#Chief Maggie Riley

[adventuresinthirtysomething]

How I Spent My Summer (I Have A Book Deal!!!!)

How I Spent My Summer (I Have A Book Deal!!!!)

When I started this blog back in 2012, it was because I wanted to write. And though it’s been a while since I’ve written a post (March of this year – time flies!) I have been writing. A lot. And I’ll be writing a lot more. And editing. A lot. And smiling . . . also a lot. Because while success doesn’t happen overnight, hard work does pay off. Earlier this year, I signed a five-book deal with UK…

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#amwriting #writers #writerslife #writing #writingcommunity #Angela Marsons #author #book deal #book deals #Bookouture #Chief Maggie Riley #Detective Josie Quinn #DI Kim Stone #Lisa Reegan #mystery #psychological suspense #publishing contract #write #writer #writing community

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

The Shadow Girl by Shannon Hollinger

Chief Maggie Riley #3

Dark, gritty, and compelling ~ Could not put this book down!

What I liked:

* Chief Maggie Riley: brilliant, capable, skilled detective, listens to her gut instincts, moved to Coyote Cove, Maine after a personal loss and going rogue at work, engaged to Steve, upholds the law, works with minimal staff, has a difficult relationship with her parents, brother disappeared when he was young, has a missing girl to find in this series while still dealing with a population that is less than accepting

* Steve Winters: Maggie’s fiancé, financial wiz who lost his fire and moved to the country, understands and loves Maggie, protective, loving, caring, loves his mother and sister though they are not always easy, has secrets from the past that are beginning to emerge – do hope he can figure out what to do about Wesley,

* Kal Kishore: New lieutenant hired by Maggie at the end of the last book, wants a change of scene, has dealt with racial bigotry, broke up with his fiancé before moving to Coyote Cove…seems there is a secret that may come out later, strong, reliable, intelligent, does what it takes, gets the job done, want to know more about him

* Sue: Maggie’s assistant at work, wears interesting clothes to work, a bit of a mother-hen

* The mysteries to be solved: a deceased “runaway” teen that has been gone a couple of years, an abused teen, and a potentially abducted teen to be found – the killer(s) need to be found

* The issues related to Maggie’s brother and parents, Steve’s old “friend” that shows up in this book – imagine he will have a part in the next, wondering how the issue of Maggie’s brother will be resolved, and how the town is beginning to come around and accept the Chief and her team

* The setting, plot, pacing, and writing that was emotive, visceral, visual, immersive, emotive, and at times humorous * How all the pieces fit together seamlessly * That it made me think and feel and care and consider the “what-ifs” * Wondering what will happen next

What I didn’t like:

* Who and what I was meant not to like

* Thinking about predators and the harm they do

* Being so upset by the adults who kept glossing over and blaming the teens rather than believing them

Did I enjoy this book? Yes

Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

The sun is rising on another brutally cold winter’s day in Coyote Cove when Chief Maggie Riley finds an unmarked envelope on the steps of the police station. Inside is a photo of a teenage girl, bound and bruised. Maggie’s heart constricts at the terror evident in her tear-filled eyes. Who is she? What has happened to her? And most importantly, can Maggie find her, before it’s too late? Maggie moved to Coyote Cove for a quieter, safer life than her former high flying city detective work. The work that left her emotionally shattered, that one, terrible case she couldn’t close lying so heavily on her even now. But this feels more personal than anything she’s worked on since then. With no one reporting the girl missing, seemingly unloved and forgotten, Maggie vows to rescue her, and bring whoever hurt her to justice. As Maggie mines the photograph for clues to hunt down the girl and her captor, her search takes her deep into the seedy, dangerous underbelly of the secretive logging camps. Hidden away in the woods, a law unto themselves, Maggie is in unchartered – and deadly – territory. Then, when she finds the body of a girl who was thought to have run away years ago, one with ties of her own to the loggers, Maggie knows she’s on the right track. But as her search for the truth intensifies, Maggie’s own safety is put in jeopardy. Can she save an innocent girl’s life and get out alive herself, or could this be the one investigation she won’t survive…?

#Shannon Hollinger #Chief Maggie Riley 3 #NetGalley #Bookouture #whodunnit #police procedural #murder #kidnapping #abuse #fiction #mystery #thriller #secrets

[phoenixlionme]

BATFAM Part 2

1. Alina Shelley-Wayne aka Sparrow

2. Jace Fox aka Batman of Future State

3. Athanasia al Ghul aka Blackbird

4. Harleen Quinnzel aka Harley Quinn - post dumping Joke and getting with Poison Ivy

5. Pamela Isley aka Poison Ivy - post getting with Harley Quinn

6. Leslie Thompkins

7. Alyisa Yeoh - although, she more of Barbara’s ally

8. Frankie Charles aka Operator - although, she more of Barbara’s ally

9. Renee Monotya

10. Helena Bertinelli aka Huntress

11. Vicki Vale

12. Silver St. Cloud

13. Bat-Mite

14. Harvey Bullock

15. Maggie Sawyer

16. Jack Ryder aka The Creeper

17.  Dr. William Great Eagle aka Chief Man-Of-Bats

18. Charles Great Eagle aka Raven Red

19. Bao Pham aka Clownhunter

20. Claire Clover aka Gotham Girl

21. Jarro

22. Julia Pennyworth

23. Johnny Riley aka Dark Ranger

24. George Cross aka The Hood

25.  Cyril Sheldrake aka Squire I/Knight II

26.  Beryl Hutchinson aka Squire II/Knight III

27.  Amina Eluko aka Squire III

28. Harold Allnut

29. Holly Robinson

30. Eiko Hasigawa

31. Calvin Rose aka Talon

32. Isis the Cat - Selina’s pet cat

33. Bette Kane aka Batwoman I/Hawkfire

34. Cullen Row

35. Ryan Wilder aka Batwoman - from the arrowverse Batwoman show on CW

NOTE: If I missed anyone, please add on but be respectful.

#dc #batfam #lists #fam appreciation #my posts #favfams

[annarellix]

Chief Maggie Riley - Book 1 and 2

About the Books:

The Girl Who Lied

Rain hammers the earth and a vicious wind rattles the trees. Then lightning strikes, the flash illuminating a young girl staggering out of the woods, her brown eyes wide with fright, a silent scream on her lips… There’s a storm approaching the tiny Maine town of Coyote Cove when Chief Maggie Riley comes across the body of a man, blood seeping from stab wounds into the damp forest floor. As she desperately struggles to secure the evidence before the rain hits, Heather, a local teenage girl, emerges from the woods, shivering and unable to talk. Maggie, once a high flying big-city detective, lost everything when her four-year-old brother went missing five years ago. Heart-broken, she’s never stopped searching for him: but now she is plunged back into the world she left behind. The victim, Maggie discovers, knew secrets about everyone in isolated Coyote Cove. It seems there are more local suspects in this case than people she can rule out. And with Heather still traumatised, Maggie struggles to unravel her strange appearance at the crime scene. Until, following a faint, bloody trail deep into the forest, she’s horrified to unearth what the terrified girl’s been hiding… But when Heather is kidnapped, the battle to identify the killer becomes a race to save an innocent girl’s life. And with the whole town terrified, Maggie is shocked to uncover that this twisted killer is much closer to home than she’d ever imagined. Battling her own demons and memories of her missing brother, how far will Maggie have to go to save Heather? Or will another innocent young life be lost forever…?

Their Angel’s Cry:

The little dog trembles and whimpers, but refuses to move. Maggie reaches further into the undergrowth, trying to tempt it out. But as she moves closer, she sees something that stops her heart—a tiny, shivering baby, wrapped in a thin, pink blanket, saved only by its loyal protector. There’s a ferocious storm heading toward the isolated town of Coyote Cove when Chief Maggie Riley gets the call every cop dreads. Three bodies have been found on Rattlesnake Mountain, half a day’s hike from civilization. And when Maggie finally reaches the site, exhausted and freezing, she discovers something even more terrifying—a tiny baby girl, kept alive only by the warmth of a small dog who refuses to leave her side. As Maggie races the baby to safety, she wonders, why on earth the family risked hiking the mountain in this weather? Who were they and who could possibly have killed them? A former detective, Maggie may be an experienced investigator, but she’s still an unwelcome newcomer. Battling town prejudice, her fears for the orphaned baby, and the increasingly dangerous weather, Maggie soon discovers the case is far more complicated than she could have imagined. The family is not who they seemed. The mother has never had a baby, there’s no link between them at all. So whose baby is it, and where are they now? With Coyote Cove cut off by the storm, Maggie knows that wherever the killer is, they won’t be able to leave. Stuck in town with a murderer on the loose, Maggie must race to find them before anyone else gets hurt. But she hasn’t counted on the killer taking matters into their own hands, and going after Maggie first…

My Review: This is a common review for the first two books in this series, a series that promises to become a favorite as it's well done, solid and gripping. Let's say that Coyote Cove would not my first choice for a hike or a trekking due to the high probability of finding or becoming a corpse. The murder rate in those woods is higher than those of Chicago during the Twenties. That said I loved what I read as there's a sense of empathy, sorrow and a layer of sadness that matches with the darker side of these story. Maggie is damaged and flawed: you know something happened, you know there's some dark but you cannot help loving her courage and desire to make things better. The small town atmosphere, the cast of characters are well done. The author doesn't sugarcoat anything and delivers solid mysteries that will keep you hooked and guessing. Another intriguing and exciting crime thriller series featuring a strong female detective. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bookouture for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Author: With degrees in Crime Scene Technology & Physical Anthropology, Florida author Shannon Hollinger hasn't just seen the dark side of humanity - she's been elbow deep inside of it! She finds writing to be a much cleaner way to spend her time than the autopsy suite. Most days it smells better, too. Her debut novel, the psychological thriller Best Friends Forever, is the first of a five-book deal with publisher Bookouture. Her short fiction has appeared in Suspense Magazine, Mystery Weekly, and The Saturday Evening Post, among a number of other magazines and anthologies, and her story Lady Killer was a finalist for the 2021 Al Blanchard Award sponsored by the New England Crime Bake.

Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thiswritersays Twitter: https://twitter.com/thiswritersays Website: www.ShannonHollinger.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thiswritersays/ Bookouture Email Sign Up: https://www.bookouture.com/shannon-hollinger/

Buy Link(s): The Girl Who Lied | Book 1: https://geni.us/B0BZZHKKQGsocial

Audible: UK: https://ow.ly/5nEX50PavLm US: https://ow.ly/qgEq50PavL1

Listen here:https://ow.ly/3Rn550PavKq

Their Angel’s Cry | Book 2: https://geni.us/B0BZZJLSHNsocial

Audible: UK: https://ow.ly/FUPB50PavSM US: https://ow.ly/FXSQ50PavSP

Listen here: https://ow.ly/XP6p50PavSN

#Bookouture #crime thriller #thriller #women detective #blogtour #Netgalley #review

[iami0]

Dell Seeing More from Onesal on Vimeo.

Seeing More Dell XPS 13

Onesal collaborated with Elastic in the creation of a series of films for Dell based on exploratory CG simulations to promote the release of their new Dell XPS 13 high-end laptop. Working closely with Director Paul Mitchell, we developed a campaign that illustrates human reactions to content focusing on the human iris, making use of different elements and materials such as hair, sand, and vegetation. Onesal was in charge of doing the research and development and CG through production under the direction of Elastic.

Credits: Client: Dell Agency: Y&R Chief Creative Officer: Executive Creative Directors: Fern Cohen, Margot Owett Creative Directors: Elliott Graham Producer: Larissa Ananko Executive Producer: Bobby Jacques Sr. Business Affairs Manager: Maggie Diaz ____________________________________________________________________________ Onesal Team: Design: Damian Sendin, Nahuel Salcedo, Mariano Abel, Fede Kanno Animation: Nahuel Salcedo, Damian Sendin, Mariano Abel, Fernando Cimino Additional Animation: Juan Manuel Isola Simulation Artists: David Albrecht Kvien, Taishi Yagyu, Damian Sendin, Nahuel Salcedo Assitant Simulation Artits: Yu Fujishiro, Alexia Oylataguerre 2D VFX artist: Matias Mastrogiano Laptop Modeling: Juan Martin Miyagi Production: Ailin Brunner, Lucia Gutkin Production Assistant: Ceci Delu ____________________________________________________________________________ Elastic Team: Director: Paul Mitchell Art Director: James Levy Designer: Mert Kizilay Editors: Justine Gerenstein, Kenny Breit, Doron Dor, Fred Fouquet CG Supervisor: Kirk Shintani 2D VFX Artists: Jason Forster, Maciek Sokalski, Kevin Kim, Peter Sidoriak, Stefan Galliot Steven Wolff, Matt Sousa Online Editors: John Valle, Chris Riley, Sam Kolber Producer: Jacklyn Ramirez Pitch Producer: Meredith Cherniack Executive Producer: Luke Colson Head of Production: Kate Berry Managing Director: Jennifer Sofio Hall ____________________________________________________________________________ COLOR Colorist: Paul Yacono Color Assistant: Gabe Sanchez Color Producer: Jenny Bright Executive Producer: Thatcher Peterson ________________________________________________________________________ SOUND Music Company: MachineRoom SoundLounge Final Mix: Alicia Rodgers

[drarrily-we-row-along]

Day 142.8: Insult (Part 8)

(You can start with Part 1 if you like)

He flooed Ron and Hermione as soon as he got home. There were some crises that you have alone and others that you had to go through with your friends. As soon as Hermione’s head appeared he said, “Can I come through?”

She looked taken aback for a moment but she nodded, “Yes, of course Harry.”

“Wow, mate,” Ron said with a low whistle when he stepped out of the floo. “You clean up well.”

Harry glanced down at the outfit he was still wearing, “Yeah,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Thanks. Had I realized the comment to ‘not look like a homeless person’ was just because he didn’t want to be seen splashed across the front page of a tabloid with me in my normal clothes, I wouldn’t have bothered.”

“What happened?” Hermione asked, shooing the two of them into the kitchen. Asking “Tea or beer?” as Ron and Harry sat down at the kitchen table.

“Tea,” Harry replied with a sigh. “There’s no sense in drinking, I’ll just hate myself even more in the morning.”

“Tell us about what happened,” Ron said. “And then we can go find the ferret and kill him.”

“Ronald,” Hermione sighed, shaking her head, “Tell us what happened,” she said.

“Well, we went to dinner and everything seemed to be going great,” Harry said, rubbing his hands over his face. “He was funny and charming, the food was good, and I let myself forget that nothing can ever go right.”

(Read more below the cut)

The kettle whistled and Hermione moved to the counter to make the tea, “Keep going. I’m listening.”

“Then a Prophet reporter showed up out of bloody nowhere.”

“What?!” Ron yelped. “No way that was a coincidence.”

“Exactly,” Harry replied.

With a frown, Hermione set the tea down seemingly unwilling to just jump to the same logical conclusion that he and Ron had, which rankled Harry a bit if he was being honest. “Who was it?” she asked.

“Maggie something,” Harry said, shaking his head. “I can’t remember her last name. I was too busy having a panic attack that my entire life was basically over. Again.”

“Not so fast,” Hermione said, waving him off. “I’ve got quite a bit of dirt on the chief editor at the Prophet. I’ll do some damage control and the story will never see the light of day.”

“But she’ll still know-”

“That you had dinner at a restaurant,” Hermione said smoothly.

“Not if Malfoy tells her everything else, though,” Ron said.

Hermione tilted her head consideringly, “Did he say he told her?”

“No,” Harry said, “He denied it, but it’s not like he was going to fess up to it in the moment, was he?”

“Maybe," she conceded, still sounding unconvinced. "Was it Maggie Riley?” Hermione asked.

He shrugged and took a miserable sip of his tea, “Sounds right.”

"Why does it matter who it was?" Ron asked.

“She’s the journalist who covers muggle news; she writes a gossip column. It’s possible that she just happened to be in the same place at the same time.”

“Does that seem likely to you, Hermione?” Ron asked incredulously.

“I didn’t say it was likely, I said it was possible,” she said stubbornly. “Let’s look at this another way,” she said, tying her curly hair up into a bun, “What does Malfoy have to gain by exposing you?”

Ron shook his head, “Do you think he needs to gain anything? Don’t you think ruining Harry’s life is enough motivation for him?”

“Couldn’t he be using it as a bargaining chip? A way back in?” Harry asked, repeating the accusation he’d flung at the other man. The pit of his stomach was starting to feel a bit uneasy.

“I don’t see how,” Hermione replied. “How would exposing you put him in anyone’s good graces? I mean sure people want to know where you are but unless he’s trying to become an investigative reporter, it’s not going to give him a way back.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Ron replied. “I think it’s enough that he would just want to ruin Harry’s life.”

“Ronald, it doesn’t make sense-” Hermione started and that was enough for the two of them to start in on one of the arguments that Harry always felt vaguely uncomfortable witnessing since he was fairly certain they forgot that he was even there.

By the time he was getting ready to leave, Harry wasn’t sure of anything. “Right,” he said, in the middle of one of their go-rounds. “I’m just gonna-”

“Sorry,” Hermione said, “Sorry, Harry-”

“No, it’s fine,” Harry said quickly. “You’ve both given me a lot to think about. I guess we’ll see tomorrow.”

After saying their goodbyes, Harry headed home and crawled into bed, not sure whether he was hoping he was right or wrong about the other man. If he was right, he’d still have a complete shit show to deal with and he’d feel like a complete idiot.

If he was wrong, he may have just messed up one of the best things to ever happen to him.

---------------

The next morning, Harry opened his shop with a great deal of trepidation, expecting that it was about to be flooded by witches and wizards. But no one was standing outside the shop when he unlocked it and the only thing that happened within fifteen minutes of his opening was an owl arriving, tapping at the kitchen window.

He threw the window open and took the paper along with a note before tossing the owl a few treats and shooing him away. Harry unrolled the note first,

Harry,

I thought you’d like to know that there’s nothing in The Prophet about you (or in any of the other papers for that matter).

I did try to call in a favor to keep anything from being spread but the story had already been squashed, “someone” had beaten me to it. The editor refused to give up a name, but I think we both know who was responsible.

It seems an apology is owed. Hermione

Harry groaned under his breath, the weight of this not ending up in the papers hitting him like a ton of bricks. He collapsed into a chair and covered his face with his hands, this somehow seemed like the worse outcome.

