#she looked gorgeous this ep tho

[khaopybara]

NAMTAN TIPNAREE as PORJAI episode 3 of LAST TWILIGHT

[lucyllawless]

Prue Halliwell in 3.05 "All Halliwell's Eve"

[thefrsers]

requested by Anon: Claire + her funeral dress in “Faith”

[nizaberry]

Worst Wedding EVER!! 💔

Not So Berry: Episode 22

Rosalee's wedding takes a sharp turn. She wasn't expecting this!

Watch Now! https://youtu.be/yHFhimQ1odo

[songsbygumi]

Don’t sit down ‘cause I moved your chair

| Megumi x reader

Summary- "Expect the unexpected; Kugisaki and Panda are on a mission to get Megumi and you together. The two times, Nobara and Panda set you two up, and the one time they didn't need to do it."

Warnings - reader use a skirt, use of Y/N one time, poor english, one mention of the pronoun her I think its just once I can change it tho.

A/N- This is part of the universe of 'Suck It and See' inspired by Arctic Monkeys' album and Alex Turner's 'Submarine' EP.

Panda didn’t mean to snoop on Maki. I mean, come on, he was just chilling in the classroom waiting for the class to start when Maki barged in, shouting something like, “At this point, we should lock her with Fushiguro in a closet and hope she makes a move.” It took Panda less than five seconds to figure out that the 'her' Maki was talking about was you. He watched Maki leave the room, still clueless about his presence, chatting away with who he thought was Yuta on the phone.

Panda didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but now that he knows, he has to tell Kugisaki, right?

“I think Y/n likes Fushiguro,” Kugisaki eyes widening as she connected the dots in her head. Everything suddenly made sense: how you get all flustered around him, how you always save him the last juice he loves at breakfast and give it to Inumaki to put it in Fushiguro's usual spot, how your face slightly drops when he mentions the date he had with the girl from the coffee shop, your eyes going soft when he talks, and Maki always trying to pair you two up for training. “I think they'd be a great match,” Panda adds, and they both grinned.

I

You have been waiting for an hour now outside the cinema. Fantastic Beasts is about to start, and Panda isn’t responding to his phone. You were supposed to meet here after spending your day at the shopping center.

“Hey Panda, I am at the entrance. The movie starts in fifteen minutes; you should hurry.” This is the fifth voice message you have left him. With a sigh, you turn your head to the street to see if you can catch him making his way to the theater, and that’s when you feel a hand on your shoulder.

“Hey,” you froze. It couldn’t be. You turned to face him. “Hi,” you blurted out, realizing Megumi Fushiguro stood before you, looking as gorgeous as always, his school uniform replaced by jeans and a hoodie. “Panda told me to let you know he couldn’t make it, but we can still go in if you want,” he offered.

You nodded following him inside, feeling like a little kid. “Ye...ah, cool, fuck Panda” you muttered behind him.

Did Panda invite him without telling you? Does Panda know about you liking him? You couldn’t say for sure.

“I didn’t know you were into Harry Potter,” he remarked, waiting for you. “Yeah... I’m kinda obsessed,” you admitted, blushing a bit, earning a chuckle from Megumi. “I'm kinda obsessed too,” he revealed, grabbing the tickets. You smiled, appreciating his easygoing vibe.

“I’m paying you, just let me know how much I owe you,” you say as the employee hands him the tickets.

“Don’t worry, Gojo sensei gave me enough to buy this whole place,” he says, brushing it off. “Do you want something to eat?”

“Yeah, uhm sure,” you said, swallowing hard, gathering the courage to keep talking.

“You like Harry Potter too, movies or books?” you wonder, not daring to look at his eyes.

His smile made your heart skip a beat. “Are you kidding? Books, of course,” he replied, and you couldn’t help but smile proudly. “Which book is your favorite?”

After a moment of thinking it, he responded, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.”

“Incorrect” you said playfully, grabbing the popcorn and moving away. “What do you mean incorrect?” he asked, looking amused. “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is right there” you argued, making him laugh.

You held the popcorn a bit too tightly, struggling to focus on the movie. You knew you were doing a bad job because by the end of it, you couldn’t remember a single thing besides Megumi's profile in the light.

As you walked back to school, chatting and feeling more comfortable, you found yourself agreeing with every single opinion of Megumi, encourage him to keep talking about it just because you didn’t have a single clue about what happened; you’ll have to see it again.

Later in your bed, you can’t help but think that maybe talking to Megumi Fushiguro wouldn’t be as difficult as you thought. Maybe you should keep doing it because talking with him was better than just staring at him from afar.

II

"Maybe you two should go together," Kugisaki suggested, smiling at her idea. Maki raised an eyebrow as she looked at you “It’s fine,” you said aloud. “I mean, yeah, I wouldn’t mind, of course, if you want, Fushiguro?”

Panda managed to hide a satisfied smile from you, but Maki's suspicious look caught him. “Sure thing, I’m down for it. It'd be nice not to deal with a crybaby while hunting for books." he remarked mockingly. “I’m not a cry baby!” Kugisaki protested, and you chuckled at the argument unfolding in front of you.

The library turned out to be smaller than expected, but your eyes lit up at the sight of shelves filled to the brim with books. The soft lighting and the background music of an Arctic Monkeys song made the atmosphere cozy; you could move here in a heartbeat.

“You weren’t lying when you said it was pretty,” you commented, turning to see Megumi standing casually, hands in his pockets, shrugging with a smile. He had a smile that could melt hearts. God, someone needs to make him stop smiling like that at you; he’ll kill you one of these days.

“You haven’t seen the best part” he said, taking your hand and leading you upstairs, making your heart race.

The second floor was packed with even more books, stacked everywhere, and inviting chairs that looked perfect for long reading sessions. It was like stepping into a book lover's dream. “This is amazing,” you whispered, caught up in the moment. Megumi wore a proud smile, happy to share this hidden gem with someone who appreciated it as much as he did. He kept holding your hand for a moment longer, feeling a warmth spread in his chest, before letting go, leaving the pleasant sensation behind.

“Oh my god, look at this Pride and Prejudice edition,” you said, admiring the gold engravings on the cover. “Oh, is that Heartstoppers?” you exclaimed, passing the book you previously held to Megumi.

"If you asked Kugisaki or Panda, they’d say they had never seen Fushiguro smile so much before. He was admiring you from behind, helping you hold the books you picked and reaching the higher manga shelves without complaining. "Looks like it’s going well.” Panda said a bit too loudly, breaking the calm atmosphere. Fushiguro's head turned, and they held the books they were 'reading' higher to cover their faces. “Shut up,” Kugisaki scolded him.

You didn’t notice, too busy looking at all the books, but seriously, did they think Fushiguro Megumi was that stupid to not notice Panda? Whatever they were planning, he will make them spill it, but for now, he had to hold your books.

