#she’s such a good actress and if she was any less fantastic allison would be such an afterthought of a character!!!

[syceusfig]

Sex Education S4.

Hi friends, its been a while. Shit has been pouring down and I've been here with no umbrella, just hoping for it to end and it hasn't but you know what? Acceptance is a gift. So here I am, accepting things and writing a rant about the forth season of Sex Education because I might actually be going insane. If I feel like it, I might do a proper analysis of the show as a whole because it is absolutely fantastic. I highly recommend watching it if you haven't yet. That being said, spoilers for Sex Education season 4 (and potentially other seasons) ahead.

I'm honestly not entirely sure how I feel about this season. I think I prefer it to the third season but not to the first and second. To begin, I think it might be nice to cover why that might be.

So the first, probably most striking factor, is how crowded Sex Education got in the third season. There were (from what I found) 18 characters considered part of the main cast in the third season, which made it very difficult for the show to put any focus on specific characters and shortened the amount of time we got with the main three. Now, the forth season cut out quite a few characters and managed to do it somewhat naturally with Otis and Eric's shift from Moordale to Cavendish, as well as Jean finding out Jakob was not Joy's father. Most of the characters that were cut out had completed storylines (in my opinion) so I wasn't too bothered by it however I felt that Ola and Jakob's complete removal from the show was too sudden as there was no consolidation from Jean finding out Jakob wasn't Joy's father to him completely leaving. I also thought that Ola not being in Adam's life made no sense as I was really hoping they'd get more screentime this season after they got so little of it last season.

I want to note that I do know Patricia Allison (the actress who plays Ola) had said she would not be returning for the forth season and things like that do happen, however it is still very unfortunate and I wish Ola would've at least still have been mentioned by Adam, acknowledging her absence in his life because her complete erasure felt unnatural to me and didn't make much sense overall.

In spite of this, cutting some characters out was generally a good thing. It allowed the show to focus and develop more on characters, giving them more complete, well-developed storylines (or it should have, but we'll get to that) and removing the struggle for screentime I felt there was in Season 3.

One of the downfalls of this season, however, was the failure to fully take advantage of the newfound lack of crowing. There was a certain choppiness to the third season and all the storylines felt disjointed. Which can be okay, as characters do need to develop by themselves, but too much individuality can take away from the whole. The first two seasons of Sex Education had that wholeness, characters had storylines but they were connected in a way; there was a bigger picture that formed as each character developed their smaller, individual pictures. Unfortunately, the choppiness from the third season remained in the forth. Though less, there was a disjointedness. The characters were very strongly "grouped" this season and their storylines hugely revolved around those groups and those groups only. There was no bigger picture, there was no "ultimate" which left a sense of unfinished.

Speaking of unfinished, I'm going to move into individual things that worked and didn't work this season, starting with Jackson and Cal. Quite simply, there was no resolution. Their relationship went nowhere this season, it was just something that sort of lingered over the audience's head but never went anywhere. I found it increasingly frustrating and thought there were multiple moments that could've been worked to create a resolution between them, whatever that may have been. Like when Cal went missing, if Jackson had found them rather than Eric, something could have been done there, a talk, a moment, anything. I just didn't like how they were sort of glossed over. Ultimately, I felt their storyline was unfinished and, as a whole, discarded.

Before moving on I want to talk a little bit more about Cal. I thought they had a lot of potential when they were introduced in Season 3 them being non-binary was practically their only defining trait. I had hope that more would be done with them this season because it's great to have NB representation in shows but I don't feel more has been done. There were some pros, like us getting a bit of a view into Cal's home life, but aside from that it didn't feel like much had changed and the only moment Cal was at all crucial to the story was right at the end.

I also felt that Otis and Eric's "rift" didn't work. One of my favourite things about Sex Education has been Otis and Eric's relationship because they have an incredible bond despite their differences and are always there for each other when needed. The lack of this relationship this season was very much missed. While I understand Eric's inclination to befriend people he felt were more similar to him, I feel the show navigated this badly and it was sort of an afterthought. Otis and Eric's fight was furthermore incredibly redundant as it was similar to fights Otis and Eric previously had made up and moved on from, making it seem like a fight for the sake of a fight.

There was quite a bit of fighting for the sake of fighting this season. Which brings me to my next point, Maeve and Otis. I was firstly glad the show had them keep in contact while Maeve was in America so they didn't start in that sort of strange, vague place they did in the third season. However, their on and off this season was very unnecessary. With the death of Maeve's mum and her having just come back from America, their relationship would have already faced enough challenges and obstacles. Getting to watch them navigate that in a relationship would have worked a lot better than the same "will they, won't they" the show has been doing for three seasons already. It's gotten old. We ended up not getting much time with them as a couple which I was really hoping for.

