#rewatching the third one currently which i'm enjoying more than one and two

[becauseimanicequeen]

Rewatching Love Syndrome III and Wishing the Amnesia was Contagious

This is part of my Crazy-Ass End-of-Year Rewatch Challenge where I will rewatch some of my favorite shows, some of my least favorite shows, and some shows in between. I pulled another title out of the bowl (yes, I'm letting chance choose for me) and got Love Syndrome III.

I can't promise cohesive thoughts in these posts because it's the end of the year, I'm currently living in right-brain land 10+ hours per day, and I'm TIRED because the darkness of winter is coming (it's basically here). You've been warned.

Also, since this is a rewatch, there are spoilers ahead.

Background

I binged this for the first time almost right after it had completed its airing in 2023. Most of what I can remember from it is the amnesia plot and that I was confused as hell because it very much felt like a third part of a story that didn't have the first two parts (only annoying flashbacks).

I also remember that I watched it to distract myself because it was around the 1-year mark of my dad's passing. So, perhaps my 4-star rating was a "thank you for the distraction" rather than anything else.

Let's see.

(Just like with For Him, I'm definitely watching this at 2x speed.)

Let's Go, Amnesia Plot

I'd forgotten about the wig! How could I forget about the wig?!

(In my defense, I binged almost 2 12-episode-long Thai QL shows every day that summer.)

I'd also forgotten about all the fuss about cake...

I'm not even 3 and a half episodes into this show, and I'm already losing my patience with Day and Itt. Day is such an asshole (his amnesia is just an explanation, not an excuse) and Itt is a spoiled brat (partially because of his parents but also because Day groomed him to be dependent on Day for the rest of their lives).

And then there are all the flashbacks to explain character dynamics and relationships and things that are happening in the present because of Day's amnesia, which is more annoying than anything else. In other words, it's a mess. And I just...

*sigh*

As someone who usually likes toxic characters and trashy shows (messy ones included), I should eat this up like ice cream on the hottest day of the year. But, I don't.

There's something that doesn't click for me and I think it's because these characters are straight-up aggressive and mean (mostly Day). And there's not much to keep me entertained in terms of the story either. So, I guess I'll just have to focus on the visuals and side couples to get through this, then.

And there are visuals. Tuss, for example:

(He played Jack in Twins, and I loved him and his FWB Mike in that show. Then he played an asshole in Knock Knock, Boys!, which was a shame. But at least he was a pretty asshole...)

There's also Kokliang, who is such a cutie pie:

(He was in TharnType and Be Mine Superstar, if I remember correctly.)

And Hearth:

(He was in Twins as well, but I recently loved him in another messy show I enjoyed, which was Live in Love.)

And Non:

(He's been in, among other shows, GAP, Love Stage!!, and I saw him most recently in The Rebound.)

Interestingly, these four boys also play two of the side couples. Nill (Tuss) and Nik (Kokliang):

And Nan (Hearth) and Mac (Non):

So, I'm seated for these visuals and side couples, hoping they will get me through this mess.

Sure, Gear and Night are cute too.

But Nill and Nik...

And Nan and Mac...

Are the kind of crazy-ass couples that will keep me sane.

But, Nan and Mac are just as toxic as Day and Itt, you say.

Yes, they are. Different flavors, yet, still toxic.

So, how can you like Nan and Mac, you say?

Because I have double standards when it comes to the toxicity I like in my shows.

Nan and Mac are just bonkers. I mean, Nan puts a fucking chain on Mac (in public) and blackmails him to stick around due to an incriminating video that doesn't even exist. Just because Nan likes him... What a fucking trainwreck of a character. Which is exactly why I love him.

Day, on the other hand, is just violent and aggressive (both physically and verbally). And I can't stand that.

Also, even though I love Nan and Mac, I want them to be fucking miserable. But I also want them to be fucking miserable together. Misery loves company, you know.

So, I need Nan and Mac, and Nill and Nick on my screen to survive this show.

I mean, if I get to look at this man the whole show:

I'll be okay.

Because he...

Is...

FINE!

