#tv analysis

[ch4rliew0rk]

Dennis Reynolds is not a serial killer. in fact, he has never killed a single person. all of his fantasies of kiling are his way of mentally reclaiming power from someone who he feels has taken it from him, and he says incriminating things to make people think that he is unfeeling and dangerous and convince them not to cross him. (edit: or help him.)

as he says, Maureen is the only woman who can break his "shell", his protection. he feels like he was weak around her, so he needs to make everyone think he killed her as a way to reestablish his power over her in their minds, and to override their memory of him when he was in a relationship with her.

ha fantasizes about killing the news reporter because she is the only woman who makes him nervous (powerless), and once her boobs are ruined (the part that had value to him) he realizes what she's 'done' to him and needs to take his power back.

he wants people to think that he's capable of murder, just to scare them into submission. he acts like he wanted to actually kill the waitress in Mac is a serial killer because he needs Dee to keep following his orders. he says he likes being considered a serial killer when he asks charlie if he's "methodical" because he's trying to get charlie to follow his obviously flawed 'say yes' advice. he tells Dee to 'think of the smell' because he is in an argument with her where he needs to feel superior. love is a head in a freezer because then they can't leave, they cant hurt him, he is in control.

but in the end, he doesn't have the strength to kill pop pop.

I know that it sounds like I'm overlooking hard evidence of things that the character himself has said, but Dennis is a liar. he hates himself, so he starves himself and hurts people to prove that he's a golden god. all he wants is a loving relationship, which he has, so he acts like he doesn't need Mac (or anyone else for that matter). he tells mac that he has no feelings, only to reveal seasons later that he has big feelings, but he can't be seen as loving, caring, (weak). so he presents the anthrax, when it was always just sugar.

[thefiresofpompeii]

does anybody else think about how the two-dimensional aliens in flatline…

are ‘experimenting. dissecting. testing. and trying to understand us’. just like somebody else is throughout the entire episode! she’s asking questions at first, uncertain (the 2D phase) — “that’s how you would do it, isn’t it”? — seeking reassurance from the earpiece, probing, trying the mask on for size.

in the warehouse getting more comfortable, settling into the role, taking on a leadership position and even succeeding at sounding intimidating in an all-too-doctorish way (“i’m your one chance of getting out of here alive, that’s what i am”) — as the TARDIS shrinks smaller and smaller, eventually falling out of view onto the tracks. powerless, energy drained, resorting to siege mode… while clara looms larger and larger, in lockstep with the creatures as they master the third dimension and emerge from the shadows wearing other people’s skin. that’s her, wearing the skin of the doctor.

as the threat starts to get tangible she gets more creative, stops defaulting to “what would he do if he was here”… what would she do? she’s all they’ve got! and comes up with an ingenious plan to rival any of his. “rule one of being the doctor: use the enemy’s power against them”. makes up her own “rule one” because the real rule one out in full force in flatline doesn’t need saying. rule one: clara lies and she does it exceptionally. goodness has nothing to do with it.

in a predominant number of previous episodes featuring clara, the doctor was faced with a narrative foil in the shape of that episode’s enemy, a gothic double of sorts, a funhouse mirror: the t-rex; the half-faced man; the “good dalek”; robin hood; the teller. in s7, albeit in a quite different manner, mr clever.

the crowning glory of flatline, then, is that instead of being another foil for some flaw of twelve’s, this monster-of-the-week is clara’s foil. a parallel for doctor oswald, doctor of lies: that other dimension, growing as the TARDIS shrinks.

p.s. yes, “we” are “still doing” doctor who meta in 2024 because i’m watching it for the first time. deal with it

[absent-o-minded]

Tiny YR S3 Analysis

Just wanted to compare the parallels between these two hand holds in 3x05 and 3x06:

(Please ignore the shitty screencaps, I tried my best)

In terms of composition, these shots are identical. A hand-hold centre to the frame, in a car with the camera placed in the middle. However, they're underpinned by different narrative contexts.

Here, the first shot from 3x05 is drenched in darkness. The actual lighting inside of the car is dim enough to obscure both of their suits, which almost blend them into the seats and so it becomes hard to distinguish between the two of them - The only focussed light is on their conjoined hands. Notably, the actual touch itself is tentative, almost like the bridging of an awkward divide on the way to the palace. Neither of them are sure what the touch actually means. Even their sleeves fall over their wrists and interfere with the actual act, so we only see the bottom half of their hands. Simon reaches out first and places his hand in the open sliver between the two seats before Wille accepts and laces their fingers together. It's an assured squeeze that reads as: "I'm not sure what will happen. I'm nervous." "I am too."