Was it worse? What was he meant to say to the other man? What kind of an apology could make up for miscalculating so badly?

He pushed his glasses up into his hair and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms. This was a mess and he had no idea how he was going to go about fixing it.

--------------

(Part 7) | (Part 9)

#100 drarry drabbles in 100 days #one year of drarry drabbles #autumn vibes #drarry #there will be a happy ending #drarry ficlet #drarry drabbles #drarry fics #Hermione's the only logical one #falling in love #part 8

[ofmymuses]

꒰♡꒱ —  PET NAMES MASTERLIST .

under the cut, you’ll find a total of 578 name ideas for furry friends sorted in alphabetical order!!   if you find this post useful, please consider giving it a like / reblog so i know ♡♡

abby, ace, angel, annie, allie, angus, apollo, aries, athena, autumn, avery, alvin, amour, aspen, archie, artie, ava, alice, alpha, aslan, almond, alfie, axel, appricot

baby, bailey, basil, bella, bean, bandit, betty, birdie, betsy, bear, beau, bonnie, blossom, biscuit, blue, bo, boomer, brownie, bingo, bambi, bacon, billie, bubbles, bitsy, boots, bb, buddy, buster, bowser, barbie

candy, callie, chanel, chloe, cinnamon, cleo, coco, cricket, captain, cash, champ, chunky, chancey, charlie, chester, chico, chief, cooper, chipper, cookie, campbell, clove/r, coffee, coconut

daisy, dakota, delia, diamond, dixie, dolly, duchess, dane, dexter, diego, diesel, dodge/r, duke, dexter, darcey, dawn, dainty, dora, dizzy, decker, dallas, dagwood, dew, drusilla

eden, ella, ellie, emmy, eddie, elmer, eli, emmett, echo, elvis, eva, enid, eiffel, easter, elfa, edsel, evita, elzie

fiona, foxy, fern, fanny, finn, flash, frankie, fritz, fairy, fang, fancy, ferris, fey, flo, fluffy, fly, fudge, fuzzball, finch, foster, figo, fidget, frodo, flick, frieza

gaia, gumball, gumdrop, goldie, griffin, gus, georgie, gordon, garfield, glitter, gollum, goose, grover, gremlin, gem, gidget, goober, grumpy, gulliver

ham, harry, hope, hickory, harley, henry, hazel, holly, happy, hunter, hopscotch, hershey, harvey, honey, honeybee, hilda, hutch, hyde, hugo, hiccup, hawthorne, hades

icy, indie, itchy, isla, itsy bitsy, izzy, ivory, indigo, iggy, izzy, ike, ima, inigo, ira, isabella, iman

jabba, jade, jax, jj, jiffy, joey, july, juniper, june, juno, jackson, jagger, jasmine, jedi, jellybean, jack jack, jubilee, jonesy, jimbo, jock, jenkins, jinkies, jazz, janie, jaws, jennie, jiggly puff, jiggles, jodie

king, kai, kaijo, kermit, karma, krabby, kraken, kylo, koko, kali, kash, kane, kenny, kiddo, kimmy, kip, kisses, kit kat, kitty, kiwi, klaus, kleo, koda, kona, kylie, kooper, kimbo

luna, lola, lily, lady, lucky, lovey, loki, linus, lilo, lightning, leapfrog, lemon, lemondrop, lacy, luigi, lavender, lilac, leia, levi, lenny, lewis, libby, little, link, little foot, leftie, lulu, lurk, lydia, lynx, lars, lovebug

m&m, mabel, macaroni, macy, mae, midge, milo, midnight, marshmallow, maisie, mischief, mocha, monster, monty, munchkin, muppet, magenta, magoo, magic, maggie, malibu, maxwell, maximus, max, meeko, melody, mellow, mickey, millie, mimi, minnie, mint, missy, moon, moxie, muffy, muffin, mystic

nana, nanette, nanny, nani, newbury, natwick, nico, noah, nixon, nymph, nyx, nacho, nacia, nibbles, niche, noisy, nessie, nugget, napoleon, nanook, nutella, nellie, neon, neptune, nightmare

oatmeal, ozzy, octavia, october, oddball, olive, oreo, oscar, odie, olaf, oasis, oceana, o’hara, oakley, odessa, odin, ollie, olympia, omega, onyx, otis

panda, pumpkin, pops, popcorn, patches, prince, princess, precious, pepper, paige, pongo, poppy, penny, prudence, polly, priscilla, prancer, paris, pooh, peanut, potato, piggy, peppermint, pancake

ralph, ribbit, riley, rio, raphael, rebel, rex, roo, river, rocket, rosie, ruby, rey, ranger, raven, razzle, red, reese, retro, rhino, rigsby, ringo, rizzo, rocky, rogue, rolo, romeo, ross, roxie, ruckus

spencer, spyro, sadie, sage, sabrina, sugar, scout, sass, sky, sunny, sally, storm, stevie, sammie, scarlet, snickers, sweetie, snow/y, snoop/y, suzy, sookie, sapphire, sushi, sedona, skittles, sparkle/s, sweetpea, skipper, spot, sterling, sox, scar, scottie, scooby, sprocket

tinkerbell, tank, tango, tigger, teddy, taz, turner, toto, tess, topaz, tulip, tomika, tycoon, toki, trinket, tootsie, tarzan, trouble, twiggy, tetra, tia, thunder, thor, thumper, titan, toby, twinkle, twizzler

ursula, unit, urian, ulana, unix, utopia, urmina, unique, ultra, ufo

vesper, velvet, vanilla, valentine, vito, victory, voodoo, vallisa, vallie, valino, vanessa, vandooh, van goh, vega, vee, varro

wolfe, wolfie, wagner, whiskers, wendy, willie, worm, winnie, waldo, woody, warlock, wildfire

x-tray, xandor, xampus, xandrana, xandy, xanta, xara, xena, xera, xisco, xylo

yzma, yoda, yaki, yahoo, yogi, yeti, yenga, yumi, yello, yamana, yeska

zeus, zombie, zara, zoe/y, ziggy, zeke, zelda, zero, zola, zane, zorro, zia, zazu, zip/per, zella, zsa zsa, zadie, zoro, zorra, zephyr

#animal names #pet names #idk what to tag this as DFGJKSH #masterlist ♡ #names masterlist ♡ #mine. #mine.*ml

[steph-the-4th-robin]

Almost every member of the Batfam and Batman INC and Batman Allies

Main, extended, and alternative realites and universes

When people think of Batfamily they usually think of the bolded characters. Thise are the main ones. But this is almost everyone that has helped Batman over the years or been on a team created by him.

Bruce Wayne/Batman

Selina Kyle/Catwoman

Dick Grayson/Robin/Nightwing/Batman

Barbara Gordon/Batgirl/Oracle/Nightwing

Jason Todd/Robin II/Red Hood

Tim Drake/Robin III/Red Robin

Cassandra Cain/Batgirl III/Orphan/Black Bat/Katsumi

Stephanie Brown/Spoiler/Robin IV/Batgirl IV/Nightwing/Batwoman

Helena Bertinelli/Huntress/Batgirl II/Matron

Jean Paul Valley/Azrael/Batman II

Duke Thomas/Lark/Signal/Robin

Damian Wayne/Robin V/Red Bird/Batman (in some alternate futures)

Harper Row/Bluebird

Kate Kane/Batwoman

Luke Fox/Batwing II/Batman (in an alternate future)

Bette Kane/Bat-Girl/Flamebird/Hawkfire

Michael Lane/Azrael III

Terry McGinnis/Batman (Batman Beyond)

Max Gibson (Batman Beyond)

Melanie Walker/10 (Batman Beyond)

Matt McGinnis/Robin (Batman Beyond)

Nissa/Batgirl (Batman Beyond)

Batwoman Beyond (Batman Beyond)

Batwoman/Batwomen (Mystery of the Batwoman)

Charlie Gage-Radcliffe/Misfit/Batgirl (she tried to be Batgirl but Barbara shut that shit down)

Renee Montoya/The Question II

Maggie Sawyer

Alfred Pennyworth

Lucius Fox

Sasha Bordeaux

Harold Allnut

Leslie Thompkins

Julia Pennyworth

Barbara Wilson/Batgirl (from the Batman and Robin movie)

Ryan Wilder/Batwoman (CW Batwoman)

Thomas Wayne/Batman (flashpoint)

Carrie Kelley/Robin/Batgirl/Catgirl/Batwoman (alternate universe)

Helena Wayne/Robin/Huntress/Batman (alternate universe)

Holly Robinson/Catwoman II (briefly)

Eiki Hasogawa/Catowoman III (briefly)

Tiffany Fox/Batgirl (alt future)

Onyx Adams/Onyx

Maya Ducard/Nobody

Claire Clover/Gotham Girl

Bao Pham/Clownhunter

Jiro Osamu/Nihon no Battman aka Batman of Japan

Bilal Asselah/Nuitcoureur aka Nightrunner

Santiago Vargas/El Gaucho

Beryl Hutchinson/Knight/Squire

George Cross/The Hood

Johnny Riley/The Dark Ranger

David Zavimbe/Batwing I

Charles Great Eagle/Raven Red

Dr. William Great Eagle/Chief Man of Bats

Calvin Rose/Talon

Wendy Harris/Proxy

Kitrina Falcone/Catgirl

Thomas Reese Blake/The Catman

Kathy Kane/Batwoman/Agent Zero

Jarro

Gavin King/Orpheus

Hank Clover Jr/Gotham

Cyril Sheldrake/Squire/Knight

Talia al Ghul

Basil Karlo/Clayface

Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn

Harvey Dent/TwoFace

Floyd Lawton/Deadshot

Edward Nygma/The Riddler

Paul Kirk/Manhunter

Mark Shaw/Manhunter III

Kate Spencer/Manhunter VIII

Jason Blood/Etrigan the Dragon

Cheyenne Freemont

Clin Wilkes/Abuse

Simon Dark

Jack Ryder/Creeper

Rory Regan/Ragman

Bat-Mite

Lynx

Boston Brand/Deadman

Jim Gordon/Batman IV

Gus Yale/Oracle II

Aaron Cash

Jacob Kane

Beth Kane/Alice/Red Alice

Crispus Allen/The Spectre

#batman #batfam #batfamily #dc #dc comics #detective comics #batwoman #batgirl #robin #batman inc #nightwing #batkids #batman characters #catwoman #there are so many characters #these arent all it either #not all these characters are developed #some havent shown up in years

[storybrookeofold]

character navigation (1)

Snow White:

Snow White

Evil Queen

Huntsman

Prince Florian

7 dwarves

Magic Mirror

Pinocchio:

Pinocchio

Jiminy Cricket

Geppetto

The Blue Fairy

Fantasia:

Mickey Mouse

Yen Sid

Donald Duck

Daisy Duck

Minnie Mouse

Chernabog

Centaur/ettes

Madame Upanova

Hyacinth Hippo

Spring Sprite

Dumbo:

Dumbo

Timothy Q Mouse

Bambi:

Bambi

Thumper

Flower

Faline

Prince of the forest

Miss Bunny

Three Caballeros:

Donald Duck

Jose Carioca

Panchito Pistoles

Cinderella:

Cinderella

Lady Tremaine

Anastasia Tremaine

Drizella Tremaine

Gus Gus

Jaq

Fairy Godmother

Prince Charming

Footman

Bruno and Major

Lucifer

The King

Alice and Wonderland:

Alice

Queen of Hearts

Duchess

Mad Hatter

Caterpillar

Cheshire Cat

March Hare

Dormouse

White Rabbit

King of Hearts

Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum

The red queen and king

The white queen and king

Jabberwocky

White knight and red knight

Peter Pan:

Peter Pan

Wendy Darling

John Darling

Michael Darling

Captain Hook

Tinkerbell

Darling Parents

Mr Smee

Tiger Lily

Lost Boys

Neverland Mermaids

Nana

Lady and the Tramp / II:

Lady

Tramp

Jock

Trusty

Mr Busy

Si and Am

Peg

Scamp

Angel

Buster

Junkyard gang

Annette, Colette & Danielle

Sleeping Beauty:

Aurora

Prince Phillip

Maleficent

King Stefan

Flora, Fauna & Merryweather 

King Hubert

Queen Leah

Diablo

101 Dalmations:

Pongo

Perdita

Cruella De Vil

Roger Radcliffe

Anita Radcliffe

Sword in the Stone:

Arthur/Wart

Merlin

Archimedes

Sir Ector

Sir Kay

Madam Mim

The Jungle Book/ II:

Mowgli

Baloo

Bagheera

Sher Khan

King Louie

Kaa

Colonel Hathi

Shanti

Aristocats:

Duchess

Thomas O’Malley

Marie

Toulouse

Berlioz

Edgar Balthazar

Roquefort

The Scat Cats

Madame Adelaide Bonfamille

Frou Frou

Abigail and Amelia Gabbie

Robin Hood:

Robin Hood

Maid Marion

Little John

King John

Friar Tuck

Lady Cluck

Sir Hiss

Sheriff of Nottingham

Alan-A-Dale

Winnie the Pooh:

Winnie

Rabbit

Eeyore

Piglet

Tigger

Kanga & Roo

Owl

Christopher Robin

The Rescuers / II:

Bernard

Bianca

Madame Medusa

Penny

Mr Snoops

Orville

Rufus

Wilbur

Cody

Marahute

Percival McLeach

Joanna

Jake

Fox and the Hound / II:

Copper

Tod

Big Mama

Amos Slade

Vixey

Chief

Cash

Dixie

Widow Tweed

Black Cauldron:

Taran

Eilonwy

Gurgi

Horned King

The Great Mouse Detective:

Basil

Rattigan

 David Dawson

Olivia

Fidget

Flaversham

Mrs Judson

Mouse Queen

Oliver and Company:

Oliver

Dodger

Fagin

Jenny

Bill Sykes

Tito

Georgette

Einstein

Francis

Rita

Roscoe and Desoto

Winston

The Little Mermaid:

Ariel

Prince Eric

Ursula

King Triton

Sebastian

Flounder

Scuttle

Marina Del Ray

Attina

Alana

Aquata

Arista

Adella

Andrina

Queen Athena

Morgana

Melody

Tip & Dash

Beauty and the Beast:

Belle

Beast/Adam

Gaston

Lumiere

Cogsworth

Mrs Potts

Chip

LeFou

Maurice

Philippe

Ms Wardrobe

Babette

Bimbettes

Angelique

Forte

Fife

Enchantress

Aladdin:

Aladdin

Jasmine

Jafar

Genie

Abu

Rajah

Sultan

Iago

Cassim

Sa’Luk

The Oracle

The Lion King:

Simba

Nala

Scar

Mufasa

Sarabi

Timon & Pumbaa

Zazu

Rafiki

Shenzi, Banzai and Ed

Kiara

Kovu

Zira

Nuka

Vitani

A Goofy Movie:

Goofy

Max

Pete

Roxanne

Powerline

Pocahontas:

Pocahontas

John Smith

Nakoma

Ratcliffe

Wiggins

Meeko

Chief Powhatan

Thomas

Grandmother Willow

Kocoum

Percy

Toy Story:

Woody

Buzz Lightyear

Bo Peep

Jessie

Bullseye

Stinky Pete

Barbie

Ken

Andy

Sid 

Emperor Zurg

Andys toys

Hunchback of Notre Dame:

Esmerelda

Quasimodo

Frollo

Captain Phoebus

Clopin

Victor, Hugo & Laverne

Djali

Archdeacon

Madellaine

Zephyr

Sarousch

Hercules:

Hercules

Megara

Hades

Zeus

Hera

Pain and Panic

Pegasus

Phil

The Muses

Mulan / II:

Fa Mulan

Mushu

Li Shang

Shan Yu

Yao

Ling

Chien-Po

Chi-Fu

Fa Zhou

Grandmother Fa

Fa Li

Matchmaker

The Emperor

Khan

Cri-kee

Mei

Ting-Ting

Su

A Bugs Life:

Flik

Atta

Dot

Queen Ant

Hopper

Circus Bugs

Tarzan:

Tarzan

Jane

Professor Porter

Clayton

Tantor

Terk 

Kala

Kerchak

Sabor

Emperors New Groove:

Kuzco

Yzma

Kronk

Pacha

Chicha

Chacha

Tipo

Malina

Atlantis:

Kida

Milo

Rourke

Mole

Helga Sinclair

Preston B Whitmore

Dr Sweet

Vinny

Aubrey

Mrs Packard

Cookie

Kashekim Nedakh

Monsters Inc:

James P Sullivan

Mike Wazowski

Boo

Randall Boggs

Celia Mae

Yeti

Mr Waternoose

Lilo & Stitch:

Lilo

Nani

David

Stitch

Jumba

Pleakley

Bubbles

Grand Councilwoman

Captain Gantu

Dr Hamsterviel

Reuben

Sparky

Leroy

Angel

Treasure Planet:

Jim Hawkins

John Silver

Dr Doppler

Captain Amelia

Sarah Hawkins

Scroop

Morph

Finding Nemo:

Dory

Nemo

Marlin

The Fishtank

Brother Bear:

Kenai

Koda

Rutt

Tuke

Sitka

Denahi

Tanana

Tug

Nita

Anda

Kata

Home on the Range:

Maggie

Grace

Buck

Mrs Calloway

Alameda Slim

Lucky Jack

Audrey

Pearl Gesner

Patrick

Rico

The Incredibles:

Bob Parr

Helen Parr

Dash Parr

Violet Parr

Edna Mode

Frozone

Syndrome

Mirage

Honey

Underminer

Winston Deavor

Evelyn Deavor

Tony Rydinger

Cars:

Lightning Mcqueen

Sally Carrera

Doc Hudson

Mator

Luigi

Guido

Ramone

Flo

Sheriff

Filmore

Chick Hicks

Strip Weathers

Lizzie

Mack

Red

Finn McMissle

Holly Shiftwell

Cruz Ramirez

Jackson Storm

Rataouille:

Remy

Linguini

Colette

Chef Skinner

Anton Ego

WALL-E:

Wall-e

Eve

Captain B McCrea

UP:

Carl

Russell

Dug

Ellie

Alpha

Beta

Gamma

Charles F Muntz

Kevin

Princess and the Frog:

Tiana

Naveen

Charlotte La Bouff

Dr Facilier

Mama Odie

Ray

Louis

Lawrence

Eli La Bouff

Tangled:

Rapunzel

Eugene/Flynn Ryder

Mother Gothel

Max

Pascal

The Stabbington Brothers

Brave:

Merida

Queen Elinor

King Fergus

The Witch

Harris, Hubert, Hamish

Angus

Maudie

MacGuffin’s

Macintosh’s

Dingwall’s

Wreck it Ralph:

Wreck-it Ralph

Vanellope von Schweetz

Fix-it Felix

Sergeant Calhoun

King Candy

The Racers

Shank

Yesss

Frozen:

Anna

Elsa

Kristoff

Hans

Sven

Olaf

Oaken

Honeymaren

Yelana

Lieutenant Mattias

Big Hero Six:

Hiro

Baymax

GoGo

Wasabi

Honey Lemon

Fred

Aunt Cass

Professer Callaghan

Inside Out:

Joy

Sadness

Anger

Fear

Disgust

Riley

Bing Bong

Zootopia:

Judy Hopps

Nick Wilde

Chief Bogo

Dawn Bellweather

Clawhauser

Mayor Lionheart

Gazelle

Moana:

Moana

Maui

Tamatoa

Hei Hei

Gramma Tala

Te Fiti

Chief Tui

Coco:

Miguel

Hector

Mama Coco

Ernesto de la cruz

Mama Imelda Rivera

Raya and the Last Dragon:

Raya

Sisu

#character navi

[initiumseries]

Which parts of BTVS did you not like and how would you have changed them?