Maeve and Otis' ending in and off itself was understandable but I am very upset regardless. I loved the bit with the note, I thought it wrapped everything up very well. I liked that she kept the shirt, I liked that she chose herself and her future, I like how he closed his eyes when she left so, to be fair, I liked quite a lot. But, as I've said, I wish we had gotten more time with them in the season because I think it would've made it more impactful.

Something that wasn't major but I quickly want to talk about was Eric's relationship with religion this season. While I liked that the show presented how difficult it can be being a queer person who is still religious and finds community in church or worship in general, I found Eric's religion journey confusing. The abstract aspects of it (like the signs, the woman who I suppose was God, etc.) were kind of like when Villanelle started seeing Jesus in "Killing Eve". I didn't think the abstract aspects really fit with the rest of the show so it all just felt out of place. However, I liked that it brought about a lovely family moment with Eric and his mum.

I've been talking mostly about what didn't work so I'm switching to something that has. Family moments were something this season absolutely nailed. The scene between Maeve and Jean was absolutely beautiful and so tender. I loved everything about it and I think the show did wonderfully, especially because Jean and Maeve properly meeting was something I have been waiting for since the start of the show. This and the simple, lovely moment were Cal and their mum were lying together.

Also worth mentioning Adam and his dad's slowly growing and healing relationship. Mr. Groff's development throughout the show has been done astonishingly well, I was genuinely rooting for him this season and I loved seeing him trying with Adam. I also thought Adam was great. I liked that he found something he loved, accepting school wasn't for him because it really isn't for everyone and it's very nice to see that acknowledged.

So, there were nice things about this season and I did enjoy it (I mean, I finished it the day after it came out) despite it definitely not being my favourite. Now, I have a multitude of different issues with the end probably because so much pressure and anticipation goes into an ending that when it doesn't reach the expectations we set for it, it can be very detrimental to our overall enjoyment. For Sex Education, I think there are a lot of little things that could have been changed to make the ending more satisfying, more final. But, if I keep going I will never, ever stop (and it is mainly minor things that could've been done) so I think I'll just end this post here on a semi-positive note.

Sex Education is a great show. Yes, it was better at the start and yes I think it could've been wrapped up earlier hopefully leaving us with a more satisfying ending. But it's still very much worth the watch, there's a lot to love, and I still recommend watching it regardless. I want to be clear in saying I don't think this season or the ending was horrible by any means I just expected and hoped for more. Anyway, if you have any thoughts do share them whether or not you agree with me; I'm always happy to discuss.

#sex education #sex ed s4 #sex ed spoilers #netflix #show review #more like show rant #i cannot shut up #shows #netflix series #netflix shows

[kneworder]

thinkin about how dirty tua does allison again. like her storyline in s1 revolved around being a sister to viktor, and in s2, around being a wife to ray and leader of the movement in the 60s. yes these things are important to her, but really, how much are we getting about allison being allison? 

we only ever get to see allison at the end of a period of personal growth. s1 starts and she’s put rumoring behind her. s2 starts and she has a whole new life she built without her powers over a period of two years. why is it we can delve into themes of addiction with klaus and drugs, five and the apocalypse, hell, even diego and his hero complex, but only skim the surface of allison and her powers? 

I mean!! think about it!! allison has the ability to make anyone do anything she wants! she’s relied on this her whole life, and only stopped using it recently as of s1, and yet the addiction allegory they expressly point out is five’s apocalypse fixation? like sure, I guess they’re kind of comparable, but I’d argue that allison forsaking something she used to use to make her life easier despite how much damage it did is way more like klaus’ drug problem than five obsessing over preventing the thing that ruined his life is!!

the only time she ever ‘loses control’ over her powers starts because someone else (ray) needs her to show them off and happens because she’s rightfully angry at the stadler’s guy -- if we’re expected to believe that allison built her whole life on rumors, why is it only this one big, accumulated thing that makes her snap when life is full of little inconveniences and indignities? does she seethe in line at the grocery store when the guy in front has like 40 items and moves at the speed of molasses? does she want to scream when they get her order wrong at the coffee shop? does she count backwards from ten every time a baby won’t stop crying in public? allison never had to learn to put up with small annoyances because her power made them something she could fix with a single sentence!

on top of that, how does she deal with the even bigger stuff? how can allison have the patience and humility and forgiveness of a saint when she’s spent her life getting what she wants when she wants, with no inbetweens? how does she harbor no resentment or fear towards viktor when her brother almost killed her? how did she learn to be okay with failure, with hurt, with less than perfection? how does she deal with the guilt of knowing she could solve the world’s problems but chooses not to because she can’t trust her own judgement anymore? how does she live with going from a borderline god to just another person?

