#14 last episodes for tomorrow woo
Text
I just watched episode 15 of EAW and I just know the tag was wild after that episode I’m sad I missed it
#it doesn’t feel like a second last episode tho like it feels like it should’ve been episode 14#extraordinary attorney woo#can’t go into the tag now im only watching the finale tomorrow
5 notes
·
View notes
Text
I posted 5,148 times in 2022
That's 1,458 more posts than 2021!
129 posts created (3%)
5,019 posts reblogged (97%)
Blogs I reblogged the most:
@backwardswriter
@superwharvelock
@simplydalektable
@jekkies
@baekwin
I tagged 1,307 of my posts in 2022
#quiet prolonged cackling - 183 posts
#kylie speaks - 151 posts
#extraordinary attorney woo - 128 posts
#the hold this series and joongryeon have on me... - 123 posts
#it's joongryeon brainrot hours - 96 posts
#shit management enterprises does a lot of dumb things but smfam is forever - 81 posts
#lee soohyuk - the tallest most handsome man to ever brood - 79 posts
#it's missing shinee time which happens to be all the time - 69 posts
#dumbass kpop uncles - 45 posts
#why is my evil baby cheese so pretty - 41 posts
Longest Tag: 139 characters
#in nyc they just knock and drop it off. if i'm fast enough i yell thanks down the hallway - they only call when they cant find the entrance
My Top Posts in 2022:
#5
me, watching jung myeongseok cough up blood:
oh no here we go, we’re hitting the Last Few Episodes of pure chaos and drama
like...can we NOT ??
32 notes - Posted August 5, 2022
#4
don't mind me, i'm just thinking about when (and why) joong-gil decided to start wearing gloves as part of his outfit when working 🙃🙃
they definitely weren't a part of the older joseon uniforms, and it seems like he only started doing it when they switched to western clothing
but i know we are all overthinking about why he wears them and when he chooses to take them off 🙈
32 notes - Posted May 15, 2022
#3
randomly thinking about how ryung-gu had the title of "manager" on the RM team which literally consisted of just him and ryeon before junwoong showed up...
i imagine that he got the manager position simply bc he snarkily told ryeon and the director that "managing a team of one (myself) is really hard, so i should be promoted" or smth along that line.
something like "i'm really hard to manage."
36 notes - Posted May 19, 2022
#2
i'm fully embracing my lee soohyuk brainrot hours, courtesy of tomorrow
i like my men tall and brooding okay
48 notes - Posted May 12, 2022
My #1 post of 2022
nope, i’m not okay
source: cosmicsticks
145 notes - Posted January 14, 2022
Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →
1 note
·
View note
Text
the busy series (e-journal, again)
February 5, 2022
Busy Ep. 1
This probably won't be my last time of using that as a title, so I put an Ep. 1 so I can use it as an excuse to resuse the title. I'm not a fan of adding a title to these entries, but oh well. We're pretty busy with filling out the content plans with student's names for our class project. The project proposal is due on Monday. RIP us.
🚀
February 22, 2022
✉️
BU is so much work. Like why do I even bother going through all this process? Why do I even bother applying? I'm not even planning to go? As a lot of my friends say: "For clout lang." 🤡
🚀
March 11, 2022
7 days before my funeral
Due on March 18:
JECS Essay Exam
JECS Spoken Word PC
HMSS116 Poster (DONE)
HMSS116 Reaction Paper
🚀
March 12, 2022
Busy Ep. 2
I surprisingly did well with spontaneously interviewing someone for our project, especially that it had been my first time. It wasn't necessarily a comfortable experience but I mostly felt well. I am currently in another meeting and really busy with a lot.
Do not be deceived with the title. This is not just my second time being busy. I just use the title when I can't think of anything else and too busy to write a bunch.
🚀
March 13, 2022
5000 characters in one sitting
I got to write an entire essay in one sitting on a SUNDAY. I don't do stuff on Sundays intentionally. I dedicate Sundays and after-dinners for myself with no school nor org-related stuff to do unless if it's urgent. Since a lot are due next week on Friday, I figured I'd compromise last night and use that time to do one of the major stuff I needed to do. I uhh wasn't able to do that. But hey don't bite my ear off, I compromised Sunday anyways instead and I was able to finish my draft in one afternoon.
🚀
March 14, 2022
Busy Ep. 3
I can't write a lot right now but I'm working on something good!!
🚀
March 16, 2022
Busy Ep. 4
I finished all four major stuff to be submitted on Friday. Seems like I don't have to bury myself six feet below the ground after all.
🚀
March 25, 2022
Busy Ep. 5
I wrote another letter to myself last night, to be opened two years from now. I'm a little busy today prepping for tomorrow and finishing stuff and also attending a meeting and another after this one.
🚀
April 6, 2022
Busy Ep. 6
I remember typing that title yesterday, but something might have came up that got me distracted and I was unable to continue writing. Yesterday (or, well, the date in this entry) was quite a lot. We had to finish our project proposal and brainstorm on specifics so we could submit the proposal for approval in the morning so it wouldn't be pending until the end of the holy week. I was drained out yesterday but our late night call to brainstorm the rest of the stuff was fun and you could hear us either crying or laughing, we weren't sure. We even got to invite really great speakers (ONE OF THEM WHO I'M A FAN OF AND I CAN'T SPILL DETAILS BUT SINCE I BET THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE THAT NOBODY'S GONNA SEE THIS BUT HE WAS IN AHEB THE MUSICAL WOO). This event is a big one. And I hope we'll be able to keep our sanity by the end of it.
🚀
April 21, 2022
lots on my plate
One more move and I'll be experiencing another major burnout. I still have a PT due tomorrow and ALD and our culminating activity on my plate. I'm gonna take an hour break with an episode of OITNB before I fall apart.
🚀
April 23, 2022
work
We went to the vet this afternoon so work starts a little later than usual. I knew ALD was gonna be heavy but you never really realize just how heavy it is until a few days before the event when you're all in shambles.
🚀
April 24, 2022
prep
I am currently preparing the stuff to be donated for our Community Engagement Outreach.
🚀
April 26, 2022
Busy Ep. 7
It's been a while since I've watched OITNB. I don't even have a minute these days. It's reasonable though, and I kind of expected that. I just didn't expect myself to be mentally all over the place and not as organized as I was in my first project.
1 note
·
View note
Text
Tumblr refuses to let me reblog the post again, so this is the second part of me reading the second btg book! ☺️
Still Chapter 211
Son on son violence
Chapter 212
This dude pretty cute ngl
Shit, rip
AAWW HIGH 5 🥺🥺
It's almost like they are a regular father and son 😭🥺💔
Chapter 213
Look how thigh those shirts are hehehoho 🥴
OYXITSITDITDLTD
Ooooh there goes my man Jyaku ready to kick some ASS
🥺😭💞
Baki really just forgot his mom eh, thought you were getting stronger for HER smh
Oh Jyaku vs Retsu? Nvm Jyaku i can only hope Retsu is nice w you
I like how most are like, confused over who to cheer for lmao
I know he won't make it but I'm cheering for Jyaku btw i like him more <33
Chapter 214
Love that title, can't believe Jyaku is gonna ask Retsu out 😍 /j
He really is just honest Igari
I love that he apologizes
Chapter 215
OJFOYDITDISTOTDG
HIS FACEEE THIS FUCKING CLOWN 😭😭😭
THIS IS JUST SO FUCKING FUNNY
Chapter 216
Burgir
GHZJDUDDRHD THEY ARE SOOO MAD
That smile so cute...
Jyaku is a king
Love it when Retsu throws that pose, though y'all know why
HDGSSGSGF you are coming to Japan wether you like it or not 🔫
Chapter 217
Finally Jyaku got serious too
WITH HIS TOES 😭
King is just obsessed i luv him
HEHE HAIRY LEGS
It does seem like Jyaku is trynna confess his love jfnshdshdf
Chapter 218
I remember i almost laugh cry with my dad when we saw this
His damn beard... 💔
THE HAND OF THE TRAITOR
He has a good point
They be calling my man Jyaku a masochist noooo yfjdhdgs
Chapter 219
Okay seems kinda into it <:/
Old man? He doesn't look that old Baki :/
That was so smart 🥺
Chapter 220
Retsu calm down please you are gonna break his back
Oh my god Retsu, oh my god.
He did apologize at least
Chapter 221
Damn dude be a little more gentle with him
Oh, get was picking him up, okay
FR FR
🥺🥺🥺
FARHDHDYFTH THE KINGGG
Chapter 222
I love how everyone completed him (except Yujiro but not surprising), these warriors are such a good team
I want to eat an apple too now
That was fast
I got distracted watching a vsauce react video sorry
Okay I'm glad a comment actually mentioned Sik
Chapter 223
Had to take a uh idk 5 hour break bc lights went out :/
Feet be fuming lmao
Ohhh that's a cool analysis
Chapter 224
What a good punch
That "please",,,
Poor Li man, having to see his brother DIE /j
No, Viêt Long, i have not been hit by a truck before.
Chapter 225
It's so funny how Jyaku lost bc he fought a main charac and only those win
Sad day for the Chinese citizens
Mf got tits in his back
This is gonna be so goodddd
Chapter 226
Look at the size of his tits, the slut
INSTAGRAM INFLUENCER POSE WOOO
These two are cool fighters
Chapter 227
Old man showing skin
His smile is so fucked up lmao
Chapter 228
Baki what the FUCK are you wearing?
I just remembered when Hana did a flip, that was so good
Retsu babey 🥺
I love how confused Yujiro looks
Chapter 229
Hey, i recognize that name...
Kaku just too op
Yujiro you are gonna pop your testicles if you do that with your leg
Chapter 230
God that's such a good threat
Love Retsu's confusion
Damn bitch you saying we gotta keep up w this whore cuz you were too slow? Ffs Kaku 😢
I love when you can tell someone is still hanging around just quietly by seeing their response in a comment
Chapter 231
God this just feels so good, to see Yujiro actually scared 😍
YOOO THAT'S POG
Chapter 232
I wanna finish this book and start the next one grrr
This fight is so satisfying
That last bit is so cringe but whatever that's okay
Fight so controversial comments were deactivated
Chapter 233
Itagaki hincha de boquita el más grande? 😳 /j
Okay yeah it IS just rude
Hohoooo shit getting nice
Chapter 234
This asshole lmao
Yuji-chan really went "how many times do i have to teach you this lesson, old man?!"
Mfs be doing Jojo references in the comments lol
Chapter 235
GTFO WITH THAT LOGIC RETSU IM SORRY CHINA IS LOSING BUT GET LOSTTTT AJSGAJGS
Ffs Kaku you are doomed 😢💔
Yujiro so strong my mouse disconnected
Chapter 236
Abs in his back...
Crying and shaking that is NOT true
DON'T FEED HIS EGO, KAKU
LIONS CAN BE KILLED BY TIGERS TOO!!!!
I thought Yujiro was bleeding for a second there smh
Chapter 237
OKAY YEAH IT IS HIS BLOOD ITS COMING OUT OF HIS NOSE ITS NOT MUCH BUT HE BLED
THE HEAD APPLAUSE
HE'S SO UPSET LMAOOO
Yujiro surprised is good shit
GSJDUFTHSTD
KAKU YOU LEGEND LMAO
Kaku has boyboss energy
Chapter 239
This cover almost gives me a stroke
I love how they all just shat their pants
These minor Chinese characters were so good tbh, sadly i don't think they will ever return
Don't worry Retsu, we the viewers have seen a man revive before
King i don't think any of us understands
It really is
CAN MEN IN THIS FRANCHISE JUST OPEN BOTTLES REGULARLY?!
Oh my god i though Yujiro was sitting on the air for a second i almost cry 😭
Coca cola must have paid Itagaki /j
Chapter 240
Oh so the Kaioh part takes the name, not the surname
...is Yujiro wearing a floral shirt? 😭
I LOVE THAT ENDING SO MUCH 🥺😭
Jyaku has his eyes fixated on Retsu eh, proud of having him come to Japan lmao
Chapter 241
HORRIBLE fit Baki
CHILDHOOD SAGA PART 2? 😰
Jk though i do miss Yuri 🥺
Oh hey Jr
You gonna fuck his girl, bro?
Chapter 242
So straight forward lmao
I'm starting to appreciate Baki's feminist ass every day even more
AAAA GRANDPAAA 🥺🥺💞
This page didn't allow me to call two mfs virgins smh, 1984
Chapter 243
Grandpa they shrunk you
Chapter 244
Kings idc about this
Okay true but also he's 70 dude pls... Though idk if this guy will go thru worse than Jack lmao
Such a nice lad
Chapter 245
Baki being such a feminist icon is so meaningful considering how his parents were,,,
MY MAN IS BACKKK AND AS DAPPER AS EVER
Doppo he's called Ali Jr how are you surprised?
OH MY GOD I JUST REALIZED HIS EYE PATCH HAS A PATTERN THAT'S SO COOL 🥺🥺😢💞
These men love throwing their glasses eh
Chapter 246
If only Igari and Toba had done this lol
OKAY THATS COOL I LIKE THAT
Me lo re devaluaron a mí pelado eh
HEHE OOOOH NICE 😳
Scenes that give me a boner
CHU...
Such a good callback...
Chapter 247
My man got serious, sweet
Doppo has been trying out his luck a bit too much like he's been betting with his life an uncomfortable lot like king do you need to talk? Are you okay? First asking Gouki to kill him now this like, is everything alright Doppo?
YEAH A BIT FUCKED UP TO THINK ABOUT
I love that blocking technique
OSHWOWHIWWH "gay ass Orochi, out of option so he touching dick" SHUT UPPP 😭😭💀
I really wish he got kicked in the nuts again see if he's still using his technique
Chapter 248
Poor guys thought he was bout to get murdered
A kiss? 😏 /j
When i saw this in the anime i actually thought Orochi was going to die, i was gonna get sooo angry
Chapter 249
What a way to cockblock em
Feminist icon
Jack is that the only sweater you own?
Chapter 250
I have been thinking of that scene of him eating the whole steak a lot
Jr like 🥺
Imagine being stupid enough to tease Jack like, i get he defeated two masters but they are NOTHING compared to this monster
Imagine jack just smoked some weed right there lmao
Jack needs to bite people more
Chapter 251
My shitty ass son gave me parkinson's
Jack that's not how human anatomy works what the fuck did Kureha do to your body spine?
Chapter 252
DAMN JR WHAT A FAT ASS
Looked like Jack was going for a handful
Those techniques must fuck your neck up so bad
Okay Jack you are going a bit far now don't cha think?
Chapter 253
You are tempting your luck sunny boy
Look at that, you pissed him off!
You cannot just know out jack hanma bro
HHH
This was so stupid yet, unironically, iconic
Chapter 254
Bruh i thought it said Pog 😭, ain't manslaughter poggers Mr Hanma?
OKAY THANKS JACK
Such a simp he downed that coffee cup
Grandpa put here cockblocking
Chapter 255
"no he didn't >:/"
These two masters are a pair of fucking idiots like understand this i love my grandpa and i love my man but mfs have to take the L for this one time sksgwjgshgw
Gouki bro my senses gonna shut down if you put your sucks against the dirt again OUGH sensory hell 😭
FOR FUCKING REAL JR
STOP ENABLING THE OLD MAN!! WKSGKSGSJSHDD for once I'm on Viêt's side 😭
Chapter 256
Hoho Gouki out here getting a panty shot 😳
Grandpa i love you but this was unnecessary
Chapter 257
Kozue should wear a Korn tshirt
GET HIS ASS KOZUE
OWHWLWGISGSJWG 😭😭 MF JUST STANDING THERE LIKE A FREAK I LOVE HIM BUT I HATE HIM SM!!!
Love how consistently round his hands are, king got no knuckles
HEY DONT CALL MY MAN A FREAK KOZUE
King hasn't changed his clothes ever since i see
His shoes look so nice...
OKAY OKAY HE HAS A POINT AT LEAST, HE AT LEAST ACCEPTED HE LOST BUT HE'S STILL BUTTHURT FROM IT SKSGAJGS BUT HE ADMITS IT!!
Doppo i love you but shut UPPP you lost get over it!! You are just going for the rematch bc you have the higher ground against a injured guy!!! Like Shibukawa didn't have time but you were already getting serious!! Hhhgrrrrrr doppo i love you but I'm going to bark
Hehe nvm he still hella fine... keep talking king 🥴
This was so mean of him sjsgwjwg
Chapter 258
Low-key starting to believe these two mfs plotted against Jr sjshsj
THAT FACE AKSGWJGS just 😐
If i didn't know you would get your ass handed in a plate i would be a lil mad he's planning on being that savage
He has been thru worse, sunny boy
Niceee
Tbh. I don't care anymore. Doppo is in the wrong, but GOD I'm a simp and i love seeing him fight 😍😍🥴
Yeah a comment mentioned it, we all were on Jr side until he threatened to kill Doppo Orochi like, even if not everyone here is as horny as me we all like an og fella
I also love how the prisoners really changed them all, the scars (both physical and mental) those 5 left will be remembered lol
#luly talks#btg#i ran out of space but that's good cuz im sleepy and have 3% of battery lol#i wanted to reach chapter 260 but this works#14 last episodes for tomorrow woo#baki liveblog
5 notes
·
View notes
Note
Ok so hypothetically... if I stopped watching spn after season 11, but *recent news* is making me absolutely desperate to watch tomorrow’s ep live to see what happens with dean/cas..... am I going to be missing a lot of context? Like. What is going on.
Hm. well you WILL be missing two important things which are (1) jack, the 4th member of team free will and everyone’s sonboy and (2) the bonkers meta story that has been going on all season, but if you’re just watching for deancas here are some facts to make u go crazy (absolutely not a complete list):
in 12x12 cas almost confessed his undying love for dean but chickened out at the last second
at some point dean gave cas a mixtape of his “top 10 zep traxx” a couple episodes after we learn that john wooed mary with led zeppelin
at the end of season 12 cas died and went to the empty for a while and dean was so depressed he almost killed himself
in season 14 dean’s subconscious, in the shape of pamela, asks him “why do you always want what you can’t have?” and in 15x18 when cas is confessing his undying love for dean he says “the one thing i want is something i can never have.” Hmm!!!
in season 14/15 they have a big fight and get divorced for a while but they make up when dean thinks cas might be dead and cries while praying to him
tbh if you have the time to watch one episode i recommend 12x10 “lily sunder has some regrets” because the subtext is off the shits. that and/or 12x12 for the almost love confession
28 notes
·
View notes
Text
2019: My year in K-Dramas - Part 1
I’ve been getting into kdramas for a few years now, but I usually only watch one or two at a time. This year I watched a lot more (and that’s not counting The Bride of Habaek, which I dropped when it became clear it was a very bad adaptation of the manhwa; Crash Landing on You, which started airing a couple of weeks ago; nor Tomorrow With You, which I haven’t yet finished, what’s probably not a good sign), a few being rewatchs of old shows that I like. Seeing as it’s unlikely I’ll ever write up full reviews for each like I did for Goblin (you can read my review here), I decided to compile this list to tell you what I liked and didn’t like about each, what I feel worked and what didn’t. I’m also including a qualitative metric (Rewatch meter) that tries to gauge how likely it is that I’ll find myself returning to the show in the future (Low, Medium, High). Naturally, your very own meter may differ from mine.
For future reference, these are the shows I watched in 2019 and that I aim to cover in this series of posts:
While You Were Sleeping (2017)
W (2016)
My Strange Hero (2018)
The Secret Life of my Secretary (2019)
Angel’s Last Mission: Love (2019)
Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon (2017)
When the Camellia Blooms (2019)
Bring it on, Ghost (2016)
One More Time (2016)
My Girlfriend is a Gumiho (2010)
My Love From The Star (2014)
Descendants of the Sun (2016)
Regardless of which show did better, overall, I find myself drifting more and more towards Korean dramas than your run-of-the-mill American TV show, save for a few bright exceptions, such as The Expanse. Heck, they’re better than most Hollywood movies nowadays.
Since I’ll probably end up writing a lot, I’ve decided to split this review list into two parts. Let’s start with the last kdrama I watched and work my way backwards... if I can remember, that is.
WARNING! There will be spoilers so read at your own risk.
While You Were Sleeping (2017)
Bae Suzy as Nam Hong-Joo, and Lee Jong-Suk as Jung Jae-Chan.