“Look, that’s one of my favorites,” he pointed with his head at The Song of Achilles, getting into your little bubble again. You took it without questioning him or the book, adding it to the pile.

III

You’ve been craving Matcha for a week now, and you’ve been begging Maki to accompany you to the coffee shop for days. and still every time she answers with "Not all of us are first-grade sorcerers, and yet you still need to practice for the exchange event, which is literally tomorrow."

She’s been relentless; dragging you out for early morning runs at five in the morning so you can practice your hand-to-hand combat skills before seven, insisting, “Your curse technique outperforms at long distance, but what if they get up close? You need to be ready.”

Despite your intense training, all you wanted was a relaxed afternoon sipping on a cold Matcha. Yuta would have easily convinced Maki, you thought, missing your best friend dearly.

“What’s with the long face?” Kugisaki interjected, sitting next to you on the benches, watching Maki kick Panda's butt. “Nobody wants to get Matcha with me,” you pouted. Kugisaki’s brain starts working, but before she can offer to go with you, a male voice interrupts, “I'll go with you,” Fushiguro beats her to it.

"Really? You don't have to," you replied.

“Nonsense, we're friends, right? I enjoy spending time with you; you're better company than all these clowns,” he says, and you barely caught the rest after "friends."

Okay, that hurt a little. Your mind raced with a flurry of thoughts as you studied Megumi's expression. Of course, he doesn’t see you as more than a friend; he's so cool, and you're... well, just you. Why is he staring? Why is no one talking? Oh yeah, right, “Sorry, yes, we are. So, see you at five at the entrance?” you blurted out, snatching your backpack filled with clothes and some of Maki's weapons before rushing off, "Bye."

...

“What if I don’t go?” you contemplated twenty minutes before your scheduled friends date with Fushiguro.

“He didn’t do anything wrong. How is he supposed to know you want more than friendship?” Maki questioned, resting on your bed.

"Whose side are you on?" you retorted.

"Yours, but let's be real, you're being a tad irrational. Slip on the blue skirt and just go."

Megumi Fushiguro wasn't quite sure why he arrived early, but he felt an inexplicable urge to see you sooner; waiting longer was out of the question. And it was worth it, seeing you in that blue mini skirt and oversized sweater, a shy smile gracing your face as you spotted him. You looked even cuter than usual, he considered.

“Ready?" he questioned.

"Yeah, let's go," you affirmed, beginning to walk alongside him towards the coffee shop.

The café bustled with activity; it seemed like everyone had the same Matcha cravings as you did. Navigating through the crowd to reach the cashier proved challenging, but you preferred the subtle movements over pushing people or raising your voice to get through.

You were focus on not inconveniencing anyone when two hands settled comfortably on your waist, guiding you forward and providing a shield against the bustling bodies.

You held your breath; even through the layers of your sweater, you could feel the warmth emanating from Megumi’s hands. Finally reaching the cashier, he removed one hand, leaving the other on your lower back. "Hey there, what can I get you?" the cashier's words snap you back to reality.

“Uhm...” damn it, did you forget how to talk?

"One Matcha latte and one black coffee to go, please" Megumi says watching you struggling.

"Sure thing, regular milk?" you shook your head in disagreement. "Almond milk, please," you requested. The cashier nodded, and before Megumi could reach his wallet, you’ve already paid.

“That’s not fair,” he complains; you had to get your eyes checked because you thought you saw him pout.

“It’s fine, don’t worry; you always pay” you reassured him, moving towards the other end of the counter, Megumi's hand still lingering on your back.

"Hey, Megumi," a girl called out from the opposite side of the counter. She was strikingly pretty, flashing a wide smile at Megumi, her attention fully captivated by him until she noticed you a moment later. "Oh, sorry, hi," she acknowledged you, then shifted her gaze back to Megumi, noting his proximity to you, and her smile faltered slightly.

"Hey, Katsuki" he greeted back.

"You haven’t been around lately as usual" Katsuki remarked.

“Yeah, been busy with school stuff," he explained, his free hand casually brushing his neck.

"You haven’t replied to my texts either" you felt like an intruder in a conversation you shouldn’t be in.

“Sorry, it has been crazy lately,” he apologizes. Another employee calls for your names, and you swiftly grabbed your drinks, offering him his coffee.

"I'll wait outside if you need a moment," you informed him.

"No, it’s fine," he says to you, moving his hand to find yours. "Sorry, Katsuki, I swear I’ll text you back tonight. Take care," he says, guiding you through the crowd.

Outside the café, silence lingered for a moment. "A bit overwhelming with the crowd for you, huh? Feeling overstimulated?" he teases, smiling, to which you nodded. "Let’s go, I know a spot you'll love." He took your hand again, and a surge of electricity seemed to buzz between your palms. If he felt it, he didn’t mention it.

It had been week’s full of mixed emotions; you had countless questions swirling in your mind, but for now, you chose to give in the comforting and welcoming presence of Megumi Fushiguro.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - it was a pretty darn good time, frankly

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

Feb 2024 Wk 4

Ongoing Series - Thai

The Sign (Sat YT) ep 12fin - Everyone looked like they were having a lot of fun in the fight sequences. I’m very happy for them. I’m not surprised they shot Khem and Chart. A little shocked it wasn’t also Yai, TBH.

I found this final episode rushed. According to rumors, The Sign was originally slated to be 14 eps, and it probably should’ve been. And I don’t say that often about Thai BL. But we all knew it was getting too bloated for its britches, so I'm not surprised they fumbled the ending. For me personally, it just wasn't that bad. It was fine and I was fine with it.

Tho, Billy does not look good with facial fur, messes up those gorgeous angles.

I was ultimately amused that the solution to the mythology thread was simply to talk to the river god and persuaded him to give up... off screen. It felt very old school wuxia. Or like Aeschylus or something. I did adore the stinger, Saint was basically like “I want wings too”. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

This show is literally everything (except straight) all at once. It's BL, queer, band of brothers, romcom, erotica, PNR, fated mates, police procedural, fantasy, mystery, suspense, and slasher. It’s the king of genre mash-up chaos. Sure, it's madness but there is genius in it. Was it a crazy unhinged mess +1 roll for damage? Yes. Yes it was. Did it manage to hold all those tangled threads together? No it did not. Was it also a charming, sexy, engaging, non-stop piece of entertainment? Sure thing. I think this show is basically my KinnPorsche, and frankly I’ve been chasing that dragon naga since KP aired. Is it perfect? No. But it was balls to the wall FUN and that gets a 9/10 from me.

I'm thinking of doing a full recap review (partly because I have so many great screen shots.)

Cherry Magic (Sat YouTube grey) ep 10-11 of 12 - Since this series is following the yaoi so closely, I knew these were the separation eps. (Also I knew with would be a soft non-doom ep 11, Japan rarerly does these.) I like that they used it to show improve communication and development in all relationships, but, frankly, TayNew are just best when they are TayNew together on screen. So yeah. Let’s keep them back together, please?

