#this season is getting crazier and darker by the moment

[sherlockggrian]

we talk a lot about desert duo character development, but I wanna talk about shiny duo for a second because I think it’s fucking INCREDIBLE

(disclaimer, a lot of this is made up lore and headcanons lol)

Pearl and Gem were always pretty close, even though I think? they met in season 8? They’ve always been a duo but Gem was generally the more energetic, smily and over excited one. I think Pearl’s been more reserved even in her ridiculous moments, whereas Gem tended to wear her heart on her sleeve and have a very straightforward, “lets fix it” approach to things. I do think Pearl was the one that fell in love with Gem first, but sort of pushed it away, while Gem was very forward with her attention and did love and cling to Pearl a lot. The life games, especially Double Life, affected Pearl a lot and I think she sort of pulled away from Gem for a bit. Pearl was the killer at this point and Gem was sort of still playing the character of wanting to make everything better, being nice and bubbly and not understanding what Pearl was feeling.

But Gem being in Secret Life really took them to the next level in my opinion. They were close all throughout season 9 obviously, but I see Gem being in the life series as her own choice - she loved Pearl and so desperately wanted to help her and the others and to understand them. Gem at this point is a lot more of a fighter and a little crazier than she used to be, and Secret Life just feeds that and preys on it. At the same time, she trusts Pearl. She wants to be her friend. Pearl knows how the games end, and that there’s no avoiding the ending and no avoiding death. They leave Secret Life with Pearl feeling relieved that she didn’t at least have to kill Gem herself, and Gem feeling bitter and angry that Pearl betrayed her.

And their relationship after Secret Life really gets me tbh. Gem has visibly gone for a darker, more serious vibe to her base and clothing, leaving behind the usual, sunny cottage-corey theme. Pearl is finally trying to heal herself, but has based a little ways away from Impulse and Gem and her older friends. Gem trains for the next life series, she’s determined and she’s angry and Pearl is rejecting it. In a way their characters kind of flipped, from Pearl being the furious killer one to Gem being it. They fight like crazy and they still love each other. They are absolutely my favourite duo at the moment and I cannot wait to see what happens further with them and how their story turns out. Again I’ve made most of this up but it’s based off of canon events so I don’t really care. Goodnight

[ameliaszahmet]

Duncan , the most EVIL character in TOTAL DRAMA HISTORY- a psychological anaylsis of the narcissistic syndrome and the downfall of 3 great characters: Courtney , Gwen and Trent (and why Courtney made a list)

I want to specify something from the start. Duncan Courtney Gwen and Trent are ALL MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITES . I just tried to make sense of this situation through a psychological point of view. Each time I analyze this it gets darker but a lot more interesting than expected. So the point is not hate them but figure them out.

I wrote this covering almost each and every aspect. courtney's sudden friendship with gwen , duncan as the one and only evil character , courtney's downfall and her list. I split this in more parts cuz it was already too long . So more parts to come .But in this one I cover their characters and their personalities

To understand better what really happened in total drama and that love triangle there is only one and ONLY ONE EXPLANATION for that . Narcissistic syndrome.

For those who don't know narcissistic syndrome refers to people who have a constant need for attention and a complete disregard of who they might be using to get that. We're not talking about someone just simply looking in the mirror we're talking about a complete painful form of abuse.

To get a better understanding of Duncan ‘s character we need to see how it all started . The first thing that Duncan did when coming to Island was flirt with whatever moved around him, torture animals and bully people. He pretty much made a point how he wants to be seen . A bully . “Being bad is cool.” He tried his luck with some girls on island :heather, lindsay , gwen , till courtney fell for it. "told you she wanted me". While for her it seemed like the best day of her life because she finally got her chance to express herself as she is without that pressure of rules and "perfect image" , for Duncan was just another usual Monday. She was so obsessed with rules ,raised to believe they are the only thing that keep her safe in society but the moment a bully showed her how to be free she accepted that immediately. She wanted to be free and Duncan offered what she wanted.

I do follow rules , that makes me a loser , right?

With his usual taste to break the rules it is quite obvious why he was fixated on Courtney and why he didn't try to flirt with other girls when she was around. He knew that at some point she would fall for him ,cuz Courtney = rules and Duncan LIKES breaking them.He saw her as a challenge and not someone he particularly liked for herself. He dislikes rules or police or law or anything that courtney mostly takes interest in: studying, school, being a good kid etc. He had a lot of girls, specifically those that "are crazy" . "I had crazier chicks and uglier or" hey I like that in a chick. "He likes to drive them crazy for him and the attention he's getting from them and Courtney gave him that each EACH AND EVERY SINGLE TIME.

While most of the guys have shown a particular interest for the girls they genuinely liked , like Trent for Gwen , Geoff for Bridgette , Owen for Izzy , and Tyler for Lindsay ,Duncan was the only one who tried his luck with ALL of them. Touching Lindsay's shoulder without permission, flirting with Heather the first moment he got there or flirting with Gwen later.

It is not unusual for a narcissist to use one or more victims to get their constant supply of attention and Courtney offered him plenty.

The situation changed in season 2 , especially when Courtney was not around anymore to give him that ,and Gwen's relationship with Trent was his PERFECT OPPORTUNITY to get it. He saw Gwen weak ,vulnerable during her difficult time with trent just like he saw courtney's obsession with rules as her own weakness, which made them the "perfect victims".

