#they don't know each other like alice and gwen do so sam only really has his attempts to be more polite to solidify any sort of dynamic

[elegantmarigold]

The conversation between Gwen and Sam at the end of the episode is going to haunt my nightmares. Like, WHAT IS THIS CONVERSATION?? Somehow this is the exchange that sticks with me possibly the most so far because the vibes are so discordant, that's the only way I can describe it. These are two people who are being miserable near each other and against each other but not at each other. They are sliding past each other, both separately having a *very* bad time and neither stopping to communicate at all about it.

[ternasyl]

Just a few quick thoughts on TMAGP

Magnus Protocol is easily the podcast I've been most excited for, and it DOES mostly deliver, making me feel vindicated in my excitement. I look forward to each new episode in a way I rarely do with any ongoing series, be it a podcast or something, and that is really nice. That being said...

I do have a few grievances with it as a whole, honestly. The statements are probably the elephant in the room - I feel like we haven't gotten a single properly scary statement such as the ones from early-to-mid TMA. Not only that, but most statements don't get nearly as intricate and complex as the TMA ones - the ones in TMAGP very much feel just like reports of isolated odd incidents, while TMA felt more like an actual horror anthology where the individual stories eventually start coming together into a coherent larger framework. I think I wouldn't mind either of these things separately, but as things currently stand, I do feel like there hasn't really been anything as memorable as the statements from early TMA yet. I *do* like Bonzo and I also thought the scary movie episode was fun, but... I dunno. I can't help but feel like the statements lack bite overall.

I do actually like the bigger focus on the main cast and their interactions with TMAGP's world, though. I suppose that the weaker statements are partly due to the fact we're getting more screentime for everything else.

I've also been feeling a bit underwhelmed by the post-hiatus episodes' contents - pre-hiatus TMAGP absolutely had a lot of bombshells per episode, so it's quite weird following that up with several episodes where barely anything happens. I do feel like we're kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it's still odd. Maybe I'm just a cranky bitch who doesn't care terribly much about Sam's romantic troubles, who knows? Wish the episodes were juuust a bit longer, honestly.

I think it's very very funny how you can simply tell I'm writing this moments after finishing episode 14 - it really does feel like the current culmination of my issues with the podcast.

All of this in mind, though, I do have to say that I'm still very much hooked and am not likely to fall off anytime soon. The production is insane, the creepy old computer aesthetic rules, and I'm VERY curious to see how this new setting differs from TMA's and what they could even do with a story like this which they didn't already do in TMA. Protocol has so so much promise and I really hope it won't only live up to it, but exceed it. Erm. What else can I say. Alice is endearingly annoying and I like her a lot more than I expected. Gwen is my oomfie. Colin may have not appeared at all within the past few episodes but that is because he is currently very busy with being my boyfriend. Gootbye.

[acsredstringbrigade]

Now that everyone, not just Backers and Patrons have had a chance to listen to the first episode, here are my thoughts. Note, spoilers ahead for all of TMA and the the first episode.

First, I do adore our main cast. Sam and Alice are both very entertaining, and Colin is easily going to be a fan favorite. Im unsure about the tension between Lena and Gwen, but we will see where that goes.

Second, FR3-D1 is apparently an old computer program, and clearly related to some facet of the Eye, given its abilities to snoop through the entirety of the internet and get personal information that definitely violates GDPR. Though the fact that the computers are this old, perhaps they are still analog, allowing them to get around the digital issues that were encountered in the previous podcast. Though there is some irony in an Eye based program searching through the World Wide Web for information.

Next, the added voices. The first two of the three are obviously Martin and Jon, aka Norris and Chester. The third voice, Augustus ... the only person I can think of who would have been pulled into an eye based program with them had to be Jonah. I almost wish it would have been Anabelle, and I do hope to see her later on, but with the masculine name, and a name that sounds as old-fashioned as Augustus, really couldnt be anyone else.

Then, that first incident (yes, I am calling them incidents, not statements, as they are ... distinct in important ways) was fascinating. Obviously, elements of the Corruption are laced throughout, but what fascinates me is how many other facets could be identified there. Stranger, End, Dark, and maybe Spiral. That, plus the fact that the computer can only take one code for each incident ... something is going on there, and it is something that may cause problems for our protagonists later on.