Meanwhile, TayNew gifted us a gorgeous loving sweet sex scene. Thanks OG for doing us a solid. 

I wanna add, it sure is fun to see New play as soft and vulnerable character, I feel like he hasn’t done that since SOTUS. 

(Read all about distribution issues here.)

Cooking Crush (Sun YT) ep 12fin - 1/3 of this is a sweet romance about a student doctor falling in love with a student chef, and the rest of it is utter dross. Look the OffGun bits were GREAT.. In fact, I think they’re better AS A PAIR in this show than in any of their other BLS. And I'm a hard sell on any OffGun being better than PickRome. Saying that, how can I review a show where I could only tolerate 1/3 of it? Because I didn’t like any other aspect of this show, no other pairs and no other plots. That gives me: 9/10 for the OffGun bits, 5/10 for everything else. Frankly it probably should be an 8 but I gotta go with my gut and it's upset about this so 7/10. Sorry boys. It’s GMMTV’s fault. Your heart was in this show, mine wasn’t. 

City of Stars (Fri iQIYI) ep 4 of 12 - These two are so good at making heart eyes at each other. It’s ridiculous. They don’t need any cartoon images or noises. Moot crush but "I wanna flirt and court more" is so flipping awesome. I love this for them… and us. 

1000 Years Old ep 2 of 12 - It’s very silly and we have been gifted with the dorkiest vampire ever. But... the smell thing makes me so happy. And I like that the vamp uses chan/nai or tan = v old fashioned. Nahlak. I love our ghost girl. Did you notice she wasn’t in the room with them but they left an empty chair for her? Also nahlak.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Perfect Propose (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 5 of 6 - Kai was pretty much just “you're a workaholic but I basically married you whether you like it or not.” SMOOCH. What can I say? I'm a sucker for this dynamic.

AntiReset (Taiwan Fri Viki/Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - How is this show so cute? How do they both love and hurt each other so much. They are both just scared of loosing each other. Gah.

Unknown (Taiwan Sat Youku YouTube) 1 of 12 eps - Youku dropped the first ep to their YouTube channel but I doubt we can expect that to continue. Still, it was nice to be able to watch it in a convenient way. I enjoyed it. But I am cautious about it. Of course this is possibly two of my favorite tropes of all time (stepbrothers or a variation + hyung romance). So I’m looking forward to the romantic thread, but from the gritty style, it feels a lot more like a Taiwanese short. Which means it could go very dark and may not end happy. 

Although I Love You and You AKA Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 7 of 10 - I just don’t know if the main couple should be a couple. But when they finally get around to talking to each other, they sure are lovely. Also how great is it to see a uke initiate a kiss? Even if it’s not a very good kiss. 

My Strawberry Film (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 2 of 8 - I am still not sure about this one. I am not contesting its quality, just saying it’s not for me. Also I’m not wild about what amounts to basically a redo of everything that already happened in the first episode from a different perspective. I know it’s a tall order with Japan, but I would like (when it’s a short series) for each new installment to actually move the plot (such as it is) along in someway. Am I asking too much?

It's done but I have no time

What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - will binge when I have any spare time. 2024 is crazy busy for me so far.

The Servant and the Young Master - from Vietnam, it's on YouTube. I will give it a try when I have a window of time.

Began Beginning (Myanmar YouTube) - A Burmese BL? @heretherebedork vouched for it, so I will give it a watch.

It's airing but...

Dead Friend Forever (Thai iQIYI) - rumors are it's interesting but full of unlikable characters. I'm waiting to know how it ends.

Ossans Love Season 2 (Japan Gaga) - 5 years later, will anything have changed? This is Japan so… probubly not. I won't be watching this. I disliked Season one and actively hated the follow ups. No thank you.

Playboyy (Thurs Gaga) 14 eps - Dear Playboyy, it's not you, it’s me… I hate you. You’re about as deep (and as palatable) as a shot glass of cum. While I'm sure you’re someone’s kink, you're my weakest link. Goodbye. I DNFed this at ep 5. Frankly I'm impressed with myself for getting that far. Ends next week TF.

Time the series (Tue Gaga/YT) 10 eps - dropped it at ep 4.

A Secretly Love (Thai WeTV) - I tried but I can't get into my WeTV account anymore and I'm way too lazy to figure it out. Should I bother to go grey for it?

To Be Continued (Thai C3 Thailand YT) - High school sweethearts who had a bad break up reunite when both of them have full time jobs but coming out is still a problem. You can watch this on YT but it has no Eng Subs.

Next Week Looks Like This:

We're light on content right now, but frankly I'm so busy with work I don't really mind.

3/6 Born to be Y (Thai ????) 10 eps - 14 contestants who audition to compete in Born To Be Y, a program that searches for the best couple of the year to work together on a giant project. Described as semi-reality series. So I probably won't bother.

3/7 Deep Night (Thai iQiyi) 10 eps - Multiple romances set in a host clubs. Nice to see First back on my screen but this is not my favorite setting.

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

The eyes have it.

Your random BL moment brought to you by my ult-bias being a hyung smartass to his maknae.

(Last week)

[laylawatermelon]

The K-Drama Of It All

Hello! My hyper fixation has (very unhealthily) latched onto this show so I'm gonna be analyzing.

First of all, I am a veteran in these spaces.

Very shy in real life I am an avid observer in all my fandoms but TRUST I know what's up at all times because of it.

This first analysis will be of the phenomenon of how they playing in my face with the classic K-Drama tropes and cinematic choices.

Let us begin.

Now we all agree that The Bear is a cinematic masterpiece right? Right.

I have been consuming media across all mediums since I was a kid.

I quite literally spent most of my life watching behind the scenes, in front of the scenes, and in between the scenes.

I'm also an aspiring filmmaker and screenwriter. As such I analyze stuff I like more.

I try to understand why they are the way they are.

Now that we got all the fluff out of the way let's get down to the nitty gritty.

*stands on soapbox*

Page 1 of 10000 ehem

In this this essay I will -!

Fr tho. Let's look at this from a K-Drama perspective.

I've spent about 10-12/13 years watching them. And luckily got into it during the golden era.

I literally watched She Was Pretty air (among others). Ex, Strong Woman, Descendants of the Sun (never watched; controversy+ bad attention span), School 2013.

So you know I'm (somewhat) of an og.

I'm those shows it's very formulaic.

This can extend to other Asian dramas but I'm going to try to stick to K-Dramas.

For example, the 10 ep rule. Must have a kiss or kiss in that episode. (Before is fine)

Now they're getting a little willy nilly and getting down in the first EP but I can argue they was down bad back then as well. Just more angsty longing looks.

(which tbf Sydcarm does all the time but it's 99% Carm though)

In KDramas there's something common in the cinematography that I'd call the halo of light. Almost all the time there are some form of beauty shots with them beautifully lit where they're together, the way they look at each other etc.

Which ironically they do with these two a lot on the show.