The sudden interest and the amount of time Duncan spent with Gwen made her confused enough about his feelings for her and Duncan knew that it would work against both her and Trent. He knew how much Trent cared about her and he used his jealousy to his advantage while turning his genuine love into a pathetic image in front of gwen. He saw this as an opportunity and not genuine interest. " Personally I would choose the money ", "I would remind you two about it when money' s divvied up" .While Trent valued her more than money and always as his first option Duncan saw her as a second option.

idk ....duncan? Not sure herself of her choice this was the very moment Duncan understood his plan worked. She made her confused for his own gain.

He instigated the doubt between them to make their relationship fall. A narcissist doesn't care who is he using for that as long as he gets to be the centre of attention and create trouble. He doesn't care about people more than himself. Just like he didn't care what Courtney might think watching this back home and seeing him doing this to people around him without remorse.

season 2 he noticed that Gwen 's relationship with trent suffers a change for the worst so he used that to his advantage. He told in his audition tape he is "resourceful" , he adapts to many situtations. His best skills are "fake tears"as he refered in his confessional . A skill that he proved to have it from a young age " oh mom was that your favourite vase? boo hooo" It is seen through his friendship with Alejandro how easy is for them to lie to women for their own convenience and even when both Courtney and Gwen were around.

those 2 are pretty much on the same page when it comes to seducing women without any regard of how they both feel. The main difference is one does it for the game and the other for "FUN"

Duncan can manipulate his goodness and his badness to his own advantage .

When he saw he's losing his game with Gwen he lured her back by saving her from the leeches trying to insist he's good while he simultaneously tried to send hints to courtney by using his relationship with Gwen and trying to make her notice him . All this while he tried to prove his bad boy image for a whole season. He doesn't want to be good, he doesn't want to be seen like this. It just happens his goodness was useful for him when he wanted to prove he's bad.

In season 2 he told gwen about the stars, and how good he treats his girlfriend because he knew this very thing would ATTRACT her when she was dealing with her hard time with Trent and offered her a safe option she can pick when her relationship with trent completely falls , just like he told courtney "oh look sweetheart how cool it is to break rules but I have a "soft side "so of course I'm not gonna hurt you." He knows Gwen is a kind girl in spite of her strong appearance just like he knew courtney is weak in spite of her forceful personality. He doesn't like to be seen as nice but it is not uncommon for narcissists to use that if it's proven to be helpful in achieving their goals. Duncan pretty much like Alejandro has to analyze the situation and act according to the victim's preference. Harold is obsessed with duty and honour? then Alejandro suggests "harakiri" , Bridgette's character turned completely dependent on Geoff ? then Alejandro makes her fall for him cuz she's weak without him. Dj has a curse problem? He creates a "gold fish" fakely making him believe he is not cursed anymroe.

Duncan operates in the same way Alejandro did.

He used Courtney's weakness and love for him against her to get Gwen and he used Gwen's trust and emotional vulnerability to get Courtney. To understand why it was easy to do this to them we need to see their characters.

For both Gwen and Courtney art is basically the only place they allow themselves to be weak

Both of them are sensitive souls who keep their feelings hidden in the hopes someone might get them one day . Gwen likes drawing , music and actual romantic stuff in spite of her dark strong goth appearance. And Courtney was the kind who never wanted other people see that she is weak , not even let them see she has a small fear or open up for a moment about her feelings ," you must be afraid of something"

"No ...nothing...."

or that her eye was hurt : " what happened to your eye girl ?" nothing! ! but it's worse.!!

" shh we don t want to let them know that. "

Her violin is the only thing she particularly feels attached to and her only safe way to actually express what she really feels. For many musicians, playing the violin is an emotional outlet and a way to express their innermost feelings. The physical closeness of the violin to the player’s body creates an intimate connection, allowing the musician to channel their emotions directly into their playing. She uses her violin to share emotions she wouldn't normally tell out loud just like Gwen creates art through her drawings revealing her deepest emotions on paper

Courtney has trouble trusting people fearing her weakness might be used against her and Duncan was the first person she completely let her guard down for. Why Duncan? She noticed he was "different". Until that" soft side episode " she did not have interest in him that much. He called her princess cuz she is spoiled not as a form of affection. that's why she hated it. She doesn't like to be reminded she has to keep up with a "perfect image" . All she wants is to be herself . Courtney mostly thought he is just a bully , just a plain bully. But the moment she saw that he has" a good side " she completely changed her mind "ohh, a bunny , wow he is nice??? " yet for him it was not something he is particularly proud of or wanted to show her. Everyone has a soft or weak or a mean side , something that Courtney and Gwen find it hard to accept .

That's for the first part. second to come.

[sadbi-hours]

Well, I watched 9x04 of ahs...and...there just isn't any words to express how I feel.

Umm, I really dug the Freddy Vs Jason element that they gave RR and Mr. Jingles this episode. That movie is a big guilty pleasure of mine and I would love to see more of it...but with RR being, well, you know, touched by satan--and that's putting it lightly-- and I think Mr. Jingles is going to devote his time to taking Margret down now. I don't see anymore showdowns happening between them, which is a shame too. It'd be hella cool to see them go full 'only one can live!' type of shit!

And speaking of 'only one must live'!, I loved loved the little showdown we got between Donna and Montana! I feel like they are the only two who can match each other in clever and craziness and it was cool to see them throw down while the two main killers were too...and fuck Margret! That bitch is on a whole other level of insane! And yes, I know Montana is too...but despite the fact I call bs on the backstory about why Montana is after Brooke--even though why they hadn't met each other before now makes a little sense since she is the best mans' sister and not the grooms--Billie Lourd pulled off f*cked up beauitfully here! God, I swear her acting is a gift this season!