Yes! Great question. 

So, if I’m being honest, most, if not all, of my issues with BTVS start after she graduates high school. I feel like the show lost the magic of the Scoobies bond and the older they got, the more distance we had from them as characters, the more OOC it felt like everyone started behaving, So, I’ll start with s4, buckle in this is gonna be long lol.

Season 4

So as usual, I like the idea of season 4. The gang has graduated, they’re growing up, and trying to find their place in such a big pond. On top of that, the Initiative is on campus (which makes sense, you can’t just blow up a high school and there are no repercussions for that, and it’s kinda cool the idea of instead of a govn’t lockdown, they infiltrate Sunnydale and are running experiments to weaponize demons. Clever, fun. I like it.), and ofc Buffy’s given up having a normal life, but now she just wants a normal relationship, and doesn’t even get that. I’m on board. Especially the idea that the gang inadvertently drifts away from each other because that’s real. That happens when you go away to college, even if you go away together. So my issues, are rooted in the details. 

Maggie Walsh turned into this weird obsessive surrogate mother, who wanted to get Buffy out of the way, except the execution was so sloppy. I LIKED commanding, no nonsense, bitch monster from hell Maggie Walsh, and I would have liked to see that follow through in how she attempts to dispose of Buffy, and how she handles Riley. She becomes this soft, weirdly maternal unhinged force after trying to kill Buffy, and I don’t really understand why. I would have liked to see more of that motherly role, while still rooted in that commander in chief sort of aura she exudes when we first meet her, when it comes to Riley. I also thought her death came too soon, like they just didn’t know what to do with her after she executed her function *coughs in the Anointed One* of creating tension between Buffy and Riley (which, honestly, his being in the Initiative at all would have been enough conflict if they had leaned into that without stuffing so much stuff in there). I definitely would have had Maggie maintain that strength and authority, while softening where necessary to emotionally manipulate Riley. I’d make it really clear that Riley is deeply confused because we believe the hold she has on him, and withdrawal on the drugs would have been a nice touch, but I think it came too soon. Which leads me directly into: 

Super cool. I remember when I first watched this on TV and the gang finally rebonded (after a HILARIOUS episode of them finally addressing their conflicts), they’d reached the climax with the Initiative and Adam and Buffy does a very Sailor Moon thing of all the different emotional strengths of her friends bond together to give her enough power to defeat Adam. LOVE IT. 

Except what’s the point? Prof. Walsh created Adam...for what exactly? We never really get a clear, salient reason for that, bc they kill her, and Adam’s exposition is...not sufficient to explain why she had an off the books project to stitch together a...demon son. It’s weird and especially because Adam doesn’t really do all that much, it really leaves me wondering like, what was the point? For me, I feel like, instead of making Adam a spectator for a lot of the drama that takes place in s4, I would have preferred him be the driving force. behind most things. 

Also: Riley’s Black friend would not have been such an angry misogynistic raging asshole because I’m tired of Black people being The Worst to make the white characters look better, more reasonable.

I would have needed a stronger explanation for Adam trying to turn Riley into...whatever that was. 

Willow would have been bi and I absolutely would have, if I went in that direction, had a much more fleshed out discovery of that fact (Because in this world Seth wouldn’t have left lol). I also would have made sure Willow and the actress who played Tara would have had the chemistry they deserved.  

Anya would not have stayed in Sunnydale. She would have left. She was a poor man’s Cordelia and had 0 character growth or interest. 

Season 5

Again, love the ideas. Suddenly Buffy has a sister we ALL knew wasn’t there before? A God shows up? What I love(d) about Buffy is that the escalations felt so natural? Like it didn’t feel like the show was like HoW dO wE oUtDo oURsElVes aGaIN?! It felt more organic like, well, yeah, the govnt. Oh shit, a GOD? D A M N! And Glory had personality! She was crazy! And it also matches alongside Buffy’s coming to grips with her own abilities. She’s one of the oldest slayers on record at this point, watching her in s1 and in s5 you SEE, her skill level is above and beyond, and now she meets a foe that still provides such a challenge, Buffy is scared. LOVE IT.

So Spike, getting neutered, was interesting at first, but it really starts to wear out its welcome for me, about this time. My problem being, he poses so little of a threat, that all his scenes start to feel like filler and not like they’re driving the plot forward in any useful way. His obsession with Buffy becoming sexual, was INLINE for Spike, but I liked Spike because he was a DICK, he was also dangerous, and after a lot of hilarious moments in S4, watching his basically creep around Buffy’s house and try to manipulate her into spending time together (which felt soooo pathetic to me in a way I didn’t like) and like, the Buffy bot (fucking ew) all season was just, not a fun time. I think, for me, I would have had Spike maintain his dignity as a character and I absolutely would not have had him threaten Dru’s life to drive home his obsession for Buffy. Ew. Yuck. Cringe. I just think there had to be more that Spike could do this season than run around chasing Buffy’s coattails. 

One again, Tara/Willow. Tara had no character development (even in an episode that was created to provide her with development? I definitely would have made use of that episode to create more ACTUAL depth for her character) so then to turn around and have her become mindless for basically the REST of the season, is just, rude lol. And because they have no chemistry and their relationship feels so...baseless, when this moment happens, I don’t feel anything. I don’t believe WIllow would be this angry, this heartbroken, this devastated that she’d take in such dark magicks and blindly go after Glory. I’d believe it if it were Oz, but Tara/Willow do not get the same level of build up and relationship establishing for me to buy this. I would have changed that.

Unpopular opinion, but I also would have made Dawn less of an UTTERLY irritating, shrill, whiny, screaming white tween. I get it, she was supposed to be the baby. But I get nothing from watching a white girl who is mostly just bored and irritated with her life, start shoplifting from her sister’s friends and in general, because she’s kinda sad sometimes. Get a grip. The only time I feel bad for her is when she finds out she’s not real. Actual problems. Wicked, I’m on board. But I think I would have just made her less fucking annoying and whiny and a lot more sympathetic. She still could have been frustrating and bratty, but in a way that was a bit more likeable, so that in those moments where she’s *genuinely* struggling, you feel for her on a broader scope. I would not have made her do all of those incredibly infuriating, incredibly stupid things, like running away in the middle of a dangerous situation. Because it ends up reading to me, like Buffy’s anger, frustration and criticisms of Dawn aren’t her being too hard on her as the eldest, as the Slayer, but accurate because Dawn is a horrendous nightmare of a new human being with no real redeeming qualities. Definitely a better ways to execute that. 

Also, I feel like this season is where the Scoobies drift again, but this time we aren’t really addressing it? Buffy’s dealing with Joyce getting sick, Riley being a POS, Spike stalking her, and she never leans on Willow for any of it. They never even really talk about any of the things going on. It’s such a missed opportunity to lean back into the core gang navigating growing up together. Willow is now basically the guardian of her new partner, and again, we don’t really see WIllow lean on Buffy at all. And Giles is preparing to leave, which, to me, felt organic. He felt like Buffy had outgrown him, but I think he was also trying to rediscover himself, but is pulled back into being a Watcher and he seems both grateful and disappointed. I would have liked to, I donno, make that a little clearer. Also what is Xander doing at this point? He’s outgrown his usefulness as well, so he kinda just becomes a hanger’s on. If Xander doesn’t just leave Sunnydale after s3 or 4. He needs to do *something*, he should have been reintegrated into the group in a new way if it wasn’t through school. 

Season 6 

This is so hard. I feel like this season is just, SO dark, SO heavy, and absent the levity that had been established up til s4. But it’s also really earned. Buffy is going through it. The layers are wonderful. I LOVE IT. But I also needed like...emotional breaks? And this is also kinda where I needed the scoobies to feel like scoobies, and trying to figure out how to help their friend.  Xander and Willow have been friends their entire lives, and season 3 really fleshes out that emotional shorthand they have, but it’s so quickly abandoned in s4 and onward. Suddenly Willow/Xander feel like strangers with Anya and Tara between them. I feel like there should have been more moments of Xander and Willow just..being, and struggling with Buffy’s loss together in a way that only the two of them really understand because like Buffy said Xander has a piece of her that Oz, and so then Tara, can’t reach. That should be a constant thoroughline. Xander should have been the first person to see something wasn’t quite right with Willow and the magic. 

Giles should have left earlier to give more time between him leaving and Buffy coming back. I like the idea of Giles beginning to build a life for himself in England and literally dropping everything once he found out Buffy was back. I emotionally hate the conflict of Willow threatening Giles, but I like it as a character development issue, and Giles definitely should have side eyed Willow, maybe even brought up his concerns later with Xander. 

I think I also would have had Spike leave Sunnydale and come back when Buffy does. I didn’t need a reformed Spike, and it would have been interesting to see him ingratiate himself with the group now that Buffy is back, and he’s the only one who sees how much pain she’s in. 

I HATED Warren and the group. The disgustingly overwhelming and unchecked misogyny and Warren was INSANELY unlikeable. I don’t need to like him, but I needed some catharsis way before we got it. He was HORRENDOUS. 

Even in death, Tara is bland. 

Willow’s magic addiction legit comes out of nowhere. I needed more organic build up than Amy, who has been a rat for like 3 years, suddenly being like “hey I know this guys who can give us magic drugs!” 

The chasm between Willow and Buffy this season would have hit if they hadn’t been distant since s3. 

I think we needed the seeds for Dark!Willow planted a lot earlier like I described. 

Also a lot more evidence that Willow was running away from her nerdy past because when it comes up here, it’s completely left field.

This would have hit harder if they still felt close. 

Season 7

Fuck man, the whole thing was awful. But I ESPECIALLY would have thrown out that left field retcon of Buffy having been in an asylum. I lost sleep over that shit lol.

 But I would have totally rewritten season 7. If Spike’s involvement was necessary (it wasn’t), then I absolutely would not have had her defend him against Wood and Giles. I would have had her treat him extremely coolly. Like a tool they require. There would have been *some* level of redemption for him that was believable within the confines of his character, but not so much that we forget he’s an assaulter.

 The Potentials would have been WAY fucking less horrendously annoying and I really would have leaned into conflict avoidance with the scoobies that reaches a peak when Xander loses his eye. Giles and Buffy would have renegotiated their adult parent/child relationship in a far healthier way and we would have had a lot more interiority with Buffy like we’ve had, pretty much since the show’s inception. 

Angel would have been there when Buffy was isolated and alone, not Spike. Because #bangel4lyfe lmao. They still woulda kissed as a “greeting” lol. Buffy would not have told Spike she loved him, or that she ever loved him. She woulda told that dude thank you and dipped out of the cave lol. 

[geekkatsblog]

Grey's Anatomy 16x14 review

(Who hurt the writers on Grey's? Everyone is breaking up and everyone's unhappy.)

_________________________________________

Deluca

Talking about him first because he is the biggest mess on Grey's right now and that's saying something. I really hope its sleep deprivation and not anything else because the way he's heading, hes gonna either be put in the mental or fired and either way no one can say he wouldn't deserve it. He was just out of it the whole episode. He was an ass to Dr Haynes who is one of his superiors, Yelling at Meredith in front of everyone, bringing out all of their personal business and even if he didn't care that's really embarrassing for the chief of surgery to be yelled at by a resident. He broke up with Meredith and THEN YELLED AT THE PATIENT. I was just done by then and Dr Riley calling him a machine 😳😱😰, wow what is happening to sweet innocent Deluca? I miss him. I sure hope that they figure out fast and solve what the hell is wrong with him or he's gone.

_________________________________________

Meredith

Apparently had no patients or chief of general surgery duties to do, so she decided to steal Deluca's out of concern, only to be yelled at, dumped and embarrassed by her resident/boyfriend. Honestly I don't know what to say, well for starters she should have either left Deluca alone or suggested the problem to Bailey and have another Doctor take over Suzanne instead of taking over the case. She can't keep using her Chief of General status to protect him. She should have chewed him out and told him to go get some sleep like she would have done with any other resident. Was kinda disappointed she let him talk to her like that. Come on Mer great sex or not he's not worth lowering your respect at work, at least not again you already went through that as an intern.

_________________________________________

Dr Haynes/ Mc Widow

So far so good, still not at shipper level with him and Mer yet, but as a stand alone character hell yea he's awesome. I kinda like him as the peds dr as well, him trying to help Joey with his physical therapy was something that he could have pawned of to an intern but no he made it his priority to find out himself how to help Joey, you can tell he really cares for his patients. My heart melted when he discussed with Bailey on how to help Joey, and then when he tried to defend Meredith form Deluca who is currently in hulk form. He's a cool addition to the cast so far.

_________________________________________

Jo Wilson/Karev

Is definitely on the brink of breaking and who could blame her? However she needs to find another way to break besides sticking her nose in other people's business. When she was talking to Link about Amelia earlier about having a tumor and not wanting kids. She definitely did not have the whole story about that and needed to zip it then in the OR with Owen she brought up how he would feel if Amelia's baby was HIS OMG, she almost ruined everything. For a second I wanted to slap her but then when she started to cry at the phone call with Alex and I couldn't stay mad, she's definitely suffering right now. Why are they doing it this way? I can't understand. They made a reference with the bear case and rekindled old flames that made me wonder if Alex found Izzie Idk, I'll have to wait and see.

On another note though, did they really try to validate affairs on that episode last night? Wow.

_________________________________________

Owen

Giving advice on how to care for a pregnant woman to Link on the elevator..... what a cringe 😖😖. Link knew and he didn't. And then besides going to the ultrasounds was Owen really there for Teddy? the 1st third Teddy was afraid to tell him she was pregnant, the 2nd third he spent being upset with Teddy and sorting out his relationship with Amelia and the adopted kids and the 3rd third he was pissed at Teddy's relationship with Koracick so when we think about it is he really qualified to give advice??? That was all he did in the episode, give advice, even to Jo. Since when is he a reliable source at giving advice.

_________________________________________

Bailey

Nothing much to do, except give a PSA on menopause, kicking Deluca off the case, temporarily ending powered up Deluca and sharing some joy with Joey while also attempting to share some with Richard. She is definitely going to help Joey, I'm not sure about the others since they seem to be happy and settling into their new homes well. Plus 4 adoptees as well as Tuck, that might be a little too much to handle. I was happy to see her and Richard's friendship as I usually am. That is the most personal I've seen their friendship usually it's mostly work husband to work wife. She's concerned and for good reason because I've never seen him so down before, it's almost at alcoholism relapse level and she's probably the only one left to help him.

_________________________________________

Richard

Is in a deep slump. His wife left him, hes separated and work no longer seems to be doing the trick for distracting him. Hes not teaching the interns and refusing to accept the help from friends. I hope this isn't a relapse coming or a cheating scandal either. Richard you've come too far now to go backwards. Get it together and surprise Catherine by being great.

_________________________________________

Amelia/Link

They broke up........ saw it coming but yet didn't see it coming and the excuse she used. Idk it was a little weak at the end of the day anyone would be sceptical to enter a relationship with potentially another man's baby. It may however be for the best right now, she had a rough pregnancy before where her baby died and the paternity stress definitely isn't good for her and baby. She needs to focus on her and her kid for now to ensure a healthy birth. Then for sure she needs to get the test done and face the problem. Props for her though for finally realizing that Maggie is possibly one of the most supportive people ever and deserves to be supported as well.

_________________________________________

Maggie

May have finally found her person in Amelia Shepherd who after being shown how it's done to be a supportive person has seemed to try it for herself. Their moments tonight were sweet to me Amelia is more like her half sister than Mer is. They really are sweet and are developing a close bond. When Amelia called her everything at the end to Link❤❤❤. I think this is the beginning to a beautiful sister hood.

_________________________________________

Jackson

Mark Sloan's work reincarnated, then in the episode at the end, popped up out of no where outside Meredith's house to apologize for being an ass to Maggie at the end of their relationship. Basically just a filler role tonight.

_________________________________________

Nico and Levi

They were the most confusing of the night and that's saying something. At the beginning of their relationship Nico tells Levi he doesn't want a baby gay who's parents don't know that he's gay and after Levi outed himself to his parents and family and everyone else causing conflict among his family Nico then confesses that his own parents are unaware that he's gay.

Say what????????????

The funniest part to me about it is that when Levi was about to tell him how wrong it was for Nico to come at him for not telling his parents when he himself didn't even tell his own family, Nico was like I know what I said,....... excuse me what? The writers didn't even try with this one, they made him say one thing and was like well we need to throw some good old fashion conflict in these guy's relationships so let's just ignore what he said earlier and go from there. It sucks because they really were a great couple with potential.

_________________________________________

End notes/Questions

• I'm incredibly thankful that Suzanne lived so that her kids could see her again. She really is an awesome mom, and her family dynamic, with her sister reminds me of the one I have with my sister, so that case really did hit a spot.

• The foster kids reunion was so cute and how sweet is Joey, hes like the kindest teenager ever. And so are his siblings, they're all adorable.

• I need them to do something with the place they're taking Deluca down and solve it fast because I don't like the place he's heading.

• Same goes for Alex, hes ghosting Jo and now Meredith. I know they have to try to take the band aid off slowly so it won't affect Jo's character but I wished they'd do it without erasing Alex's growth.

