#the wild youth ep

[goldenpinof]

honestly don't care if Troye never performs youth again as long as he keeps performing bite, ease, too good, dkla, talk me down and heaven

[marymekpop]

You must protect His Highness

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - So Many GREAT Kisses!

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

(Please notice I am now using 6 dots in all ellipses because according to Taiwanese BL that's how we queers roll. Who am I to argue?)

Sept 2024 Week 3

Ongoing Series - Thai

Jack & Joker (Thai Mon IQIYI) ep 2 of 12 - A most excellent glow up. And it’s still a great show. And I cannot wait to see the many different faces of War. Bring on the Leverage of One action-packed mess. I'm waiting.  

Monster Next Door (Thai Thurs Gaga ) ep 9 of 12 - I’m gonna say this because it drives me crazy. Why are boys in BL, when out and about the countryside, always dressed inappropriately for Thailand? If it’s hot, takeoff your damn jacket. I don’t mean to be crass or crazy or whatever. But don’t wear a jacket when it’s 90° with 90% humidity. In Thailand, jackets are for malls. Meanwhile, I’m an extrovert and that still seemed like an exhausting trip. Although, I suppose they didn’t show all the drive time in the van, when everyone is asleep.

Meanwhile, why are the sides so frustrating in this show? Authentic friends-to-lovers is always a slog. Finally a kiss! And a decent one.

New character? Aw! Hi Yu!!!! Gosh Putter is so cute.

Where were we? Oh yes, Beer is now heartbroken. Always the great fear in F2L that the friendship will be destroyed as a result. And it’s a decent fear. 

On a completely different note, I cannot help but wonder when somebody’s chue len is Beer, if that is because beer was involved in their conception. Like, it’s the name you give your "oops baby" from that drunken night at the club. Don’t mind me. I’m just over here in the corner being crass.

Battle of the Writers (Sun YT) ep 8 of 12 - That was one of the cutest wake up sequences ever depicted. Utterly adorable. And now he’s blind again? Oh my God this is such a soap opera, I can’t even. Meanwhile, wicked ice prince finally made his move. Gah! Why aren’t we getting more of this couple? I always love the sides best with this production house.

I Saw You in My Dream (Weds Gaga) ep 10 of 12 - I love a hard fraught game of badminton. Even though we actually didn’t see play. YoIng claiming was so cute!!! And their shower kiss was v hot. Yay little show! Also cute use of the punishment trope!

Kidnap (Fri YT) ep 3 of 12 - The weight upon the shoulders of our idiot good guy kidnapper continues to pile up. So does the affection. The dude playing Q has sanpaku eyes. Cool. He’s not a particularly good actor though. Rough because everyone around him is giving their very best.

The problem is. I'm noticing. I shouldn't be noticing all the talent trying so hard. That usually means there is something wrong with the story, or there was something wrong on the set.

I don't know what to say at this juncture except I have the sinking suspicion this might not actually be a good show. (Covers head and cowers. Don't hate me.) I'd loved to be proved wrong, but my faith is GMMTV is only about 50% these days. And it probably should be lower.

Addicted Heroin (Thai Tues WeTV) ep 6 of 10 - I was so confused by how we suddenly got on a trip together, that I went back and re-watched the previous installment. And it still isn’t explained. So I have no idea why our leads are on a trip but apparently that’s the next trope to hit. I also have no idea how they're suddenly boyfriends. I’m just generally confused by this episode. It’s like an alt reality. We skipped over all of the stuff where they actually got into a relationship. In general I wasn’t wild about this episode.

The Trainee (Sun YT) ep 12fin - The most realistic thing about this show is that everybody is everybody else’s ex on any given set. I feel that in my bones. Or do I mean boner?

Frankly, both actors look better after a glow up and I guess pretending to be more their actual ages suits them? Considering what was actually done to invoke youth (a lot of the shine and gloss) aging them was an anti-glow up. A great mattification? Well...... this was a somewhat lackluster finale. (Thank you, thank you, the pun was unplanned. It's a gift.)

I don’t know. I guess I wanted to see Jane suffer? Work HARD to get the kid he abandoned back? I would’ve liked to have seen Ryan a little bit more competent and capable and his job. Maybe dating someone else. But I also do not want any more episodes. This was more than enough. So instead no separation, just boyfriends and a montage of their lives together, getting new and better jobs, moving in together, being supportive and sweet, etc... LOOK: It’s never a good sign when I immediately want to rewrite the show that I just saw.

In conclusion:

A story about a group of interns at a commercial video production company. While I genuinely love OffGun, I’m not convinced this was a good vehicle for them. Is it terrible for me to say, I miss their PickRome days? I don’t think they’ve ever had rolls that suited them better. Still, theirs was the best storyline in this ensemble piece masquerading as a BL, although they still fumbled the ending. Thus, I enjoyed about a 1/3 of it as much as possible, and 2/3 of it less than conceivable. 7/10 and I seriously considered dropping it to a 6/10 so don't push me.

Love Sick 2024 (Thai Sun iQIYI) ep 1 of 15 - Not gonna lie I was very skeptical. But I like it fine. Better than I expected because it’s been changed just enough. But it does need to stay changed. I don’t know what I’m trying to articulate here but…... I guess we’ll see.

Live in Love (Sun Gaga) ep 3 of 5 - It’s cute in a weird disjointed way. I’m enjoying it enough, I guess. I do like how forthright and direct Kla is. 

Bad Guy My Boss (Thai Sun Gaga) ep 1 of 10 - Ah. Bully romance. My old frenemy. Of course making this office based means +10 for workplace harassment. Well well well. This will be red flag party town I see. How VERY old school yaoi. It’s all very Cdrama CEO = dudes in suits walking on parquet (minus all the gay sex of course.) The jumping around between times and unfinished scenes is very strange. Is this Starhunter chaos only applied to a timeline?

Imma say this so they hear it at the back. YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE HAIR. If you do time jumps: change. the. hair. It's the easiest and best clue if you aren't going to apply a filter or other cinematography tricks. JUST CHANGE THE DAMN HAIR STYLE.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

The On1y One (Taiwan Thurs Gaga) eps 9-10 of 12 - And now we all start using six dots in our……? A new coded way to indicate that one is into BL? I did think we were in a slight mire with ep 9, too much teacher filler. Not enough time spent with our boys. Meanwhile, sports day. Pouty Baby utilizing the power of Ge, in front of all of the classmates who do not realize how hard he is flirting and activating babygirl = one of the greatest things ever to happen on my screen. Essentially this was a version of the claiming trope, only nobody knew it but the two of them. Fucking genius. Yes, I watched it multiple times. Then babygirl is injured, the carrying and the flirting!!!! Gah!

I don’t mean to trivialize the show, but this is me and I can trivialize everything even something as brilliant as this. But that conversation about history at the beginning of ep 10...... Was that about topping and bottoming? Because it sure seemed that way.

And then...... Possibly the best only one bed trope twist ever?

This show is so fucking amazing.

And I am so worried about the end.

Sugar Dog Life (Japan Sun grey) ep 7 of 10 - I love the kinkyness of our baby boy’s fantasy. Where he is the gift and his boyfriend is in uniform. Very nice. Thank you Japan. Never one to let kinky dogs lie. Also, the premise continues: one half thinks that they are already boyfriends and acts like it, and the other half is still trying to become a boyfriend. It’s absurd in that way that only Japanese miscommunication extraordinaire can be absurd. Also could Kyosuke be any more under his boy’s thumb? 

Love is Like a Poison AKA Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (Japan Tues Netflix?) 1-2 of 10 eps - Shiba is a top lawyer, angular aggressive bespectacled workaholic cat-type (Kitten? Babygirl? Tsundere? Some unholy combination of all 3?) I am reminded I should be more considerate of my potted plants. OMG the teasing and the little tongue sticking out. Haruto is such a flirt. I love this dynamic. What fun! Manic pixie dream boy but MAKE HIM EVIL! Or very high? Or a grifter? I have absolutely no idea what’s going on. But I’m enjoying it. It’s very...... very

First Note Of Love (Taiwan Mon Gaga) ep 7 of 12 - Oh! Good kiss. Smart to have the younger character initiate. I also like that he put a stop to it and then went and had a long conversation with a friend about it. Cautious boy. Also shows how in control of the situation Sea is becoming. It works for this BL since he has the stronger personality. I don't care what the characters say, this is about Sea becoming a rock for Neil.

