#Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Plot

[historyhermann]

Unicorn: Warriors Eternal Spoiler-Filled Review

Unicorn: Warriors Eternal is a mature supernatural fantasy comedy with steampunk elements. Genndy Tartakovsky, who is well-known in the animation industry, is the director and creator. He is best known for Dexter's Laboratory, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Sym-Bionic Titan, and Samurai Jack, and more recently, Primal. This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, Unicorn: Warriors Eternal, being reviewed here, wouldn't exist.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the forty-first article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on July 24, 2023.

This series has a simple plot: a group of heroes are inadvertently awakened by Copernicus, a steam-powered robot, in bodies of three teenagers (Emma, Alfie, and Dimitri), rather than in bodies of adults, like in the past. These heroes are opposed by a mysterious foxlike woman (voiced by Grey DeLisle), who embodies evil.

Unicorn: Warriors Eternal drew me in as a person who enjoyed watching Star Wars: Clone Wars as a kid (and have re-watched it various times), and liked Samurai Jack and Sym-Bionic Titan. Voice actors like Jacob Dudman (voice of Edred) who voiced two characters in Primal, and DeLisle, voice of the mysterious woman and the original Melinda, strengthen this series.

Delisle is well-known for her work in animation, including voicing characters in Invincible, Kid Cosmic, The Owl House, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, DC Super Hero Girls, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Elena of Avalor, Star Wars Rebels, The Legend of Korra, Young Justice, and My Life as a Teenage Robot. In contrast, Hazel Doupe, the voice of Emma in this series, is unique. This is her first voice role, as she has only done live-action series before.

I wasn't as familiar with Jeremy Crutchley, Demari Hunte, Alain Uly, Tom Milligan, Ron Bottita, or George Webster, the voices of Merlin, Alfie, Seng, Lord Edward Fairfax, and Winston in Unicorn: Warriors Eternal. I say this even though Crutchley voiced Glad-One and One in Infinity Train, and Uly as Lieutenant Maylur and two stormtroopers in Star Wars: The Bad Batch.

Others, such as Hunte, Milligan, Bottita, Webster, appear to be new to voice work. Rosalind Ayres (voice of Lord Katherine Fairfax) previously voiced characters in video games while Robbie Daymond (voice of various one-off characters) lent his voice to the notorious Curious Cat in Volume 9 of RWBY! He voiced Jesse in Infinity Train season 2, Raymond in OK K.O. Let's Be Heroes!, and many other English dubs of anime characters.

The steampunk setting in Victorian London, in 1890, in this series, reminded me of Steamland in Disenchantment, the upper city in Arcane, or the similarly steampunk action anime, Princess Principal, which spawned a multi-part film series. The steampunk genre has even reached into indie animation and comics. It includes films like Snowpiercer, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Howl's Moving Castle, along with animated series like Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water and The Legend of Korra. I am even reminded of an unaired 2001 pilot for Constant Payne, by Indigenous writer Micah Wright. It has a strong steampunk aesthetic.

Unicorn: Warriors Eternal is different than all of those previously mentioned. It is unique in its own way. Just as Samurai Jack was set in the future, with magic, robots, lasers, and the like, this series is set in an alternate world. Unlikely the haphazard and strange inclusion of futuristic technology in the far-too-short Yasuke, this series is much more complete. It draws inspiration from works by animators Max Fleischer and Osamu Tezuka, films by Hayao Miyazaki (like Howl's Moving Castle) and other steampunk aesthetics.

The show's character designer, Stephen DeStefano, worked on Sym-Bionic Titan, Primal, and other projects, with Tartakovsky. He pushed, as did Tartakovsky, to ensure the series had an "old aesthetic" but was told "in a very contemporary way". The studio producing the series, Cartoon Network Studios, has produced many of Tartakovsky's previous projects. Some of the same animators who worked on his previous projects may be working on this series.

These animators could not do their work without the writers. If a recently circulated spreadsheet is representative of Cartoon Network Studios as a whole, it would mean that, for animators, there is repetitive work, little opportunity for advancement, sterile environment due to the Warner-Discovery merger, disorganization, burnout, and overwork. There are two primary show writers: Darrick Bachman and Tartakovsky. While the latter is more well-known, the former is not, despite his work on Primal, Samurai Jack, Regular Show, Star Wars: Clone Wars, and many animated series, some of which he worked on with Tartakovsky.

If Glassdoor is accurate, each of these writers makes somewhere between $46,000 to $83,000 a year. I would guess that Tartakovsky is paid more than Bachman. In any case, the conditions the writers work in influences whether a show is "high-quality" or "low-quality". High Guardian Spice was said to be the latter, until it was revealed that the working conditions at Crunchyroll were horrendous. This does not appear to be the case for Cartoon Network Studios. The recent closure of the iconic studio's headquarters, with employees told to move to a sterile, lifeless Warner Bros. building instead, it does not bode well.

Even some predicted that under David Zaslav, it is difficult to "imagine a future in which the studio’s original animation output can match what it has been in the past," with a strong shit to reboots rather than original series. However, if the writers, and actors, are successful in their strike, these conditions may change for the better. On the other hand, the studios are doing all they can to burn down motivation of actors and writers, while stockpiling completed works and scripts before the strikes began.

Coming back to the series, Unicorn: Warriors Eternal is a relatable coming-of-age story. The protagonist, Emma (who can transform into Melinda) is struggling to determine whether she is "Emma" or "Melinda". She loses control of her powers after any emotional outburst she has. Having one's powers tied to their emotions is not new. In the last half of Elena of Avalor's final season, the protagonist, Elena Castillo Flores, had to wrestle with the fact that her magical abilities were tied to her emotional moods. The same was the case for Steven Universe in the series of the same name, and in Steven Universe Future.

For Emma/Melinda, her anger and fury seem to be how she expresses her power, in a super saiyan esque transformation. While this expression of raw power can be effective in defeating enemies, it doesn't prevent her from hurting people, unintentionally, in the process. For instance, in the second episode, she uses this power to defeat a huge magically possessed elephant. However, her fiancé Winston is badly hurt in the process and the surrounding area is nearly obliterated.

The use of her abilities in Unicorn: Warriors Eternal are complicated by her relationship with Edred, a warrior elf. He reincarnates in the body of a wanna-be magician named Dimitri. After Copernicus resurrects him, he rushes over to Emma/Melinda, and kisses her. While he has memories of their relationship, Melinda-as-Emma does not. Making matters worse, she still has some romantic feelings for Winston, who wants to "rescue" her from her "new" form.

This contrasts with Edred. He can effectively fight with a sword in manner which almost seems reminiscent of the sword-wielders in anime or those in Western animations like Amphibia, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and Steven Universe. Like all Tartakovsky productions, Edred has his own specific style. Every character is stylized in their own way. This is thanks to the aforementioned character designer, DeStefano, and work by many others at Cartoon Network Studios. The same is the case for their battle moves and attacks. It sets the series apart from others with similar themes.

The team of Emma/Melinda, a cosmic monk named Seng (in the body of a young Black ruffian named Alfie), Copernicus, and Edred, make an interesting combination. Each has personal issues they must overcome. Seng cannot fully comprehend the cosmic plane as a young child. Edred has a "clouded" mind despite having a largely intact memory and retains his power. Emma/Melinda has an identity crisis. She even tells Winston, at one point, that she isn't Emma anymore and that the Emma he knew is dead. This is a cold, hard truth which is hard for him to accept.

The complications in each character's lives make it an increasing challenge for these heroes, whose souls are tasked with protecting the world throughout eternity. With the scrambled memories, especially of Emma/Melinda, and the fact that only Edred remembers the most about their role in fighting evil, it makes the story that much more intriguing. The secretive villain is almost as devious as Shadowy Figure in O.K. KO!, but shares more characteristics with Kilgore in Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes and Huntsmen, Part 1. He aimed to change the Justice League into teenagers, so they are "vulnerable", are ripped apart by the world, and have to deal with emotions they ignore or regress as adults.

There is one major difference. The villain in Unicorn: Warriors Eternal never intended on awakening the Order of the Unicorn (Melinda, Seng, Edred, and Copernicus). Instead, she wanted to destroy Copernicus so the order would cease to exist. The villain exploits the situation for her own ends. She hopes that these heroes will be resurrected one final time. The heroes will do anything they can to stop this evil, with Edred declaring that the villain will "not succeed".

In future seasons, Melinda's insecurities may be exploited just as Invictus did with Ash Graven in Final Space. If so, she may turn against her friends. It is hard to say whether the series villain will be as devious as Aku, who had built an entire empire and dedicated many of his resources to track down Samurai Jack.

By the show's third episode, there is a clear focus on discrimination, specifically how humans will "other" that which they don't understand. The response of the British police and Scotland Yard to a theft of priceless artifacts bound for the British Museum is to arrest anyone engaged in "magic" in London. There are mass arrests of soothsayers, fortune tellers, and anyone else on Mystic Row.

