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judgybitch · 2 months

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Where The Stars Fell Season 1

Podcast: Where The Stars Fell

Episode Count for season 1: 8, 11 if you count the 2 minisodes and the bloopers.

Last Update: The last update to the core of season 1 was April 27th, 2021. It has been updated since then and I thought about reviewing this show as a whole, but decided to go season at a time.

Synopsis taken from apple podcasts and official website: Dr. Edison Tucker is having a very weird life. Not being able to die tends to color things that way. Lucille Kensington is the literary scene’s biggest enigma. That’s just the way she likes it. When the pair find themselves sharing a cabin in the strangest town in America— Jerusalem, OR— they’re prepared for a housemate situation from hell. What they’re not expecting is tidings of a stranger sort: Ed is the antichrist, Lucy her guardian angel, and if they can’t find a way to work together soon, the rapture is set to take first the town, then the world… but neither of them know that yet. Welcome to Jerusalem, OR, where what doesn’t kill you is just another mystery.

I don't know if this description has remained the same throughout the show, since I didn't start with the show until after season 3.

Rating: 3/5 stars

TL;DR: This season is extremely easy to get through in terms of length. 8 main episodes where most are only like ~30 minutes long means you can get through the first season in less than a day. This season was nominated and won awards, so there are tons of people that like it and respect it. The big question of whether you'll like this show is actually whether you can handle two main characters that seem to bicker more than they breathe. This season also, in my opinion, struggles to stand on its own, and if season 2 hadn't already existed when I first listened to season 1, I don't think I would have waited months to listen to more.

To start this, I want to say that I'm autistic and really struggled with whether to review this as a a whole of what's available and season by season. I decided to review it season by season, because I do fundamentally believe that while subsequent seasons will obviously build on what prior seasons did (unless it's an anthology) that they should have a cohesive idea and strength of their own to them.

Where the Stars Fell has some really spectacular strengths. The soundscaping is pretty great, and I really love how the transcripts are done, I currently don't know how quickly they're posted after the podcast is posted since I didn't start until well after season 1 was posted. Mostly because their trailer didn't particularly grab my interest at first. Sorry.

The concept itself is compelling. The anti-christ and her guardian angel going through a lot of shenanigans together is one I don't usually see, especially not in podcasts. And I've listened to quite a few podcasts at this point. Mixing science fiction and religion isn't new, although it can frequently go just god awful bad (looking at you Supernatural) and is usually pretty straight, if not downright homophobic (once again, looking at you, Supernatural). Where the Stars Fell definitely avoids some of the traps that make it bad, and also adds in that it's queer. Although that comes up less in season 1 than in subsequent seasons.

The actual events of the show though are...mild? In season 1 you get: a meet ugly, a lot of frogs, weird animal attacks on pigs, getting stabbed by a dewclaw, speaking to kids at a school, weird cocoon attack (while Lucy masters the art of gaslight, gatekeep, girlbossing), accidental experimental drug use, and a lion suddenly appears.

In terms of the main episodes, you don't actually get much of the science fiction part. Most of the episodes, in my opinion, feel more dedicated to the squabbles of Edison and Lucille to the point where the guardian angel/anti-christ thing only gets mentioned 1 time and then is mostly dropped for the rest of the season. Like to the point where I'd straight up forgotten about it by the time Lucille reveals she has wings. Edison has mentioned her 'can't die' thing and 'wow, suddenly I can be injured' thing periodically, but not why. So the season just ended up feeling more like 'huh, that's weird, anyway here's two bickering characters' than a cohesive season with an overarching plot.

And so since the season is so focused on the two main characters, let's talk about them. Both characters have very good voice acting. I'm terrible at recognizing when someone is using a good British accent so I have no idea of Lucy's accent is actually good, so I can't rate that aspect of it, but I will say that both Newt and Madelyn both give great performances.

The characters themselves are interesting. I personally don't like the phrasing 'I have autism' but I'm aware others do, so that's just a pet peeve of mine. Both characters are disabled. It's not super gone into in the season, but Lucille has autism (going with her wording even though I hate it) and is physically disabled. She's also got angel wings and is a Very British Author™. She uses a cane periodically and while hasn't named anything in particular as the cause in season 1, does mention fatigue and pain as playing parts in her overall health. Edison has ADHD and is dyslexic to the point where she just can't read. She considers herself a hick and has 4 pHDs: Biology, chemistry, mechanical engineering, and religious studies. She also has an 'IQ of 197'.

