#thanks for any help! :) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

sparrowlucero · 2 months

Note

ik you were joking but I would be genuinely interested to hear about the flux cowriting credits strife if you feel like going into detail on it

So I have a big conspiracy theory about season 13 of Doctor Who ("Flux"), namely that there's a lost episode was scripted and even possibly filmed in near entirety, but ended up being cut and cannibalized in post production due to behind the scenes issues, and the fandom has yet to pick up on it.

For anyone who doesn't watch the show: Flux is a miniseries of Doctor Who; a full season was not commissioned because it was produced during Covid. The most important stuff about it for the purposes of this post are:

It's 6 episodes long (¹). The episodes are all directly continuous and could not be shuffled around. (I should clarify here that, no, the showrunner can't simply choose on a whim to make 10 episodes, or only make 4; they had to stick to 6, as that was the amount they were picked up and scheduled for)

The showrunner, Chris Chibnall , wrote every episode apart from episode 4 (Village of the Angels) which he has a co-writing credit on.

(More subjectively but perhaps relevant) The season is largely considered to be kind of a structural mess and (less subjectively) there appears to some abnormal and consistent production issues (²)

So the first thing I need to evidence here is that Chris Chibnall, aforementioned showrunner and writer of the entire season, was late. Like, really late.

Word of mouth gossip had been circulating for a while that there was some sort of on-set problem involving filming having to be paused because he was still finishing scripts: (³)

This would later be confirmed at a Gallifrey One panel (⁴) with Matt Strevens, the executive producer, who suggests that filming stopped to allow Chris Chibnall to finish scripts; he further implies that large swathes of episode 5/Block 2 weren't written until Episode 4/Block 1 (in which Kevin McNally debuts) was filming:

So with that context, let's talk about that Episode 4, "Village of the Angels", the only episode not attributed solely to Chris Chibnall. Co written by Maxine Alderton.

The filming pics reveal an interesting bit of trivia for Village: namely, the clapperboards show that the story was actually filmed as episode 5, not 4:

As the above tweet suggests, this doesn't make much sense. The miniseries is, again, a single continuous plot. It's not like they flipped Village and the current episode 5, Survivors of the Flux; the latter explicitly takes place chronologically after it. And yet, Village having been intended as the penultimate episode 5 is further evidenced by the original trailer for it, in which a character states that the story takes place on the 28th of November. This line is dubbed over in the final episode and subsequent trailers to instead say the 21st:

Why is this line important enough to dub? Because that's meant to line up with the air date of the episode. Episode 4 aired on the 21st and 5 on the 28th. But something happened in post production, and now it's episode 4 on the 21st instead (⁵):

So if none of these episodes were moved around but it does seem like Village was meant to be episode 5, where and what is the original episode 4?

I have a theory.

Flux has a recurring subplot involving two side characters, a married couple (Bel and Vinder) who have been separated by the titular disaster and are traveling the universe to reunite with each other. This story is told through segments sprinkled throughout the episodes. These have a different writing style (including a diary-esque narration only present in these scenes) and an internally consistent visual style that looks somewhat different to the other parts of the season.

Village of the Angels, for instance, is a moody, dark episode set in a village in the 1960s:

However, Bel and Vinder's segments in the episode have a somewhat different look:

On top of this, they never intersect with the episode's A plot (literally or in any clear thematic way), and the majority of these segments piece together into one single scene that seems to have been cut up.

So, what I think is that the bel and vinder scenes across the middle of the season were originally a single full story, an episode 4 that took a breather from the main plot and characters to follow the lives of these two side characters; the differing visual and writing style is due to it originally having been filmed separately and with a somewhat different artistic intent. I believe Chris Chibnall's cowriting credit on Angels exists because these specific scenes are from a script he wrote, but that otherwise the Angel script can be credited solely to Maxine Alderton by normal cowriting standards.

"But wait," you might say, "I thought there were already 6 episodes that are all plot relevant? If no episodes existing right now can be cut, how could this 7th episode exist?"

Remember this tidbit:

The adventures in question comprise a large amount of the next episode (Episode 5: Survivors of the Flux), nearly 20 minutes of a 50ish minute runtime (and frankly, much of the rest of the episode is somewhat fluffy build up that feels like it's taking advantage of an extended runtime). A version without this added plot would, in my opinion, only warrant one final episode rather than two.

I think the showrunner, still scrambling to finish scripts as the episodes were being filmed, and making a snap decision to include a new major subplot (⁶), wrote a finale script so long and with so many plot threads that the only way to keep all this material of was to split it into two episodes, 5 and 6. And because they only could only make 6, he had to get rid of one of the previous 5 episodes - the already scripted and filmed ones - to make room for this new episode 5. A tough order when it's a plot-heavy miniseries... if not for episode 4 being a standalone divergence from the main plot about the lives of two side characters, one that could, in theory, be cut up and dispersed throughout the season without continuity issues for the main story.