and that’s just her relationship to her powers! do you ever think about how allison was the only girl in the umbrella academy? we see flashback after flashback of viktor being shunned by the family, but can you imagine being the natasha romanov of the team at age 13? you’re the only one who’s going to be marketed as a role model to girls! you’re the only one being asked about makeup and boys after killing people! you’re the only one wearing a skirt to an active crime scene! GOD, even when they show allison as a kid, it’s not about her, it’s about her relationship to luther!

allison is a character rich with potential, and sure, a lot of the things I pointed out could be explained away by other factors, but my point is that they just haven’t. allison is never allowed her own personal conflict that exists outside the realm of another character. there is no on-screen Allison equivalent to luther trying to find himself without a father figure, diego wanting to prove himself as a hero, klaus struggling with his powers, five solving the apocalypse, or viktor coming to terms with his abilities and childhood.

yes, every character deserves to be fleshed out more than they have been, but think about how much you know about each of the (living) hargreeves, think about how much of their neuroses and trauma and quirks you’ve seen, then think about how much you know of allison. 

#allison hargreeves #the umbrella academy #I want to see allison tracking down claire in the new timeline but even then!! that’s about allison as a mother figure!! #which isn’t necessarily bad I just. hm. >:/ #allison’s arcs are interesting!! but i just feel like there needs to be more in them that’s specific to her #GOD WE DONT EVEN KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT PATRICK!!!!!! WHO IS HE????? #literally begging tua writers to give emmy raver lampman more to work with #she’s such a good actress and if she was any less fantastic allison would be such an afterthought of a character!!! #i get frustrated with how five is used as a device to further the plot but Allison keeps being used as a device to further Vanya + luther #idk y’all maybe I’m being blinded to what’s in front of me by my favoritism and obsession with precanon #i don’t want to start any arguments so I’m sorry if that’s the case!!! I just!!! want to see allison get to do more and feel more!!!! #ev speaks #tua crit

[in-tua-deep]

This ask was going to be too long so imma have to split it up! 1. Hey! I think your headcannons and your writing are just so, so, so fantastic! I've been lingering around the fandom for some time now and this blog has really had me hooked! Wanted to know if you had some headcannons on Allison? I have a lot of questions regarding her and her powers, but also her career? Because? She's? A? Movie? Star? And? International? Celebrity?

“2. Like, we hear just a sliver about her work, about the romantic comedies and such, and we know she’s enough of a name to be hounded by photographers at premiers and to be talked about by gossip mags, but what level of celebrity is she? Because people don’t seem to always recognise her when they’re walking around in the city, but she is established as “super famous” and Vanya calls her “one of the most famous people in the world”.“

“3. What has her career been like? How was it starting out after everyone knew her from The Umbrella Academy? Did she ever win an Oscar? Is Patrick also an actor? Does she ever get discredited for her career due to her powers? How much did she really rumor her way to the top? I know I’m throwing a lot at you, but yeah, just wanted to know what you thought about it!”

Allison!! gotta love Allison, i have no idea about some of those questions rip honestly i think some part is just,, they live in a populated area. That could be Allison Hargreeves who is supposed to be on the other side of the country, or it could just be someone who looks like her idk. I also,, admittedly don’t know enough about celebrity lifestyles since i don’t follow actors for the most part oof BUT i can provide headcanons anyway!!

so first and foremost: I think that baby Allison learned very quickly that there were solid rules she couldn’t get around and as long as she operated within those rules she could get away with almost anything. And the top rule, the untouchable rule, was hammered into her as soon as it was revealed what her power was: Don’t rumor Reginald Hargreeves

and yes i do believe that this lesson was hammered home with pain the first time Allison opened her mouth to her father and “I heard -” came out of it. You don’t rumor Dad, or else it isn’t going to be Klaus who has the story about the broken jaw being wired shut (maybe it doesn’t even have to be broken)

and since Grace is a robot i don’t think she’s capable of being rumored, and so there’s that threat hanging over Allison’s head when Grace shows up. He made Grace to deal with Vanya’s powers, but he’s always been a multitasker. If it’s discovered that Reginald has been rumored, he has a backup immune to her powers to punish her.

Allison, as a child and definitely to some extent as an adult, is manipulative. She knows how to get what she wants, and she knows that she wants to be safe. Which is part of the reason, I think, she latched onto Luther the way she did instead of any of her other brothers. Luther was the golden child, their leader - he a) had at least some level of their father’s favor and was the most likely person in the family to be able to stay his hand should something happen and b) was in charge of the mission and as such could have Allison take the safer or less gross jobs as he’d want to protect her

I mean, I definitely think she was genuinely fond of him from the start and everything, but those calculations definitely factored in with why exactly she started to favor him so blatantly over the rest of her siblings

i think she was pretty content with her life right up until she saw her first movie or flipped open a magazine and saw glamorous actors and actresses and was like “i want that. i want to do that. i want to be at the top of the food chain where no one can hurt me or order me ever again, and i have all the power” because Reginald is pretty much the only one she’ll take orders from, though she does accept Luther’s orders more often than not (she has rumored her siblings before without a single ounce of guilt - in fact, rumoring her siblings used to be a part of her training until it got dangerous)

so when she leaves home, she does so glamorously already with a lead role waiting for her that she may or may not have rumored her way into getting. the world may never know.