They're more similar than they are different, honestly. And this leads to them butting heads nearly constantly. About everything. Loudly. In public. Even dragons, although that is one time where I actually sided with Ed even though I usually side against her. Stuff outside the seasons reveal that they're a Enemies to Lover type deal but with supernatural lesbians, and there are probably going to be people who are like, "But come on, that's a queer staple! That sounds great!" And for a lot of people, it was and it will be for more people. I happen to be a queer woman who hates most enemies to lovers stuff. I don't particularly find condescending arguments sexy or something that makes me want to ship two characters together.

By the end of season 1 though they're barely even friends. And honestly Ed saying she thought they were becoming friends just kind of confused me upon first listen. Reading the transcripts didn't change my mind on that. I don't think you need to be friends to not want to let someone get themselves get killed because they keep walking into dangerous situations.

Also, I'm going to go into a tangent now, but IQ is bullshit and based in racist shit, so telling people you have an IQ of 197 is functionally meaningless. It also, much like the idea of getting 4 PhD's before 30 (which I believe is the age she lists in later seasons, is mostly TV 'look how smart this person is' shorthand that doesn't usually make sense, but we just kind of accept it. The vast majority of people will never get a PhD and those that have one, will usually not get another one, at least in some part because it's costly, difficult, and unnecessary. There are some people with 4 PhD's so it's not impossible, but it just reads as improbable to me, both because of the intensity of writing a paper that long and the fact that people need breaks, even during ADHD hyperfixation sprees. I bring this up because her PhD's get brought up a lot. Especially in arguments. And they argue a lot. I just don't think it adds anything to the character that merely getting 1 PhD wouldn't.

Oh and god, the amount of times she just talks down to people about the subjects involved in her PhD's made me want to throw her through the window of the Holy Grill. What do you mean you're surprised Lucille knew that frogs were a plague in Egypt? She's Jewish and grew up in England, and then moved to America. It'd be more shocking if she did not know. Like ma'am, you're not pulling out deep cuts. You're not asking shit most people have never heard of. You're not starting arguments with your religious classmates about whether bald jokes warrant death by bear or if 200 foreskins are an appropriate gift to your future father-in-law so that you can be allowed to marry his daughter. I've argued about both of those and those were weird days in the campus cafeteria.

Ultimately I was left with what should have been a quick, fun season to establish the actual premise of the show that ended up mostly just establishing 'this town's weird, now watch these two fight over nothing and everything', and then leaving me wondering how what I listened to was a full season. The show does get better, and so do the relationships. And that's why I was so torn about whether this should be a standalone review. Because I don't think it can stand on its own. I do not think it functions without season 2. But also it should have been able to. It should have been more than bickering with occasional supernatural thing happening. And the rest of the show is. And I'm frustrated because I don't think I would have ever continued with the show had season 2 not already existed when I listened to the show. Like I straight up do not think season 1 engaged me enough where I'd be willing to wait 7 months for answers. I'm glad everyone had fun making the show and I think a lot of the writing is good in terms of dialogue structure, but I just can't rate this season higher than a 3.

#podcast #podcast review #where the stars fell #season 1 #where the stars fell season 1 #3 stars #where the stars fell podcast

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neglected-middle-child · 1 year

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So I was scrolling through my Instagram and I came upon a very interesting concept for season 5 of Stranger Things. The trailer started with that scene of the fruity four inside Nancy's upside down bedroom where she looks at her diary and notes that her last entry was on November 6th 1983, even though it should be full of other entries, when they realize that they are in the past. Then it cuts to a scene of Will running in the upside down (I think it is a season 2 clip) followed by the fruity four running and stopping. And it's like a what if the fruity four found eleven year old Will who just arrived at the upside down and like..... That's a really good concept. I want to read a fic about that, actually. Like the fruity four helping Will to the HNL knowing the gate is there and coming out in their younger bodies from 83' with little Will and finding out they have time to change everything. Wouldn't that be amazing? Like there is a fuirty four fic about them traveling in time and start changing the course of the story. But the fruity four from 86' saving Will from 83' in the upside down and realizing that helping him made them travel in time and give them time to correct all the mistakes they made.... It's incredible

Someone please write that and send it to me

#stranger things #steve harrington #nancy wheeler #eddie munson #eddie stranger things #steve stranger things #robin buckley #will byers #time travel #fanfics

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marvelsswansong · 2 years

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I LOVE U TOOOOO 🫶🏼🫶🏼 and bestie… don’t tell me to send more concepts… cause you’re gonna have to bloCK ME 😫😫😫