But the secondary couple is actually winning this show. I want so much more of them. 

Seoul Blues (Korea Fri? YouTube) ep 8fin - I’m not sure that blackmailing and entrapment, especially of your ex, necessarily justifies cheating. Plus I never like it when it’s gays against gays. But what did I expect from this show? This whole series was basically Korea’s version of messy gay. If you liked Only Friends you’ll probably enjoy this bullshit. And they were quite pretty. I, however, am monumentally displeased. 4/10 FATALLY FLAWED but still, basically, BL, however…... do we want to support this kind of behavior?

KOREA PLEASE GIVE US A NEW PROPER BL!! WHERE ARE YOU? WE ARE SAD AND LOST WITHOUT YOU.

It's like now they discovered boys can kiss they can't be happy.

It's airing but...

The Hidden Moon (Sat WeTV) ep 1 of 10 - This is a supernatural romance (my ghost boyfriend trope) by Violet Rain (I Feel You Linger). A man is hired to write an article about an old mansion in Chiang Mai being converted into a café. He sees the ghosts of people who died at the mansion, falls in love with one of them. Was substantially recast. I loved IFYLITA except the ending so I think I'll let this one run it's course you can tell me if it's work tracking down... if they managed to land it. I have my doubts.

Happy of the End (Japan Tues Gaga) - A boy is disowned for being gay, dumped by his boyfriend, and ends up in a dysfunctional co-dependant relationship with his would-be kidnapper. We were due for another messy JBL and it's exactly as expected. I do not like it at all. And ya know what? There is plenty airing. DNF 

In case you missed it

I FINISHED Meet You at the Blossom (China). I ate crow, binged the fucker, and live blogged the experience. I enjoyed it a lot and got quite witty (I think) there are also puns (warning). But if you don't wanna slog though it, here are my final thoughts:

This was undeniably a wuxia and most definitely a BL. Evil stunning princely Cheekbones meets and falls in love with the bisexual disaster Dimples of his dreams. There’s a lot of floaty fighting, tangled plot, and overworked emotions. From start to finish it is exactly as it claims to be, including more than the expected amount of sexual claiming (dubious conscent to the point of rape). I’m not wild about the wuxia genre, but I will tell you what I do like: Very pretty men in flowing robes + eye makeup + hair ribbons wafting about stabbing and kissing each other plus ridiculous soap opera machinations. I also like cheekbones and dimples. AND I love a stupid gay sleeve, okay? There was also truly epic levels of stink-eye, and that too is to be lauded. This show left me grinning like crazy. Was it great? Not really, but it was a great experience and I enjoyed it immensely. 8/10

4 Minutes (Gaga) Ended - Spies reported in to say the ending was not-exactly-unhappy and mostly lackluster. I'm torn over whether to watch. My natural disinclination to binge, meets my dissatisfaction with wishy-washy, is going up against my love of high heat and pretty men. Oh the age old struggle between art and lust.

Mitsuya-sensei no keimakutekina ezuke finished and it’s reported to be solid. Age gap treated with respect. I'm curious, so I'll check it out if I can get hold of non-G-drive subs.

Next Week Looks Like This:

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.

Still Coming Sept 2024:

9/28 Teenager Judge (Vietnam Sat YouTube) ?? eps - oh I don't know just Ba Vinh doing his thing with pretty boys again.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

I love love love this execution of the punishment trope. What's Ai going to do to you, Yu? Ride you to death?

I Saw You in My Dream indeed.

Sigh. This show. (Addicted Heroin)

All praise one of BL's best-in-show glow-ups. Nicely done, Jack.

James, on the other hand. Never needs a glow-up. Still the prettiest. Has been since Oxygen. (Battle of the Writers)

He's playing the role of Saint in this show, thank you very much. Speaking of which, wouldn’t that be just the most gorgeous pairing in the entire universe? Saint and James? I’ll be in my bunk. 

Taiwan giving us a boop! Reminds me of Be Loved In House I Do, right up there with TharnType as chronic boopers.

Why is he SO GOOD in this show?

All Frist Note.

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are a pain.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

Sigh, Tumblr in its infinite wisdom doesn't like too many at-ings.

[twig-tea]

It is such a wild time to be watching QL, there is SO MUCH every day. And a lot of it is really good?!

Today I watched EIGHT different shows, and of them, I was really happy with the episode for all but one. Here are a few words about the ones I had a good time with today:

Addicted Heroin Thailand crossed the first hurdle of adaptation by including the kidnapping scene. Looks like they're continuing to stay true to the source. I appreciated that this scene in particular retained the emotional core while toning down the SA threat (though Hero's desire is still very much present). This is a solid adaptation so far!

Reverse 4 U is using the powers so well, and I am loving the sister relationship, especially how they tease one another around their powers. It's also building to the relationship turn between Four and Wa in a believable way, which I'm really enjoying.

Peaceful Property is delightful and as @lurkingshan already articulated so well, I love what is being set up re: inequality. Plus this show is just so funny! it's balancing these two threads really well and doing a good job maintaining the haunting-of-the-week energy so far.

Love is like a poison had an incredible first episode, I love the effects and cutaways in this show, and the way it is making fun of its protagonist is so much fun. Ryoma is a dork with main character syndrome and I am obsessed with him. Curious how they're going to turn around this setup into a romance!

I Saw You In My Dream was a baller episode, @my-rose-tinted-glasses wrote about how great it is to see a conversation like this between friends as well as between lovers; all of the conversations in this episode were good (between both couples, between the besties, and between the parents). I really appreciate how, as many folks have said, everyone in a relationship in this episode wants to have sex, and the barriers to having sex are real and discussed openly. Big fan of everything in this ep. We've really departed from the dreams, which I think we need to get back to, but this ep was worth the deviation.

The On1y One continues to be incredible; Thank you in particular to Faiza (@usertoxicyaoi) who has been giffing like mad to capture every important conversation in this episode which was so many of them. The one about moving to the dorms together made me misty fr. I love when youths who did not get a chance to have a childhood get to blow bubbles.

Unlock Your Love also started today, I really enjoyed the very pulpy and trope-filled previous show this team put together (Lucky My Love) so I've been excited for this. We have a workplace GL filled with canon bisexuals, a grumpy/sunshine dynamic with a history from college, and a playgirl. I'm so seated.

I don't usually do a roundup post like this but it just hit me how much good television I got to watch today, and how rare it is that I have this good a time with almost everything I'm watching, and I needed to capture the moment.

Tomorrow, all 6 episodes of A Time of Fever drop on iQIYI, as well as How to Make a Million Before Grandma Dies on Netflix, and that's in addition to the episodes of The Onl1y one, The Two of Us, Monster Next Door, Twilight Out of Focus, and probably Seoul Blues that will be dropping too.

I'm really having trouble keeping up with everything airing, everything I want to write about it, and everything being said about the shows on tumblr. It's the best possible problem to have!

[sillypenguinwitch]

isaac's books in heartstopper s2

episode 1:

Tillie Walden: I Love This Part

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé: Ace of Spades

episode 2:

Nina LaCour: We Are Okay

Oscar Wilde: The Importance of Being Earnest

episode 3:

Ocean Vuong: Night Sky with Exit Wounds (the one he is carrying under his arm, I'm assuming that's his and not for the display?)

has read: Ritch C. Savin-Williams: Bi: Bisexual, Pansexual, Fluid, and Nonbinary Youth

Emily Henry: Book Lovers

episode 4:

Victor Hugo: Les Misérables

Antoine De Saint-Exupéry: The Little Prince

Kate Chopin: The Awakening

Nina LaCour: We Are Okay (again)

episode 5:

Albert Camus: The Outsider

episode 6:

Martin Handford: Where's Wally? The Great Picture Hunt

Meredith Russo: Birthday

Jules Verne: Around the World in Eighty Days

Sara Pennypacker: Pax Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret, Sophie Mas: How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are ? ? ? Damian Dibben: The Color Storm Alice Oseman: Loveless Susan Stokes-Chapman: Pandora Katy Hessel: The Story of Art Without Men ? Evelyn Waugh: Rossetti Arthur Conan Doyle: The Hound of the Baskervilles A.O. Scott: Better Living Through Criticism ?: Then We Came to an End (?) Ruth Millington: Muse Dr. Jaqui Lewis: Fierce Love Charlotte Van Den Broek: Bold Ventures - Thirteen Tales of Architectural Tragedy ?