• Will Link and Amelia get back together and who's the father Owen or Link?

• Is Richard going to have a relapse or is something going to change.

• Will Ben and Bailey adopt Joey and his siblings, just Joey or none. For some reason I can feel a Ben and Bailey conflict coming on, they haven't discussed the miscarriage and that's bad.

• What's going to happen with Livi and Nico? I'm at a lost on where it's going at this point.

• Pac north is gone, are we going to see some more new doctors at the hospital?

• And last and most importantly, can we have at least one healthy happy couple on Grey's If not I'll settle for a happy healthy person.

#grey's spoilers #greys anatomy #grey's anatomy #meredith grey #miranda bailey #jo wilson #jo karev #jackson avery #maggie pierce #richard webber #catherine avery #alex karev #amelia shepherd #atticus link #levi schmitt #episode review #review #tv fandom #tv show #tv series #owen hunt #teddy altman #shonda rhimes #shondaland #tv characters #things i love #greys abc #grey s anatomy #izzie stevens

[adventuresinthirtysomething]

Book Review: The Shadow Girl ( Chief Maggie Riley Book 3) by Shannon Hollinger

Book: The Shadow Girl ( Kindle Unlimited) Author: Shannon Hollinger Publisher: Bookouture Publication Date: 01/09/23 Purchase Link My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ever since I tried to escape, he’s been keeping me in the dark. My bones ache with the cold. The longer I sit, trapped alone with just my thoughts, the more I worry… What if […]Book Review: The Shadow Girl ( Chief Maggie Riley Book 3) by Shannon…

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[cathygeha]

REVIEW

Their Angel’s Cry by Shannon Hollinger

Chief Maggie Riley #2

Gripping, dark, and gritty ~ compelled to continue reading into the wee hours of the morning!

What I liked: * Chief Maggie Riley: brilliant, capable, skilled detective, listens to her gut instincts, moved to Coyote Cove, Maine after a personal loss, engaged to Steve, upholds the law, working solo with Sue as her assistant after losing her lieutenant in the previous book, is pushed physically and mentally in this book,  have a feeling she has an agenda related to the secrets she is keeping that will play out in this series

* Steve Winters: financial wiz who lost his fire and moved to the country, loves his rather difficult if loving mother, understands and loves Maggie, has secrets that will be exposed in time-I think, there for those he loves

* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing

* Dr. Erika Ricky: medical examiner, cat owner, steps out of her comfort zone in this book and grows a lot, someone I hope to see more of

* Sue: Maggie’s assistant, a child guardian and qualified to step in when children are at risk, capable, caring, good friend

* The various characters that might be the killer of the three people found on the mountain – and finding out which one actually did the deed ~ also enjoyed finding out what the others were really up to

* Laurel: protective canine that heroically saved a baby

* Looking forward to what will happen in book three

What I didn’t like: * Who and what I was meant not to like

* The evilness of some of the amoral criminals in this story and the harm they did to more than one person

Did I enjoy this book? Yes

Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

The little dog trembles and whimpers, but refuses to move. Maggie reaches further into the undergrowth, trying to tempt it out. But as she moves closer, she sees something that stops her heart—a tiny, shivering baby, wrapped in a thin, pink blanket, saved only by its loyal protector. There’s a ferocious storm heading toward the isolated town of Coyote Cove when Chief Maggie Riley gets the call every cop dreads. Three bodies have been found on Rattlesnake Mountain, half a day’s hike from civilization. And when Maggie finally reaches the site, exhausted and freezing, she discovers something even more terrifying—a tiny baby girl, kept alive only by the warmth of a small dog who refuses to leave her side. As Maggie races the baby to safety, she wonders, why on earth the family risked hiking the mountain in this weather? Who were they and who could possibly have killed them? A former Detective, Maggie may be an experienced investigator, but she’s still an unwelcome newcomer. Battling town prejudice, her fears for the orphaned baby, and the increasingly dangerous weather, Maggie soon realizes the case is far more complicated than she could have imagined. The family is not who they seemed at all. With Coyote Cove cut off by the storm, Maggie knows that wherever the killer is, they won’t be able to leave. Stuck in town with a murderer on the loose, Maggie must race to find them before anyone else gets hurt. But she hasn’t counted on the killer taking matters into their own hands, and going after Maggie first…

#shannon hollinger #Chief Maggie Riley 2 #netgalley #bookouture #murder mystery #whodunnit #kidnapping

[jazy3]

Thoughts on Grey’s Anatomy: 16X13

I watched the new episode of Grey’s Anatomy over the weekend. I hated the opening, but I liked the rest of the episode. This episode made me laugh a lot too and I’m glad they’ve brought the humour back to Grey’s! After last week’s standalone episode were back to our regularly scheduled program! Meredith and DeLuca are making out in bed together. Yuck. A phone goes off. It’s DeLuca’s. His incurable patient Suzanne is being moved to the CCU. Suzanne still isn’t getting any better. DeLuca says he hopes Dr. Riley can help. Meredith asks who that is. DeLuca says she’s the doctor from San Francisco that he’s bringing in to help with the case. He thought he told her.

Mer points out that they didn’t do a lot of talking last night. I’m trying to understand her actions here. DeLuca breaks up with her over his own insecurities, then refuses to talk to her about it, and then barks at her about his case and so she sleeps with him? I get that she’s lonely but come on! He treats her like crap, they have nothing in common, and he told Maggie he meant what he said. This is why I hate them together. They make no sense and yet they keep breaking up and getting back together. DeLuca tells Mer that Dr. Riley is a diagnostic genius and that he used Mer’s name to lure her to here. Again, he broke up with her because he couldn’t handle that she was better than him but now that his patient is dying, he’s fine with it? WTF? 

As usual DeLuca is only interested in Mer for what she can give him. He wants to be with her not be a part of her family. Her superiority is a problem until he can use it to his advantage. What a leech! That being said I do know people who slept with or temporarily got back together with an ex because they missed them or didn’t want to be alone or because it was easy so I do kinda get that from Mer’s perspective. It’s still dumb though. Mer thinks DeLuca’s move was resourceful luckily for him. He follows that up with, “Look at some point we should probably talk about us.” 

NOW he wants to talk? He couldn’t give Mer the time of day last we saw him. What an ass. That’s one of the things I hate most about them. When DeLuca wanted to talk Mer wasn’t interested then when Mer wanted to talk DeLuca wasn’t interested. They’re never on the same page. It’s exhausting to watch. Just move on already. Mer says they will talk about where they stand but he should go save Suzanne’s life first. They kiss and he leaves. Thank god. We get a sweet Ben and Bailey moment and then Bailey goes into work and Ben goes off to sleep all day! LOL! 

Owen comes to talk to Richard at Pac North. Richard tells him that the hospital has been purchased by the Fox Foundation. Owen thinks he’s joking. He’s very much not. Richard tells him about his and Catherine’s fight and that now everyone has to report to Grey Sloan and interview with Tom Koracick to keep their jobs. Seriously? What is her problem? Owen asks if Alex knows. Richard says he’s still in Iowa dealing with family issues. He said he called to tell him Pac North was closing and in response Alex texted him a laugh until you cry emoji with a party hat! LOL! That is so Alex! Then Maggie walks in excited for her first day! Oh jeez! They have to break the news. 

Meanwhile over at Grey Sloan it’s Schmitt’s first day back. He’s nervous. Nico’s unhappy that Schmitt is still crashing at his place. He wants Schmitt to move out and get his own place because they’re not at the cohabiting stage yet. To be fair Nico’s got a point. Levi’s never lived on his own and that’s an important step in adulthood that everyone needs to take. I’m with Nico on this one. Next we see Hayes and his boys coming down the main staircase. He introduces them to Meredith. They’re bored and disinterested as teenage boys usually are.We learn some very important information about Hayes in this scene in that he and Mer have something else in common. They’re both white parents raising black children as both of Hayes boys are black.

I find this really interesting as it adds a level of complexity and commonality to Hayes’ story and to his and Mer’s relationship. And look at that smile! Look at how her face lights up when she talks to him! Swoon! It also tells us more about Hayes’ family because this means that either his kids are adopted like Zola was or he was married to a black woman. Being a part of a biracial family comes with its own unique challenges and seeing the characters explore that I think could be really interesting. It could also be good for Zola in that she would gain older siblings of the same race that could help her through stuff that her white family members can’t. Derek always said that he wanted her to have black people in her life that could help her.

I love the idea of them all becoming a family. Derek always said that if something happened to him he didn’t want Mer to be alone which is why he encouraged her to connect with her sisters and have kids and wanted Maggie to be there for Zola. Hayes fits the bill perfectly in that he’s exactly the kind of man Meredith needs in her life and that Derek would have wanted for her and I love that! Plus, he’s got Cristina’s stamp of approval! Hayes tells Mer that his boys used to love getting a tour of whatever new hospital he was working at. Now they just want to know where the cafeteria is. LOL! Mer asks why they’re not at school. Hayes tells her it’s parent teacher conference day. Hayes tells the boys to put back whatever they’re messing with and carries on. 

After he leaves Amelia walks up to Mer and says she saw DeLuca leave the house this morning. She asks if they’re back together. Mer says she doesn’t know and asks why she’s so interested. While I’m sad that we didn’t get to see more of Meredith and Hayes this episode and that Mer and DeLuca slept together I do like that they’re building Mer and Hayes’ friendship organically. One of my big pet peeves is that following her relationships with Derek and Finn every relationship Mer had was something they threw her into. There was no build up and they always pursued her. I like that they’re building her relationship with Hayes slowly over time. They’re becoming friends. We’re seeing all that they have in common and he’s not pursuing her like a cheetah chasing a gazelle on the savannah. 

Amelia tells Mer that she’s anxious and so she’s deflecting and looking for examples of love enduring hardships. Mer laughs and says she wouldn’t go that far yet concerning her and DeLuca but the sex is great. She asks if that counts. Amelia says it doesn’t hurt. I like that Amelia and Mer are friends now. It’s so much more interesting than watching them fight. And again we’re back where we started with Mer and DeLuca. She’s having fun and enjoys sleeping with him. He’s head over heels for her and wants a serious relationship with none of the strings. The strings being her family, friends, and kids. Sigh. Amelia runs into Jo. We find out that Amelia is getting the paternity test results back today and that she’s been avoiding Link ever since he asked for the test. Jo is upset about how Amelia’s been treating Link and makes this speech about how couples need to have all of the available information because if they do they can work things out and rise. Amelia asks Jo if she herself is going through something. Jo says Alex hasn’t been returning her calls. That he said that he’s going through something and needs time. 

WTF? Seriously? Are they really going to break up Jo and Alex because the actor has moved on? That’s so dumb! Why not just kill him off then? God this is stupid. Jo says she’s deflecting because she’s anxious. Her and Amelia have that in common. I like that they’re becoming friends. Next we see Jackson asking Tom for more information. Bailey asks what’s going on. He tells her the Foundation is absorbing Pac North and its employees. Bailey didn’t know. Seriously how could Catherine not tell her? She’s the Chief of Surgery! I get that Tom is everyone’s boss now but still.

Following that Bailey walks into a patient room to find three very smelly residents. Helm and Simms are still recovering, and Brody is there helping them do research Suzanne’s case. Bailey is not amused, “Oh god lord people just because you’re injured doesn’t mean you can’t shower!” Simms replies that, “Dr. DeLuca said we could only eat and sleep.” Okay seriously? That’s abusive and also foolish. They’re still recovering! What does Mer see in this asshole? As funny as that line from Bailey was the fact that DeLuca forbade the sick residents he’s in charge of from showering until they figure out what’s wrong with Suzanne is super messed up! No one knows what’s wrong with Suzanne at this point and a bunch of smelly, tired, and sick residents are not going to be able to solve it. 

We cut to a patient room to see Suzanne’s sister telling her about how her daughter kissed someone named Taylor at school. We then find out that her sister’s been digging up dirt on DeLuca and Grey Sloan. She’s not happy. She’s seen the hospital hell article. Yikes! That’s when Dr. Riley walks in! She sets up her tablet and DeLuca is confused. Then she starts signing. The tablet is to connect her to her interpreter so she can communicate with them. She says she’s here for a consult with Dr. Grey who as you recall has no idea who this woman is because DeLuca didn’t tell her!

I love that they’re showing the different ways Deaf people working within the health care system can communicate. The Deaf community doesn’t get as much authentic representation as it should! Very cool! Dr. Riley introduces herself and DeLuca explains why she’s there. Suzanne warms to her immediately. Riley has no time for DeLuca’s nonsense and I love that! She asks him to tell Dr. Grey that she’s here already. She clearly thinks this is Mer’s case and it’s not which is going to cause a problem sooner or later. Also, there’s a big difference between using someone’s name to entice someone and saying they’re going to be working with them which is apparently what DeLuca did. Idiot. 

I loved Suzanne’s sisters comment, “Wow. The competency is just slapping me in the face right now.” She is having none of DeLuca’s crap right now and I love it! Tom comes to interview everyone. Owen tells him that since Alex took a personal leave he’s been filling in as interim chief.  To which Tom replies, “Cool story bro.” Oh Tom. He’s like an elephant. He never forgets and he never forgives. Tom tells Richard what he thinks is good news. That his job is safe. Richard doesn’t see it that way. Tom tells him that Catherine wants him at Grey Sloan enough to buy a craptastic hospital and pretend it’s an investment. Richard’s a hard no on that one. He says, “I thought I could do this because I miss Grey Sloan. Because I miss Bailey and Meredith and Bokhee and OR 2. God how I miss OR 2! But if Catherine thinks she can just move me where she wants like she’s playing chess?” 

Richard refuses to be Catherine’s pawn. Tom tries to talk him down and does a terrible job of it! “You tell Dr. Fox she can go to hell!” Checkmate bitch! You go Richard Webber! Meanwhile in the ER Levi treats an old married couple. They’re in town to attend the Seattle Ballroom Dance Championships. They won 5 Championships back in their day! It turns out the wife has cancer and it’s terminal so they’re out living their best life. They’re very sweet and it’s very sad. Maggie is interviewing to get her job back. Tom’s on his phone. LOL! He hires her back but as an attending working under Teddy because she ghosted them. 

Bailey comes to see a patient of hers who’s a foster kid that Ben brought in. He wants to know where his siblings are. Bailey has to tell them that they were taken by child services because legally she has a duty to report. He’s understandably distraught. Maggie examines Suzanne at Dr. Riley’s request. She needs another procedure. Her sister is pissed. Dr. Riley explains their approach and Suzanne agrees to the procedure. Out in the hall Dr. Riley asks DeLuca where Dr. Grey is. He says she’s in surgery. Maggie walks up and says she’s not in surgery she right there and points to her. She leaves to book an OR.

Okay it’s one thing to lie to get someone to consult on your case which is bad enough but it’s quite another to lie and say someone is in surgery in front of their sister whose your ex when they’re actually standing two metres away. What the hell? DeLuca’s defining characteristic at this point in the series is that he’s an asshole. He does whatever he wants to get what he wants and he doesn’t care about the consequences. I wish they’d just write him off already! Dr. Riley walks over to Mer. She introduces herself and says it’s good to finally meet her. Mer thinks she’s her consult from UCLA. DeLuca tries to correct her and says she’s from UCSF. She asks if Suzanne is her patient and Mer tells her she’s consulted but that’s it.

Mer says she’s at a loss and that she’s heard great things about her. She says it was great to meet her, but she has to go because she’s being paged. She leaves and Dr. Riley is livid. She calls DeLuca out on the fact that he lied to her. DeLuca says he prefers the word lured. What an ass! Dr. Riley’s had enough. She’s leaving. DeLuca really has no redeeming qualities at this point. DeLuca stops her and says that if she leaves now the case will drive her crazy because it will keep her up at night because it’s too rare, they’re too lost, and she’s too good to just walk away. He’s projecting here. That’s how HE feels not her. God he’s such an ass.

Meanwhile Tom is making Owen wait till the very end to be interviewed because Owen was an ass to him and Tom’s petty like that. Amelia and Link talk in the green room. She says she’s getting the results back tonight. She wants to know what’s going to happen with them when they get the results back. Link says he doesn’t know. She asks him if he can try to know. She says he told her he loves her and asks if that’s true and if he wants to be with her and be in her baby’s life. He says that her and Owen have a complicated history and he feels that will shape her future if Owen’s the father. Links says he loves her, but he needs to know. Amelia says okay and leaves. I’m struggling to understand Link’s behaviour here. If he loves her it shouldn’t matter who the biological father is. 

Jackson runs into Maggie and they talk about Koracick as well as Catherine and Richard’s break up. They banter and laugh. I’m glad they’re not fighting anymore. I always liked them better as friends. I hope they get back to that. Meanwhile Hayes catches up to Meredith in the hallway. The way she smiles when he calls out to her makes my heart melt! Hayes asks Mer if she’s seen his boys by any chance. She says no and asks if they’re hiding or maybe just wandering? He says they’re trying to torture him by making sure they’re late for the parent teacher conference. The way she smiles while talking to Hayes about his boys and her kids gives me butterflies! She looks radiant! THAT is what true chemistry looks like!

Hayes says that sometimes he thinks he hates them. He says he doesn’t know how Mer does it. The kids, the job, staying sane. Mer’s response is “Who says I’m sane?” She says that the city shut off her water once because she forgot to pay the bill and she didn’t even notice. Her daughter had to tell her. Oh Mer! Never change. The two of them laugh about the joys of parenting and having to juggle it all. Just then Levi calls Mer to look at some scans. Hayes says he’ll leave her to it and goes to find his boys. I love the easy rapport they’re building between the two of them and I love the way she smiles when he’s around.

Levi brings Mer in to talk to the old couple. The wife’s cancer has spread to the rest of her body. If they tried to operate it’s unlikely she’d recover. This is it. Levi is moved to tears as are we. Maggie goes to operate on Suzanne. Dr. Knox welcomes her back and Suzanne is concerned. She tells Maggie that the Taylor her daughter kissed is a girl. She needs her cool supportive Mom not her uptight Aunt. And her other daughter was already an orphan once and she won’t recover if Suzanne dies so she really needs Maggie to save her. Maggie reassures her. They’ve got her. Suzanne’s speech made me tear up. She really loves her kids. The husband of the dying woman Levi’s been treating comes to talk to him. He says Levi reminds him of his grandson and asks him if he can help a sad old man with a very big favour. Levi says he’ll do anything. My heart! 