Release Date: September 27 - November 16, 2017
Episodes: 16
Available on: Viki
Summary: Nam Hong-Joo is a young journalist who has had bad dreams about the future since she was a kid, but she has never been able to change the outcome. Jung Jae-Chan is a rookie prosecutor who moves in across the street with his younger brother. When Jae-Chan has a prophetic dream of his own about Hong-Joo being involved in a car accident, and the tragic events that follow, he makes an impulsive decision to interfere, changing Hong-Joo’s fate and that of police officer Han Woo-Tak in the process. When the three of them start having dreams of one another, they realize their lives are somehow entwined. Together, they decide to use their knowledge of the future for good, but changing someone’s fate is never straightforward, and the consequences for doing so may be more than they can handle.
What I liked:
The concept and writing. This is the second show I’ve watched, in chronological order, with Lee Jong-Suk as a lead where I’m really attracted by the concept. Imagine if you could take the precogs from Minority Report and give them (relatively) normal lives inside a kdrama. This is the result. Even better, having Hong-Joo and Woo-Tak have different and often contradicting dreams about the future makes for an interesting twist, as we see prosecutor Jae-Chan struggling to navigate these prophetic waters in search for the best outcome. Curiously, the show makes a point early on about how Jae-Chan’s the variable upon which their dreams diverge, but nothing really comes off it. Naturally, the concept of multiple diverging futures gives the show’s cinematography a chance to play around a bit, often comparing the same event in alternative timelines, or in the same timeline but at different moments in time. It may sound complicated, but it’s pretty to grasp once you start watching. Furthermore, the writing’s pretty tight all around, what’s not a mean feat when you’re juggling multiple realities, with some very emotional payoffs as the show draws to a close. Perhaps its weakest point is exactly how this prophetic dream ability is transferred from person to person (a theory is put forward which doesn’t entirely convince me), and the unnerving (and unexplored, fortunately) implications should someone less honourable were to have these dreams.
youtube
When The Nightmares Started. This is the best track in the entire show and if it’s not the main theme, it damn well should be. It has moments of calm, a hint of romance and hope, and that awesome shit-is-about-to-get-real cue starting at 1:38 that never fails to make a scene tons more epic. Your dish-washing experience will be 100% more epic playing to this track, guaranteed!
The Justice League (and friends). This show could’ve probably gotten on my bad side real fast if it had created a villain with the same superpower as the heroes (depends on the execution to be honest) and, indeed, I thought that was the direction it would inevitably take, revealing at some point that (evil) defense attorney Lee Yoo-Beom also had prophetic dreams and had been using them for his benefit all along, muahahaha! Instead, the show gave us three average people, connected by their prophetic dreams, who decide to team up and use these visions for good. It’s not always easy to change the future, as it has many ramifications, and therein lies the show’s narrative potential that it manages to exploit, perchance to its fullest. Even in the very last episode there’s a hint that maybe the people they’ve helped throughout also have dreams of their own that they use to help others, sort of a pay-it-forward chain. It may be somewhat unrealistic, but it’s a good note to end the show on all the same.
Kim Won-Hae as Choi Dam-Dong. Easily the best supporting character in the show, delivering a stronger and more rewarding performance than in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, where he played two characters (he was pretty funny as the over-the-top head of development planning at Ainsoft), veering towards the more serious/dramatic/emotional end of the spectrum, although with some comedic elements mixed in. I was surprised by how strong his arc turned out to be, and my respect for his character went up by several points when his arc comes to a close and we finally put all the pieces of the puzzle together. This man can do both comedy and drama, so kudos to him.
What I didn’t like:
Mr. Perfect (also known as Han Woo-Tak). It’s not that I dislike him, far from it. Woo-Tak is so good, smart, selfless, and even good-looking, that he kinda undermines the OTP just by existing. He’s really setting unreasonable standards for any man to compete against. I mean, he even plays Cupid for the OTP... while also being in love with Hong-Joo! On the plus side, the show doesn’t really try to push the romantic triangle angle, what usually has mixed results. The one thing I did mind is how the show hints at him potentially being a better attorney/prosecutor than the main lead since that’s kind of Jae-Chan’s thing. I mean, if you take everything that makes the lead special and give it to someone else, is he still the lead?
OTP: A stronger performance from Lee Jong-Suk than in W, complemented by a relatively (and I cannot stress this word enough) weaker performance by Suzy in some aspects (I think Han Hyo-Joon’s Oh Yeon-Joo in W does sad love better than Suzy as Nam Hong-Joo, but it’s a matter of preference), results in a better pairing with more chemistry. Suzy is great and lovable at being the quirky Nam Hong-Joo (watch the video below if you’re unconvinced) and Jung Jae-Chan is a lot more vulnerable than Kang Chul ever was, but I was left wondering at times whether this couple would’ve gotten as much traction were it not for the strength of their past connection (especially with Mr. Perfect around).
youtube
Verdict: What can I say? While You Were Sleeping was an excellent show from beginning to end. If I were to nitpick, I would’ve chosen the end wedding to be the one between Jae-Chan and Hong-Joo since that honestly makes more sense, and maybe I would’ve made Woo-Tak more of a bro than a somewhat-but-not-entirely romantic rival (think Seo Dae-Young in Descendants of the Sun).
Rewatch meter: High
W (2016)
Han Hyo-Joo as Oh Yeon-Joo, and Lee Jong-Suk as Kang Chul.
Release Date: July 20 - September 14, 2016
Episodes: 16
Available on: Viki
Summary: W is a bestselling webtoon by cartoonist Oh Seong-Moo that follows the adventures of Kang Chul, an Olympic gold medalist framed for the murder of his family, who’s eventually acquitted and becomes a multi-millionaire who fights crime (think Bruce Wayne but without the costume). Tired of his creation, Seong-Moo decides it’s time to kill the protagonist and put an end to the series (much like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle decided to kill Sherlock Holmes at the Reichenbach Falls). Oh Yeon-Joo is Seong-Moo’s daughter, a doctor and passionate fan of W, who is one day mysteriously transported to the world of the manhwa, where she sees a dying Kang Chul and saves his life. Intrigued by his mysterious saviour, Kang Chul decides to learn out more about her and Yeon-Joo finds herself constantly returning to the world of the manhwa. Will Kang Chul learn the truth about her and his world? And if so, what will be the consequences?
What I liked:
The concept. It’s not an altogether original concept, and I’m reminded of Schwarzenegger’s Last Action Hero (Who Framed Roger Rabbit before that), but it’s also not one that you see often on the screen, big or small. The idea of being able to enter the world you’re reading about and meeting the characters you know and love is extremely appealing and there is some fangirling from our protagonist initially. Naturally, since she knows everything about this world, it’s good fun to see her inadvertedly reveal something that she couldn’t possibly know and deal with the reactions/consequences. What’s better is how Yeon-Joo tries to figure out the laws of the manhwa world by applying the real-world concepts of cliffhangers and dramatic revelations, often to hilarious effect. Seeing how the manhwa continues to write itself to reflect events in W’s world, and the reactions by readers (and by Yeon-Joo) in the real world is really entertaining, especially those from the more passionate W fans.
The transition between animation and live-action. I love the blend between animation and live action, as in the example below. There are more subtle transitions, like when a character’s hand oscillates between the real world and the cartoon world. Perhaps it’s a very simple filter but it looks good. Also, what little we see of the manhwa is very well drawn.
Han Hyo-Joo as Oh Yeon-Joo. Despite the fact that Yeon-Joo’s character becomes less proactive in the second half of the series (as I will discuss below), she was the one who really carried the show for me, certainly on the emotional side of the spectrum, where Kang Chul felt a little flat throughout (to be fair, he’s more the analytical type and he’s a manhwa character). She was also able to convey humour quite well, especially in the earlier, funnier, episodes.
The execution (of the first half). The first episode doesn’t waste a second setting up the story and there is never a dull moment. Watching Yeon-Joo read the latest episode of the manhwa and witness her reaction as she sees herself in the comic was gripping and I was eager to see what the next episode would bring. The show was also fairly consistent with the rules of travelling back and forth and what one could and couldn’t do in the cartoon world. We were witnessing an epic struggle between the cartoonist who wanted to kill his creation with his stylus and the daughter who wanted to protect him so much that she had willed herself into his world (if that’s not a good setup for a love story, I don’t know what is). And all the while, Kang Chul was putting the pieces of the puzzle together in his universal and unrelenting search for truth. Every episode brought something new to the table and, much like the manhwa, ended with some revelation or cliffhanger that kept you on the edge of your seat asking for more. Unfortunately, I think that was also its downfall.
What I didn’t like:
The execution (of the second half) and the overall pacing. I think the (relative) downfall of this series was trying to do too much too early. It worked for the first half because the show had a lot of material it could burn through and, in a way, it was refreshing that it was willing to do so. Sadly, my thoughts eventually turned from, “What’s going to happen next?” to “What can even happen next?” The story was moving so fast that I began to wonder where exactly it was going, and that’s when some of the flaws started to seep through. Episode 9 focused on the aftermath of Yeon-Joo resetting events, thus making Kang Chul forget all about her. While I certainly felt for her when she met her amnesiac husband, this was largely thanks to Han Hyo-Joo’s performance (and good track selection), for Kang Chul had been her husband in name only. Had we previously seen more episodes of their life together, this scene would’ve been a lot more impactful, and her desperate crying outside the operating room more heartfelt. Then, the plot thickens as we move into the (overly) dramatic second half of the show, with the introduction of a villain who knows about the real world and starts manipulating events in the manhwa for his benefit... by possessing cartoonist Oh Seong-Moo! What? This was never established as even remotely possible! (not to mention it doesn’t make sense) As you can imagine, this is whereabouts the rules of this universe start to break down and anything goes. Furthermore, when this villain is defeated in Episode 13, the show suddenly remembered it already had an antagonist perfectly cast for the part and finally decided to put him to use, although too little too late for my taste. As if that weren’t enough, a character is killed because drama, since any other explanation would make no fucking sense. This death is entirely nonsensical and I was beginning to conclude the show should have ended a lot sooner.
The amount of flashbacks/dreams/recaps/plans. I don’t mind a good recap or a flashback every now and then, but there came a point where the show started abusing this narrative device a little too much. The show spent a lot of time either: going over things we already know; featuring lengthy dream sequences that are very transparent and serve no purpose (although, incidentally, would make for a better ending); or laying out how events are supposed to go only for them to go in a completely different direction. While they are sometimes necessary, most of the time they were just padding that actually detracted from the story.
How secondary the supporting characters in the manhwa truly are. I know Kang Chul is supposed to be the protagonist but his bodyguard and secretary aren’t given a whole lot to work with throughout the show. I wish they had been active participants in learning the truth of their world rather than passive bystanders.
How Yeon-Joo becomes less proactive in the second half. Maybe it’s just a feeling, but I think our female protagonist became more reactive and less proactive in the second half, with Kang Chul being the one who mostly directed the course of events. It didn’t help that she kept fainting every now and then, what meant she had to spend some time in bed, what was a shame since she was the more interesting character. To be honest, I think the whole father arc should’ve been over and done with in the first half, with Yeon-Joo stepping up to be the new cartoonist.
OTP: Undercooked, but Han Hyo-Joo manages to almost convince me.
Verdict: It’s hard not to say W is one of the most refreshing shows I’ve seen in a while, even despite its more prominent flaws in the second half. I don’t like how powerful the drawing tablet became, especially after it was established that the manhwa could, at times, overrule the will of the real world, as clearly depicted when Kang Chul refuses to commit suicide. I’d rather the manhwa characters had resolved things on their own, aided by Yeon-Joo, without having to resort to some ultra-powerful plot device. Furthermore, I think the show should’ve taken things a bit more slowly rather than try to surprise us every episode, and use that time to build the relationship between Yeon-Joo and Kang Chul. Another thing I feel the show didn’t exploit to its fullest was the fact that Yeon-Joo knows just about everything that’s transpired in W’s world, what maybe could’ve aided Kang Chul in his investigation (sadly, this is undermined by the fact that the murderer really has no identity, what I find odd). Last but not least, Kang Chul never remembering his “past life” was a missed opportunity.
Rewatch meter: Medium
My Strange Hero (2018)
From left to right: Jo Bo-Ah as Son Soo-Jung; Yoo Seung-Ho as Kang Bok-Soo; and Kwak Dong-Yeon as Oh Se-Ho.
Release Date: December 10, 2018 - February 4, 2019
Episodes: 32
Available on: Viki
Summary: When Kang Bok-Soo was a high school student, he was falsely accused of committing acts of violence and ended up expelled from school. Those who brought the accusations against him were his first love, Son Soo-Jung, and a fellow student, Oh Se-Ho. Nine years later, Bok-Soo saves Soo-Jung’s life and suddenly finds himself a mediatic sensation. In order to improve the school’s somewhat tarnished image, he’s invited back to finish his studies. Bok-Soo hesitates, but when he learns Soo-Jung is a teacher there and Se-Ho is the new director, a latent desire to get revenge surfaces. Will Bok-Soo finally get his revenge on the people who wronged him nine years ago? Or will he spend most of his time doing anything but? The latter.
What I liked:
Teacher Park. He’s the kind of teacher everyone would like to have in high school and an example of moral rectitude that Soo-Jung tries to follow. You can tell he really cares for all the students and always tries to be fair and just, no matter the personal cost.
Soo-Jung’s arc. Probably the character who experiences the most growth throughout the show, in no small part thanks to her starting point. She’s the only teacher who stands up for her students, is willing to expose the corruption in the school, and goes so far as to quit her job because she feels she didn’t earn her spot fair and square (despite Oh Se-Ho telling her she was hired because of her qualifications). It is worth noting that when Mr Park gives the other teachers the chance to own up and resign honourably nobody does.
What I didn’t like:
The series meanders a lot early on. Initially, I watched till Episode 14 and dropped it because nothing was really going on. Bok-Soo says he wants to get revenge but his heart really isn’t into it. He certainly doesn’t have a plan like, say, Edmond Dantes in The Count of Monte Cristo, or Emily Thorne in Revenge. In fact, for those first 14 episodes, it only seemed he went there to suffer some more at the hands of the same people who wronged him all those years ago. What leads me to...
Son Soo-Jung isn’t a very likable protagonist initially. I don’t know if this is done on purpose to get us to side with Bok-Soo, but it doesn’t seem like a very smart strategy to have us dislike the lead’s main love interest for almost half the length of the series. I mean, that’s what the antagonist is for. It seems like at every opportunity she twists the knife on Bok-Soo’s back a little more, so much so that a hurt Bok-Soo outright demands, “Why don’t you just ask me what happened instead of constantly making assumptions?” (I’m paraphrasing) Her response, basically telling him to fuck off, didn’t win her any points in my book. That’s about when the writers probably realized their mistake and started filling us in on how Soo-Jung’s life was also miserable after Bok-Soo was expelled so please don’t hate her. They also pull a 180 when she stands up for Bok-Soo during a disciplinary hearing, what I thought was quite out of character for her at the time. The two seem to patch up their relationship awfully fast, what struck me as odd as they didn’t seem to have much chemistry. Having said that, Soo-Jung’s character certainly grows after Episode 14 and has a very satisfying arc, ultimately being the only teacher worth a damn in this school, other than Mr Park.
“Is Kang Bok-Soo’s revenge finally starting?” After I initially dropped this show at the Episode 14 mark, a video popped up in my YT feed with that title (only they used the actor’s name instead of the character’s). It was a scene where Bok-Soo went about exposing the many deeds of corruption within the school. Great, I thought, shit is finally hitting the fan... in Episode 26. I resumed watching from that mark until the end. The series had finally managed to get me invested, almost as it was over, and I decided to watch the episodes I’d missed.
OTP: There are some cute moments but I still didn’t feel the chemistry (what, ultimately, is my entirely subjective take).
Verdict: I don’t feel this is a true romance drama like others on this list, if ever it tried to be, what’s decidedly strange because there are many episodes dedicated to exploring the relationship between Bok-Soo and Soo-Jung with little else going on. Instead, I see it as more of a critique on the Korean education system and the immense pressures students are subjected to in order to meet unreasonable standards, with some romance elements sprinkled on it so that it’s not too depressing. That’s my take on it anyway. As such, it has some enjoyable aspects to it, like seeing Bok-Soo share nuggets of wisdom every now and then, or the students standing up for Bok-Soo and their school, or the revenge/investigation finally kicking into high gear. It’s just unfortunate it took so long to get there and didn’t really encourage me to do so.
Rewatch meter: Low
The Secret Life of my Secretary (2019)
From left to right: Koo Ja-Sung as Ki Dae-Joo; Kim Young-Kwang as Do Min-Ik; Jin Ki-Joo as Jung Gal-Hee; and Kim Jae-Kyung as Veronica Park/Park Ok-Sun.
Release Date: May 6 - June 25, 2019
Episodes: 32
Available on: Viki
Summary: The story follows Do Min-Ik, a prominent director at T&T Mobile Media, and his secretary, Jung Gal-Hee, as together they deal with the onset of an illness that prevents Do Min-Ik from seeing faces, the result of a possible attempt on Min-Ik’s life by some unknown party. On the corporate drama side, this undermines his shot to succeed his (jerk of an) uncle as Chairman of the company, and we see Min-Ik and Gal-Hee struggling to hide the truth of his illness and overcome the many obstacles set on their way to chairmanship. On the romance side, his inability to recognize faces causes him to mistake his secretary for Veronica Park, a rich heiress and leading figure in the film industry, whom he eventually falls in love with... what is kind of a problem since the real Veronica Park develops a crush on Min-Ik’s best friend, Ki Dae-Joo (also a director at T&T), while Gal-Hee falls in love with her boss. And, just in case we didn’t have enough corporate drama, we learn early on that someone may be embezzling from T&T and all the signs point to Dae-Joo. How will this all turn out?
What I liked:
Do Min-Ik and Jung Gal-Hee working together. Min-Ik is one sharp boss, and the moment he’s unable to recognize faces, he starts devising other strategies to recognize people, such as identifying them by their height. Gal-Hee pitches in with the different directors’ hairstyles, and eventually Min-Ik is even able to recognize them by their specific tics. Another example is the first stockholders’ meeting where they team up to prevent Min-Ik’s dismissal. Everything goes so smoothly that it prompts Veronica Park to ask Gal-Hee, and I’m paraphrasing here, “Did you write the script to this play?”
What I didn’t like:
The deceit lasting so long. Min-Ik doesn’t start as the best of bosses, we see that in the first episode, but that very same episode opens the door for him caring for Gal-Hee more than he’s willing to let on. The show does a good enough job of explaining his rather rude behaviour towards his secretaries and why he always fires them within a year, what makes the deceit all the more hurtful. However, the problem I have with Min-Ik not realizing Gal-Hee was pretending to be Veronica Park, is that this happens for 24 episodes! That means we only have 8 episodes left for him to feel betrayed about the whole thing yet also recover in time to start dating Gal-Hee. I don’t feel this was enough time to successfully explore their relationship.
How weak/bland every other story is. The attempt on Min-Ik’s life and the police’s investigation of it is handled abysmally, with the detectives only appearing from time to time to create what some writer thinks is drama. They’re so useless that the perpetrator actually has to turn himself in! I thought Dae-Joo was a bland character throughout, so I had zero interest in his relationship with Veronica Park. The same goes for Gal-Hee’s family. Even Min-Ik’s mother somehow pulls a 180 out of the blue. The only other plot thread that caught my eye was the possible embezzlement and that was wrapped up horribly, what leads me to...
No one facing the consequences of their actions. No matter how much the writers want to frame this secret organisation within T&T as Robin-Hood-like, the fact remains that they were stealing. Not only that, but they can be directly tied to the assault and attempted murder of Do Min-Ik, among other crimes. Sure, they’re all fired at some point, but they all get hired back thanks to Min-Ik. Nobody faces any jail time except for the guy directly responsible for Min-Ik’s accident who actually apologizes to him and turns himself in. The leader of this shadowy organisation comes out unscathed and has her machinations to see Dae-Joo become chairman of T&T rewarded when...
Dae-Joo becoming the chairman of T&T. What a payoff. The blandest and most uninterested character in the entire show becomes the chairman when the character we’ve been rooting for throughout, the only one who’s willing to put everything on the line to help the downtrodden secretaries, gets the short end of the stick. I guess it’s true when they say no good deed goes unpunished.
OTP: There is some chemistry there and I wish we had seen more of it, but sadly the (official) relationship between Gal-Hee and Min-Ik takes place a little too late.
