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Idk guys, maybe we should hear him out about the other nations

#daniel dae kim #avatar the last airbender #netflix #fire lord ozai

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the Tennants’ DW special watch party (from georgia’s instragram)

bonus :)

#doctor who #georgia tennant #david tennant

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People who honestly think there shouldn’t be a proshot release of theater shows because then people wouldn’t go to the theater anymore are so fucking dumb holy shit how dumb do you have to be did people stop watching footbal games because it also airs on tv? did people stop going to concers because you could get the dvd? holy shit just let poor people have a taste of the thing too god damn it

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*NSYNC - Better Place (Official Audio)

#it happened #nsync #better place

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yr locked in a room alone with three adult men but you feel perfectly safe. who are they

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From Me to You (2023)

From Me to You: Kimi Ni Todoke

High school freshman Sawako is considered a gloomy, scary person by her peers. Her (vague) similarities to a horror movie ghost don't help. But one day a nice boy begins talking to her and Sawako's whole world changes.

9/10

This show hit me unexpectedly. I was expecting just a cute romance about the popular boy and the outcast and what I got instead was a lovely show about how much of a difference showing kindness and acceptance can make. Friendship, love, and the passion to follow what you want in life are also very big themes within.

So confession, next year I will have graduated from high school 20 years ago (that feels strange to type). But the show brought me back to those awkward high school feelings. This felt grounded and real in a way I absolutely didn't expect. The story is sweet, showing Sawako's journey from someone who's head always stays down and she only focuses on what is directly ahead. Her new friends change that, starting with Kazehaya. He encourages her to open up to others and to show who she really is, which leads her to her two female friends Yano and Yoshida. There are the normal tropes: misunderstandings, other love interests, just plain shyness. But all of them work together to feel true. The only very very minor complaint is that I would have loved to see a small epilogue with the best friends. Because as important as a lover is, the show has shown how important friendships are as well. Like I said, very minor complaint. Overall, super sweet and genuine.

#from me to you #netflix #kimi ni todoke #jdrama #jdrama review

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The Eternal Love 2 & 3 (2018 & 2021)

The Eternal Love 2 & 3 (Cdrama)

I watched the first Eternal Love back near the beginning of my drama watching. I didn't really like it, struggling largely with the very low budget. But I decided to tackle the next two seasons as I am a sucker for these type of stories.

In the Eternal Love 2, Mo Lian Cheng has been brought to modern day and a Qu Xiao Tan who hasn't met him yet. Through a series of events, they wind up being thrown back to Dongyue again. Only this time, there are two Mo Lian Chengs, and only one Qu Xiao Tan. Can Mo Lian Cheng win the heart of his wife again? And what is going to happen with the other Mo Lian Cheng...the one actually from this time!

In the Eternal Love 3, this time the couple is thrown into an alternate Dongyue where men are subservient to women. Qu Xiao Tan is now the Second Princess and a different Qu Xiao Tan is Empress...and seems to want Mo Lian Cheng for her harem. This time Tan'er keeps her memories....but Mo Lian Cheng doesn't. Now it's her turn to woo him...hopefully befoe the Empress gets her hands on him.

The Eternal Love 2: 8.5/10

The Eternal Love 3: 7.5/10

So both of these are better than the original season for me. The characters feel more settled into themselves and the main relationship is lovely. I really liked the second season for the 2 Mo Lian Chengs. It was played well, but also it truly had me wondering how the love triangle would resolve. The side couples in that one were cute as well. The plot with Tan'er's dad was nuts, but a nice deviation from the first season. I like how more of the lore got explained in this season. Some of it didn't make sense, but I totally expect that from these shows.

Liang Jie was incredible with both characters in the 3rd series. There was never a doubt in my mind which character was which. The extreme difference between the two sometimes made Xiao Tan come off a bit childish, but I feel like that was necessary for the later plots to come to fruition. There was a period about half-way through where I got pretty bored. They focused a bit too much on a couple of side relationships that ultimately didn't really matter. The kisses and romance with the main leads was really fun in this one too. Now they're an old married couple...at least to Tan'er. I also liked that the couple never forgets they have a child waiting for them at home. Some shows would have just let the kid be forgotten, but they bring it up at all the right moments in this. The wooing is fun, but I do always wind up in every season feeling bad for Cheng Cheng's older brother, but doubly so in this season. The ending is a bit meh, but there are some genuinely good scenes throughout. I just truly hope this is the end for this show as it closes on an adorable epilogue.