To make matters worse, they put up a Wanted poster for Emma/Melinda. Even when two spiritualists, Clarice Leydoux and Lao Xi Sheng, tell the police detective the reality, he doesn't believe them. Clearly, the police in this series, including Inspector General Hastings (voiced by Gildart Jackson), do not know how to deal with the situation at hand. People such as Agatha (voiced by Rosalind Ayres), another royal official, try and put in place more order.

Through it all, Emma/Melinda tries to figure out herself. She isn't sure of her connection with Winston, who she inadvertently injured. She even goes to a seance which separated her two identities, making her question whether she wants to be a hero or not. As a result, she declares that she hates the other part of herself. Her father even realizes that she is different, remarking "that is not our daughter". Winston remains in pursuit, even when he clashes with Edred on who "truly" loves her.

After the first two episodes, the series explored the insecurities of Seng. The villains cause him to be swallowed by a cosmic fox. The latter, known as a Lady Fox, attacks them. An amazingly animated chase scene on the rooftops follows, reminding me of similar scenes in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Samurai Jack. In the fourth episode, this is more apparent. Seng is unable to use his powers while he is trapped on an abandoned ship with other Unicorn team members. He even starts to become translucent! Although they escape this predicament, it could foreshadow more trouble for Seng in the future.

As Emma/Melinda learns more about the story of her Melinda side, with the child version of original Melinda voiced by Marley Cherry Hilbourne. She learns that her mother, Morgan Le Fay (voiced by Peta Johnson), was terribly injured, thanks to her. It is revealed that Merlin (voiced by Jeremy Crutchley) is her father. The conflict between the two halves of herself remains an important part of the story. This is especially the case when they all fight a big squid threatening to destroy the town. Her attempts at reconciliation do not go well, even though she is making some progress by the seventh episode.

At the end of the fifth episode, Unicorn: Warriors Eternal takes a bold step: it appears to kill off one of its protagonists, Copernicus. This is comparable to a similar "loss" of Octus in Sym-Bionic Titan. While Emma/Melinda is most distraught, she works together with Edred to find someone to repair Copernicus. They find an inventor named Otto (voiced by Jason O'Mara), thanks to a robot named Dashwood (voiced by Chris Butler). He works on a huge floating airship, which functions like a space station.

He remarks that Copernicus is like a robot he hasn't created yet, but he says it feels familiar. Copernicus cannot fully come back until his magical power is restored. He is a futuristic magical being. The power from an ancient magical stone is used by Merlin. He brings Copernicus back to life. Even so, this sequence implies that Copernicus can die, in certain instances.

The seventh episode of Unicorn: Warriors Eternal is a rollercoaster ride. It is revealed that Edred left his bride-to-be, in an arranged marriage meant to unite two clans, to be with Melinda. At the same time, it is further implied that Emma/Melinda somewhat remembers this. The quest to get the necessary magical power, the presence of Merlin, and restoration of balance, causes Edred's brother, Aelwulf (voiced by Jack Bandeira), to regain respect for him.

At the end of the seventh episode, the Unicorn team learns that they still have evil to fight, and that their time in this world has not ended. It is implied that Merlin will help they stop it. The eighth episode throws this into question. Out of nowhere, Merlin appears and tells them to come "quickly" to battle an evil machine killing the land. While they meet the mighty tiger Rakshasa (voiced by Sunkrish Bala), Merlin attacks Emma/Melinda, surprising them all.

The last three episodes of Unicorn: Warriors Eternal lay bare tensions between the group members. This is clear with the addition of a new member, Winston, who can become a werewolf. Predictably, Edred objects, as Winston has feelings for Emma/Melinda. All the while there is the fight against evil, which exudes dark magic.

This reaches a critical point in the ninth episode when the evil leaves Merlin and enters the cosmic realm. They meet an older Seng who has been fighting it for over 20 years, with no success. It is said that if the evil devours everything, the world will end. Merlin and Rakshasa remain optimistic until  Emma and Melinda are split apart.

I wish Unicorn: Warriors Eternal had been longer. By the eighth episode, it appears that Melinda is coming to peace with the part of her who is Emma, and vice versa. This seemed too quick. Her struggle with her identity could have stretched across an entire season of 20 to 26 episodes. Take Cassandra in Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, for example. She is mentally manipulated by Zhan Tri. Even so, she tries to figure out her identity and how she feels about Rapunzel. Like that series, which ended with a bang, this series is burdened by compulsory heterosexuality. Tangled differs by featuring well-recognized gay vibes between Rapunzel and Cassandra, shipped by fans as "Cassunzel".

Much of the internal struggle that Emma/Melinda experiences is couched by a love triangle. Emma loves Winston, while Melinda loves Edred. However, Edred hates Winston and vice versa. Due to the propensity of male characters in this series, there isn't any character, female, non-binary, or otherwise, written for Emma/Melinda that would allow her to have a queer romance.

Even so, the struggle of Emma to reunite with Melinda, resulting in defiance of her by-the-book parents, is promising. Considering this series is set in the 1890s, it is no shock that Emma's parents try to hold her back. They think she is out of her mind and want to bring her to a doctor, who will commit her to an asylum. Her actions, including drawing on equations on the walls of the bathroom, akin to the oft-memed scene from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia in which Pepe Silvia goes on a conspiratorial rant, don't help her case. In her defense, she is desperate and wants to get back to the cosmic realm at any cost.

This episode goes off the rails when two huge men try to capture Emma and bring her to "the doctor". What follows is an intense chase scene in which Emma has many near-death experiences, and barely escapes those trying to get her, even riding a steam-powered tram to Mystics Row. Two mystic warriors (Clarice Leydoux and Lao Xi Sheng) offer to help her. With their assistance, she uses the Heart of the Forest to get to the cosmic realm.

The Unicorn: Warriors Eternal finale concludes strongly. Emma inspires everyone, reuniting with Melinda, and convinces them to combine their powers into one. They strike a decisive blow against evil forces. This is blunted by the surprising revelation: Morgan is trapped in the heart of the evil beast! At the end of the episode, the protagonists find themselves in a bizarre world in which "the evil" has changed everything. Emma/Melinda gets the last word, noting their determination to save Morgan and defeat the evil being no matter what.

The ending is not definitive, but is open-ended. The central conflict rings true, especially if seen as a metaphorical extension of Genndy Tartakovsky as a Jewish immigrant who faced pressure to support his mother and live up to the myth of a "model minority". A possible second, or even third, and fourth season, could expand upon these characters and their struggles. Possibly, the series may go an Infinity Train route, having different characters for each season.

I hope that any possible future seasons of Unicorn: Warriors Eternal would increase diversity of the cast. Surely, there are talented voice actors like a Black men Demari Hunte (voice of Seng) and Victor Alli (voice of Adult Seng). They are joined by a Filipino man, Alain Uy (voice of Lao Xi Sheng), an American actor of Tamil descent, Sunkrish Bala (voice of Rakshasa), and a British actor of Iraqi, Lebanese, and Indian descent, Brian George (voice of Darvish).

From the available lists of the cast members, I'm not seeing much diversity beyond the aforementioned individuals. A quick read of the cast list for Primal, indicates that the series has a much more diverse cast than this series! Perhaps, this is just reflecting the fact that historically, London was ethnically homogeneous, composed primarily of White British residents, until after World War II. By 1891, over 5.6 million were living in Greater London, a number which would grow in later years.

Cartoon Network Studios president, Sam Register, is an executive producer, and Shareena Carlson is supervising director. Unicorn: Warriors Eternal is expertly animated thanks to Studio La Cachette in France and Studio Zmei in Bulgaria. Cartoon Network Studios is the aforementioned production company. This is reinforced by the show's music, composed by Tyler Bates and Joan Higginbottom. It is effective, connecting the action with the story. It makes you excited to watch each episode, and become more invested in the characters.

None of this is much of a surprise. Bates is a well-known producer, composer, and musician, primarily of action and horror media, including the John Wick franchise. He was probably chosen because he composed the music scores of Sym-Bionic Titan, the fifth (and final) season of Samurai Jack, and Primal.

Similarly, Higginbottom was a composer on the same season of Samurai Jack, Primal, and John Wick Chapter 4. Tara Billinger, known as the creator of Long Gone Gulch and a storyboarder, did production work on the series as well. The animators either worked on French productions not known in the U.S., or series such as Love, Death & Robots, and Primal. Even Tartakovsky did some storyboarding. The animation, background art, and set pieces are strong in this series.

Unicorn: Warriors Eternal may have been a passion project for Tartakovsky. However, it is incorrect that the plot is "humdrum". Furthermore, Emma/Melinda is not a "poorly written" character, nor does she have a "pat dilemma" or lack emotional complexity. Her struggles are at the series' center. On the other hand, this series, like Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Sym-Bionic Titan, and Primal, is male-centered. In fact, Emma/Melinda is the only female protagonist.