Verdict: Usually, most of the kdramas I’ve watched and liked, to some extent, have some scenes that are imprinted on your mind (much like Gal-Hee’s face is imprinted on Min-Ik) and that you find yourself returning to from time to time. With this show, I honestly had to struggle to recall any such scenes, even with the aid of YouTube playlists. This is not helped by the fact that I can recall none of the music used, and that’s not a good sign. Memorable scenes and songs usually go together, as the next show in my list will prove. Ultimately, The Secret Life of my Secretary, while entertaining enough, didn’t live up to my expectations and, as such, it’s unlikely I’ll be rewatching it any time soon.
Rewatch meter: Low
Angel’s Last Mission: Love (2019)
Shin Hye-Sun as Lee Yeon-Seo, and Kim Myung-Soo (Infinite L) as Kim Dan.
Release Date: May 22 - July 11, 2019
Episodes: 32
Available on: Viki
Summary: Kim Dan, a troublemaking angel with a kind heart, is 24 hours away from Heaven when he meets the beautiful, talented, yet cynical and arrogant, prima ballerina Lee Yeon-Seo. Recently blinded by an accident during a performance, Yeon-Seo somehow manages to spot Kim Dan, who should be invisible to any human. His curiosity sparked, he follows Yeon-Seo around and eventually, in a fit of impulsiveness, saves her life in a car accident. However, for having interfered and saved a human’s life, Kim Dan is fated to turn to dust... unless he’s willing to undertake one final task. His mission? He must help Yeon-Seo find true love, but will he be able to keep from falling in love himself? Obviously not. And, naturally, Yeon-Seo has some evil relatives who are out to get her, because it wouldn’t be a kdrama otherwise.
What I liked:
The songs. I can’t vouch for the entire OST for I haven’t listened to it all yet (Correction: I’ve now since listened to all of it and it really has a lot of good tracks), but there are at least a handful of songs that will stick with you like glue. I can’t say if I like the songs more because of the scenes in which they play, or if I like the scenes more because of the songs that are used, but I can say the songs play an important role in engraving these scenes into my mind. Songs like ‘Sweeter’, by Jess Penner, that play when we’re playfully exploring the relationship between Yeon-Seo and Kim Dan; or ‘Pray’, by KLANG, when some important relevation or dramatic scene is about to transpire; or ‘Oh My Angel’, by Chai, that plays during the more romantic moments; these songs have made it into my Spotify list and are a must-listen on a daily basis for now.
The humor. Beyond the interactions between Kim Dan and Yeon-Seo, which sometimes make for very humorous situations, my hat’s off to the characters of Archangel Hoo, Dan’s senior (played by Kim In-Kwon) and Chung Yu-Mi, Yeon-Seo’s butler (played by Woo Hee-Jin). The former has dozens of opportunities for humor as he’s able to take the form of any human and keeps surprising Kim Dan by keeping tabs on him. The latter is probably the closest thing Yeon-Seo has to a mother (or maybe an older sister), and can be playfully mischievous when she starts noticing our leads may have feelings for each other. There are two scenes that perfectly embody the show’s humor that I would be remiss if I didn’t direct you to. Be aware they contain spoilers.
youtube
youtube
The leads and their chemistry. You cannot make a kdrama work if the leads don’t have some sort of chemistry (well, I suppose you could but it would be a bit of an uphill battle) and Shin Hye-Sun and Kim Myung-Soo have that in spades. This shows not only during the more romantic scenes, what’s expected, but also during their fights, what’s even better (if that makes any sense). This isn’t the first time I’ve seen L acting, in fact, he played the character of Yoo Tan in the short kdrama One More Time, with actress Yoon So-Hee playing his love interest, Moon Da-In. He sold me on that show then, as did Yoon So-Hee, but I feel his acting’s improved in this, or maybe the script and length of the show allows him to flesh out his character more, showing us more sides of his personality as the show draws to its end. And it’s really amazing to see how effortlessly Shin Hye-Sun can don the skin of the strong, cold, and harsh Yeon-Seo in one scene, and then swap it for the playful, romantic, and vulnerable Yeon-Seo that Kim Dan falls in love with in the next. Just watch more of those KBS World TV clips if you don’t believe me. These two steal every scene they’re in, but I feel Shin Hye-Sun is really the standout here. (At the time of this posting, Shin Hye-Sun has won the Top Excellence Award (Female) in KBS’s 2019 Drama Awards for her role in this show, so congratulations to her on an award well deserved!)
What I didn’t like:
How the show meanders towards the end. I laid out the plot in the most succinct way possible, but it’s hardly that straightforward. Dan’s mission should, in theory, be over when Yeon-Seo learns to love again, but then the show would then be over a lot sooner than Episode 32. The writers know that so they move the goalpost, at some point revealing that Dan also had to learn to love for the mission to be truly over. Not only that, but they both had to be willing to sacrifice everything for their loved one in order for God to believe their love was sincere or something, what leads one to think they need to commit suicide and the other to think they need to commit murder. I don’t know, by this point the show’s either stretching things out to reach the 32-episode mark or they’re milking each scene for every ounce of drama they can get, probably both. This problem gets compounded by the fact that...
Some (other) things don’t make a whole lot of sense. To start with, the theology and consistency on this show is all over the place. The same God that apparently ordered a couple of angels to shoot someone, gangsta style, because an angel broke the rules and fell in love with a human, is moved by our lead couple’s Romeo-and-Juliet love story and by Yeon-Seo’s ballet performance. Oh, and by the way, shooting someone is not how unruly angels are dealt with, God can simply pull a Thanos and have them vanish into mist, so why did he decide to use a gun that one time? Because drama! God also decides that the best time to send Dan to Heaven is when Yeon-Seo is lying commatose in the hospital (what a dick), to which Dan says, “Fuck it, I’m staying here,” and God lets him return as an angel so he can help Yeon-Seo wake up, interfering once again and thereby ceasing to exist... except he’s still an angel an episode later! What the f*** is going on here?! Archangel Hoo broke the rules once and he got the Thanos treatment, so how come Kim Dan gets so many second chances?
Some characters are either superfluous or their arcs are unclear. As an example of the latter, there’s the character of Ji Kang-Woo (played by Lee Dong-Gun), Yeon-Seo’s ballet instructor and Kim Dan’s rival for Yeon Seo’s affection. It’s revealed early on that he’s an angel-turned-human after breaking the rules and falling in love with a human himself... whom the gangster angels promptly killed. It’s never explained why she had to die while Yeon-Seo and Kim Dan are allowed to stay together, but apparently Kang-Woo is satisfied that his pain was necessary so he could help them trick God or something. I’ve no idea. But the award for the most superfluous character has to go to Ni-Na’s secret ballet instructor who only appears when the script dictates and is not developed at all. I can’t even remember if she had a name! What was her point even?
OTP: Probably one of the best pairings of the year (says the guy who’s watched maybe 4-5 2019 shows out of who knows how many).
Verdict: This is a case of the pros outweighing the cons. There’s simply too much that works for me, so many scenes and songs that stayed with me thanks to the strong performances of our leads and some of the supporting cast. I was never unaware of its more glaring flaws, what prevents this show from reaching Goblin levels of quality, but I could easily find myself rewatching it from time to time.
Rewatch meter: High
Strong Woman Do Bong-Soon (2017)
From left to right: Park Bo-Young as Do Bong-Soon; Ji Soo as In Guk-Doo; and Park Hyung-Sik as Ahn Min-Hyuk.
Release Date: February 24 - April 15, 2017
Episodes: 16
Available on: Viki, Netflix
Summary: Do Bong-Soon has a secret: she is insanely strong, a superhuman ability that has been passed down to the women in her family for generations. She also aspires to create a video game with herself as the main character. When Ahn Min-Hyuk, the CEO of gaming company Ainsoft, chances by her as she’s beating up half a dozen thugs, he’s instantly mesmerized by both her beauty and strength. The recent target of anonymous threats, Min-Hyuk decides to hire Bong-Soon as a bodyguard (she ends up being more of a secretary) and she accepts with the promise of joining the planning department of Ainsoft once the culprit is caught. Meanwhile, detective In Guk-Doo, Bong-Soon’s secret crush and childhood friend, investigates a series of strange kidnappings and murders in Bong-Soon’s neighbourhood. When the culprit targets Bong-Soon’s best friend, Bong-Soon and Min-Hyuk find themselves involved in the hunt for the criminal.
What I liked:
Gangster Bong-Soon. Okay, maybe saying she’s a gangster is a bit too much, but after beating a bunch of school bullies into submission, they soon look up to her as their new boss, taking orders from her and even looking out for her so that her secret isn’t exposed. It’s pretty funny then that Bong-Soon has to save her crew from being harassed by the new neighbourhood bullies, acting the part of a gangster for a short while.
The need for training. I appreciate the fact that Min-Hyuk foresaw the need to help Bong-Soon have full control of her strength, although he also created routines to bolster up her endurance, not to mention some of the moves she learned could have come in handy when she was depowered (sadly, she doesn’t use them). And all of this training does indeed pay off, as we see Bong-Soon fight smartly and using only as much strength as is needed to get the job done, as opposed to her Episode 1 self who used way too much strength with hilarious results. You can witness the results of Min-Hyuk’s training in the fight with the “new bullies” I mentioned previously, as well as the one at the beginning of Episode 9. Beyond fighting, her training also had positive results in her everyday life, like now being able to hug people without worrying about choking them.
youtube
The leads and their chemistry. The chemistry of these two is off the charts (it’s over 9000!!!). Everything about Park Bo-Young as Do Bong-Soon screams cute, from her short height to the way she talks, and even her glares of disapproval when Min-Hyuk does something he shouldn’t have. She’s also confident when she needs to, but not afraid to show vulnerability around the people she loves. I could shower similar praise on Park Hyung-Sik as Ahn Min-Hyuk, especially where the vulnerability department is concerned. Male leads tend to be more stoic (like In Guk-Doo), so it was quite refreshing to see how devastated Min-Hyuk was when he learned the identity of the one threatening him, or how crazy-in-love he is around Bong-Soon (she’s his kryptonite). Min-Hyuk is never afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve and it shows in every single scene. These two can just stare at each other in silence and convey more emotion than any spoken word.
The humor. I’m not talking about the dumb hospital scenes that feature humor more similar to what you’d find in a crappy Hollywood “comedy” (peeing jokes, really?), but things like Hyung-Sik’s ad-libbing throughout the show (he’s having a blast), or the more funny interactions between Min-Hyuk and Bong-Soon, even the ever-changing Romeo and Juliet scenes as Bong-Soon’s feelings for the different characters evolve.
What I didn’t like:
The sudden disappearance of Min-Hyuk’s family. Initially, the show has two distinct storylines: the string of kidnappings/murders, on the one hand; and the threats to Min-Hyuk, likely related to the question of who in his family will become the new Chairman of Ohsung Group. As expected, Min-Hyuk has several brothers who are a bit jealous of his success with Ainsoft and intuit their father will name him the Chairman, so it makes sense one of them is behind the threats. Once the storyline is resolved however, Min-Hyuk’s family is completely out of the picture, even during his marriage, what I find extremely odd.
The randomness of the depowering rule. Very early on the show explains that, while the women of the Bong-Soon family are blessed with superhuman strength from birth, they can easily lose this ability should they try to use it for less than honorable pursuits. It can be something as simple, and apparently harmless, as using this strength to become an Olympic weightlifting champion, as Bong-Soon’s mother soon found out, but it’s usually tied to using this ability to hurt innocent people. Naturally, once this rule was made known, it was only a matter of time before Bong-Soon would lose her powers as well, and this did indeed happen towards the end of the show. The problem I have with it is two-fold: its execution and its consistency. Bong-Soon doesn’t purposefully hurt an innocent man, she’s tricked into doing so by the villain. One could argue that whatever higher power granted this ability can’t tell the difference, except that argument falls apart entirely when you realize Bong-Soon has already purposefully used her power to hurt innocent people, like that one time she crushed Min-Hyuk’s foot to keep him silent (among multiple examples). That this event is played for laughs should have no bearing on the outcome. Furthermore, we later see Bong-Soon pleading for her strength to return so she can save Min-Hyuk, so it would appear that whatever higher power was listening is intelligent. At the end of the day, we all know this happened because the writers didn’t want to limit the fun possibilities of Bong-Soon abusing her power a little bit, saving it for the right moment to amp the drama. So, in reality, I was aware of it, and decided to roll with it.
OTP: Cuteness overload.
Verdict: This is one of the strongest shows in this list (no pun intended), more so given how much it’s able to pull off in 16 episodes as opposed to other shows’ 32, which is why I’m more lenient in terms of its writing. This is simply a good, fun, show, easily rewatchable thanks to the cute OTP. While its soundtrack may not be on par overall with the one from Angel’s Last Mission: Love, it still features some solid, memorable, songs (’Heartbeat’ by SURAN being the most obvious, but also ‘Double Trouble Couple’ by MAMAMOO, or ‘Super Power Girl’ by Every Single Day), not to mention a highly effective and comedic use of sound effects. Definitely one of my favourite shows.
Rewatch meter: High
And that brings us to the end of Part 1. I hope you had a good time reading through this post, maybe even found a show to your liking. What were some of your favourite shows in 2019? Stay tuned for Part 2!
#kdrama#while you were sleeping#kdrama w#my strange hero#the secret life of my secretary#angel's last mission: love#angel's last mission#strong woman do bong soon#strong girl bong soon#netflix#viki#kdramas
15 notes
·
View notes
Text
Asian Drama Asks
i just wanted to answer on every question without waiting for request. And sorry for mistakes, english is not my native.
1: Favorite K-Drama? Just one? Brobably W: Two worlds
2: Least favorite K-Drama? Flower Boy Next Door, High-end Crush
3: First K-Drama you watched? Fated To Love You
4: Last K-Drama you watched? The Tale of Nok Du
5: K-Drama OTP(s)? Kang Chul & Oh Yeon Joo (W: Two worlds), Do Bong Soon & Ahn Min Hyuk (Strong Woman Do Bong Soon), No Ji Wook & Eun Bong Hee (Suspicious Partner), Kim Mi So & Lee Young Joon (What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?), Jang Joon Sung & Jang Yi Jin (Oh My Venus), etc.
6: K-Drama NOTP(s)? Oh Jin-hee & Oh Chang-min (Emergency Couple), Eun Ha-won & Kang Ji-woon (Cinderella with Four Knights), Kang Han-gyul & Yoon So-rim (The Liar and His Lover). This is truly hard question haha
7: Preferred drama genre? Romance as usual
8: First drama you considered your favorite? One and best W: Two worlds
9: Favorite Korean actor(s)? Lets see... Lee Jong Suk, Park Seo Joon, Jang Ki Yong, Seong Hoon, Kang Ha Neul, etc.
10: Favorite Korean actress(es)? Han Hyo Joo, Park Bo Young, Song Hye Kyo, Jang Na Ra, Kim So Hyeon, Lee Da Hee, etc.
11: Favorite K-Drama cliche? Sudden acquaintance from childhood
12: Least favorite K-Drama cliche? I don’t know... jast the obvious things
13: Top five K-Dramas? Oh My Venus, While You Were Sleeping, Descendants of the Sun, Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo. Five is not enough.
14: Boys Over Flowers or Secret Garden? Neither
15: Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo or Cheese in the Trap? Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
16: Jealousy Incarnate or Oh My Ghostess? Jealousy Incarnate, because i didn't watch the second one yet
17: Descendants of the Sun or W: Two Worlds? I cant pick one from my top dramas
18: Moonlight Drawn by Clouds or Legend of the Blue Sea? Legend of the Blue Sea
19: Strong Woman Do Bong Soon or Shopping King Louie? Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
20: Reply 1997, Reply 1994, or Reply 1988? I did not watch any of them
21: Lee Jong Suk or Ji Chang Wook? Lee Jong Suk. He’s cutie
22: Song Joong Ki or Park Bo Gum? Mmmmmm.... Okay, sorry Bo Gum, I like you, but... Song Joong Ki
23: Jo Jung Suk or Seo In Guk? Jo Jung Suk. In Guk annoying me someway
24: Jisoo or Nam Joo Hyuk? Nam Joo Hyuk. I hate his Habaek, but in love with him in Weightlifting Fairy and Moon Lovers
25: Park Hyung Sik or Kim Soo Hyun? My puppy Park Hyung Sik
26: Favorite Lee Min Ho drama? I’m not a huge Min Ho’s fan but I love The Legend of the Blue Sea
27: Favorite K-Drama bromance? Son Oh Gong & Woo Ma Wang (Hwayugi) adoring me
28: Favorite K-Drama friendship? Bae Ta Mi & Cha Hyeon & Song Ga Kyeong (Search: WWW), Eun Dan Oh & Ha Ru & Lee Do Hwa (Extraordinary You)
29: Favorite actor/actress duo? (one male, one female) Song Joong Ki & Song Hye Kyo (Descendants of the Sun)
30: Favorite actor duo? Lee Jung Suk & Jung Hae In (While You Were Sleeping)
31: Favorite actress duo? Kim Hye-jin & Min Ha-ri (She was pretty)
32: Do you watch dramas with 30+ episodes? Yes, I did. Five Enough was my first and only. But I’m watching Love Is Beautiful, Life Is Wonderful right now and it’s 100 episodes.
33: Thoughts on web-dramas based around idol groups? (ex: EXO Next Door) It is good for groups fans but not interesting enough for the rest as usual.
34: Favorite idol actor? Do Kyung Soo (Exo), Cha Eun Woo (Astro), Park Jin Young (Got7), Park Hyung Sik (Ze:a)
35: Favorite idol actress? Bae Su Ji (Miss A), Lee Ji Eun (IU), Im Yoon Ah (Girls Generation)
36: Song Hye Kyo or Han Hyo Joo? Song Hye Kyo is like older version of Han Hyo Joo in my imagination. I love them both a lot.
37: Nam Ji Hyun or Park Bo Young? Little peanut Park Bo Young
38: Jung Eunji or Bae Suzy? Suzy
39: Jung So Min or Kim So Hyun? i watched almost every drama with Kim So Hyun just because of her
40: Kim Seul Gi or Kim Go Eun? I don’t understand why people often saying that Kim Seul Gi is ugly looking. I think she’s pretty enough and she’s a good actress
41: Favorite Park Shin Hye Drama? I didn’t like Shin Hye until Memories of the Alhambra.This drama made me recognize that she can be annoying less.
42: Favorite K-Drama kiss scene? Oooooh.... First of all kiss in the prison in W: Two worlds, handcuffed hugs was so cute. Kiss on a piano in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, Hyung Sik was so passionate. Kiss in the closet in What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim? was romantic as heaven. I can’t remember every good kiss scene because dramas have a lot of this stuff.
43: One K-Drama you could rewatch over and over? W: Two worlds again. And again. And over again.
44: How often do you watch C-Dramas? Sometimes. I don’t like them because of the large number of episodes in most cases and it’s hard to wait long for the translation from chinese
45: How often to you watch Thai Dramas? Rarely. But sometimes good things come across. If the main female character is less hysterical
46: How often do you watch J-Dramas? I watched just a few of them. I like Japanese anime more
47: Least preferred type of drama between Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Thai dramas? Japanese
48: Favorite C-Drama? Weiwei's Beautiful Smile
49: Favorite J-Drama? Good Morning Call
50: Favorite Thai Drama? Full House
51: Go-to K-Drama when you have nothing else to watch? I almost only watch them all of time
52: Favorite male lead character? Kang Chul W: Two worlds is my presious secretly boyfriend haha
53: Favorite female lead character? Cha Hyeon (Search: WWW). I like her so much. She’s so girly sometimes and cute, and smart. She remind me myself as well when she obsessed watching TV shows
54: Recommend 3 fluffy AF dramas Touch Your Heart, Something About 1%, Fight for My Way
55: Recommend 3 angsty AF dramas Tomorrow With You, Before We Get Married, Hotel Del Luna
56: Recommend 1 mini-drama (any # of episodes, each last <30 minutes) Three Color Fantasy: The Universe's Star
57: Recommend 1 mini-series (30+ episodes, 1hr long each) Love Is Beautiful, Life Is Wonderful
58: List 3 dramas you plan you watch When the Camellia Blooms, The Light in Your Eyes, Time
59: Tell a random story involving K-Dramas I can’t remember anything
60: Name one drama you dropped, and explain why Mischievous Kiss. I like anime a lot, and thai tv-version, but korean one... i can’t, it’s too much silly
original post
12 notes
·
View notes
Text
I apologize for the bad quality but I though that a GIF or a photo collage would not do justice to this episode! You need to hear the words (even if we can’t understand we can read) and heard the beautiful music to feel all the emotions.
