#REBECCA'S COMPLETE AND UTTER LACK OF A REACTION

[notallwonder]

I should have gone to sleep already but lo and behold the new episode dropped and here I am, bereft of impulse control.

Just my reactions to 16x03 under the Read More for those avoiding spoilers.

+ Penelope you can do it, you can say fuckhead. I believe in you. Adorable that you tried.

+ Yes!!! Tara & Rebecca have a leeetle smoocharooni in the elevator. They are cute, even as Rebecca is tryna U-Haul, to Tara's apparent chagrine. Love this way she styled her hair.

+ jeezus oh my godddd somehow Prentiss looks even more beautiful. UGH. Smokeshow behavior!!!!!!!!!! Dearest GIF makers, please bend your talents this way again (thank you for all you do!)

+ Director Noodle putting emphasis on "agent" as if Emily isn't a whole Section Chief [Silver Fox].

+ I hope the fact they haven't let Prentiss say fuck yet means that when it comes it will have some impact

+ Garcia's earrings distract and delight me. As though her jewelry is expressing her utter distaste for the work.

+ I find myself actually interested in UnSub Fuckhead's storyline. For both the FBI *and* the perpetrators there's not a lot of money in serial killing, it seems.

+ So glad Garcia's getting out of her tech cave.

+ Among my discomforts with some of the dialogue: the way Internet slang or whatever leaks into these Serious FBI Types language. See: Luke saying "kinkshame" and JJ noting the DOD decided to "take cyber more seriously." Or okay, maybe that last one is actually a joke, a dig at the way Drumpf used "cyber" but...I think I'd rather not be reminded? Idk

+ You know Noodle is going to figure out DOJ is interfering and is going to fuck things up for Rebecca somehow. Especially as she is increasingly involved in the investigation...

+ everything about this alleged drone pilot vet unsub just lost me - it doesn't even really make sense?

+ lmao Rossi's like "wank weasel, filing that away for future use"

+ Emily's conversation with Noodle feels rushed - the last episode made it seem like the BAU was going to be racing against time trying to find the kill kits while keeping Noodle at arm's length (which is not what's happening), and now we're already at this escalation in the Evil Administrator plotline? Not what I expected.

+ But her "Excuse me" at the end......Hot. 🥵 Ma'am, excuse ME.

+ I don't watch this show for the interesting crimes and well orchestrated intrigue & mystery, go figure lmao

+ ok maybe drone pilot vet makes a little more sense...but that reveal lacks weight somehow? Idk maybe I'm just distracted by Paget Brewster. Love that the BAU profile is completely wrong and nobody bats an eye (not the first time!)

+ the last scene with Rebecca & Tara was sweet, although it's a bit different to see Tara like this, more vulnerable and less swaggery. And the heart eyes on Nicole Pacent!

+ omg the scene at the end, the guy wiggling around as the dog allegedly kills him.... I'm sorry, I laughed. I spared a thought for JJ's early trauma, but the way the guy was shaking around just made me giggle.

+ It's nice to see Garcia & JJ paired up on screen again, but I kinda missed a strong sense of their specific friendship. They were on exposition duty, so that's not so surprising. Still.

+ Not a lot of screen time for Luke besides chasing bad guys with JJ.

+ thank god Rossi has resurrected his grooming regimen

This episode felt like more setting up the dominoes than anything else. Emily taking on double duty running the BAU for the time being doesn't bode well for my wish to see her have a life outside work, sadly.

#cm spoilers #cme spoilers #criminal minds spoilers #criminal minds evolution spoilers #cm16 spoilers #still surreptitiously trying to manifest a simple and brief handholding situation LOL

[masterthespianduchovny]

I’m curious as to how Nate’s redemption arc will be handled, esp because I often see him compared to Rebecca and what she did.

For a while I tried to understand why this comparison fell flat for me. Why, despite disliking what Rebecca was doing and wanting her to fail, I wasn’t as bothered by her actions than I am Nate’s.

Don’t get me wrong, what Rebecca did was fucked up. She hired Ted under false pretenses and undermined him every step of the way. However, it wasn’t personal. Well, not to those employed by or connected to the club. Her actions was very much about hurting Rupert. Again, not to say that that isn’t fucked up and even some would argue that’s worse. However, despite her ill intent, Rebecca didn’t actively berate or threaten anyone under her outside of Higgins. This is why players and other people feel comfortable around her, she was nice to them, listened, and helped when she could, despite it being all to maintain her image initially.