And I gotta give Lesile Grossman props to. Her acting is so freaking good...i wouldn't want her dead as much as I do, if she wasn't doing her job! So kudos to her...but since her reveal wasn't a shock because I always knew she killed those people all those years go, I'd just rather see more of Donna and Montana. I'm too invested in seeing more of what makes them tick.

And yo, Brooke! I still got my eye on you chica! Your ass was way too calm and resourceful for the timid, sheltered act that you're giving me...i know it could just be the final girl troupe coming out in you, but still, you're on my list!

And poor Trevor! You truly were just an innocent by-stander to all this f*ckshit and I'm sorry to see you go! I was really starting to dig your character. Oh well...and the next time I eat a PB&J sandwich, I'll think of you chef Bertie! Your sacrifice will not be in vain!

And Xavier, well..at least you're alive sweetheart, but I think my sweet protective baby boi is gone...especially after what i saw in next weeks promo! I don't see him coming out of this sane! Well at least Montana might get herself an extra partner if it goes there...

[reversemoon255]

Mashin Sentai Kiramager

I’ve always had the opinion that the best formula for a successful Sentai is to either lean heavily into the comedy or the drama. If your cast of characters is typically serious, when they encounter a humorous situation it’s all the funnier, and when you have a comedic cast and they encounter a dramatic situation it feels all the more dire. Now, this is certainly impacted by the acting, script, etc., but if you look back at some of the better seasons (Shinkenger, Go-Busters, ToQger), you’ll see that a lot of them have that type of lean. And Kiramager has the later feel, standing out as a good season with few low points; ultimately sitting in the upper half of the show’s history.

The Good: One of the big things I talked about when I went over Ryusoulger was the episodic nature of the writing. It felt like it was made to be inviting to first-time watchers for the majority of its run, regardless of their jumping-on point. Self-contained episodes, very few ongoing plot threads, and very trope heavy for the sake of introducing a new audience to the show’s basic concepts and themes. And while I like what Ryusoulger was trying to do, I feel that Kiramager takes those concepts and improves upon them.

While the majority of the episodes were still self-contained, the episodes in Ryusoulger were very focused on fighting enemies, the stresses and one-off characters, and very light development of the main characters with primary focus on Red and Gold. In Kiramager there is much more focus on the main cast, with almost every episode being used to develop a Ranger or their relationships between each other, with the lack there of being one of my biggest complaints with the last season. It also feels like there are more multi-parters and micro-plots throughout the show, which rewards me as a viewer for continuously watching the show, and we don’t get when things are more segmented.

Another of my big issues with Ryusoulger was how heavily it focused on their Red and Gold Rangers. They nixed that out the gate with this show, having a zeroth episode the focused on everyone except Red. And Jyuru was a good Red. Definitely a lot goofier than most, but had a strong personality, was willing to work with and defer to the rest of his team when he needed to, and developed a lot of confidence throughout the season. Tametomo was a lot of fun, too. He was the straight man to everyone else’s silly behavior, but could also pull off a strong gag by himself. He was also very intelligent and a great tactician. Sena was probably the weakest of the main cast, but that was only because her character was more one-note than the others. Upbeat and outgoing at all times, there were very few times where we saw a darker side to her, but those moments were handled well and displayed a depth to her character we could have used more of. And while she isn’t our first female Green, she is our first on a five-man team, and I enjoy seeing them swapping out the usual colors like that. Shiguru started the show as the most serious of the team, but quickly revealed himself to be a lovable goof. The juxtaposition between him trying to act cool and caving into his baser natures was very funny and made for an entertaining character. Sayo was skilled, determined, intelligent, but could also be air-headed. I would describe her as a Yellow Precure turned Pink Ranger, if that makes sense. She usually filled the role an episode demanded of her, but it never felt out of place for her. Takamichi was a decent character, but in a season of funny people, he was the least so. His habit of adding “Wonder” to everything was meh, but he certainly pulled through in the serious moments. I’m a little sad Mabushina’s development didn’t end with her also becoming a Ranger, but she was a good secondary. She could easily hold an episode on her own, and her voice and suit actresses both managed to do a great job of bringing a literal stone-faced character to life.

And then there’s the villains, who did a good job of being just as entertaining and in some cases be as deep as the main cast. Just about everyone was a pretty simple, but fun character that didn’t get too complex until near the end of the story when the core audience would be established. I have mixed feelings about this, as nothing felt too out of place, but it would have been nice to get some build up to this earlier in the story. Kurantula was the team monster maker, and was childish and over-the-top. Whenever he decided to go down and do the dirty work himself, they were usually his crazier schemes. Near the end of the show he expressed the desire to create because he enjoyed it, which put him at odds against his boss and aligned himself with the heroes for survival. Yadonna was a nice mid-addition, shaking up the established dynamic Kurantula and Garuza had. She was so over-the-top evil without being a monster that it was hilarious to watch. I’m a little sad at her ultimate fate, as I would have liked to have seen a turnaround after she was betrayed by Emperor Yodon; have her turn sides, maybe actually get some payoff for that crush Tametomo had. (Eh, there’s always the V-Cinema.) Garuza was the stick-in-the-mud that made everyone else get serious, but could still occasionally crack a joke. He was a great antagonist, and while I like that he turned around at the end, it really needed more buildup. Still, the fact that I wanted all the bad guys to turn face is a testament to how likable they were.