PLS FIGHTING WITH THE PLANT 💀💀 Eddie puts you down on the couch hurrying to get some water for you but while he’s gone you walk up to Steve who doesn’t notice you since he’s still on the phone with Joyce "Yeah. She seems alright to me just- hmph !" he’s interrupted by you literally leaning your whole body weight on him. With your face on his chest, you look up to give him a dopey smile "Hi Stevie" "H-hi Y/n. Lemme just-" He gets a grip on you to hold you up better while Joyce is bombarding him with questions shsjdjd

Take your sweet time babe !! No pressure ! I know I will absolutely LOVE IT no matter what the plot is 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩

-🍓

NO NO PLEASE ANNOY ME, FEEL FREE TO SEND IN RANDOM ASKS AND SEND MORE CONCEPTS! I'd love to hear any and all thoughts and lil brainrots connected to our stranger things bois especially with how vol 2 ended up being and the long wait till season 5... lol

haha YES delirious drug induced reader would definitely start acting like a 5 year old child desparate for attention like at the half an hour mark and it'd be pure chaos in the trailer... I can imagine Joyce rushing to Eddie's after getting off the phone with Steve only to see:

Joyce: "hello? (Y/n)? Eddie? Steve?" Steve & Eddie at the same time: "help. please." You: *arms around Eddie's neck and legs tightly wrapped around Steve's waist, not letting either of them off of the sofa because you believe the floor is lava and you don't want them to die*

ahhhh i keep on getting requests too and I have another Steve WIP I'm pretty keen on writing so like god knows when it'll be posted! but rest assured i have the sequel in the back burner, stored safely in my drafts x

#summer answers asks #strawberry anon <3

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blueeandyellowmakesgreen · 2 years

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ok now that we´ve explored the possibilities of what the ST5 trailer songs could be. usually new wave rock. the smiths, queen, the clash and aparently abba too?so now I offer my own idea for what the ST5 song could be. Hazy Shade of Winter by The Bangles. the song was already used in S2 I think but if they´re planning on bringing back old stuff, why not bring back old tracks too? Anyways, the songs itself it´s just great and the guitar riff is just exciting, so even matching up, and boy, do they match up ,it´s just a really good song. speaking abt lyrics, since it´s the last season and they want to end things once and for all connecting the ties etc then they´ll definetly bring lots of old things and dynamics back, kind of fitting everything so it makes sense, and that´s how I feel with this song, every lyric somehow fits with some ST storyline or character, all the way through S1 to S4, so I can imagine the lyrics matching up moments from later season. example. time, time, time/ see what´s become of me. the mention of time, something very important since S4 came out, plus the fact that the kids growing up it´s just a big part of the show, the concept of time is just super important for this story. look around/ leaves are brown/ and the sky is a hazy shade of winter. this whole part just give tremendous Final Shot Of S4 vibes for me, it´s almost describing the final scene as it is: will sensing vecna and everyone following after, the hawkins flower turning grey and death, ash??? falling onto hawkins and everyone thinking it´s snow. apocalyptic vibes if you will, something we´ll prob see in S5. hang on to your hopes my friend/ that´s an easy thing to say/ but if your hope should pass away/ simply pretend. ok just the fact that this is going to be the final battle fits with the whole hope thing, but also with what some of the character´s personal and relationship arcs ended up in the lastest season - lucas hoping for max to wake up after missing her and hanging onto her all season, mike´s whole scared of losing will and then will ripping off the baindaid and pretending/lying in regarless of his feelings for mike, and mike also hanging onto el at the end even though there´s to hope for them, so now they pretend (mike´s monolougue, el ignoring him) overall it´s all abt hope now, storyline and characters wise. there´s just so much more to say on why I love this song and connect it to ST4&5, after all S4 was the beggining of the end therefore the story will continue with a smilar themes through S5. anyway,I´ve said enough crazyness already. but I am a sucker for some good old music analysis after all. and I hope does everyone else. crazy together ig

stranger things clearly shows how much care and passion they put in their music and audio design and its soooo!!! good to think about this being implemented this is so SO SO good to think about im gonna eat this ask

#byler #listening to the song atm

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fangirlandtheories · 2 years

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Ask game questions 1 7 11 17 31 50

Thanks so much!

1. favourite season?

Well my name is Summer, so... No haha, I'm very much in love with S4 V1 BUT there's a special place in my heart for Season 3 as well.

7. favourite episode in season 1, 2 and 3 respectively?

Season 1 Episode 3: Holly Jolly- It was when you realized how amazing and terrifying the show could be. I will never forget seeing 'RUN' for the first time, shivers going up my spine. This is the episode that we lose Barb. It's the episode that makes you think Will is dead. It's a huge plot for 60 minutes and they did it so flawlessly.