Richard Siken: Crush

episode 7:

Garrard Conley: Boy Erased

George Matthew Johnson: All Boys Aren't Blue

Samra Habib: We Have Always Been Here

episode 8:

Akemi Dawn Bowman: Summer Bird Blue

Angela Chen: Ace

bonus:

Truham school library pride display (seen in ep. 3 and 8):

top to bottom, left to right: Angela Chen: Ace Andrew Holleran: The Kingdom of Sand Mary Jean Chan and Andrew McMillan: 100 Queer Poems Scott Stuart: My Shadow Is Pink Lotte Jeffs: My Magic Family Tucker Shaw: When You Call My Name Ritch C. Savin-Williams: Bi - Pansexual, Fluid, Nonbinary and Fluid Youth Alok Vaid-Menon: Beyond the Gender Binary George M. Johnson: All Boys Aren’t Blue Mason Deaver: I Wish You All the Best Alex Gino: George Melissa

on top of shelves (left to right): Kevin Van Whye: Nate Plus One Xixi Tian: This Place is Still Beautiful Becky Albertalli: Leah on the Offbeat Mya-Rose Craig: Birdgirl Bernardine Evaristo: Girl, Woman, Other Connie Glynn: Princess Ever After Saundra Mitchell: The Prom

Charlie's choice at Shakespeare and Co (ep. 6): Allan Hollinghurst: The Swimming Pool Library

That's it for now.

Sorry about the ones i couldn't identify and sorry if i missed any! Might try and do some of the ones in Isaac's room later but that'll take a minute

[mikuni14]

Century of Love - Ep 3

Oh, but I loved this episode! I was afraid that San would be an asshole and go to Vee out of sheer necessity to help himself, not to apologize to him. AND THAT'S WHAT HE DID! 😆 But it was very cleverly done. First, San denies that he will absolutely, under NO circumstances, marry Vee, even if he were to DIE. Then the goddess wipes the floor with him and San gives up lmao, goes to Vee and proposes an ARRANGE MARRIAGE FOR MONEY!

Yes, Vee, me too, I was like :OOOO the whole time 😆😆😆 What a brilliant idea to preserve San's dick..nessy?, his "faithfulness" to Wat, and at the same time significantly move the plot forward. In general, I really like the way the action unfolds and doesn't waste time on boring stuff, stupidity and classic misunderstandings in this situation, which I totally expected. San quickly finds out that Vee is innocent, Vee already knows about the magic stone and that San is an everyone's favorite oji-chan and about the reincarnation. I also really like the idea of ​​marriage, I think it's brilliant.

I also liked the scene in Vee's apartment. He himself masking his pain, anger, guilt and injustice with laughter and self-deprecation, because he screwed up his life with a stupid mistake and simply being poor. And San, who came to Vee all angry and bristling, and at one point looked at Vee - and himself - in a different way, realizing that Vee was now where he once was. It was very good. I really appreciate moments like this in my BLs 💖

Chibi San as usual did not disappoint, this kid deserves all the awards. He was exactly the perfect mix of grumpy and sweet 🧁 And the way he carries himself in these oversized clothes, like it's no big deal, just everyday activity lol what a little dude! I kind of want to see BTS scenes with him, is he naturally like that :)

San's family is still fantastic. How much do they put up with grandpa's bullsh... I mean his complicated love life, which is also their main source of entertainment lol

The series tirelessly revolves around the topic of death, the difficulties of accepting it and separation from the person to whom one owes so much, and the determination to stop it, even at the cost of everything.

Daou and Offroad really give their all in this series, I don't know how Daou manages these constant scenes of acting out pain. And Offroad seamlessly switches between the always smiling Vee (how often it's a mask he wears so that others don't worry about him or not interfered in his problems, assuming that he was ok?), and those moments when he shows his pain and stress and anger at what his life is like and how he is being treated by life, strangers and circumstances. Also, Offroad is incredibly beautiful and has moments when he looks so seductively, for example in the scene in Vee's apartment when San is thinking about Vee and himself from the past and catches Vee's looking at him… gods 🔥🔥🔥 (hope someone will gif it! 👉👈). I'm going crazy because of them.

Wild theory time! Grandma is Wat, she will eat a stone and regain her youth and look like a young Wat, but San will already be half in love with Vee. Chaos ensues hehe 🤡

[ranchthoughts]

moments of ephemerality/permanence/YOLO/photography/voyeurism/control/hypocrisy etc. etc. in Only Friends ep. 6

first, where we've been so far

Permanence vs. ephemerality

in romantic relationships: Mew asking Top to meet his parents at the end of the year IF they are still together, Top insisting they would be still together and multiple times over the episode talking about being with Mew for the long haul/forever

in platonic relationships: Mew telling Ray they will be friends forever, Ray confronting everyone at the bar with uncomfortable truths while telling Mew he will always support him, Sand telling Top they will never be friends vs. Top asking Sand why he can't just let bygones be bygones

And a more general comment: while there was a ton of fallout from last episode, particularly from the fight in Sand and Nick's apartment, there was also a lot of... moving past it? At least on the surface. Sand didn't contact Ray for a while but when they were back together again at the pool table Sand told Ray there was nothing to be mad about, Ray can have feelings for whoever he wants. Sand also seemed happy for Nick spending time with Boston, despite Boston breaking up their nice evening the other day. Ray and Boston are on thin ice but were still attending meetings with the professor and Mew's birthday in the same room - this did quickly go south over the course of the episode, but before that they didn't seem to have told anyone else about their blow up. Things continued to simmer and spilled over in a big way this episode, but it made me wonder, like Chueam not telling April about her short films, how often fights and betrayals have happened in the past and how often they've been pushed down and smoothed over and ignored in this friend group. @lurkingshan noted a similar thought in the comments on her post here; that we are seeing the relationships between the characters shift very quickly from episode to episode and that is another example of ephemerality.

Another big win for the ephemerality squad came through this episode: the reveal that that if Boston doesn't graduate, he will go live in New York with his mother. Boston's dad frames it as "if he doesn't graduate" but Boston talking to Nick afterwards makes it sound like a done deal - Boston doesn't plan on graduating, or if he does, he's going to New York anyways. Boston doesn't need to try, he's immune to consequences: fail school and he gets to go to New York; antagonize his friends irreparably and he will be in New York and never have to see them again. There's no need to build permanent, lasting connections with people (romantic or platonic) if he is planning on jumping ship, so no need to treat people around him with care or respect or be accountable for his actions. We've been talking about proximity based friendships lately and here's another example; to Boston, his time here, and his relationships with these people, have an expiration date. (I wonder if Mew, Ray, and Chueam know?)

Two more thoughts:

Sand's mom says he shouldn't be worrying about her but instead living his "wild teenaged life" (encouraging ephemerality, connecting ephemerality with youth), but also cautions him that one day his "we have fun sometimes" relationship with Ray might one day not be fun anymore (encouraging permanence and lasting relationships? or telling him to walk if he isn't having fun, i.e. encouraging ephemerality?).

Mew tells Ray that if he keeps this lifestyle up he will be dead before he hits 30 - the theme of death, the fleetingness of life, and consequences! This hits harder knowing what we do about Ray's past (and Ray's past with Mew), and given the jacket that Ray is wearing which reads "Is your life worth something?" on the back. This is the question Ray struggles with, and it impacts his relationships with others too (Sand desperately offering Ray love and Ray, unable to believe someone would genuinely care for him, lashing out).

Changing and not changing

Last episode there was a lot about changing: Nick going to the gym and switching up his wardrobe, Ray experiencing a day in Sand's life, Mew having sex, Top and Mew exchanging "I love you", Boston talking about settling down, Mew deciding to get Lasik. This episode, we had more changes and a lot of characters commenting on whether or not change is possible:

Mew says: change takes time and words are not enough, that it is hard to stop loving someone so easily

Top says: people can change, he has changed for Mew (giving up his playboy ways and drugs) and he can continue to change for Mew [though who knows if he has actually given up drugs, and he did sleep with Boston while Mew and him were together], but Ray can't change (he will always be in love with Mew and trying to get with him)

Sand says: some people - like Top - can't change ("once a prick, always a prick"), Nick has changed (his wardrobe and his interests, as he gets more into extreme sports)

Ray: Ray wants Mew to be happy and find someone good, even if it doesn't involve him, showing a change in his thoughts and feelings about Mew (Mew still matters a lot to him, but he's working on letting him go). People can change - though it might not be easy

Can these characters change? That remains to be seen. A lot of the changes we've seen so far have been questionable (did Top give up drugs for Mew? does Boston have any longing to settle down?) or it's still too early in the series to tell if they will stick (Nick's new wardrobe, Ray getting over Mew, etc.).