I know the show is gorgeous but you can't just explain away some of the choices.

I have watched and read a lot of discussions so this will be influenced by a lot of people. I will mention when I got the help from (if i can find it).

Now I just want to say I think this.

These following trope have been here since the dawn of K-Drama time.

Enjoy my infodump.

Firstly let's discuss this here:

1. The Meet Cute/Halo Effect

We've all been screaming to the void about the classic meet cute that happens with Carmy's life and him being constantly bombarded with noise and chaos.

Stylistically this wouldn't be a typical formula for K-Dramas as it leans more into Kmovie style (which valid The Bear was originally a movie) I think it's as textbook as it comes.

Now the original script (which I have read) had a story of different tone. Very Chicago and chaotic but still...

In this iteration of the script idk what the actors were on but JAW looked at the script and chemistry test and was like hmm yes.

A dramatic romcom. I see.

For her she's an ambitious woman who has (maybe a tiny crush) admiration for him cause like he's literally who she wants to be.

Young, talented and successful. He's made a name in their industry so of course she wants to work under him.

But he he's playing the male lead in an early K-Drama with the classic *she enters* and it's like the second coming out Christ being lit from behind her.

The classic 'I can't believe I never noticed how beautiful she is' in all dramas (and romcoms honestly).

You can also compare it to the corny slightly funny moments in slow motion when they miss each other/do the angsty look.

Like this.

Good old kdrama tropes.

What's interesting is that in their scene they do the opposite of what a K-Drama would usually do. They cut the music and let it become calm.

You get to breathe and relax and so does he. He feels at peace.

In K-Dramas, osts are a kind of a life line so they would most likely blare it when he has that realization.

And then at every other romantic moment after.

Another way that it could be is by using very like calm music (still the ost but still).

They do use this with having mostly romantic music in their scenes but it's usually quiet and a bit hard to hear or understand (unless you're analyzing like many of the wonderful people on this app).

Now you can argue her warm lighting in each scene from the finale and introduction represents his hope/life/good change being given back to him in the form of her (but if that's not the most romantic thing I ever heard).

Now for the flashback in the panic attack scene you could argue the blue tone he sees her in, as it usually represents some kind of sadness/distance/professionalism in this show, it can also represent his piercing blue eyes remembering her in the only shade they know how.

Good God that color grading is nuts. His eyes *ARE* the color Blue.

Now I want to talk a bit more about shot composition, color grading and color choices.

In a few interviews I've seen and read the editors, directors and others were quite serious about the shots and music they used were very much on purpose.

I mean come on.

Also Announcement from a novel/screenwriter:

EHEM

WE DON'T EVER INCLUDE NOTHING THAT CAN BE MISINTERPRETED IN SCRIPTS!

AND THE DIRECTOR WOULD DEFINITELY CUT IT IF IT WASN'T HOW HE ENVISIONED IT!

(/hj)

The most telling scenes is the beginning of omlette and the end of the episode before it.

The director had chose to show her tattoo that represents loss in a deep blue lighting which was actually in a similar lighting that Carmy and Claire were bathed in afterwards.

The quora search says it means pain, heartbreak, and emotional turmoil.

It also lines up with the rest of the shots with him preparing dinner with Claire and her being alone.

I believe this kind of represents the emotional cheating (?) going on between them as he practically abandoned her (and their child, The Bear).

(which is a wild choice for platonic coworkers)

As I've said before blue lighting is usually representative of sadness, coldness etc.

In the scene personally even without connecting it to shipping or everything the message came clear to me.

Suffocation.

He was quite literally being suffocated as in the last scene her body was on his as he stared in the distance blankly.

Honestly that shot was kind of heartbreaking because it feels like coercion in a warped way.

He feels like he should be happy, he should participate in these acts, he should be doing well.

He's fulfilling his family's wish.

So why isn't he happy?

That's my writer kicking in but that's what I got from it.

🥲 (gimme a sec i gotta cry)

But the same blue tone was used in his panic attack as the camera zoomed in.

Now the ironic part was that they used warm lighting for the scenes with Claire, but it's not that unusual.

Warm lighting has always been used to also represent a time period in the past in addition to good/warm times.

What's ironic is what's literally colored in what should represent good times isn't working.

He's remembering his family in those same tones. The past isn't helping.

But the future does.

Enter Sydney in blue.

Now blue usually represents sadness (or calm) but it's also used in futuristic scenes.

*They benefit from the cold clinical look i guess🤷🏾‍♀️*

Then he becomes calm.

I can also say that their kitchen scenes in early season 2 are blue coded but it has a calm feeling not a distant feeling. It ironically feel warm and calming despite the cool tone.

This appears in a couple other scenes in the show when he's showing her the work done in the early season.

But color wise it's usually warm tones with them as the color kind of transitions in that scene. It's half half.

His view is warm because he thinks she's good with what he did and hers is cold because he ditched her so yeah.

Now shot wise let's discuss because it's a bit obvious.

The staff head mentioned loving close ups to show the characters emotion but also to convey a sense of what's not being said.

An example of his uncertainty with Claire is the car scene. In most of his shots it's extremely close to her and gives off an awkward vibe.

But when you go to her perspective, she's more open and his shots show background and more of his character, also reflecting their relationship with each other,

This persists with the kitchen scene as well.

When I rewatch it it has that same quality. It's a bit more pulled out (obviously as they literally spent the night together so anyone would feel closer) but there's still an awkward/dreamlike feel like when its on her like she's not quite based in reality.

Or in Carmy's self sabotaging view, too good to be true.

In comparison to Sydney, the shots with her are almost always wide and open.

We see it with them as early in season one with the outside scene where he's staring her down and gets her to open up.

You can argue that almost all of their shots are as equals, or in the same frame with an openness that have/represents when they're communicating with each other. (I'm def writing about their communication)

Sydney's character is ironically what a male lead would be like and Carmy would be more of the female archetype.

Which I really appreciate now that I think about it.

The male lead is usually very successful/good at what they do, hesitant to share but when they do you feel it and know it's sincere. They're usually more bumbly with expressing when they're emotional but when they do its like a huge release. And when they love it's very obvious and excessive at times.

In comparison, Carmy is very expressive, sensitive and aware. He's devoted (Claire sorry but you don't quite count) to things he's passionate about, willing to communicate and has traits of sensitivity.

His eyes and body tells what he's feeling almost immediately. (Also JAW is just an incredible actor)

In Kdrama land their roles would be switched. Hell I can argue some American dramas as well.

Back on topic though.

The Halo Effect is there. Like all the time.

To my next point-

2. The She Looks Away, I Look At Her

Now you may argue this is very Disney Rapunzel, all that coded.

You will also be correct.

I am a Disney (more Nick honestly) kid.

This too applies to the K-Drama world nay I would say it originated there (it did not).

Do you know how many shows I can name where the male lead is just hopelessly in awe as he stared at the female lead because she just insulted him and he wants to tell her he loves her in every way.