The series has "urgent stakes" and the characters are intriguing. This accompanies amazing mythologies and some worldbuilding. It could be better, but it is not missing "the magic of Tartakovsky". Instead, this series is unique and different from other Tartakovsky series in the past. Surely, I'd love to have queer characters and even have a love triangle akin to the one between Hazumu Osaragi, Yasuna Kamiizumi, and Tomari Kurusu in Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl. Unfortunately, this series did not go that direction, instead having male-female couples, without any one-way crushes.

Overall, despite my criticisms, Unicorn: Warriors Eternal is an enjoyable series and I'd recommend it. I can hope that it improved to become even better, breaking out of the good-evil dichotomy, and other common tropes used in Tartakovsky's work.

Unicorn: Warriors Eternal can be watched on Adult Swim or streamed on Max, DirectTV, and Spectrum. It can be purchased through Prime Video, Google Play, Vudu, or Microsoft Store.

© 2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

#unicorn warriors eternal #max #hbo max #genndy tartakovsky #wga strike #sag aftra strike #primal #samurai jack #sym bionic titan #high guardian spice #crunchyroll #animation writers #mergers #cn studios #warner discovery #adult swim #final space #cassunzel #cassandra tangled #steampunk #comphet #diversity #animation #pop culture #reviews #steven universe #elena of avalor #super saiyan #Youtube

[legion1227]

74 shows I watched this year: Ranked from least favorite to Most

74. Resident Evil (2/5)                    (Lance Reddick Wesker is only good thing)

73. Mike (2.5/5)                             (Poorly paced)

72. Shenmue (3/5)                         (Decent animation, middling plot)

71. Murderville (3/5)                       (Peaked with Conan o Brien episode)

70. Wednesday (3/5)                      (All the guys in the show suck)

69. Haikyu!! (Seasons 1-2) (3/5)       (Cute, but not for me)

68. Ms. Marvel (3/5)                       (Liked first half more)

67. The Walking Dead (Season 11: Parts 2 & 3) (3/5)     (Decent final ep)

66. Doom Patrol (Seasons 1-3) (3/5)              (Great cast)

65. Assassination Classroom (Season 2) (3/5)    (Season 1 was better)

64. Bel-Air (3.5/5)                                  (started fine, lost steam)

63. Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight (3.5/5) (great to have Jack Black back)

62. Euphoria (Season 2) (3.5/5)     (Enjoyable schlock)

61. Violet Evergarden (3.5/5)         ( Amazing animation, likable main lead)

60. The Orville (Seasons 1-3) (3.5/5)        (season 3 elevated the show)

59. The Righteous Gemstones (Seasons 1-2) (3.5/5)   (chaotically endearing)

58. Book of Boba Fett (3.5/5)              (Should’ve focused more on Boba)

57. Tekken: Bloodline (3.5/5)            (other characters needed more screentime)

56. The Proud Family (Seasons 1-2) (3.5/5)    (Penny is my favorite character)

55. Schitt's Creek (Seasons 5-6) (3.5/5)    (Not the funniest, but I love the family)

54. Reacher (3.5/5)              (Strong first half, kinda falls apart 2nd half)

53. Insecure (Season 1-3)       (Issa and her friends are an intriguing bunch)

52. Disenchantment (Season 4) (3.5/5)     (luci, bean, and elfo, fun trio)

51. Handmaid's Tale (Season 5) (3.5/5)   (its very good, almost great)

50. South Park (Season 25) (3.5/5)    (wayyyyyy too short for a season)

49. The Last Kingdom (Season 1-2)    (Dreymon as Uhtred is a good main lead)

48. Moon Knight (3.5/5)        (oscar isaac is amazing in the role as moon knight)

47. Re: Zero (Season 1-2) (3.5/5) (fun cast and action sets)

46. Baki (Season 1-3) (3.5/5)      (over the top action fest thats a roaring time)

45. Black Mirror (Season 1-5) (3.5/5)    (mixed bag but mostly good episodes)

44. Code Geass (Season 1-2) (3.5/5)    (lelouch is a good anti-hero) 

43. Whose line is it anyway (CW seasons 1-7) (3.5/5) (bit predictable but still hilarious)

42. Love, Death, and Robots (Season 3) (4/5) (best season they had yet)

41. Archer (Season 13) (4/5)  (RIP Jessica Walter, still managed a solid season w/o her)

40. Zootopia+ (4/5)   (episodes that are as gratifying as the movie)

39. Baymax (4/5)      (Baymax helping others is just so cute) 

38. Baki Hanma (4/5)   (more focused than other seasons)

37. Rick and Morty (Season 6)  (4/5) (Big step up from season 5)

36. Avenue 5 (Season 1)  (4/5)   (Uproariously funny)

35. Legend of Korra (Seasons 1-4)       (4/5)  (besides season 2, its incredible)

34. Scrubs (seasons 1-4)  (4/5)  (carried by great character work)

33. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Seasons 1-6) (4/5) (last 2 seasons weak, iconic tho)

32. Jeen-yuhs (4/5)           (the kanye fall of is so damn depressing)

31. Stranger Things (Season 4) (4/5) (another solid season for the show)

30. Vikings: Valhalla (4/5)   (savagery at its finest)

29. She-Hulk: Attorney At Law (4/5)   (Jen Walters and cameos are dope)

28. What We Do in the Shadows (Season 4) (4/5)  (season 3 was better)

27. The Witcher (Season 2) (4/5)    (better than season 1)

26. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (Stone Ocean) (4/5)   (beautiful ending)

25. One Piece (Whole Cake Island & Wano Arcs) (4/5) (peak storytelling)

24. Tales of The Jedi (4/5)   (love what they did with Ahsoka and Dooku)

23. Atlanta (Seasons 1-3) (4/5)     (Prefer seasons 1 & 2 over 3 just a bit

22. House of the Dragon (4/5) (confusing names, but compelling family drama)

21. Dexter (Seasons 1-4) (4/5)   (Serial killer drama at its finest)

20. Blindspotting (4/5)  (4/5)     (lack of Diggs and Casal is felt, still great tho)

19. Obi-Wan Kenobi (4/5)   (return of mcgregor and Christensen was lovely)

18. The Sandman (4/5)   (Excellent cast with clever ways of dealing w/ enemies)

17. Umbrella Academy (Season 3) (4/5) (great but hate what they did with Allison)

16. Big Nate (4/5)  (loved reading the books growing up, cute show)

15. Arcane (4/5)    (one of the best video game adaptations)

14. Demon Slayer (Season 2) (4/5) (love way more season 1)

13. Chainsaw Man (4/5) (animation and characters are fascinating)

12. Cuphead (Season 1-3) (4/5) (an even BETTER video game adaptiation)

11. Regular Show (Season 1-8) (4/5)  (wild, ride of a show from start to end)

10. The Boys Presents: Diabolical (4.5/5) (superb snack to quell Boys hunger)

9. Mob Psycho 100 (Season 3) (4.5/5) (beautiful sendoff to amazing people)

8. Smiling Friends (4.5/5)   (funniest show I’ve watched in a long time)

7. Peacemaker (4.5/5)    (funny, but has better action and drama)

6. Harley Quinn (Season 3) (4.5/5)  (top tier character arcs

5. Don't Hug Me I'm Scared (4.5/5) (wayyyy funnier than I thought it would be)

4. Barry (Season 3) (4.5/5)  (balance of comedy and drama is masterful) 

3. Attack on Titan (Season 4 part 2) (4.5/5) (only 1 subpar episode)

2. The Boys (Season 3) (4.5/5)      (the best season with the best episode)

1. Better Call Saul (Season 6) (5/5)       (literal PERFECTION) 

#2022 #year in review #year in tv #tv show review #tv shows #wednesday #euphoria #book of boba fett #moon knight #rick and morty #house of the dragon #chainsaw man #better call saul #anime

[fttanime]

Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2): Update On Release Date & What we know so far

Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2): Update On Release Date & What we know so far

Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Update: Matt Groening, the creator of The Simpsons, traveled from Springfield to Netflix for his most recent series, Disenchantment, in 2018. While the series wasn’t originally a hit with reviewers, it hasn’t stopped the animated fantasy sitcom from quietly building a cult following, and now it’s been revived for part four. Season three will premiere in January…

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#Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) #Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Arrive #Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Cast #Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Characters #Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Plot #Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Release Date #Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Trailer #Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Update

[corbinite]

I just finished bingeing Disenchantment part 3 and I gotta say, it's really disappointing. The first couple episodes had good plots but the pacing and the delivery was all off, and there were a couple of... bad jokes, that really took me out of it. Like jokes with pedophilic and incestuous implications, and if it was just one of those jokes I’d think okay they got swept up in being edgy and it got weird but they make those jokes..... a weird number of times, and with an almost alarming degree of normalcy projected onto them. And as the season went on the plot really just felt more and more disjointed. The previous season left us with some really suspenseful lose ends and when they got around to tying them up in part 3 they didn't keep that energy, it felt like they were scrambling to tie them up without a plan when in the previous season I thought they were all leading to something more... impactful. There were some things I liked, but overall I feel pretty let down in comparison to how good the show was leading up to this point, and the cliffhanger at the end of part 2 set my expectations pretty high. I feel like it's just not even the same writers, and given the situation with the pandemic it very well might just be different writers.