(Some notes and clarifications under the cut)

(1) some sources initially reported the episode count as 8; this wasn't inaccurate - the 2022 new years/easter special were part of the episode order. Flux itself was always meant to be 6 episodes long. (2) A few of the production issues include: - episodes filming without a second draft:

- the fx team that had been on the show since 2005 abruptly leaving midseason (because they "didn't feel like part of the team anymore") and returning as soon as the creative team changed, including the head of the studio implying they weren't properly credited (mild vfx body horror warning in link):

- people working on additional projects such as books not receiving clear information on the characters they were assigned to write:

- and likely a director who was put on hold due to a script being rewritten:

Among other things I can't directly cite at the moment, including vfx artists having to do whole episodes solo in crunch time and writers not being told their work was massively overhauled until it aired due to major changes being extremely late in production.

While I don't wish to pontificate too much here and many of these things are pretty normal by themselves, I do think it could paint a picture of a production where an episode well into filming may genuinely be cut on a whim and without consideration for the crew, artists, etc. working on the show. (3) This reddit post comes from a leaker who was known to be consistently accurate. (4) Gallifrey One does not allow filming of panels. I know Kevin's livetweets of panels to be accurate. (5) It's very, very unlikely the entire season was moved back a week, as the premier is a Halloween special that was certainly always intended to air on Oct. 31st. (6) I don't wish to insinuate Chris Chibnall is, throughout his career, an inherently poor showrunner, but I do think that maybe his jump from police procedural - a genre that doesn't involve quite as much concept art, vfx work, marketing, convention panels, set building, episodic storytelling, and keeping in touch with expanded universe producers - to flagship science fiction adventure show may have contributed to some of these issues, especially when he was already in the mindset that things could be changed on a whim (perhaps not such a major issue when it's broadchurch and no new sets need be built)

(source) Basically I don't really think this is "the showrunner's fault" or anything; more that a perfect storm of a showrunner who was habitually late on scripts, used to writing lowkey cop dramas, covid, an entirely serialized season, etc. may have led to these issues

#sorry this is insane #thirteenth doctor #flux #doctor who #long post #thank u to my friends and allies who helped me track down those sources for the scripts being late. i remembered them but couldn't find any

539 notes · View notes

orangekittyenergy · 3 months

Note

gale being woken up for sex. that’s the prompt. (based on the post about his reaction to the vampire attack in act 3)

Oooooookaayy 😏❤️ I'll be honest and say I don't recall the post about the vampire attack but I just grabbed this idea (like I'd grab Gales cock) and just went with it.

NSFW

Gale x GNreader – 1700 words

Tav wakes Gale up with a blow job (established relationship but still on the road - vague for what section but definitely after the love confession)

It was late by the time you and the team were trudging back to camp. You noticed the fire was already burning low, a hot pit of embers and small flickers of flame still warming the cook pot next to it.

You glanced around; no one was awake. Of course not. You turned around, but the others had immediately headed off to their tents to change and fall into their own beds. Another hard fought battle. Another weary day ahead. You couldn’t blame them.

You stepped toward the fire to peek inside the cauldron. A simple meat stew, likely one of Gale’s concoctions. Glancing over to his tent you wondered if he might still be up, reading a book by the light of a spell like he usually was.

He was much chagrined to be left behind at camp this time. Especially since formally being romantically partnered now. But you had insisted. He had taken a nasty blow from a spell the day before and there was only so much healing that spells and potions could do. Despite his lengthy points, which he listed out on each one of his fingers, as to why he should join you in the next foray, you simply crossed your arms and stared him down, forcing him by sheer will to see your point. Which was simply, no.

You stepped closer to his tent, listening for the telltale sign of rustling pages or even a hint of a glow behind the canvas flaps. Nothing. He knew this would be a long day and told you to wake him when you returned, but still you hesitated. He was already a night-owl and if even he was in bed at this hour it must truly be later than you thought.

With a sigh, you turned on your heel and headed to your own tent, stepping within and quickly shedding your armor until only your tunic and leather pants remained. You looked down to your own bedroll. Sleep would be best. It would be so nice and easy to fall into slumber. It would also be wise, considering the arduous journey that lay ahead. But before those thoughts of sleep could truly take hold, you felt a coil in your stomach.

Your adrenaline was still up from the days events. Sleep wasn’t yet ready to steal you away as something deeper took hold. What was that Gale said one time about a brush with danger? How it left one seeking other forms of stimulation? A smile at his brash, unexpected (at the time) flirting grew across your face as the coil bloomed into a full blown heat, sinking deep and low into your gut.

Without even fully knowing your own intent you abandoned your tent and headed back for his, heart already racing. You paused briefly at the flap before slipping in quietly, being careful not to let too much light in.

Your eyes adjusted quickly, the sliver of light from outside allowing just enough illumination to see Gale dozing on his back, one arm draped off to the side as if reaching for something.

You knelt down beside him and gently eased your body next to his, leaning on his outstretched arm, and placed a soft careful kiss on his cheek, which was flush from sleep.

“Hmm….mylove….” He murmured sleepily and lolled his head slightly towards you.

Your heart thudded as you watched his chest rise and fall, his mouth slightly parted as sleep stole him back from you. This sweet, handsome, ambitious wizard. How far you had come together. What perils you still had to face together.