Season 2 Episode 8: The Mind Flayer- As a hurt/comfort lover I was well fed this episode. There's so much crazy shit that goes down in this episode. Bob makes his noble sacrifice, El rolls up in the most bitchin way, and of course the Steve and Billy fight. A true turning point for the season.

Season 3 Episode 6: E Pluribus Unum- Steve and Robin. The Russians. We'll get into this more later but this fucking episode. This was peak slurpee-sipping-Alexei episode. Erica gets the whole story in this episode, shows off that she's a nerd, gaining respect as someone other than 'Lucas's little sister' but as a valuable member of the team. This episode had the Billy flashback. This episode has the physical Mind Flayer for the first time. This was a wild fucking episode. My all-time favorite scene is in this episode. Watching Steve and Robin giggle when being interrogated was a privilege. I genuinely think it was just Maya and Joe having a blast on set.

11. which season had the best ending?

Not fucking 4 I can tell you that. I'm holding out hope for season 5. The thing about this show is that the previous seasons can never have a happy ending. I will say that Volume 1 of Season 4 had me so fucking hooked, so I suppose that's the answer, but otherwise I was most emotional for season 3.

17. do you think will is going to have powers?

Simply put? No. Not in the sense of like El's powers. I think the only way the show can end is a loss of power. I think he has a sort of Spidey sense. Something I don't hear enough people theorizing on is Max. I think Max is going to have some sort of sight into the upside down that is caused by her lack of sight in the... right side up?

31. when was the first time you watched stranger things/how long have you been a fan?

Season 1 episode 1 baby. I saw the preview, said hellllll yeah, and watched it. I fell off a bit and then season 2 came out and I fell back in love. Then I fell off a while. Then Season 3 came out. I was hooked for a while. Then I fell off. THEN season 4's trailer came out and it's so fucking funny because they showed Eddie in the trailer doing the bow to Erica at the table during the campaign and I REWINDED and said ummmm.... whomst the fuck is that? I thought he'd be this terrible villain and then I saw one goddamn minute of him and instantly fell in love. I've been hooked in ever since.

50. top five absolute fav things about stranger things in general?

It's an interesting concept, plot wise. It keeps me on my toes.

The fact that Steve works so hard to protect Robin's sexuality. It's a nice touch.

The character development.

The fact that it can make me nostalgic for a time period I never lived in.

The fans. Without the fans I'd be going insane. I read and write fanworks constantly. I would have nothing to do without so many creative minds.

#stranger things ask game #my answers #my thoughts #extreme fangirl oop

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crowdvscritic · 3 years

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round up // AUGUST 21

Happy 2nd birthday to these Round Ups! For two years I’ve been making monthly pop culture picks, and they’ve included:

More than 200 movies

32 TV shows and specials, plus 8 different Saturday Night Live Round Ups

27 albums, singles, playlists, and more music picks

13 podcasts

12 books

2 concerts

There have also been articles, events, museums, social media bits, trailers, and a service that helps you find movies across streaming platforms. (Find all of them here.) This month I’m adding a few more, like:

2 podcasts

2 albums

5 vampire movies

A conversation between two GOATs

A very funny dead guy

A terrifying Robert Mitchum performance

Another Dumb Rom-Com I Nevertheless Enjoyed

Here’s to another year!

August Crowd-Pleasers

1. Jungle Cruise (2021)

Indiana Jones meets Pirates of the Caribbean with a dash of The African Queen. I like all those movies, so sue me, I had a nice time! Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7/10

2. Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Genetically-enhanced sharks try to break free of their cages in an ocean research facility, chaos ensues for the characters, and it’s a delight for us. For no intelligent reason, I love movies that make me guess who’s going to get killed off next, so a big dumb shark movie starring L.L. Cool J and Samuel L. Jackson? It’s a particular brand of joy. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 5.5/10

3. Double Feature — Adam Sandler Comedies: 50 First Dates (2004) + Murder Mystery (2019)

Adam Sandler movies are little like IcyHot for the brain—that is, they’re the relaxing kind of mind-numbing. Thanks to a stressful month at work, I watched six Sandler flicks in August—which I don’t necessarily recommend but also don’t regret—and the Netflix original Murder Mystery (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7/10) was one of the the best of the bunch. It’s a silly spoof of Agatha Christie’s work, and it’s a scenic two-hour European vacay. I also gave 50 First Dates (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7/10) another try and was pleasantly surprised. Once you get past some of the gross-out humor at the beginning, you’ll find a sweet story all about how we need to keep showing up for the people we love.