This idea of whether or not people can change relates to the theme of labels we've explored previously (1, 2). People get labeled by others and it can be very hard to shake those appellations or the expectations attached to them. We see that in this episode, like when Ray approaches Mew in the bathroom and Mew assumes he's there to get high and begins lecturing him about safety, or when the friend group is talking to their professor and Chueam says "Even Boston is helping a lot. Surprised?". These labels can limit and affect our own self-perceptions too (the best example being Ray, who has firmly internalized the idea of being a "burden").

To use an example for the types of questions I am mulling over: Is Top changing for Mew (did he actually give up drugs, etc.)? Is Top sincere about wanting to change for Mew (is he enjoying the monogamous life), is this something he is enjoying? Is it possible for Top to change sincerely in some ways ("for Mew") and not in others (e.g., how differently Top behaves with Mew vs. with Sand and others)? Is Sand right that "once a prick, always a prick"? Is Boston right that Top will always be a playboy? What does it say about Sand and Boston that they assume Top can't change; is Sand and Boston (and others) assuming Top can't change preventing him from changing (sincerely)? Has Top internalized the labels other people assign him (playboy, top-tier, prick) to the extent that he cannot be anything else, that these will always be a part of him?

@neuroticbookworm wrote here that "the self-identities of the youth is fleeting and ephemeral," and notes these characters are fighting and comparing themselves to one another without knowing who they or their friends are, and the hypocrisy and insecurity in that. A lot of the change and absence of change we see in these characters comes from a place of comparison: Nick wants to change to be more like Top (switching up his wardrobe, going to the gym, etc.), Boston refuses to change who he is because he needs to prove his way/ideology is Right and Better than Mew's (though he does express interest in settling down... after Mew and Top start getting cozy [though again, does he mean it?]), Mew has sex with Top as he fears losing him to his playboy past/other people who will have sex with him, etc.

And along with comparison, and the insecurity and hypocrisy in that, comes the idea of control: if we can control how other people are seen (through the enforcement of labels), we can control how we are seen and make ourselves look superior (setting ourselves up in opposition to the labels we give other people), and we can make sure our superiority remains unquestioned (by enforcing other people's labels so hard they can't escape, even in their own heads). Of course, control itself has been fleeting and ephemeral in this show - the characters are grasping at straws to maintain some sort of control/superiority over their friends and the situation.

Ownership

Speaking of control, I wanted to throw a couple of ideas into the ring.

At the pool party in episode 3, Top asks Mew to leave, Mew says he wants to stay and help Ray, Ray responds sharply and tells Top "He doesn't want to go. Don't make him". Top, sensitive to challenges from others (and especially from Ray), immediately ups the ante and is more snarky than he usually is in front of Mew, reminding Ray of who Mew's one and only boyfriend is, then drags Mew off.

Here, Sand is antagonizing Top and Top snaps, saying "I get anyone I want. What about you? Who do you get?"* We saw Top speaking like this at the very beginning of the series - like Boston, he takes pride he who he can "get" and keep.

*again, comparisons. And insinuating Top is better because he can get (and keep) a boyfriend, unlike Sand.

At Mew's birthday party in the bar, after Yo jokingly asked her boyfriend if she can date Mew for the day. Top plays it his response off as charming and loving protectiveness, and others agree, but interesting to consider given the types of comments Top makes (when Mew isn't around).

All the above reminds me of the multiple times this series Top has casually tried to sway Mew's opinions, specifically against Ray.

In episode 5, he insinuates that Ray doesn't work hard on this project, that Mew deserves better, that Mew should change the project to being at Top's hotel. In episode 6, Mew brings up Ray and Top says "Why are you still friends with him? He's never going to stop liking you." Top frames these as simple observations, just friendly suggestions because he cares about Mew (his smiles, his carefully casual tone, "What? *laughs* Am I wrong?", "Honestly...," "You're such a good friend and boyfriend. No one can get over you easily"), not something that Mew necessarily has to do or take to heart but Top can't help but notice... But we know Top knows Ray doesn't like him and that Ray has feelings for Mew, and given Top's expression when he found Ray at Mew's house in episode 4, when he learned Ray was Mew's first kiss, when Ray challenged him at the pool party, when Ray spoke encouragingly to Mew while lambasting everyone else at the bar... Top doesn't like Ray either. These casual, friendly observations and suggestions feel a lot more pointed. Ray is a challenge to Top, and Top wants him gone - preferably without alarming or alerting Mew to his true intentions.

A few people have noted the interesting split between Top-with-Mew and Top-with-others, how he becomes cockier, snarkier, meaner, and more possessive (see: Top with Nick, Top with Sand), and I'm looking forward to keeping my eye on it, especially now as Mew has thrown back the covers and Top is on the defensive.

If I can throw another observation into the ring... Ray speaking about Mew: "I want you to be happy. Whatever you decide to do, whoever you choose, I hope it all turns out great". I think this also speaks to Ray and his own lack of self-worth, but it's an interesting comparison to make between Top and Mew and Ray and Mew, who seem to have a closer and more genuine friendship that the others in the group (despite Mew's careless comments and lecturing about Ray's drinking and habits, and the love and expectations Ray has pinned on Mew after he saved him in the bathtub). Also! Very interesting to note given what @twig-tea points out in this post: that when Mew is sleeping Ray kisses him on the lips and Top kisses him on the forehead. I have no conclusions, only observations...

Boundaries and hypocrisy

Nick tells Gap: "Not replying means I don't want to see you. How dare you walk in and greet me," when in episode 4 we had Boston accosting Top in an elevator after the latter ignored his messages. @bengiyo pointed out another hypocritical parallel - Boston continues "I don't want to be friends with someone who sneakily recorded me"... having of course sneakily recorded his friends Ray and Mew. Again, Boston has firm boundaries about himself (don't contact me if I am ignoring your messages, don't take intimate photos of me) that he does not follow/steps past for other people (harassing Top in the elevator, taking intimate photos of Nick and Mew and Ray).

Recording and voyeurism

The one sex tape to rule them all continues to get passed around the friend group, finally reaching the subjects themselves. I expect more fallout to come (Boston's dad still has his campaign and Boston still doesn't know where the recording came from), but what we got was delicious. I wondered if the car recording would be questioned or disbelieved by anyone, given it's only audio and no visuals, but apparently everyone can recognize Boston and Top by their moans! There's something to be said about trust too, how Ray immediately trusts the recording Sand plays for him, Mew immediately trusts the recording Ray plays for him...

Top did some recording of his own, this time with a paper and pen (after seeing him take notes last episode on his and Mew's work date). He presented Mew with a collection of drawings he's done of him, capturing moments from their relationship in a permanent pen and paper form. I wonder also - with drawing, is there even more of an ability to construct the narrative... photography captures what is there, while drawing you can adjust what you'd like. This fits in the recurring theme of voyeurism too - Top drawing Mew when he's sleeping or otherwise not aware.

I remember on Tumblr ages ago someone talking about Sand and Ray and audio (records), Boston and Nick and visual (photos), and speculating that Top and Mew might have something to do with writing/drawing (I can't remember who said it, but I know @distant-screaming has been playing with this concept too). Here we go!

tagging the ephemerality squad: @chickenstrangers, @clara-maybe-ontheroad, @distant-screaming, @lurkingshan, @neuroticbookworm, @rocketturtle4, @slayerkitty , @twig-tea , @waitmyturtles , @wen-kexing-apologist

[mylittleredgirl]

finally, m*a*s*h update!

season four disc two! ("quo vadis, captain chandler" to "dear ma")

there is a LOT going on in the frank and margaret department

i kind of tipped my hand here when i posted about my new obsession, but even if you are not circling the drain on this doomed ship... the Unresolved Breakup Tension is fuckin WILD in this disc

she literally punches him in the face!!! how was that not a breakup!

but then he buys her something or does something to charm or impress her, and it works! then he blows it again!! rinse and repeat!!!! i am 👀🍿

sam and diane from cheers are still theeee platonic ideal of slap-slap-kiss but these clowns definitely walked so they could run

i literally jumped off the couch when his wife found out, aaaaa it's so juicy

I'M SORRY i realize this doesn't speak well of me as a person, but those long close-ups on her face as she voluntarily eavesdrops on him dismissing their relationship (twice!!) and her heart gets fully crushed??? i could eat popcorn to this all day.