The Bad: I’ve already gone over a few of my problems, but let’s go over them in more detail. Characters have a tendency to be a little one note, like with Sena or Takamichi. Episodes where they explore the depth to those characters are good, but the standard episode has them basically the same character throughout.

And as I mentioned, the big developments for the villains were heavily regulated to the last few episodes. Kurantula didn’t have any signs of being in a slump until the last 5 or 6 episodes, and Garuza turning good isn’t brought up until the 3rd-to-last, and is a bit of a cop out. “Oh, I was brainwashed.” If that had been hinted at at all it wouldn’t be a problem, but I don’t recall any signs of it before episode 43.

Now, these aren’t terrible things, they just could have been done better. It’s part of the downside to the writing style they’ve been pushing to improve ratings. It’s definitely a step forward from Ryusoulger, and they addressed a lot of the issues I had with that season, but they haven’t quite found a pace balance that works for that style and for both new and old fans. If they try this style again with Zenkaiger, hopefully we’ll see some improvements on the formula, but at the same time, since it’s an anniversary season, I’d like if they had a more dynamic and connected story.

Won’t lie, climax was also a little meh.

Overall, Kiramager is definitely a great first Sentai, and a fun one for older fans if you like the more humorous seasons. It has good characters, good (but evil) villains, and silly plots. I really had to think hard about what I didn’t like about the show, and I doubt you’ll notice any of it while you’re watching.

And, as always, if you didn’t pick up any of the toys this year, here are my recommendations if you want to start collecting post-show: Kiramajin (fun toy, fun gimmick), 1 OR 2 copies of Express King (giant T-Rex AND a robot mode), and Zabyuun (adds a lot of play to Express King as well as Kiramajin). I like the toys from this season a lot, but a lot of them are weapons, Gigant Driller is a little disappointing, and Grateful Phoenix is cool but passable. Only go for him if you like what you already have.

[raykid]

Rabbids Invasion: Top 5 Best Season 4 Episodes So Far

Season 4 of Rabbids has so far easily been the best the series has had to offer since Season 2. Up until this point, this fourth installment has managed to flawlessly combine old elements that worked in previous seasons with new elements that in my opinion, have helped the show improve vastly.

From the episodes I’ve watched so far, I’ve been greeted with wonderfully bizarre stories such as a mutant Rabbid-mole stalking a flying submarine, Rabbids switching bodies with dinosaurs, and even a Red Riding Hood parody where the wolf is the hero, and the grandma is the antagonist, making this the craziest season yet. And since this is, after all, a Rabbids TV show, the crazier the better.

For that reason, today I’m going to be counting down to the top 5 absolute best this season has had to offer us so far. Grab a plunger and read on.

5. Rabbid Princess

Starting off this list is the episode I consider to have probably the funniest set-up for a Rabbids plot since Season 2′s ‘‘Glow Rabbid’‘. In this episode, a wimpy biker Rabbid who is part of a gang of tougher Rabbids accidentally knocks out their leader after attempting to perform a dangerous stunt. Afterwards, thinking that he ‘‘killed’ his leader, the wimpy biker Rabbid attempts to ‘‘revive’‘ him  by placing him inside the submarine’s disguise chamber, which results in him being dressed up as a princess. Clearly, hilarity ensued.

This episode takes advantage of every opportunity it has to crack a slapstick or visual joke about a tough biker Rabbid suddenly acting very feminine-like, and every moment of it is comedy gold. Probably the best scene in the entire episode is when the biker-princess Rabbid quite literally becomes a full-on parody of a classic Disney princess, possibly Snow White, where it then begins to sing in a high-pitched voice while cleaning the floor, complete with a whimsical soundtrack and tiny little chicks as backup singers.  There’s also a really good lesson at the end, which while I won’t give away, I feel makes the ending feel surpsiringly satisfying. Definitely an episode worth re-watching.

4. Rabbids Special Unit

This was one of three episodes that established the few mini- story arcs and recurring characters this season would continue to offer, and this particular one started off with a bang. In this episode, three Rabbids wearing tu-tus fall off the submarine, and it’s up to Zak and Zoey to get them back inside while avoiding the government, who is hot on the submarine’s trail. I had already talked about why this episode  works  so well in the past, and I still stand by my opinion that this is not only one of the best of this season, but possibly the series in general. The Rabbids’ antics while dressed as ballet dancers may already be funny on their own, but something about having human characters being there to react to them somehow makes the gag ten times more hysterical than it should be. The surprising amount of character development and growth given to both Zak and Zoey, at least when compared to previous seasons, also felt very earned. Not only is Zak now officially Zoey’s boyfriend, but he’s also grown fond of the Rabbids, going as far as to actually help them rather than try to obsessively catch or study them, and it never feels out of place or forced.

There’s also a lot of action and chase sequences, which I’m sure a lot of kids would enjoy. Everything this episode tried to go for was honestly pretty ambitious for only a mere seven minutes, and I guarantee you that the way this episode is paced will have you wanting more by the time it ends.

The only episode that could possibly top it would be one where a legitimate threat to the Rabbids is introduced, which leads me to my next entry..

3. Rabbid  Elite

Another episode  I had also once talked about in the past, but is definitely worth talking about  again, because the amount of care that was put into making this episode feel as atmospheric and intriguing as possible is just amazing. This episode introduces us to a supervillain named Otto Torx, who is obsessed with making the presidential office recognize his ‘‘genius plans’‘. Things then go awry when the Rabbids’ submarine becomes attached to the entrance of Torx’s lair, interfering with his plans of releasing flying robots to attack the city.