This scene has garnered a lot of analysis for its parallel to the Kristina x Wille car scene in S1 where people have commented on the reversal of blocking - Wille now assumes Kristina's position and Simon equally assumed Wille's. We now know that this arrives before the birthday explosion, and so it's also a touch that signifies confronting the inner workings of an oppressive environment (the palace). It's nerve-wracking and cautious and consolidating, but it's also doubtful. We, as spectators, pick up on visual and physical cues and so we begin to see the hand-hold as an visual indicator that the unity between the two characters is about to be disrupted.

~~~~~

However, the shot in 3x06 reads entirely differently. The first thing is that the shot is bathed in light. It's a bit like an embrace, contrasting the previous presentation of a cold backseat, Simon and Wille are literally basking in the sun. Most importantly, there is a light flashing on Wille as it seeps in from the windows, illuminating his spot as a person who is newly free. Simon sits to the left with the natural light (no abundance of light) because Simon has always strived to be free. He has never turned away from the light. As he said earlier in the episode: "I never gave up on us. I gave up on the royal court." For Simon, the issue was never the fear of being free, but the constraint of not being free. For Wille, fear hung over his shoulders just like a King's robe would. Being free was an aspiration, never a reality.

But that has all changed. The light is let in. It stands similar to a spot-light, where Wille finally lets the sun hit his body and not have it scorch him, but rather enlighten him.

The actual act of holding hands is no longer bridging an uncomfortable space; It's an assured togetherness. It is the two of them acknowledging everything that has happened and knowing that a future for the two of them is no longer a "possibility", but a truth. It's giddy and confident and safe.

It's also the final touch of the season, and so it had to speak louder than dialogue ever could - Which I think that it does. Throughout S1 and S2, we understood that physical touch was always done in private, or if not, it was done discreetly with the knowledge that it was fleeting. S3 saw the transition from private to public, but not without the fight to touch and not have it be seen as a revolution. To just let it be what it is. And THIS is what the show has been working towards for 3 years. It can all be summarised with this simple, final hand hold in a sunny car that's racing towards a future that finally, finally resembles their dreams. It's not overtly revolutionary, it's not a grand gesture; It's just theirs.

[fomee-c]

Adventure Time has the best redemption arcs

I love deep-diving into my favourite shows, which makes me lucky that Adventure Time has been analyzed to death.

It's awesome because it feels like the show itself is growing up along with Finn. The older seasons are a lot more episodic and focused on the surreality of Ooo. Meanwhile, the later seasons really embrace the show's complicated lore and the idea that morality isn't black and white. The progression of maturity in this one show is INSANE. As the show becomes more mature, so does main character Finn, physically and emotionally.

Nowhere are the show's themes and Finn's personal growth better demonstrated through the show's use of redemption arcs. As the show progresses, classical villain-hero archetypes are subverted to show that Finn is learning that people aren't exclusively good or bad. As the show and Finna age, being a hero or doing the right thing evolves from the basic idea of "fighting evil" to being empathetic and seeking peace.

Heavy spoilers for the main series after the cut.

Some context

I just wanna mention some facts about the show's history.

If you watch the first AT episode followed by the last episode, you're gonna feel disoriented. They're clearly the same show, but it feels like they have very different goals. Early AT is more lighthearted and less serious. The episodes have morals, but they're pretty simple. The randomness of Ooo is played more for comedy than for lore purposes.

Around season 5, the show started taking on a different direction. It's still funny and weird, but the characters are more fleshed out and the messages the show is trying to convey require a lot of digestion. For example, Princess Bubblegum is always smart, but the way she's depicted in episodes like"Enchiridion" vs "Burning Low." Although I consider this a massive improvement, it's unclear how much was pre-planned. Was PB always destined to become a control-obsessed, unethical ruler-scientist? Or was her initial characterization just Finn's crush?

Yes.

Episodes as early as season 1 ep 24 ("What have you done?") show PB acting more like a tyrant than a princess and have the Ice King depicted in a less antagonistic matter. The reason for the tonal shift in the later season is that as Finn grows up, his experiences change the way he perceives reality.

Ooo through Finn's eyes

Adventure Time is about Finn the human and Jake the dog, but really it's mostly about Finn.

The other characters get character arcs and have plot-relevant conflicts, but the show's main focus is dedicated to Finn's coming-of-age story. Finn is Ooo's hero: he's social, caring, and brave, and he's motivated by a strong sense of justice and a desire for adventure. All he wants is to try new things and help others at any cost.

However, he's only 12, at least at the beginning. His idea of being a hero is rooted in black/white morality. If you do bad things, then you're bad. Stopping bad people makes you good. And as a 12-year-old, he believes the only way to stop bad people is through violence.

The show is immature in this respect, too. For the first few seasons, there are two main antagonists. There's the recurring Ice King and his plots to force princesses to marry him, playing off the "save the princess" trope (more on him later). And then there's the Lich, who's a genuinely powerful cosmic entity that seeks to destroy life in all its forms. Naturally, Finn fights them both off through righteous punching.

The show presents this basic understanding of evil, that evil is as evil does. In the beginning, there's almost no nuance to these characters. And this is true with good characters, too.

Billy is a huge catalyst for Finn's character development, but you can see the show's limited understanding of heroism in his debut episode. Billy is Finn's predecessor in a way, being the number one fighter against evil. In "His Hero," Billy realized the fighting evil through violence didn't treat the root problem, opting instead for community activism. However, the show makes this look like a bad thing, with the moral of the episode being that violence can solve problems. Ironically, Finn's character development mirrors Billy, as he realizes over time that he fighting evil might mean hurting people he cares about. Case in point: Simon Petrikov, the Ice King.

The power of redemption arcs

Redemption arcs are controversial because they're ideal but they feel forced if they go unearned. In Adventure Time, redemption arcs serve a two-fold purpose: to convey the message that "evil" people can be understood and rehabilitated and to show Finn's developing maturity as he realizes this.

Ice King

The first character to get a real redemption arc is the Ice King. Initially, he's portrayed as Jake and Finn's natural nemesis, especially when he targets Princess Bubblegum. However, as the show goes on, it becomes clear that the Ice King isn't really malicious; he's just lonely and he doesn't know how to socialize in an appropriate way. Over time, he becomes a sympathetic villain. However, this changes with the Christmas specials "Holly Jolly Secrets, parts 1 and 2." In this episode, Finn and Jake discover the Ice King used to be a man named Simon, whose personality and sanity were corrupted by magic. Simon's backstory is further developed in "I Remember You" and "Simon and Marcy." From this point on, Finn starts referring to the Ice King as Simon, acknowledging Simon's true self and stops treating him less harshly. This leads to a really heartwarming moment in "Don't Look," where Finn's perception literally warps reality, causing the IK to revert to Simon (in appearance but not in personality).