An ache in your chest you weren’t accustomed to made you suck a quiet breath in as you gazed down at him. Gods, how much you loved him. You didn’t think it was possible to love this way. This deep. So deep it was almost painful.

The ache slowly eased as you watched him, taking comfort in the fact that he was safe, here, now, with you, beneath your adoring gaze. In place of the ache, the deep hot burning in your core returned. You wanted to show him. You needed him to know how much you loved him. Your hand raised, ready to shake his shoulder and wake him, but that same heat from deep inside you made you pause.

You recalled his words from earlier that day.

“Wake me up when you get back, please? However you must.” He had said with that signature almost mischievous grin of his.

An idea took hold and you carefully raised yourself up instead and eased your body back away from him. His arm seemed to twitch in response, as if in search of the missing heat it had been given.

Biting away a smile you knelt down beside his hips instead, adjusting yourself slightly so you were almost laying perpendicular to him. In fact, if anyone else was up right now, they would see your feet peeking out the edge of his tent.

Ever so gently you traced your hand down the smooth velvet fabric that covered his chest, pausing to feel his deep steady breathing beneath your palm. As you reached the edge of his shirt you gently pulled it up and gave him a small kiss just above his navel. You actually half expected him to wake up at that and raised your head expecting to meet his soft loving eyes. But he continued to doze, breath steady and low.

Okay, lets see how far this will go, you mused. You planted a few more kisses. Each with a little more tongue, a little suck of flesh, until you reached the edge of his pants.

You lifted your head again, but his eyes remained blissfully shut.

Deftly and carefully undoing the laces on his pants you eased the front of them down a touch and reached in to give a few tender touches of his soft cock over his underwear. It twitched slightly, seemingly on its own at the contact, but Gale still seemed otherwise undisturbed. You stroked harder, easing your fingers as far as they could grip around the thin fabric and moving your hand up and down slightly.

Gale groaned softly and rolled his head to the side, a smile flickering on the edge of his lips before sleep seemed to take him away again and he stilled once more. I hope you are having a wonderful dream, my love, you thought and gently eased his cock, now almost half hard, out of his underwear.

Fully able to wrap your warm palm around him now you felt a shiver of excitement run through you as you eased your hand up and down, savoring the feeling of his hot silky skin. Your fist met stem and even as you raised your hand back up you could almost feel him getting harder beneath your palm.

“Mmmmmm….” A soft moan escaped his lips this time, still halfway between dream and reality. His chest started to heave, breathing becoming faster as the sensations pulled him from his slumber as you continued to lovingly stroke his length.

You grinned and squeezed a little harder, giving another long slow stroke and his hands clutched at the blanket below him. He was fully hard now, his chest rising and falling rapidly, his hips even starting to writhe beneath your arms. Truly, it seemed his entire body had woken up but his eyes remained shut.

You let your hand lower once more, and holding him steady you leaned forward, wrapping your parted lips around his tip and dancing your tongue across it.

He let out a louder groan this time, and his hands reached to grasp at his shirt now.

“Shhhh…” You released your mouth for a moment to hiss at him.

“Gods, Tav...don’t stop.” He whispered, his voice still groggy and hoarse from sleep.

You smiled and leaned your head back down, sucking him in again, carefully swirling your tongue around his already dribbling tip before easing your head down further. His hands descended to tangle themselves in your hair; not even to guide your head, but just to touch part of you.

Raising your head up and down more swiftly you added your hand in, twisting it gently at his base as spit dribbled out the sides of your mouth and across your waiting moving fingers.

Gale was panting now, his chest heaving, hard, hot, quick breaths where moments before they were soft and sleepy. He opened his mouth as if to speak or maybe moan again, but caught himself and you heard him snap it shut and let out a groan through his clenched teeth.

His hips bucked up slightly, matching the rhythm of your hand and mouth and before long you felt him twitch against you, shudders wracking his body. You reached your free hand up, grabbing at his chest and he reached to twine his fingers with yours. You squeezed his hand tightly, pushing your mouth down as far as it could go, wriggling your tongue along his length, trying to encourage him to give in.

He gave a last shuddering breath and released, hot spurts of his seed shooting into your mouth and down your awaiting throat. His hand gripped yours so hard it almost hurt as you swallowed every single drop of him. As his shuddering subsided and his breath started to return to normal you took a moment to lick him clean and gently tuck him back away before crawling back up to lay in his awaiting arm once more.

“You continue to amaze and astound me in every way possible.” He said sucking in another deep breath and releasing it slowly. You leaned forward to nuzzle into his neck and give him another few kisses.

“You told me to wake you up.” You mumble, feigning innocence. He pulls back a touch, meeting your eyes with a twinkle in his own before smothering you with a flurry of kisses, pulling you even closer. You push your body flush with his, finally letting sleep start to take hold, happy that he is happy, but wondering if he might be thinking of waking you up the same way.

#gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #gale smut #bg3 smut #gale x reader #galemance #my writing #this was a fever dream sorry for any mistakes #also thank you for the ask anon!!#Ive been in a very dusty writing spot and this helped shake off some cobwebs <3

434 notes · View notes