As I mentioned before, there’s something about the way this episode is written and animated that gives it a strange sense of atmosphere. The darker colors, the music, and even some of the camera angles give the episode a somewhat more somber tone from others. There’s this particularly great scene where Torx’s robots invade the Rabbids’ submarine and start shooting lasers at them, which perfectly implements all the elements that I just mentioned, and I  could easily watch it over and over again simply because of how beautiful it looked. The use of a strange, synthezied drum sound for the background music during this scene also helped this scene become a true highlight. This episode, in a strange way, I dare to say felt cinematic to me, and it doesn’t stop there.

The Rabbids, as always, have their cute slapstick moments, but easily the best part of the entire episode is Torx himself.  While his evil plans may not seem like much, everything from his attractive design , smooth voice  and Bond-like tendencies make him a very enjoyable character to watch, and his chemistry when facing the Rabbids is undeniable, and it’s where his personality truly shines. The ending of this episode is also especially hilarious, making this another must-watch.

2. Rabbid Clowns

After Torx’s nearly flawless introduction in ‘‘Rabbid Elite’‘, I honestly couldn’t wait to see more of him, and thankfully this season has had plenty of Torx-centric episodes, but probably his finest appereance following his debut episode is the one in question, titled ‘‘Rabbid Clowns’‘. It’s Torx’s birthday in this episode, and his mother sends a clown to his lair, despite him loathing them. Unfortunately, three Rabbids arrive at Torx’s lair before the clown does, and dress up as ones as well, driving Torx insane with their comedic antics. As I mentioned in the previous entry on this list, Torx’s personality shines best when he’s surrounded by the Rabbids. His irritability and formal demeanor combined with the Rabbids’ loud and rowdy behavior make for the perfect comedy team, with Torx playing the ‘‘straight man’’ to the Rabbids‘ insanity, and this episode relishes every second of it. Not only were the Rabbids hysterical, with them bouncing and running around screaming and acting like clowns like they usually do, but there was a moment where I was legitimately concerned for their well-being.

At one point, Torx becomes so fed up with them that he finally loses his patience and starts chasing them around his lair with a golf club. Granted, the Rabbids have survived countless of injuries before, but something about the angles that they showed when Torx dragged the golf club across the floor, as well as the music, made him seem genuinely threatening, and it’s such a great thing to see. After all, if Rabbids are going to be the stars of their own show, the viewer needs to care for them in some way, and what better way to do so than by putting them in legitimate danger. The action in this episode was also great. We get to see, once again, all of Torx’s robots shooting lasers, as well as Rabbids running away and hiding in the dark, and it’s all a joy to watch. This episode just had a great balance of action, comedy and suspense that I honestly don’t think I’ve seen in any other episode of Rabbids, making this episode one of a kind. But if this is the case, what other episode could possibly be better?

Well… that, my friends is…

1. Rabbid Vikings

This is the episode that comes to mind when I think of the perfect Rabbids story.  I’m just going to say it: Before Torx came along, Alice was my favorite human character in the series, and she still holds a strong position as my second favorite. This episode justifies not only everything I love about this character, but what I love about Rabbids in general. This episode sees the Rabbids dress up as vikings to retrieve their ball from a cow. Unfortunately, they soon become mad with power and start causing destruction and mayhem in the entire city, eventually  having Alice join them as their leader.

There’s a lot of reasons why I chose this as the number 1 episode of this season so far. For one, it was great to see the Rabbids return to their slightly more destructive roots from some of their earliest video games. at least for the lenght of one episode. As always, there’s a couple of cute slapstick gags and all the classic Rabbid humor fans have come to enjoy over the years, but what makes this episode stand out to me the most is that it has something that’s probably what I consider to be the most important thing any project, (live-action or animated) should always have: Heart. This episode of Rabbids has a lot of heart underneath all its chaos, particularly in its resolution, and they couldn’t have chosen a better character for this type of storyline than Alice. Any episode where Alice and the Rabbids interact is easily some of the most endearing and sweetest stories the show has to offer, as I’ve always seen their relationship as  sort of couple of neighborhood kids who occasionally get together and play, and this entry is no exception.

I don’t want to give away the ending of the episode, but I am going to say that it’s easily the highlight of the entire thing, and it embodies everything I love about these crazy bunnies. They may seem loud and obnoxious on the surface, but at the end of the day, it’s their child-like innocence and endearing side that has managed to plunge its way into my heart, as well as hundreds of other fans’. This episode represents what made the Rabbids so appealing to begin with: A  perfect balance of chaos and charm.

Let’s hope these lovably idiotic anti-heroes never change their wicked ways, especially for the remainder of this season. Hope you enjoyed my list!

[justgotham]

Jeremiah delivers “One Bad Day” tonight in the penultimate episode of Gotham‘s fourth season. Driven insane by a chemical concoction commissioned by his psychotic twin brother, the fan-favorite Jerome (Cameron Monaghan), last week Jeremiah attempted in to blow up Jim Gordon. Worse, after obtaining multiple generators from Wayne Enterprises, he’s now poised to level much of the city.

Ahead of the series’ pre-season finale episode, executive producer John Stephens spoke with CBR about Jeremiah’s mad scheme, and putting Gotham’s twist on the Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s classic graphic novel The Killing Joke. We also discussed and Penguin’s big power grab.

CBR: Gotham City has always teetered on the brink of anarchy. How close is it to being pushed over the edge?