Consequently, the Ice King becomes less antagonistic in general and we even get IK-centric episodes where he takes on a heroic role. For all intents and purposes, post-season 3 Ice King is Finn's friend. The show went from using a cliché villain-type to dedicating a significant amount of time and plot to Ice King's eventual return as Simon. From this, Finn learns that treating people with kindness is imperative to stopping evil. Not only did finding out that IK's personal life was tragic but by treating him as a friend he diminished IK's evil inclinations.

Magic Man

Magic Man is one of the more disturbing characters on the show. He always shows up to do something gross or psychologically messed up. Unlike the Ice King, who was shown to be evil because he wanted companionship, Magic Man wants people to suffer out of pure contempt for the world. His "pranks" include simple stuff like turning Finn into a foot, to more deranged acts like forcing Jake to escape a dream world where doing so would mean destroying all his new friends.

What's interesting about Magic Man's redemption arc is that Finn and Jake have little to do with it. Magic Man redeems himself practically by accident.

We gradually learn that Magic Man's wife was destroyed by GOLB, a powerful entity that can erase things from all realities. So Magic Man's cruelty is best described as frustration or vengeance to an extent. He is constantly suffering, which he tries to mitigate by deriving pleasure from others' suffering.

However, he eventually loses his magic powers (and with it, his anger and sadness) in"You Forgot Your Floaties", grounding him back in reality. From then on, his journey is one of atonement. He tries to reconcile with his family and seeks forgiveness from the people he has tortured.

This arc says more about the show's maturity than it does about Finn's. Although Finn shows no hatred towards a magic-less Normal Man, he seems pretty indifferent. The show, on the other hand, takes the time to make him a tragic figure and offers him a chance at redemption. It wants the audience to know that experiencing loss is not an excuse for being a jerk, but it can explain someone's actions.

King Man's (his title after rejoining the Martian community) redemption arc also demonstrates AT's advancing writing skills. Instead of giving King Man a clear-cut redemption arc, the show depicts him as genuinely sorry without changing his personality. King Man is still obsessed with Margles and is harsh with Martian prisoners, but he's no longer angry with the world. He hasn't moved, as is difficult to do with grief, but he wants to contribute to society instead of rage against it.

Betty Grof

Betty marks a milestone in the show and Finn's personal growth. She is the first antagonist who is shown to be sympathetic from the start. It helps that we know Betty before she goes crazy with magic, but despite that, Finn nor the show ever thinks of Betty as an "evil" character. She's misguided and unethical but well-intentioned.

Betty's whole deal is that she wants to be with Simon, which requires curing him of the Ice King Crown's effects. However, after she absorbs Magic Man's madness and sadness, she starts undertaking strategies that cause Ice King more stress than good.

She becomes a true antagonist in the Elemental mini-series when she prioritizes Simon's recovery over the lives of Ooo's inhabitants, despite the Ice King begging her to save his friends. Even after she betrays Finn, he doesn't seem to see her as a villain specifically. The real source of conflict in the Elemental series was more so the unchecked emotions of Finn's friends; Betty was just an obstacle.

Betty's redemption arc is completed in the show's finale. Betty summons GOLB, risking the entire universe's destruction to save Simon. Except her goal is not only to save Simon but to save their relationship. In an act of self-sacrifice, Betty manages to banish/merge with GOLB to save Ooo, despite knowing she could never be with Simon.

However, it's not as clear as I make it out to seem. While Betty does sacrifice her relationship with Simon, she still manages to save him, begging the question: if Betty couldn't save Simon, would she have made that decision? (I'm inclined to think no, but let me know what you think!)

Even if the "redemption" part of her arc feels rushed, it's Betty's journey that highlights the show's maturity. Just because she does bad things doesn't mean she's a bad person. Finn gets this; he doesn't blame Betty for almost destroying the world. He's more focused on aligning with her desire to save Simon and the rest of Ooo.

Through Betty, Adventure Time explains that it's impossible to judge people as good or evil. To do the right thing doesn't mean to help people who you think are "good" or oppose people you think are "evil" but to find common ground and a common goal.

Uncle Gumbald

He's basically the last antagonist of the show. I don't think there's a lot to say about him that hasn't already been said, so this section will be short.

He's a lot like PB in that he's a visionary. Their conflict stems from their competing ideas and the fact that they both want to subjugate each other.

They almost reach an understanding in the finale when they experience each other's lives, with PB realizing that Gumbald deserved to be treated as an equal. However, he isn't redeemed because he attempts to subjugate PB anyways by faking a truce. I feel like this was supposed to highlight PB's character growth as early PB definitely wouldn't have been willing to share authority.

Fern

I would say this is probably the most important redemption arc for Finn's character. It's weird to say that because Fern is introduced so late into the show and his arc is completed when he dies in the last minutes of the finale. Furthermore, he's a strange character to begin with. He's a grass clone of Finn made from two magic swords, and he's hardly antagonistic toward Finn except in the last two seasons.

But let's look at what we're dealing with here.

Fern's internal conflict is an identity crisis. At one point in the series, Finn comes into contact with a past self (merging timelines situation, dw about it), turning one of his selves into a sword. It's intentionally ambiguous at first, but it's eventually revealed that there is a miniature Finn inside the sword who is cognisant of the world around him. Because of Real Finn's carelessness, Sword Finn ends up getting busted, and eventually infected with a grass parasite, creating Fern.

Up until now, Finn has been acing his new pacifist approach to conflict resolution. He now prioritizes understanding someone's actions and reasoning with them, saving fighting as a last resort.

Fern represents Finn's greatest empathy challenge: trying to understand someone he thinks he already understands. To do this, Finn has to accept that his preconceived notions of Fern are wrong and take the time to get to know the real Fern. He thinks that because they share some sort of biology and memories, they are the same people. He fails to acknowledge the different life experiences that have forged him and Fern into distinct people.

When Fern heel-turns into an antagonist, it's not a surprise. We have seen repeatedly the jealousy that he feels outcasted by the real Finn. We also know he's frustrated with the dissonance between his past "life" and his current circumstances. Like Betty, Finn doesn't see Fern as a villain. However, he doesn't try to understand where Fern is coming from. He assumes that because they are similar, Fern will be willing to talk things out. In other words, Finn wants to reconcile with Fern but doesn't get how devastating Fern's identity crisis is.

In the finale's dream-dimension fight sequence, we see Finn finally hear out Fern's concerns and the two explore Fern's past together.