this is the kind of dysfunctional relationship that my artist friends would choose in our youth so that we could Suffer and Make Art, so i really hope margaret is writing terrible poetry about it

anyway, we're peroxide-roots deep into GIRL WHY??!??

and then bj very gently explains to radar that well, see, frank and margaret both kinda suck and we're in the middle of nowhere, so they're all they've got

and i had to spend three or four days staring at the ceiling about it, because YEAH. it's not just that they're each other's only rank-appropriate source of star-spangled orgasms

(and they both care far more about military hierarchy than they do about marital fidelity)

but they are so consistently unkind to everyone around them that they have no other choice for any human connection full stop.

i'm not even talking about their ongoing bullying war with hawkeye and trapper or bj, because that's dirty pool on both sides, but i could count on one hand the number of times either of them have interacted with a subordinate nurse or enlisted man without threatening them. like they literally would not have anyone else to talk to.

but the reveal that she still wants to MARRY HIM? oh god. ohhhh honey. noooo.

that fake proposal prank was so genuinely mean. mostly because they ruined her hot date! 👏 let 👏 margaret 👏 fuck 👏 random 👏 dudes 👏

"isn't general barker the one who wanted you to spank him?" lmaoooo

OKAY i swear i can talk about other things:

hawkeye continues to just NOT pull without trapper here. the nurses are fully dismissing or ignoring his efforts, and honestly is he even trying that hard?? have we seen him get even one date?

i've been trying to come up with an "intricate rituals" joke about hawkeye and trapper but where the rituals are... girls. you get me.

i re-watched the pilot and the desk ep (for frank/margaret reasons DON'T JUDGE ME), and hawkeye and trapper LITERALLY end the pilot handcuffed together, and in the next episode talk about sharing a nurse. how am i supposed to take this???

speaking of nurses, you know that little 🙄 you have to ignore in 2024 whenever the women on m*a*s*h get called honey and sweetheart and baby on the job (though tbh i worked on a construction site and an ad sales office in the 2010's and got the same treatment -- but in the modern day it's done ironically babe)

BUT when potter calls margaret "good girl" after he gets shot??? total opposite feeling. i literally had to pause and take a moment. he's her dad now.

also when he tucks radar in???? everyone's dad actually

in loving memory of radar's other dad though, two important points:

how proud would henry have been of drunk & disorderly radar??

and henry's "i've always wondered if i might be radar's dad" bit is genuinely 900% funnier now that we know radar's mom looks EXACTLY like him.

i don't think i have ever circled back to talk about klinger, who became so so so awesome

it's so funny that in klinger's very first appearance and 30 times since then, he has been told straight up that wearing women's clothes will never work to get him out of the army. there's no explanation for his commitment to this particular form of passive resistance except that he genuinely loves it

the swamp rats built a still and klinger got a sewing machine and learned a craft. he's so good at it!! his looks are 🔥

i feel uncomfortable when i see him in fatigues tbh. it happened a few times in this disc and i would like it to Stop actually

also precious baby father mulcahey... Protect Him.

i LOVE that everyone showed up for his church service when the grand poobah chaplain was in town. they love each other!!! (also the life magazine jeep shoot!!!)

"quo vadis, captain chandler" was really good. i'm still over colonel flagg's whole deal but i now understand why everyone loves sidney freedman, and the guest actor they had playing not-jesus was incredible

bj continues to be the best little brother hawkeye could have asked for

also he maybe invented cpr?

i didn't say much about him here but I LOVE HIM and also his off-screen wife

forward and onward!!!

[monsteroftheweekpodcast]

Hey Chris and Jeremy ! This is my first ever ask on Tumblr and the second time I've written into a podcast.

I'm very late to the party but I'm enjoying it nonetheless (this is about the pod in general, but also Supernatural). Still His Kingdom Keeps was recommended to me towards the end of last year when I'd literally just started my own Merlin rewatch ! Feeling quite alone during my first year of uni the Merlin rewatch was necessary, and it was great to meet and get to know you guys !! As someone who is a sad nerd, I really enjoyed your company (although I was quite horrified when you revealed how old you both were in one ep lol. The thought of me (a 20 year old girl) laughing her tits off at home alone to two middle(?) aged American men, really weirded me out. You'll be glad to hear that my friends all disagreed with this), because I must always create parasocial relationships with my fave podcast hosts :)

Anyway, I got to the end of SHKK and couldn't really part ways with you guys, and obvs heard you mention the Supernatural pod, so thought I'd hop on over to that. I've never seen any of Supernatural, but being in fandom I knew of Destiel. As I type this, I'm listening to ep.30 which is part way through season 4, so I'm making moves ! I don't know if I'll end up listening to all the episodes (a lot of people on Tumblr say to stop watching at the end of season 5, so I suppose I could stop there ?) but so far I'm enjoying it so much. I also don't think I'll ever actually watch the show because I'm a pussy and don't like gore/horror etc.

But I just wanted to send a message to let you know how much of a positive effect on people (you've heard it before, and no one will read this, but I wanted to put my two pence in !). It's stupid how much joy you bring and how much love I have for you. And who knows, maybe I'll get round to Non Human Biologies, even though again, I've never seen X-Files.

I never know how to end these...

Oh, I will also say, I adore the outtakes (kinda wish more pods I listen to did this !) even though AGAIN I know nothing about video games, anime/manga. I just like hearing you guys chat :)

Thanks for helping to make a dull girl's, dull life a bit brighter <3

Much love, Molly xx (she/her, 20, from UK)

Alright so first off, Chris isn't middle aged. Or at least he wasn't when we started (since then I've stolen all his youth).

Second: there's SO MUCH good Supernatural after S5 don't listen to the haters.

Finally, thank you SO MUCH for the kind words. It means so much to Chris and I when we get messages like this. Its still WILD to me that our dumb podcast about hunks (they're ALL about hunks) can have such an effect on people. We love you so much!!!! AHHHHHHH

[soundsaboutrighttumblr]

Stray thoughts about The eighth sense, in no particula order, now that I’ve finished watching:

- The parallel of the therapist and the diner boss? Like this last ep’s scene where Jaewon sat with her and she got answers out of him so casually, it made me think back to their very first appearances on screen, it struck me then how their faces, first the therapist and then the diner lady were cut so close after one another, that I had to rewind a moment to check if they were the same actress at first glance. The function of an experienced older lady friend who is willing to listen to your stories, interested in the youth and their problems, and all the ways therapy/emotional work for growth can look like with a support system? Especially for young men maybe?

- the shots of the therapy sessions mirrored in those glass orbs, that give the association of small bubbles? like small bubbles outside of reality, a mirror to it, focusing some aspects for Jaewon, but being a small enclosed world nonetheless? We see the therapist reflected in those, reachng out, handing over prescriptions? It does feel like a limited reach and inflence, when she is in there, in contrast to when she moves freely in the room like in that last scene of hers with Jaewon, behind him and provoking him from the side, much more an interaction.

- the ocean metaphor with all its facets, if the ocean is life, or emotionality, we have all the variants for Jaewon: the fish tank in therapy as a tamed confined ocean safe to look at, the wild and dangerous waved of the real ocean, that Jaewon surfes and that make him happy, that he seeks out. The Han river and how he dips his toes in in that last ep, reconnecting with waters, emotions, a body of water that is closer within reach...

- in that context also the song Yoon Won sings at the campfire at the beach? about life tossing you inside the waves but that’s okay you will get through it’s just what life is, you can fall, it’s a part of it, also foreshadowing

- Jaewon’s secret photography account as a sign to us that no, his hope and dreams are not dead, just well hidden, but there’s actually a person still under that depression-paralyzed rigidity and frozen exterior

- how Yoon Won’s display of emotionality, there in the club room, her close up tears and struggle is what shakes Jaewon out of his rigor? How the therapist said ‘you are so caught up in your own trauma that you forget others’, and then we see the pain on Yoon Won’s face as she voices her struggles that must be a close mirror to Jaewon’s own emotional inner struggles and monologues, and suddenly, from out of the frame Jaewon reaches in, emphatically responsive in a way he could not fully be with Jihyun a moment before, where he still sat robot like, just holding out to preserve his armor because, not being able to allow that connection just yet,  Jihyun is too close still to his own trauma and warped need to protect, but underneath his depression Jaewon is empathic af, and the sincere responsiveness in his reaction then, that maybe is as important for accessing his own healing as it is important for Yoon won?