Despite Higgins being employed by her and her wielding that power, that dynamic is vastly different. They were friends of sorts for years and he had standing lunches with her, which he knew and may have even been instructed to set those up so Rupert could cheat. Rebecca thought she was laughing and smiling with a friend who enjoyed her, he was and he did, who was helping her husband cheat even though it was under threat.

Part of the reason Higgins endures that is because he genuinely cared for Rebecca and he felt guilty about what he helped put her through.

During this entire time, Rebecca isn’t rude, abusive, or threatens any under her. Even when she’s negatively reacting to something they’re doing, she pauses and finds a productive way to address the issue or ignores it.

Hell, she even brushes off Nate insulting her to her face and, in the second season, when Will grabs the boots without saying excuse me, she just moves and looks at him funny.

So even when Rebecca was at her lowest, she wasn’t being a raging asshole to everyone despite her act. And we see that her not mistreating those under her is on brand for her because 2. No one notes the change in behavior from one season to the next 2. How she treats others doesn’t change because she largely treated them well on a person to person basis.

Where as even before Nate got power, he was quick to yell at, put down, or insult people who he deemed as beneath him. Or, when he was especially angry, insulted his boss directly to her face because he thought she fired him. Keep in mind, Rebecca didn’t disrespect Nate at all AND he didn’t know about her scheme. So why was his first reaction to be rude? And he switched up so quickly as well? He didn’t even wait to see what was going on, just jumped to conclusions and immediately attacked.

We remember how he treated Ted and Beard before he found out who they were. Again, rude and to complete strangers at that.

Before Nate became a coach, it wasn’t that he was nice, he wasn’t. Nate was meek because he was beaten down, however, in a situation where he felt he had power, he was and an asshole. It’s not that Nate finally wants power over those who harmed him, he wants to wield power and it may not simply be because he’s always been powerless. To treat strangers how Nate did, to lash out at someone who has never harmed him, despite her power over him?

So when you get to the second season and see Nate being an asshole because he can? Being a complete and utter dick? Like, it would be easier to swallow if he was only rude to those who bullied him. We can get that. But those aren’t his only casualties in his mission for power and dominance. Even then, before beard spoke to him, he targeted players he felt he could get away with making rude comments to. He wouldn’t have ever said that shit to Jamie or Roy if he was still a player. Nate only respects people just as powerful or more powerful than him and that’s not okay.

The way Nate is behaving is antithetical to not only their current clubhouse culture, but also how ted coaches. He’s completely undermining Ted and the growth the players and team has made at large.

And it’s what makes his treatment of Will esp gross. Will is the most powerless person there and Nate knows that. The power imbalance is even more skewed than when Jamie and the others were bullying him. Nate is constantly on will’s ass about the smallest things, perceived or real, and treating him lack complete shit. He’s even gone so far as flat out ignoring him because he’s just the kitman. Will delivers the pens Nate orders and Nate does not acknowledge his presence, and then Colin walks in and Nate acknowledges his presence.

Will does a nice thing for Nate and because someone called him a loser online, he verbally abuses Will and threatens him. That’s fucking wild.

Again, outside of Higgins which is a different story, who has Rebecca treated like that? I’d even argue that Rebecca treated Higgins better than Nate is treating Will and others in general.

Rebecca did learn Nate’s name (or already knew it), supported his promotion, and participated in the surprise announcement. She never treated him or others like they were less than because she owns the club.

Even when you consider his relationship with his dad and how he’s treated, the bullying, and other shit, although those things adds context, it doesn’t explain all of his behavior nor does it erase the active harm he’s doing.

Because what I struggle with is: did Nate mean his apology?

No.

Nate didn’t apologize due to remorse, he apologized because he got caught and is learned how to be a better bully and silence his victim from getting help. Admittedly, part of this falls on ted, beard, and now roy, however, this is largely on Nate.

Nate didn’t suddenly become power hunger and an asshole, he always was. He just didn’t have the power.

Although I do believe he’ll get a redemption arc, I honestly hope they nail this. Because what he’s doing won’t be solved with a “do better” and apology. He also needs therapy, maybe to be demoted for a while, and some other shit I can’t think of.

