghost of Jaws went Bahamas and chased the Chief Brody character’s widow to the Caribbean while on a vendetta for what happened in ’75. It’s kind of hilarious.

As is the scene in Back to the Future Part II. In that sequence, Michael J. Fox’s Marty McFly stands slack jawed in the middle of Hill Valley’s town square, the same space that was so memorably used in the first BTTF film where Marty was forced to finally accept he’d traveled to the year 1985. In the sequel, he comes to realize what it means to be in 2015 when he turns around to face the local multiplex, which has only one film on its marquee: Jaws 19. And then to demonstrate to Marty the state of 21st century special effects, the “HOLOMAX” release teases its thrills as a holographic Great White Shark emerges from the building and descends on Marty’s head.

Perhaps like many an audience member who choked on their popcorn kernels in ’75 with fear, Marty screams bloody murder—and then realizes it’s just a movie and scoffs, “The shark still looks fake.” Yes, it always did, but at least in the first movie that didn’t matter so much.

At the time, the scene was a nice dig at Universal’s expense as well as the Jaws franchise as a whole. What was once the most revolutionary Hollywood movie of 1975 had become a punchline by 1989: a once glorious title that’d been run into the ground with endless cash grab sequels. And the joke is even funnier because of the “19” in the title. Nineteen movies of the same franchise. Could you even imagine?!

Oh, how sweet the irony is, then, that one of the most absurd notions in Back to the Future Part II turned out to be the most true! No, there haven’t been 19 Jaws movies (yet), but that might be by virtue of the studio churning the franchise’s mystique into putty before Gen-Xers and Millennials could grow up with it beneath unsullied nostalgia glasses. Nevertheless, the future where Jaws 19 could exist came true.

Consider that we scoff at the idea of 19 Jaws movies being made in 40 years, but Marvel Studios has released 25 pictures in only 13, with two more due out before Christmas 2021. And that doesn’t even include the television shows that are now coming to dominate Disney+.

I know what some will say: Marvel movies are a series of interconnected franchises, as opposed to one amorphous content farm. But that’s not entirely accurate. There are exceptions, of course, which stand out as singularly distinct from other MCU efforts. There’s Black Panther, for instance. That 2018 Oscar nominee is totally removed from the events of The Avengers, you might say. Then there’s Guardians of the Galaxy and its wacky space opera shenanigans occurring literal light years away from the events of Iron Man 3.

And yet, the appeal for most moviegoers, and the brilliance of Marvel’s marketing strategy, is that they all seem like the same thing to the undiscerning eye. And even to the discerning one, there is a pat familiarity to the formula, story beats, and sitcom-esque ability to wink at the audience at its own silliness. Tonally, they all feel of one piece. Hence why the first Shang-Chi movie was gladly welcomed by the industry last month as Marvel’s latest blockbuster hit—a feat borne in large off it being the next Marvel movie, as opposed to a new original property without a built-in audience.

It’s an aspect to the whole series which caused Dune director Denis Villeneuve to suggest that some Marvel movies are “cut and paste.” It’s also a formula which aids the studio to force its millions of fans to see it “as all connected” and be encouraged to go see the Ant-Man sequel they might otherwise skip in order to discover how its post-credits scene will set up the deus ex machina for Avengers: Endgame.

And that aforementioned Black Panther originally had its protagonist introduced in Captain America: Civil War, an Avengers movie by another name. It’s also the only “Cap” flick to cross $1 billion because they stuck Iron Man in it. Similarly, James Gunn’s Guardians films are genuinely auteur-driven, yet they still worked as a years-long tease of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame’s big bad: Thanos. Hell, Infinity War’s biggest selling point in the trailer was seeing the Avengers and Guardians meet face-to-face for the first time.

The methods and talent being used to produce these endless sequels are far more sophisticated and entertaining than the hack work which produced Jaws: The Revenge, but then that’s why Jaws only lasted four movies and Marvel’s already mapping out its 30th “event” in the next few years.

This is not meant to only criticize Marvel, however. They are simply the most successful studio at exploiting their intellectual property in the 21st century. Universal’s own Fast and Furious movies aren’t half bad at that game, though. This summer just saw the 10th “Fast Saga” movie when you count Hobbs and Shaw. And while Vin Diesel claims the 11th main line Fast and Furious movie will be the last, you just know with its own Avengers-sized cast that Hobbs and Shaw will be merely the first spinoff franchise from “the family.”

Even Spielberg, who was reportedly never happy with the Jaws sequels and what they did to his first masterwork, has been much more ready to “open up” later successes like Jurassic Park. Considered a “smart” blockbuster entertainment in 1993 that inspired genuine awe from millions of moviegoers, that film’s fourth sequel (which was produced by Spielberg, like all the follow-ups) reveled in watching dinosaurs stalk around a haunted house, as if they were Frankenstein and Dracula. Next year’s Jurassic World: Dominion is supposedly intended to be the “final” film of the three most recent, Chris Pratt-led sequels, as well as another sendoff to the original 1993 movie’s cast. Yet it seems dubious that it’ll be the last film set in that “universe.”

After all, the “Skywalker Saga” ended with a whimper in 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but Disney is preparing to churn out more Star Wars movies and TV shows than ever before in the next decade.

This is not to say you should feel ashamed for enjoying any of these movies or franchises. Folks like what they like. But what Back to the Future Part II perhaps unintentionally predicted was that audiences would have an appetite for a proverbial Jaws 19.

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When BTTF became a trilogy, sequels were still seen as a creatively risky proposition. Filmmakers often maintained artistic credibility by attempting to turn sequels into a larger thematic whole—often as a trilogy. Lucas set that standard with Star Wars, and only after his buddy Francis Ford Coppola claimed he’d never make another Godfather movie after Part II. Spielberg originally walked away from Indiana Jones after three movies, and many likely wish he’d stayed firm about that in retrospect. Meanwhile, Zemeckis and Gale have done the near impossible thing: refuse to allow Universal to make a fourth Back to the Future movie or reboot the series entirely.

But equivocations in the industry about a proverbial Jaws 19 are long gone. What was once a cheeky riff on the dystopian Coca-Cola billboard ads in Blade Runner have become a modern day reality in 2021. And hey, there’s now a real holographic Times Square billboard ad for that, too.

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