#cdrama #the eternal love #the eternal love 2 #the eternal love 3 #cdrama review

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The Romance of Hua Rong (2019)

The Romance of Hua Rong (Cdrama)

Hua Rong runs away from home, determined to be a great swordswoman and hero, following the path of her hero Yuan He. She uses his book almost as a guide for herself. On her first assignment she crosses paths with Pirate Captain Qin Shang Cheng. She winds up his prisoner and he winds up madly in love with her. When she escapes, he chases her down and begins to woo her properly. All the while, he is chasing an evil cabal responsible for the death of his adoptive father.

8/10

Overall, this has a lot of trope things: fake death, forced marriage, stupid break-ups, etc., but somehow, they don't really detract from the story. The main couple is so enjoyable and has amazing chemistry which kept me entertained. The pace is pretty good as it has several small story arcs that feed into the bigger one. I wish there had been less of a rotating cast of females as Hua Rong gets a new friend and leaves another behind every 5 or 6 episodes. This also had a different feel because of the pirate island stuff. It felt different to me. So while I know that the cliche plot and the tropes used throughout will turn some people off to this story, I enjoyed it quite a lot. Now to watch Season 2!

#cdrama #cdrama review #the romance of hua rong

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Perfect and Casual (2020)

Perfect and Casual (Cdrama)

A sweet, innocent (and slightly stupid) girl meets a "cold" statistics professor. After a rocky start, they wind up in a contract relationship. But can this perfect man and this casual woman ever find common ground?

8/10

This is exactly what it sounds like: a breezy, sweet rom-com. I adored the main couple, even when the girl was too stupid for this world. The relationship between the ML and his grandfather was so wonderful. Grandpa wants the grandson to realize that there is more to life than math. The romance is sweet and the love "rivals" are never really threats to the couple. The only annoying part of this show for me was the side couples. They were so boring and disconnected. I didn't even totally understand the best friends couple's ending. The main characters are sweet enough to let me overlook the other couples. So overall, just a perfectly casual and enjoyable watch.

#perfect and casual #cdrama #cdrama review

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Just finished the demo of this game. It looks incredible!

Laura and Ashley duet?? This is perfect

#stray gods #laura bailey #ashley johnson

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My Uncanny Destiny (2023)

My Uncanny Destiny (cdrama)

The Lord of Mu Xi City needs an heir. Unfortunately, his wife dies giving birth to a daughter. He tells everyone she is a boy. Years later, she inherits the throne and meets the lord of an enemy city. Due to an accident she loses her memory and sparks fly between her and this man. What will happen when she regains her memory?

8/10

This show has a very uneven tone. Part farce, screwball rom-com, and melodrama, the show is enjoyable. Although it does lose a 1/2 point with me for all of the poop and fart jokes. They're mostly in the first few episodes and just...are not my thing. The romance is the absolute best part of this. The main actors have AMAZING chemistry and they command the screen on their scenes, no matter which genre they are in. They play the farce perfectly for the most part. The villains may be the most moustache twirling I've ever seen and there are definitely a few twists I did not see coming. This is really funny and an easy watch. There are a few characters that never really work for me, but I think that's just a taste thing on my part. They also lean into one of my favorite tropes: found family. So if you like a good screwball comedy, this may be the cdrama for you.

#my uncanny destiny #cdrama #cdrama review

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The Forbidden Marriage (2022)

The Forbidden Marriage (Kdrama)

Seven years ago, the crown princess supposedly committed suicide. A marriage ban went into effect across the country until the crown prince finds a new wife. So Rang is a love expert who helps couples secretly find love during these turbulent times. When she is caught and brought before the former crown prince, now King, to save herself she fakes channeling the crown princess. Can the swindler get away with it and help end the marriage ban? Will the King fall for the fraudster?

9.5/10

I really love this one, but can see how it might not be for everyone. The show swings from comedy to drama to a tiny bit of horror fairly quickly during the first episode or two. At only 12 episodes, it has A LOT to do with a small amount of time, so some things go faster than they would in other shows. I really really loved the comedy and the love story throughout it. The politics were fine, but not really the point of the show. There are a very few small things I would have liked to see more of, but overall, everyone who deserves a happy ending gets one.

I can definitely see people rooting for the second lead. Honestly, this girl will be fine with either man, but only one stirs her heart. I like that she is pretty clear about her feelings with the second lead once she realizes he has feelings for her. The last episode is mostly an epilogue and while I like it, I do think it could have been another episode to actually feel some of the vignettes we are shown. Overall though, this is a really enjoyable, fun, and flirty kdrama.