But this story is fucking trainwreck. I'm only on the 5th episode and it feels like it keeps going downhill with Day practically admitting that he's being an asshole just to see how long Itt will put up with him.

I'm not even halfway into this shitshow. Send help. Please!

Thank Goddess Nill is here to stop me from going feral on this show.

I think my patience with this show is matching Nik's patience with Day = on the verge of being non-existent.

Also, thank Goddess for moments like this:

Bale is the one getting me through this now that my boys (specifically Nill) aren't around.

I just finished the 9th episode, and I'm struggling BIG TIME. I haven't seen my side couples for what feels like forever. Bale hasn't shown up in the recent episodes either and I can't take it anymore. I'm so done with Day's aggression.

So, show, if you want me to keep watching you, you better bring my beloved sidecouples back! Especially Nill and Nik. I want that feisty little shit (very affectionately) to come back and give Day hell! And his boyfriend to hold him back (but, kind of not).

I need more of this:

And this:

Just give them to me!

I'm onto the 10th episode, reminding myself it's just this one + 2 more left. Then I'm finally free!

Oh, lord, P is such a flat, cartoonish villain who adds nothing to the story other than an opportunity to add more flashbacks to tell Day and Itt's backstory (which are just annoying to begin with). I...

*sigh*

Please give me something that makes me not want to stab myself in the eyes with a pen.

Look, I got Mac in a racing overall!

I feel like I can breathe a little easier again.

It feels like I haven't seen my boys Nill and Nik for several episodes, and I'm starving.

Bitch, I've been doing that the whole fucking show.

Nill is back! I repeat:

Nill is back!

Now I just need his boyfriend back on my screen too. Pronto!

Nill AND Nik are back on my screen!

And they delivered!

Everything...

I...

Wanted...

And more...

They almost made the pain of watching this whole 12-episode mess of a show worth it.

Seriously, if I could choose to get amnesia on that specific area of my brain where the memory of this show is stored, I would. As long as I could remember Nill and Nik, of course.

At the same time as I'm sad over how little I got of Nill and Nik in the show, I'm definitely not sad to let this go. You have no idea how happy I am to be done.

I wish so bad that I'll pull one of my favorite shows out of my bowl for the next rewatch. Please. Please! I can't take another one of my least favorites right now. I think I'll have a meltdown if I do, lmao!

*fingers and toes crossed for a much better show than this, which isn't that hard to beat*

[nightofnyx8]

Thank you for the tag, @jedidragonwarriorqueen!

Three Ships: Twiyor from Spy x Family, Royai from Fullmetal Alchemist, and Elriel from ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses)

First Ship Ever: I also shipped Percabeth from the moment I read those books. I also remember liking Tohru and Kyo from Fruits Basket, but I can't recall which one came first lol

Last Movie: Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse. I would sell my soul to watch it again for the first time.

Currently Reading: Think of Me by Frances Liardet. A beautifully written story of two lovers trying to find each other throughout WWII and beyond. It makes me laugh and cry all at the same time.

Currently Watching: Pysch :) My husband and I love watching shows together and this is at least the third time I've rewatched the series.

Currently Consuming: Cheese ravioli we made for dinner. Also a couple squares of Ferrero Rocher as I sit down for another writing session.

Currently Craving: Being content with my current job, even though dentistry isn't even close to teaching choir. But I do enjoy helping people and I've learned way more about root canals than I ever wanted to. I'm also getting commissioned more to sing in some local choirs, which I thoroughly enjoy.

tagging @wondrousmay @whateversawesome and @puolain

[inwintersolitude]

- February 16th 2025 -

Think back to yesterday, what were you doing around this time? I was taking an afternoon nap that was supposed to be 45 minutes but ended up being over 6 hours. 🙃

What was the last thing you watched on the TV? Parks and Rec. I've been rewatching the series lately, and I'm logging how many times I laugh per episode and I'm going to make a bar chart in Google Sheets with my data. Lmao.

Do you think pets can get annoying easily? Yeah, potentially. I am easily annoyed by poorly-trained dogs that have bad behaviors like excessive barking, jumping up on people, being neurotic/needy, etc. But, I don't have a dog. I have a bird (and she never annoys me).