I also think the other difference between Rebecca and Nate is that she did feel guilt. And I’m not saying guilt is enough to excuse fucked up shit, but it makes a difference when one feels remorse and the other doesn’t.

So you have Rebecca who wasn’t mistreating her subordinates, forming relationships with them, felt remorse, and became accountable when called out (other things happened too). Nate is mistreating his subordinates, not forming relationships with anyone, doesn’t feel remorse, and isn’t accountable when called out. I’ll admit, his story is in progress, however, we’ve seen glimpses of the nasty side of Nate even before he became a coach.

Because of this, we’re reassessing everything we thought we knew about him because most of his behavior isn’t new. He just now how power to wield, which plays into why we’re so unsettled by his development and some actively dislike him.

#ted lasso #rebecca welton #nate shelley #if you read all of this thanks #lol

[lollytea]

Speaking of I realize baloo isn’t your typical male character. He isn’t a sexist jerk and he respects Rebecca regardless of gender (between me and you those two are in love damn it)

Yeah thats another thing!! If I’m gonna talk about how great Becky is, i should also mention my main man.

Baloo, like Rebecca, is a difficult person. He’s lazy, conniving, doesn’t take things seriously when he should, is always late and this behavior can be insufferable sometimes. But one thing the show always makes perfectly clear is that his heart is huge. 

He’s immensely warm and friendly to everyone he meets (unless he doesn’t like you. then he has no problem expressing it.) and he completely adores children. When he met Kit, his reaction to seeing this little boy crash into him, knocking him off his feet, was utter delight and he took him under his wing on the spot. He dotes on molly, always referring to her with cute nicknames like honey, pumpkin, muffin, button-nose. 

He’s just so openly sweet and affectionate with the kids, with Rebecca, with everybody hes friendly with and, considering he is a male protagonist of a cartoon released in 1990, its just very nice to have that sort of thing depicted as frequently as it is here. 

(Kit too, is a very wholesome subversion of a what a young boy in a cartoon was expected to be at the time. Yeah hes cool and mischievous but he’s also just as strongly defined by his gentleness and compassion. But goddamn one character tangent at a time. We’re talking about Baloo.)

And the sexism thing is also a notable thing like. Early on in the show, Baloo has a lot of gripes with Rebecca and most of them aren’t even irrational. I don’t blame him for being pissed off. Whenever they argue, (often) he has no problem criticizing her. But in spite of that, he had never once degraded her for being a woman. I’m almost certain that throughout the entirety of Talespin, Baloo has never made a sexist remark, whether it be serious, or even just a casual joke. Never. 

Ok but lemme talk about the episode that revolved around sexism. So you’d expect, in the typical early cartoon formula, that Baloo, the main character, should be the one who has to learn the lesson that girls are just as good as boys blah blah blah. But no, he already knew that going in. Sexism is not the moral of the episode, its just the conflict from an outside source that kicks the plot into gear. 

A sexist man is running his mouth about ‘Higher for Hire’ and thus they’re losing business because of it. Baloo is repeatedly mocked for working for a woman and refreshingly, he never lets the taunts make him feel insecure. He doesn’t have a moment of “maybe they’re right” he doesn’t blame Becky for being the reason he’s getting this treatment. He just sorta shrugs it off at first, openly stating that Becky is the brains of the operation and casually calling the sexist opinions “hogwash” (The way he barely reacts makes me believe that this happens a lot. and considering its the 30s-40s, it probably does.) 

He does get progressively more annoyed as this goes on, not because he’s starting to believe it, but because the guy is just really obnoxious and hes starting to grate on his nerves.

Baloo’s scheme in this episode involves masquerading as a woman in order to prove a point. Now i couldn’t say for certain if Talespin’s depiction of cross-dressing is offensive. I think the trans community might have a clearer take on that. BUT its worth noting that Baloo frequently dresses as a woman over the course of this show and never has the joke been that he felt emasculated doing so. Nor has it been the cross-dressing itself, usually its just treated as a means to an end, and the joke is usually either how far Baloo is willing to go for his scheme (wearing a disguise) or that people are somehow unable to see through it, or the comical nature of how he’s revealed. 