Maggie and DeLuca operate on Suzanne. Is this guy who can barely do his job seriously trying to backseat drive the head of cardio? For real? Who the hell does he think he is? As Maggie says Suzanne isn’t here for her feelings she’s here for her hands and her expertise and that is her focus and it should be his too. That is what separates a great surgeon from a hack. Maggie gets that, but DeLuca never will it seems. Following the surgery Maggie and DeLuca come to see Dr. Riley. She decided to stay after all. Dr. Riley says that when Suzanne wakes up they need to withdraw all treatment. Dr. Riley believes the medication is masking the cause of Suzanne’s illness and they need it to present itself so they can treat her properly. DeLuca is concerned because if they do what she’s asking Suzanne could go into septic shock and die within a short period of time. Maggie thinks Dr. Riley’s suggestion is reckless and cavalier. But it’s not her case or place to decide. She leaves and tells DeLuca to follow up.

DeLuca still disagrees but as Dr. Riley points out he asked for her recommendation and this is it. Levi comes in and asks to borrow the other residents. DeLuca tells him to go in his typical dismissive fashion. Owen is still waiting to find out if he has a job. Amelia comes to talk to him. Owen is enraged but as Amelia points out Tom hates him because he stole his girlfriend. He won. He got the girl, the family, the whole Megillah. Tom’s messing with him because he’s in pain and he’s lonely. Her advice is to let him have his fun. Owen asks how she does it. Feel everyone’s feelings so deeply all the time. Owen says it must be exhausting. Amelia says it is. She rests her head on his shoulder for a minute and then leaves. This scene was not as bad as I was anticipating from the thumbnail I saw. It was actually quite sweet. 

Over in the cafeteria the residents have lit candles and put out flowers. They bring the dying woman out to meet her husband who’s in a tux. They reminisce about the day they met. He asks her to dance. His wife is worried because she doesn’t have a gown and looks terrible. Levi hands her a floral bell sleeved feather trimmed robe that she can put on over her hospital gown. Her husband tells her she looks exquisite. Helm puts on the song Moon River and the two of them dance in a candlelit cafeteria like they’re on the world’s best stage! My heart! More people come to watch them dance including the cafeteria staff, some of the nurses, Nico, and Meredith. We find Richard sitting outside on a bench. Jackson comes to talk to him. He says he’s already been to a meeting, he doesn’t want to come home to an empty house, and he’s not sure where he works so he’s just sitting there.

Jackson says he works here and Richard says it’s not by choice. They were building something at Pac North and Catherine took it all away with a phone call to the bank. Jackson says it’ll pass. It’s bad now but soon enough him and Catherine will be joking about it over coffee. Wow. Jackson really doesn’t get it. Shaking my head over here. I loved his line, “Son, After Godzilla’s done stomping all over Tokyo the Mayor doesn’t take Godzilla to brunch.” Sing it Richard! 

Next we find Meredith in the Attending's Lounge. Bailey walks in. Mere talks about how she’s feeling. She says, “There was a time when I would have made a dance floor for the dying old lady. Andrew and I broke up the night of my trial and there was a time when that would’ve meant months of drama for me. But instead I went home and went to bed and I woke up and I was just excited to go practice medicine. I used to be a romantic. I would’ve been the one to build the dance floor in the cafeteria.” And now she’s leaving the dance floors to the residents. Bailey says she’s not lacking in passion she’s just grown up a little. I’m so glad they’re friends again! Next she asks, “What would you do if Ben dumped you?” “I’d burn him to the ground.” Sing it Bailey! They’re called exes for a reason! 

That’s what Mer needs to do. Burn DeLuca to the ground, move on, and start over. I like their talk here. Mer used to be a romantic. She used to be the person who built houses of candles and did big romantic gestures. But when Derek died she stopped being that person. She deserves someone who makes her feel that way again. And no one. Not Riggs or DeLuca or Thorpe or that transplant surgeon or anyone else has made her feel that way. The way that Derek did. She deserves to feel that way again with someone who truly loves her and wants to be a part of her family. I hope she finds it. I do. I hope she finds someone that makes her want to be a romantic again. I think Hayes could be that person and I hope that we get to see it!  

Because she deserves it and that’s what Derek would want for her. He wouldn’t want her to close herself off or settle for second best or some fling. He’d want her to find love again, true love, with someone deserving of her. Jackson comes in and tells them that Richard walked because he doesn’t want to work on Koracick’s terms and honestly neither does he. He asks if they’re just going to let this happen. Bailey’s all hell no! She’s not going to sit by helpless while her family gets split apart again. They’re going to do something about this. Finally!

DeLuca’s speaking with Suzanne and her sister. They’re explaining what they want to do. Her sister is pissed. She thinks they’re giving up. She pleads with Suzanne to let her transfer her to another hospital. That’s when Dr. Riley steps in. She explains that she has three sisters. She talks about each of them and then talks to Suzanne’s sister directly. She explains that she’s too sick to be moved safely and even if they could there’s no one better than her. She explains that because she’s Deaf she’s learned to listen with her whole body and that when the medications are gone the disease can start talking so she can figure out what’s wrong with her and hopefully save her life.

With that she convinces them. Suzanne consents to the withdrawal of treatment. Dr. Riley leaves the room and DeLuca follows her. He tells her that he also has a sister and starts to compliment her. That’s when Dr. Riley stops him. She’s an only child. Daaaamn. Look at her. Getting the job done. I did not see that coming. Dr. Riley you continue to surprise me. Well done! I really like the way they’ve written Dr. Riley so far. Her Deafness is one part of her but it’s not the sole focus. As it should be. She’s a real character with complexity not a stand in and that’s cool.

We cut to the boardroom. Where Tom has just been paged by Bailey, Jackson, Richard, Meredith, and Owen. Shit is about to go down. Buckle up. They tell him the hospital board of which most of them are members has come to a decision. They’re all prepared to quit. Mic drop! “I’m sensing a but.” Right you are Tom! They explain that Dr. Fox wouldn’t really like that as she wants them here at Grey Sloan and she’ll wonder why Tom didn’t do more to protect her Crown Jewel hospital. They’ve only just recovered from the hospital hell article and as Meredith says, “We could blame me for that or we could just remember that I’m a Catherine Fox Foundation award winner and a media darling and I mean you want me here.” Like a boss! And that’s why 16 seasons later we still love her. She gets stuff done like the badass she is. 

As Bailey as Tom can’t afford to lose all his best doctors and his inability to see that could cause Catherine to rethink the whole Chief of Chiefs title, salary, and benefits. Tom concedes. He asks them to name their terms. Bailey says they’re a family. He doesn’t get to rule with an iron fist, not anymore. Their terms are as follows. Owen and Richard get their jobs back. Teddy and Maggie become co-chiefs and he finds the money to cover it. Alex and Hayes become co-chiefs as well or they all quit. Boom!

If Justin Chambers was still on the show this is definitely a scene he’d been in. Fighting for Grey Sloan with the rest of them no doubt. Their deal is this: he agrees to their terms and gets to take all the credit with Catherine. They get their hospital back and he gets to save face. It’s a win win. Tom agrees. It’s a triumphant moment! Tom leaves the room and we hear everyone cheering. It’s great for our heroes but not for Tom. It must be hard hearing everyone cheer at your destruction. Amelia’s right. Tom’s in pain and he’s taking it out on everyone else. Tom is such a complex and interesting character. Greg Germann brings such beautiful complexity to his portrayal. 

Nico and Levi are getting it on in an on call room. But soon Levi stops. He says he doesn’t just want sex. He says he wants a dance partner. He wants what that old couple have. Nico asks if he’s reciting a poem or if he’s being literal. Levi is frustrated. Nico is confused. Next we see Link in the green room. Jeez there are a lot of plants in there! They’ve definitely added more. It’s getting a bit excessive in my opinion. I mean how many plants do you need? Amelia looks through the window at him. He doesn’t see her. She takes a shaky breath then walks away. Link gets a text. It’s from Amelia. She says she’s sorry but she didn’t run the test. She needs more time. This part really pissed me off. I get that she needs more time but Amelia should have told Link that sooner. I hate that they’re drawing this storyline out. Just get the damn test already! Ugh! 

As Meredith’s voice over plays we see Jo come home to a dark empty flat. The future for her and Alex uncertain. Meredith's voice over in this episode is about time and how we're struggling to overcome the simple inescapable truth that eventually everything ends. But that for every clock that counts down another restarts and when one thing ends something new always begins. I feel like this is one of those voice overs that can be taken in a variety of ways depending on how you look at it and which ships you're rooting for. You could take it as Meredith realizing that her relationship with DeLuca has ended and that she needs to move on. Or that Amelia and Link's relationship might be ending. Or that Jo and Alex might be over. Or you could take it the opposite way. It's very open ended. 

Until next time!

#grey's anatomy #Meredith Grey #cormac hayes #andrew deluca #miranda bailey #ben warren #richard webber #catherine fox #jackson avery #amelia shepherd #atticus link lincoln #owen hunt #tom koracick #maggie pierce #dr. riley #deaf culture #derek shepherd #godzilla #levi schmitt #nico kim #review #thoughts

[fashionbooksmilano]

Jean Muir : Beyond Fashion

Sinty Stemp,   Foreword by Felicity Green

Antique Collectors' Club, London 2007, 176 pages, ISBN  978-1851496211

euro 29,50

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"The clothes in themselves do not make a statement. The woman makes a statement and the dress helps." Jean Muir.                                                      With the closure of Jean Muir Ltd. in 2007, interest in the life and work of the Iconic British fashion designer has never been greater. Jean Muir (1928-1995), doyenne of dressmaking, is forever associated with the 'little black dress'. Her signature style married a distinctive purity of line with a soft fluidity on the body, to create the sensuous, deceptively simple clothes that became her trademark, epitomised by her work in matte jersey, and in particular her jersey dresses, which brought her legendary status in an internationally-renowned career that spanned four decades. Working with a range of fabrics, which apart from her matte jersey included wools, silks, suedes, leather, and fine cashmere, she was the first designer on the international stage to apply couture quality and craftsmanship in her collections.                                                                        The actress Joanna Lumley, a Jean Muir house model in the '70s, who has worn Muir designs ever since, famously stated that, 'every woman should have a Jean Muir in her wardrobe'. Her designs were constant favourites with artistic, literary, and dramatic personalities drawn to the discreet luxe and timeless femininity of her clothes: Dame Judi Dench, Dame Maggie Smith, Lady Olivier, #CharlotteRampling, #LaurenBacall, #BarbraStreisand, #BridgetRiley, Dame Diana Rigg, whose actress daughter, Rachael Stirling now also wears Muir. This beautifully illustrated book highlights the variety and appeal of a career that covered every aspect of the fashion world, and includes many of Muir's sketches, as well as photography by #NormanParkinson, #DavidBailey, Eric Boman, Barry Lategan, #SarahMoon, #DeborahTurbeville, #HelmutNewton and #ArthurElgort. It has written contributions from Lady Antonia Fraser, Sir Roy Strong, Bridget Riley, #SuzyMenkes, Fashion Editor of The International Herald Tribune, and Alexandra Shulman, Editor-in-Chief of British VOGUE, amongst others. 

09/04/20

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[ambitionsource]

AMBITION Season 2 ♫ “Callbacks” [ 2.01 ]

CREATED BY Esther (rapunzles) & Maggie (daphnegolshiri) || S2 Tag || Official Page

THE SHOW MUST GO ON – A new year at AAA promises new troubles on top of the chaos left behind from the last. Angela’s replacement meets the junior class. While some students aim to embrace the change, others may never make it back through the doors.

55 Minutes (12.5K+ words) || No warning apply.

[ ← The World Will Never Be The Same ] [ S2 Synopsis ] [ Second Choice → ]

( Follow along with the music on Spotify here! )

INT. BABINEAUX HOME - ZAY’S ROOM - DAY

We’re close on a phone, laying on the surface of a vanity dresser. The screen lights up, displaying a notification from Instagram. The moment does give us a bit of AAAC-induced PTSD, but it’s innocuous -- “wholemayahartedly liked your photo.”

Underneath the notification, a reminder sits waiting. “Welcome back to AAA.”

As the clock hits 7:00AM, an alarm begins to go off, but the owner is already awake. A hand reaches out to quickly swipe away the alarm, and ZAY BABINEAUX returns to our screens once again. He’s already geared up for the day, looking fresh and cool as ever.

He glances at himself in the mirror, adjusting his hair and rolling his shoulders before letting out a sigh. Welcome back, indeed. As jaunty, cool beats float in…

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “New Shoes” as performed by Paolo Nutini || Performed by Zay Babineaux

As Zay gears up to head out for the day, he sings and freestyles to this easy-going tune. After so long without his impressive dance moves, it sure is good to see them again.

INT. BABINEAUX HOME - DAY

Zay continues his journey out the door, sliding down the banister and landing with a flourish. He breezes through the house, grabs some fruit from the counter. He greets his parents, OMAR BABINEAUX with a nod and DONNA BABINEAUX with a kiss on the cheek.

He makes his way out the front door…

EXT. NEW YORK STREETS - DAY

And emerges from the subway, continuing his stylings down the streets of Manhattan. He performs with confidence, comfort, the visuals a far cry from his more somber explorations of the city in 1.06.

Finally, he approaches the familiar institution of AAA.

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

Zay travels through the halls as he descends into the second verse, slowing down a bit as he takes stock of the setting in the new year. Despite all that’s happened here, it looks about the same as it did last year. He nods to friends as he passes, carrying a new sense of power as the reigning recipient of the Kossal Summer Program.

More familiar faces begin to join in on the choreography through the hallway -- NIGEL CHEY, YINDRA AMINO, HALEY FISHER and CLARISSA CRUZ. Zay dances with each of them, moving us through to the bridge…

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

Zay is showing off his freestylings on the AAA stage, suddenly alone again. The spotlight is on him and the number is clearly a performance, but it’s unclear for whom and why. Either way, he shines as he completes the routine, running through the final chorus with energy and obvious talent.

When he finishes, breathless and squinting into the lights, there are no applause. No standing ovation. Just quiet, save for the quiet scribbling of pens on paper. It’s clear there’s a panel of some kind seated in the back of the auditorium, but no other information.

Then, a familiar voice through the darkness:

Eric: Thank you, Zay. We’ll let you know.

Zay exhales, offering a tight smile and nodding a thank you. As he turns to exit the stage, his confident exterior falters somewhat.

What will they let him know? Who will let him know it? What the knick knack patty whack is going on, chief?

Another year, another jampacked adventure. Welcome back to Adams, indeed.

Cue opening titles.

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

Through the scope of an A/V club camera, DAVE WILLIAMS eagerly welcomes back the junior class as he and NICK YOGI, behind the camera, kick off the back-to-school cheer. Standing outside the doors to the black box theater, Dave waits for a cue from Yogi.

Dave: Is it -- are we ready? Are you rolling?

Yogi: It’s rolling.

Dave: There’s no like -- shouldn’t there be a light? Blinking or something?

Yogi: Just trust me, it’s rolling.

Dave: You know I trust you with my life.

Yogi: And me, you. It’s David and Goliath, baby.

Dave: It’s David and Goliath! Welcome back, AAA thotties, to the thunderdome.

Yogi explains that he and Dave are endeavoring to reinstate the A/V club to its former glory, and part of this task involves getting the scoop before anyone else. So they’ll be going around and catching up with their classmates after the disastrous way that last year wrapped up, offering what they refer to as “Dogi Exclusives.”

The whole sequence is a bit jarring considering Yogi is filming and Dave is a whole foot taller than him, but they make it work. And boy, do they certainly have some exclusives.

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Shining Star” as performed by Jump5 || Instrumental

As the quick-paced montage kicks off, Dave and Yogi pursue Zay first. They follow him as he parades through the halls with his new level of confidence. He claims that his summer break was excellent, completely fulfilling in every possible way.

Although Dogi want to dig deeper on that, their questioning is interrupted by the trio of them running into MAYA HART. She looks even more polished than last year, radiating diva and her envy-worthy blonde locks as shiny and voluminous as ever. She and Zay exchange a quick, snappy handshake, indicating they’ve become better friends in the time we’ve spent away.

The two of them state that this year is going to be unlike any other, and all the bullshit from last year is completely irrelevant.

Dave: And all the stuff from the AAAC --

Maya: Old news.

Zay: The drama? The fakeness?

Maya: Farkle Minkus?

Zay: Gone. Caput.

Dave: What about the fact that you’re on scholarship --

Maya: Here’s what you need to focus on, Davis. Nothing that parasitic pinnacle of a page had to say means anything. And we’d all be wise to forget about it, because there are far more interesting things for us to be focused on this year.

When Dave and Yogi ask for elaboration, all that Maya will say is that there may very well be a new diva rising through the ranks in the junior class. Not above her or Zayby, of course, but someone with a lot of starpower is going to make Minkus more irrelevant than he already is.

An interesting promise…

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

In the auditorium, Dave attempts to interview RILEY MATTHEWS. She’s more soft-spoken and reserved than last year, obviously hesitant as she talks with them. All that growing from the previous year, and for what…

She glances over her shoulder towards the technician’s booth as Dave asks her another question, growing pensive and distracted.

Dave: Riley. Riley. Superklutz. Riley.

Riley: [ blinking out of it ] Sorry, um, what was the question?

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

Dave convenes with his techie pals ASHER GARCIA and DYLAN ORLANDO, both looking fresh and friendly upon their return from summer. As he attempts to talk with them about how they spent their break, Asher keeps having to interrupt Dylan to keep him from saying things it seems he’s not supposed to mention.

Dave: So how did you spend your summer?

Asher: Oh, nothing much. Went to the museums a couple times.

Dylan: Asher’s underselling. Summer was a hoot. We did so much wild stuff, man. [ Laughing. ] One day we met Lucas at grand central market and he made up this game where we --

Asher: Really. Nothing much at all.

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

Across the hall, Dave attempts to interview CHARLIE GARDNER in front of his locker. Although he seems to be doing a fair amount of damage control, for what it’s worth his outward appearance seems more relaxed than sophomore year.

He’s softened his attire to less straight-laced and more casual for his standards -- nice sweaters and plain tees. His hair has grown out over the summer, trimmed for back-to-school yet still more wild and free than before.