John Stephens: Oh, it’s pretty close. Its toes are dangling over the edge. At a certain point, we kept driving up to the edge and saying, “How close can we get to anarchy without going over the edge?” This year, we made the decision to just go over the edge. Let’s see what happens to the characters when they are in a much crazier universe than they are now.

Jeremiah obviously has grander ambitions than simply murdering Jim Gordon. Now that he has multiple generators in his possession, what is Jeremiah’s endgame?

There’s the endgame that he has in his mind, and then there’s another that evolves at the end of tonight’s episode. The one he has in his mind that plays out stems from a plan he came up with in his bunker. We wanted to be true to the idea of who his character was, one who is driven by paranoia and agoraphobia – where he doesn’t want to be outside – but, also someone who is an engineer and obsessed with mazes. We said, “How can we have that work out on a megalomaniacal scale?” He is going to blow up a variety of buildings in Gotham in order to have them fall, almost like trees in a forest, to create his own maze inside the city. Then, that plan evolves when he crosses with Ra’s al Ghul at the end of [the episode]. Their plans sort of come together.

In what ways will Bruce be tested during this ordeal?

In different ways. Jeremiah is going to kidnap Alfred, and then torture him in a sense to drive Bruce insane. The new episode really plays out in many ways like our version of The Killing Joke. It really keys into the idea that all it takes is one bad day to drive somebody insane. Where Jeremiah is driven by this idea that he and Bruce are connected in a way, that they are two halves of the same coin. Again, we are trying to articulate our version of that psychology of the Joker and Batman in the comics. In 21, he is going to be trying to drive Bruce insane. Where he himself was driven insane by his brother, Jerome, Jeremiah is first trying to do it by torturing Alfred.

What’s the deal with Lee and Nygma? What kind of fallout can viewers expect when things go south in their budding romance?

The fallout is extreme; it goes to 11. In our mind, Lee started off using him and it morphed. At the beginning, she was approaching him from a very Machiavellian sense of, “How can I make use of this individual?” Ed’s stalwartness in the face of all his adversity, especially when he turns on Penguin in order to help Lee, caused her to see him in a different light. Also, we’ve been approaching all this from the idea that this is not the Lee that we saw in previous years, that when she took the Tetch Virus last year, it opened something in her that was never fully closed. She’s a much darker person than she would have been in previous seasons. So, Lee started off using Ed, and then she actually did develop feelings for him.

Oswald is an opportunist. At this point, what is he waiting for?

I feel Oswald, as a strategist, is someone who waits for the decisive moment. Because he was someone who came up through the ranks in Gotham, who was overlooked, who was considered weaker than everyone else, he always knew you wait for that moment where the large person is slightly imbalanced. Then, a slight push is going to bowl them over. In his world, he is seeing all these strong forces around him.

He is seeing Lee in the Narrows. He’s seeing Ra’s al Ghul and Jeremiah causing all this chaos. He sees Jim is leading the GCPD. Oswald is like, “Rather than throwing myself into the ring. in terms of having a heavyweight contest, I’m going to let them all create enough chaos that at the right moment, I can step forward and knock them over,” which is what he does in tonight’s episode. The moment where Jeremiah creates so much chaos that he goes, “This is a moment where there is enough opportunity for me to step in and re-assume my place as the King of the Underworld of Gotham.”

[yadukaru]

Joker is a stark reminder that a person who is neglected by society would later become a nihilistic criminal. Todd Phillips' interpretation on the iconic villain make us question our compassion towards people who suffered from mental illness. It stirs our outlook to those people who are considered "outcasts" from the society. Joker got an eight-minute standing ovation and won the Golden Lion award at the 76th Venice International Film Festival. This low budget film reached the $400 million mark (as of the moment) and continues to polarize the film critics and moviegoers. The film shows Joker's perspective in much darker, gritty and depressing way as if we are diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Gotham City is reminiscent of New York City in the 80s to mid 90s where New Yorkers became too indifferent to city crimes, violence and poverty. The film sets in the early 80s but its cinematography and production design mirror the contemporary predicaments. Its musical scoring gives a haunting auditory experience as though we just woke up from a nightmare. Joaquin Phoenix's performance offers chills to the bones especially when he does his creepy laugh. Joker, as an unreliable narrator, posts lots of questions and creates confusion, which heightens the film's sense of terror. "Is it just me or is it getting crazier out there?" – Joker said to the social worker, as he questions his own sanity. It's one of the memorable scenes in the film because it foreshadows his descent to madness, which is molded by Gotham's uncaring environment. "You don't listen, do you?" Joker reiterates his point to the social worker. Somehow, the social worker empathizes to Joker as she tells him that their program is being cut. But do we really listen to a person like Joker? As the film progresses, he is willing to do the extremes to get noticed. Although there are films that deal with mental illness (like Martin Scorcece's Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, which became the inspiration of Todd Phillips), the film is notable for its portrayal of Joker as the hero for the social outcasts – a character study worth studying. #Yaduing #Joker #Joker2019 #filmreviews #film https://www.instagram.com/p/B3jK3O2nMh0/?igshid=q4qvwhafzvnz

[clarkgreggreporter]

The Reddit MarvelStudios AMA (Ask Me Anything) with Clark Gregg, May 16, 2017 (click here to read all the questions)

A: (out of sequence, so no question): Well, this week I'm really missing Bill Paxton and Powers Boothe because we lost them and they were both such excellent guys.