Did you know that pickles have no calories? They do have calories. It's just that some companies round down to 0 calories on the label if a serving size has like 5 calories or less.

Do you enjoy family get togethers? Yep! I love my family.

In a group of three, do you often feel like the third wheel? That would depend on who the other two people are.

What color are your pants? Navy blue.

Is there snow on the ground where you are? Yep, it's been snowing nearly all day long.

What is keeping you warm right now? I have the thermostat set to a nice and balmy 72ºF, plus I'm wearing a cozy flannel shirt.

Has anyone bought you a piece of jewelry? Yes.

How far away is your next birthday? A little less than 11 months away.

Do you have plans for that birthday yet? Nope, that's way too far out.

When did you last take a shower? Last night.

Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon? No. I've flown over it a few times, but haven't actually been there.

Have you ever flown somewhere alone? Hundreds of times, and quite literally alone (solo flights when I was a pilot). But yeah I've also traveled via airlines alone as well.

Are you more serious or funny? Serious, kind of, but I can definitely be funny when I'm in the right mood/setting.

Is there someone that annoys you but you haven’t told them? There sure is.

When is garbage day in your area? Friday.

Who/What was the last thing to really irritate you? The dull burning ache that I've been getting in my lower right abdomen almost daily for over a week. It only happens for 1-2 hours at a time but it's super annoying. My doctor ordered a CT scan, which I'll have done later this week.

Do you think people either love or hate spongebob? I don't think it's quite that polarizing.

Have you seen that new “Lie To Me” show? Nope, never heard of it.

What is something you’d rather be doing right now? I can't think of anything. I'm quite content right now.

Do you find that people are too hard on you? Sometimes, yes. That's a common experience for anyone who is chronically ill and/or neurodivergent. Some people just don't understand what it's like and don't have empathy.

Do you take surveys often? Not as often these days. Especially now that Bzoink is gone. :( I used to take them almost every day.

Do you tend to slam things around when you’re mad? No, not at all. I have essentially zero temper. Like yeah I get mad at times, but I never lose my cool.

Do you know anyone who hates/dislikes chocolate? Yes, one of my cousins.

Could you vote in this last election? Yep.

Do you have more girl friends or guy friends? I'm so bad at figuring out where the line is between friend and acquaintance. I have one definite friend, who is a man. I'd probably call the others acquaintances, to be honest. Several women, several men.

What is your current mood? Pensive and relaxed.

Is there anything on your mind at the moment? A bunch of different things. Medical stuff, the weather, my bird chirping at me, stuff my husband and I have planned for this next week that he randomly got scheduled off...

Are there any movies out that you’d like to see? Nope.

Have you ever been on a website called Stickam? No.

Have you ever hated yourself? No, I could never hate myself. I have felt strong disappointment in myself, but never hatred.

Are you hungry? A tiny bit. I feel like I'll be ready for lunch soon.

Did your parents ever ground you? Not really. They would take away toys, or put me in time-out, or give me extra chores, but they never used full-on grounding as punishment.

Where was the last place you went out to eat? A local Italian place.

Have you ever felt like you needed a better life than the one you have? Not completely. My life has been good overall. But I have felt like parts of it should be better, mainly regarding my health. That's been the one definite negative in my life.

Do you own an MP3 player of some kind? Yeah, I still have a few of my old iPods.

Do you have a moment in your life you wish you could replay over again? There are many.

Have you ever been in a play? If so, did you like it? Just the class play at the end of kindergarten. I remember not liking it.

What is one musical artist you wish wasn’t making music? There are tons of them.

When was the last time you cleaned something? A few hours ago. I cleaned my bird's water bottle.

Have you ever been so sick you had to be taken to the hospital? Not with a communicable illness like the flu, etc. Just for heart problems.

Do you like your smile? Yeah it's alright.

Do you have someone that you think truly understands you? Yes, my husband. And I feel like he's the only person who 100% understands me.

When was the last time you doubted yourself? I always feel a bit of self-doubt when it comes to my efforts to get my ADHD symptoms better managed.

Is there anything currently bothering you? Yeah, my legs are achy and fidgety because I forgot to take my magnesium last night.