I usually don’t say much because I am not very good with words but today I feel like I should say something.
First ..... I Love, love, love this drama!
Thirty but Seventeen in my opinion is the best drama of 2018! Definitely top ten of my favorite dramas!
Episode 14 was by far the best one! I am really liking the way the story is unfolding. It is a very different Korean Drama and it doesn’t have a lot of the cliche stories.
1. I am very happy with the chemistry of the actors who play Woo Jin and Seori because when they cry I cry. So in the last episode we find out that Woo Jin finds out that Seori is the girl he has loved and thought he lost.
2. Episode 14 he blames himself and it’s understandable..... he told Seori to get off the bus in the next stop but the accident happens and he feels that because of what he told her he ruined her life.
3. I like that even though Chan was in a hurry to get home because of Seori and Woo Jin he focuses on his uncle. He knows something is wrong and he is more worried about his uncle leaving him again.
4. Woo Jin trying to leave.....even when he was buying a ticket and he put his ear phones on I was like Noooo! I could see him going back to that old poor broken spirit he had
5. Jennifer’s husband died in the accident! I was not expecting that at all, that accident even ties Jennifer to them and I was super impressed by Ji Wons acting even as she cried she still had a serious face!
6. That bridge! After reading the note that Woo Jin left Her, Seori goes to the bridge hoping she would see Woo Jin because good things happen to them there. First I loved the letter he wrote but I love that Woo Jin didn’t leave. I can feel his struggle as he is trying to decide what to do. I liked that even if he still thinks it was his fault she was in the bus while the accident happen he decided to stay because he loves her that much. It was a decision he made base on his own feelings because even if people tell him it wasn’t his fault I feel like he won’t stop feeling responsible.
7. The Cresendo.......Seori actually liked him too. I like that they show that he liked him too before the accident! I liked that it wasn’t just him who thought about her in the past!
Again sorry for the bad quality, I have more clips hope I will get to post them tomorrow
15 notes
·
View notes
Text
Ep 14 Transcript: Brokenstar's Polycule
Episode 14
[intro music]
PAZ: Hi, everybody, welcome back to Stairway to StarClan, a Warriors cat reread pawdcast. I'm Paz.
JULIAN: I'm Julian.
LIZ: And I'm Craig.
PAZ: No, you're not.
LIZ: I'm Liz. Just a little joke, a little humor, you know, from me to the listener.
PAZ: Well, I'll probably put-- that'll probably be at the end, the context. Well, look forward to that, I guess.
JULIAN: The end of the episode where we explain the joke at the beginning.
PAZ: Well, no, just where I put the beginning pre-intro. Sorry. This is gonna be another late episode. I have been having computer issues. But hopefully nothing will happen to this recording. And if not, we have Craig. That's why Craig is here. Thank you, Craig.
JULIAN: Thank you Craig.
LIZ: Thank you Craig, but with a caveat.
PAZ: O-oh.
LIZ: Craig, if you-- look at me, Craig. If you fuck up, I'm gonna kick you. We'll ban you from this exclusive podcast server.
PAZ: I didn't realize Craig was like on a probationary period.
LIZ: Listen, podcasting is cutthroat, man.
PAZ: Yeah, that's true.
JULIAN: Craig's on thin fucking ice. Just like the cats of ThunderClan.
PAZ: Yeah.
LIZ: Eyy.
PAZ: Yeah. Uh huh. Wow, look at that segue. That's some professional podcasting.
LIZ: Seamless.
JULIAN: Thank you. Thank you.
LIZ: Craig, that's what you have to live up to.
PAZ: Yeah, so we're continuing Fire and Ice. Shit's getting real. We read chapters...
JULIAN: 22 through 25?
PAZ: Yeah.
JULIAN: They were a doozy. A lot happened.
PAZ: They sure were. All right. Let's hop into these summaries. So chapter 22, patrols keep reporting that RiverClan and ShadowClan have been scented in ThunderClan territory. Meanwhile, Fireheart is busy hunting, trying to look after Cloudkit, Cinderpaw, and Brackenpaw. Graystripe is Brackenpaw's mentor again but is still slipping way to see Silverstream often. The camp no longer has greencough.
Fireheart goes to visit Cinderpaw who is staying with Yellowfang. She tells him the exercises for her injured leg hurt a lot, though she is still cheerful. Fireheart says he likes spending time with her and he misses their training sessions, which makes Cinderpaw sad. She says she probably can't be a warrior anymore. And Fireheart says no instead of anything supportive or even offering any alternatives. No editorializing here.
Then Fireheart asks about what happened when the monster hit her, fearing that Tigerclaw had something to do with it, but Cinderpaw can't remember. They talk about Cloudkit instead, and Fireheart expresses how worried he is about Cloudkit being bullied in the future for being born a kittypet. Cinderpaw reassures Fireheart, even though he hasn't done much of the same for her.
Fireheart asks Bluestar if he can go to the next gathering, and she agrees. He then goes to see Cloudkit, and Brindleface tells him he might have a fever, which worries Fireheart. He overhears the other apprentices mocking Cloudkit for this. Then he meets Sandpaw, who is also going to the gathering. They talk about how it's odd she hasn't been made a warrior yet. And she reassures them about Cloudkit's future. Later they all leave for the gathering.
At the gathering, Fireheart greets some cats from WindClan as they wait for RiverClan and ShadowClan to arrive. Bluestar doesn't wait for the normal introductions and announces immediately that RiverClan has been hunting in ThunderClan territory. There is more arguing, and Crookedstar, the RiverClan leader, says an unknown ThunderClan warrior has been scented in RiverClan. Both Fireheart and Graystripe realize he must mean Graystripe. Whoopsie.
Tigerclaw accuses RiverClan and ShadowClan of joining together against them and Crookedstar accuses ThunderClan of doing the same with WindClan. The leaders keep arguing until a cloud passes over the moon. Runningnose, the ShadowClan medicine cat, and Yellowfang say the StarClan is angry they fought at the gathering and that the darkness is a sign to stop.
Chapter 24, Tallstar ends the gathering because of the sign from StarClan, and all the clans leave. Fireheart hopes Graystripe will be willing to talk, but he only agrees to meet Silverstream at Fourtrees instead of in RiverClan territory. Graystripe is still upset with him. They return from the gathering, and Fireheart checks on Cloudkit. Bluestar tells everyone that RiverClan and ShadowClan have joined together and are now a threat. Fireheart is uneasy, thinking of RiverClan's difficulty and ShadowClan's reduced numbers.
The next day, Cloudkit is recovered from his fever. Fireheart watches Cloudkit happily as he play-hunts a ball of moss. Then he sees a scary leg.
Unknown Speaker
[laughter]
PAZ: Liz wrote these summaries. I'm reading them for the first time.
LIZ: Well, he does.
JULIAN: No, that's exactly what happens.
PAZ: Yeah, I really can't argue with that. Woo. Then he sees a scary leg and tells Cloudkit to stop. It's actually Tigerclaw, who gives the moss ball back and says to Fireheart that he should be careful with his quote unquote "playthings."
Chapter 25, Brindleface calls Cloudkit away and Tigerclaw leaves ominously. Then Whitestorm, Mousefur, Sandpaw, and Fireheart go patrol the ShadowClan border, but smell the other clan before reaching it. Fireheart recognizes the scent but can't remember which ShadowClan warrior it's from. The patrol also finds rabbit bones, which were apparently left by the ShadowClan as a sign of disrespect. Whitestorm is angry and says they have to tell Bluestar and punish ShadowClan.
When the patrol returns, Bluestar has already left for her own patrol. Whitestorm tells Tigerclaw about the rabbit bones, and they quickly decide to retaliate against ShadowClan. Sandpaw isn't allowed to go, and Tigerclaw tells Fireheart to stay behind, leaving him as the only warrior in the entire camp.
Yellowfang recognizes the scent on Fireheart as Brokenstar's, and he realizes that was who he was smelling earlier. She says Brokenstar and his friends must be the ones trespassing on the territory, and not ShadowClan, and that Fireheart has to stop Tigerclaw before he attacks ShadowClan. Fireheart can't leave the camp undefended in case Brokenstar attacks. So he sends Brackenpaw instead. He manages to tell the rest of clan all of this right before Brokenstar shows up. And that's the end of our reading.
JULIAN: It's a very dramatic place to leave off.
PAZ: Yeah, this was a very dramatic set of chapters.
JULIAN: Especially like the first-- like chapter 22 is just beat after beat. The stuff starts coming and it don't stop coming.
PAZ: Yeah, I mean, it sure is a set of chapters in terms of poorly thought out writing decisions, but also then good writing. You get both.
JULIAN: Yeah, you really do. It's a little of, uh... you get a little ableism, you get a little cat racism, you get a little excellent plot beats.
PAZ: This is what Warrior Cats is about, baby.
LIZ: A tasting platter.
PAZ: Um, let's take... where should we start?
JULIAN: Let's just start from the beginning. Um, Graystripe continues to not be shit.
PAZ: Oh my god.
LIZ: Makes me so mad.
JULIAN: I don't know what 10 year old me was thinking when I was like, Yeah, Graystripe is cool.
PAZ: Okay, I also feel like I remember Graystripe being cool, but I only knew him from like A New Prophecy onwards.
JULIAN: Yeah, I think he does some cool stuff maybe in later books, but uh....he's struggling.
LIZ: He's a shitty teen now.
PAZ: This is really clouding my perception of him.
JULIAN: Like Brackenpaw's sad little oh, I guess he just doesn't have time for me or whatever.
PAZ: I know.
JULIAN: It's just awful.
LIZ: It's so sad.
PAZ: Sort of to set up what we're talking about, it starts off with Graystripe's missing again, and Fireheart's basically asking Brackenpaw like, oh, where'd he go. And Brackenpaw's like, he went hunting without me. So sad.
JULIAN: Brackenpaw's like, he said I could go tomorrow and like, of course--
LIZ: God.
JULIAN: We all know that tomorrow's never going to come.
LIZ: It has such the tone of like, tiny child says, oh, my dad just went out to get milk.
PAZ: No.
JULIAN: Like, kid waiting for their parents to come pick them up, like, oh, I'm sure they'll be here soon.
PAZ: I don't know why. Why is Graystripe not being like reprimanded more? It's pretty obviously he's not trading his apprentice.
JULIAN: Right? Well, Fireheart has this moment where he's like, Oh, "Fireheart knew that Tigerclaw wouldn't accept Brackenpaw's answer so easily." It's like well, Tigerclaw, do your job. Be menacing. Graystripe should be menaced a bit.
PAZ: He should have been menaced like two weeks ago.
LIZ: He needs to have I guess like a disciplinary meeting with the manager that is Tigerclaw.
PAZ: Yeah, there was also like a apparently like a vague timeskip or something, because it mentioned like the last gathering didn't happen because it was cloudy, which was very funny. A very funny note. So that means like at least one moon cycle has passed by or something.
JULIAN: I'm like a little-- this makes a lot of sense actually for why the clans are in such like political disarray, if they can only meet once a month if it's not cloudy, and they live in England.
PAZ: Oh god.
LIZ: Oh my god.
JULIAN: Really setting themselves up for failure.
LIZ: It's that seasonal whatever thing, right?
PAZ: I was gonna say like, like oh, what happens if there's a gathering and there's like an eclipse, but I'm fairly certain that's a plot point that happens later. So, you know.
LIZ: They're cats. They like it to be sunny when they go. They wanna, you know, soak in the vitamin D.
PAZ: It's not even the sun. It's the moon.
JULIAN: It happens at night.
LIZ: Oh, um, well, fuck if I know.
JULIAN: It's also like... not to criticize the world building here but like when there's a full moon out, it's much harder to see the stars.
PAZ: Yeah. It's not fucking MoonClan.
JULIAN: Like I get the whole cyclical nature or whatever.
PAZ: Do it on the new moon.
JULIAN: And if it's the new moon, you probably won't even notice if there's clouds.
PAZ: Yeah. I don't know who came up with that rule, but I think they planted the seeds for a lot of political problems.
LIZ: Imagine if they were just like, yeah, let's meet every two weeks.
PAZ: Cats don't have calendars.
LIZ: Let's meet every eight days, which is how many paws we have on two front legs, I think.
PAZ: What? What?
LIZ: Wait.
PAZ: How many paws? Hold on.
JULIAN: Liz, what kind of cats you been looking at?
LIZ: Paws? How many beans? How many toes? I didn't want to say toes.
PAZ: Oh my god.
JULIAN: I was imagining like a fucking Sleipnir.
PAZ: Yeah, like fucking catbus from My Neighbor Totoro. Oh god. That's actually how all the cats look. It's just not mentioned.
JULIAN: That's where they keep all their magic. In their eight legs. Maybe it's just the leaders who have eight legs where they keep their lives.
PAZ: Wow.
LIZ: You become president, you just pop out four extra legs.
PAZ: Oh god.
JULIAN: I hate this actually.
PAZ: Yeah.
JULIAN: I know I suggested it, but it's very bad.
LIZ: I know the sound it makes. It's like [pops lips]
JULIAN: Ahh!
PAZ: Stop. Okay, we're gonna move on from that. I mean, speaking of legs, the next part in this chapter is Cinderpaw makes her speaking debut again.
JULIAN: Ugh.
LIZ: Ugh.
PAZ: Um, yeah, and there-- I-- this is time to really talk about like, the problems that come up with her character and honestly continue to be a theme throughout Warriors to this day, apparently, based on what I've seen on like Twitter and forums and stuff.
JULIAN: Yeah, it's--
LIZ: Like-- no, go ahead.
JULIAN: It's really great to like, see her as a speaking character again, and it really sucks that like, they have apparently have cat physical therapy. But it's like, well, nothing can be done.
PAZ: Yeah. I mean, like, it's nice that she's like, not like, deeply depressed and like, she's... like, it hasn't like, destroyed her character. Not destroyed her character, but like, I don't know how to word it.
JULIAN: She still has the same personality.
PAZ: Yeah, like, it hasn't like completely changed the personality and purpose of like her as a character in the book. Um, I mean that's really about all I can say for it.
JULIAN: Yeah, it's, uh... it sucks. I mean, I guess like, kind of brief spoilers, but she ends up becoming a medicine cat, which is sort of the thing that happens to any disabled cat is like, well, you're a medicine cat now. Which is just like, cool. Like, that's all you can do.
PAZ: Yeah. And them getting that position is like 95% of the time, like, against their choice in some way or form, because it's just like, no, you cannot be a warrior at all.
JULIAN: Yeah, and it's especially like... in literally the next chapter we meet Deadfoot.
PAZ: Yeah, that was a really egregious, like... the scene kind of like right after this is is Deadfoot showing up. And his physical disability is even pointed out because it says like, oh, he's limping. And there he is being a deputy. And it's like, it literally doesn't make sense, doing that to Cinderpaw's character.
LIZ: It's not even like, I don't know. What you said before about how so many, like, of the disabled characters are forced to become medicine cat. That's not even a case of like, oh, this one became a medicine cat and now like, can give perspective on you know, better care for other disabled characters. It's not like that. It's just like, you cannot have the job you want anymore. Ugh.
PAZ: Yeah. I mean, like, cat physical therapy exists, which is nice to see. But like, that really doesn't get utilized in any good way going forward or in this scene really.
JULIAN: Yeah, and there's no like, oh, you should like, you know, do your exercises so that like, you can regain some motion and like, you know, it'll be easier for you to be a w-- you know, that's not even like presented as an option.
LIZ: No.
PAZ: Yeah, um, I was reading around a bit and watched some videos on this topic that I figured I would shout out and like, quote from. So there's a really good video on YouTube by transredtail. Great name. Just called "Disability in Warrior Cats" if you want to check it out.
JULIAN: Yeah, it's really good.
PAZ: But yeah, it's a good video, and he's disabled himself. So he was speaking from that perspective about disability in the video. And kind of like the three main points in the video, were like, one, any disabled cat cannot become a warrior is like a running theme. And two, when writing a disabled character, the Erins frequently choose to have the surrounding characters make decisions for them, often unwanted decisions. And then three was like indications that life as a disabled person is less than life as an abled person is kind of like the reoccurring themes when it comes to how disabled characters are written in Warriors. And then also points out that like, disabled characters exist as plot points or as a way to create pity or guilt in the surrounding cast of characters, which is also definitely true.
JULIAN: Yeah, that's definitely happening here with like, Cinderpaw as sort of fuel for Fireheart's manpain.
LIZ: God. The scene where he goes to see her is like so... so frustrating because here's his, like, young apprentice who had like... who's really cheerful and enthusiastic and so clearly happy to see him cause she's bored out of her mind. And the scene just becomes about like, how sad he is that she doesn't have a future, and how it's his fault, and how suddenly he's worried that the same thing will happen to his nephew. And she-- this kid is the one who ends up comforting him about his nephew and all of his worries about Cloudkit that he doesn't really have for her anymore.
JULIAN: Yeah, it sucks that like he has immediately jumped from being worried about her to like, being worried about Cloudkit, as though he's just completely given up on her as like a person that he needs to care about her future.
PAZ: Yeah, it's so weird that he doesn't like, fight for her at all, or, like, encourage her at all. Like, it's just like, her fate is sealed without really any discussion.
LIZ: The thing he says about like, oh, well, maybe we can go hunting again and we'll find you the slowest prey possible. And she just like laughs, instead of like, being sad because that's, it's so patronizing. And it makes all these assumptions about-- it's not like being accommodating towards her because she didn't ask for any of that.
JULIAN: Yeah, like she wants to be a warrior. And like, I just, I can see a way that it could have been... like, transredtail talks about this and has like a lot of really good videos of like, how disabled kits actually move, that's really like, helpful for the well, what about the realism? crowd. Because like, spoiler alert, it turns out that cats that like lose the use of their back legs can actually scamper around pretty well.
PAZ: Yeah, like, even cats are like completely paralyzed in their back legs still move around pretty good.
JULIAN: But like, I can see, like an alternative where like, Fireheart is like, yeah, I'm going to help you with your physical therapy. And we're going to, like, figure out ways for you to hunt that are different. And maybe you'll have a slightly different role as a warrior, but you'll still be able to, like, hunt and do patrols. And it's just-- it sucks to see him completely give up on her. And it also, I wish-- I know that this would require like an acknowledgment of the fact that Fireheart is being ableist, but I wish she got to be angry about it.
PAZ: Yeah, it's like, the book doesn't.... the framing of this is just like nonexistent in the book. Like it doesn't-- there is no like self awareness of what it's doing. And like, it's kind of just presented as-is, like, yep, this is what's happening now. And Fireheart's reaction to it is not portrayed as bad or anything. It's just...
LIZ: Yeah, it's so like, thoughtless and lazy, I don't know. Someone mentioned before how in the next chapter, we see Deadfoot again. And also like, just to note, still the worst name possible to give to your--
PAZ: Absolutely.
JULIAN: Yeah. Oh, God, it sucks.
LIZ: God.
PAZ: That's, um, that is another thing in Warriors is like once cats get like injured or physically disabled in a way, they get renamed. It's very weird.
LIZ: I think they should be able to choose better ones for themselves. God. Um, but yeah. It's such a missed opportunity, too, because one, there's like the precedent of mentors taking their apprentices to gatherings. Why not just have Fireheart take Cinderpaw there and meet this extremely, like, respected, perfectly happy other warrior, who is very much in the-- who has like a very similar experience to her?
JULIAN: Yeah. Like they're on good terms with WindClan.
PAZ: Yeah, I just-- I don't know, like, it was just like non-thinking on the part of the authors, I think. But like the juxtaposition, cause Deadfoot being like, mentioned again in the story come so soon after that Cinderpaw stuff. And it's like you're not even like making sense within your own narrative.
LIZ: It's like wow, that's just-- it's extremely... it's bad. On the subject of disability, it's bad, and also on the subject of like, just plotting, it's real bad.
JULIAN: Yeah, yeah. And like, I don't know. I like, I think the name thing is awful. I don't think it's like... I don't hate the idea of like taking a new name when something like as life-changing as like a major disability happens to you, because that does like... like disability does change the way you identify for a lot of people. But like the fact that it's not anyone's choice is... that it's like the leader giving you this like... Oh, well, your foot is dead now. And that's who you are, like euaaaagh. Bad.
Yeah, I don't know. I also like, obviously, I have thought a lot about disability recently, because like, I just got out of-- the reason we didn't record for like, a month and change was because I had surgery on my arm that I couldn't use for six months. And like, that's definitely not the same as like a permanent disability. But like, I thought a lot about what it means to like, lose the use of one of your limbs. And I wish they had handled this differently.