and she keeps going. she needs some rumors, doesn’t need others, because Allison genuinely is a very good little actress. She’s been playing manipulation and walking the line her entire life, she’s good and that deserves to be recognized

and then she meets patrick

and she falls in love

and it’s real. I don’t think she rumored Patrick (I think that little ‘I heard a rumor you loved me’ thing was a nod to the comics, where Allison rumored Luther into loving her. The wording is loose and almost naive, she doesn’t specify romantic or platonic or familial or whatever love idk) I think she actually did her level best to NOT rumor patrick

because at the end of the day what Allison craves above all else is something real 

so she falls in love with patrick. they date. it’s hard, because it’s one of the first times that she actually has to make an effort. And Patrick is charmed by that! He thinks she’s wonderful, and Allison undertakes her biggest role yet: making herself the perfect romantic partner for Patrick. Because she loves him, and she doesn’t want to lose him, and she doesn’t want to take the chance that all her jagged broken edges and childhood trauma would scare him off

and they get married, and allison doesn’t invite her siblings because she’s still scared he’ll see how broken she is from her childhood and her broken siblings and want to call the whole thing off or something i don’t know. but she doesn’t invite them. it’s a big huge wedding, and some of them send her congratulations and everything, but none of them come. She doesn’t know whether to be relieved or heartbroken

and then she has Claire! Beautiful magnificent Claire, and Allison loves her so much her breath is stolen away at times. But she’s not good with Claire the way Patrick is, she panics when Claire cries and doesn’t know what the different cries mean. She goes to mothering classes and feels like the worst person in the world because it doesn’t come naturally to her, and if it doesn’t come naturally does that make her a bad mother?

But Claire grows up, and Allison gets more and more stressed about her worth as a mother because the only parental figures she had were: Grace, a literal robot who never got tired, never got angry, and was literally programmed to be the perfect mother for them all. and Reginald, who ruled the house with an iron fist and ignored her on the best of days and paid far too much attention to her on the worst and she constantly wavered between wanting both of those things.

and she didn’t tell patrick about any of that, so he’s oblivious to her growing distress because god damn none of the Hargreeves excel in communication 

the first time Allison rumors Claire all she can feel is guilty relief. Because Claire is happily playing with no sign of the tantrum she was about to throw and Allison is frazzled because she’s trying to deal with being a mother on top of not giving up her acting career and she’s tired and stressed and doesn’t feel like she can talk to patrick about it because the last time they talked he suggested she take a break from her career and she needs her career and just - 

She only does it a few times. Not many. Not enough that she thinks it warrants an intervention or anything - just when Claire is being so difficult and Allison is so tired and - 

(she maybe does it more than a few times)

and Patrick finds out. And they have a big fucking row over it. and Allison promises not to do it again because she loves Patrick (Patrick asks Allison with betrayed eyes if she ever rumored him and she can proudly tell him no but - he looks at her and she realizes that he doesn’t believe her and that hurts unbelievably a lot)

and she manages, for months, to not do it. To deal with Claire’s screaming tantrums and not rumor her. And it’s HARD

but then she’s reading Claire a story, and Allison is so tired and strung out, and Claire is demanding another story and won’t go to sleep and it just - it slips out. A habit she’s trying to train herself out of. And of course the one time she slips up Patrick is right there and - 

They’re getting divorced. They’re getting divorced and Patrick wants full custody of Claire - he says he doesn’t trust her around her own daughter anymore. And it would be so easy to rumor him, to make all of this go away but - isn’t that what got her into this mess? The fact that her go-to solution is rumoring whatever she doesn’t like? She accepts the judge’s decision. She goes to the therapy. She works on being able to get back to her daughter.

then reggie dies and the whole thing happens and Allison goes home and

suddenly the goal of being a good mother mixes with learning what a good family looks like and so Allison decides she’s going to make an effort and be a good sister for Vanya. And old habits are so easy to fall into (she snaps at Allison when the wound of Patrick not letting her speak to Claire is still so raw, falls back and aims at the weakest target to make herself feel better and she hates herself for it) but she vows to do better

this got really long so i’ll cut it off here but if u want more like,, present day or no apocalypse allison or her relationships with her sibs feel free to ask for those this was just mainly aimed at before canon Allison lmao

#ask me #heavenisacafe #all such great questions!! #i don't know the answer but good questions to ask nonetheless! #tua #the umbrella academy #allison hargreeves #reginald hargreeves #luther hargreeves #tua patrick #tua claire #claire hargreeves