Would you say that you’ve got something ‘special’ about you? Eh sure whatever.

Who was the last person to cheer you up when you were down? My husband.

Are you scared of what you do not know? In general, no. I usually feel curiosity about what I do not know. It's the known things that scare me.

Is there anything in the next six months that you’re looking forward to? Yep. The family reunion in June.

Were you/are you popular in high school? Not really, but I wouldn't say I was unpopular, either.

Do you really care what people think about you? No.

Do you find yourself treating others like you’d want to be treated? Yes, I try.

Are you constantly envious of others? No, jealousy/envy isn't really something I experience very much at all.

Are you more of a whiner with things or a do’er of things? Either. It depends.

List three of your favorite TV shows: The X-Files, Severance, Parks and Rec.

Would your friends say you’re a relaxed person or stressed? The one friend who knows me well would say I'm more relaxed.

What do you find yourself worrying most about these days? Two things: my medical problems, and this country descending into fascism.

Would you say it’s hard to earn your trust? That depends. Can you prove to me that you're trustworthy? Then no, I have no reason to not trust you.

Who was the last person to compliment you? My husband.

Anything interesting happen this past week? Nope.

What’s on your mind this very second? Many different things.

Do you know the difference between ‘your’ and ‘you’re’? Of course.

Do you correct other people’s grammar/spelling when talking to them online? No.

Is bacon one of your favorite foods? No. I like it, but it's not one of my favorites.

Are you one of those people who like to sleep in on the weekends? My sleep schedule is in no way influenced by what day of the week it is. And unfortunately, it's not that influenced by what time it is, either. I.e. I don't really have a sleep schedule. I think I have a circadian rhythm disorder.

Do you like things Vampire related? Nah.

Have you ever cussed at a parent or teacher? No.

When was the last time you saw snow? Right this very second.

Have you ever felt stupid after saying something? Hm, yeah.

Do you find yourself cold at the moment? No.

Are your nails currently long? No, I always keep them trimmed short.

Are you the kind of person who does not like talking about their past? No.

Do you have long slender fingers or short chunky ones? They're pretty average.

Do you think your foot size fits your body type? Sure.

Are you the competitive type? No, not really. I just don't see the point.

[helloandwelcometomariasblog]

(RE)Review #105: Batman

Nolan's Batman series, revisited and rereviewed.

It's currently 1:58am, I've just finished The Dark Knight, and I must sleep for tomorrow so this (re)review has to be short.

I can't remember exactly how it started, but it took me just one tiny Batman reference for the desire to rewatch the entire series to ignite in a split second. It was then I realized that I actually hadn't watched the first film yet - Batman Begins. And so it began.

I actually really enjoyed Batman Begins. The next day, I tried to rewatch The Dark Knight but couldn't, so I rewatched The Dark Knight Rises instead. Then tonight I finally had the chance to rewatch The Dark Knight. Below are some quick thoughts on each film.

Batman Begins (4/5)

I really enjoyed the film and its story as a whole. It took me through the journey in a very natural way. I wasn't thinking to myself, oh, here's the next act. Here comes the climax. This must be a third into the film. I was fully immersed in the story world.

I always seem to love the training sequences in films. I loved it in this one too, just as much as I loved (and still love) the training scene in The Dark Knight Rises. It was really fun watching Christian Bale and Liam Neeson train together. Speaking of which, I was actually shocked when Liam Neeson turned out to be the master villain. I genuinely was not expecting that, and I felt the betrayal full on. Batman saved you!

I was appalled at Rachel's words and actions and found it hard to swallow the fact that Bruce's one and only genuine friend would say such thoughtless, brutal words to him, and even slap him on the face. She seemed like the kind of person I would never befriend or keep close in real life. I thought to myself, that's probably the kind of character a film needs. It's not realistic and those kinds of words and actions wouldn't result in such a happy ending in real life. I've also started trying to detach my values, morals and just me myself in general from the story and characters in films. I realized that I have to view them as roles in the film, rather than suddenly turn into judge of morals and character.