Ring ring.

I heard The Bear calling. Yeah imma need you to clock out on this gaslighting.

time to fangirl

Look at the gif sets!

But honestly, it's a common way to show that the character cares and wants a person without outright saying it.

You understand the vibes almost instantly.

He likes her. He wants more.

She likes him. She wants more.

3. Matching Clothes

This one is a simple one but we all know how common it is in K-Dramas to have a matching something.

A good example of a recent show is Extraordinary Attorney Woo, and how they almost always matched even if he was in casual clothing and she was in office clothes.

You're supposed to get a telepathy feel from them. Like they're on the same wavelength.

In ships/shows they usually subconsciously brainwash you into details of a relationship by having them wear or have something that reminds you of them.

In wardrobe, clothing is meticulously planned to match characters financial situation and express their personality. The clothes tell the story.

And the story usually is we go together. Real bad.

So yeah, sure in this scene/episode they were more in tune and tandem and as time went on they became more disjointed.

Granted they do work in a place with uniforms but I digress.

And lastly my third point part II-

Same But Different

If this were a kdrama there'd be like 0.00% chance that they WOULDN'T happen.

First they're the main leads so duh, and second the way that they parallel each other is insane.

There are many edits and examples of them directly mirroring each other in certain situations.

Scrubbing the floors when feeling lonely seemingly in the exact same spot, stressing in the freezer, saying stuff at the same time and their weird telepathy and answering each other's - sandwiches (that's what I was gonna say).

(sorry)

And if any of you say work wife I will rage cause let me catch my man laying under a table like that!!!

Sparta!

But for real, yes there's intimacy and friendship and all that but I ain't everr look at my friends of either gender like that.

If did I probably had feelings and just kept em in. And did the Carmy puppy eyes (TM).

And yes we are aware Carmy is emotionally constipated like a coke bottle filled with mentos with a tight cap on and his lack of a social life coupled with his (many) different mental illnesses/difficulties.

So he probably doesn't even recognize or even want to recognize them as such and honestly as a 4 lifer

I'm really sad but I don't think he'll confess in the next season.

I'm making a post about it but I'm also uncertain about it lasting more than three seasons as thematically and the way it was intended to be a movie I feel kind of uncertain.

It can extend to 4 but it was intended and the way it's narratively been flowing its exactly like a 3 act structure just spread out (like butter).

The next season is after the dark of night aka main character loses everything.

This season was fun and games - quite literally him having amusement and such. (Training Arc!!) It ended with his demise I'd say.

Now there's no where to go but up.

I'm not saying that it's impossible, but a 4th season would likely be more aimed toward getting a star or maintaining a star etc and family ties and such.

That'd be most likely when, if any, outwardly romantic contact should happen.

But they might surprise me.

Butt honestly in KDrama land there's no way the set up isn't romantic even if it was just a chef or professional focused show.

I'd say it'd be standard honestly for ones focused on career with a dash of romance.

Ex. Miss Hammurabi (best example)

The Good Doctor (Japanese Version)

There's probably more but I exclusively watch romance so 🤷🏾‍♀️.

In Conclusion,

Yes. They are end game.

I also wanna say how odd it is that this ship is attacked by fans of the show and non fans alike because I've literally grew up in the age of Rise of The Brave Tangled Guardians.

There's nothing more random than that time period.

They all dated each other!

Like my guy there's a Tony the Tiger x Grinch fic and don't even get me started on the Onceler selfcest as different flavors of himself (/j i love stuff like this)!

My point is it's not that unusual for the two leads to be shipped. Same gender or not.

I also have years of teenage brain rot developed from eating movies for breakfast so I know more than you! (/hj) I'm obviously right!

I will be discussing some more of this in length at a later date.

But I rest my case.

I will retreat into my cave until next time.

[0shewrites0]

I HAVE SO MANY OPINIONS RIGHT NOW!!!

LITG S8 | vol X | ep 28

First of all, Jin definitely HAS TO HAVE SOMETHING on his eyes because ain’t no way he thinks Sienna is pretty. Or, God forbid, hot. I mean 🥲 and she looks like a grandma in her flowery little nightgown yikes 🤣

MY MC MADE OUT WITH KYLE AND IT WAS THE HOTTEST SHIT EVER! Ok so, first of all the little turning me on with words, bit of roleplay, the whispering - istg I had goosebumps all over my body. And then he pleasures the fuck out of my MC and says this:

He’s too good at what he does. My MC is right, phew 😮‍💨

Cue 💋💍🥧

The way he wants to be the first to have his turn omgg that was the sweetest. I was hoping he didn’t want to kiss me but I was actually MELTING when he said this

HELL YES I AM, get on them knees and propose to meee 🥹🥹🥹

(Ngl I got the ick when he snogged Sienna but ig his reason was valid. Sienna being smug about it was not it tho 💀)

JIN KISSING SIENNA ✨ROBOTICALLY✨ and Sienna exaggerating again by calling it ✨so hot✨

Be so for real now, Si Si. That’s just straight up pathetic at this point gee 💀

Side note: I love how Kyle is calling us ‘hey, beautiful’ or ‘hey, gorgeous’. I think it’s so sweet 🥹

BACK TO WHAT MATTERS

Look how happy he was when I accepted his proposal

Omg I wanted to snog his face offff for this afagahshshd

Kyle and Jin pieing each other - well, that was to be expected so it’s whatever. But what really gave me the ick was when Oakley pied Kyle for no other reason than

HE’S SO THREATENED BY KYLE LMAOOOO

And then not Theo calling him out in front of everyone 😭🤣 like, I’m sorry but I always knew Oakley was too good to be true

I just was a bit confused why Emel didn’t react to this. Like at all 🤣

Onto the next one

LIAM IS A FUCKING DIMWIT! My girl Bea doesn’t deserve to be treated like this, what the actual fuck! And what’s even more disturbing: you’re seriously trying to tell me that SIENNA is a close second when ranking hottest girls??!!! 🤮

Plus, he has the nerve to ‘cram’ the fucking pie in MY face because, and I quote, “I just think you’re pretty overhyped.”

I call bullshit! Thank God Jin was decent enough to defend me and call him by what he is - rubbish.

Anyway. Thanks for letting me vent. This one episode is already more eventful than last week’s whole volume lmao 😂

[lilgoblinbitch]

the ones who live - ep. 5 SPOILERS!!!

hehehe it’s that time again for me to spill my emotions about this new episode :)

oh fuck me here we go

WHAT THE FUCK GABRIEL????? HOLY SHIT OMG OMG????? HELLO YOU CANT JUST LEAVE ME LIKE THAT

richonne supply runs always give me life omfg. and their little dinners by the fire… UGH I CANNOT

rick is so sexy jesus christ…

THE WAY HE LET HER GO FIRST THROUGH THE DOOR AAHHHH CHIVALRY IS NOT DEAD WHEN IT COMES TO RICK

OMFGGG HE SNUCK A NECKLACE FOR HER HELP

stop it. THE BAKING SODA SPEARMINT CALLBACK

“I WAS IN LOVE WITH MY SONS BEST FRIEND”. i can’t take this fluff. this is literally fanfiction writing I LOVE IT

the views are absolutely gorgeous omg???