#kdrama #kdrama review #the forbidden marriage

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The Story of Ming Lan (2018)

The Story of Ming Lan (Cdrama)

Minglan is an unfavored concubine daughter in the Sheng family during the Song dynasty. Due to a tragic incident in her childhood, she is raised by her grandmother and keeps her actual talent, intelligence, and emotions to herself. Through her cunning and intelligence, she hopes to bring justice to her late mother. Gu Tingye is one of the few who sees her intelligence early on and quickly becomes a friend in her corner. He has his own tragic circumstances and is trying to make something of himself in the world and being thwarted at every turn. Will he and Minglan ever get justice for the wrongs done to them?

9.5/10

This is an incredible, beautiful, moving story. Minglan's pain is so beautifully portrayed. Her relationships, both with Gu Tingye and second lead Qi Heng, are believable. The evil characters make you want to slap them. I spent many hours yelling at my tv over this drama. The only minor fault I have with this is that the first few episodes, despite being necessary for the plot, tend to drag. This is my third time trying to start the show and I finally pushed through. And then, toward the end in the last ten episodes or so, the politics tend to make the story feel draggy. They are necessary beats for the story, I just wish they could have been a bit less drawn out. But overall, this story is sincerely FANTASTIC. My complaints are miniscule. The characters are well drawn, the scenery is beautiful, and the cinematography is some of the best I've ever seen. If you enjoy historical epic tales of love, politics, and power, and somehow haven't seen this, do not miss this one.

#the story of minglan #cdrama #cdrama review

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Dating in the Kitchen (2020)

Dating in the Kitchen (Cdrama)

Gu Shengnan is a young chef and Lu Jin in a CEO buying the hotel she works in. Due to an early misunderstanding, they start off not liking each other. He's a foodie who tastes her food and uses the misunderstanding to get her to cook for him. But will good food lead to more?

6.5/10

This is a really uneven show. I really love most of the stuff with the main couple despite the fairly large age gap. They have crazy chemistry and you believe them as a couple. That's really the best thing I can say about it. The side characters are boring or annoying. They copy a scene from Crazy Rich Asians to deal with Lu Jin's mother and then try to say all the bad stuff the mother did was testing. I will allow maybe after the couple gets engaged it could be testing. Then they introduce a new character halfway through the show and he's....just not good. I fast forwarded through so much of this show. If it had only focused on the main couple, this could have been wonderful and steamy, but....too much business by the end and too little food by the end.

#dating in the kitchen #cdrama #cdrama review

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Once Again (2020)

Once Again (Kdrama)

Once Again follows the Song family and their 4 adult children. The eldest two have recently been divorced and moved home. The third child is married, but her marriage has hit a rough spot. The youngest is set to be married in just a few days. Meanwhile, the parents run a chicken shop on a market street that gets stirred up when a new woman opens a kimbap store.

9/10

The majority of this is really good. The family dynamic and inclusion of found family is simply wonderful. I really struggled with this show in the beginning. I felt like everyone was a jerk (except Da Hee who is an angel) and there is A LOT of screaming at each other throughout, but especially in the first few episodes. It probably took me the first 7-10 episodes to fall for this show. But once I had, it kept me. I laughed and cried along with the characters.

Fair warning, this show is 100 episodes. The episodes are about 35 minutes each, but even with the short length this is a longer show. It mostly moves along decently with only a couple of hiccups that feel unnecessary. Ultimately, this is an enjoyable show that will give you the feels and make you laugh, just bear with the beginning. People have to start in their worst place to make you feel it when they succeed. I've seen this compared with My Father is Strange and that is a fair comparison. Personally, I prefer My Father is strange, but this is a VERY close second.

#kdrama #kdrama review #once again

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Great thread by John Rogers on why writers need to be on set for TRAINING purposes, written late on May 6th, 2023:

(click to enlarge and probably for better quality)

(link to first tweet)

Bonuses:

Link to John's thread about having writers on set for DIALOGUE.

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Cinderella Again (2022)

Cinderella Again (Jdrama)

Hagino Shion has been hung up on her first love and failed confession for 12 years. In that time, she has learned how to make herself pretty and has become a beauty consultant, a job she loves. However, at 29, she has never dated. She is frustrated and tears a picture of herself with her crush and somehow wakes up back in the past at the moment the picture was taken. Armed with her new make-up skills, can Shion win her first love or is their fate doomed?

8.5/10

This is a really sweet love story. At first, I thought it was going to be about finding your confidence and loving yourself....that is not exactly the case. I love all the characters. The twist in episode 6 did actually surprise me, even though I knew a twist was coming. The ultimate message is about how our hardships and struggles lead us to better ourselves. I was confused about a few things at the beginning, but most of that got straightened out by the end. Cute, quick watch that I finished in one evening.

#cinderella again #jdrama #jdrama review