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queenjulia11 · 9 months

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Re-listened to the whole first season yesterday (because I’m chill and normal about my interests) and wow is Phineas the perfect example of how toxic masculinity completely changes a person.

In his introduction, Phineas does exactly what he needs to in order to get the job done. He doesn’t use excessive force, and is able to solve the problem without anyone getting hurt. In any other world, this would be impressive.

Spahr is proud of him, but reminds him to play it up more for the media. Okay, noted, he’ll do better next time. He did exactly what was asked of him, just not in a manner that makes The Trust sound badass and cool to the kids listening back home.

He doesn’t break even — sucks, but no time to be sad about it! Here’s Backpack with her microphone! Look on the goddamn bright side, Phineas!! He still feels his feelings, but does way more than he should to cover them up around other people.

The gala goes well for him, a much needed confidence boost; he takes pride in not accepting handouts. But he doesn’t just say “no thank you,” like episode 3 Phineas might have, he’s offended that Mr. Loxlee expected he would want his help. That would make him weak. Mr. Loxlee clearly just doesn’t get it. This righteous reaction to turning Mr. Loxlee down says more than I realized at first about The Trust’s propaganda that Phin’s been consuming literally since childhood.

Then Spahr basically tells him to stop having social anxiety. Phineas has been feeling so many emotions, asking himself so many questions, trying to put on the Starship Troopers G.I. Joe face this entire time — looking for the answer. Looking for a guiding light to tell him how to be who he’s been told he’s supposed to be. And what answer does Jonas Spahr give to sweet, mild-mannered Phineas Thatch?

Don’t show weakness.

Or else he’s out. Last warning. Is it really that surprising Phineas lashed out against Sherman the way he did?

Spahr is certainly surprised — woah, this is not what he meant. But regardless of his intentions, this is what he fostered. This ruthlessness. This cruelty. This Adsecla who Phineas never would’ve seen himself as back in episode three. “An impulsive fucking idiot.”

“Phineas sees Jonas Spahr. But Jonas Spahr does not see Phineas.”

In more ways than one.

And after finally doing as he was told (to the best of his understanding), Phineas’ mentor, his hero abandons him. He didn’t want to, he never meant for it to go this far. But Phin doesn’t know that.

And now here he is, chewed up and spat out by the system he was born into. After following all the rules, he has become one of the indebted former trustees he was tasked to hunt, with no hope of ever getting back to where he was — let alone breaking even.

This is what propaganda does. This is what toxic masculinity does. This is what a cult does. And it doesn’t happen in a way you can easily see, it slowly simmers until it boils over into something unrecognizably sharp.

Oh, Phineas. I’m rooting for you, buddy.

#midst #midst podcast #Phineas Thatch #the trust #I know there are female and non-binary trustees #but the patriarchy affects everyone #and Phin is a guy and a protagonist so the toxic masculinity stuff is gonna be seen more in him than others #like this is literally his arc #no one’s telling him to literally man up or whatever but I think the metaphor is pretty clear #and they’re doing a damn good job IMPROVISING that like WOW

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dyinglikeastar · 10 months

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GOD Bulletville makes me FUCKING insane.

Trusting each other and working together and being so damn good at it because they've been here before and this is what they do and who they are except now one's a lawman and one's a criminal and yet Boyd still goes to him when he's lost and yet Raylan still trusts Boyd to have his back. Raylan knowing Boyd's not going to use the gun he hands him against him and Boyd knowing Raylan's not going to pull on him because they dug coal together.

Motherfucker, this episode.

#the trust #the TRUST!!!!!!!!#the falling back into old patterns and old habits like no time has ever passed #the FUCKING TRUST #I'M FINE #Justifiedfx #bulletville #raylan/boyd #otp: we dug coal together #otp: i've known you since the third grade #what's it called when you hand a guy who's a known criminal and murderer a gun and trust him to have your back and then let him drive off #and don't do a thing to stop it #hmm #raylan x boyd #boyd x raylan

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minnarr · 6 months

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The Trust — episode 23

#the trust #xiao jinyun #xu yu #asiandramanet #cdramasource #my gifs

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midstpodcast · 2 months

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Phineas Thatch is getting some shopping done. Or trying to, anyway…

The ALL NEW Season 3 of MIDST raises the tension with Episode 4 - "FOUNDATION", now available on YouTube and wherever mind-bending podcasts are found! 🧡📻

➡️ https://youtu.be/Ms-x1qHoU0U

Ravenous for more MIDST?