And I cannot stress enough that he does this voluntarily. It does not take a lot for prodding for him to decide he needs to put a dress on. He’s got that whole Bugs Bunny thing about him. Like I don’t think it was Talepin’s intention but....Baloo seems to be just legitimately into drag and I find that quite endearing.

So, uh, I went on a tangent. (TLDR; I think the way Talepin portrays Baloo’s opinions on sexism and his lack of toxic masculinity is really neat. Thank you for your time.)

#talespin #nobody: #me: yes i know youre all dying to know. here are my thoughts on gender roles in talespin

[robron-til-the-end-of-time]

Its so obvious who are only robron fans and don't care about the show compared to those who can see the shows improved drastically.

Oh yeah, I completely agree.

But if you’re only here for robron, that’s okay! Of course it is (no one willingly hitches their obsession to a soap fgs) and if that’s what you’re here for, then fine! And if that’s the case, it’s no wonder that you think the current producers are crap, given the background type of robron content we’re getting and the no major story line and lacking screen time, then… of course you’re going to think these producers are terrible. It’s pretty much a given?? If you’re here for the one thing, and that one things not delivering… yeah, it’s disappointing to say the least.

I think there’s a lot of “well, the robron contents crap (or lacking, which is completely true), so the shows absolutely terrible and not worth a damn and every story is utter crap” which feels like a bit of an unfair reaction to Seb leaving, Dryan holidays and absolutely NO focus on them, imo.

It was the complete character isolation from everyone, IMs blatant sexism, and his shocking pacing (I can’t even follow or understand the current complaints on bad pacing because you remember 2017 and the first few months of 2018? Do you?) that really killed me. I’d given up, I couldn’t do the show anymore, and the next morning, IM left. Which worked out nicely for me! ;)

Do you remember the Whites? How they were locked in HF and never escaped, other than a character who turned up for 2 weeks? Then repeat the cycle again for 18 months until they left, in something we’d known about for nearly a year? How Ross’s acid attack went on and on, with the pimp and what? Rebecca only being allowed to talk to Robert, Vic and Chrissie for an entire year?

I think there’s a lot of robron complaints that are being treated as show complaints, and it’s not the same thing at all.

If you’re only here for robron? I don’t blame you! Have at it! I’m sure it’s completely shit right now, because even their hyped stuff is… muted for lack of a better word. But shit robron content does not equal shit show content. And the show as a whole hasn’t been this strong for quite some time.

The little village scenes or character scenes might seem boring, pointless, and not moving the plot along, but they make a lot more characters more likable rather than moving on from dramatic plot point to plot point with a six week break in the middle.

Wow, apparently I had a lot of thoughts about this!

#producer talk #I went off on a tangent #rant

[aviewfromtheclouds25]

I don't recognise Emmerdale anymore.

It still looks like the same show, but it doesn't feel like the same show.

It's like a copy. It's not complete or whole right now, because it's missing something. That's why it doesn't feel like the show I've known and loved all my life.

And for me, that's exactly what it's missing; emotional attachment.

Its heart.

Or what has always been at its heart - intricate and sensitive character-driven stories allowing the emotional depth which plot-driven drama for the sake of drama just isn't capable of achieving.

Because this is what's happening - over the last few months at least - Emmerdale has ceased to be the one soap which has always had the characters at the heart of its stories and driving them, and instead become a plot-driven mess creating drama for the sake of drama, to the point of sometimes even feeling gimmicky and farcical in places (e.g. weekly desperate attempts at forced, unauthentic comedic plots in an attempt to break up some of the sheer utter misery in the name of drama).

What we've been seeing lately is a regular pattern of characters' backstories or previous plot-points being forgotten / neglected and creating this feeling of out-of-character moments, while also being given huge plot-points which are rarely followed through and given any aftermath.

How many characters have been killed off recently? And how much actual grieving have we been allowed to see? Remember Holly? Remember James? Do you remember the immediate aftermaths with the Bartons? How it affected all of the characters? Did we see it impact on Pete and his depression? Did Ross suddenly stop feeling guilty for not being there when his dad died purely because he admitted this after James's funeral?