Fern does die because of plot reasons, but not before re-establishing his and Finn's friendship. I don't really like it when stories sacrifice one character for another's development, but it makes sense given Finn's narrative is about realizing that doing the right thing isn't always a feel-good experience. Finn wants the people he cares about to be safe, and he knows that Fern is in danger by siding with malicious characters like Gumbald. Fern also decides to align with people who care about him rather than someone who wants to use him. If Fern's villain arc is caused by feelings of inadequacies, then it's resolved through self-acceptance. Redeeming Fern requires Finn to truly understand Fern, but this means Finn loses someone who gets him.

I think it's implied Fern could never be at peace alive, since the grass demon was keeping him alive while corrupting his heart. It's a unique take on a heroic sacrifice: setting Fern free means letting Fern go.

Misc. thoughts

Not all redemption arcs are equal. I wanted to touch on a few mini-redemption arcs that either didn't fit the post or had a lesser impact on the story. These aren't relevant to the text, so feel free to skip to the conclusion.

Irredeemable villains

Some AT antagonists never get redemption arcs. These are usually one-off villains who don't get much characterization apart from just being evil. I don't think that AT wants to imply these people are beyond help (see Magic Man for proof), but maybe becoming a good person means that someone has to understand you first, which is harder to do in some cases. Examples include:

Ricardio the heart man

Thief Princess

Wyatt

Redemption arcs?

Originally, I wanted to write a section on Princess Bubblegum and how she gradually releases her iron grip on her kingdom. However, I decided against it because Finn never really sees her as a bad person. However, understanding that she's not perfect is definitely part of her arc. If I were to write about PB, it'd have to be a separate article, probably incorporating how Marceline plays into her character development and how her relationship with evolves over time.

Another character I omitted from this analysis was Lemongrab. I wouldn't describe his arc as a redemption arc because I feel it was more focused on self-discovery than making up for his past actions.

Finally, I thought about writing about the Lich's transformation into Sweet Pea, but I almost don't count it since they are essentially two different characters. A redemption arc to me means that a character undergoes a change of heart. I feel like Sweet Pea is more like the Lich reborn, and while you can argue that the events in "Whispers" are the good Lich fighting against his dormant persona, I feel like it's clear that Sweet Pea and the Lich are not one and the same. Either way, Sweet Pea being the Lich's redemption is to muddy to discuss in this context.

Becoming good

One thing I like about Adventure Time is that no one tries to make the bad guys turn good. Redemption arcs are mostly self-initiated. With characters like Ice King, Finn doesn't try to turn him into a hero, he just stops treating Simon like a villain. Unlike in other media, heroes and villains are not real roles in AT. They are more like social constructs that are easily altered once you start to empathize with supposed villains.

But while "villains" is a flexible term in AT, evil-doing is not. AT puts forward the standard that people should seek forgiveness and atone for the ways they've caused harm. It's a pretty grown-up idea that we should own up to our actions but also forgive people who want to be forgiven.

Conclusion

In Adventure Time, Finn wants to be a hero, but in trying to do so, he needs to answer this question: "What makes a hero?" Originally, the show asserts that a hero is someone who beats up bad guys and obeys people in authority. But as Finn and the audience get older, the show's ideas evolve, too. Through the use of its extensive rogue gallery, Adventure Time affirms that "bad people" are usually just normal people with personal issues. Heroism becomes less associated with righteous violence and more geared towards empathy and reconciliation. Eventually, Finn and the show give up on the hero-villain dichotomy, acknowledging that these categorizations prevent people from helping those who need it most.

Note: this is the first analysis I've posted on Tumblr and I'm planning on writing more with the goal of getting better at writing and media literacy. Additionally, I really love this franchise and I'm always down to discuss it further. Please let me know what you all think?

[laylawatermelon]

The K-Drama Of It All

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

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

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

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

Let us begin.

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

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

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

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

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

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

*stands on soapbox*

Page 1 of 10000 ehem

In this this essay I will -!

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

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

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

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

I'm those shows it's very formulaic.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now I just want to say I think this.

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

Enjoy my infodump.

Firstly let's discuss this here:

1. The Meet Cute/Halo Effect

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

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

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

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

A dramatic romcom. I see.

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

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

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

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

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

Like this.

Good old kdrama tropes.

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

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

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

And then at every other romantic moment after.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I mean come on.

Also Announcement from a novel/screenwriter:

EHEM

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

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

(/hj)

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

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

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

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

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

(which is a wild choice for platonic coworkers)

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

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

Suffocation.

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

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

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

He's fulfilling his family's wish.

So why isn't he happy?

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

🥲 (gimme a sec i gotta cry)

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

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

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

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

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

But the future does.

Enter Sydney in blue.

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

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

Then he becomes calm.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This persists with the kitchen scene as well.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Which I really appreciate now that I think about it.

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

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

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

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

Back on topic though.

The Halo Effect is there. Like all the time.

To my next point-

2. The She Looks Away, I Look At Her

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

You will also be correct.

I am a Disney (more Nick honestly) kid.