Exterior mellow aside, as he talks to Dave and Yogi he appears a bit shifty. He comes off like a politician rather than a peer, rehearsed and vague. Expert at avoiding confrontation.

Charlie: I’ve done a lot of self-reflection this summer, and I realize that sending those posts was the wrong decision. Those were the actions of someone who I do not wish to be, so I’m trying to do better and make up for those mistakes.

Dave: But why did you do it?

Charlie: I think what’s more important is how we move forward.

Charlie offers a thin smile. Dave gives the camera a look.

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

Back with Asher and Dylan. Yogi poses a new question.

Yogi: Speaking of Lucas, no one has seen him this morning for an illustrious comeback. Any idea where he is?

Dylan: [ with a snort ] Do we have any idea where he is? Our best friend --

Asher: [ hurriedly ] Nope, haven’t seen him.

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

Dave has to jog to keep up with the power walk of ISADORA DE LA CRUZ. She looks as fierce as ever, wearing her usual attire of ripped jeans (ripped not for fashion’s sake, but because they’ve been completely worn through) and a dark tee shirt sporting a reference to a film of some sort. The look is completed of course with Converse, although we note that she’s wearing a new pair of yellow high tops rather than her usual old black pair. Presumably a gift from someone (mayhaps a starlet mother?), since Isa isn’t inclined to spend her money on clothes.

Yogi asks if she’s worked on any short films over the summer, and she retorts that she actually spent more time focusing on her performance chops for this year. This is a bombshell revelation -- Isadora De La Cruz is going to take the stage! -- and Dave and Yogi are shook.

Dave: Breaking news!

Yogi: You heard it from Dogi FIRST!

Isadora doesn’t seem interested in humoring them further. Dave shouts one more question after her as she marches away, lucky that she turns around to gift them a snarky answer.

Dave: So where’s Lucas?

Isadora: Do I look like his keeper? Hell if I know.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

Jumping back to Riley, Yogi asks Riley what she’s most excited about for the new year. She takes a long pause, evidently at a total loss for how to answer. She finally manages to stammer out a vague sentiment.

Riley: I’m mostly looking forward to everyone… coming back together. And um, renewed camaraderie.

Yogi: [ with a laugh ] Yeah, right.

Riley doesn’t seem thrilled with his dismissive comment.

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

Back to Dylan and Asher. They’ve gotten distracted, Asher focusing on nitpicking Dylan’s jacket collar while Dylan attempts to divide his attention between his boyfriend and the question at hand.

Yogi: So with Alvin out of commission, how are the two remaining chipmunks functioning then?

Dave: Yeah, how are things going for you two?

Dylan, enthusiastically: [ snapping to attention ] Oh, are you kidding? Things are great. We’ve had the best summer.

Asher, agreeably: Not wrong.

Dave: [ to the camera ] Dogi can confirm: “Dasher” are alive and well.

Dylan: We’re thriving, good sir. I can tell you, as a kissing expert --

Asher: Oh boy.

Dylan: Never been better. In fact, this summer we made some major strides --

Asher: [ covering Dylan’s mouth, dragging him away ] OKAY so we really have to go now, nice chatting with you Dave --

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

Back outside the black box theater, Dave summarizes their video and prepares to wrap it up.

Dave: So as you can see, lots of tides shifting here in the bonkers halls of Triple A. Whether or not good ol’ Principal Cracker Jack and our faculty fave Mister E will be able to pull this clusterfuck back together remains to be seen.

Yogi: And whether Mister Shawn will be able to handle a new first-in-command.

Dave: Oh, yes, we are all eagerly awaiting to see which poor soul is going to attempt to fill the late and great Miss Moore’s large and insanely hot shoes.

Yogi: Press F to pay respects.

Dave, solemnly: F.

Which poor soul indeed? It will take a brave, ambitious warrior to tackle the monster that is the junior A class…

INT. AAA - JACK’S OFFICE - DAY

And that warrior takes a human form in HARPER BURGESS (26). She’s petite and baby-faced, an eager smile on her face as she finishes signing last minute paperwork for her employment. But don’t let her size be deceiving -- underneath the leather jacket and driven sparkle in her eyes is the fiery personality of a former AAA alumna returning to the homestead after being forged to steel in the real world.

She passes the finished papers across the desk to JACK HUNTER, who takes them happily. Given how run ragged he appeared at the end of last season, it is a relief to see him seemingly well and back on top of things. Polished as usual, in any case.

Jack congratulates Harper and welcomes her to the AAA team, both of them rising as he shakes her hand. He reiterates a fair warning that the junior class is no easy group, but Harper expresses optimism that she can handle it. After all, she was once a student just like them.

Harper: I survived my four years at this school fighting for my scrap of the spotlight, Jack. I think if I can do that, then I can survive just about anything.

Jack: Well, believe me when I say this crop of students isn’t quite like any other.

Still, he admires her optimism, and sends her off with the assurance that he also believes she will do an excellent job. As she heads out she bumps into ERIC MATTHEWS, who gives her a playful salute.

Eric: Welcome to the force, soldier.

Harper awkwardly returns the salute, trying her best to adjust to this new team of oddballs as efficiently as possible. Eric waits until she departs to shift his focus, questioning if Jack still wants to go over their game plan for the first week. He figures it would be good to double check that they’re both on the same page.

Jack enthusiastically agrees, gesturing Eric in and grabbing his coffee thermos. As Eric settles in the chair opposite his desk, we get the sense that the two administrators have done a lot of collaborating over the summer. They demonstrate a comfortable new rapport, definitely closer to being on the same wavelength than last year.

It’s also clear, for what it’s worth, that Eric is enjoying their dual efforts. He listens intently as Jack speaks, a light smile on his face as he flips through his notes. Jack paces the floor, walking through their thought process with zeal.

Jack: All of the students enrolled here are talented, there’s no doubt about that. Even the junior class specifically, I’ll say, has some of the brightest students I think we’ve had at Adams. They are not short of starpower.

Eric: Certainly not.

Jack: But the behavior we’ve witnessed over the last couple of years is unacceptable, and it reached a fever pitch in May. There’s no excuse for that sort of culture, and they all had their hand to play in it. We’re not letting it slide from here on out.

Eric: No, sir, we are not.

Jack: The fact of the matter is, as you and I have had to come to Jesus over --

Eric: Please, remind me for the hundredth time --

Jack: -- talent isn’t everything. Success requires hard work. Compassion. Integrity. These are the values we are going to uphold at Adams, and anyone who deems themselves above it all will find themselves facing a swift kick of reality. Mister Livingston was the first, and he doesn’t have to be the last.

Jack and Eric go on to discuss the logistics of their back-to-school shake-up, which contextualizes Zay’s solo from earlier (a flashforward, we now realize) -- they will be requiring every junior to “reaudition” over the course of the week. This is in terms of their performance, but also their attitudes and behavior.

Jack: They earned their places at this school, I firmly believe that. But they have to put the work in to prove they still deserve it. Because there are dozens of equally talented young dreamers out there with just as much ambition as them who would kill to have their place in this class. They need to remember that.

Eric, although disappointed with how things have ended up, nods in agreement. The mere shake-up of the reaudition should be a subtle but important wake up call.

Jack takes a sip of his coffee, glancing down at the new hire paperwork on his desk. So many changes already in effect.

Jack: If they want to see the success of their futures realized, then they better show up.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

Isadora makes her way through the empty auditorium, early before class. She jogs up the stairs to the technician’s booth.

INT. AAA - TECHNICIAN’S BOOTH - DAY

Isadora cautiously pokes her head in, listening for any signs of life. She wanders further in, heading to the center of the cramped space and getting a good look around.

It’s empty. Untouched. The panel by the electrical cabinet is secure and in place, not acting as a living space by any means. It feels abandoned.

It feels wrong.

With an unsurprised sigh, Isadora heads back out before first bell.

INT. AAA - BLACK BOX THEATER - DAY

The performing students have congregated in the black box classroom, chattering amongst themselves. Isadora hesitantly peers through the doors, cautious to step into her first official day as a performing arts student.

As she stands in the doorway, a ripple of reaction seems to go through the assembled class. Suddenly, a techie in their midst? Isadora clearly doesn’t know where to go. There’s a moment where she locks eyes with Riley sitting by Zay, but the way Isadora quickly averts her gaze from Riley’s awkward smile indicates that things aren’t all well and good in that camp.

Instead, another unlikely ally throws her a life preserver. Maya perks up when she spots her, eagerly waving her over to join her, Darby, and Yindra.

Maya: Izzy. Izzy, over here!

Isadora is grateful for the save, rushing over and sliding into the seat behind her. Maya whips around to give her a playful swat and eyebrow wiggle, just as Harper arrives and sends the room into uncertain silence.

There’s a long beat of trepidation, Harper gazing at her new classroom and the throng of her new students staring back at her. Taking a deep breath, she marches into the room with authority and greets them all, introducing herself as their new performance coach. She explains that she was once a student just like them, although she admittedly dabbled a bit more in the technical arts than she thinks most of them have these days.

Sarah: And you came back to teach us? Couldn’t catch a break, huh?

A few snickers through the room throw Harper off her game. She cheekily acknowledges Sarah’s comment, stating that she had her run in the backstages of Broadway, but she thought coming back here when the position miraculously opened up felt like a can’t-miss opportunity.

Still, the introduction has been sabotaged and the rest of her opening is on shaky ground. Many of her little asides don’t garner any favor, and the junior class is already proving to be a tough room. When Charlie, seated with Clarissa and Haley although somewhat removed, throws her a few words of encouragement it is met with a subtly coughed “teacher’s pet.”

Harper changes tact, choosing to redirect focus to attendance. She makes her way through the list until she hits a snag on Farkle, silence heavy in the room after she states his name. She repeats it, uncertainly given its odd status, but it’s clear he’s a no-show. Absent.

Ditching on the very first day. Maya and Zay exchange a look, obviously unimpressed.

INT. MINKUS HOME - DAY

At the luxurious Minkus suite, things admittedly feel somewhat muted. Most of the Minki children and Stuart are gone for school and work, only JENNIFER MINKUS present. She’s on the phone, pacing as she recounts to Stuart that Farkle has opted to stay home from school.

It’s evident she’s concerned, claiming that he’s been under the weather for “at least a month now.” She’s wondering if perhaps they should call the family doctor.

Jennifer: He could be iron deficient. Or anemic, you know how that runs in my family. And the amount of medications I take alone per day just to keep this body up and running in working order, maybe we should have him checked out for similar things...

INT. MINKUS HOME - FARKLE’S ROOM - DAY

Despite the morning hour, the room is dark when Jennifer pokes her head in to check on her son. The curtains are drawn, and the space itself feels stagnant. Somewhere in the mess of blankets on the bed is Farkle, barely visible in the dark.

Jennifer informs him gently that she called him in, but it would be a shame if he were to fully miss out on his first day back for junior year. Maybe later, depending on how he’s feeling, he can go in for the second half of the school day. Farkle doesn’t seem enthused, plaintively stating that he would like to keep resting.

It’s clear that this answer concerns Jennifer, but she gives him space as requested. It’s out of sorts for him to be so unmoved about missing time at AAA, but then, she has absolutely no idea what unfolded at the end of last year.

She closes the door, allowing him to rest and sheltering him back in the dark.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

In the first performance class of the semester, the entirely of the junior A class reunites and watches as SHAWN HUNTER and Harper take the stage together. It’s pointed from the get-go that they have no idea how to act around one another or work effectively in their new partnership, Harper looking for clues from Shawn while he’s attempting to just pretend everything is the same. In this case, that means proceeding as if she’s hardly there.

He takes the reins in dropping the new year bombshell on them, which is that they will be required over the course of the first week back to reaudition for their spot at AAA. Given how much of a mess the end of last year was, it was determined that a procedure was necessary to ensure that each of them are still eligible in their attendance.

Naturally, the students are not pleased about this announcement. The performers immediately start complaining about how unfair it is, while the techies seem particularly spooked by the notion considering they’re not performers. They’re not “audition” material.

Harper speaks up, hoping to alleviate some of the stress.

Harper: Well, actually, that’s one thing we’re hoping to work on this year. We’d love to see more engagement with the technical aspects from our performing students, as well as more performance participation from the technicians. That way, all of us will have a well-rounded understanding and appreciation for all angles of education at Adams.

A wonderful sentiment, but not what they want to hear right now. The uproar grows worse, Harper obviously stunned by the theatrics of this collective group. Turns out Jack was not kidding around about the junior class.

Shawn brings them back to Earth, assuring the techies that their auditions do not necessarily need to be performance-based. All they need to do in some fashion is demonstrate their skillset and why they deserve their spot at AAA. Just like when they applied the first time.

Part of this, as mentioned before, is reflected just in the act of showing up ready to learn. Farkle’s absence is pointed, as is Lucas’s. Shawn doesn’t look pleased as he scans the center section and finds no sign of his head technician.

Harper manages to interject over Shawn again, also explaining that they will be doing performance drills throughout the week to see what shape all of them are in after summer break. It’s important that they’re able to keep up to keep their spot. Isadora seems particularly intimidated by this information.

As they split for their first breakout groups of the year, Riley catches up to Isadora. She attempts to have a conversation with her and reassure her that she’ll be fine at drills, but Isadora ignores her. Somewhat isolated, Riley takes the hit and heads in the other direction.

Shawn pulls Dylan and Asher aside, asking them where the hell Lucas is. They unconvincingly claim that they have no idea. Shawn posits that this is a real shame, considering a) if Lucas doesn’t show up this week and participate in the stupid reaudition scheme he might very well be kicked out, and b) with Isadora having jumped ship they need a strong technician present to steer the ship with the rest of them.

Asher: Well, Mister Shawn, all due respect, but I think we deserve a little more credit --

Shawn: Oh, yeah? You wanna take charge, Garcia?

Asher: Absolutely not. Hopefully Lucas will get the message.

Shawn, flatly: Yeah. Hopefully.

INT. AAA - ERIC’S OFFICE - DAY

Per tradition, Riley meets up with Eric for lunch given that it’s the first day. After settling in, she asks him what he thinks about the whole reaudition process. He claims it was the only solution he and Jack could come up with.

Eric: It’s only meant to be a reminder that your acceptance here is conditional. The opportunities all of you are benefitting from and the exposure to fellow talents is contingent upon your willingness to help foster a creative, collaborative community.

[ Riley nods along. That sounds too good to be true, at this point. ]

Eric: You all have all the talent in the world, you know I believe it. But there have to be lines, there have to be consequences for our actions. If you push it too far, then we’re going to push back.

Speaking of the negative climate, Eric asks Riley how she’s handling the less-than-stellar current atmosphere between the students. Is she feeling okay? She claims it’s fine -- after all, it’s nothing she couldn’t handle last year.

Eric points out that this is quite a bit different than the situation she entered before, but Riley doesn’t seem ready to confront that reality. She’s opting for denial, choosing to believe that this is merely another gap between her peers that she can bridge.

INT. AAA - JACK’S OFFICE - DAY

Isadora is meeting with Jack, finalizing the details to change her core focus from film studies to a dual focus in film and vocal performance.

Jack asks her to confirm that she’s certain about this change. Although there is a moment of hesitation, she does assure him that she’s serious about it. He doesn’t seem displeased, reminding her that all of this is of course contingent upon her reaudition but also stating that he’s proud of her for deciding to try something out of her comfort zone. Especially given her natural talent.

As she starts to head out, Jack ventures another query.

Jack: Have you -- do you have any idea what the deal is with Mister Friar? Is he planning on coming back to school?

[ The question is a bit sarcastic, but the genuine concern behind it is loud and clear. ]

Isadora: [ with an uncertain shrug ] Believe me, Principal Hunter. If Lucas were here, I think we’d both know pretty quickly.

Jack nods acquiescence, dismissing her. After she’s gone, he sighs, reaching forward to pick up his phone and make a call.

INT. MATTHEWS APARTMENT - NIGHT

Riley is eating dinner with CORY MATTHEWS, the only two present. As we learn through the sparse conversation, Auggie is out with Topanga, demonstrating how the separation is impacting the familial dynamic.

Cory can tell that the first day back did not go swimmingly. He attempts to get Riley to talk about it, but she shrugs off the concern. He goes on to explain that when he was in high school he had tiffs with his friends too -- Shawn, even! -- but he never gave up on them. So if she feels like people are slipping away from her, then she should do everything in her power to close the distance. She’s always been impressive at that, after all.

Although Riley is down, she chews on the sentiment. Adding fuel to her problem-solving fire.

INT. MINKUS HOME - KITCHEN - NIGHT

Jennifer hits the play button on the voicemail machine as she’s preparing for dinner, listening as Jack’s message comes through on the speaker.

Jack: I hope all things are well. I’m calling in regards to Farkle’s absence today. While we all wish him better health and a quick recovery, due to the circumstances surrounding the junior class and our newly implemented special policies, it is imperative that he return to school within the week to maintain his enrollment.

In the midst of the recording, a door in the hall creaks open. Timidly, FARKLE MINKUS emerges from the dark and pads into the room, catching the end of the message as Jack wishes them well again.

To be frank, he’s looked better. He’s slighter than when we last saw him, dressed rather slovenly in his large sweater and sweats. The perpetual bedhead doesn’t help, especially when paired with the glazed, unmoved expression on his face. Whether or not he’s actually ill, he sure looks the part.

He approaches the countertop as Jennifer pauses the message machine, examining him. She makes playful commentary about how he’s finally risen from the dead, explaining that dinner will be ready soon. They’re planning on calling Lila at university as a family afterwards to see how she’s settling in, so she’s happy he’s up and moving.

Farkle: Will dad be here?

Jennifer: … well, you know how busy your father is. He may dial in, but --

Farkle: So it’s not really as a family, is it?

Jennifer gives him a disappointed look, then dodges the question as she changes the subject. She states that she hopes he’ll be better for school tomorrow. It would be horrible for this illness to affect his time at AAA. He, personally, doesn’t seem all that concerned.

INT. FOSTER HOME - ISADORA’S ROOM - NIGHT

Isadora is on the phone, blocking out her foster siblings as she attempts to talk to Maya. The latter is giving her reassurance, reminding her that they went over her audition a hundred times and she’s going to kill it. No sweat. When Isadora asks what she’s planning to do for her audition, Maya plays coy and says it’s a surprise. Only time will tell, won’t it?