PAZ: Yeah, um, another good point that came up on a thread I was looking on the same forum as last time. What was it again? WCRPforums.com, which is like the most active big Warriors forum right now, there was a thread about Warriors Cat ableism, and this was a post made by a deleted member, but they made a really good point. I'll just read part of it.
"I think this is the thing that's forgotten a lot when adults argue about this stuff. These are books for kids. The cats already have superpowers. There's already magic out the ass with StarClan sending mystical prophecies that foretell the future and manipulating the weather. And saying that there wouldn't be physically disabled characters with positive life as a warrior because it's an unrealistic is just oof.
I think people forget just how much positivity good rep brings into the life of kids, and good physical disabled rep in popular kids media isn't common enough for my liking. A three-legged warrior will not break my immersion. A warrior without a tail shouldn't break my immersion. Blind and Deaf warriors are not immersion breaking for me. If kittens talk fairly well when they're a month old, I can easily buy lip reading.
With all the series has thrown at us--" here's a great list. "With all the series has thrown at us-- ghost badgers, super powers, future telling prophecies, cat Heaven and Hell invading the real world, being able to kill ghosts, magic spirit weather, miracle plant medicine, cat farming, cats amputating with rocks, magic water that lets you visit the afterlife and talk to ghosts, cats literally dying and coming back from the dead and more-- I can live with disabled characters. And I'm not sure why it's such a big deal that would absolutely destroy the immersion for other people."
But yeah, the main point in this that like, this is a kid series and like kids are reading this and seeing this stuff, and how like that could like negatively impact a disabled kid reading this is like, really important to think about.
LIZ: I don't know. I like--
JULIAN: And--
LIZ: Oh, no, go ahead.
JULIAN: Oh no, it's OK. I think like, there was-- a lot of the Twitter threads that we're talking about have come out of a hashtag. I think it's #warriorcatsableism?
LIZ: Mm-hmm.
JULIAN: And there was a recent discussion of something that happened in like one of the most recent books, and it does sound like someone wrote a letter, and Harper Collins said that they would like work on doing better in future books.
PAZ: I think they actually like, edited a line out in like future like, releases, whatever book editions you said. Gosh, I wish I could find that again.
JULIAN: I think it was, like... yeah.
PAZ: I don't know where the fuck I saw it when I was reading all this stuff. So, I mean, the hashtag is great. And I think it has brought some awareness of the issue hopefully. So I'm hoping the series like improves on that front going forward.
LIZ: Yeah, it's, it's so much a thing that's like... it's been going on for so long. It's still so popular. And it's still a pretty recent, like, fumble or just thoughtlessness that's happened, and that it's even recently corrected. They must have the budget now for like, a sensitivity reader. I don't know.
PAZ: Yeah. Yes. I sincerely hope they--
LIZ: Better to catch that early.
PAZ: --they find one.
LIZ: Find several, please.
JULIAN: You know, it's already like... it's a team book already.
LIZ: Yeah, exactly.
PAZ: Another point transredtail made in his video was that like, just like have more disabled characters so that representing like, a plethora of experiences means like, if a disabled character dies or something, if there's a lot of other disabled characters, it's less egregious. But the fact that like, there's so few disabled characters, and they frequently go through like the same sorts of plot points, yeah, it's like not... it's bad. It's not good representation. And it needs to be fixed.
JULIAN: Like, if you have multiple disabled characters, you can show characters having conflicting ideas about their own disability and like, you know, you have-- because there is a diversity of like, how people feel about their own disabilities, like within the disabled community. And if you have a lot of cats, then like, if one of them dies, it's not, well, that was the only disabled character who had any agency and now they're dead.
PAZ: I mean, it's a similar principle as like writing the queer characters. It's like, if you have, if you have more than like, one or two of like, the minority group you're representing then like, you can just represent more experiences that way. And they don't have to carry the whole group on their shoulders. And it's just realistic to have a variety of characters.
LIZ: It would also be good to have like, disabled characters talk to each other instead of just having them only talk to abled characters and be their comforting, like soothing whatever.
PAZ: I feel like that might happen in A Power of Three, but it is not necessarily done well.
JULIAN: Oh.
LIZ: Okay...
PAZ: We'll see when we get there.
LIZ: Rough times ahead. Oh god, there's an airplane flying.
PAZ: Oh no.
LIZ: Do you hear it?
PAZ: Yes.
JULIAN: Yeah, I do.
LIZ: This is where I live. I am sorry. Oh, my God, my Audacity waves. Go away.
PAZ: I'll silence them with a stroke of my mouse.
LIZ: I'll mute. This is terrible.
PAZ: Okay, and another point transredtail brought up was the fact that like, a lot of disabled characters are forced into the medicine cat position, and then like, that's a position where you aren't allowed to have children.
LIZ: Yeah.
JULIAN: [gasps] Aw geez.
LIZ: I forgot about that.
PAZ: Which is a very-- like, it's definitely unintentional, but like, the parallels to real world eugenics and like, how like real world disabled people like, often have trouble starting a family because the way the government like, doesn't provide good like support or money. And like you kind of can't marry--
JULIAN: You can't get married. You'll lose your benefits.
PAZ: So... yeah, the fact that like, no children kind of happens to a lot of disabled characters through this medicine cat position is... yikes.
JULIAN: It also-- like you were talking about where it's like the disabled character takes on this role of like, comforting the abled character about their own disability is like... the medicine cat role is in some ways kind of an extension of that where it's like, okay, well, you have to be the caretaker now for everyone. That's your job. Like, oooh.
LIZ: It's so patronizing and also just bitter, because we won't provide you the care that you need. But please give it to me.
PAZ: And this is in later books, but Jayfeather, like being a blind protagonist, lots of people have also raised the point of like, you also get the weird disabilities as like superpowers or like the trope of disabled character whose like disabilities, quote, unquote, like... God, what is the phrase I'm looking for? My brain is empty. It's like counteracted. Counteracted by their supernatural abilities.
JULIAN: It's like, oh, he's blind. But oh, don't worry, he's not really blind. He can still see via the magic of StarClan. And it's like, well, cowards.
PAZ: Yeah. There's also-- I can't remember if it was just in Twitter threads or in the YouTube video of like, blind cats hunting flies, which was very cute. So like, screw realism, because these books don't have realism. But once again, like, cats with disabilities are very capable.
JULIAN: Yeah, I mean, the realism argument feels a lot like the same kind of discussions that come up any time that like, there's characters of color in like fantasy, or like, medieval novels, where it's like, oh, it's not realistic. And it's like, God, there's dragons.
PAZ: And also, like, it is realistic.
JULIAN: And also Black people existed in medieval Europe. But like.
PAZ: Yeah, it's literally the same exact same sort of...
JULIAN: Yeah, it's the same thing where it's like, A, it is realistic. And B, it shouldn't matter if it's realistic or not, because magic.
PAZ: Were you gonna say something else, Liz?
LIZ: Um, yeah, just on the subject of realism, like, it does matter a lot that there are, like Julian said, people of color in medieval settings already existing and people in so and so places already existing, like, in actuality. And, like, it sounds silly to talk about cats, but like, yes, disabled cats are like real. And they're doing fine. Whether it's like, even stray cats versus like, you know, domestic cats. And if you're gonna take the metaphor of the cats in the books being people, then of course, disabled people are just out there living their lives. And I don't know, it's also patronizing the way that the books have done it so far.
PAZ: Yeah. But, yeah, unfortunately this will probably be discussion that keeps coming up because it is an issue that keeps coming up in the books to this day, so.
JULIAN: God, there's one, like-- I know we're moving on. There's one like throwaway line where Cinderpaw says something about like... or like, I think Fireheart mentions that-- oh, he's like, when did you get so smart? Because she is like, angry at the other apprentices' cat racism. And she goes, "suffering can do that to a cat."
LIZ: Ugh.
JULIAN: And it's kind of a joke, but it's also like, the whole trope of like, oh, she's stronger because of what she's gone through. And it's like, awwwww.
LIZ: It's also interesting, because suddenly she has the emotional intelligence of an adult. And she has to comfort another adult because she has suffered, and that means the adult doesn't have to do anything for her?
JULIAN: Yeah, it's like her disability erased the fact that she's still a child. And she's suddenly like a little, little wise adult.
LIZ: A little wise adult who also doesn't get the privileges of being an adult, which is, you know, choosing what you want to do with your life, or having like bodily autonomy.
PAZ: Yeah, I wish she was like, allowed to be like angry, like, at the people around her for treating her so poorly. But.
JULIAN: I wouldn't even like-- you know, I'm glad that she's like still... she's always been like a very like kind of spunky, like, I'm going to do it no matter what kind of character. And so it kind of sucks to see her completely give up on being a warrior so quickly. But also, like, I wish that we did get to see her be upset, or more upset about like, her life path completely being cut off by the people around her.
PAZ: I mean, the really weird thing is like, that didn't happen on screen, like that conversation.
LIZ: Yeah, exactly.
PAZ: She was just like recovering and like, not awake. And then we skipped to her like, being awake. And it seems that conversation, to her, has happened somewhere offscreen, which is really weird.
LIZ: I think what it says about I guess the writing is that we didn't see it, because the authors didn't think it was important to see it, which is [heavy sigh].
JULIAN: I mean, it kind of feels like we do see it though, because she's like, oh, when am I going to go back to training? And Fireheart's like, uhhhhhhh. And then she goes, Oh, I'm never gonna be a warrior. And that's like, the sum total of the conversation.
PAZ: Yeah. I kind of read it as like the final conversation on that topic.
JULIAN: That makes more sense.
PAZ: Um, it's still weird. And there's no real, like-- Fireheart doesn't have much like internal thought going on in that moment, so he doesn't really offer much perspective on that choice.
JULIAN: Yeah, and like I get, you know, it's Fireheart's POV or whatever. But a lot of the other characters clearly have so much going on internally that like, we do kind of see through Fireheart's eyes that it's... I don't know, it's weird that we don't know what--
PAZ: If you want to your POV character to be in the scene, you just do it. You make up any excuse.
LIZ: We saw, um, Sandpaw for like, a much shorter amount of time. And like, it was easy to get a sense like, oh, she's really unsatisfied with what's happening to her. And why hasn't she been cat promoted yet? And she's really frustrated. And that didn't take very long at all. And you get-- there is a sense of sympathy there. And he sympathizes with her. And he doesn't really do that for his own apprentice who he's just-- he's known for much longer, or I mean, known more, I guess, like closely.
JULIAN: Yeah, like, he's very sad, but it's all like guilt. It's all about him.
LIZ: Yeah. It's not frustration for her. It's like, oh, I fucked up.
PAZ: Yeah. I really think it just comes down to like, the writing was thoughtless. And it was like, not a proper way to handle a disabled character and leads to this kind of, like lack of care given to her arc.
JULIAN: And then we get the cat racism.
LIZ: Double whammy.
PAZ: Yeah. I guess we will be moving on from that topic for now. Because yeah, then it goes right into the cat racism.
LIZ: God.
PAZ: Which I-- it's handled a bit better, because it's actually intentional is what I will say.
JULIAN: Like, it's intentional and it's framed as bad, even if it's like a little, you know, it's cat racism in a kid's book.
LIZ: It is the metaphor that the kids will understand.
JULIAN: Um, I wrote like three different times, "Cloudkit is a child." In all caps.
PAZ: Yeah, they're being like, really cat racist, like worse than we saw with like, Fireheart, honestly.
LIZ: He's just a baby.
PAZ: I'm like, this is a two week old baby.
LIZ: Listen, since it is-- I know it's cat racism. But I do think it's very funny that these British ladies wrote about-- made a metaphor about racism, and had it be like racism against the white cat.
PAZ: Oh god.
LIZ: Just a fun little note.
PAZ: That's extremely funny. I guess they were trying to be like what coat colors would a house cat have. Oh my god.
LIZ: It could have been like a fancy one instead of... like white stray cats are pretty common too.
PAZ: You know what I was thinking that whole time? I'm like, Yellowfang's a Persian cat.
LIZ: Yeah, what the fuck?
PAZ: I'm like, why? I don't think--
LIZ: Yellowfang's a purebred cat.
PAZ: I know. Oh my god.
LIZ: She's an escaped show cat. That's the secret.
PAZ: It's so funny.
LIZ: Yellowfang's living like the Anastasia movie or whatever.
JULIAN: Oh my god.
PAZ: Oh, my God. I was just picturing my cat Kip though.
LIZ: Mm.
JULIAN: Just a little guy.
LIZ: Just a little guy.
PAZ: Just a little fluffy guy, but everyone is like, I want this child to die.
JULIAN: I am glad that we do get to see-- I mean, obviously it's not great. But I'm glad that we get to see Tigerclaw back at it again with the kit murder, the threatening to kit murder.
PAZ: Yeah, that's like a couple chapters away but--
JULIAN: It is.
PAZ: Damn.
LIZ: I love the scene where he shows up cause it's so like just over the top, and it's the fucking funniest thing I've ever seen.
PAZ: I was like, this rules. Wait, I should go find it.
JULIAN: He's like twirling his metaphorical mustache.
LIZ: Oh, you didn't know? Tigerclaw has been a mustache cat this whole time.
PAZ: I'm still trying to find it.
JULIAN: It's in chapter 24 at the very end. You're right. It is an evil leg.
LIZ: The way he shows up is you just picture, like, stage lighting, and the spotlight shows up, and like a leg just sticks out from behind the curtain.
[ominous music]
PAZ: Okay, I found it. The scene is Cloudkit playing with a little moss ball, which is very cute.
LIZ: Adorable.
PAZ: "He rolled onto his back, threw the ball up with his four paws, and kicked it away with his hind legs. It landed next to the nursery. Cloudkit scrambled up and scooted after it. He crouched a rabbit leap away, his hind quarters bunched in the air. Fireheart watched as the kit prepared to pounce. Suddenly his fur prickled. A long dark foreleg was reaching towards the moss ball from behind the nursery. 'Cloudkit,' Fireheart called. 'Wait!' Shadowy images of rogue cats were still fresh in his mind. Cloudkit sat up and looked around at him, puzzled."
[drum roll, dramatic organ music]
"Tigerclaw emerged from behind the kit, holding the moss ball between the teeth. He carried the ball over to the kit and dropped it by Cloudkit's fluffy white paws. 'Be careful,' he growled. 'You wouldn't want to lose such a precious plaything.' As he spoke, the dark warrior stared at Fireheart over Cloudkit's head."
JULIAN: Literal like children's cartoon villain out here like, oooh.
PAZ: It's so funny.
LIZ: You'd better not lose your moss ball. [evil laugh]
JULIAN: Like literally the mafioso like, [deep voice] nice kit you got here. Shame if anything were to happen to it.
PAZ: This is the next little part. "Fireheart shivered. What did Tigerclaw mean by that? He seemed to be talking about the moss ball. But did he really mean that Cloudkit was a plaything?"
LIZ: Yes.
PAZ: Yeah, he's threatening your two days old nephew.
LIZ: You know he loves baby murder. He's trying so hard.
JULIAN: He loooves baby murder.
LIZ: He's gonna send your nephew to snake hell.
JULIAN: Well, and then there is the whole plotline of like Fireheart suspects that Tigerclaw was responsible for like Cinderpaw's accident. So he's really up on the the child murder or attempted murder.
LIZ: His rate of success is so-so, but boy is he determined. Yeah, it's not for lack of trying. Do you think like Tigerclaw goes back to his den every time he fails? It's like [clicks teeth] if it weren't for those darn kids. Next time I'll surely succeed.
JULIAN: That meddling kittypet.
LIZ: All I need is a big cliff and a long trail of Temptations treats. And when Cloudkit has the final treat, then I'll appear. Okay, I think of all the cats that I could see standing twolegged, Tigerclaw could be one, because that seems like the most evil. He's walking like a man towards--
PAZ: I think he should be one of his cats whose like, fur patterns make it look like he has a little mustache.
LIZ: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
JULIAN: Yeah.
PAZ: Um--
JULIAN: God. Sorry, go ahead.
PAZ: I was just gonna say, but like, yeah, like other cats in the clan are also just being like, I want this child to die. Because like Longtail says at one point like, when Cloudkit gets a fever like, he won't last through Leafbare, like, happily.
JULIAN: They're like, joking about how long this child is gonna survive.
LIZ: Hey, y'all have a low birth rate, low infant survival rate. Shut up. Jesus.
JULIAN: It's like, are they so numb to child death? Like does it happen so often that they're just like, whatever?
LIZ: This is like the cat xenophobia.
JULIAN: God. Speaking of-- this is a terrible segue, but speaking of bad leadership decisions, what's up with Bluestar?
LIZ: She's so--
PAZ: Yeah, the scene with Sandpaw.
LIZ: What happened to her?
JULIAN: The scene even right before Sandpaw, where Fireheart is like, oh, I want to go to the gathering, cause I want to like see how WindClan is doing. And she's like, I don't need reminding of what you did for WindClan. It's like, what? She sounds like she's like, she thinks he's trying to like curry favor with her or something. And it's like, no, he's like, being normal. What's your damage?
LIZ: I guess like, is this gonna be a plot point?
PAZ: Is she that upset about him bringing a kitten when she's been saying over and over again, we don't have enough warriors?
LIZ: She's the one who brought him in for that express purpose.
PAZ: Right? He was just going by example.
JULIAN: And like, do I think it was a good idea? No. Do I think he should have checked? Yes. But also like, you deal with what you're given.
LIZ: There's been many worse decisions made in this clan recently, too. This isn't the worst one. It's just, well, it's a baby. We did need one.
JULIAN: ThunderClan is a smorgasbord of bad decisions.
LIZ: I wouldn't want to be there.
JULIAN: No, if I had to choose a clan...
PAZ: WindClan.
JULIAN: I would choose WindClan. They seem normal.
LIZ: They seem fine.
PAZ: This is jumping ahead again. But at the gathering like, Tallstar is like, we've been minding our fucking business. Like I don't know what all the rest of you are doing, but. We're just chilling. Leave us out of this.
LIZ: Tallstar is just like, he gets there late with like Starbucks or whatever. Sorry. That's an old meme, but he's like, hey, what's happening?
PAZ: The room's on fire.
JULIAN: Tallstar like, we're really busy hunting rabbits. Y'all figure this out yourselves.
LIZ: Like, I have to go now. My mom's calling me. Bye.
PAZ: But, um, yeah, there's a scene with Sandpaw at the end of chapter 22 that was nice. I like them building up the relationship between Fireheart and Sandpaw, since he like, saved her life. I like that it's like playing out over the long term. It's also cute that Fireheart keys to being like surprised, like why is she being so nice to me?
JULIAN: It's very fun.
LIZ: I think it's also good that he's like--
JULIAN: I also--
LIZ: Oh, no, go ahead.
JULIAN: No, no, no, go ahead.
LIZ: No, he's like, why haven't you been a warrior yet? You're like, so competent.
JULIAN: Yeah, Graystripe is a warrior. Mr. Chucklefuck himself.
PAZ: Yeah, can he be demoted and like, give it to Sandpaw?
LIZ: Yeah, can they switch?
JULIAN: I also do like that Sandpaw like, criticizes Bluestar's decisions.
PAZ: Yeah. She is right, too.
JULIAN: Also, she's nice about Cloudkit, which gains her points.
LIZ: It is.
JULIAN: She's like, oh, he's gonna be fine and his fur is really thick, so it's really helpful in the winter.
PAZ: Yeah, she's like, oh, he'll blend in.
LIZ: He's so fluffy, he'll be-- he'll never be cold.
JULIAN: Ugh, the gathering is just a mess.
PAZ: Yeah, so then the next chapter is the gathering. It is indeed a mess.
JULIAN: I have written on three lines in a row, "Graystripe, oh my god. Graystripe please."
PAZ: Graystripe is gonna cause like an international incident. He's caused like two indirect manslaughters, and now he's going to cause a war. He is, this one cat.
LIZ: He's not doing anything to hide it either.
PAZ: No.
LIZ: Cause he has no plans to stop. He's not even like, oh, I'm gonna roll in some garlic so they don't know it's me or something.
JULIAN: Right? He's not even trying to disguise his smell.
PAZ: I cannot believe that.
LIZ: That's the only thing you guys got. You're cats. Do something. Oh god, there's another airplane.
JULIAN: It's like he's trying to sneak into a building, but he's using his employee ID badge to do it.