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

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

Ring ring.

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

time to fangirl

Look at the gif sets!

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

You understand the vibes almost instantly.

He likes her. He wants more.

She likes him. She wants more.

3. Matching Clothes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And lastly my third point part II-

Same But Different

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

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

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

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

(sorry)

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

Sparta!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now there's no where to go but up.

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

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

But they might surprise me.

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

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

Ex. Miss Hammurabi (best example)

The Good Doctor (Japanese Version)

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

In Conclusion,

Yes. They are end game.

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

There's nothing more random than that time period.

They all dated each other!

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

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

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

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

But I rest my case.

I will retreat into my cave until next time.

[raincamp]

personality disorders in Avatar: The Last Airbender

i just rewatched The Beach episode of ATLA and i realized something during the fireside traumadumping scene. Ty-lee, Mae, Azula, and Zuko all represent each of the 4 personality disorders in cluster B.

Azula is NPD (narcissistic), feelings of inadequacy, jealousy, a need to feel superior, and to be perfect. she usually puts on her grandiose shell; she has a duty to represent herself as fire nation royalty, and it's rare we see any of her feelings at all. but the shell was cracking in The Beach, and her vulnerable self was showing. she admitted to feeling jealous of ty-lee, and even more amazingly, she showed a little bit of empathy for zuko, even if it was an act, it was still a roundabout way to show that she does care and does have feelings. we even see her admit to feeling like a monster, inherently flawed. a common sentiment for a lot of people with NPD.

Ty-lee is HPD (Histrionic), being raised in a family of ten other people who looked exactly like her, she was always invisible. as Mae said, she has "attention issues" of course she did, how could anyone pay attention to her when she was seen as just like all of her other sisters. In the beach, we see her relishing in the attention that she gets from the boys around her, as she makes them feel like they have a more intimate connection than they actually do. she chooses to wear bright pinks and draw attention to herself instead of blending in and wearing reds and dark browns like everyone else in the fire nation.

Zuko is BPD (Borderline), being abandoned by his father at a young age, we see zuko consistently push away the one person who cares about him (Iroh) because he sees any lack of support in his mission to capture the avatar as a form of abandonment, despite his uncle's continuing emotional support. in The Beach this abandonment trauma is shown with his insecurity in his relationship with Mae. When he sees her talking to another guy at the party he automatically assumes that Mae has moved on and that this guy is her new boyfriend.

Mae is ASPD (antisocial), this is the one i know the least about, i'm still learning about it, but i've read a lot of personal accounts of pwASPD who talk about an inability to feel emotion, or empathy, or to care about anything. this is Mae's biggest character trait, she's always talking about how much she doesn't care about anything, she hates that nothing exciting happens, she "doesn't hate" zuko because she can't feel love for him, but she knows that he's the exception to everyone else in her life.

maybe im not the first to point this out, but if i was a psychologist i would do a much deeper analysis of this. it almost feels intentional, but maybe it was just a happy coincidence on the writers' parts. just thought it was interesting

[fakerobotrealblog]

Destiel, short for Dean and Castiel, is a popular fan-created ship within the Supernatural fandom, featuring the characters Dean Winchester and Castiel. The ship has gained significant attention due to its complexity and the nuanced relationship between the two characters.

Religious implications are woven into Destiel, given Castiel's role as an angel in the show. The angelic themes, biblical references, and Castiel's literal fall from grace contribute to the ship's depth. Fans often explore the intersection of religious imagery and the evolving dynamics between Dean and Castiel, adding layers to their relationship beyond the supernatural elements.

Queer identity is a central aspect of the Destiel ship. While Supernatural primarily follows a heteronormative narrative, fans have interpreted and subverted this through the lens of queer representation. The deep emotional connection between Dean and Castiel has led fans to explore themes of love and identity, fostering discussions about LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream media.

Fan involvement in the Destiel ship is extensive and diverse. The Supernatural fandom is known for its passionate and creative fan base. Fanfiction, fan art, and online discussions have flourished, allowing fans to engage with and reinterpret the characters' relationships. The Destiel ship has even influenced conventions and interactions between the actors and fans, creating a unique and interactive fan experience.

The Destiel ship showcases how fan communities can contribute to the reinterpretation and expansion of narratives. It highlights the importance of representation in media and how fans can use transformative works to explore themes such as religion, queerness, and identity within the context of a beloved TV show.

[visorforavisor]

one of my pet peeves is when people think ianto was killed off for shock value, or for no good reason, etc.

quite aside from it making torchwood’s “we all die young” much more powerful, russell t davies is blatantly saying something about the world when he, a gay man who grew up in the ’80s, writes about a young bisexual man finally getting to a glorious stage in his first same-gender relationship and dying because of a preventable disease which the government didn’t fight very hard because they thought those who were going to die were unimportant (or better off dead).

it’s a pretty good allegory for the aids crisis. ianto died because of government negligence, like so many other gay and bisexual (etc) men. his death is the writing telling us something.

[comic-book-jawns]

“It’s been more than two months since Netflix cancelled the fantasy drama Warrior Nun, but fans’ efforts to save it are only ramping up with a billboard near Netflix’s Los Angeles headquarters, another in Times Square and another five in London, in addition to ‘PR packages’ being shipped off to rival streamers — which begs the question: what makes a show about Catholic nuns so popular?”

[emmellas]

rejoice, rejoice (performative white liberalism is once again being shown no mercy in the most unrelenting media damnation of it this horror-loving black woman has seen since 'get out') !!

'the curse' is the first white-helmed production i have ever seen that relentlessly and unapologetically interrogates the insidious nature of white, performative liberalism. rather than appealing to the white man's ego, it aims to make the offending party as uncomfortable as possible. no space is allowed for white fragilities. to the contrary, the tv series indignantly elucidates and condemns the acts of racism, gentrification, classism, and other forms of bigotry hidden under the guise of liberal niceties and ideology to garner social praise and adoration perpetrated by purported white allies.