A: Missed a few questions there. I'll try to answer some. I love the MCU and love watching the movies and I miss my friends in those casts. That said, I am really proud of where we've gone with Agents of SHIELD and I love this bunch of actors and writers (and crew) as much as any I've ever worked with.

Q What upcoming MCU property are you looking forward to the most? Tahiti is a magical place! A: Anything with Adam Warlock and that may have just been teased in GOTG2

Q Do you have any stories and/or favourite memories of working with the late Bill Paxton? Thanks! A: So many. Just the big grin he'd show up with every day and say, "Bud-dy..." Just a great guy and a wonderful actor/filmmaker with more stories than anyone I've ever met.

Q: What is your favourite MCU movie? A: Pretty damn psyched for Captain Marvel especially with the amazing Brie Larson

Q: Hi! Thank you so much for being SO awesome. In Avengers, when Coulson has been stabbed by Loki and gets to shoot him with the massive gun, he says "oh, that's what that does". What do you wish that gun had done? A: Gone off on its own a minute earlier.

Q: Hi! Thanks for doing this. What's your favorite hand? And if you could have any new hand for your character, what could it do? Thank you! A: The SHIELD attachment does not suck

Q: Hi Clark! Thanks for doing this AMA and everything you've done for the MCU. Love your portrayal of A.C. (Daisy needs to bring that back imo). Have you had any input or influence on the development of Coulson? A: I have some input but most of the great stuff on our show is straight from the writers.   Dream storyline involves saving the Defenders and the Avengers and the Guardians and the Royal Family and everyone in Legion when they get themselves in trouble with Thanos. In a musical episode by Lin Manuel Miranda. (Hamilton)

Q: u/70astralaxe wanted to ask you those question but he coudn't so I'll Phil in [sorry for the pun...]    Favourite Star Wars movie.    Favourite MCU movie.    Whether he had any "holy shit" moments during script-read/when filming a scene.    What he wants for the future of MCU/SHIELD.    If he is planning on doing non-MCU stuff anytime in the near future.    Favourite Ice-Cream Flavour.    Favourite Holiday Destination. A: I'll pick 2. Empire and that coconut something from Ben and jerry's

Q: Clark, it was great seeing you at Denver Comic Con last year. I was the one who told you I loved Choke as well as the intro you wrote for Avengers: Endless Wartime. My question though, do you have any projects coming up that you are writing/directing? Choke was 2008, and Trust me was 2013, so I was hoping we were due for something else soon. Thanks, love your work. A: Writing a film and a sci-fi pilot. Hope to make something next hiatus.

Q: When Joss called you up about Much Ado About Nothing, what was your reaction? Did you get any say in your role? Have you done any other Shakespeare? Thanks for doing this AMA today! A: I was terrified when Joss called, but excited because I had just had a dream I was doing some Shakespeare and it felt ordained. And I love Joss.

Q: Have you watched GOTG Vol. 2 yet? A: Yes. Laughed my ass off.

Q: Hello, What's your favourite MCU movie? Also, what does RDJ smell like? A: I'm a big fan of the Avengers and anything with Cap. Or Stark. Or Thor or the Guardians. Or Strange. Let's face it, I'm a Marvel slut. Robert smells like warm beaches and babies laughing and a freshly washed thong.

Q: What kind of changes in perspective on your character did you work on to bring the 3 different versions of Coulson to life this season? We've had Agent Coulson, Robo Coulson, and Mr. Coulson. What was the most fun about doing that? Also, minor question, do you happen to know what brand / model of glasses you were rocking in the Framework? (I tweeted @amandalynnriley, but alas no response). A: It was fun to have new takes on Phil. Amazing work by the writers. Especially geeking out teacher Phil with his soap. The glasses are called Barton Pereira (sp)

Q: What would like to do for a living if you weren't an actor, besides dominating in lip sync battles? A: Music something. probably not very well. But I loved being in a band. A lot.

Q: Hi Clark! Awesome for you to do this before the big season finale. How do you think your character has changed between now and the beginning of Iron Man 1? In other words, do you think your acting of Phil Coulson has changed that much in 9 years? A: Ah, jeez, I don't know. The character has been through a lot and gotten older, so maybe he's less innocent and a little darker, but I probably am too. I don't know about the acting. I try to forget that's what it is.

Q: Do you read your fanmail? If so, what's something cool a fan has sent you? A: I do. I get amazing stuff and try to answer it all. I've been sent crocheted blankets and lola pillows and maybe some underwear.

Q: Thank you for putting your all into Coulson. He's my favourite character in the entire Marvel universe. As for my question, how much of Clark has gone into the role? Specificially the frequent Star Wars references... is that your input or does it come purely from the writers? A: The writers and I love Star Wars and couldn't imagine Coulson wouldn't as well. There's a bunch of me and then some stiff that's verrrrry different from me.

Q: More serious question: One of the things I love about AoS is how men and women fight each other as equals. But I've wondered if that took the male actors a little getting used to, going all out punching and kicking female actors. Did you find that awkward at first? A: Definitely. Really did not like punching May or Daisy even though neither was a real punch.

Q: Hey Clark! Huge fan of your work in the MCU. My question. Did you know that when you died in the Avengers that you would be brought back for SHIELD? Thanks! A: I did not. Neither did they. #CoulsonLives gave them the idea. So thanks.

Q: What's the weirdest thing a fan ever asked you to do? A: Sign a boob. But it was a big boob so I wrote my full name and then Agent Coulson.