LIZ: They'll never know it's me. How? It could be another Graystripe.
PAZ: Yeah, all that anyone has to do is come up and like sniff him a bit.
JULIAN: Like, why did he come to the gathering? They're gonna smell him.
PAZ: Oh my god.
LIZ: Why did he come? He's clearly not interested. He's like so checked out. He's just... he's wifeguy (derogatory.)
JULIAN: We also-- and I know this is partly like Fireheart POV. But like, because we don't see anything of like the relationship between Graystripe and Silverstream, we don't see them interact ever, it really is just like, why is he doing this?
PAZ: Yeah, it's like I don't... why are you so like, adamant about this, bro?
LIZ: We have seen a lot of Graystripe, though. And if I was Silverstream, I wouldn't be risking it all for this guy. I don't know.
PAZ: Yeah, Silverstream also sucks in this instance, frankly.
JULIAN: No, that's true. We see Graystripe sucking directly, but she is also like putting her clan at risk, and...
PAZ: It takes two.
LIZ: At least they are with each other so they don't have to be with anyone else?
PAZ: Thank God, they're out of the dating pool.
JULIAN: I know this would cause more problems. But how come she never comes and visits Graystripe?
LIZ: Yeah.
PAZ: There's already RiverClan cats on ThunderClan territory, apparently.
JULIAN: It wouldn't even cause an incident.
PAZ: Oh my god.
LIZ: Why are they meeting each other in like one territory instead of like starting to meet like somewhere neutral? It seems really short sighted.
JULIAN: Why don't they go meet in kittypet territory? No one will care.
PAZ: God, right?
LIZ: Yeah. You just go back home, and Bluestar is like why do you smell so much like catnip?
JULIAN: Like, oh, Yellowfang told me to go get some. Boom. We're so much smarter than Graystripe.
LIZ: Graystripe, why do you smell like garlic? Oh, just love the taste.
PAZ: Aside from Graystripe, I have to put an alert on our Fireheart/Onewhisker watch.
JULIAN: Oh, I forgot about that.
PAZ: Yeah, we're on Fireheart/Onewhisker watch.
LIZ: Oh, it's real.
PAZ: It's going, it's happening. It's out there. It's real.
JULIAN: Onewhisker does glance at Fireheart with an amused gleam in his eyes.
PAZ: You wanna talk about cross-clan romance blooming.
LIZ: Where's the Fireheart/Onewhisker marriage of convenience--
PAZ: Oh my god.
LIZ: --to cement the allegiance between their two clans?
PAZ: Liz, you're so smart.
JULIAN: [typing] Archiveofourown.org.
PAZ: Yeah, I think Onewhisker like comes up to Fireheart during the gathering, and they're just like excited to see each other again. It's a cute scene.
LIZ: Isn't he also like oh, wow, Deadfoot said hi to you. What an honor. So like clan dad approval or whatever. You've met my family.
PAZ: Deadfoot's the dad who wears the shirt like, you can't date my daughter.
JULIAN: Great news.
PAZ: Oh yes?
LIZ: Oh?
JULIAN: There's 25 works.
PAZ: Oh fuck yes.
JULIAN: In the tag, which is kind of a lot. There's not like that that many Warrior Cats fics.
PAZ: Damn.
JULIAN: There's 3000 of them. So 25 for like a pretty obscure rarepair is not bad. Um, the first fic, or the most recent fic in the tag is a Peter Pan crossover.
LIZ: Huh.
PAZ: [snorts]
JULIAN: In which Fireheart is Peter Pan.
PAZ: Okay.
JULIAN: I don't know which character Onewhisker is. This is orphaned.
LIZ: Is it because he has red hair?
JULIAN: Maybe? Um, oh boy. Warrior Cats lemons. Discontinued until further notice.
PAZ: No...
LIZ: My god. No!
PAZ: No, you can't do that.
LIZ: No.
JULIAN: Oh my god, I think um, whoever wrote the Peter Pan-- who orphaned their Peter Pan account, I think they probably wrote this other one too.
PAZ: Oh no.
JULIAN: Because this seems... no, no, no, not the lemon. It's not the lemon This one that I'm about to describe, which is a Warriors/Cyrano de Bergerac crossover.
PAZ: A what crossover?
LIZ: Oh my god.
JULIAN: Cyrano de Bergerac, which is the... it's like She's the Man type of like, uh, story where it's like, oh, this person has a crush on the other guy-- or on a girl and I'm going to like write letters.
LIZ: Oh, it's a Half of It situation, Paz.
PAZ: Yes, okay, I see.
JULIAN: Yes, not She's the Man. That's a different...
PAZ: Maybe this person has a big brain, I think.
JULIAN: I think this person has a gigantic brain.
LIZ: I'm so happy for them. What a great, completely unexpected AU.
PAZ: Yeah, I don't know what else happened in the gathering besides Graystripe being the source of all conflict.
JULIAN: Tigerclaw was being pretty aggressive and like, making things worse than they needed to be. And I wish Bluestar would tell him to shut up.
PAZ: Yeah, was he about to like fucking attack clan leaders or something?
JULIAN: He like... I don't know if he like got close to attacking, but he got close. Like he's definitely doing a lot of yelling. I'm glad that StarClan sent a cloud to defuse the situation.
PAZ: Thanks, StarClan, I guess.
LIZ: You know cats hate clouds.
JULIAN: I mean, listen, my cat Chickpea has spent the last two days like hiding under various objects because she hates rain so much.
LIZ: Aw, Chickpea.
JULIAN: Aw, her traumas.
LIZ: StarClan sends one cloud to pass over the moon. All of the cats, all of them, they just like fluff up. They're like, ah fuck, we gotta go home.
PAZ: Cute.
JULIAN: Yellowfang is right. They shouldn't be fighting among themselves, especially during Leafbare. They should be worrying about keeping their clans safe.
PAZ: Yeah, she's right. Yellowfang has like the one brain in this whole book, maybe.
LIZ: Yellowfang should leave and join a better clan. It's real fucked up here.
PAZ: Yeah, just go make your own clan, Yellowfang.
LIZ: Maybe she should make like-- okay, here's a clan where you can have more than one doctor so I can like sleep once in a while.
OLIVER: [yowl]
LIZ: I'm so old. I'm a cat. I'm so old.
PAZ: Oh hold on, Oliver wants to go out. Be right back.
JULIAN: I think it's really good when our podcast is interrupted by our actual cats.
LIZ: Yeah, it's a little bit of flavor, I think. Makes you think like, hey, who's the real kittypet? Oliver, Chickpea, or us?
PAZ: Okay, I'm back.
LIZ: Hi.
JULIAN: Hello.
PAZ: Hello. Um, I don't know. I guess the next like, stuff that-- we've already talked about the evil leg scene. So the next stuff is like the ShadowClan stuff. I think that was all chapter 25. It was a really fun chapter to read.
JULIAN: Yeah, it's like very fast-paced. Oh, I thought there was a nice little detail. When they find the rabbit bones that they're like, oh, this is ShadowClan, there's a bit about like "Clan cats normally buried the bones of their prey as a sign of respect for the life they had taken." Which is you know, that's a nice little world building detail. I'm sure it will never come up again.
PAZ: Yeah, I'm like, wow, this showed up out of nowhere and just for this one plot beat, but okay.
LIZ: You know, there's like 100 more books. Might show up again.
PAZ: Maybe.
LIZ: Would be nice. Would love to know about, you know, burials and... what is the relation between like, animals that aren't cats and aren't other carnivores?
PAZ: I don't know.
LIZ: And what's the spectrum of like sentience and respect there? I don't know.
JULIAN: Like I knew we talked a little bit way back when about how dogs are maybe semi-sentient in this universe, but this is not a Redwall situation.
PAZ: I think badgers are also sentient? I don't 100% remember.
LIZ: Badgers are always sentient in any animal thing.
PAZ: So true.
LIZ: They're just like fun guys.
PAZ: Yeah, cause I'm pretty--
JULIAN: They really do have like an outsized impact in children's literature for how many badgers actually exist.
PAZ: Yeah, I don't think I've ever seen--
LIZ: I've never seen one.
PAZ: Yeah, not even like in a zoo, I don't think.
LIZ: Mm-mm.
JULIAN: When I click on the Wikipedia page for badgers, which we've done before on the podcast, one of the suggestions is List of fictional badgers.
LIZ: It's very big.
PAZ: Yeah, so the ShadowClan stuff is like Tigerclaw gets all gung ho about rushing off to deal with ShadowClan, leaves the camp completely undefended. And it turns out it's not ShadowClan. It's like Brokenstar and his posse, who basically just set up like a ambush.
LIZ: They're his friends. Please, the text calls them his friends.
PAZ: Sorry. Brokenstar's polycule.
LIZ: [laughing] No!
PAZ: Sorry, sorry. Okay, I just had to get that out.
JULIAN: No, you're... listen, who's to say? Who's to say it couldn't be?
LIZ: You're right. Just completely got me-- just threw me off. Not just the track, but just like the region. I'm in another area code.
JULIAN: Hard left.
LIZ: There's a part where it's pointed out that no one is telling Bluestar before they go attack. And then Tigerclaw's like, well, you go tell her, to Fireheart. And I don't know. I think it brings up an interesting like question like, how much of this is Tigerclaw just acting the way he wants because he thinks that's like the right thing? And how much of it is like pre planned or part of his like, grand evil, usurping murder scheme?
JULIAN: Yeah, it is-- because like, it is very clear that like he thinks he's acting in the best interest of the clan. But also it happens to be that he thinks that the best interest of the clan is for him to be in power absolutely. And like, I think that's a good point. Like, how much of this is him scheming and how much of this is him being like, well, I know what's right, and I'm not gonna listen to anyone else?
PAZ: Yeah, I mean, that's something we will presumably find out.
LIZ: I am kind of surprised like, at almost the end of the book, how much he's been like an enjoyable antagonist because he does like seesaw between like, I'm your mean teacher. I'm your comically evil teacher. And then I'm your comically evil king killer.
PAZ: He's so fun.
JULIAN: Tigerclaw really is like, he's a great character. Like, he does some wild shit later. Uh, but he's one of like, you know, I didn't read a lot of the later books, but he's one of my favorite characters in the series.
PAZ: Yeah, I'm excited to be reading and like actually seeing him on screen because I mean, he's mentioned a lot in later books. But here he is doing his thing.
LIZ: Doing his evil leg reaching out to take your basketball.
JULIAN: You know, I guess the Brokenstar like reveal is... cause we were talking in the first book that we were like, yeah, the Brokenstar stuff seemed to get resolved like way too quickly.
PAZ: It wasn't resolved.
JULIAN: And I guess this is why.
LIZ: Makes sense.
PAZ: Which makes sense. Yeah, cause he wasn't killed or anything.
LIZ: No, he just got Team Rocket blasted off. He's back now. He's here to steal your Pikachu.
PAZ: Yeah, I mean this chapter is just like good, like, rising tensions and then also like Fireheart like making like decisions on the fly. And there's like a scene where he like gets on top of Highrock, which was fun. Kind of had to take like de facto leadership in like this situation where literally everyone else left.
JULIAN: Yeah, One-eye, great name, the oldest ThunderClan cat--
PAZ: Okay, One-eye's name is like One, and then there's like a little dash, eye. Why is he allowed to...
JULIAN: I guess he has a hyphen because otherwise it would be two E's in a row, which is awkward to read.
PAZ: Maybe. Maybe.
LIZ: Or maybe it's his surname, and he double barreled with...
PAZ: Why does he get a special name?
LIZ: He's the oldest one.
PAZ: Okay, true.
JULIAN: When you get old enough, you get bestowed a hyphen.
LIZ: Yeah. You have to-- with every decade, you get access to one more piece of punctuation.
PAZ: Oh shit.
JULIAN: But he goes like, oh, what do you think you're doing up there?
LIZ: Well, he is very old, so it would sound like [creaky voice] What do you think you're doing up there, young man?
JULIAN: You're right. I'm sorry. I didn't do a good voice. [creaky voice] Warriors these days.
PAZ: Could be a little bit of foreshadowing, you could say.
LIZ: You could say.
PAZ: You could say. Well, you know, at least Sandpaw-- okay, I said everyone was gone. But Sandpaw is still there.
JULIAN: That's true.
PAZ: Even though Bluestar refuses to make her a warrior for some reason, she's very competent, so.
JULIAN: When one girlboss falls, another must rise to take her place.
LIZ: It's like, oh, god, that's the episode title.
PAZ: It's very long.
JULIAN: The law of conservation of girlbosses? Is that shorter?
PAZ: Yes, thank you.
LIZ: Is there cat sexism?
PAZ: I don't think so. I don't really remember that.
JULIAN: I don't think so.
LIZ: Maybe not. Maybe there's like--
JULIAN: There's not really in-world sexism aside-- like there's not sexism. There is like un... the role of queens is...
LIZ: The biological essentialism.
PAZ: But yeah, there's not like, like, like, sexism really. I feel like--
JULIAN: No one's like, oh, Bluestar's a girl.
LIZ: No.
PAZ: I feel like there's a lot of male leaders but I think-- I don't know, that's just like, what happened, I guess.
JULIAN: I think that's the bias of the authors and like not any intentional in-world...
LIZ: That's an author.
JULIAN: And like, you know, the authors are all women. But, you know, we live in a society.
LIZ: Yeah. It is very funny that like, girl character, plucky girl student character does not get promoted, just as a consequence.
PAZ: I need to know if there's an explanation for why this is happening, because it's so funny.
LIZ: There has to be because it keeps getting pointed out.
JULIAN: I think we're gonna get to it. There's certainly an explanation for like, why Bluestar is, um...
PAZ: Yeah, I sort of know about that.
LIZ: Well, I don't cause I haven't read this yet. But okay.
JULIAN: Sorry to be like heh heh heh.
PAZ: That's the basis of our podcast though.
LIZ: It is.
JULIAN: Girlboss starts to behave weirdly. You'll never guess what happens next.
LIZ: Can I give you some theories?
PAZ: Oh, sure.
JULIAN: Yes, please.
LIZ: Um, so have you ever seen Men in Black?
PAZ: Yes.
JULIAN: Yes.
LIZ: So you know the alien that's like a guy, but it's actually a very little guy in a human guy suit.
PAZ: Yes.
LIZ: I think Bluestar, in the middle, was abducted for political reasons, and they replaced her with a little Bluestar replicant.
PAZ: Damn.
LIZ: Another reason may be that she's being mind... well, actually that's the same thing. I was gonna say like by a weird cat parasite, but that's kind of the same premise. Evil twin?
JULIAN: I was gonna say Bluestar's toxoplasmosis. But um.
PAZ: Yeah, they do that to us, not.
JULIAN: Yeah, I don't think it goes the other way around.
LIZ: Yes, that's it. I think that's it.
PAZ: Great, thank you.
LIZ: Evil twin or teeny alien.
PAZ: That's the only explanations. I don't know. I don't know if I have much else to add.
JULIAN: Yeah, I think we really kind of, we covered it.
LIZ: Join us next week to see Fireheart flush out the alien controlling Bluestar's politics.
PAZ: I'm trying to decide if we'll just finish out the book next time or what.
LIZ: I think it's five chapters, right? We could just finish it.
JULIAN: Yeah, I mean, if it ends up like... it's five chapters. If we go through it chronologically and it ends up being like a super long episode, we can...
PAZ: Roll with it or do something. I don't know.
JULIAN: Yeah it seems like we've hit the--
PAZ: Climax, kind of.
JULIAN: Yeah.
PAZ: Okay. Well, yeah.
LIZ: Just be special extra long for a finale.
JULIAN: Yeah, there you go. Big finale episode.
PAZ: That's what we planned.
LIZ: FATT-style, join us for a four-hour long finale.
PAZ: No. Yeah, I don't have a segment planned because I knew we were gonna have a long discussion this week.
JULIAN: Yeah. I think we kind of talked about a lot this week.
PAZ: Did you-- did you have something?
LIZ: [emphatically] No.
PAZ: Okay. Well then.
LIZ: We could plan out some more of my Onewhisker/Fireheart political marriage of convenience AU.
PAZ: Yeah, you wanna end on that? You wanna give us some thoughts?
LIZ: I mean, just going from canon characterization, I think Fireheart's going to spend a lot of time being like wow, Onewhisker's really friendly and competent. What a good acquaintance.
PAZ: Oh no. Fireheart oblivious in this case.
LIZ: I also think he'll have some sort of major political social faux pas in the middle.
PAZ: Of course.
LIZ: Which is the crux of the conflict. But he's so darn personable because he's got that protagonist personality.
JULIAN: Onewhisker and his charming himbo spouse.
PAZ: Tallstar orchestrates this, of course.
JULIAN: Yes, of course.
LIZ: Tallstar's like okay, you guys need to have a conference about fish trade right now. The two of you only, in the idyllic meadow. Here's a picnic basket.
PAZ: Oh my god, there was only one cat bed.
LIZ: There was only one pile of leaves.
JULIAN: Oh, I love it.
LIZ: There was only one emergency rat sewer.
JULIAN: Oh. Fireheart trying to prove that he's gonna be a good member of his new clan and just hunting a lot. Bringing back a lot of rabbits.
LIZ: Onewhisker finds just like, oh my god, what's something comically large? Like a deer at the foot of his door or whatever. What do you do with this?
PAZ: Okay, is there cat royalty in this au? Or what's the political situation?
LIZ: We could go--
JULIAN: Onewhisker is the deputy, so he's like the heir. Not really, but you know.
LIZ: Maybe they're just like high ranking diplomats.
PAZ: I see.
JULIAN: Yeah, it's like Tallstar can't marry a cat from another clan because that would be too, like, too much.
PAZ: Also Tallstar still pining after his star-crossed romance with Jake, of course.
JULIAN: Of course.
PAZ: He sees--
JULIAN: So two reasons.
PAZ: He sees himself in Fireheart and Onewhisker's relationship.
LIZ: Oh, I see. Also, Bluestar is a lesbian, despite her girlbossification.
JULIAN: Yeah. Lesbians can be girlbosses.
LIZ: You're right, you're right.
PAZ: That's so true.
LIZ: It's equality.
JULIAN: We can be just as bad as straight people.
PAZ: Heard it here first, folks. Proud of it. Maybe Bluestar's parents were killed by dalmations. That explains--
[laughter]
That explains her situation.
LIZ: God.
JULIAN: I think Tallstar should get to have a good heart to heart in which he explains to Fireheart that Onewhisker is in love with him.
PAZ: So true.
JULIAN: Cause Fireheart is too dumb to see it himself. And Tallstar is like this can't happen again. We can't have another Jake.
PAZ: Fireheart's like, surely there's no feelings here because of our arranged marriage. Oh, I'm so sad.
LIZ: How can Onewhisker possibly fall for me, a protagonist cat with anime hero hair that everyone admires, and who's extremely accomplished, and apparently friends with everyone unless they super hate me?
PAZ: No, but he's a kittypet, Liz.
LIZ: You're right. He's like, but I'm just a kittypet.
JULIAN: Does Onewhisker also have anime bangs?
PAZ: Of course.
JULIAN: Okay, good.
LIZ: Oh, they're in the other direction. So it's like parallels.
JULIAN: Oh, so they match.
PAZ: I see.
JULIAN: [laughing] So when they kiss it forms a perfect bowlcut.
PAZ: Wow. Love is real.
LIZ: You complete my stylish fringe.
JULIAN: I'm imagining like, I don't know if y'all have seen Taemin's like perfect circle bowl cut from like, early Shinee era.
PAZ: I feel like I remember seeing it.
JULIAN: You may have seen-- I think one of our friends has posted pictures of it. It's just a real circle.
LIZ: Oh my god. I see it.
JULIAN: Yeah, if you just search Taemin bowlcut, it'll come up.
LIZ: Oh my god, it's seamless.
JULIAN: Yeah, just a perfect orb.
LIZ: I'm just gonna paste it in chat.
JULIAN: That's what I'm imagining when they come together.
LIZ: This is a child. It's a young lad.
PAZ: Oh my god. It looks fake. It looks fake. That cannot be his real hair.
LIZ: It's a mushroom.
JULIAN: Sorry, for people who are not in our Discord server, Liz has just posted this in our critiques-to-read channel.
PAZ: Makes you think.
JULIAN: It really does make you think. Also I'm sorry if I'm blowing out the audio by laughing too hard.
PAZ: Yeah, same. Ooh, boy. Maybe we should call it there.