i was reminded of my first experience watching 'get out' (2017) within MINUTES of beginning the pilot episode: feelings of sheer vindication and validation from watching performative white people FINALLY be stripped of the approving savior trope most pieces of media put forth by white people embrace. instead, whitney and asher siegel, the show's ostensibly benevolent home improvement show power couple (think chip and joanna gaines but more environmentally conscious and philanthropic...or so they say) who, beneath the guise of performativity, seek only to serve themselves financially and socially, are portrayed as the monsters they truly are. returning to 'get out,' this film also sought to elucidate the way a marginalized group- black people- experiences said marginalization through implicit manifestations engendered from white "etiquette," as best encapsulated by the sunken place.

it was wonderful to see the ever stupendous, inimitable emma stone (i see a second oscar and first emmy in her very near future!) and incredible nathan fielder commit themselves fully to the exposé of white-perpetrated atrocities of the self-proclaimed liberal variety, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes as executive producers, the latter also as a writer and creator. one must actively de-center their whiteness and place their ego ("but not ALL white people!!") aside to deliver such an accurate performance and play a role in developing a show of this nature. many of their white counterparts fail to truly garner the values of social justice needed to undertake these responsibilities.

so from a black woman who loves the premise of the horror/thriller genre being utilized as a creative medium to expose the true horrors of society- systemic oppression- shout out to everyone involved in this riveting piece of desperately needed social critique.

[thunderandsage]

thoughts on azula redemption

as interesting as azula getting a redemption arc is from a speculative position, something that I always thought while watching the series is how the whole point of her character is that she… doesn’t?

the thing is this: azula and zuko are characters that, while good on their own, especially shine when placed next to each others: emotionless and emotional, the favorite and the failure, blue and red etc.

their journeys’ emotional beats often drop at the same time—we can especially see this around the boiling rock arc. zuko is working together with sokka, suki and the prisoners, strengthening his connections to other people in direct contrast to azula, who loses mai and ty lee. the former informs zuko’s redemption arc and the latter contributes to azula’s downward spiral

so at the end, when azula breaks down, it is all the more heartbreaking how she fails to escape her flaws and her trauma when we see how zuko conquered his, just as it was all the more rewarding seeing zuko’s growing empathy and compassion next to someone who never escaped ozai’s mentality. as stated before, both archetypes are good on their own, but the dialogue between them is what makes this aspect of atla so impactful and memorable

(no hate to azula-redemption supporters at all btw, just thinking about her character from a narrative standpoint)

[bubblegumbarbie33]

The parallels between Karen and Mandy, specifically LIP'S relationships with either of them, get me every time.

The fact that when Karen was upset about her dad she dyed her hair black and got facial piercings.

Then, Lip starts dating Mandy, a girl with black hair and facial piercings.

Or, whenever Lip goes to Karen's window it's because he genuinely wants to see her, but the one time he goes to Mandy's window it's because he needs a place to stay. (But he lets her think he WANTS or even NEEDS to see her, which breaks my heart every time because she looks so happy.)

Even Karen and Mandy's relationships with either of their fathers. Karen was emotionally abused by her father to an extent (public shaming, using religion as an excuse to demoralize her, all of the basic gross shit). When it all came to a head after the purity ball, Karen reacted by destroying herself and the lives of those around her. Mandy also has a horrible relationship with her father, it is heavily implied that he abused her brother and her physically, definitely emotionally, and her case sexually. However, Mandy responds only by partaking in self destructive habits (drug use, drinking, hypersexuality) and even some of these could be argued as 'normal' teenage behavior. (I'm not trying to say that one response was better or worse- except obviously Karen r*ping Frank was very not okay, and that scene with Lip and Mandy in the kitchen that could be argued as r*pe- honestly I hate how the Shameless writers talk about consent, especially when it comes to men, because I don't think they understand what it means).

Idk I just think some of these are interesting.

(oH AND, AND, the way Mandy started dying her hair blond and dressing a little 'classier' near the end of the series- specifically that one episode where they tricked the pastor. When Lip sees her with blond hair dressed preppier, he says she looks nice. Who could she be resembling here????? Hmmmm????)

[thefiresofpompeii]

the impossible leninist church as yet another one of the twelfth doctor's mirrors

these two shots from before the flood come back to back. one after the other

he is unwavering faith and belief in the impossible and repentance and strict moral code and guilt and confession and trust and foresight and transcendence and surrender

he is rationality and control and conscience and materialism and skepticism and historicity and atheism and truth and dignity and survival and victory (the red block lettering on the poster says "pobedim" — "we will be victorious")

.

the friend inside the enemy and the enemy inside the friend. the scientist and the magician. the priest and the folk hero and the reluctant politician. call him doctor dialectics

cinematography as communication!

[absent-o-minded]

YR S2 Trailer Talk (Pt.1)

My, my has it been a fair whack of time since I last did one of these. The release of the S3 Trailer was like being opened from my rustic tomb, so I thought that I would do an analysis/thought/prediction post ! (Also - Please excuse the quality of the screenshots x the red play bar):

The Lake (Continuous):

As we know from previous seasons, the lake's function has been situated as place of solace for its location outside of the royal, institutional and domestic spaces. It is both meditative and reflective.

In S1, the lake was one of the only occasions where the boys were not just happy (a rare instance) but also where they were afforded a sense of privacy (even if it was the illusion of privacy). It's on school-grounds, so it is somewhat controlled, but Malin was also there. Here, I get the impression that they might actually be on their own. The shot is so serene, with the golden-green landscape refracting off of the water, and the boys' silhouettes slightly obscured.

We also got a snapshot of this scene from the teaser pictures, where Wille and Simon were floating atop the water, and they were sort-of peacefully basking in the Sun. The lake has been consistent throughout the seasons: Season 1 was Winter, Season 2 was Spring (I think?), and so Season 3 may be the Spring-Summer transition (although I am aware that people are wearing coats and jackets during the trailer). If so, a change in season similarly ushers in social/cultural change, or anticipates a transition. In Summer coming around, tensions rise with the heat, and the pressure amps up.

Importantly, the lake shows up multiple times throughout the trailer:

The hammock clip looks incredibly domestic and peaceful, which is nice to see, considering the arc that Wille and Simon have been on in order to get to this point. It's something simple and perhaps (on appearance) not particularly narratively potent, but it is important if we consider the lake to be a place of nostalgia. The Wille and Simon who lounge here in Season 3 are different versions of the lads that they were in Season 1. And honestly? I think that they're going to grab at any moments of peace they can get without the looming presence of the press.