And then there's Ashley. Why does Laurel need something to do immediately, regarding Emma and this video? Why can't we just see her grieving? Why are we expected to believe that one dream has suddenly cured her of her illness regarding alcohol and that there's no longer any struggle? Why isn't that struggle - and her overcoming it - worth telling? Why aren't we getting to see more of Sandy coming to terms with the fact that his child has died before him? Why - for a show that has frequently praised and valued the feeling of community among the characters - are we not seeing conversations with other characters? Why not have Sandy and Bob discuss having to be a parent watching your own child die before you? Why not have Carly turn to Laurel about Billy in light of Daniel? Why not follow through on the conversation between Aaron and Laurel about that place by Wylie's? Why was Gabby blaming Bernice for the fact that she wasn't there when Ashley died pitched as though it were its own plot-point when it actually lasted two episodes before she went on holiday with the very person she blamed? Why isn't grief a worthy storyline in its own right?

Why has the narrative become so staccato, jumping from one plot-point to the next and never allowing us to see, or appreciate, the journey between them? I'm not saying this is the case for the whole show, and the grieving storylines are just one example of my point - that we are being shown very little follow-through in the majority of storylines these days, in favour of the big plot-points which guarantee the reaction. Ultimately, the characters aren't being given the time to be human. And it was this authentic and poignant ability to mix light and shade believably, the consistent exploration of the complex spectrum of human emotion, that has always made Emmerdale different to all the other shows. This was its strength. This was the very essence of Emmerdale, at its core - its heart - but right now it feels like they've lost sight of that.

As you can see, my problem right now goes much further than Robron and their current storyline. It extends to Emmerdale in general. Because my issue right now, and my disappointment, is with the show as a whole and all of its storylines. Unfortunately, the backlash over this particular Robron-related storyline has become somewhat blurred with the character hate of Rebecca, and that is what the crew and media are choosing to focus on rather than distinguishing between the two. And this is where my issue lies and what I'm choosing to address.

By choosing to focus on a handful of tweets, and tarring the whole fandom / audience with the same brush rather than acknowledging the complex spectrum of humanity and the individuality of identity, they're essentially missing the point. My issue with this particular storyline is not the storyline itself. I mean, of course I was never going to like a cheating storyline with Robron. But we're not supposed to like every storyline. What we are supposed to be able to do is believe it, understand it, and appreciate it. Which I could have done - while disliking the content of the plot - had it been executed well. And that's where the problem lies. The fact that it feels like there has been a distinct lack of care and effort in portraying this storyline. And I would extend this point to almost every storyline over the past few months.

Of course, we've been able to give the show the benefit of the doubt by putting some of the blame onto the character of Rebecca and her lack of identity because it's never come across onscreen. And this is why we're now reading quotes telling us what's going on in Rebecca's mind, and how we should feel about her and the storyline - because until now, we've never been shown her perspective in the narrative. You shouldn't have to tell your audience how to feel, nor should you try to narrow their interpretations. The very essence and beauty of fiction is that it can be interpreted in so many ways. That's what makes creating it so fulfilling. All artistes - including writers, actors, directors, producers - are enabling the freedom of creative expression. And that means opening the audience's mind, not restricting it. If you want the intention of your story to be interpreted a certain way, it has to come across in the narrative. The fact that it doesn't to so many, however, goes to show the lack of care in this storyline.

And that's my problem, that's why my eternal enthusiasm for the show in general is faltering. Because it feels like they have become complacent. They still have some truly great moments, of course they do. But that's just it; they're moments. Right now it feels like the only thing Emmerdale is actually being consistent in is its lack of consistency. And again, I say this in regard to all storylines.

For me, they're asking too much of the audience while also refusing to challenge our minds and thirst for entertainment. Some aspects of the plots at the moment could resemble a paint-by-numbers, while others stretch the boundaries of our suspension of disbelief into oblivion. And that saddens me more than any storyline ever could. Because this show means so much to me. But right now, it doesn't really feel like the same show anymore.

And that's where my disappointment lies. Because I know what this show is capable of - including Super Soap Week which wasn't so long ago and I'll forever rave about - but it feels like they've forgotten.

And that's why I'll keep rooting for the twists and theories, and I'll acknowledge the fact that quotes can be taken out of context and edited to fit the angle of the story the press are trying to spin. I am rooting for them, and willing them to prove me wrong on this. To root for themselves.

Because essentially, I don't need - or want - platitudes or explanations in interviews.

I just want Emmerdale to feel like Emmerdale again.

#Emmerdale #Robron