EW WTF ARE THOSE LAST OF US LOOKIN ASS ZOMBIES

yeah you're pulling a gun on the wrong people HAHAHA

my tv parents said “um yeah i don’t think so BITCH”

“i’m peeing” LMAO I WOULD TOO IF I SAW RICK GRIMES

“us against the world” period.

GABRIEL WTF U DOING??? EW JADIS FUCK OFF GOODBYE

oh shit gabriel thinks rick’s dead and jadis is lying like the snake she is.

anne jadis whatever the fuck your name is — WAIT WHAT JADIS STOKES???? YOU NEVER MARRIED GABRIEL GOODBYE BITCH

AWWW RICK WANTING TO MARRY MICHONNE

gabriel is so wholesome i love him.

THIS EPISODE HAS MY HEART BEATING SO FAST LOL

omfg not this cunt again. jadis just die please just give up.

jadis you done failed once again. how does it feel to be a LOSER?

gabriel wtf why you kissing her… rosita did not die for that shit.

WHAT? WHAT??????? DID SHE KILL GABRIEL???

“i will die for the cause” ok good. bye!

no one gives a fuck about the echelon briefing ya dumb cunt (no one = me, btw)

her logic literally makes no sense. killing people to save humanity? that TOTALLY makes sense

NO MICHONNE STOP. NOOOOOOO YOU HAVE TO GO HOME :(

i will kms i swear. i can’t do this.

“you’ve looked better” LMAO

i hate jadis i hate jadis i hate jadis

YES SHE DYING HEHEHHE YAY

ok cool gabriel isn’t dead 👍

“the crm is not the answer and they must end” PERIOD.

AWWW THE RING wait okay i kinda like her now

rick made his promise. he killed her. good job baby <3

AWWW STOP IT MY HEART. “it’s a broken world and you’re the only thing that puts it back together” IM CRYING PLEASE OMFG THEY GOT OFFICIALLY MARRIED YIPPIEEEE

awww poor gabriel :(

well holy goddamn. that was a rollercoaster. so glad richonne is stronger than ever <3

hope everyone enjoyed this episode as much as i did (episode four is still my favorite tho)

[yeyayeya]

TGCF Season 2 Ep 1 Reaction (Part Three)

Hit my image limit again

Novel spoilers under the cut

HELLO LADY WIND MASTER

I love her hope nothing bad happens to her :)

But she’s so gorgeous holy shit. Shi Qingxuan the gender god. Love how different they look in their two forms, and once I heard the giggle from Lord Wind Master turn to a feminine one, I knew Lady Wind Master was going to make her appearance

She’s a whole ass mood

THIS IS JIAN LAN???? OMG MAAM HELLO????

My name is Feng Xin now I guess. But my brain was so caught up in the excellency of what is called Shi Qingxuan/Wind Master that I completely forgot Jian Lan appeared here. I suddenly remembered this scene and was so taken aback because they did my queen justice. Cannot wait for the demon baby to show up lol

The instant switch of her voice going from flirty to sassy is everything, but Jian Lan you need to redirect your attention elsewhere because this man is gay and has a “medical condition”.

I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY INCLUDED IT (well not really he didn’t say he couldn’t get erect but close enough)

Xie Lian me too

XIE LIAN ME TOO

His heart skipped a beat upon hearing Hua Cheng’s voice that’s so gay

He looks like a rat (affectionate)

He is hot tho. Ok but someone please come and brush Hua Cheng’s hair honey it’s going to get into knots

Overall: I did reread the second book (English localization) since it has been quite a WHILE since I last read this arc, but they followed the book closely and I cannot wait for the next episode coming out next week! (My boy is going to appear for like 2 seconds but that is enough for me)

I did not know if this was going to follow the revised version, but Xie Lian mentioned the bandaged boy towards Ling Wen and from what I am aware, Lang Ying was removed from the story by MXTX, so there’s that.

Honestly just really happy that this finally happened

[girlprince-tournament]

Side A - Semifinals Match 2

propaganda under cut

Amanda O'Niell

"Amanda is very good at sword fighting and can conjure flowers out of thin air!! She once disguised herself in a suit and a different hairstyle and immediately a girl got a crush on her and tbh she did look gorgeous. Tho she always does. Her whole personality just *chef's kiss*. Pls pls go watch at least ep 17 for the disguise"

Haruhi Fujioka:

"we already know"

[dangermousie]

The biggest surprise of the first six eps for me is how much I like Life 2 Yan Lin and how I wish all the good things for him. Heck, I could see myself ship this rabidly if given half a chance.

He is such a sunshine puppy but not annoying in the least. I adore him.

Who knew...

Also, I will eat my nonexistent hat if our ML is not his lost cousin.

Getting serious Ling Buyi vibes here. I wonder if he's as bad at birthday parties.

Also, this made me choke.

I was going...ok, ok, ok, let's all spell v-a-m-p-i...

Meanwhile, FL:

Ummm WHUT. Now I know why old time people all died of hangnails. That is some...interesting medical diagnostic abilities. And no, it's not brought on by hypothermia slowing her brain because here she is again:

Ummm - what what what how is one of these sentences lead to another?

Though I got to say, when I saw that flashback:

He's gorgeous as hell and obviously competent between his vampi...errrr, dementia fits (just move to a warm climate) but to say he's a work in progress is to put it mildly. Ladies who want a turnkey partner look away.

PS Honestly, seeing that she fed him her own blood AND that she dragged a man who weighs twice as much for that long, I am cutting her some slack about his precious precious qin (which I am sure is connected to his tragically dead fam.) I mean, to expect her to lug him and the qin? No way no how. Her bedside manner could use a lot of help tho.

Ok, cool it, Ms Motivation!

[westworldparty19]

Rewatching one of my favorite TOS episodes: Is there in truth no beauty?

Only 2 mins in and had to pause to laugh because!! They spend that time establishing that Anbassador Kollos’ form is so ugly that it drives humans mad and even Vulcans have to wear a visor.

Spock then beams up a beautiful woman and a box and he greets the woman: “Ambassodor Kollos, it is an honor to meet you”

And she goes… “I’m Dr. Jones.” And then indicates that the box is Kollos…

Spock is really out here soooooo obviously not attracted to women that he assumes that the beautiful beautiful Dr. Jones is a hideous monster!

Ok then it’s revealed that Spock was offered the position Dr. Jones is auditioning for but he turned it down bc “my life is here”

Sorry but season 3 Kirk and Spock are so together there’s no way around it.