Ohohoheheheheuegeuhuege- The big questions !

As well as being a place of tranquility, the lake provides an open space for Wille and Simon to talk without constraints. We have seen Simon be critical of the monarchy since S1, but (I think) that this is the first time where Simon openly directs his criticism to Wille and asks him outright. However, what I'm more interested in is what he follows it up with: "I've seen how it makes you feel."

Now, this could very well just be Simon remarking on how Wille has been in the past. He's seen him scared, stressed, worried, angry etc. But, it makes me wonder if this might be an inclination of Simon seeing it at it's worst with Wille's anxiety (and by extension - His panic attacks). Maybe Wille has fully let Simon in? Maybe he's shown him what he's been afraid to let anyone help him with?

Also - Simon is wearing what looks to be his purple shirt in this shot, which makes me think that this could possibly come after the palace visit?

(Pretty sure that this is the lake so we're gonna go with it-)

The thing that is honestly ripping my brain apart is that this could be a response to a NUMBER of different things. In the trailer, it comes after Kristina says: "You supposed to be able to take over from me." But there could be a chance that this ^ is in response to something else:

You have to maintain a traditional image. What if I don't want to?

You have to choose. What if I don't want to?

You have to stop fighting. What if I don't want to?

The options are endless.

(Also, Wille is wearing the same coat here as he is in the hammock frame above ^^.)

First of all, the trailer really is indulging us in some beautiful shots. Look at this lovely composition of land x water in a wide.

Secondly, my word. It seems remarkable that something as simple as this shot could summarise the goal of 3 entire seasons, because surely, this is it? This is all they wanted? The both of them, with a picnic, by a lake, with the sunset. That is all. None of the grandeur. None of the drama. None of the unwanted extras. Just this.

Which is why the next two shots appear more unnerving:

It looks so picturesque...and then we get these two close-ups. It's one of the few instances we receive where Wille and Simon are sharing a fraught moment and openly reacting to it in front of each other. They are unified in their experiences. But really, how else do you try to articulate what you and someone else have gone through in the past year? How do you explain that to someone who isn't either of you two?

No one else would have been under the same scrutiny or the same institutional rigidity or even the same stress as they have been forced to get through in just a number of months. They have both suffered, from the hands of others, as well as the hands of each other. There have been moments where hope was high, as well as moments where the end was not in sight.

And again, we're back at the lake. It persists. The sun is setting and so it’s late in the day. But it’s still this continuous, emblematic thread that connects interrelated sequences and bares witness to everything that goes on. It’s almost like an omniscient location.

I don't think that they would have shown anything from Ep 6 in the trailer, purely on the basis that it's separate from the other episodes. I could be wrong, but this seems like it would happen at the end of an episode, maybe episode 5? I'm unsure of how you could transition away from this because summarises the whole relationship. I can't say if Wille's "Is everything okay between us?” comes from this scene, because I just get the impression that they understand each other. The tears, the looks, the furrowed brows, the positions, it all seems like they have a mutual understanding that evades the need for speech. Perhaps it’s less of a checking in and more of a rhetorical question. Will it be okay?

_________

This part solely focussed on the lake so I'm hoping to write another post discussing other elements of the trailer. Nonetheless, I am very excited ! Anxious and sad to see it go, but I’m so happy that I was here for the whole ride and will see it to the end !

[genderdoe-sly]

like yeah I know that sporty men who don't think women are object and also are dorky and are strong exist, it's that I am so afraid of the locker-room-talk-hazing-newbies man that I have my guard extra up when I meet guys who are passionate about sports. Shoresy represents what hockey should be (from a moral standpoint). I love it not only bc it's good tv, but because I trust the men in it. Shoresy isn't the type of show where jj Frankie jj is going to SA someone bc he's big enough that it would be easier- it's not the type of show for micheals to either bc he's lonely. Shoresy lets me live in a world where men are safe.

[laylawatermelon]

Buddie: it's The Way It's Played

Aka don't hate the player hate the game or whatever.

(i promise the is Buddie at the halfway point if you just want meta)

I woke up pondering about edy's comments and found it a bit funny and ironic because she probably doesn't know just like we don't know.

Oliver recently talked about how he wasn't heavily involved in this upcoming episode 2 so he'll be getting to watch it for the first time with us.

It's the same case with her. In her eyes she does her few scenes and goes home.

In her head she is the chosen love interest and she is indeed being asked to come back.

The second half of the season hasn't publicly been announced (or fully filmed I assume) so she's just as oblivious as we are.

What I will say is that celebrities should know to not be in the spaces of fandom and don't get heavily involved.

Especially with shippers.

As a fangirl I have always been protective, I would say, over my stuff but I made like a rule that I don't reply or have online arguments.

(mostly because i get riled up easily in real life and it's dangerous imagine doing it with a complete stranger or a mob of them if we're being fr because there's never just one person arguing with you.)

It's likely millions or billions 🙃

Also as a fangirl, I don't mind shipping or not shipping.

Do what you want, I don't care.

I grew up in the good ole don't like scroll away time.

What I'm getting at is that some people are more comfortable on online spaces. Some are more quiet (like me) but they're there.

I've recently become disillusioned slowly over the years of Hollywood ( all the woods honestly) glamour so when they are shown or said to be bad people I treat them as such.

Cause they're that.

People.

Who do good and bad stuff all the time.

Granted we don't a camera or constant surveillance or record (or funds) all the time, but I'd bet we said/did bad stuff.

Now in Hollywood's case their stuff is mainly criminal/jail/wtf is going on over there?!??!

In her case, I'm not surprised.

There's people who are homophobic/transphobic and everyphobic (and -ist!!) in the world so of course they would be in show business.

Cause they're people. We got people (like millions of them, a concerning number in worldwide leadership positions but that's a story for another day...) like that all over.

Celebrities are not and never will be role models. They are public images projected onto a pretty body.

That's also the reason why I'm saying that she should shut her computer and cut her losses.

(a lot of celebrities should do that honestly)

But, it does let you know who to support and who not to.

And I'd rather know my enemy rather than worship a perfect image honestly.

I also think it's unwise to fight the people who are literally indirectly paying your bills.

There are 93k people (just on Tumblr) who ship the guys.

Even I know better and I'm a fan.

(i think it's because I'm a fan and ik how it can get I'm just an observer cause whew 😥😮‍💨)

That's not counting the ones not active here or casuals who agree with the pairing.

If they pay your bills walk on eggshells ma'am. You're job quite literally hinges on people liking you.

So be likable.

(once again I will reiterate as a fan/human with a heart let me know how bad you are so I don't give you my love if you're a bad person with shady morals.)

But as an observer it's like just shhhhhh. Please. The Internet is forever. There is no timeline for it. What are you doing??