Q: With the amount of time Coulson has been spending in the field in AOS, it has become more and more unlikely that the Avengers wouldn't know that Phil is still alive. Do you personally think any of them know? A: I really wish I had a good answer for that, but I don't. Some day.

Q: Yo Clark! I'm sure you're gonna get a bunch of marvel questions and that's awesome. But I know you're a basketball fan so this is my first question. Who ya got winning the finals? And secondly: Any advice for someone who's dream is to work within marvel either on the tv side or movie side? A: Warriors look soooo good. To work for Marvel it helps to love comics and marvel and then just try to be really good at what you want to do there.

Q: Hey Clark! Read any good books lately? A: Yes. The Wind Up Bird Chronicle by Mirukami

Q: What was it like meeting Melissa Benoist for the dubsmash battle? And have you met any of the other CW heroes? A: I think she's amazing. Loved her in Whiplash. And the fact that she took part in that for charity made me love her even more.

Q: I've been marvel fan since my early childhood, having been born without half of my right hand, my parents and superheroes have always been the biggest source of inspiration. Even in my wildest dreams, i couldnt have predicted these last 10 years, what MCU has achieved and how popular these stories would become all around the world, in that way im living my childhood dream- to see it all done well on the silver screen. What is even crazier- I wouldnt have predicted that the Son of Coul, a shield agent from phase one movies, would start his own show- his own team. Over the years, Aos became , in my humble opinion, the best that superhero tv shows can offer right now, and most recently, even a better source of fun than some of the MCU movies. Past week, i have been buzzing, that we re getting another season. Mostly, i want to say THANK YOU, to everyone who helps to make this show what it is, a source of inspiration and fun to look forward to almost every week. Thank you Mr. Gregg, for breathing life into this awesome character, and also for motivating me in my own studies, and career. I just wanted to express my gratitude, and ask, recently, the Ghost Rider, LMD and Framework arcs have cemented the greatness of this show. When you got first approached to make a shield show, did you think it would end up as such a compelling characters, stories, effects and going for 5 seasons on a small screen? Did you have any doubts? Was there ever a moment when you got a script/shot a scene, where u said to yourself : "Wow, this is amazing" ? Thank you, wish you and the whole cast/crew all the best in making another successful season. A big fan, all they way from Slovakia A: This made my day. Thank you.

Q: What did you think of Iron Fist on Netflix? Do you think it deserves the criticism? What would you have done different if you were the showrunner? A: I love Iron Fist. Both seasons. (then...another reply) Oops. I meant Daredevil. Didn't sleep too well.

Q: Do you remember your time on The Shield well? Great performance. Any fun stories from the set? A: My friend David Mamet directed and the character was so uhinged I felt wrong afterwards. Also, Billy Gierhart who has directed the most eps of AoS was the cameraman on that ep.

Q: As a big fan of What Lies Beneath and Choke, can we expect to see you work behind the camera on Agents of SHIELD any time soon? A: I may direct an episode in season 5. if I don't pass out from exhaustion just thinking about it.

Q: Jed Whedon recently made his directing debut in SHIELD's episode Self Control, which is probably my favorite episode of the show now. What was it like having him direct? Do you think we can look forward to more episodes helmed by him? Great job this season by the way! Coulson's speech a few episodes ago rocked, Captain America would be proud A: jed was amazing and that may be my favorite too. He better direct some more or we'll drag him down to set and make him.

Q: Hey Clark! Thanks for coming by! In about a year we'll be coming up on Iron Man's 10th Anniversary, which means you'll have been playing Coulson for 10 years. How does that feel? And, if you could have Coulson appear in any Marvel-related property, what would it be? A: Wow. Ten years. I feel very lucky. I could have been stuck that long playing a character I didn't love in a world I didn't care about. #Grateful

Q: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D has been renewed for a fifth season, but does not appear on ABC's Fall schedule. Obviously, it will start later, but we've been getting mixed signals. Do you know if Season 5 will be a full, 22 episode season or has it been shortened? A: Yes. Full season after the 8 eps of The Inhumans. Then we do our whole run. Could be cool that way.

Q: Can you tell us anything about today's AoS finale? A: Coulson will change.

Q: This is also a question from my girlfriend, who is at work and can't ask herself: Do you think Phil and May will have a happy ending? A: I won't touch that one.

Q: How would coulson react to meeting the defenders? A: He would geek out. But who knows, maybe they would too.

Q: Two questions: first, I'm currently binge watching the West Wing and I have to ask what it was like working with dialog written by Aaron Sorkin?  Second, are we ever going to see your wife, Jennifer Grey, on AoS? A: Aaron's dialogue is like no one else's. I did Sports Night, TWW and A Few Good Men on Broadway. So I'm lucky. He did a lot to put me on the map.

Q; Hi Clark! Thank you for doing this! I can’t wait for tonight’s finale. Can you take us through what it was like auditioning and successfully getting the role of Coulson? Did you ever imagine that the role would develop and expand like it has over time? A: Never auditioned. Got an offer to play a part that was two scenes in IM. Then they added more and more scenes. Cut to Phil nine years later about to walk into the season 4 finale where he will finally (REDACTED)

Q: Clark, you all have been doing such a great job over the last few years. Why do you think Agents of SHIELD has resonated with so many fans around the world? A: Because thanks to the cast, crew, the writers and Marvel the show keeps getting better all the time. That's very rare.

Last Words From Clark: Thanks so much of the great questions. Sorry I couldn't answer more of them. Acting in an independent film today so I have to run. Join me on the twitter for the S.4 finale tonight. Love you all.