That's probably the biggest fault I've made with each and every film viewing and reviewing. The inability to see the characters as characters in their own right, with their own lives, stories, experiences, morals, and constantly judging them from my own morals and life and experience and making conclusions about whether they're a "good" character or "bad" character.

Rachel in the movie was a harsh person who had no filter, but she was also incredibly brave and mentally strong. That's just the person she was. And being the person she was, she said those words to Bruce and acted that way to him.

I said I'd keep this short, and here we are, still talking about the first film. So yes, I did like almost everything about this film.

However. If I had to point out some parts that I didn't exactly buy, the first one that comes to mind is the scene where Bruce has his final initiation, with the ninja-like fighters surrounding him and constantly changing places. I found that scene incredibly... bland. As I watched, I thought to myself, this is so unexciting. It felt like a show. I couldn't believe this was the final initiation. It would've been nice to have had that scene a bit more exciting and thought out. I don't mean it has to have violence smeared all over it - not exciting in that way - but I really think it could have been more... smart and suspenseful.

The Dark Knight (5/5)

I still really like this film. I haven't yet read my original review of it, but I'm guessing I gave it 5 stars and gushed about how amazing it was, especially the high stakes.

I still stand by that. The high stakes, the no-nonsense consequences, are still the top highlight of the film. I think I gushed a lot about Harvey Dent's two face and his coin back then, but tonight the scene that stood out to me the most was when the big buff criminal comes forward, talks the officer into handing him the detonator, then just nonchalantly throws it out the window without a blink of an eye.

The Joker is still the best villain I've seen, with a stellar performance. This was a rewatch, and I was still on the edge of my seat, minimizing my screen and lowering the volume from time to time (ㅋㅋㅋㅋ). That's how chilling he is. He's so no-nonsense, and I love that about him. You know he'll do anything he wants and he'll make it happen. He's also incredibly smart, and we all love an intelligent villain that can create situations that force characters to make the most difficult decisions.

After watching Batman Begins, I grew somewhat attached to Katie Holmes' Rachel and had a hard time accepting Maggie Gyllenhaal as the new Rachel. I still wonder what the film would've felt like if they got to keep Katie as Rachel. I think the emotional depth would have been different. For some reason, I had a hard time with the new Rachel's personality / performance. This is something I'll have to dive a bit deeper into and sort out my thoughts.

The Dark Knight Rises (3/5)

It's past 2:30am so I really have to keep this short. I'd say this is my least favorite film out of Nolan's Batman series. The only scene I truly like is the scene where Bruce gives up the rope and jumps. That scene affected me hugely during my first watch and it still does.

This time round though, I wasn't as convinced by a lot of the scenes in the film. If it was so easily to smash the TV, why put it there for Bruce to watch? It doesn't make sense. Bane wanted Bruce to be in mental turmoil for a long long time, which was why he placed the screen there, but after one dose of mental turmoil, Bruce smashes the TV. It was that easy? Meh.

Batman's mouth. Or, would it be Christian Bale's mouth? But I didn't have a hard time watching Bruce Wayne talk, so it really must've been Batman's mouth. For some reason, I found the Batman's lines in The Dark Knight Rises incredibly cheesy - much more noticeably so compared to the other two films. I didn't really feel this way with the other two, but suddenly in this third one I found myself sometimes feeling queasy when he delivered lines and moved his mouth while doing so. I don't know. It was just uncannily cheesy.

Little things. Like, when Miranda (Talia) dies in that car after crashing. Catwoman, Gordon and Batman all stand around her and listen to her talk for so long about her life story until she dies and THEN they turn to the BOMB, which has been on a timer all along. Really? It was hard to believe they'd really do that. These are the things that get to me - when a film acts too much like... a film. When it makes it obvious to its audience that it's a film, it's all a script, made up and fake. No, as an audience member I want the film and the script to feel so real that I don't have to be pulled out of the story world again and again. I want to be fully immersed for the entire time frame. With The Dark Knight Rises, I found myself pulled out again and again by these little things.