Idk, I guess this post serves partly as a trigger warning for those jokes (I was already in a depressive episode when I was watching the show as a form of escape and boy did that put me in a worse place, so watch out) but also I just want to air my disappointment

#mine #disenchantment

[steven-falls]

The Strengths of serialization: A Disenchantment analysis

Note: this is a script for a video I’m making. There are some generalised statements in this script, that will be accompanied with visuals in the final video to help specify what I am referring to.

So, Netflix just dropped part 3 of disenchantment, and with the new batch of episodes came a slew of worldbuilding, lore, characterization, laughs, adventures, and Elfo abuse. But, instead of giving an overview of everything that happened in the season (or part) I want to focus on one specific aspect of part 3 and compare this to parts 1 and 2 and that is, the serialisation of Disenchantment.

In television shows, there are two main formats a show can take: A serialized format and an episodic format. A serialized format has continuing storylines that span over the course of the entire season. Think of pretty much every drama show. By contrast, an episodic TV show presents each episode as a self contained story. Meaning you could jump in at any point in the series without needing much prior knowledge to understand what’s happening. This is the format that most animated sitcoms, such as Disenchantment’s contemporaries, The Simpsons and Futurama, went for.

Disenchantment was an interesting case as it seemed to be going for a mix of both serialization and self contained episodes throughout its first two parts, which made up season 1. The first few and last few episodes of both parts 1 and 2 had a serialized format, where the cliffhanger ending of one episode would lead directly into the opening of the next. For example part 2’s opening episode ‘The disenchantress’ ends with Bean walking down a staircase to hell, which is picked straight back up on again in the next episode, aptly titled ‘Staircase to hell’. It’s required that an audience member watches these two episodes in order, otherwise they would be confused by the opening of the latter.

But then the middle episodes of parts 1 and 2 were stand alone episodic adventures, that didn’t always directly tie into each other. For instance, the heist plot of ‘the Dreamland job’ has little to nothing to do with Derrik’s character journey in the following episode, ‘Love’s Slimy Embrace’. So not much would be lost on an audience member who watched these two episodes out of order. The main throughline between them is Lucie buying and owning the bar. But that’s a rather minor element of ‘Love's Slimby embrace’, it’s not like you need an explanation of why Lucie owns the bar to understand what’s happening in that episode.

Where Part 3 really differs from the previous two parts, is that it sticks to a more serilized format for most of its run. Pretty much every episode develops on something meaningful established in prior episodes. For instance, In the first episode of part 3 it’s revealed that Pendegast has been murdered, so the third episode ‘Beanie get your gun’ is spent investigating what happened to him. They find out it’s the priestess, and chase her down in the next episode, which naturally leads into the steam land sega covered in episodes 4 and 5, and then the boat trip back to Dreamland in episode 6. Even when an episode doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, the events that occurred in the previous episode will still be playing on the character’s mind in the next, keeping a constant narrative flow throughout part 3.

Now, I do not believe that serialized Television is inherently better than episodic Television. There are shows that owe their success to their episodic format.

But I think in Disenchantment’s case, serialization fits the tone and scope it’s going for.

Disenchantment is basically a mystery show, Part 3 opens with several overarching mysteries that are investigated over the course of the season, and Bean literally plays detective in two episodes.

Part 2 also presented several mysteries in its opening episodes, like Bean’s heritage and the secret treasure the elfs are looking for. But this became a frustration I had with part 2, as it felt like it was presenting the audience with several tantalising mysteries, but then avoided expanding on them, in favour of more non sequitur adventures. Take the episode ‘the lonely heart is a hunter’ for example. That episode has a subplot about Bean investigating some old runes that are hinted to have a connection to her mother. But this basically leads nowhere as Bean gets scared and gives up on investigating them. We don’t find out anything about them for the rest of part 2, halting that story in its tracks. What the episode chooses to develop instead is the relationship between Zogg and a bear woman named Ursula, a character who has only appeared in this single episode to date. I do actually enjoy this plot line, I think it’s funny and gives Zogg some decent character development. But when the episode prioritises a somewhat frivolous love affair over expanding on the mysteries it’s already set up, it can be frustrating to sit through, because I’m just waiting for them to get back to that mystery.

There are still some instances in part 3 where they bring up an unresolved mystery or plot line but don’t follow up on it straight away. Like it should annoy me that they mention Leaveos quest early in the season, only for it to not develop any further until the last episode.

But it doesn’t, because there’s a narrative excuse for the other character’s to abandon Leaveo and his plot line. They have the more pressing issue of Dagmar to deal with in that moment, and after that I’m so swept up in the murder and betrayl stuff that I don’t mind them leaving Leavo’s plot thread for a little longer.

Another result of part 3 taking a more serialised approach is that it makes meaningful changes to the Disenchantments status quo

After part 1 ended with several series altering cliffhangers, that seemed like it was taking the show in a radically different direction, I was disappointed by how in part 2 everything reverted back to normal by the end of episode 3. Sure, there were a few status quo changes, but for the most part, part 2 still followed Bean, Elfo and Lucie’s shenanigans around Dreamland, not that fundamentally different from part 1.

But this isn’t a criticism I can level at part 3. For one thing there are no episodes of Bean just goofing around drinking, she’s always trying to get somewhere, figure something out, or face some threat to the kingdom. The constant rising urgency prevents the show from feeling as if it’s in some stagnant status quo.

The only time I was in fear of Disenchantment resetting to a status quo was at the beginning of episode 3, ‘Beanie get your gun’, when Derrik reinstates power to Zogg, the towns people don’t care about Bean supposedly being a witch, and Zogg’s forgotten about Odvals and the priestess’s coup attempt

The characters even comment on how weird the situation is.

With Bean and Zogg being reinstated it almost seemed like the whole coup subplot had been entirely pointless, especially as the opening of the episode hinted that Pendergast might not actually have been killed.

But the episode’s ending underlines the lasting impact this coup had, by confirming Pendergast’s death and having the priestess become a fugitive from the kingdom, basically writing out two major supporting characters.

On the subject, Pendergast’s death is the first one in Disenchantment that I was genuinely shocked by. Just because of the show’s willingness to kill off a recurring character without going back on it. They have done similar deaths before, like when Jerry was killed. But Jerry was divorced enough from the main cast and the setting of Dreamland that his absence didn’t feel as noticeable. It’s not like his death bared any repercussions on how Dreamland functioned as a kingdom for example. But Pendergast’s death does, you’re reminded of his absence any time you watch a scene with Zogg losing his mind, or see turbish and Mertz without their commander. Even if Pendergast is somehow brought back later, his death was still felt throughout the whole of this season.

Part 3 of Disenchantment managed to capture my intrigue, by taking its story and characters to interesting new places. My hope for part 4 is that everything part 3 built toward gets a decent payoff. By the end of part 3 most of the plotlines have still been left open ended, with even more opening up and others being teased at. In one case it looks like they might be rehashing an older plotline.

My fear for part 4 is that all these storylines are going to trip over each other. That part four has to juggle so many different plotlines that it’s not going to be able to devote enough time to each of them, making their resolutions feel rushed and underdeveloped.

I think its on part 4 to intertwine all these plot threads, so everything comes together to form one satisfying conclusion. Unless they’re planning on continuing the show after part 4, in which case I hope part 4 is a more streamlined and focused version of part 3.

Speaking of satisfying conclusions… I couldn’t think of one for this video! So let’s end off by discussing three times Disenchantment part 3 referenced 3 other Matt Greoning cartoons.

Starting with the most obvious, the ‘Trip to the moon’ rollercoaster seen in the episode ‘Freak out’ is a reference to the second Futurama episode ‘’The series has landed’, where the planet express crew visit a theme park on the moon. In particular the rollercoaster’s moon face bares resemblance to the mascot crater face. Look, it even has part of the rollercoaster going through its eye, just like how craterface always has a beer bottle shoved through their eye. Which itself is a reference to a silent film from 1920 called ‘A Trip to the moon’. Wait actually maybe the rollercoaster is just supposed to be a reference to that.

Seconally, the joke about the kings servants Vip and Vap living in unlawful cohabitation is a reference to the characters Arkbah and Jeff, who are a gay couple from Matt Groening’s comic, Life in Hell. They also share similar character designs.

And finally, I don’t think this was intentional, but Elfo skating on Dagmars oily back reminded me of Bart Simpson skateboarding. Now try and get that image out of your mind! Good night everybody.

#just posting this to prove this script exists #I’ll post a link to the video on this blog when it’s done #But my YouTube channel is Mac Monkeyhat if you want to look me up in the mean time! #disenchantment

[nlights37]

Hellooo it’s your number 1 fangirl here. I’ve got two asks for you from the meta asks for writers post that I’d love to hear from you about! 💙 #20 and #23

I think you mean my FAVORITE fangirl but I’ll allow it :P   Here we go!

20.  Tell us the meta about your writing that you really want to ramble to people about (symbolism you’ve included, character or relationship development that you love, hidden references, callbacks or clues for future scenes?)