I’ll surely think of others, but. Man.

[rilu-artblog]

“Send me a character”, for any of the Broflovski’s?

My time has come

Sorry not sorry Anon, I'm doing all of the (main) Broflovski's, I may never have this chance again

Starting from oldest to youngest:

GERALD

First impression First saw him in the FBW games, was wondering why this naked man was huffing cat piss and acting like a little bitch

Impression now Babygirl man, one of my faves, so underappreciated, still a little bitch tho lol

Favorite moment Sosososoooo many it's either him getting super into trolling in 20x02 or when he's cheesing and runs into the boob lady and goes "curse your rocking tits". Or the entire hot tub scene. Or when he smashes the tv playing family guy. Or-

Idea for a story I have so many, but would love anything that explores his youth or him and Sheila's relationship before marriage/having kids

Unpopular opinion Some people are too hard on him and are way more ready to declare him a bad dad instead of making him a fully rounded parent. Also I don't like when people divorce him and Sheila, I love them together. Which leads to...

Favorite relationship Love love love him with Sheila, they're my favorite parent relationship and so 3 dimensional. I also like when he's actually being a good dad to Ike or Kyle. Also also StuartxGerald is way more interesting than RandyxGerald

Favorite headcanon Genuinely have no idea, I like the idea that the reason for him being Skankhunt was because he was high on memberberry wine or something lol

Sheila

First impression From the movie and the games as first impressions, she sure is a bitch I guess

Impression now She has done literally nothing wrong ever in her entire life and is so hot

Favorite moment The entire movie and the boss fight in TFBW. In show, the UPS man scene (U///U)

Idea for a story Just like with Gerald, would love to see anything showing her youth in Jersey and that transition from wildest bitch ever to overprotective mom

Unpopular opinion I don't like when people make her wildly OOC and abusive/homophobic to Kyle, but I also don't like when people imply she's the better parent compared to Gerald and that she needs to divorce him to be happy. Like, no lol

Favorite relationship Her and Gerald of course, she would find him in any universe. She does need more friendships tho, give her and Sharon more scenes together!

Favorite headcanon Uhh it's not a happy one but I do like the headcanon that she had miscarriages before Kyle, which is why she's so protective over him and why they adopted Ike

Kyle!

First impression First SP thing I saw was a SoT playthrough, was rooting for him and the elves and thought his design was cool

Impression now My fave of the main 4, probably second favorite of all the show, think it's wild he causes so much discourse in the fandom lol

Favorite moment Too many, either the entire "Willzyx" ep where he loves orcas (just like me fr) or him yelling in general

Idea for a story Idk??? More post covid stuff or stuff where he's older in general and has his kids. I want to see him be a dad

Unpopular opinion Not him directly but his fans are either super chill or superrrr insufferable. Especially if they have him as a PFP. Also don't immediately give him bad parents, at least let him be the one main kid with decentish parents lol.

Favorite relationship No surprise, really like his friendship with Stan, they should never be separated even if it hurts them or others lol. I do like K2, Nichole and him and David and him together as either friends or romantic

Favorite headcanon Is being premature a headcanon? If so then yeah, preemie Kyle. Also that he's actually a psychic/reality warper but has no time for that and ignores it lol

Ike

First impression Baby boy, baby

Impression now The baby is disconcertingly right-leaning politically, needs more screentime lol

Favorite moment So many, everything he does in the pilot or Season 20

Idea for a story Uhh nothing, I don't think of solely Ike stories, maybe something where he and Gerald hash it out after Gerald tried to throw him under the bus

Unpopular opinion Idk?? Ok why do people ship him and Firkle, is it just because of age?

Favorite relationship He and Kyle have the best sibling relationship, mostly because they're the most focused on but still. I like that he's the moral compass for the entire Broflovski family

Favorite headcanon Cool uncle Ike! That's all I've got boss.

[formosusiniquis]

Hello your friendly neighborhood children’s librarian bringing you the most retired rockstar/dad!Eddie book ever. All images are from My Dad Used to Be So Cool by Keith Negley (which you should check out if you can get your hands on a copy from your library, there are some great illustrations that I didn’t include.)

Anyway post Vecna Eddie and Corroded Coffin get semi-big. Nothing wild, they aren’t the next Metallica but they do well enough to go on a Nationwide (plus Canada) tour, they put out a couple of albums, get some radio play. They aren’t a household name, but they’re beloved by the people in the scene and in the know. It’s a good life, more than a young Eddie could have ever hoped for. It’s the mid-90s and their initial contract is coming to a close, Eddie and the guys have a decision to make: are they going to resign and try to make it even bigger or are they going to finish out their run, do a couple of farewell shows and quietly retire.

Eddie and Steve have been a thing since the first Corroded Coffin EP dropped. Eddie’s heart is in his lyrics and Steve has been their biggest fan since Eddie left Hawkins to make it big. Long distance has been hard. So hard. But Eddie comes home to a tiny apartment in Indianapolis that Steve and Robin share every chance he can. He’s written every album since the first one at the battered wooden kitchen table that Robin saved from the curb. Steve goes to the shows that he can and Eddie comes back to Indianapolis every chance he gets, but as Steve starts his social work job it becomes a lot harder to go to shows more than a couple hours away.

There’s a decision to make. Eddie and the band are in Chicago meeting with their agent for what might be the last time when he gets a page from Steve: SOS. Eddie is panicked when he gets to the phone, calling Steve’s work phone like he was told and expecting the worst. The Upside Down is back, Robin has been hurt, Dustin has been hurt, Steve has been hurt. It’s worse, when Steve answers with a calm, “Steve Harrington speaking.”

“Don’t ‘Steve Harrington speaking’ me, what the hell!”

“Eddie! I’ve got the best news.”

Now he’s got two decisions to make. A coworker of Steve’s has a baby that needs a home, five months old with a dead mom and a deadbeat dad and the story is a little too familiar for Eddie who knows how important stability is for a kid. “Her name is Christina, Eddie, I think it’s meant to be.”

Eddie has become a big believer in fate. He’s got two decisions to make today, they might be the easiest decisions that he’s ever made.

Eight years fly by. Eddie had squirreled away most of his Corroded Coffin money and with Steve’s salary he’s able to stay home with Chris most of the time. He’s mellowed out over the years, Wayne had warned him when they first brought Christina back to the little two bedroom they purchased that fatherhood changed you and he could see it now. His hair is shorter, his sweetheart spends more time hanging on the wall than it does in his hands, he has become a lot more acquainted with the vacuum cleaner then he had in his wild youth.

It’s a Saturday and Stevie has gotten called in to handle an emergency placement leaving Chris and him to have a daddy/daughter day. Chris giggles the way kids do when Steve leaves with a kiss to her forehead and eliciting a promise that she'll keep dad out of trouble. One part pleased at the responsibility, one part disbelief that dad could be cool enough to be trouble at all.

"Alright my knight errant, you've accepted your quest from King Daddy. Now you've got to help me clean the house if you're going to keep me out of trouble."

"Will I get a reward? I think this quest is worth a bajillion gold."

She squeals and giggles, a sound that could break him from Vecna's curse, as Eddie picks her up from her chair at the table and spins her round and round. "I think you should stop listening to Uncle Dustin. How about we go to the park, is that a fitting reward?"

“Those terms are acceptable.”

“And less time with Auntie Erica, jeebus kiddo.”

Christine Harrington-Munson knows that cleaning the house is really code for making sure all her toys are picked up off the floor so Dad can clean the floors. Which they are, she’s a lot more like Daddy in that respect. She likes to have her dolls and ponies lined up in rows where she can see them when they aren’t having adventures; her jewelry from her Aunts is in the jewelry box that they gave her. So she follows Dad around the house while he cleans up his mess. Shoes kicked into the closet with the drumset, little statues from his game he plays with her uncles go back into his office. The one with the posters on the walls that Daddy made Dad frame, that have Dad’s face on him from when he was young before she was born. He’s all screamy and sweaty and he’s got eyeliner on like Aunt Robin wears. She’s pretty sure Dad used to be in a band.

Her friends from school say she’s lucky cause she got a cool dad when she got adopted. She knows which dad they’re talking about; Daddy works more than Dad does, has to help other kids who are waiting to get adopted or who can’t live with their grownups anymore, so Dad is the one who usually picks her up from school when he gets done doing the mid-morning radio show.