After they hang up, CATHERINA GONZALEZ enters and makes a comment about it’s nice to be let back into her own room. Isadora sneers at her sass, Catherina asking who the hell she was even talking to.

Catherina: It didn’t sound like Lucas.

Isadora: I have other friends, you know.

Catherina: [ with a scoff ] Since when?

Isadora opts to go back to tuning Catherina out, focusing on a different conversation. It’s a text conversation with her mother, Valerie De La Cruz. The last message that Isadora sent is an audio message, and from the message Valerie sent in reply it must be a recording of her audition.

Valerie expresses high praise, lauding how great she sounds and how her training is already shining through. She assures her that she’s going to ace this “audition” -- just don’t forget to breathe! Use diaphragm breaths! Isadora absorbs the sentiment again, taking it to heart.

INT. MAYA’S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Maya is crashed in her loft bed, having just hung up with Isadora. She hangs on her phone, scrolling through her other conversations. She hesitates when she sees Farkle, the last time they texted being as far back as summer. It wasn’t a very long or good conversation, and they’ve been silent since.

But now, she breaks the stalemate. She types a new message with a scowl on her face, obviously not pleased with his disappearance.

INT. MINKUS HOME - FARKLE’S ROOM - NIGHT

Farkle gets the message just as he’s climbing back into bed, about to go back to sleep. The message is simple, straight-forward, and gets the message across: “You really blew everything up, and now you won’t even come back to face it? Coward.”

As he reads, some of that natural manic spark we’re so familiar with seems to return to Farkle’s eyes. He may be a mess, and he may not be up for a scrap, but he most certainly is not going to get talked down to by Maya Penelope Hart.

He throws the blankets off of him, getting to his feet with renewed purpose.

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

Farkle isn’t the only one on the warpath. Riley is in hot pursuit of the techies, trying to get them to talk to her so she can start piecing together a way to reconnect with them. But all of them are freezing her out, albeit some more effectively than others.

JADE BEAMON is horrible at avoiding her, and she can’t even make eye contact as she jogs away from her. JEFF MONROE makes up an excuse, stating if he doesn’t set up the lighting booth, well, who will? NATE MARTINEZ lies and claims he’s running late for class, even though Riley points out that they have fifteen minutes until first bell.

Nate: Late to be early. I like to be punctual. Punctually punctual. Okay, see you later.

When she finally reaches Dave, he is by far the worst at subtlety.

Riley: Could you at least explain why you’re all running from me?

Dave: We’re not running.

Riley: Dave, we’re literally speedwalking like soccer moms right now. What is going on?

Dave: I can’t say.

Riley: Sure you can. We can talk about whatever it is --

Dave: No, Lucas and Isadora said we’re not supposed to talk to you. That’s the whole point. And now I’m fucking it up -- come on, Dave!

He marches onward, leaving Riley even more confused and more than a little stung. Ouch. But she’s not going to give up that easily.

INT. AAA - ERIC’S OFFICE - DAY

Shawn is pacing, lamenting how doesn’t know how he’s going to handle this new teaching arrangement. He and Harper are not on the same page, and he has no idea how to communicate with her. She doesn’t know how things work around here. It’s all a mess. It’s not going to work.

Eric: It’s been one day, Shawn.

Still, Shawn claims he cannot get through these drills and auditions without someone he knows he can rely on there to keep things running. He needed someone who knows what they’re doing, so he called in for back up.

Before Eric can verbally ask for clarification, as if on cue ANGELA MOORE flurries into the office. She’s frazzled, wondering if everyone is okay. Shawn said there was an emergency. Eric rolls his eyes.

Eric: No, your grown man of a boyfriend is just a big baby.

Shawn clearly resents the implication, but Angela is totally lost. Eric gives her the quick rundown of the situation, also pointing out that this certainly won’t make Harper feel like her authority is being undermined.

Angela gives Shawn a disdainful look, but ultimately agrees to stick around for drills. It was nice to come back into the halls of AAA, surprisingly. So she’ll help where she can.

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

Charlie is at his locker, chatting with Haley and Clarissa. They tell him that they need to go get changed for drills, but they’ll see him in rehearsal. He nods them on their way, grabbing his things and getting ready to go himself.

But someone bumps into his locker and makes him drop his books, everything tumbling to the floor at their feet. Both of them immediately drop down to start picking things up, Charlie only lifting his head when the person apologizes.

It’s Zay. He offers another apology and helps collect the books, Charlie speechless for a second before assuring him it’s fine. They both rise back to their feet, Zay offering an awkward smile as he hands the books back to him.

His touch lingers. Charlie meets his eyes, and a tacit exchange passes between them. It’s hard to tell where they stand -- are they back to being acquaintances? Is this some kind of weird game? Or did they truly leave the summer on an uneven foot?

Either way, the tension of whatever kind is palpable. Zay says he’ll see him in class, passing him by and heading down the hall. Charlie takes a deep breath, closing his eyes and taking a moment before closing his locker.

EXT. AAA - DAY

Farkle makes his triumphant march back into school, returned to his former blazer glory… sort of. He’s nowhere near as put together as he was at the beginning of sophomore year, his hair barely combed and still all over the place. He looks more exhausted than impassioned, but he’s nothing if not dedicated to the dream.

Glaring up at the institution, he stomps up the steps and through the doors as the jaunty drill piano riff leads us in…

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “I Hope I Get It” as performed by A Chorus Line Original Broadway Cast || Performed by AAA Juniors (feat. Angela Moore)

Matching the frenzy of the Broadway classic, Angela leads the performing students through an intense and fast-paced routine for drills. The opening sequence alone feels like a true return to form, and from the get-go the sense is clear that everything is going to be heightened this season, especially the singing and dancing.

Farkle takes the first solo about “needing this job.” As the ballet combination sequence ensues, the section is split between the junior girls performing the dance and the techie crew each giving their “auditions.”

Jade displays some of the costume pieces she created for the shows in the past, as well as projects she worked on over the summer. Dylan enthusiastically plays his guitar, as well as giving an excited speech of some kind that involves a lot of jumping around. Asher sits on the edge of the stage and shows off set designs he did for the last four productions.

Nate coolly shrugs and clearly makes a point of wondering why they have to be doing this at all, yet still obliging. Jeff waves at them from the lighting booth, doing all the work. Dave haphazardly wields a power tool and gabs on about all the set building he does, Eric, Jack, and Harper ready to hide behind their notepads in self-defense just in case.

When Angela beckons the boys to come forward, Farkle takes center stage with Zay on his left and Charlie his right. Zay tosses a glare to Farkle, who gives him a snide look in return. Charlie glances to Zay. Then Angela counts them in, sending them on a tight, impressive run through of the complicated routine.

As the girls are beckoned back to join, Maya steps back up next to Farkle. They exchange derisive stares, before putting more energy into the routine than ever before. Riley is managing to keep up after a year at AAA, but Isadora is clearly struggling.

On the last verse, the junior class makes their way to the front of the stage. Each blare of the horn sends one of the main players dropping into a crouch and spinning away from the front (the students behind them following suit), until it’s just Charlie standing in the center.

He takes the delicate final solo (“Who am I anyway? Am I my resume?”), seemingly frozen in time against his fellow classmates. As he steps cautiously forward...

INT. GARDNER HOME - LIVING ROOM - DAY

Charlie is in front of his family fireplace, staring at the perfect photos on the mantle (“That is a picture of a person I don’t know.”)

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

The rest of the number is split between scrutinizing his own image and the stage, Charlie carefully stepping around the crouched shadows of his peers as to not make a disturbance.

He sings the last line wistfully, staring out at the stage lights and emphatically declaring how much he wants to remain at AAA (“I need this job, oh God, I need this show…”). Seems like there will be much to explore with the resident prince charming this season…

INT. AAA - GIRLS DRESSING ROOM - DAY

All the girls are lamenting the drills, complaining about how dumb the whole reaudition process is. Isadora is so exhausted, she doesn’t even have the energy to join in. While everyone else is merely vexed, she has so much catching up to do. The pressure is definitely catching up to her.

Maya asks if she’s okay, but she states she’s just overwhelmed and needs some space and quiet for a bit. She respects this, backing off and heading out with the others.

Isadora paces the confines of the dressing room, but it’s not calming to her. It’s not her place. She changes tracks, going in search of a safer place.

INT. AAA - CATWALK - DAY

From the top of the catwalk, Isadora can be above it all for a moment again. Isolated, protected, back where she belongs. She settles onto the metal walkway and looks out towards the house, gazing towards the empty booth with its dark windows. Emptier than it should be.

Pulling out her phone, she goes to her message thread with Lucas. The last couple of texts have been her, asking where he is and if he’s coming to school. Unanswered.

Dissatisfied, Isadora opts to make a call instead. It goes to voicemail, which she clearly isn’t surprised by. She debates hanging up, then decides to wait for the beep to signal her message.

Isadora: Hey, it’s Dora. Again. Just wondering where the fuck you are and why you’re ghosting me? Or just ghosting in general, I guess. You need to come back, they’re doing this weird reaudition thing and if you don’t participate… I don’t know. I don’t know what’ll happen. But things are changing around here, and I don’t think you want to get left behind. I know how you hate that. Also… I need you here. I need you to come back, or at least tell me you’re okay. [ A beat, then in frustration. ] Mostly, I need you to answer your damn phone.

She hangs up, releasing an exhausted sigh. She tilts her head back against the rail, closing her eyes and settling into the quiet.

INT. AAA - BLACK BOX THEATER - DAY

Angela makes her way into the black box theater, exhaling a happy sigh as she steps back into her former domain. Shawn is on her heels, disrupting Harper as she continues to set up her classroom during lunch break.

Angela makes a point of introducing herself, obviously intending for no bad blood between the two women. Harper seems willing to meet her at that level, holding clear respect for her and commending her ability to handle this job so long and so well. But she shoots a pointed jab in Shawn’s direction, pointing out that a heads up about her arrival would’ve been nice.

It’s evident that Shawn and Harper are not going to make easy collaborators.

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

Farkle is heading to his locker, nearly running into Riley on the way. They make tentative eye contact, but when Farkle starts to say something she moves past him without allowing him the chance. The dismissal stings, especially from Riley, but he can’t very well blame her.

Facing his locker, he’s startled to find Maya there waiting for him, although her greeting is far from friendly. She glowers at him, questioning why he even bothered to come back.

Farkle: Oh, oh, sorry, was that Degrassi-style text you sent yesterday a butt dial? Was I not supposed to interpret “coward” as a challenge, or what other convoluted mixed message were you attempting to convey?

It’s clear that Maya doesn’t know what she wants from him either. She searches for something to say but comes up short, instead warning him to stay the hell out of her way before ramming into him as she storms past him. Farkle takes the hit, smiling sardonically and glancing over his shoulder to watch her go.

Once she’s gone, he opens his locker. It’s startling to see it as almost a time capsule from the year before, as he never bothered to clean it out after the fallout. Remnants of how things used to be are all over -- photos of him and Maya, mementos from the lighter parts of the school year, a playbill from Les Mis.

All of that, completely useless now. He remains passive, grabbing his books as the opening chords of his audition song fade in…

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Dancing With Myself” as performed by Glee Cast || Performed by Farkle Minkus

Starting in the hallway by himself, Farkle kicks off his reaudition by sauntering through the halls on his own. He snaps his fingers as he wanders backwards through the hallway, lightly grooving to the beat as he carries us through the first third of the song.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

Things take on a bit of a surrealist slant as Farkle transitions to the auditorium, now on the stage. Only he’s not alone -- the rest of the core students (Riley, Maya, Zay, Charlie, Isadora) are frozen on stage, almost like wax figures rather than themselves. He dances around them as he continues, emphasizing how he’s essentially being frozen out of their lives.

During the bridge, the others disappear as the lights go down on each of them. Eventually it’s just Farkle in the middle of the stage with a light shining down from directly above, casting him in shadow as he sings the last “Cause it’ll give me… time to think.”

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

As he rounds out the final chorus, Farkle is back in the hallway again on his way to class. He’s constantly overlooked or ignored as people pass him by, literally getting bumped into a couple of times without apology. He doesn’t even seem bothered, taking the stride with a blank, somewhat neutral smile on his face.

He disappears around a corner, focus shifting as Isadora catches up to Dylan and Asher outside the doors to the auditorium. She corners them both, claiming that she knows they know where Lucas is. They can’t bullshit her, although they weakly refute it.

Irritation aside, Isadora tells them that they better make sure he gets the message about the audition bullshit. Also, he should really fucking answer his phone.

Then, attempting to break the awkwardness, she asks how the techie side of things are going now that she’s spending her time with the performers. They assure her that all is well, nothing new, and she has to accept that. While it seems like nothing is going to change between Isadora and her former crew, there’s a lot of room for her absence to make waves…

INT. AAA - BLACK BOX THEATER - DAY

Farkle pokes his head in after school, swinging by to pick up the start of term paperwork he missed from Harper. They exchange more formal introductions, although it is clear neither of them are all that impressed by the other.

Harper comments on Farkle’s absence from the first day, insinuating that it doesn’t indicate great work ethic. She hopes he proves her wrong. He makes a flippant retort about how he didn’t realize illness was suddenly a punishable offense, and she is not pleased with it. If there’s a surefire way to start off on a bad foot, the two of them have found it.

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

As Farkle is making his way out, he runs into Angela. For the no good day he’s having, it’s honestly nice to see her again. Angela treats him just as warmly as she always did even in his worst moments, asking him how things are going and if he’s feeling better -- she heard he missed the first day.

He brushes off the concern, instead changing the subject to her Off-Broadway rehearsal process. She invites him to walk with her, the two of them heading down the hall as she starts to recount what the experience has been like.

It’s the most at peace Farkle has seemed since our return.

INT. CHUBBIE’S DINER - DAY

KATY HART is working hard behind the counter, but food is not her focus. She’s hunched over the countertop with a calculator, crunching the numbers on bills. Her expression conveys the distress she’s feeling over the ordeal. When Maya shows up, she frantically hides it all away, putting on her usual smile as her daughter hops up onto a stool at the counter to talk to her.

Maya spares a second to talk about the idiocy of the reaudition thing, offhandedly complains about Lucas’s obnoxious absence as well as Farkle’s infamous return, and then eagerly swaps topics. She explains this outing that she, Zay, Charlie, Izzy, and Yindra want to do next weekend. It costs some money -- not a lot, but worth noting -- so she’s wondering if she’ll be able to go. Can they afford it?

Despite what we saw earlier, Katy offers another loving smile and says they’ll figure it out. Seems Riley isn’t the only one dealing in denial.

EXT. LUCAS’S APARTMENT - DAY

On the opposite end of Manhattan, Isadora is marching down Lucas’s street. She buzzes herself into the shabby building.

INT. LUCAS’S APARTMENT - HALL - DAY

Once she reaches his apartment, it’s not him who answers the door, but rather GRACE FRIAR. She is tense, distracted as Isadora attempts to have a conversation with her about whether or not Lucas is home. She keeps checking over her shoulder, and she’s absentmindedly adjusting the collar of her blouse to make sure it’s covering her collarbone. Isadora has to keep bringing her focus back, pushing more and more as she appears to be more of a dead end.

After a certain point, she gives Isadora a warning look.

Grace: Lucas isn’t here. I think you should really get going.

The tone of her words is pretty hard to misunderstand, so Isadora takes heed and heads out. But she’s clearly frustrated, retreating with no more answers than before.

EXT. LUCAS’S APARTMENT - DAY

As Isadora descends the steps to the building, she finally makes a break through. She glances down the street just as LUCAS FRIAR is skulking back home, backpack on his shoulder although he clearly wasn’t at school.

They lock eyes, surprise and recognition coloring both of their features. Then Isadora sighs, expression shifting to a frustrated glare.

EXT. TOMPKINS SQUARE PARK - DAY

Lucas and Isadora have relocated to the park a couple of blocks from his apartment. She sits cross-legged on a picnic table bench while he sits on the ground with his knees pulled up, not looking at her as he rips blades of grass.

For what it’s worth, he doesn’t seem to have changed much since we last saw him. But considering the state that was, broken down in the booth, that’s not necessarily a good thing. He’s in his usual dark ensemble and sporting a snapback, black with a deep blue band. He has a brace on his left wrist, and although the reason why remains unstated, it goes without saying it’s probably not great.

Isadora is filling the silence, methodically explaining the reaudition process with far more detail than Lucas wants or needs. She starts to discuss how he’s going to need to throw something together, but he interrupts by tersely stating that he told her not to come to his apartment.

She fires back, acknowledging that agreement but claiming its null and void when he decides to drop off the fucking face of the Earth. He wasn’t answering her messages or calls. She didn’t know what else to do, or what to think. The reasons he doesn’t want her over are the exact reasons she had to come check that he was simply being a jackass rather than something worse.

Isadora: Look, I get… I get wanting to avoid everything. I get wanting space, you know I do. But to go completely off the grid is a whole other thing, and then [ with a scoff ] to keep Asher and Dylan in the loop and not me? The tweedledum and tweedledummer of our crew?

Lucas: [ warningly ] Hey, don’t --

Isadora: I’m sorry. I’m sorry, but that’s insane. That’s bullshit.

Lucas: Well you wouldn’t have wanted to know what we were up to anyway, so.

Isadora claims that’s not the point, the conversation dead-ending again. Silence settles over them. Finally, Isadora sighs.

Isadora: You cannot just ghost like that. You know what people suddenly disappearing does to me, Lucas.

Lucas: … I know. I’m sorry.

[ Another pointed silence. He still won’t look at her. She shakes her head. ]

Isadora: Listen, I’m sorry that things didn’t work out the way you wanted them to. I’m sorry shit sucks. It does. And I know you’re pissed about McCullough, but are you really going to blow the only other option you have? [ a beat ] More than that, are you really going to let Farkle Minkus have the last word?

Nothing is more powerful a motivator than spite, as Farkle himself can attest. Now that seems to spark something in Lucas. Not necessarily a good spark, but it’s better than nothing.

INT. AAA - JACK’S OFFICE - DAY

Eric swings by Jack’s office the next morning to confer, only to discover he’s not alone. He accidentally walks in on Jack exchanging a goodbye kiss with his new girlfriend, ANNE MARIE WINTHROP (38). She’s fair-haired, rather pretty, and carries herself with an air of composure and authority that Jack himself puts out.

Eric profusely apologizes but Jack waves him off, quickly introducing the two. Anne Marie accepts Eric’s hand shake, the latter nervously stumbling into a goofy greeting.