Ooooh that’s a good question.  I do have a tendency to plant little seeds for things that we’ll see again in almost every fic I write, things that seem incidental at the time (For example, the very brief mention of Jon’s poker nights with Grey in Something Stupid, and passing mention of Missy, which end up playing a very large role towards the end of the story).

However, I’d say my overall hallmark, one of the things I love best, something I work into (just about) every story I write has to do with one of the things I loved about both Jon and Daenerys when I began reading ASOIAF:  They’re funny.  They just are.  Even when they aren’t trying to be.

And while I enjoyed the show (until it was unfortunately cancelled after Season 7, such a fucking shame), it was one of the things I really felt they cheated both characters out of - their sense of humor.

So, when I write Jon and Dany, whether in canon universe or AU (Modern and otherwise), I always put a little of that flavor in (sometimes a lot, depending on if I think I can get away with it!).  Because EmoBabyJon getting drunk and running away from a feast?  Funny.  Jon being like ‘Damn do you know what a brush is?’ to like half the people he meets?  Funny.  Dany thinking she needs buns of steels to sit on a throne because that shit is uncomfortable?  That’s funny to me, and I like to laugh, so that’s just what I do.  I leave the heavy angst and really deep, ‘I want to jump off a bridge from reading this, oh the agony’ painful stuff to the people who do it well - that ain’t me.  I will crack jokes at the end of the world, that’s how I deal with shit :)

23.  What’s the story idea you’ve had in your head for the longest?

Another interesting one - that I have since written?  Disenchantment, for sure.  I’d started thinking about the overall plot for it, the feel I wanted it to have (a darker, sort of Grimm Brothers’ style fairy tale, in which people die and adult things happen, vs. a Disney sort of style, and a total reworking of canon) at the beginning of the hiatus between Season 7 and 8.  So well over a year of just thinking about it, over and over, really fleshing scenes out in my head and how I wanted the relationships between the characters I was going to utilize to go.

The thing is, I don’t outline.  Like, ever.  Which is nuts.  Instead, I usually have about 3-5 scenes that I have sort of solidified in my mind - I’ve seen it like a movie, I know exactly how it goes, then when I sit down to write the entire chapters I have those waypoints to move between.  So Disenchantment sat in my head for a very, very long time before I finally had the time and the post-Season 8 Dumpster fire inclination to even bother writing in this fandom again.

Of my incomplete fics?  Probably the final installment for Beautiful Creatures.  I wrote the original fic back in 2017, and had always had in my mind a trilogy for the arc of that story, of what might have happened differently if Jon had taken Ghost to Dragonstone with him.  I’ve since written Part 2, but Part 3 is still in progress :)  I’ll hopefully have it ready for consumption in a few months.

Thank you, favorite fangirl, for asking :)

#jonerys #fanfic #writerask #burninghecateismyfavoritefangirl

[sammysreelreviews]

Counting Down My Top Ten Animated Tv Shows Of The Last Decade

What’s up bitches?! It’s time for my second decade countdown! If you know me you know I love animated shows so I just had to give them their own countdown! So many amazing animated shows have happened in the past ten years and I’m so excited for future shows! I’ll probably cry writing this cause I’m a little Pisces bitch! Enjoy the list and there will be ***SPOILERS!!!***

10. Disenchantment (2018- ) Netflix

Disenchantment in a way is a feminist cartoon because Bean is a princess who wants to do things her way but she’s also flawed which I think is important! I only started watching this show because I’m obsessed with Broad City and Abbi Jacobson voices Bean so of course I’m going to watch it! I really hope we get more lore and Elfo in season 3 and I can’t wait for what they come up with next!

9. Aggretsuko (2018- ) Netflix

A show about a red panda who likes to song metal karaoke sounds ridiculous but it’s ridiculously good. This show not only makes you think about how draining corporate work life is but also about how people make you feel and how sometimes you just need a mental health day. I’m so grateful Netflix kept this show running and I even have Aggretsuko days of the week socks that my therapist loves so I don’t wanna hear shit!

8. Steven Universe (2013 - ) Cartoon Network

My friend Genna literally does not stop asking me to watch this show and she made me before I made this list and I actually like it. I haven’t finished the show I just started season 3 but Steven Universe is charming and vulnerable which is hard to do with a kids show. Another thing I love about it is the backstory. I feel like one of the best parts of the show is the intricate backstory of the different gems and it’s what makes me keep watching honestly. I can’t say much cause I’m not done yet but I’m liking what I’m seeing and I love Steven and Garnet’s relationship so much!

7. Big Mouth (2017- ) Netflix

Big Mouth. I’ve talked about this before so I won’t say much but this show is so fucking weird but so fucking funny I hope it never ends. “Lucky Malala, that’s what they call her.”

6. The Amazing World of Gumball (2011- ) Cartoon Network

Ok so I always saw random episodes of Gumball on TV but I never watched it fully until like a couple months ago and it’s just so creative, hysterical, and the animation is insane like there’s 3D and 2D characters just co-existing together. I wrote about Gumball like two or three articles ago in shows that ended way too soon but they’ve announced that we indeed are getting new Gumball episodes very soon! I’m PRAYING we get some closure after that cliffhanging as fuck season finale! Also, is Darwin not the cutest animated character since Flounder!? Maybe it’s a fish thing!

5. Bojack Horseman (2014- ) Netflix

Ok so this is probably the millionth time I’ve mentioned Bojack here but this last season was about Bojack taking responsibility and getting his life back together which really resonated with me. In a way I could relate I wanted to stop making mistakes and better myself for me and for my friends and family. Bojack is the king of self sabotage and and one point I was too. Unfortunately I’ve been having crippling anxiety but this time I’ve tried every step and opportunity to get better which is what Bojack is doing now and I’ve never had an animated show explore that. I’m so sad it’s ending but honestly it’s a must watch! Sorry that got so personal I have no idea why I’m feeling so fucking emo right now. Bojack Horseman is funny as hell too just FYI!

4. Gravity Falls (2012-2016) Disney XD

Gravity Falls, yet another show I’ve mentioned countless times, is not only hysterical but there’s a mystery that makes you want to rewatch it the minute you finish it. I really wish this show would’ve gone on forever and ever but all good things must come to an end.

3. Star vs. the Forces of Evil (2015-2019) Disney Channel

This show actually broke my heart when it ended. Star is a show that not only has a heartwarming plot but it has tons of laughs too! Ponyhead was another character that I could relate too and I loved the LGBTQ representation it had. Everyday I pray they reboot this show so we can see what happened after the world was rid of magic and to see Marcos and Star get married.

2. Bob’s Burgers (2011- ) FOX

I’ve made an entire list of my favorite Bob’s Burgers episodes which you can read here, so I’ll keep this short. Who couldn’t love this show about the best family on tv? Bob’s Burgers is a show that I can tell you what happens in each episode. I watch it when I’m in any mood whether I’m angry, sad, or super happy it’s my go to pick me up and that’s why I’m obsessed with it.

1. Adventure Time (2010- ) Cartoon Network

I don’t know how to put how much I love Adventure Time into words because it’s a show I binged in one of the lowest parts of my life mentally. Not only is Adventure Time hysterical but it has so many characters and story lines that would make the most macho man cry. I’m so happy that HBO Max is giving it four epilogue episodes because I missed Finn, Jake, BMO, and the rest of the gang so much. Ok let me stop typing about this show before I start really crying lol. Adventure Time is not only one of the best animated shows of the decade but it’s my favorite animated show ever made and I’m so happy it was there for me when I needed it. Yup. I just cried and that’s why Adventure Time is number one.

#aggretsuko #netflix #netflix suggestions #netflix recommendations #steven universe #adventure time #star vs the forces of evil #disenchantment #bobs burgers #bojack horseman #gravity falls #amazing world of gumball #big mouth #cartoon network #broad city

[experimental-sponge]

Season 2 of Disenchantment is... Good overall, but it’s a bit weird that after pretty much everyone said “The first season only gets good when the plot picks up for the last three episodes,” they just decided to throw that out the window as quickly as possible.

Like the show keeps hinting at a huge bigger plot, but whenever it starts to get interesting they immediately back away so that they can go back to their comfort zone of “Ye olde we-all-live-in-mud” jokes. For instance, the entire penultimate episode goes to this incredibly animated, beautiful looking new part of the world that raises all these questions about the larger setting of the story, before just bringing you back to the rest of the cast who’s defining feature is “We will prevent the plot from progressing through whatever combination of stupidity and malice works best.”

C’mon, Disenchantment... You’re a Netflix original series, so you’re probably going to be cancelled by the end of the next season, if not before; you don’t have time to faff around.