She doesn’t really get it.

Dad is kinda lame. He’s cooler than Katie’s dad who always snores on the couch whenever she’s over. He’s definitely cooler than Mikey’s mom who always makes faces when Dad picks her up from school in short sleeves. He’s a billion, million times cooler than Shelby’s dad who said something to Daddy the one time they had a sleepover and now Shelby’s parents are getting divorced. But saying Dad is cooler than them is like saying that Barbie is cooler than Skipper, he always sings his dad music when they’re cleaning the house together and he does silly voices when they’re talking together.

So maybe he used to be cool a hundred years ago when he was the guy in those posters, but now he’s just Dad. Something must have happened ‘cause Uncle Lucas is still really cool and so are Aunt Max and Aunt Robin.

Cleaning the house with Dad always goes a lot faster than it does with Daddy. Once the floors have been vacuumed and the counters are cleared they’re in the van headed to their favorite park.

The other moms and dads hang out by the benches watching their kids run around. Dad reaches the edge where the grass stops and the mulch starts and pauses, he bends down into a bow. “As promised my faithful knight, your reward. We’ve got an hour here before we go see if Daddy can take a break for lunch.”

“Can I give you a quest? Can we find a dragon before we go to Daddy?”

“A noble quest, my lady.” He uses one of his silly voices, one that sounds like a fancy grandpa. She knows he always tries to wrestle with her when he uses that voice, but even then he gets an arm wrapped around her before she can run across the yard. He swings her around and tosses her, “a head start on our quest, m’lady.” She lands with the bent knees and forward roll that Aunt Max taught her.

Dad chases her around the park for the full hour, letting her lead them through bushes and into the playground tunnels. He points out tracks that might belong to their dragon, says he’ll be her wizard if she carries the sword, Dad finds a stick and presents it to her like it’s a weapon. He sweeps her up when it’s time for lunch, “Noble knight, we must not get lost on our quest for the dragon. We must obtain sustenance and we can return later with aid from our King.”

She rides back to the car on his shoulders, times like these she can almost see what her friends mean when they say that he’s cool. “Dad, can we get a dog?”

The music in the car is quiet, but the guitar is sharp and bright. He bobs his head up and down in time with it, catching her eyes in the rear view mirror as he does, “I think that’s a talk Daddy needs to be part of too, Chris. Give him those sad eyes and I bet he says yes.” He turns the radio up a little more, one of those softer songs that he spins Daddy around the kitchen to is on, “We can bring it up at lunch if you want, ladybug, but you gotta take care of it if he says yes. A dog is a big responsibility.”

Yeah, no, she still doesn’t get why anyone would think that her Dad was cool.

[lets-curse-each-other]

The latest ep gave some thoughts about Gojo's childhood.

The great heir of six eyes was born, strong, perfect, welcomed. And from the very beginning of his life people couldn't leave him in peace.

Every time Satoru was shown in his early years he looked gloomy. Pretty strong contrast to his youth and late 20s behavior. Unfortunately, it's not suprising: the "honored one" wasn't considered as a child, as a simple boy, but some exciting, even dreadful exhibit, which additionally was chased by sorcerers. And followers were mostly not the ones who simply tried to satisfy their curiosity and gawk at THIS VERY GOJO'S SIX EYES. Sorcerers plotted to assault Satoru, probably many times until he realized his power.

I think he was a troublesome boy, who ran away from home, swore with parents and disrupted lessons. The scene in the episode is telling in this regard: he is walking alone, without guardians, reminding of a child skipping school. And this is taking into account that his family might've known about the bounty on his head. I imagine him standing at a playground with a crowd of noisy, careless children, him standing their wishing to have some fun and play, but too pride to get acquainted with somebody. And too mature for that, actually.

I bet Suguru was his first friend, even the first nice mate, and that also made their bonds so strong (i even think their friendship was more meaningful to Gojo).

I have an association with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, who was born an old man and was getting younger with time. Perhaps, he was similar to Megumi in his seriousness and grimness. Gojo probably often caused havoc just to annoy everybody around. To show that he could speak, feel, scream, go wild, to break irritating worshipping around his power. Boredom, loneliness and depersonalization were his personal curses.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL

Oct 2022 Wk 4

Being a highly subjective assessment of one tiny corner of the interwebs. Organized by which ones (in each category) I’m enjoying the most.

Ongoing Series - Thai

My Only 12% (Fri iQIYI) 12 of 14 - Cake is reaping the consequences of having encouraged Eiw to become self-reliant. It means that Eiw has learned to stand up for himself, even against Cake. I get such Big Eden vibes from this show. Cake flirting with Eiw to tease Eiw’s friends. The English was… odd. But I don’t mind this kind of possessive boyfriend.

The Eclipse (Fri YT) 12 fin - The end did feel a little rushed. However I really can’t fault the acting in this drama, it was pretty darn flawless. This is a high school drama, so we expected (and got) a coming out sequence. But it was handled extremely well. I do love supportive parents. And for all their flaws, GMM TV is pretty solid on some decent parents. The low heat sex scene was really good too. The couples are very tender with each other in this show. It feels like the first half of this drama rested on Khao’s acting chops and the second half rested on First. In both cases, the actors remained entirely in control of the narrative, it’s just that First got shafted by the fact that his section of the narrative was curtailed. Still, all in all, it was a decent final episode and ending on verbal consent made me v happy. The blooper reel was great, too. 8/10 RECOMMENDED 

Ghost Host, Ghost House (Weds YouTube) 4 of 8 - Mostly BL this ep, the big plot reveal, and a NICE family drama twist. I pleased. It is a bit creepy for me but I’m sticking with it for the couple. These two are so sweet with each other that they can’t even tease each other into aggressive intimacy they have to just back off into cuteness. Really good kissing and mid heat sex scene. Great physical intimacy and teasing communication (intellectual chemistry) and romantic feedback between the 2 actors. The characters make for great boyfriends. I liked this ep A LOT. 

Big Dragon (Sat Gaga) 4 of 8 - Now we get the family drama background character information. I’ve never wild about miscommunication as a plot device. It’s always just kind of annoying when it’s used as an excuse for baby to get pouty. I do love Big (P’Nine). I find him pretty charismatic. The show is messy, and normally I’m not wild about messy, but for some reason it’s working for me. It’s like it’s messy but the right way for a change.

Ai Long Nhai (Mon iQIYI) 5 of 10 - Was the shock at BBQ after Nahi got drunk because Ai slipped in a ha? (Household intimacy particle). Meanwhile Nhai = def gayer and more switchy when drunk. Nothing has happened, and nothing continues to happen. Yet I’m still watching. 

Remember Me (Sun Gaga) 3 of 12 - Everyone leaving Name behind to go to college was so sad.

Love in the Air (Thurs iQIYI) 11 of 13 - I am so torn over this show but damn do these two give great sex scene. DUMPSTER FIRE TRASH WATCH ALONG HERE.

Hard Love Mission (Sat WeTV) 3 of 4 - didn’t seem to drop this week. 

Work from Heart (Thurs YouTube) 6 of 7 - What a very strange show - the main couple gets together is shown by one of them dumping somebody else. The leads are good but the rest of the cast is pretty terrible and the script is straight up bonkers. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

My Tooth Your Love (Taiwan Fri Viki) 4 of 12 - I am LOVING this show. Very pleased with the whole cast and the performances. Plot is a little scattered, but that's Taiwan for you. Right now it kind of feels like About Youth grows up. Restaurant boy is so cute and animated (and broken and tortured) and the dentist likes him so much. Meanwhile, bartender daddy doesn't like a rude boy. Taiwan ALWAYS has to do the crash into me trope. It’s not love if one of them doesn’t stumble into the other.

Choco Milk Shake (Korea Strongberry Tues YT) 1-2 of 10 - OMG it’s wonderful so cute and very very actually funny. The actors playing the two pets much be having just the best time. As, indeed, am I. Could not be happier about this one. 

Roommates of Poongduck 304 (Korea Thurs Viki) 5 of 8 - They are so damn cute as friends but also, fixing his tie = hello boyfriend. Plus totally flirting at work. Hair touches and hugs and everything. BOYS! Also protective boyfriend HoJun does not like his baby being taken advantage of - or the feeling of jealousy. (I hate HoJun’s weird pleated jacket though.) JaeYoon is having such a hard time tho. 

Kabe Koji (Japan Mon Viki) 4 of 10 - Funny how Mamoru doesn't ever wanna talk, but for Issei he always says exactly the right thing. But also, what is actually happening on this show? Do I care? 