Okay!! Miranda (Dr. Jones) is soooooo Spock of Christmas future coded. To a point but I’m sure the argument Kirk makes when he’s honey potting her in the garden is very similar to one he might use to get spock to not do kolhinar. Both dark hair, striking features, beautiful in an intriguing way, extremely intelligent, don’t fit in with either of the cultures fully because of stigma associated with genetic features, Kirk immediately tries to flirt…

This is a “spirk on a date” episode just like trouble with tribbles but more serious

Back to the honey pot in the garden…Kirk is there to distract Miranda from Spock melding with Kollos. She is distracted until he lets her get a little personal and then she immediately figures out what Spock is planning. (This is sooo similar to in TMP when Spock is mentally saying goodbye to Kirk and then Kirk’s consciousness reaches out across the universe.) He tries to keep her there but then she says it’s too dangerous for Spock to do and Kirk let’s go right away and they leave to help Spock

Omg and then Spock accidentally looks at Kollos without protection and goes crazy and can only be saved by Miranda but Kirk and Bones don’t think she’ll help bc she’s so jealous and bones says maybe she will help bc they weren’t rivals in love (he means for the love of kollos) but the whole ep Kirk is flirting with Miranda AND with Spock so they kinda are. And then Kirk says probably the cruelest things he ever says to her to guilt her/snap her back to reality to help Spock and she does. He’s basically driven insane by his need to save Spock (as per usual)

I just love this episode so much. I especially love the direction and the music. I think the music is unique to the episode which is really rare and the director takes a lot of chances with interesting shots (he does a lot of wide angle pov). We get to see the bridge from a different angle which is really cool and there’s one shot of Miranda where it’s like a quick zoom in that I like. And the blocking is pretty interesting in a few scenes too like kirk and co marching down the hall to see if Kollos has been hurt.

The shrew bit is a bit tired of course but I think the payoff here is much better than in Elaan of Troius. They don’t necessarily “tame” Miranda as the resolution is for her to accept she is in love with Kollos and that he loves her too in the way that he can, and the crew learns that she is capable of a great deal more than they can image when they previously considered her blindness to be a great detriment.

Also the other relevant guest of the week is one of the designers of the enterprise and Scotty is so smitten with him lmao. He’s so excited to meet the guy and just wants to hang out and drink and take about engineering.

Shatner looks sooo good in this ep too. Toupee is the perfect length imo.

Miranda’s costumes are gorgeous, definitely ranking in top 5. Her hair too.

We get IDIC introduced for the first time and even tho it was a ploy by Roddenberry to sell merch, the concept is really interesting and does develop the lore of Vulcan quite a bit

Ugh when Kollos joins with Spock he talks about how lonely people are when they are cut off from each other (telepathically) and then Kirk tells him it’s time to end the meld. To me in my spirk brain worms brain, that indicates that Kirk and Spock have a mind link established and that they had to “unplug” when Spock melds with Kollos, which is why Kollos feels that Spock is so alone and Kirk ends the meld so promptly lol.

Ralph Senesky is definitely my favorite TOS director, I wish he did more!

[arziaisfrench]

▪︎ IPKKND Ep 166 : The naughty game starts

Khushi is absolutely gorgeous in this dress ! Arnav is in awe, so much that he takeS his time to watch her lol before coming closer.

"She's so pretty" must be thinking Arnav. He's like shy about how pretty she is haha! And as always, her presence is like a "breath of air" for him, it brings life to him ! But it's slowly becoming something less alarming to him, cause now that "breath of life" being out of his control doesn't trigger him anymore, he wants it, he receives it with tenderness, he's waiting for it now with so much love.

Arnav doesn't take seriously Nk as rival. I think Nk's intention about Khushi is what is annoying him but he trust her. What always bothered him was how he could make Khushi smile, something he never been able to do yet, she always seems so relax around Nk, something she rarely is with him.

(Isn't he so handsome in this episode with that outfit tho?😏)

"I don't need help from the rival team" The tension between them in this episode is so intense and flirty hehe !!

"Is my baby looking for me?" is probably what Aranv was saying in his mind lool then he sees her again with Nk looool 😅

Again, a game begins between them but this time, the game, this challenge has a direct link with their future, the outcome will be an important step for the development of their relationship. Things are finally moving !!

[world-smitten]

Kdrama misc.

Wedding Impossible: eps 1 & 2 are great, especially Jun Jung-seo as A-jeong, who gives her all into her craft even if the returns are so paltry. The first 2 eps build up the situation between her and Do-han into a fascinating hotbed of conflict, and I was onboard. Then ep 4 pissed away all that goodwill, in record speed. Why would A-jeong, who takes pride in acting, let Ji-han publicly woo her in Busan when she’s supposed to be his brother’s fiancé? And why was Do-han sectioned away in the story, prevented from knowing this? Ji-Han jerking around A-jeong, A-jeong letting him do it, it all felt old-school, and I don’t mean that as a compliment. And Moon Sang-min still needs another year playing supporting roles so he can build up a deck of facial expressions. Will watch a couple more eps, just in case it gets better.

Queen of Tears: I’ve already talked a lot about this one. Technically, everything is well done, but man, I don’t care for that romance. The drama is at its best and most sincere when it’s being funny, and despite being oddly underused, the supporting cast are really holding everything together. I don’t get why you would create a world where Kwak Dong-yeon and Lee Joo-bin are a couple and not talk more about that. I want to see more of everyone that isn’t Hyun-woo. But I’m obsessed with how good Kim Ji-won is.

The red sleeve: So brilliant, even when it’s bad lol. I’m a Junho stan til I die, and Lee Se-young is a very dear addition to my ever growing list of favourite actresses. The script is delicious. Eps 8 & 9 are like, really bad though. Awful. What a waste of Court Lady Jo’s character, and a gorgeous Park Ji-young performance. It’s a choice to make a group of women who, verbatim, “want to choose their own king”, look like deviants. But between spoilers & reading about Consort Ui, it looks like the story is still going to come to the same conclusion as those women - that the monarchy are parasitic (even those that are good faith actors), extorting mental & physical labour from an underclass of powerless women. Makes no sense to suddenly go, “but these ladies took it too far!!” Lol, be serious. But taking them seriously might’ve complicated how we see Deok-im’s unwavering certainty in Yi-san’s ability to rule. Each time she throws herself into the line of fire for him, I get a little sad. Love her and Yi-san tho. Now, that’s romance.