Tune your teltheric to Midst.co for early access up to EPISODE 6, music downloads, behind the scenes bonus episodes, and in-world appendices!

PLUS find even more on our ever-evolving new Tumblr! midstpodcast.tumblr.com

This week's stunning episode art by Ionomycin!

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nodoubtinus · 4 days

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两不疑 - Liǎng Bù Yí - No Doubt In Us

Plot Synopsis:

Within the Chinese imperial court, stern-faced Emperor Xiao Jinyun and spirited Empress Xu Yu are at constant odds with one another. But the universe has an interesting way to solve their issues: an accident causes the two to switch bodies, forcing them to put themselves in the other's shoes—literally. Now responsible for unfamiliar duties and court dynamics, the emperor and empress must navigate the maintenance of their identities, unruly concubines, and the nation itself. In doing so, Xiao Jinyun and Xu Yu's personal qualities and unconventional skills find new purpose, and a sense of understanding and compassion grows between the two.

However, great threats loom within and outside the court. If the imperial astrologer cannot discover the key to switching them back in time, then internal strife and suspicion may lead to the duo's untimely demise.

(Source: MAL Rewrite)

My review:

I really enjoyed No Doubt In Us! From Xu Yu and Xiao Jinyun's reviving romance, to the court conspiracy slowly unfolding around them, to the fantastical magic element- almost every aspect of the plot lands well, with lively and entertaining characters to carry it.

Xu Yu and Jinming are my favourites of the cast; the energy and positivity around both of them really lightens things up, and they're both very endearing to me. Everyone is very colourful and three-dimensional, and while it's slow to show you the depths behind each character, you come out with at least some positive feeling for even the antagonists (or at least most of them. Not naming any names 🤭)

While the animation style is a bit strange to adjust to at first, it's used to its full potential! The comedic moments get funny little chibis, while most of the show uses a style more similar to early RWBY (both seen below.)

It's obvious that it was made on a budget, but they do a great job with what they have regardless. The character designs are memorable, the backgrounds are stunning, and they don't shy away from making their characters expressive.

Overall, I think it's really great! More people should give it a go. It's funny, fast-paced, and everyone is endearing- you will find a new blorbo here. I promise.

Where to find it:

(I'm only providing legal sources, since they're the only ones I've used. You can totally pirate it though)

Manhua- Link!

Donghua- Link! // Link! // Link!

C-Drama- Link!

Small Theater- Link!

Wiki- Link!

#no doubt in us #liang bu yi #xu yu #xiao jinming #xiao jinyun #the trust #donghua #manhua #c-drama #review #donghua review

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ginsoakedgirl80 · 4 months

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Costume Cdramas I watched in 2023

My 2nd year with Chinese dramas as my love for costume drama continues.

The title links to where you can watch it (tried to find free legal watches where available)

The Blood of Youth (40 x 45min, filming started in Oct 2021, released Dec 2022) fun action drama with a good dose of comedy, not for people who want lots of romance because they are too busy (and the canon couples don't have enough chemistry, there I said it) to be making out. Good for bromance, ghost ships and/or ace character head canons. Xiao Se's fur collar wins fur collar of the year, Tang Lian is my blorbo of early 2023.

My Uncanny Destiny (24 x 30min, filmed in autumn 2021, released Jan 2023) My favorite comedy of the year. Don't get turned off by the toilet jokes, it's a gem that spoofs drama tropes, gives you a coherent plot, silliness, fun side characters, a ML that is not afraid of being silly and a FL that plays capable and silly well. This might be a low budget production but they put that money to work. Politics, cross-dressing, found family, sisterhood, enemies to lovers, third wheel bisexual who reminds me of Wen Kexing, over the top villain, himbo villain who works out shirtless all the time, it got it all.