The interview between Lena and Gwen was interesting. (I will come back to this in a later post. There's a lot to unpack, but it is being overshadowed by the next point)

And finally, the incident involving RedCanary. The Canary puns are easily made, though canary in the coal mine seems to be the one they were going for, given the "Canaries dont belong underground" comment. Also, it seems as though the institute itself served as the Panopticon did in the first universe, the offices serving as the cells, and the top floor almost certainly the panopticon itself. That and the ritual down in the archives themselves was likely the place where Magnus died.

The blood stains, the symbols on the floor matching those on a carved box. And we don't know what the picture itself was of, since the moderator removed the image. But based on the reactions of those in the thread, it was some sort of gore, and something involving eyes.

I see two major possibilities. Either something like what happened to Albrect Von Closen, and the man died of internal eyes, and whatever had stalked him posted the picture of his dead body. Or, RedCanary was trying to post a picture of the box for a while before, and it finally posted after he opened it, revealing a set of eyes inside. If the latter is true, those are most certainly Magnus' eyes aka Raymond Fielding from Hilltop Road and the spider box. Either way has implications, and I am fascinated to see which theory holds more water.

Odd that The Magnus Institute had been put on the list of buildings that had already been cleared. Theoretically, that is a list that only a few people use. Then again, I am not a spelunker, so I dont know how tight-knit the community is. I wonder who put it on that list.

Similarly, who or what removed all the paper? Not even pulpy traces of ash? Where are all of the records of the archive?

And for that matter, who burnt down the Institute?

[somuchbetterthanthat]

Tentatively trying my hand? at? Magnus Protocol characters? :o. Gwen/Alice but with very strong hints of Alice/Sam.

It irks Alice that she's almost relieved to see that, despite her brand new shiny promotion, Gwen is still at her desk past her work time, same familiar little frown between her brows, mouth curled into a pout that really shouldn't be that cute. Alice's been trying very hard to keep things light and carefree when it comes to Gwendolyn Bouchard, because she, contrary to some people she knows, has, you know, a bottomless reserve of self-preservation in her. She doesn't want to care about Gwen, because if she starts to, she's only going to get more problems and headaches and not that much more sex out of it. It's just not a good deal.

So she doesn't care. Except with Sam off with Celia in the early hours of the morning again, and Colin's out, and no news of Luke, well the sight of good old boring, stand-offish, annoying Gwen is just -

"Hey, Gwen," she calls out. Then, when Gwen predictably doesn't raise her head: "Gween; Miss Gwendolyn Bouchard, ma'am -"

"Well, I don't hate that," Gwen cuts her off, pensive, which makes Alice snorts. 'Course she doesn't. "What do you want?"

"Wanna fuck real quick?" she asks.

"No," Gwen replies then goes back to her computer and Alice's teeth ache. God she dislikes her; maybe she dislikes herself a little bit too, for asking, knowing what Gwen was going to say - whenever this happens, it happens on Gwen's terms, 'cause Gwen's got some pent-up energy she wants to get rid of, or because Gwen's got pissed off by Lena again and wants to take it out on someone. And it's fine, Alice can deal with that, they are good at meaningless, quick, angry sex, but for once, just for once, today, she wishes Gwen would learn a little thing that's call reciprocating -

Alice doesn't realize she hasn't moved 'til Gwen looks back up again, eyes narrowed. "Is this about Celia and Sam?" she asks.

"What about the little lovebirds?" Alice retorts back, all too aware of the hint of bitterness stuck at the edge of her throat.

Gwen nods like she hears it too. "If you're not over him, you should work to get him back," she tells Alice, like she knows a single thing about Alice and Sam, about what they lived through, about who they once were to each other, about -- anything at all. God, screw her, screw her -- "Fucking me is not going to accomplish much." Then, her frown deepens. "Unless you want he--"

"God, shut up, you self-righteous asshole," Alice spits then swallows back her anger as fast she can. It's fine, it's fine, it's all good, it's all chill. She's fine. She's good. "I'm just horny and bored. That's literally it."

"...Right," says Gwen, after a beat. She leans her head on the side, lips pursed, looking like Alice is the ban of her existence, and then goes, abrupt as ever: "I'll take a break in ten. Be there or not. I'm not letting you call me another name, I do have some pride."