JULIAN: What a note to end on.
PAZ: Thanks for joining us this week, everyone. As always, you can listen-- wait, you're listening to the show right now. You don't need to know how to do that. You can find the show @staircast on Twitter.
LIZ: Well, what if they want to switch apps?
PAZ: Yeah, we're on other apps. If you want to switch it up, go ahead. You can find the show @staircast on Twitter. You can send questions and stuff to [email protected]. Join us next week. We'll be finishing out Fire and Ice. Who knows what will happen? But until next time, may StarClan light your path. Bye.
LIZ: Bye.
JULIAN: Bye.
PAZ: [outro music]
LIZ: Need to Photoshop this onto Fireheart.
JULIAN: Please do so that we can tweet it.
LIZ: It'll be really easy. It's just one shape.
PAZ: Let's clap.
LIZ: No gaps.
JULIAN: Should I have Craig join?
PAZ: Oh yeah, maybe.
JULIAN: Just in case.
PAZ: Yeah, we can see how it works, too.
JULIAN: Yeah.
PAZ: [startled] Ah!
JULIAN: Oh, geez, hi Craig.
LIZ: Oh my God.
PAZ: Craig, that is scary.
LIZ: I think Craig's gonna betray us because he's an evil AI.
PAZ: Yeah we're about to be in 2000: A Space Odyssey.
JULIAN: Craig was Tigerclaw this whole time.
PAZ: Oh shit.
LIZ: Oh god.
PAZ: What if Tigerclaw's name was just Craig?
LIZ: That has like evil manager energy.
PAZ: That's basically what he is in this book. That is his vibes in Fire and Ice.
JULIAN: Craig-- or Tigerclaw, loudly: if you have time to lean, you have time to clean!
PAZ: God.
JULIAN: Enemy of the people, Craig.
LIZ: Craigslist, but it's his list of murder victims.
PAZ: Well, his list of attempted murder victims would be pretty high, pretty long.
LIZ: God.
PAZ: Okay, but I will do the intro.
JULIAN: Oh, should we do time.is?
PAZ: Oh fuck.
0 notes
Text
Episode #5: "they say pride cometh before the fall" - Jules
Click HERE to listen to Szymon’s Vocaroo!
Click HERE to watch Chips’ Video!
Click HERE to watch Rob’s Video!
Click HERE to watch Jules’ Video!
Click HERE to watch Daisy’s Video!
Click HERE to watch Ali’s Video!
Click HERE to watch Conor’s Video!
idek whats going on. so we blindsided billy and ali and chips were left out of it. i don't feel bad for either of them. chips never spoke about the vote with me, and ali is kinda annoying. i like ali more now then i did when we started but idk it just seems like he says the same things to me szymon and rob.
i have 6 presents now, the only one im missing is halloween! i cant decide if i should just go to the gift exchange OR if i should try and get the halloween one first. i still haven't decided what i want to do yet.
then the twist is announced and it's a double tribal and chips won immunity, which sucks bc no one wants him here anymore on our tribe. so now it's either going to be brandan or ali going home, but most likely will be ali. my hope is just that we don't swap, or if we do that it works out in my favor.
Click HERE to watch Cindi’s Video!
HI FRIENDS IM SO SORRY THERE'S NO VIDEO THIS WEEK! with school and stuff going on my life has been super busy but im still alive in this game so that's all that matters. well like, school matter too i guess but uh, school isnt fun and this game is! anyways.... last week was literally nothing for me bc zeldaborne smashed that challenge like, it wasnt even close. only connect was super fun and my tribe was amazing at it so like... boom?
but this week!! oh boy this week is interesting. i stayed up like way too long for that damn endurance comp just to mess up my submission during like, hour 21 i think? that was actually crushing for me since i wanted to win really badly, not bc i think im in danger, but bc i just wanted to be able to say i've won an individual comp! those dont really come easily to me and as a newer org player, it would have been a huge accomplishment i could check off my list but oh well, guess i HAVE to make merge now and win one! but yeah, this vote is so interesting, if it goes the way i think...
i have confirmation that there is a trio between beck, jules, and dylan and that dylan leaked an alliance comprised of me, cindi, him, and christian which just made things really hard moving forward. with that said, cindi, christian, conor, and myself felt like beck was the most connected and strongest player of the 3 and if we are able to get them to vote lovelis, and lovelis to vote conor (bc we also think that lovelis and beck have a connection), than we can blindside them in a 4-3-1 vote. as of right now i dont think im gonna have to use my extra vote, but considering jules told conor she had an emotional connection to lovelis, i feel like there could be a chance they switch things up and vote conor, leaving us in a 4-4 tie and maybe resulting in rocks. now i like conor and all, but im not willing to go to rocks for him, however i do want him here. so possibly im gonna be using my extra vote and making it either 5-3-1, and have it wasted, or 5-4. wasting it would suck, but it would suck way more if i have to vote conor out and have 3 people mad at me or even to go to rocks and leave/have an ally leave
im guessing we swap at 14 so wish me luck!! <3
Didn't feel like doing a video.
I got immunity. I know I was the bottom 2 of the last vote so Ali is almost guaranteed to leave.
I looked for a prize from the gift exchange with three presents and nothing. Basically told Ali to pack his bags.
The majority has complete control of the situation and can play it however they want.
Pretty confident they are lying to me to make the vote tie so they can revote and vote put Ali. They have idol paranoia.
I will vote Brandan anyway because I have nothing to lose. Was going to throw my vote but whats the point in that. Whatever.
Soooo thank god I survived last tribal. My mind was going bonkers but I feel like I’ve integrated myself well enough on the tribe so that I felt safe going forward. Keep in mind I had no chance in hell at winning that individual immunity and trust me sis. I TRIED. But I was NOT staying up for how many hours to do a challenge that I knew I was going to loose.
But I feel like i have strong workings going forward on this tribe, and it seems like from what I heard the target is Ali, and I think that people are on my side moving forward in this game, so it should be an easy vote off from my perspective unless he has an idol... which I’d like to personally doubt but you know.... choices.
I know this is short I’m sorry ;-;
double elimination week baybeeeeee we love to see it! i feel like i should be more concerned but i feel pretty safe for the most part. i have the group of dylan and jules which is super solid, and lately i’ve been getting very close with dylan g (we played wizard101 together for like 7 hours) and i trust him to not turn on me. i like cindi too and need to keep strengthening that bond. my relationship with conor is getting stronger and i’m making this lovelis vote seem like i’m doing it to keep him safe bc i want to work with him. hopefully this means he’ll start to consider me a serious ally and will protect me moving forward. i feel like anyone would get turned on it would be dylan because of how messy he can be. but hopefully it’s lovelis leaving tonight and there are no surprises <3
Click HERE to listen to Szymon’s Vocaroo!
Not me almost forgetting to make a confessional 19 minutes before this round is over. Well a blindside is surely happening tonight. I pray.... Conor, Cindi, Dylan G, and myself are voting out beck. He needs to go!! He’s such a threat and now is the perfect time. I would go into more detail about this round and how I won individual immunity, but I don’t have enough time to cohesively write out my thoughts. So expect a confessional later tonight or tomorrow. Woo!
Click HERE to watch Gage’s Video!
Click HERE to watch Dylan’s Video!
So tonight's vote has been very silent leading up to Tribal later, and I don't really know what's going on which is always a cause for worry. My natural instinct says it's gonna be Conor tonight and I hope that's the sort of energy the OG Zeldas are feeling too.
Click HERE to watch Ali’s Video!
________________________________________________________________
Beck & Ali are voted out. Beck’s vote count is 4-3-1 and Ali is 6-2.
Watch the Cast Assessment Below!
youtube
0 notes
Text
Outlander Epi 3.07 Recap
Crème de Menthe mixed with lemonade is dreadful.
This week's episode saw an unfamiliar writers name on the title cards, for fans. Karen Campbell is credited and by the surname, sounds like she comes from good Scottish stock! We like her already. It was another difficult part of the books to cover which drew mixed reviews but I actually enjoyed this episode.
We start in the middle of the previous episode’s cliff hanger which had our fresh-from-the-clouds lass Dr Claire, in da house or kittle hoosey to be exact. She was scarily caffeine deficient and fighting that accountant thug for her life! To distract him she asked what Pi times 3,562 was and while he couldn’t resist such a juicy random calculation, she grabbed the nearest knife. Go Claire!
No caffeine makes Claire very nasty so he had to dodge her viper-like advances which sent him tripping, smashing into the fireplace’s stone hearth like a pumpkin falling from a great height. The resulting thunk meant Mr H&R Block was not going to be lodging any returns anytime soon.
The cavalry arrive too late as usual. Jamie, Fergus and Madame Jean/Jan burst into the room after hearing the kerfuffle. Claire was sipping her cup of Joe by then calmly declaring "He’s dead, chillax!"
Suddendly Mr H&R Block aka Blockhead stirs on the hearth and Claire rejoices that he hasn’t died. She's like a cat playing with a half-dead mousey.
Now fully caffeinated and firmly under the Hipocratic Oath, examines him and diagnoses a severe swelling on the brain. Hitting stone from a height will do that to a head, Claire. Much to Jamie's chagrin, she's determined to give him a second chance and knows it will kill him if she doesn’t do something fast.
#AccountantLivesMatter!
Jamie can’t hang about and watch though as the excisemen who hired Mr Blockhead, will be looking for him soon. He organizes the last of their smuggled casks & barrels hidden in the basement to be moved. He then sends Fergus and Young Ian to negotiate their sale on his behalf so that he can pretend nothing is going on if/when they are raided.
Claire races to the local apocothary for brain surgery supplies and pushes in like a two year old waiting to get on the jumpy castle. Another customer, a Mr Archie Campbell takes opposition to her impatience and she offers to pacify him by visiting his sick sister (as an experienced healer or killer in the next few minutes, if you don’t move). He accepts this offer and Claire leaves with her supplies, keen to dig her scalpel into Mr Blockhead’s smashed-in noggin. Party on!
Ian (all of 16, making him a master negotiator) talks their customer into buying all the barrels for a good price and throws in 3 Crème de Menthe barrels to sweeten the deal. As you do. Nothing dodgy about Crème de Menthe sold by a 16 year old. Nope.
Back in the Brothel, Claire is prepping for building a shed. Errh sorry, saw a drill and jumped to conclusions. No.... she’s drilling a massive hole in her assailants head. Mayhap so he can get better Wifi or you know...live. Same same.
Downstairs Madame Jean is pulling out her hair and all her charm school knowledge as the shifty Sir Percival arrives with his henchman, the freaky Mad Eye Moody doppleganger. Creepy much?
Claire is like a ghoulish kid in the candy store and is soon drilling a hole in Mr Blockhead’s block head. Yi Tien Cho is her surgical assistant/cheer squad through the process. Eventually and after some classic grinding/sucking sounds, blood gushes out and we assume Mr Blockhead will live to ride the excise wagon again. *Cheer!
In the basement, Sir Percival is unhappy to find the floor is bare apart from some spilled water. At least we hope it was water. I'm not touching it.
With the coast clear, Jamie heads back to check on Claire. Unfortunately, Mr Blockhead will not be lodging his tax next year and has died. That bed needs to be burned now surely?
Claire is unhappy to lose her patient because her God complex is firmly ingrained after saving people for 14 years. Jamie is his usual supportive self and says she can save someone else another time. Moving on. Whisky anyone?
To celebrate their successful barrel clearance sale, Fergus and Ian chug a few coldies down at the pub. Soon it’s clear that Young Ian has goo-goo eyes for the barmaid Brighid. Fergus calls her over and leaves Ian with her to get cosy. Fergilicious is the best wingman ever!
Ian is a virgin and inexperienced with women but followed Fergus' advice even though he was nervous af. Bridhid is taken with his cuteness so agrees to have a drink with him. In the background Mad Eye Moody quietly watches on giving Ian serious side-eye. Not the good sort either. Ominous music alert.
Claire is still sulking about the dead guy in her bed. Building a bridge, she decides to go find another patient that needs her and is not likely to pop their clogs before sunset. She goes to visit Archie Campbell and his ailing sister Margaret.
Like my husband in his cave on a Wednesday night, Margaret isn’t in the mood for company. Archie introduces Claire to Margaret and Margaret unexpectedly springs to life, ranting wildly about blood and Abandawe. I love her, she's fun.
Archie explains she is known as a Seer and people pay well to hear her visions. Seems Scotland had a lot of cray crays errhh, I mean Seers in this era.
Claire provides the recipe for some wicked herbal teas before suggesting another visit tomorrow. Archie declines her self-invite explaining they are catching the red-eye to the West Indies on the ‘morrow, to see a rich client. Oooh la lah!
Young Ian has turned the Printshop into his private Love Shack and is wooing his new GF with songs and kisses. Stop! You are killing us with cute.
Claire returns to the Brothel to find Jamie at the table. The king was in his counting house, counting out his money.... along came a frustrated Claire and said it’s time to move. Burning the bed wouldn’t be enough for me either, Claire.
As always, they are interrupted by a knock at the door announcing Ian Murray Senior is down stairs. Stuff a duck, it's peg leg! I've missed him so much.
Ian is very happy to see Claire but he’s frantically looking for Young Ian. He’d run away from home again, the wee pest. Jamie lies to him and Claire is trying to think of England so Ian can't see she knows something. Ian is really distraught and it tugs at all our heartstrings. Jamie promises to bring him to Lallybroch if he turns up.
On the way out Ian asks Jamie if Claire knows the big SECRET. She doesn’t. OMG to the max. Ian runs/hobbles all the way home to share the gossip with Jenny McHappypants.
Over in the Love Shack, Ian’s cherry has been carefully popped, stuffed and mounted on the mantelpiece for prosperity. They have company though and hear someone breaking into the shop.
Ian sends Brighid scarpering and goes to confront the intruder - Mad Eye Moody. MEM is looking for the smuggled barrels and is searching high and low. Ian tells him there is nothing to find and to leave but as happens, a fight breaks out. After a bit of shovey-lovey, MEM bumps a secret door and out pops some hot-off-the-press seditious pamphlets. Bugger.
Ian struggles to grab the pamphlets off him. MEM pushes Ian off, pulls out his pistol and shoots at Ian, missing him but accidentally starting a fire. Things soon escalate into a scene from a Burning Man festival in Carfax Close. Oh Lordy there's a fire! *pass the marshmallows Young Ian finding himself trapped, waits for help.
After Ian has left, Claire confronts Jamie about lying to his family. She's upset that Jamie thinks he knows what’s best for Ian Jnr instead of letting his parents know he's ok. Claire tries to reason with the stubborn gingernut but he thinks she should be used to lying, having lied their way around Paris. Typical bloke logic to bring up something that happened 20 years ago. Ugh.
Claire throws the “you aren’t his parent” line at him and he returns a volley of bitterness for having missed Bree’s upbringing. Turns out Jamie is jealous of Frank too. Duh, Frank was a sexy spy!
Before they can throw ashtrays and start slamming doors, Jamie is alerted to the fire and races to the Printshop with Claire close behind.
On arrival at the Printshop and finding it ablaze, Jamie realises Ian is still inside and goes to his rescue. We all love the nod to Batman as Jamie jumps from the top level down to young Ian with full super hero drop slow mo. Rounds of applause please.
Checking Ian is breathing and looking for a way out, Jamie finds the miniature of Willie and stuffs it in his pocket. Sentimental fool, there's a fire! Get out now! Throwing Ian over his shoulder like a Santa sack, he climbs a press, squeezes through a window, down the front stairs to safety. Just in time to see the Edinburgh fire department squirt a tiny water pistol at the inferno. Good job fellas.
Knowing his life in Edinburgh is now cooked. *pun intended Jamie instructs Yi Tien Cho to go pay Leslie and Hayes for their work. Fergus is sent to try and intercept Mad Eye Moody before he can give the pamphlets to Sir Percival and make Alex Malcolm a very wanted man. After that, he instructed Fergus to then round up Ned Gowan (Solicitor from Season 1) and get him to Lallybroch. Jamie wants him to help sort out the fact he has another wife there. Confucius say WHAT!!!! That is a pretty yucky Secret Mr Fraser.
The End.
Can't wait for next week! Thanks for reading.
6 notes
·
View notes
Text
Tag thing that I technically wasn’t tagged in but doing it anyway cause why not?
Okay, so I found this on @choisgirls blog, and at the end 4 said that anyone who wants to do it can do it, so I’m gonna do it. I’m honestly just trying to not pass out at 5:40 pm. Thanks, Benadryl, for making me inhumanly tired, I appreciate it.
Rules: answer 30 questions then tag 20 people
1: Nicknames: Lil, Lils, Yoda, Lily Potter, and one of my cousins asked if he could call me Lillian once, but he never did, so that doesn’t really count, but whatever, I’m gonna include it anyway. (NOTE: MY NAME IS NOT LILLIAN. Just wanted to make that clear.)
2. Gender: Potato. Kidding, I’m a girl.
3. Star sign: Virgo, but I’m a cusp baby, so I’m a Virgo-Libra.
4. Height: 5′1″ I’m tiny;;;
5: Time: 5:52 (wow, I’ve been typing this for 12 minutes already. I started at 5:40. Jeez)
6: Birthday: September 20th! Imma be 14 soon WOO!
7: Favorite bands: BTS, and probably a few others but my brain is fried and I can only think of BTS cause I have a poster of them in my room, sooo…yeah
8: Favorite solo artiste: I like Melanie Martinez a lot, I also like Christina Aguilera. Idk, as I said, my brain’s fried and I can’t think of anything.
9. Song stuck in my head: i’m not sure who it’s by, but it’s called “Bait” I have no clue who it’s by, though.
10. Last movie watched: Harry potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
11. Last show watched: I re-watched half of the first episode of Brothers Conflict the other day. I’ve only watched like 3 or 4 episodes of it.
12.When did I create my blog: May of this year
13: What do I post: Mysme, I used to post Harry Potter stuff, random things I guess idk.
14. Last thing I googled: Libra traits. I knew I was a cusp baby, but I didn’t know what Zodiac came after Virgo, and when I found out it was Libra I googled that to see if I have some Libra traits. Now my excuse to never saying ‘ no’ is “it’s the Libra in me”
15. Do you have other blogs: I do! I have a blog that I think I’m turning into my personal blog. I just made it not knowing what to do with it, and since I post a lot of random stories and personalish stuff I guess it’s my personal blog. idk.
16. Do you get asks: Yup!
17. Why did you choose url: ok, that is a long and kinda weird story, so I’m just going to say the short and somewhat normal version of that story; it was a username that I had in my mind for forever, so when I made my blog I was like “you know what? I’m gonna bring this username to life instead of thinking of another one for 5 hours”
18. Following: I’m following 46 blogs!
19. Followers: 279 which SHOCKS ME SO MUCH. LIKE, I WAS SURPRISED WHEN I HAD 20 FOLLOWERS, LET ALONE 279.
20. Favorite colors: Rainbow, black and gray. I like all the colors! Except for white, I don’t trust anything that’s white. Me + white = a disaster waiting to happen.
21. Average hours of sleep:……I have no clue. Like, 8 maybe?? Probably a little less than that?? I have no idea.
22. Lucky number: 666- HAHAHA! SATANIST JOKES. HE AIN’T REAL, KIDS, DON’T TRY TO FIGHT ME ON THIS, I’LL CREAM YA I don’t have a lucky number. I don’t really believe in lucky numbers tbh
23. Instruments: I don’t play any, my brother has all the musical talent in my family. I’m the artist and the only one who’s actually able to draw.
24. What am I wearing: APH Prussia shirt and gym shorts despite the fact that I’m the least athletic person in the world. They’re comfy, that’s the only reason why I wear them.
25. How many blankets do I sleep with: honestly, about 50. I have a sheet, and then the comforter and then two fuzzy blankets. I need to have least one extra blanket when I’m sleeping, it’s strange. Like, I need an extra blanket and I need my room to be freezing cold at night, I have no clue why, it’s just how I sleep for some reason.
26. Dream job: I have no clue. I have a while, I don’t really like to think about it.
27. Dream trip: I want to go LITERALLY EVERYWHERE. But I’m really excited cause I might be going upstate for my birthday this year and I CAN’T WAIT.
28. Favorite food: Literally everything. I just like food. Except for tomatoes, those are evil.
29. Nationality: I’m from the U. S OF A!
30. Favorite song:…..I CAN’T CHOOSE BETWEEN MY BABIES.
This is the part where I’m supposed to tag people, but I’m tired, my brain’s not working and I can barley think of 5 people let alone 20, so whoever wants to do it can do it.