I did love the ending though, and I had actually completely forgotten that Talia was the little child and Bane was the protector. I loved how I'd forgotten that, and I loved the surprise I felt when it was revealed. Until then, I had believed that Bane had been the child. Talia and Bane's relationship deserves a post of its own so I won't dive into that here, but I have to say I was amused when Talia called him "friend" while she left him to his death and saved herself. I do think Bane's love for Talia was incredibly unconditional. However, obviously not in the 'this should be shown as an example' kind.

I loved how the officer turned out to be Robin! I honestly did not remember seeing this part during my first viewing, so it was a very, very pleasant surprise. I also enjoyed seeing Bruce with Catwoman nodding at Alfred at the cafe. The ending was the perfectly satisfying wrap up.

[mad-madam-m]

I have just started rewatching "Gargoyles" myself. It has been a nice stroll down memory lane. And let me tell you that it has been fun watching other people like you discover it for the first time. I am definitely enjoying your fics on the subject and I look forward to seeing more from you in the future since you've hinted at having another "Gargoyles" fic in the works. And while I'm fairly certain who two of them are, I'd love to hear who your top five favorite characters in the franchise are.

Ahaha woo!! I’m very glad you’ve been enjoying watching me fall down that particular hole. I’m currently rewatching the show for the third time since April because HEY it’s been a ridiculous year and Goliath’s overdramatic roaring is one of the few things in life that can consistently amuse me.

(Also I’m currently recovering from surgery so something I’ve already seen a couple of times is about what my brain can handle right now.)

And yeah I’m pretty sure you can guess my favorite characters pretty easily. >.> Really, I adore most of the characters; there are only a handful that I actively dislike (poor @paintedrecs has heard me grumble “the fucking Archmage” so very many times at this point). But in no particular order:

1. Puck - I’ve talked before about why I love Puck so much so I’m not going to get into it too much here, but suffice it to say that Puck---and by extension, Owen---is high on my list of favorite characters. I am literally never, ever going to be over how much Puck loves being Owen, that given how powerful he is, that’s still who he wants to be and what he wants to do with his life. And he’s willing to give up everything---his home and his magic---in order to keep that life and to keep Xanatos’s family together.

2. Xanatos - Okay YES this is partly because he’s voiced by Jonathan Frakes and I love the vaguely evil Riker vibes. But honestly, if you’d told me before I started watching the show that the major antagonist would be...probably my favorite character, I would have stared at you with very judgemental eyebrows. But, well, here we are. And not even in a “love to hate him way,” I just absolutely adore him. It helps that the show goes hard on the moral complexity, and that Xanatos is never out for petty revenge. He’s not needlessly cruel, and although he does a lot of crap things, it’s usually in service of one of his plans, not because he’s just being an asshole. And when he does cross a line (like in City of Stone or Eye of the Beholder), he tries to fix it. He’s not really good by the end of the series, but he’s definitely further down that road than he was at the beginning.

3. Elisa - Honestly, I think if you’re going to enjoy this show, you’ve got to really love either Elisa or Goliath, and for me, it’s Elisa. I love her for a lot of the same reasons I love Stiles: she's loyal, she’s quick-thinking, she’s smart, she jumps right into this world of magic and gargoyles without so much as a backward glance, and she holds her own with all of them as a squishy human. (And I am still 100% here for reluctant BFFs Elisa and Xanatos.) 

4. Fox - Really, the fact that three out of my five favorite characters are main antagonists should tell you something about how the show writes its villains. I enjoyed the hell out of Fox from the very first time she showed up. I really love how she doesn’t just spend her time as the Love Interest for Xanatos after it’s revealed that they’re dating; rather, she’s pretty much always working on her own things. She’s also shown as consistently holding her own against him (sparring, the chess game during Upgrade), something that he admires immensely.

5. Hudson - Okay this is at least in part because I just watched The Price, which is high on my list of favorite episodes. I really didn’t think Hudson would be one of my favorite characters when I started watching, but, well, here we are. I’ve gone into a lot of what I love about him in my rambling about The Price, so again, I won’t repeat myself. Let’s just say I love him, and Hudson has earned the right to just hang out with his dog and watch TV all night.

(And as for that other Gargoyles fic I’ve hinted at? It’s at 30,000 words and counting...)