Eternal Yesterday AKA Eien no Kino (Japan Thurs Gaga) 2 of 8 - I guess it’s good to have a stoic practical boyfriend- when you’re a zombie. This is a weird little show. It doesn’t make me so much sad as reflective and a little annoyed (how dare Japan only give us this lever of physical affection and this awesome of a couple dynamic when one of them is DEAD). It’s very Japanese and reserved, almost to the edge of darkly funny, but not. Do I like it? I’m not sure. But it’s engaging. 

It’s Airing But I’m Not Watching It

War of Y 20 eps - it’s just all too much for me.

My Roommate 32 eps of 2 minutes each + terrible production values? - I’m not bothering.

Fahlanruk (Sun GaGa) 12 eps - I cut my losses at ep 5. DNF

To Sir With Love AKA Khun Chai 28 eps - dito

2 Moons 3 Thai (Mon ??) 10 eps - Possibly a future binge watch. Rumor is it’s banal.

SELF (Thurs YT) - DNF

Love Bill  (Vietnam Sat YT) 1of ? - Bah Vinh is back but I’m too distracted. Also there’s a lot of fund raising and stuff going on. Thinking I’ll wait and binge.

In Case You Missed It

Lin Yu (OuWen in Love is Science?) featured in a sad gay MV. 

Speaking of BL MVs, here’s LOVE is RIGHT from Korea. 

I did a full review of Takara & Amagi, spoiler I adored it. 9/10. I compared it to Seven Days, which is saying something. 

Oh My Sunshine Night finished at 18 eps. Spies confirm it does not end sad but that it is quite the soap opera. It may be worth watching if you're like me and have a hot button skip forward inclination and like higher speeds. I’ll probably try to watch it before the end of the year. But I’m doing a UWMA rewatch right now and I don’t want to cross my OhmFluke streams. 

Next Week Looks Like This:

Nov 2022 line up is pretty short, thank goodness, this is what I got:

Between Us (Sun iQIYI & YouTube) starts Nov 6 - trailer here. This is an adaptation of the novel Hemp Rope (spin off from UWMA/The Red Tread). The book tells WinTeam’s romance from the start, so we might get some recon/reboot action (like LBC2). Features one of Studio Wabi Sabi's most popular (and commercially viable) pairs BounPrem (Long Khong, You Never Eat Alone, Seven Project, Even Sun) with established (if inconsistent) BL director New (UWMA). Fluke (Pharm) and Ohm (Dean) are expected to reprise their roles from UWMA.

I Will Knock You (Tues Gaga) starts Nov 8 - A college student and part-time tutor confronts the leader of a gang who then turns out to be his next student. Bad boy/good boy + sunshine/grumpy + younger seme pairing, bully romance? Adapted from korean_rabbit's y-novel of the same name, directed by Champ (2gether) starring fresh faces.

My School President (?? GMMTV YT) initial trailer here - it’s Love Sick + Korea and Japan's influence. Yes, we’ve seen it all before, but this is me: I never met a high school BL I didn’t want to grant a fair shake and I love me some whipping boy. Interesting to see such an old fashioned trope having a bit of a renaissance right now. All fresh faces in this one except Aun (Folk from My Gear). 

This week’s best moments?

Ai is a man after my own heart.

Your honor, please excuse me, I have a cat to adopt. 

Eternal Yesterday, this is how I feel about ghosts etc... 

Gonna have to add these two to the characters that wanna bone list. Look at the lust for those legs. Pluem wants them wrapped around him SO BAD. To be fair, Kawin does have lovely legs. (Ghost Host, Ghost House) 

Lip nibble! 

I love a hand kiss (LITA). 

It’s good, it’s bad, it’s good. This scene was hot. Sigh. 

Work from Heart, out of blue but excellent kiss. 

Flirty boyfriends in The Eclipse. 

(last week)

[silverraes]

My Top 9 albums of 2023

tagged by @mysterygrl20 tysm <3

my taste in music is kind of all over the place so prepare yourself for a wild ride, although I also listen to a lot of kpop (I've kinda been slacking on keeping up with releases over the past year tho oops) and we definitely have some overlap in favorite albums

I apologize in advance for how long this post is going to become but you're really opening the floodgates by letting me talk about music lol

(it's been a very dry year for my favorite metal bands or this list would've been even more chaotic lmao)

1) Dear Insanity... by DPR Ian

while I struggled to rank most of these, there was absolutely no question about my #1 album of the year. I only just discovered DPR Ian in 2023 and he very quickly became my favorite artist ever. you might have even seen me talk about this album an unhealthy amount of times already lol. he's just such an insanely good artist and every single song on this album is just soooo damn good.

part of why I love him so much is also the story he tells throughout his music videos and just how insanely good all of his MVs look and how well the visuals fit the music so I feel obligated to link the MV to my favorite song off this album:

(some flashing lights in this one, folks, be warned)

2) The World Ep.2: Outlaw by Ateez

everything Ateez releases is immediately getting added to my favorites, what can I say. I didn't have the money to go to their 2023 tour but I did see them live in 2022... absolutely worth the one and only time I ever caught corona. not a single bad song on this album, they're all absolute bangers.

3) Take Me Back To Eden by Sleep Token

I only just discovered Sleep Token in 2023 but I absolutely fell in love with this entire album and their style in general. almost got to see them live but then I ended up getting surgery on the exact day of their concert... :')

4) OO-LI by Woodz

I am a Woodz stan first and a human second. I'm convinced this man is incapable of releasing bad music, everything he does is just so damn good and I love how he explores a bunch of different genres while still making all of his music just sound like him y'know

also honorable mention to Amnesia which is only a single album so it didn't make the list but if you like more eerie stuff and the general vibe of his music, definitely check it out, I love it so much

5) On My Youth by WayV

WayV will forever have me in a chokehold. they've been my favorite NCT unit since their debut and honestly also the only unit I managed to properly keep up with over the last year ashgasj. I just really love their style of music and how they've actually been sticking to it

6) The Name Chapter: Temptation by TXT

It's truly been a TXT kinda year for me, I've been listening to them a lot. there aren't many songs on this album but I still love it so so much, all of the songs are great and Sugar Rush Ride is such a unique title track

7) Dark Blood by Enhypen

honestly Enhypen are part of the reason why I might have to update my top 3 kpop groups to a top 5 lol. all of their albums so far have been great and this one was no different, I still listen to a lot of the songs on it on repeat

8) RUSH! (Are U Coming?) by Måneskin

well what can I say, Måneskin have had me in a chokehold ever since they won the Eurovision and I actually got to see them live in 2023! drove all the way over to Berlin for them and everything, great album with great songs. I love both their more rock-ish songs and their slower songs and this album has a great mix of both (although I wish there would've been some more Italian songs on here)

9) MONO by K.Flay

K.Flay has been one of my more underrated faves for a couple years by now and I'll take any chance to gush about her music. there's just something very unique about K.Flay's music and this album certainly didn't disappoint. honestly, the only reason why I ended up putting this one on the "last" place is that I haven't listened to it as much as the other albums on this list

Honorable mentions!

bc once I start talking about music, I just simply can not stop at only 9 albums and this list isn't quite chaotic enough yet to properly describe my taste in music lmao

ODD-VENTURE by MCND

this is a rather recent one so I haven't listened to it enough for it to make the list, but I love everything MCND put out and this is definitely also a great album! (plus the title track is yeehaw kpop which is incredibly creative of them and I didn't know I needed that in my life)

HAPPYPILLS by Utsu-P

and this is where I expose the true chaotic nature of my taste in music lmao. Utsu-P's music is the perfect clash of world's between teen-me's obession with vocaloid and current-me's love for metal. I didn't include this album bc I still haven't gotten around to listening to all of it, but the songs that I did listen to, I absolutely loved

Phantomime by Ghost

oh you thought you made it through an entire post of me talking about music without mentioning Ghost? Hah, fool. jokes aside, this is an album full of cover songs so I didn't include it but it's still full of bangers. I reached audio cap now but I'll include their Jesus He Knows Me cover bc this was an absolute treat to witness live:

if you've made it this far without getting whiplash: congrats!

tagging (as always, no pressure, feel free to ignore this): @negrowhat @fallsouthwinter @spicypussywave @thisisworsethanitlookslike @supanuts @buddhamethods @alienwlw and anyone else who wants to do it!