If I'd say it it's like watching you drive a burning car driving down the street and you're sitting in it proudly waving and hitting people but insist you're right or a good person.

I'm just shocked at some people's let's say narrow thinking aka limited timeline thinking.

Fans and the Internet didn't forget. They will find you.👹

But I wanna talk about Buddie now!

Okay.

Now that we've criticized celebrity culture and the response of ms. Edy and her bad mindset (aka lack of critical reading and decision making with fandoms and responses in general also queerphobia?!) that honestly I appreciate.

Be a bad apple in public.

Imma stand on business.

Expeditiously 😤.

Bye bye support and hello uproar.

But back to Buddie 😘😚🤗😝, I wanna be clear I am a fan but I am also very critical of media.

It's the way they act.

Literally.

The reason Buddie even exists and is accepted is it's literally there. (Their fault)

There is no subtext.

The actors play it as such, the directors direct it as such and the marketing play it as such.

I'm a bit upset seeing y'all called clowns (although i hope it's said affectionately cause tone indicators or the lack of) because you're not crazy.

They quite literally put the battery in y'all backs so it shouldn't be surprising if the battery is more high powered than expected.

You are not misreading anything.

Most people just choose to ignore the signs because

(the church! Homophobia! All rhe -ias and ists!)

Truly our downfall as a modern society.

Anyways, as a writer and heavy media consumer there's no mistakes.

Every wprd is carefully chosen, every shot has a purpose and every cut is done. These things are practiced a thousand times, edited, retaked a thousand times if they have to.

There's no mistakes in media. It's literally made to influence, persuade and educate.

Nothing is a coincidence!

But after reading a few interviews and listening to the fandom I think we can also say with confidence they've been playing it as a romance.

There's nothing platonic.

They have platonic couples on the show.

That

is not it.

Even if you see it as pure writing without the context of their acting choices.

Let's say kitchen scene.

You wanna work it out in the ring (throws playful punches)

I'd take you.

I wouldn't do that. You're on blood thinners.

Buck steps closer to playfully intimidate him.

You wanna go for the title?

Now pause.

Ik we all know that scene religiously and can only see it as insane (because they are. It is.) but I read it in my mind as a blank sheet of paper and couldn't help but wonder.

Why would you say it like that?!??!!?

Mr. Oliver Stark and Mr. Ryan Guzman I sentence you will eternal jail cause wtfff?

I imagined it more platonically. You can quite literally put, let's say, Hen and Chim in that same scenario. Damn even Eddie and Chim.

Their acting choices would reflect that. Hell, read the lines without looking (or hearing their insane intonation) and imagine your best friend. Any friend for that matter.

It wasn't playful, it was well, sexually tense. 🤷🏾‍♀️

Ps i love buck 1.0 and was shooketh to see his return because i watched the show backwards. i did season 2-6 in like a week then begrudgingly did season 1. Me nah like abby ...

They are choosing to act it out as a romance.

Now that could lend itself to male partnership in movies (and real life) where they went to war together that were usually where gay/queer men had partnerships/relationships in every sense of the word.

The shows ain't got it from nothing. 🤷🏾‍♀️

There's always truth in fiction.

I also find out a bit hilarious to imagine the director tried to get them to stop but the takes were either too good or they kept pushing the envelope and the editors were like yes. 🤗

I will put this shot of them longingly staying at each other instead of the slightly less neutral one.

Or cut when they say we're the only ones who don't have kids (+buck) then cut to Buck being a good dad! 🤗

On a bit of a more serious note let's say it is a bit of manipulation of the masses marketing wise.

The show is very queer friendly with a (black!) lesbian couple, a gay man, an engaged (black!) gay couple and many queer stories of different races in their cases that are told wonderfully.

I acknowledge and comment them for it but ..

The big problem is how Buddie is treated. (Or rather the very rational people who ship them)

(which their name is kind of funny because I link it to buddy cop movies that can be homoerotic when they feel like it and buddie is technically that trope)

Homosexual media (in the case of film) has always been subtext, hidden, stereotyped, twisted or been outright secret messages for the girls to uncode (cause religion 🤷🏾‍♀️).

It has only been like very recent that queer people have been gaining respect in media so it's not surprising.

What life was like in 2019 to now in terms of queer media is like night and day. The same would be for the 2000s. Gay was used as an insult. The world is quite literally changing before our eyes.

In their case, the elf scene is said to be a wink at the audience.

But the actors took it seriously. So we do as well.

Aka the battery put in they back.

They respect the same vision. 😤goated

The chemistry is undeniable, and the tropes they have parallel a lot of romantic things used historically in media. (And in the show *bathena* but🤷🏾‍♀️)

It's not an accident to say that if one of them had been female (aka the "acceptable" pairing) they'd have been together.

You could argue that if he'd been with Maddie like intended they'd be together. And little jiyun would be a sister.

She might be a Jane actually??

Back on topic.

I found it interesting when watching like a compilation (cause i did nawt watch the show before become a buddie fan) and found it hilarious because it was like their normal behavior and i felt the romantic tension shift. It was like whoooaaa holup. The air shifted.

It's very easy to spot it because at the first few episodes it was very platonic then it became very side eye....

What do you mean he's cute? What do you mean wanna go for the title?

(That scene is eternally insane)

What do you mean with other couples they're paired as a family? Consistently?

What do you mean the kid and you go on solo family outings to the zoo? Constantly? For years?

You take care of him like all the time?

What do you mean he's your kid's legal guardian and partly the reason you lived after being trapped in a well?

The actors play it romantically. Ryan does cause I remember step up.

After like a year together? Over his family? Who are not firefighters??

Ik how he is when he's flirting.

The show also (unfortunately) writes their love interests as tools of self growth for them (which can be a bit problematic cause the women aren't being treated three dimensionally characters men get to be. the two who were closest were abby, and Taylor. Shannon was so so for me personally. Which is odd because they have complex main females it's just unfortunate that the women they have for them are rarely people outside of the relationship and that's why it falls apart in the case of their relationship/people getting invested).

Nobody is quite literally written as important to each other like them. They are in a relationship no doubt. We can say queer platonic now (as they are raising a kid together?!??!! Like come on. Chim and Hen aren't like Buck and Ed. Also the good cop bad cop scene?)

It's just not sexual I'd say.

Cause emotionally, mentally all that is there.

And they could absolutely play it "straighter" 🥴 cause I've seen a plethora of male friendships (slight side eye ry we got buddy cop movies galore don't play with me!!!) where they support each other.

They don't act like that!!!! Look at this and tell me I'm wrong!

(i feel insane but I'm not i swear)

the lighting, the cut, the conversation im melting~~~!!!!

It's not inaccurate to say that the way they're written (and acted!!) is more romantic than platonic.

I'd assume they couldn't let the two hot men who represent "manliness" be together because they didn't fit into a (gay) stereotype.

But they will gladly let you advertise their show to the high heavens and bring in millions of dollars in revenue, which does upset me ngl but 🤷🏾‍♀️ hey, can't hate the player hate the game right?