Oh hey, this took me 2 hours to do. I blame it on my cousin. IF HE WASN’T GOING AWAY TO COLLAGE TOMORROW HE WOULDN’T OF HAD TO COME OVER TO SAY GOODBYE AND I WOULD’VE BEEN DONE WITH THIS AN HOUR AGO. I’M OKAY, I SWEAR…..I LIED, I NEED A HUG. ONLY TWO OF MY COUSINS WENT AWAY TO COLLAGE INCLUDING HIM AND THE OTHER ONE THAT WENT AWAY JUST MOVED TO THE CITY AND MY COUSINS ARE LIKE MY SIBLINGS AND I’M FEELING ALL OF THE EMOTIONS I DON’T LIKE IT. I’LL STOP RAMBLING NOW, I’M SORRY. On a happier note, I had cake today, and cake is always good. Let’s hope that I don’t eat all of it in a day. I probably will, who am I kidding?
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
It Lives in the Woods Diamond Scene: Read Dan’s Texts
You: Let’s do it. It seems like Dan wants us to know, and this is the only way he can tell us.
You open Dan’s messaging app, and Stacy scoots her chair over next to yours.
You: Okay, so when did all this stuff start? Stacy, you said before that Dan was having breakdowns at football games, right? When was that?
Stacy: Sometime around last September, I think.
Stacy reads over your shoulder as you scroll backwards through Dan’s life, rewinding across days… weeks… months…
Saturday, September 17 | 11:09 am
Stacy: hey dan, its stacy… r u doing alright?
Dan: yeah, what do you mean?
Stacy: i saw u after the game last night…
Dan: ?
Stacy: crying? under the bleachers?
Dan: lol what? must’ve been somebody else
Stacy: im pretty sure it was you
Dan: well I’m pretty sure it wasn’t lol
Stacy: Then they looked a lot like you. and had your same jersey #. and afterwards im pretty sure they stole ur car
Dan: I’m fine.
Stacy: ok
Stacy: just… i hope u know u can talk to me
Stacy: about anything
Sunday, September 18 | 1:42 pm
Mom: Everything okay, kiddo?
Dan: yeah why
Mom: My mom senses are tingling. Also I found Picard meowing outside your door this morning, and you only kick him out when you’re upset.
Dan: I’m okay… just school stress and stuff. I didnt sleep super great last night
Mom: Are you having the nightmares again?
Dan: no, and no offense, but can we please not do the talk again
Mom: ‘The Talk’?
Dan: the one where I tell you a bunch of stuff that makes you look at me like a sick puppy and u try to convince me to see a shrink and I say no and we argue
Mom: Ouch.
Dan: sorry… im just tired
Mom: Look, I know you don’t want to talk to a therapist
Mom: (because you’re stubborn and you are your father’s son)
Mom: But I worry about you. And I want you to be okay.
Dan: I know
Mom: What do you think about something like this?
Mom: “New App Places Therapy at your Fingert…” Read the whole story at healthnews.pb/2016/09/15/227x941/…
Dan: what is this? texting with a therapist? seems kinda cheesy…
Mom: Just think about it.
Thursday, September 29 | 2:19 am
Emily: hi there :) Do you prefer Daniel, or Dan?
Dan: dan is fine
Emily: Well Dan, my name is Dr. Emily Chambal and I’ll be your Lighthouse counselor.
Emily: How are you feeling?
Dan: what like now or in general?
Emily: Let’s start with now.
Dan: idk…hungry?
Emily: Same. I’m eating nachos!
Dan: aw man. Now I want nachos
Emily: Yes, so does my German Shepherd.
Dan: lol
Emily: So how have you been feeling lately?
Dan: idk… hard to describe. kind of alone i guess?
Emily: Alone like sad?
Dan: no. more like… scared
You: What did Dan have to be afraid of? This was long before all the creepy stuff started happening… right?
Stacy: Hm… Skip ahead to November, just after Thanksgiving break.
Stacy: Dan was out of school for a couple days in a row and… I don’t know. Something about it felt weird to me.
You: Okay, let’s see…
Wednesday, November 30 | 9:14 am
Mom: Dan, I’m trying to be respectful and give you your space but it’s been three days
Mom: I’m getting worried. And the school is calling. And you have half our cups and bowls in there.
Mom: please open the door
Dan: tomorrow
Wednesday, November 30 | 3:17 pm
Emily: Is this the first time you’ve had an episode like this?
Dan: never this long
Dan: idk what’s wrong with me. im just lying here shaking
Emily: Did something happen that might have set this off?
Dan: sort of. we went to my uncle’s cabin for thxgiving and i started having nightmares
Emily: Were they about what happened? The incident when you were a kid?
Dan: yeah
Emily: Are you ready to talk about that yet?
Dan: no
Emily: That’s fine, no rush. You don’t have to answer this, but I have one other question. Would you describe this incident as negative? Or violent?
Dan: yes… understatement of the century
Emily: And would you say, before this episode, that it’s been a while since you last thought about it?
Dan: sort of… I think about it a lot. but I try not to
Dan: it got better for a few years… i just pretended it happened to someone else
Emily: But visiting your uncle’s cabin brought it back for you? And then it all came rushing back to you? Sound about right?
Dan: yes
Emily: Okay. Well I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?
Dan: good please
Emily: The good news is, I think you’re making progress. And I think we might have an idea of what we’re dealing with now.
Emily: The bad news is, from everything you’ve told me over the last couple weeks, it sounds like you might be dealing with symptoms of dissociation that manifest with some forms of PTSD
Dan: what does that mean?
Emily: It means this may get worse before it gets better.
Emily: But I do believe it will get better. I hope you do too.
You: Looks like the next big batch is around February…
Stacy: Oh, no. Winter formal…
You: What happened?
Stacy: After the dance, there was a big party at Seth’s house.
Stacy: I found Dan freaking out in the bathroom, but then I left for a minute, and he just took off…
Friday, February 10 | 2:18 am
Stacy: Dan? i left to get towels and u disappeared, where r u
Dan: I’m fine, I walked home
Stacy: ur clearly NOT fine
Stacy: wtf is going on with u?! talk to me!!
Dan: just leave me alone
Stacy: okay.
Friday, February 10 | 9:14 am
Mom: You came home kinda late last night. Everything okay, kiddo?
Dan: ya im fine
Mom: Are you sure? Do you want to talk about it?
Dan: NO. for the millionth time: I AM FINE
Saturday, February 11 | 4:15 pm
Dan: I did something dumb the other night…
Emily: What happened?
Dan: i went to a party even though i was feeling bad
Dan: i had a freakout, and i was really crappy to someone who was trying to help me
Dan: …two people actually
Emily: Have you had any more episodes recently?
Dan: sort of… ive been having nightmares all week
Dan: also, as I was coming home frmm the party, i went by the woods... and I thought I saw something.
Dan: i guess it was probably just a hallucination but it really freaked me out. p sure i ran most of the way home
Emily: These woods… are they near where your original incident took place?
Dan: yeah
Emily: Okay, let me ask you this…
Emily: How do you feel when you see a forest? Or when you think about being inside one?
Dan: bad
Emily: Bad how?
Dan: like i cant breathe
Emily: Do you think the woods might be a trigger for you? You see a bunch of dark trees and you start thinking about what happened?
Dan: yeah! Like at my uncle’s cabin!
Emily: If that’s the case, then I think I have an idea for how we might start to deal with this. Let me run something by you…
Stacy: After that… I think my last text with Dan was in June.
Monday, June 5 | 4:15 pm
Stacy: Hi Dan. I was thinking about you today. It’s been a few months since we talked and I’m sad with how we left things off. I hope you’re doing okay.
Dan: Hi stacy. I’m good :)
Dan: I mean I wasnt before, but I think im getting better. I can’t talk now but…soon?
Stacy: that’d be great
Dan: have a good summer vacation!
Stacy: u too dan
Monday, June 5 | 6:15 pm
Dan: New record!
Emily: Woo!
Dan: this time I went right up to the treeline & stood there for 10 minutes
Emily: That’s great! I’m happy that you’re making so much progress.
Dan: its not enough though. i still have to go inside
Dan: i have to see the place where it happened. i have to face it.
Emily: Remember not to push yourself too hard, okay? If this starts to stress you out too much, there are always other methods we can try.
Emily: Just take it one day at a time.
You: It’s mostly little texts after that, all throughout summer.
You: One step into the woods… a picnic five feet inside… He was working his way up to it. Working his way up to…
You: Last week.
Sunday | 3:15 pm
Mom: You have everything you need?
Dan: yep
Mom: Toothbrush? Underwear? Blanket?
Dan: yep yep yep
Mom: Okay. Have fun, stay safe! You want me to come and pick you up from Tony’s tomorrow?
Dan: you don’t have to do that. i’ll walk
Mom: K. Call if you change your mind?
Dan: lol, you’re acting like this is some huge deal. i’ve crashed at Tony’s house like a million times
Mom: Not for years! I’m just so happy to see that you’re doing better.
Mom: I love you.
Dan: thanks mom. love u too. see u tomorrow
5:15 pm
Dan: Hi Dr. Chambal. I’m standing on the edge of the woods for what I hope is going to be the last time. Just wanted to say thank you for all your help.
Dan: I’m going in there tonight. And this time, I’m going all the way to where it happened. To end this once and for all.
Dan: I’m going to walk into that house and tell Mr. Red he’s not real. And he never was. And he doesn’t scare me anymore.
10:15 pm
Emily: Hi Dan. Sorry, Sundays are my day off, just saw your messages.
Emily: I’m glad I’ve been helpful to you, but I hope you understand that trauma isn’t something you can just ‘fix’ with one grand gesture.
Emily: Dealing with what happened is going to take a lifetime of work that may not ever stop. but it will get easier.
Emily: There are also limits to what a mental health professional can do via text, and I do still strongly encourage you to consider traditional therapy as a long term treatment option.
Emily: Also, I hope that if you’re going into the woods, you’re staying safe and taking a buddy.
Emily: You have a lot of people who care about you, and there are other dangerous things out there besides bad memories.
Emily: take care, talk soon
10:47 pm
Emily: wait I just re-read your last text
Emily: Who’s Mr. Red?
Emily: Dan? Who is Mr. Red?
Emily: Are you there?
Emily: Dan???
You put down Dan’s phone, your hands shaking a little.
You: Oh, Dan… I’m so sorry. I promise, we’re going to find a way to help you. And…
You: …And when you wake up, we’re going to be here for you. Whatever you need.
You squeeze Dan’s hand… and he lets out a long sigh. Dan +15
Dan: Hhhhhhh…
Noah: We’ll help more than that quack doctor. She told Dan it was all in his mind! She’s the reason he went to face Mr. Red!
Lily: That’s not fair, Noah. Dr. Chambal didn’t tell him to do that. She did the best she could with the information Dan gave her.
Lucas: And it did seem like she was helping him. It seemed like he was getting better at dealing with everything, until…
Ava: …Until Mr. Red ruined everything. Again.
0 notes
Text
A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL THE FILMS I WATCHED IN 2016
1. About Schmidt (2002, dir. Alexander Payne)
2. The Accused (1988, dir. Jonathan Kaplan)
3. All The Way (2016, dir. Jay Roach)
4. The Alphabet (1968, dir. David Lynch)
5. Anomalisa (2015, dir. Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson)
6. Armageddon (1998, dir. Michael Bay)
7. Backdraft (1991, dir. Ron Howard)
8. Bamboozled (2000, dir. Spike Lee)
9. Battlefield Earth (2000, dir. Roger Christian)
10. Beverly Hills Cop (1984, dir. Martin Brest)
11. Bicycle Thieves (1948, dir. Vittorio de Sica)
12. The Big Short (2015, dir. Adam McKay)
13. The Blair Witch Project (1999, dir. Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez)
14. Bo Burnham: Make Happy (2016, dir. Bo Burnham & Christopher Storer)
15. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006, dir. Larry Charles)
16. Bridge of Spies (2015, dir. Steven Spielberg)
17. Brooklyn (2015, dir. John Crowley)
18. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969, dir. George Roy Hill)
19. Cabaret (1972, dir. Bob Fosse)
20. Carol (2015, dir. Todd Haynes)
21. Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010, dir. Werner Herzog)
22. Chasing Amy (1997, dir. Kevin Smith)
23. Cinema Paradiso (1988, dir. Giuseppe Tornatore)
24. Clerks (1994, dir. Kevin Smith)
25. Clue (1985, dir. Jonathan Lynn)
26. Coffee and Cigarettes (2003, dir. Jim Jarmusch)
27. Confirmation (2016, dir. Rick Famuyiwa)
28. Cries and Whispers (1972, dir. Ingmar Bergman)
29. Crimson Peak (2015, dir. Guillermo del Toro)
30. Crumb (1994, dir. Terry Zwigoff)
31. The Danish Girl (2015, dir. Tom Hooper)
32. Days of Heaven (1978, dir. Terrence Malick)
33. Dazed and Confused (1993, dir. Richard Linklater)
34. The Decline of Western Civilization (1981, dir. Penelope Spheeris)
35. The Departed (2006, dir. Martin Scorsese)
36. Die Hard 2 (1990, dir. Renny Harlin)
37. Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995, dir. John McTiernan)
38. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972, dir. Luis Buñuel)
39. Don’t Think Twice (2016, dir. Mike Birbiglia)
40. Dr. No (1962, dir. Terence Young)
41. Dressed to Kill (1980, dir. Brian De Palma)
42. DumbLand (2002, dir. David Lynch)
43. The Earrings of Madame de… (1953, dir. Max Ophuls)
44. Evil Dead II (1987, dir. Sam Raimi)
45. eXistenZ (1999, dir. David Cronenberg)
46. Falling Down (1993, dir. Joel Schumacher)
47. Fantastic Voyage (1966, dir. Richard Fleischer)
48. Fatal Attraction (1987, dir. Adrian Lyne)
49. The Fisher King (1991, dir. Terry Gilliam)
50. Fishing with John (1992, dir. John Lurie)
51. Following (1998, dir. Christopher Nolan)
52. Four Rooms (1995, dir. Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez & Quentin Tarantino)
53. Freddy Got Fingered (2001, dir. Tom Green)
54. Freedom Riders (2011, dir. Stanley Nelson)
55. From Russia, with Love (1963, dir. Terence Young)
56. Ghostbusters (2016, dir. Paul Feig)
57. Goldfinger (1964, dir. Guy Hamilton)
58. The Good Dinosaur (2015, dir. Peter Sohn)
59. Goodfellas (1990, dir. Martin Scorsese)
60. The Graduate (1967, dir. Mike Nichols)
61. The Grandmother (1970, dir. David Lynch)
62. Grizzly Man (2005, dir. Werner Herzog)
63. Gummo (1997, dir. Harmony Korine)
64. Hail, Caesar! (2016, dir. Joel and Ethan Coen)
65. Halloween (1978, dir. John Carpenter)
66. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992, dir. Curtis Hanson)
67. Hard Candy (2005, dir. David Slade)
68. A Hard Day’s Night (1964, dir. Richard Lester)
69. Hard Eight (1996, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)
70. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011, dir. David Yates)
71. The Hateful Eight (2015, dir. Quentin Tarantino)
72. Heathers (1989, dir. Michael Lehmann)
73. Hell or High Water (2016, dir. David Mackenzie)
74. Hellraiser (1987, dir. Clive Barker)
75. High Tension (2003, dir. Alexandre Aja)
76. Hoop Dreams (1994, dir. Steve James)
77. House (1977, dir. Nobuhiko Obayashi)
78. Howards End (1992, dir. James Ivory)
79. Jesus Christ Superstar (1973, dir. Norman Jewison)
80. John Wick (2014, dir. David Leitch and Chad Stahelski)
81. The Killer (1989, dir. John Woo)
82. Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014, dir. Matthew Vaughn)
83. Kubo and the Two Strings (2016, dir. Travis Knight)
84. Labyrinth (1986, dir. Jim Henson)
85. The Ladykillers (2004, dir. Joel and Ethan Coen)
86. The Last Days of Disco (1998, dir. Whit Stillman)
87. The Last Waltz (1978, dir. Martin Scorsese)
88. The Lobster (2015, dir. Yorgos Lanthimos)
89. Love Actually (2003, dir. Richard Curtis)
90. Love and Friendship (2016, dir. Whit Stillman)
91. M*A*S*H* (1970, dir. Robert Altman)
92. Macbeth (1971, dir. Roman Polanski)
93. Mad Max (1979, dir. George Miller)
94. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015, dir. George Miller)
95. Malcolm X (1992, dir. Spike Lee)
96. Mallrats (1995, dir. Kevin Smith)
97. The Man with the Golden Gun (1974, dir. Guy Hamilton)
98. The Martian (2015, dir. Ridley Scott)
99. Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall (2016, dir. Spike Lee)
100. Midnight Special (2016, dir. Jeff Nichols)
101. Miller’s Crossing (1990, dir. Joel and Ethan Coen)
102. Mommie Dearest (1981, dir. Frank Perry)
103. Moonraker (1979, dir. Lewis Gilbert)
104. Naked Lunch (1991, dir. David Cronenberg)
105. Naqoyqatsi (2002, dir. Godfrey Reggio)
106. National Lampoon: Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead (2015, dir. Douglas Tirola)
107. The Negotiator (1998, dir. F. Gary Gray)
108. Network (1976, dir. Sidney Lumet)
109. The NeverEnding Story (1984, dir. Wolfgang Petersen)
110. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984, dir. Wes Craven)
111. Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979, dir. Werner Herzog)
112. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975, dir. Milos Forman)
113. Patton Oswalt: Talking for Clapping (2016)
114. Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday (2016, dir. John Lee)
115. Persona (1966, dir. Ingmar Bergman)
116. Primal Fear (1996, dir. Gregory Hoblit)
117. Purple Rain (1984, dir. Albert Magnoli)
118. The Remains of the Day (1993, dir. James Ivory)
119. The Revenant (2015, dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu)
120. Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1991, dir. Lam Nai-choi)
121. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975, dir. Jim Sharman)
122. Room (2015, dir. Lenny Abrahamson)
123. Scarface (1983, dir. Brian De Palma)
124. Scream (1996, dir. Wes Craven)
125. Se7en (1995, dir. David Fincher)
126. Secret Honor (1984, dir. Robert Altman)
127. Sense and Sensibility (1995, dir. Ang Lee)
128. A Serious Man (2009, dir. Joel and Ethan Coen)
129. Showgirls (1995, dir. Paul Verhoeven)
130. Sicario (2015, dir. Denis Villeneuve)
131. Sing Street (2016, dir. John Carney)
132. Singles (1992, dir. Cameron Crowe)
133. Six Men Getting Sick (1966, dir. David Lynch)
134. Sleepwalk with Me (2012, dir. Mike Birbiglia)
135. Spotlight (2015, dir. Tom McCarthy)
136. Spy (2015, dir. Paul Feig)
137. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980, dir. Irvin Kershner)
138. Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi (1983, dir. Richard Marquand)
139. Star Wars: Episode VII—The Force Awakens (2015, dir. J.J. Abrams)
140. Steve Jobs (2015, dir. Danny Boyle)
141. Straight Outta Compton (2015, dir. F. Gary Gray)
142. The Terminator (1984, dir. James Cameron)
143. The Thief and the Cobbler (1993, dir. Richard Williams)
144. The Thin Blue Line (1988, dir. Errol Morris)
145. The Thing (1982, dir. John Carpenter)
146. Thunderball (1965, dir. Terence Young)
147. Time Bandits (1981, dir. Terry Gilliam)
148. True Stories (1986, dir. David Byrne)
149. True Story (2015, dir. Rupert Goold)
150. Trumbo (2015, dir. Jay Roach)
151. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992, dir. David Lynch)
152. The Usual Suspects (1995, dir. Bryan Singer)
153. Vernon, Florida (1981, dir. Errol Morris)
154. A View to a Kill (1985, dir. John Glen)
155. Waking Life (2001, dir. Richard Linklater)
156. Wings of Desire (1987, dir. Wim Wenders)
157. The Witch (2016, dir. Robert Eggers)
158. World of Tomorrow (2015, dir. Don Hertzfeldt)
159. Zodiac (2007, dir. David Fincher)
1 note
·
View note
Last Seen Blogs
adaptedevolvedbecame-blog
fate has bound us
pichana-sexy-yoosuk
Pichana Yoosuk
davidbrownhomes
David Brown
elaxoe
My Escape From Reality