Wulin Heroes (22 x 45min, filming started Nov 2020, released Jan 2023) I watched this for Li Hongyi and he is incredibly beautiful in this so props to his stylist and cinematographer. BUT it is a badly written and edited low budget romp. If you are not watching for any actor then do not bother. FL is bearable once you realize she is very much of a lets see where this goes kind of character. 2nd ML is a suffering captive prince turned whiny regent played by Zhu Zanjin. So if you want to see Jin GuangYao suffer, you might like his scenes?? It can totally be read as a throuple especially with the New Tales of Wulin Heroes mini series add on. The choppiness might also be a result of the dangai ban??

No Doubt in us (24 x 14min, 2021, donghua) saw this on netflix and it roped me in with the body switch trope. It's sufficiently entertaining. Though I didn't enjoy the animation style apart from the chibi scenes.)

Heaven Official's Blessing (season 1, 11 x 26min, 2020, Donghua) It's THAT story and the art style is so pretty. I haven't read the books yet but still got what was going on most of the time. Liked it a lot. Haven't watched the 2nd season yet)

The Journey of Chong Zi (40 x 45min, filming started in June 2021, released Feb 2023) This xianxia is a mess! But it gave Scorpion King Li Daikun another memorable role with being the FL's protector. Watching Wang Zhoucheng having a ball with his role was fun. Immortal turned demon Wan Jie is so handsome and tragic. It did draw me in but the main couple is just ick so every time they were apart it immediately got better. ML's refusal to take the antidote to ease his obsession was lmao, FL is naive but charming and her demon styling rocks (do not get the hate on the actress, she is selfmade and there are many bad pretty face actresses around but I guess antis attract antis). Oh and there is a bromance between two of Chong Zi's harem members

Till the End of the Moon (40 x 55min, started filming in Nov 2021, released April 2023) aka my brain rot drama of the year. Drawn in from episode 1 on. Bai Li and Luo Yunxi <3 Pian Ran, Ye Qingyu, Nian Baiyu and Si Ying. <3 I was spamming tumblr with my screenshots, it was a jolly good time to watch this epic tale of love and suffering and saving the world dilemma with a great cast, characters, costumes, sets and soundtrack with the cdrama ppl of tumblr. If this weren't too complicated for cdrama newbies I'd recommend it to all my friends. Do not skip the dream arc (I ended up liking it) or later stuff will make less sense. I'm still annoyed that we didn't get a good extra episode that wraps up some lose ends for the main side characters and that reunion of the main characters but Youku really went nah we better play it safe with censors not liking happy ends for morally grey characters.

My Queen (24 x 45min, filmed in 2020, released Jul 2021) An FL enters a romance adventure VR game drama that I watched because I needed some fluff between TtEotM episodes. Why pick this among any other sufficiently entertaining dramas that are probably better written and not as forgetable? Because I wanted to watch Hu Wei (rich nepo baby in The Blood of Youth) in another comedy role >_> and ridiculous overacting he did deliver

The Trust (30 x 45min, filmed early 2021, released Apr 2023) The life action adaptation of the manhua No doubt in us is based on. I dunno why I finished this, I guess I'm not a quitter and needed silly stuff to balance TtEotM angst. For some reason the director thought it would be a good idea to film this like a donghua and it is causing 2nd hand embarrassment. The ML cannot pull off being a woman in a man's body, not even a martial arts nerd like Xu Yu. Like Wulin Heroes it was filmed before the dangai ban but that didn't stop them from having at least two bromances.

Wanru's Journey (24 x 35min, filming started in Jun 2021, released May 2023) A mess. So IQIYI released this simply to ride on the wave of Ao Ruipeng's The Blood of Youth popularity. Because this got so chopped down because of the dangai ban and it probably wasn't good to begin with. Basically an actress transmigrates into a dangai screenplay and gets between the leads while also making money by writing fic about them (ok this is my reading but she DID release fic and drawings of them). Of course it takes an unnecessarily dramatic turn, instead of staying on the comedy side, cannot remember more of the plot, oops.