#disenchantment

[tinyriver-neonlights]

Disenchantment S2

Hi Readers! Now I will give opinion on the last 8 episodes of Disenchantment

****SPOILERS WARNING****

E3 "The very thing" 6.5/10 Honestly, I don't have much to say about this episode. I was pleased to see Ooona fighting like a pirate and well, as I said I don't have more to say E4 "‪The Lonely Heart Is a Hunter‬" 7/10 This episode was something interesting. Being honest, I skipped the parts of the king's romance with the bear, the only reallyý. interesting thing was the symbols and that ended unexplained. E5 "‪Our Bodies, Our Elves‬" 6/10 Again, no much to say, really nothing to say. E6 "‪The Dreamland Job‬" 6/10 Nothing to say E7 "‪Love's Slimy Embrace‬" 7/10 I just like that they gave more attention to Derek. E8 "‪In Her Own Write‬" 7.5/10 This was a nice and very emotional episode. I have nothing more to say. E9 "‪The Electric Princess‬" 8/10 A great episode full of Steampunk scenes that like the first episode ("The Disenchantress") ends in a cliffhanger, after Bean accidentally shoots his father close to his heart. E10 "‪Tiabeanie Falls‬" 8/10 This episode was great. Full of too many emotions and again ends with a BIG cliffhanger that I can not explain, but apparently Dagmar is still alive, the bad thing is that this is the only plot-twist of the second season/part, and Luci is still mortal.

In conclusion.

I give this 2nd season/part 8/10

It is just a little better than the first one, but it also has episodes very episodics; In my opinion, the episodes with an interesting story were better, that is, the first 2 and last 2. Although, I also think that this is a good thing in the series, because the problem is in the Netflix public that we have a bad habit of marathoning them; That is why at first I wanted to see them one episode per day, but I fell into the temptation of the marathon. What I did not like (and I think many agree) is that the LAST episode ends with such a cliffhanger, however honestly I think it may be because Matt Groening wants to see that we believe theories about the doubts he left us this second season/part. So as soon as I can think of one I will publish it.

#disenchantment #disenchantment part 2 spoilers #disenchantment spoilers

[horrormonitor]

i definitely liked disenchantment part 2, but it kind of felt like an in-between season? idk, it felt like there was a lot more filler and more plot holes than the first season. fuckin loved that sweet sweet luci character development tho

#i've been up literally all night so i'm only half coherent hfjdgff

[ilitwmc]

top 10 shows

tagged by @mvriaflores ♥♥

tagging: @elliotsvance @imogenwesctt @gennywescotts@penderghcst @greensconnor whoever wants i never know WHo to tag for these things

i honestly dont watch a lot of tv so we’ll see if i can bring up 10 BUT here we go this is in no particular order also prepare to see kitty’s name brought up 32783 times bc i literally only watch tv with her

brooklyn nine-nine: absolutely one of my top feel good shows... i have trouble focusing a lot on things w long episodes and convoluted plots so b99 works PERFECTLY bc it does neither of those things and its (primarily) light hearted and always fun and i love all the characters sm 

one day at a time: this is absolutely one of my all time fave shows EVER me and kitty watched the whole thing together and i’ve got such good memories attached to it and the show itself is INCREDIBLE and i love the characters and the actors and the story and AH i just love it so much.... also i’m still so absolutely heartbroken abt this being cancelled netflix is a fucking coward

the end of the fucking world: again me and kitty watched this we watched the whole thing in one day when it came out and then did it AGAIN a couple months ago it’s just........ so good . it’s so good and the aesthetic is STRONG 

sweet/vicious: ok  . ok i love this show and i will forever be angry of what happened to it bc it deserved more than just one season but it’s just so good it’s LITERALLY a show abt 2 girls becoming vigilantes on their college campus and attacking r*pists n it’s so SO GOOD and i miss it :((( 

disenchantment: i am CONSTANTLY angry bc me and kitty watched this together as a joke bc an actor we like was tweeting abt it and then ended up really fucking liking it

deadly class: ok im gnna be honest i started watching this bc i kept seeing gifsets n thought the cast was hot n then watched a trailer and got actually curious but its...... so interesting and so cool and sometimes i don’t rly understand what’s happening bc i have one braincell but i love it anyway... v gory tho as a warning 

sex education: THIS SHOW HIT ME HARDER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD me and kitty starting watching it bc it seemed funny and it IS but then it gets Very Real Very Fast and i got attached 2 the characters so quick and im ....... soft i can’t wait for season 2

the chilling adventures of sabrina: i am legally required to put this on here bc i love sabrina spellman and i have since i was a kid and while there was some stuff in the show i was not into i just got so soft watching the show also the casting is so Good 

she-ra and the princesses of power: ok here’s another thing i watched with kitty.... i love magical girls and it looked so cute and fun so i watched part of it and then fell in love and wanted to watch it with her so we streamed it together and it’s just so GOOD and clever and funny??? i genuinely recommend it if u like cartoons and fun heartwarming comedy

nothing much to do / lovely little losers: turns out i couldn’t bring up 10 bc this is fully cheating BUT this is a webseries based off of much ado about nothing / love’s labour’s lost and as a dumbass shakespeare nerd it’s one of my fave things i’ve ever literally ever watched in my entire life

#here's some me content i guess #this fuckin POSTED before i hate tumblr #i didnt know how to format this bc i didnt wanna do gifs so i jst word vommed instead i guess

[temmaha1996]

Disenchanment

Disenchanment is a 2018 animated comedy TV series created by Matt Groening. It stars Eric Andre, Abbi Jacobson and Nat Faxon. The show follows the adventures of a princess and her two sidekicks; her personal demon and a naive elf.

Matt Groening is easily responsible for a large part of my childhood, growing up with fantastic shows such as The Simpsons and Futurama. Although The Simpsons has dipped in quality over the past few years, it still nonetheless holds a special place in my heart as one of the best TV shows of all time. So, does Disenchantment bring an improvement upon Matt Groening’s recent form or is it more of the same below-par mumbo jumbo? It’s actually a bit of both. Disenchantment is funny enough to not be boring but not focused enough to be regarded as a good show. It does have it’s moments, and the comedy is better what The Simpsons have been in years, but the plot often strays too far from where it should go and there’s too much filler in between it’s best moments.

Let’s begin with the main positive.

Comedy. I really enjoyed the comedy on this show, contrary to what others are saying. I thought it was funny, self-aware and parodical, sort of what The Simpsons used to be. The humor in this TV show is what would happen if Family Guy and The Simpsons had a lovechild, and that’s actually not a bad thing.

However, the show does have one main negative.

Largely, filler. The first two and last two episodes of the season are easily it’s best moments because unlike The Simpsons or Family Guy, it tries to have a constant narrative. However, the next 6 episodes were pure filler and simply pointless. It did have it’s comedic parts, but it felt empty and directionless at the end of the day.

To conclude, despite issues with the amount of filler this season, Disenchantment is largely a decent binge watch if you’re looking for something to do. It’s not great, nor is it awful. Instead, it’s a mixed bag that easily could have been worse or better. Here’s hoping Season 2 is more focused, as it certainly looks like the show is now heading into more dangerous territories. Disenchantment receives an 7.0/10.

#movie #movies #film #films #film reviews #film review #film critic #2018 #2018 movie #2018 movies #2018 film #2018 films #movie review #movie reviews #movie critic #netflix #disenchanted elfo #elfo #disenchanted #eric andre

[thekoogler-blog]

The Koogler Watches Comic Con Trailers 2018

Comic Con Trailer

Glass.

I’ll be honest, not too concerned about this one. I feel like this trilogy should have been like a duology. Split could have been like a 20 min lead in to Glass. Like he takes the girls, there’s a montage of all his personalities, the little rascal, ms doubtfire, or maybe she was more professor mcgonagall. And then there was like his demon one who could bend bars or whatever. He’s fully demon now like climbing the walls like a cricket demon. So I’m trying to figure out the twist from the trailer, and I guess the twist is going to be this is all in their heads. Or the twist is that they’re like actually heroes and villains and then they need to save the world. The twist is that there will be a 4th movie. They’re going to wring this out and try and get one last movie out of it. Plus it has pouty face Sarah Paulson in it, I’ll probably catch this one on the VOD or something. I’ve never seen the whole movie of Unbreakable but I got the key points. Willis survives the crash, he’s unbreakable and Jackson is super breakable. He’s like the guy from SpongeBob the chocolate episode. I won’t lie, when he fell down those steps, I kind of laughed, which is like some hidden superpower that I have. I can’t get through Precious without cracking up at least three times. But anyway…….