[ramblingdisaster73]

hi! i'm curious - what are your thoughts on some ppl (maybe mostly in the minority?) have made comparisons of the carlos & iris rescue scene in 4x03 being parallel to that of tk/carlos in the iconic Push, and how they've said it kind of undermines the emotional weight in Push?

personally, i'm trying not to put too much weight on it, bc i think it's probably not as deep as they're making it out to be, and it makes logical sense for carlos to tell her to breathe as she was near hyperventilating at the time (if my memory serves me well, i'm not planning to rewatch it so pls do correct me if im wrong) – but the more cynical part of me can see where they're coming from as well (e.g. with the framing), and it's starting to get to me a little

my heart really does hurt for tk in that moment tho :( it certainly didn't help that carlos was being a jerk during that scene - this will def always be a skip for me. there's angst and then there's being a jerk for no reason bc he's what, mad? i can't imagine what/how tk must be feeling at the time

also, idk. there's not much to work with here, a part of me wondered (if it was intentional) if carlos was that spiteful enough to purposely do all of that to get a reaction out of tk (i doubt this. it's fucked up, but it's whatever, he's already walking a tightrope between being petty and also being an a*hole. i honestly wouldn't be surprised if the writers are trying to play this up for dramatic purposes), or if they'd just wanted to be sprinkle in the additional ✨ angst ✨ to get a reaction out of the audience instead, if it was completely unintentional, or it really isn't as deep as that.

ig we'll never know atp, but i thought i could come to u and see what you think! i'm really liking the discussions we've all had in between the eps haha, i hope that's okay!

This got a bit longer than I intended.

The “Breathe, breathe” scene in Push was a huge moment for them (& us) after their breakup – but I don’t really think the writers intended to have Carlos tell Iris the same thing to cheapen the scene in Push.

I totally get the people who had that gut reaction of “what the fuck, why would they have him say that like that?” and feel like it took away from the Tarlos scene – I do. The first time I watched the ep (I have had it on repeat pretty much anytime I am home alone while I am writing.),

I had a similar thought process – when I watched it again the 2nd time though, it made more sense to me narratively & like you said she was hyperventilating & in a decent amount of distress – telling her to breathe was pretty much the only thing he could say here. Saying something like “calm down” doesn’t always help when you are not in a position to think clearly – simple direction is much easier to follow (I say this as someone who has frequent panic attacks & telling me to calm down is not at all helpful) so, if someone was telling me to breathe – I would be able to follow that direction – telling me to calm down would only make me panic more – because I have to think about HOW to calm down.

I really do think that they are making Carlos’ less than perfect sides more obvious this season, that is why what we saw last year as a little bit of pettiness (3x13) now feels almost cruel at times. I understand why there are fans that just can’t get into this storyline – why they are struggling so much.

I have said since at least last season, the writers did a real disservice to Carlos by making his appear so perfect on the surface for so long. By finding ways to put the blame for any issues between them on TK, or just glossing over his need to keep everything in boxes & his control issues – made it so some fans didn’t need to look deeper at the character – they saw this absolutely gorgeous man, saw the ways he supported TK – thought he was the perfect boyfriend/fiancé, the cop with a good heart.

Now, all of a sudden, they are being confronted with the fact that Carlos has a past, one that some just can’t fathom. They are being forced to acknowledge that Officer Reyes is not perfect and they really don’t know how to handle it.

If we had any in canon hints (other than deleted scenes we won’t ever see) of the actual closeness of Iris & Carlos – some of the people that are struggling with this arc – may have been able to believe that this person was so important to Carlos (NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN TK, BUT STILL IMPORTANT), but – we didn’t. So now, they have to build that now – and Rafa & Lyndsy are doing a fantastic job of showing a real emotional (platonic) relationship.  

The writers had to do something that would SHOW us their closeness – not just tell us, like some of the other parts of the storyline – and this was actually (imo) a beautiful way to do it. I don’t really think it was to be petty or dickish to TK, just to show us the emotional connection the characters share. The fact that Rafa & Lyndsy have pretty great chemistry helps this as well.

Carlos was definitely walking the very fine line between petty & dickish, but I think the writers need him to do that for this part – the 3rd act. In a lot of media – the 3rd act is the hard part – either emotionally or mentally – they needed to set up the angst and tension for when Carlos got shoveled to kick off the 4th act.

Would we lose our shit if Carlos went missing while things were perfect for Carlos & TK? absolutely – we love them. BUT – to have it happen when things aren’t as stable, when they are both too much in their feelings/heads to see clearly – that is where the real pay off comes from.

We know that Carlos & TK love each other deeply, we understand why TK went to talk to Iris, we know that it didn’t trigger anything for her. Carlos – doesn’t right now. He is a man that thinks rationally (because he tosses his problems in a box & throws away the key) – but right now rational thought isn’t something he is capable of.

The man had like 15 seconds of not being noticeably stressed the fuck out on screen before that “dream” venue called him – he has been riding on pure emotion and avoidance ever since.

It is easier to lash out (or treat not so great) the people that you KNOW love you. You know that they will be there when you realize what you did/said. We all do it in little ways all the time, (we have a bad day at work, then go home – and every little thing builds up until you blow up – typically not at the people/thing that originally caused your irritation). In this case – I think that Carlos blames himself for all of it – and he can’t shove it in a box – he has to face it, especially in this 4th act.

Carlos KNOWS that TK loves him. But this man is TERRIFIED of his actions hurting Iris, that he seems as though he is ignoring TK, or at least dismissing him. I go back and forth between thinking that Carlos was more defensive to TK in the bunkroom than trying to explain it – but that is an emotional response from me. When I take my emotions out – I can see the way his anxiety is tearing him apart, he is scared to hurting TK, of TK leaving – not because of something TK did – but because Carlos hurt him emotionally. He is scared of jeopardizing Iris’ health and wellbeing.

He also can’t see that these two people, the ones he loves most (in very different ways), are stronger than he can see – especially in this particular situation.

*We have NEVER seen Carlos be the one to fall apart. He is used to being the one putting the pieces back together, for the most part – keeping a clearer head, & connecting the dots. Right now – he isn’t able to do that – but he also won’t let TK or Iris really help him – which leads to the shoveling.

I know that Tim and Ronen keep hyping up Rafa’s acting in 4x04 – but I am also really looking forward to Ronen’s as well. Both of these men have been doing such an amazing job of making us feel all these annoying feelings.

I think another reason people are struggling to see Carlos being more standoffish to TK in 4x03 is that we have watched TK handle this situation so well. Carlos tells him that he has been legally married to someone during their whole relationship, TK listens to him, listens to his reasons on why. We have watched TK handle it with grace – but are now being shown Carlos not doing the same. And it does hurt. It hurts because we know how much they love each other, how much they truly need and want each other. So, to see real friction between them (probably the most we have seen – especially since they broke up off screen) hurts. Going into those scenes knowing that the shoveling was coming hurt more.

The hurt is intentional from the storytelling perspective– but I am hoping & optimistic about a pretty good pay off. I have a feeling that a lot of this elevated pettiness will be gone like the ‘lasting ramifications of hypothermia for TK’ last season, so I am not worried about that continuing either. Once he is rescued, we will get the super tactile, loving, beautiful Tarlos – one that has become stronger through their ordeals – both separate & together.

When in doubt: Just remember Tarlos is endgame & all roads lead to the wedding.

I love the discussions that this show brings up & my husband loves that I have people other than him to talk to about this show.