King is not Easy (20ep x 30min, released Aug 2017) I watched this for the body switch trope and Bai Lu. Nice to see her actual face before the fair skin filter got her, entertaining enough, badly written silly comedy with mind mindbogglingly contrived final 4 episodes. It's Bai Lu's drama debut so it's nice to see how far she got

Destined (40ep x 45min, filming started in Jun 2022, released June 2023) Highly enjoyable. Fell in love with Bai Jingting. What's not to love about a playboy getting put on his path by his wife and them becoming friends, sworn siblings and then lovers in the process? No this is actually about FL finding her thing (trade) and being wildly successful at it, then it's also political, revenge and more. The leads are extremely charming and have great chemistry (the drama suffers every time they are apart lbr) and the writing is good, though people are too perfect and I wasn't into the whole palace stuff.

My Journey to You (24 ep x 60min, filming started Dec 2022, released Sep 2023) Had me from episode 1 on. Made me buy IQIYI VIP so I can watch it in good quality. Fell in love with Zhang Linghe. Yu Shuxin needs to do all the wuxia while she is still fit. Why waste being able to do the splits on some modern drama? The director sent her mud wrestling and she went for it. Everyone knows she is pretty no need for her to be beautifully put together on screen 24/7. Love the style, the character introductions, the characters, the cast, the chemistry, the story, the way you expect something and something else is going on. While it started out gloomy and remained so for the most part, it surprised me with throwing in more comedy than I expected. The good old idle manchild gets thrown into a position of power story but it's a murderous martial arts clan against another murderous martial arts clan. It's giving you some information but often just enough for getting what's going on just to play with your expectations later, FUN! And I didn't even mention all the other characters because surprise! this is actually an ensemble drama with several intriguing characters. Do not expect for the two leads to be on screen all the time.

Hilarious Family (24ep x 45min, started filming in June 2022 (?), released Sept 2023) A fun ensemble comedy I watched for Jackie Li. A widow moves to another city to marry off her 4 daughters (a silly man-crazy one, a homely one, a scholar one and a tomboy one). No it's not Pride and Prejudice but yes of course this is a romcom and all women have a love interest. It kind of drops off later on tbh, but still good for the characters and side characters. The success of this in China hopefully means that Jackie Li will get to be getting more comedies to work in after the Queen Lau disaster and people having a problem with her artist alias in 2022.

Hello There (20ep x 30min, released Jan 2023) I stumbled on this on IQIYI while looking for a light fast watch that will let my brain relax. The ML's best acting moment is when he plays a wooden robot. FL is fun. There are some questionable scenes, standard low budget action comedy fare.

An Ancient Love Song (14ep x 30 min, released June 2023) A wonderfully written and executed grown up time traveling story, that shows once again that you don't need a big budget to tell a story that draws you in. Ended my palace politics blockade. All this time traveling and no reincarnation in sight. ;_;

Story of Kunning Palace (38ep x 45min, filming started in May 2022, released Nov 2023) Tieing 2nd with My Journey to You for brainrot drama of the year. The cinematography is questionable, the story is not for teaching perfect courting behavior but those two are just such a good cp in their awkward messy way. Their friends/sidekicks are fun too and bring some comedy to that story though crazy in love ML is serving some comedy too. Props to ZLH for actually trying to grasp the basics of playing qin and not just waving over the strings like other dramas deem it sufficient. Bai Lu is Bai Lu-ing, gathering her harem. Coming into this right after An Ancient Love Song the idea to defeat destiny this time around seemed hopeless to me but this is one of those they are good at making plans and they turn out mostly alright dramas. I hope those two's material for the next years is as good as the two dramas with them I watched in 2023, fingers crossed!

Currently watching: A Journey to Love and Taoism Grandmaster as well as 2/3 through a LbFaD rewatch that I started in summer.

I also watched a handful of modern dramas (made in Korea and Japan) and some mini-dramas, but that is for another post.

And yes my most watched actors are probably those uncles stuck in Hengdian, might look that up another day.

If I got the time to blog about a drama I usually do it with screenshots so my tag for those posts is excuse my bad quality screenshots. In other cases I just reblog and put my thoughts in the tags.

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