Eric: Anne Marie. Oh. Two names for the price of one, huh? Good deal!

Jack makes a face, obviously wondering why his usually tactful counselor is being so weird. Anne Marie takes it in stride, claiming he’s no bother at all and that she was just heading out. She confirms with Jack that he’ll meet her at the office for dinner, then gives them both a wave farewell. Seems like a lovely gal!

Jack asks Eric what he’s got, and he explains that the auditions are going relatively well given that the students absolutely hate them. He’s more unsettled by what he’s observed of the Shawn and Harper dynamic, as he has no idea how that partnership is going to fare without Angela there to smooth things over.

Jack defends his hiring of Harper, and both of them agree that transitions like these mostly just take time to set. The other news Eric has is much more pertinent and promises some real potential friction.

Because guess who’s back and ready to thrash...

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

The class has assembled, there to witness Lucas’s grand return to AAA. He’s standing center stage, a covered object placed on a couple of acting blocks beside him.

He first gives a small speech about how this whole audition process is bullshit and made specifically to punish a subsection of the class, so it’s not fair that he and the techies have to go through the motions.

Lucas: But then, when has anyone ever cared about the techies? This seems just about typical. I’d refuse to do it in protest, especially considering I’m the only multi-faceted technician aside from Dora and it would truly be a self-inflicted bullet wound if they expelled me...

Maya: God, if only.

Lucas: But I’ve already orchestrated one school-wide revolt, so whatever, I’ll play along.

Thusly, Lucas removes the tarp from his project, revealing a scaled-down diorama of the auditorium featuring little replicas the typical AAA junior class. A production design / tactile display, in a sense.

Nigel: Oh my God, you made little voodoo dolls.

Maybe so, Nigel. Maybe so. He also has commentary to go with the presentation, and suffice to say, it’s far from tame.

Lucas: So here’s Hart standing center stage and soaking up all the spotlight. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the time to add vocal tracks -- actually, I just didn’t care -- so just imagine a cat screeching bloody murder and you’ll get the full effect.

Maya looks like she’s about to commit murder. Isadora grimaces.

Lucas: This is Dave over here -- he’s holding pizza even though we’re not supposed to eat in the auditorium.

Dave: [ touched ] He knows me so well. :’)

The techies are far more amused by the whole thing than the performers. Charlie leans forward, squinting to get a better look.

Charlie: Do I not have a face?

Lucas: Oh, do you not? [ glancing to check ] Well. That can’t be a subconscious message, can it?

Once he’s run the full gamut, one creative choice becomes pointedly clear.

Darby: Where’s Riley?

Lucas: Oh.

[ Lucas glances at the diorama where she is clearly left out. Then he looks right at her, completely deadpan. ]

Lucas: Guess I forgot her.

Yikes. Riley tries not to let it get to her. She chews her lip, maintaining a neutral expression.

INT. AAA - CAFETERIA - DAY

Farkle faces the lunch room shuffle, pausing by the entrance and scanning for where to plant himself. He eyes his former table where Maya, Zay, and Riley are currently situated… and opts to go in the other direction given the way Maya is glaring at him.

He takes an isolated seat at the other end of the table where Clarissa, Haley, and Darby are chatting. They’re discussing how much it’s going to suck now that Isadora is joining the ranks of the performers, as she’ll likely eat up any of the slim chances they had at getting good solos. Farkle is shocked by this news.

Farkle: I’m sorry, what?

Haley: Um, eavesdrop much?

Farkle: Smackle is joining our class? You can’t be serious.

Darby: That’s what happens when you miss the first day. Miss all the new developments.

Clarissa: Why do you even care, Farkle? It’s not like she’s really a threat for a tenor.

Haley: Oh, he doesn’t care about that. He’s just worried she’ll beat him out for other opportunities since he’s determined himself the most deserving.

Farkle rolls his eyes, suddenly not at all interested in eating. He seems more perturbed by this development than he maybe should be, but it’s not clear why.

Haley: Just don’t make another tantrum video, okay?

Clarissa: Yeah, we’ve had enough drama for a lifetime thanks to you.

He shoots them a glare, getting to his feet. He tosses his lunch without eating it, marching out of the cafeteria.

EXT. AAA - LUNCH COURTYARD - DAY

The techie table seems to be mostly back in order with Lucas back in their ranks. All seems to be well and good again… until Jade makes the mistake of innocently asking Isadora what her reaudition song is going to be. Lucas is disturbed by the notion.

Lucas: Why are you performing? You know you don’t have to do that, right? You can do something else. They can’t make you perform.

Isadora: … yes, I know. The thing is --

Before Isadora can break the news, Yindra interrupts. She pulls that Hermione-Granger-I’m-not-an-owl nonsense, and poorly delivers a message of Maya that it would be smart for all of them to attend her reaudition after lunch.

Yindra: I was chosen as the best representative to come bearing the… holy gospel… that Maya intends to knock all of our socks… no, she said something about water too --

Asher: Aren’t you an actor? You’re supposed to be good at memorizing stuff.

Yindra: Not when it’s nonsense.

Lucas: Get on with it, Yindra.

Yindra: Basically, Maya wants you all there for her reaudition. Specifically.

Nate: [ with a snort ] Why? As if we care about Broadway Barbie’s five hundredth solo?

Yindra: I’m just telling you what she told me. She has some… things she wants to say.

Ominous, but effective. Dylan and Asher look to Lucas, waiting to see what he does next.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

And so the techies show up, along with just about everyone else in their class. Maya eagerly takes the stage, delivering her first diva look of the season and confidently proclaiming that she’s about to set the tone for the rest of the year -- the year of Maya Hart.

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Sue Me” as performed by Sabrina Carpenter || Performed by Maya Hart

Aside from an absolute bop and an impressive display of vocal chops, the things that Maya intends to say with her reaudition become pretty clear. She’s back with renewed fire as promised, and the number serves as a big “fuck you” to everyone who has wronged her or is pissing her off.

Namely, Lucas and Farkle. Maya basically sings the line “I know it’s hard to see me on when you’ve been off as hell / But I’m not gonna dull myself because you dull yourself” directly to Lucas, shrugging him off and flipping her hair over her shoulder with a flourish.

While it’s an undeniable good show and such a banger, and a majority of the class seems to be enjoying it, Farkle looks miserable. He slouches in his seat, gritting his teeth.

INT. AAA - DRESSING ROOM HALL - DAY

Farkle is hanging around in the hall, managing to catch Isadora just before her audition. She seems surprised he’s talking to her, until his intentions become clear -- he’s trying to convince her not to go through with it.

His motivations seem pretty transparent, and Isadora doesn’t hesitate to tell him to take a hike. She’s got enough doubt surrounding this decision, she doesn’t need him to echo it too just so he doesn’t have to have a little more competition. Still, certain things he says to try and convince her hint that maybe his intentions are more complex than they seem.

Farkle: Think about it. You hate the performers. You hate the way we act, how selfish we are, how nothing matters but the spotlight. Do you really want to dive right into the middle of that shallow pool?

Isadora: That’s funny, coming from you.

Farkle: Exactly. [ a beat ] Do you really want to end up like me?

There’s a chilling thought. Isadora hesitates, matching his glare… but no. She’s not taking any shit. Isadora is done letting people dictate which direction she’s allowed to go, and she’s not letting anyone stop her -- least of all Farkle Minkus.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Don’t Rain On My Parade” as performed by Glee Cast || Performed by Isadora De La Cruz

Isadora bursts through the doors to the wings, marching into the limelight as she launches into an impassioned rendition of the belter classic. She’s singing deep from the soul, pouring everything she’s got onto the stage for the chance to be taken seriously. And boy, is it a compelling plea.

All of the techies are there to support her, as well as Maya and Zay. Riley is also present, although she’s somewhat isolated from the others. Still, she has a proud smile on her face as Isadora commands the stage.

INT. AAA - TECHNICIAN’S BOOTH - DAY

Lucas isn’t with the rest of the crew, hidden away in the booth and watching from above. Although his best friend is inarguably dynamite, he doesn’t look thrilled as she wraps up her performance.

INT. BABINEAUX HOME - ZAY’S ROOM - DAY

Zay is back at home, destressing from the week and touching up his hair in the mirror. He’s dressed in the same outfit we saw from the opening, so it’s evident his audition was also today.

He’s going on and on about how ridiculous the whole process is, making fun of the “we’ll let you know” tomfoolery of it all. It seems as though he’s just thinking out loud… until someone else joins in the exchange, jokingly stating that it would be “bananas” for them to kick him out, and he knows it. Zay cracks a smile, glancing at his reflection before looking over his shoulder…

At Charlie, seated cross-legged on his bed and watching him nitpick himself. He looks relaxed, far more comfortable and natural than we’ve seen him thus far. He props his chin on his hands, looking Zay over before raising his eyebrows to accent the point.

Given the way they banter back and forth about the auditions, it’s clear that Zay and Charlie now have a familiar rapport. Zay saunters over and settles down onto the bed next to him, nudging him playfully and leaning in rather close. Charlie doesn’t seem at all shaken by the proximity, nausea a long-forgotten side effect.

Zay alludes to how they spent a majority of the summer together after his return from Kossal, clarifying some of the gaps in their development.

Charlie: If I think you’re still worth keeping around after three months, I don’t see how they would get rid of you after three years.

Zay: Well, to be fair, the... talents that I’m sharing with you are a little more convincing than my dancing.

[ Charlie makes a face, scrunching his nose. Zay gasps in faux offense. ]

Zay: Are you shading my romantic prowess? [ at Charlie’s shrug ] Or do you just really love dance.

Charlie: [ grinning ] I think I just really love dance. But uh… [ glancing at his lips ] show me again what I’m judging?

Zay smirks, leaning forward to give him a kiss. The moment lingers, Charlie smiling in spite of himself.

Charlie: Oh, yeah. Right. That’s pretty good.

Zay: Uh-huh, yeah, sure.

The two of them kiss again, descending into laughter as they fall back against the mattress. The long and short of it is crystal clear -- Zay and Charlie are officially together.

INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY

Riley jogs after Dylan and Asher, desperate to break through the embargo in any way possible. She basically begs the two of them to hear her out, pulling them aside by the dressing room doors and out of the way of other students. She requests just two minutes of their time, which they grant. It’s clear neither of them are all that keen about the situation.

Finally being heard, Riley laments how stupid this whole situation is. She explains that she never meant to hurt anybody, especially considering the thing wasn’t even her words, and especially not Lucas.

Riley: You both know I was never… it wasn’t fake. Not for me. You guys have to know that.

[ Asher and Dylan exchange a look. ]

Riley: And I know that you’re talking to him, so could you just…

She trails off, able to tell from their expressions that they’re not going to be much help. They believe her, but it’s not their opinion that makes a difference. Even if they did tell him what she just told them -- if they haven’t already -- there’s little chance it would make a difference.

Still, they seem genuinely sympathetic. Asher reaches out and touches her arm, frowning.

Asher: I’m sorry, Riley. Really.

She meets his eyes, giving him a resigned nod. She watches them walk away, left alone in the hallway as everyone continues on their business around her.

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Reason Why” as performed by Rachael Yamagata || Performed by Riley Matthews

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

Riley delivers a sobering take on their current straits for her reaudition, alone under a single spotlight on the stage. No fanfare, no glitz -- just her and her emotions, as she operates best. The lyrics truly cut, her vocals tearing through them given how difficult the last few months have been. It’s a pertinent song for the world they exist in now, and her rendition of it is chilling.

Only a few other people are present, mainly Zay and Charlie as well as a couple of other stray classmates. The techies are nowhere to be found, Lucas most notably, though unsurprisingly.

When the song wraps, even the judging panel is feeling the low mood. Eric thanks Riley, barely getting the sentiment out before she dashes her way off stage.

Zay and Charlie exchange a look.

INT. AAA - TECHNICIAN’S BOOTH - DAY

Isadora finds Lucas in the booth later, the latter clearly having an off start to the school year. He’s oddly cold to her as she attempts to start a conversation, so she pokes at him to try and figure out what the hell is up with him. He coolly points out that she certainly didn’t tell him about her plans to jump to the other side of the tracks.

Isadora: Is that what this is about? Seriously? [ off his shrug ] I’m … I’m going to do both. You can do both.

Lucas: [ with a snort ] Okay.

When she pushes him on it, he brings up all of the contrary arguments to the decision that she’s been trying to ignore. The piss poor track record of the collective performer attitude. The cut-throat nature. The fact that she has no proper training and is leagues behind, which is only going to make her more overwhelmed.

When he brings up Valerie, it’s a bridge too far.

Lucas: Or what about how your mom literally dumped you because she cared more about the spotlight than raising her child? And you really want to follow in those footsteps --

Isadora, snapping: So you don’t speak to me for days, and now you’re offering your input? Now you think it’s cool to just waltz back in and say whatever the fuck you want?

A harsh dig, but a valid one. Lucas backs off, obviously unprepared for her sharp reaction. Both of them end up back under silence, not sure what to say next. Their exchange is softer when they speak again.

Lucas: I didn’t… I’m just looking out for you.

Isadora: I know.

Lucas: I didn’t mean to upset you, or whatever.

Isadora: Well, okay.

Lucas: Okay.

But it doesn’t really feel okay. Things are changing just like Isadora said they were, but perhaps even more than either of them recognized. And more than either of them know how to handle.

INT. AAA - PROP LOFT - DAY

Zay climbs his way up to the prop loft, startling Riley. She’s curled up by the shelf of set decor pieces, crying and growing embarrassed once she realizes she’s been caught. She starts to wipe her eyes and make up an excuse but Zay doesn’t harp on it, simply walking over and settling down next to her.

Riley: [ wiping her eyes, huffing ] Sorry.

Zay: What are you apologizing to me for? I’m the one who disrupted your space.

Riley laughs a little, even though nothing is funny. Zay doesn’t pressure her, but he’s there. Available to talk, if she wants to talk.

After a bout of quiet, Riley explains that this situation is harder for her than it probably should be. She states that this whole experience is reminiscent of things she’s already been through, going on to confide in Zay that reason she transferred to Adams in sophomore year was because of the intense bullying she endured at her former school.

Riley: Don’t get me wrong, I’d still much rather be here. And the situations aren’t really all that similar. But the feeling… going back to being isolated because of something that really doesn’t have anything to do with me, just because, it’s --

Zay: Just because it’s marginally better doesn’t make this experience hurt any less.

Riley could certainly use the validation. She nods, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

Zay notes that he’s no stranger to bullying, growing up Black and queer. But he reassures Riley that he’s going to be there for her -- she’s not isolated. She’s not going through it alone. Everything else can fall apart, but he’s not going anywhere.

Riley smiles, nodding gratefully. Zay puts his arm around her and she leans into his shoulder, the two of them taking in the peace and allowing it to hurt. Letting the hurt happen, before they have to rebuild again.

INT. AAA - ERIC’S OFFICE - DAY

The faculty five are assembled in Eric’s office, discussing the auditions and how they want to maneuver where things go from here on out. None of them are getting cut, of course, but they need to decide how to effectively get the message across with the announcement that that doesn’t mean there’s a free pass for more bullshit.

Case in point, Jack reiterates the point that they are lucky to be here. All of them are, and that’s what he wants this whole experiment to drive home. They had to fight for their spot again, and they should remember to cherish how privileged they are to have these opportunities even when things get tense.

INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY

So that’s the message Harper delivers when she informs the assembled junior class that no one will be getting asked to leave. They all stand together on the stage as she gives a heartwarming speech about how lucky they all are to be in this position, and she hopes they remember that as they move through the challenges of this year. It’s a moving argument.

This sentiment goes over less smoothly in execution, however, as the juniors are pissed that the whole thing was just some elaborate mind game that they exerted time and energy towards. The jabs thrown around escalate, until somehow it all comes back to blaming Farkle for how the entire thing is his fault because of his stupid meltdown video.

Finally having had enough, Farkle snaps. He essentially gives a live show of the aforementioned meltdown, railing about how it’s bullshit that he’s getting the blame for everything when they’re all just as bitter and petty as he is. Sure, he sent in the video and yes, he shouldn’t have said the things he did, but all of them also submitted rude posts about one another. They all sent in bullshit for their own selfish reasons -- whether to tear down someone else or prop themselves up. Charlie casts a nervous glance to Riley, who avoids eye contact with him.

Harper is unimpressed with Farkle’s tirade, but she’s even more overwhelmed with how to bring this trainwreck back on track. Angela takes the reins instead, stepping forward and attempting to rally home Jack’s point that they should all feel lucky to be here.

Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Show People” as performed by Curtains Original Broadway Cast || Performed by Jack Hunter & Angela Moore (feat. AAA Juniors) (starting at 00:30)

[ Lyrics specific to characters -- follow along here! ]

Specifics of the situation modified, Angela covers the opening bit of the song in essentially trying to guilt and bully the junior class into realizing they’re being ridiculous.

When she claims the show must go on and they call horseshit, Jack steps up to take the soapbox. He elaborates how not only are they lucky to be here, they’re lucky to be performers at all. People all around the world wish they were in their shoes, people would kill to be where they are right now with all this talent and opportunity at their fingertips. Surrounded by other talented, passionate people. Doing what they love.

Of course, it’s appealing to that intrinsic love of the art that starts to win people over. First Angela and Jack carry the song, but then students begin to join in. Nigel, then Yindra. Yogi has the bad joke about tree surgeons.

For once, it’s clear that the junior class is having fun again. It’s also the first taste we’re getting of the full ensemble at work, the techies participating in the performance just as much as the rest. This season Harper said there would be more crossover, and that promise will indeed hold true!

About five minutes in, the performers come together in a kick line and declare that they are, in fact, show people. There’s a sense of unity for the first time all season, this rooted passion unlike any other that ties all of them together in spite of everything else.

As Angela takes the last few “and on” notes, she dances with a few key groups. Charlie and Zay are standing together in a half-circle with Yindra and Nigel, exchanging a playful look with Angela as she sings with them. Then she flutters over to the techie crew, pulling them back into the number with a flourish.

On the final, climactic repetition of the chorus, the entire ensemble is up on stage participating. Yes, all of them. As they march towards the front of the stage, Angela leading the charge, she makes one final definitive stomp that sends us smashing to black.

This is it! Round 2!

END OF EPISODE.

#s2 #episodes #this is it! round 2! #201