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Three MeowMeowBeenz

 AQUAMAN

I feel like I don’t have to say much about this. I know the immense intense hate that some of the DC universe has for it. Mostly just the DCEU, the animated bit is good. The comics are good. The games are good. The movies, to me, are good too. Look, we didn’t have any of these movies, none, now we have them all over the place. I agree that we need quality over quantity, but on the DC side, we are just getting started. Let’s give it a chance. Now to the trailer. Man oh man. I’m digging the visuals. The inevitable war scene looks good. The giant jellies, the SEA TURTLES (side note, I love sea turtles. SO FUGGIN MAJESTIC), the deep sea monsters and riding sharks and sea horses and shig. DOOOOOOPE. I’m a big fan of under the ocean life in general so I’m here for all of it. They fixed the speaking thing from JL where they had to conjure a water bubble to talk, they just talk. Favorite part of this whole trailer, the sharks willing to just destroy the entire aquarium to help little AC. One thing I’m not too fond of, that red hair of Mera. And I do see the similarities of this and BP. But, there’s room for both. Always has been, always will be. I’m looking forward to seeing this because I want to see if maybe this is somehow going to set up Legion of Doom. We have the Joker, Lex, and Deathstroke, add in Manta with Cheetah coming in and then possibly Black Adam sometime in the future. I’d like to see Reverse Flash get added into this somewhere as well but hopefully DC pulls this off with all the shakeups. I’m just hoping its not going to be too heavy on the puns and one liners and what not. Arthurs transition from the surface world to becoming the king of Atlantis was no laughing matter and I hope that comes through on the screen.

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Five MeowMeowBeenz

  Shazam!

Yes BOYEEEEEEEE. As per usual with the DCEU, people have a lot of complaints, but I’m here for this one as well. Kid in a superhero body came through in the trailer and I’m looking forward to it. This is one movie that needs to have that light and breezy funny and easy touch. Billy is a foster kid down on his luck, home to home, who just got the gift of a lifetime. Needs to be funny and goofy, but have the action of MOS. Shazam and whoever he is fighting need to be slingin each other all over the place and what not. I like the suit and everything, but the lightning on the chest looks more like a night light than anything else. But you don’t really get much other than a quick intro to Shazam. Tells you the gist of who he iis. Meets the Wizard, says the name, now he is Shazam. Just like I was talking about with Aquaman with the LOD filling out, for the next one, the Justice League should be filling out as well. Now is the time to plant the seeds for it. Lex needs to be in the background of all of this plotting and scheming with Deathstroke putting his team together to take on the League. Maybe do the JLA: Doom storyline but have Lex in the driver seat instead of Vandal Savage. Yeah, yeah, that could work

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Five MeowMeowBeenz

 Godzilla: King of Monsters

So, I won’t lie, I know nothing about anything Godzilla other than what I learned from the Godzilla 2000. I think I saw pieces of the one released before this, but not much. I don’t remember if he fought a monster or not, but. This looks ok, but ONLY IF Godzilla is fighting all of these monsters. Also, Clair de Lune in the trailer. That gets two BIG THUMBS up from me. And it sounds like Vera Farmiga is going to be a bad guy somehow. Cuz Friday Night Lights coach and Millie BB don’t seem to like her. It looks like we’re going to see Mothra, and I’m guessing Rodan and the three headed one….Golgon? I don’t know names. I saw the moth one, there was a flying fire one, and the three headed one. Looks like its going to be a more dramatic world smasher. You don’t play Clair de Lune in a movie that is a bit classy

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Four MeowMeowBeenz

 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

You guys…..you guys you guys……you……guys. When I hear that music and I see those towers. You know the music that I’m talking about. Even though Harry isn’t here anymore that sense of wonder and magic still pulls you in. It still makes you want to watch WHATEVER they put out. Its great stuff, it really is. But this is about to give us a little glimpse into the world young Dumbledore, some of his humble beginnings. We get some returning faces along with some new ones. I personally can’t wait to see this and Nicholas Flamel. I mean….I feel we’re getting deep into some of the things we kind of just glossed over in the original series. I can’t wait. I’ll see this alone if need be because I’m always ready to dive back into the Wizarding World. I’d like a movie on the founders of Hogwarts to be honest, there has to be a story there. Right? RIGHT!!!! I just want more stories and more books and more all of it.

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Six MeowMeowBeenz

 The Walking Dead Season 9

So…..Rick is an old man now. Yes, there will be a time jump I suppose, and I still need to catch up because the last episode I saw was Carl getting bit and dying in a sewer. Do I care that much about that to stop watching the show? No. Will I catch up? Yes. Do I know what’s about to happen? Yes. Everyone seems to be living in harmony. The last of the Saviors, the bad ones at least seem to be gone. The Sanctuary, Kingdom, and the Hilltop, along with the trash people, seem to be living in harmony. But, there’s some cracks in the armor. The people seem to maybe not be getting along together. Some don’t want to be in a big group and others don’t want to play nice with each other. I mean, you had to expect that this would come, the Saviors did some messed up shig to everyone and forgiving them aint gonna be as easy as 1, 2, 3. This is also the fabled season of Rick and Maggie leaving I think. There is a shot of some boots walking with blood dripping down. I wager Rick is going to get but of course and die or whatever and Maggie or Michonne is taking over. And maybe the feud between Darryl and Rick is going to boil over. My man Dan Fogel looks like he’s going to play a part in this. Maybe he’s a Whisper. Who knows. But I will watch it, but I have to watch half a season, plus Preacher is on so I’m gonna fit this shignattle in here somewhere. I won’t lie, after the whole meeting with Negan where he first arrived, I gotta say my interest in TWD has waned from about 100 to a 90, maybe an 89. But I’m still fully on the wagon.

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Four MeowMeowBeenz

 Disenchantment

I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know if I dreamed this maybe, but didn’t they try this already with another Matt Groening show that didn’t work out. But I hear Abbi, I hear Keegan, not sure who the goblin person is, but I like all the stuff. Most of the stuff so I’ll watch and take a quick sneakle peekle and see if it keeps my interest.

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Two MeowMeowBeenz

 Titans

Yall. This one gon be zoppity. These are no longer Teen Titans. These are just straight up Titans as evidenced by the trailer giving the the large TV MA right in the beginning. With Raven being such a central part of the trailer, you already know who’s coming to dinner. That’s right, I know my boy Trigon is going to be making an appearance, how, when, and in what capacity, we don’t know. But, I’m anxious to see it. The core crew from the show is there, Robin, Star, Raven, and Beast Boy, but I’m guessing in this universe, Cyborg has been drafted to the JL and they are getting two new additions, Hawk and Dove, played by Thad Castle and ARods ol girl. The one thing I’m really anxious to see, just what the hell did Batman do to make Robin that….damn…mad. Because there is an episode here called Jason Todd, so this whole I’m kinda Jason Todd but I’m also Dick is gone. He’s got a real grudge against the Bat in this one with the standout line from the trailer

“Fuck Batman”

I mean, I’m in. Plus add in the fact that Jason Todd will be mentioned in the show, throw in the Doom Patrol, and Wonder Girl. I’m getting more of a Young Justice vibe (great comic by the way), from this than anything. With just a splash of adultness. I mean Robin really stepped on that guys face pretty friggin hard

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Five MeowMeowBeenz

 There were other trailers that I didn’t mention, Arrow, the Flash, the Orville, Black Lightning, Yeah, I’m not caught up on these either so I didn’t watch because I don’t know what happen with Flash and the Thinker. I don’t know what happened with the Arrow crew Diaz or Dominguez or whatever his name is. And I don’t know what happened with Black Lightning and Tobias Church. Hoping they didn’t kill him because I like him.

#sdcc #sdcc2018 #sdcctrailers #trailers #comic con #tv #movies #aquaman #godzilla #robin #titans #glass #m night shyamalan #what a twist #shazam #wizarding world #the crimes of grindelwald #fantastic beasts #newt scamander #dumbledore #meowmeowbeenz #the koogler watches #the koogler #koogler

[fttanime]

Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2): Update On Release Date, New Cast & More

Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2): Update On Release Date, New Cast & More

Disenchantment Season 2 Update: Disenchantment, Matt Groening’s fantastical mediaeval animated series, has been renewed for a second season on Netflix. Disenchantment Season 2 (or "Part 2," as it's been dubbed) will be available on Netflix very shortly! Netflix was allegedly enchanted enough with Disenchantment to place an early order for Season 2 of the Matt Groening animated series, as well as…

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#Disenchantment Season 2 #Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) #Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Arrive #Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Cast #Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Characters #Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Plot #Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Trailer #Disenchantment Season 2 (Part 2) Update #Disenchantment Season 2 Release Date

[rye-views]

Disenchantment. Season 2. Part 2. 7.1/10

About finding Elfo, restoring the kingdom, elves being taxed by Zog, Zog’s new romance, and Bean’s trial for attempted murder on Zog.

I think humor is better here than in the Simpsons. This series is v different though because it continues the timeline and plot instead of having episodes like the Simpsons. This won’t have as many seasons.

Memorable Quotes: “I’m bored, let’s have a war.“

#disenchantment #season 2 #part 2 #7.1 #animation #television #show #series #review #commentary #rye-views

[bluebipples]

Mora/Bean is Canon

(but I’m not sure about Endgame)

A very (very) long, unnecessary post. I’d like to start this off by saying bisexuality is consistently erased in the tumblr community, but this isn’t about if bean is bi or a lesbian because it literally does not matter 

*ahem* Also, spoilers if you haven’t watched season 3 because, i don’t know, you probably have a life

anyway, there’s lots of speculation on whether or not Bean’s romance with Mora was a dream or not, and I’m here to give you the (probably) definitive answer (and throw a wild guess at the next season).

To begin with, Disenchantment is no stranger to foreshadowing. In fact, rewatching the show a few times you notice that the writers practically laid everything out in front of us the entire time. It’s actually admirable from a writer’s perspective, imo, but I’m not here to cream my pants over the writers. An example of their consistent foreshadowing would begin in the very first episode, when a blimp is seen in the far background of one of the scenes over some mountains. This would later be explained by the introduction of Steamland, which became a pinnacle location to the plot in seasons 2 and 3. There are plenty more examples, but I’d rather save it for the ones I’ve found in season 3. (And, one could argue, Bean asking a hot mermaid to nibble her earlobes was foreshadowing her later romance with one, but, hey, who am i to over-speculate)

Now, for the juicy stuff, as well as some artistic appreciation. Was anyone else absolutely in love with the ocean scenery? Like, somebody popped the fuck off in the background department bc hot damn. Don’t worry, I promise, this is extremely relevant. 

(excuse the thing in the top left) This is the sky a few hours after they’d left Steamland, meaning it’s early morning / sunrise. Holy shit, I nearly cried when I saw this scene. This is goddamn beautiful. The clouds? The blending? The bright coloration? Who the fuck did this??? How do I give them money??

Sorry for the lack of a consistent timeline, but I didn’t get a good shot of the sky in the same day afternoon shot, so, here’s the afternoon sky before Bean and Elfo crash.

And this delightful pink son of a bitch is the sunset, into which our ladies rode with my heart soaring. At this point, I had to pause to search ‘disenchantment’ on tumblr to see if it was gay and sure enough the top image was mora and bean kissing. i love this hellhole.

Now, why the hell are skies relevant, my friends? Well (I’m starting to realize this is another fucking dumb sky post like that one that’s 10 years long but this is worse because I’m losing my mental sanity to prove half an episode in a 3 season cartoon actually happened)

This would be when the ‘dream’ starts, which is after Bean hits her head, and presumably, late afternoon. Swimming with your mermaid girlfriend underwater all the way to Mermaid Island probably takes some time, so they get there by, say, sunset maybe?

yes, i use subtitles, i do not have a good attention span. So, yeah, maybe sunset-ish, or like, really late afternoon. 

and, of course, our wildest sapphic fantasies come true. again, excuse the subtitles. 

Here’s the juicy juicy shit that real good-good. Please stay with me.

The lyrics to Mora’s song:

They say that you’re a drowner

And we’re parted by the sea

But I can keep you floating

If you just hold on to me

I’ll keep you safe, I’m on your team

And when it feels like just a dream

Believe it’s true

Because I do

And someday if there’s a war

On some not-so-distant shore

And lines are drawn

I’m never gone

This star’s your guide

And I am always on your side

Well, well, well, how the dots have connected and my gay brain is spiraling. Not only am I swooning, but I’m also itching with theories. Lots of ‘em. I’m about to give MatPat a run for his money. 

First, I wanna get out there that if you tell me Bean’s subconscious could have written that song, you are incorrect. Bean is a lot of things, but... creative isn’t exactly one of them. There’s an entire episode dedicated to how bad she as at writing creatively (unless it’s about her familial issues): season 2, episode 8: In Her Own Write.

So, ‘when it feels like just a dream / believe it’s true’ sounds a whole lot like we’re being told something. Or, Bean is, but she’s not great at picking up hints. Another fact we are shown again and again and again. 

‘Someday if there’s a war / On some not-so-distant shore’ I mean, this shouldn’t be so hard to point out. Kinda seems like Dreamland is in a bit of a tizzy right now, huh? I mean, what with the Elves learning that the Trøgs are direct descendants of their forgotten ancestors that adapted to living underground overtime and- oh- wait- did that not get revealed yet?

Well, let me do you a think by referencing Skyrim because that’s the easiest example I can think of. There are these ugly bitches that ruin my entire day every time I encounter them called the Falmer that dwell underground that were once Snow Elves, but had adapted to living underground after, you guessed it, the arrival of... goddamn nords/humans (a few centuries after, but still). Large eyes with poor vision, bigger ears to make up for that lack of vision, and a more grey skin pallor from, y’know, living underground. I won’t give you a lecture on evolution, because this is already super duper long. Kinda wild that Disenchanted would take a commonly used Fantasy trope like creatures colonized by humans adapting to life underground, it’s almost like the whole show is to poke fun of overdone fantasy tropes.

And, of course, it’s revealed that the Lost Kingdom of the Elves is underneath Dreamland, directly where the Trøgs dwell. It doesn’t take a genius to connect the dots. Elves have hidden themselves in this world - remember, Elfo was the first elf since Leavo to leave Elfwood in years. So let me spin you a yarn about a well-known tale called Colonization. I’m sure we all know where this is going. Clearly, not all of the elves stayed underneath Dreamland. Judging by how many Trøgs there are in relation to how many elves, I assume less than or around half of the elf population managed to evacuate Dreamland while those who remained took to living in the shadows. We’ve seen the conditions of their underworld, and, well, one can assume they went a bit nutty along the way. I’m sure the mushroom spores didn’t help.

Then, there’s the prophecy. Bean, Elfo and Luci are the saviors of the Trøgs.

‘Lines are drawn’ - after Bean is crowned Queen Bean (lol) she and Elfo drift apart. He obviously feels abandoned by her, and even if he did sacrifice himself for Dreamland, I’m certain he won’t be killed. I’m on that wonderful conspiracy train that the Ogre Queen is his mother, but that’s another story for another day though it’s somewhat related. Needless to say, if the Elves declare war on Dreamland, lines will certainly be drawn. And, I recall my statement above: Bean, Elfo and Luci are the saviors of the Trøgs. I’d count it as ‘saving’ them if they reunite with their cousins, the Elves, and take back the kingdom that once belonged to them; wouldn’t you?

‘I’m never gone / This star’s your guide / And I am always on your side’ This is a callback to a few things in this episode. Mora tells Bean that the heart of the Big Flipper leads to Mermaid Island, as Bean recalls when she is given the necklace Mora made for her. So, that’s another double nudge-nudge wink-wink from the writers (a joke they also made consistently this season, making me feel aggressively mocked. so i have powerpoints on this show, now, and nothing to do with them.) 

Anyway, if the Elves and Trøgs do succeed in taking over Dreamland, Mora has explicitly stated that Bean has an ally in her - and, of course, the mermaids. So, looking too deeply into a song written by a fictional mermaid for her equally fictional girlfriend aside, let’s move on to more obvious evidence.

Bean then wakes up on the beach to Elfo saying nobody wanted to help them, , yadda yadda, it was clearly a dream, right?

(yes, I wanted to get the caption that made me cry. now you have to be sad, too.) except, wait a second, that’s a goddamn morning sky. And, beyond that, the very next episode which continues off from Bean and Elfo walking back to Dreamland, it’s also morning and leads right into the rest of the same day. well, shit me a brick. chronologically, it makes sense for this to have not been a dream.

and, naturally, the nail in the coffin. There it is, the necklace, right there in front of our fat faces. I’m sure you’re wondering how Bean can sleep through swimming underwater for presumably hours, but, hey, tHAT’S JUST A TH-

In conclusion, the Disenchantment writers make it a point to give us not-so-subtle hints (mostly in the background) towards future plots. This seemingly innocuous, what, ten minutes of a sapphic fantasy come true could be an incredibly important plot point. It’s not the first time they’ve used a small storyline to pull the strings together for a far bigger one - they literally do it every season, multiple times. My evidence towards Mora and Bean having a real romance stems from the design of the sky backgrounds that clearly show the passage of time throughout the episode (and show), as well as the fact that Mora’s necklace washes up on shore not long after Bean wakes up. Along with this presented evidence, I believe the Elves are going to try and overthrow Dreamland (just like, basically, every other kingdom or secret society in this show) and Bean will have to figure out for herself if Mora really is waiting for her on Mermaid Island. As for what else Season 4 has in store, I have lots of other theories but for the 4 people who read this, I shall not disclose.

Thank you for coming to my TedTalk, and I am so very sorry.

Also, here’s a bonus pic of the ocean scenery.

(luci voice) who did that?

#seriously THIS WHOLE EPISODE #WAS SO FUCKING BEAUTIFUL #why was this such a gorgeous episode #who did this #who dunnit #i want to personally give you a fucking raise #they really goddam popped off #also if anybody read this. #im so sorry #i thought abt posting it on reddit but i dont want to get roasted #for being uhh #fucking insane #this is probably just all bullshit and it probably doesn't make sense #but i had to expel this demon from my body #before the tumblr discourse over a fictional characters sexuality takes over the whole fanbase #for the record idk if shes bi or gay bc arguments could be made for either one but at the end of the day #it doesn't fuckin matter because it's a cartoon and we are kebabs on a rock hurtling through space #where was i going with this #oh the proper tags #disenchantment #disenchanted #disenchantment netflix #disenchanted netflix #bean #mora #bean/mora #disenchantment bean #disenchanted bean #disenchantment mora #disenchanted mora