4. Double Feature — SNL Comedies: Wayne’s World (1992) + Hot Rod (2007)

My love for Saturday Night Live is more than well-documented, so exactly zero mes were surprised that I loved these flicks from its alums. Wayne’s World (Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 7/10) follows up with Wayne and Garth in the basement we first saw on late night. Now they have the opportunity to make it big on TV thanks to a sleazy exec (Rob Lowe). Brian Doyle-Murray and Chris Farley show up, and so do Laverne and Shirley? Hot Rod (Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 6.5/10) follows Rod (Andy Samberg) as he tries to make it big as a stuntman and impress his stepdad (Ian McShane). Will Arnett, Bill Hader, and Chris Parnell show up, and now I can mostly forgive all those boys in high school who quoted this movie non-stop.

5. Weekend at Bernie’s (1989)

If those SNL comedies weren’t enough silliness for you, how about you add some Bernie to your lineup? Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman are wannabe-yuppies who think they’ve got their career breaks when an exec named Bernie invites them to his vacation home for the weekend. What they don’t know is that Bernie (Terry Kiser) has been laundering money, is connected to the mob, and, is now, um, dead. The right thing would be to call the police, but then we wouldn’t have a 97-minute high-concept comedy, now would we? Crowd: 9/10 // Critic: 7/10

6. Twilight series (2008-12)

I mostly skipped the Twilight phenomenon at its peak, but I’m so glad I hopped on the train years later—this series of vampire vs. werewolf showdowns are ridiculous. But major kudos to the filmmakers who somehow turned a dump truck of nonsensical gobbledygook and unhealthy teenage relationships into something insanely watchable. Also, major kudos to Billy Burke and his understated, curmudgeonly, sarcastic performance. Bella’s dad is the MVP with the only appropriate responses to all of the nonsense he's forced to participate in and the only tether this franchise has to reality. Be sure to watch with a friend so you have someone else to process this weirdness with. Series Crowd: 8/10 // Series Critic: 5/10

7. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at The Muny

You know what’s great? Live theater! This month I made my first trip back to the stage at America’s oldest and largest outdoor amphitheater, the Muny in St. Louis. Their productions never disappoint, and these performers reminded me of Howard Keel, Jane Powell, and Russ Tamblyn in the best ways.

8. Wimbledon (2004)

Paul Bettany and Kirsten fall in love at Wimbledon! Frankly, that premise alone should be enough to sell you on this very winning rom-com. Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7.5/10

9. Career Opportunities (1991)

This month’s Dumb Rom-Com I Nevertheless Enjoyed! Frank Whaley and Jennifer Connelly fall in love while stuck overnight at a Target—which honestly sounds like a dream scenario—and since it’s a John Hughes script, it’s got some heart beneath its thin premise. John Hughes directing would’ve made it better, but there’s enough Hughes in there to catch my heart. Crowd: 7/10 // Critic: 4.5/10

10. First Blood (1982)

Aka Rambo: Part I. Sylvester Stallone is a tough-as-nails Vietnam vet, and Brian Dennehy is the self-righteous sheriff who ticks him off. It digs a bit into PTSD and how we don’t take care of our veterans, but mostly, it’s just Stallone going ape with a knife and explosives. Oddly, also from the same director as Weekend at Bernie’s! Crowd: 8.5/10 // Critic: 7/10

August Critic Picks

1. TCM’s The Plot Thickens Season 2 (2021)

You know those movies that make you ask, “How on Earth did this get made?” This season of The Plot Thickens, subtitled The Devil’s Candy, is an attempt to answer that question. Pretty much no one thinks 1990’s The Bonfire of the Vanities works as a film—including yours truly—and reporter Julie Salomon documented many of its production troubles leading to the final product. A must-listen for anyone who loves hearing behind-the-scenes stories or just gets a kick out of schadenfreude.

2. Gene and Roger (2021)

Gene and Roger, the summer series on The Big Picture podcast, is an overview and reflection on the work of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, starting with the launch of their individual careers in the ‘60s through their partnership that lasted into the ‘90s. Another must-listen for movie lovers, especially those who love digging into the history and criticism.

3. Gold-Diggers Sound by Leon Bridges (2021)

Chill vibes and cool groves to transition you from Summer to Autumn.

4. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

Come for the Clint Eastwood, stay for the Ennio Morricone. Actually you can stay for Eastwood, too, because his humor is at his driest, and for Eli Wallach, whose Tuco is an insanely charming cockroach. It’s almost three hours, but this treasure hunt breezes by like a tumbleweed in the wind. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 9/10

5. AFI’s Master Class - The Art of Collaboration: Steven Spielberg and John Williams (2011)

Two GOATS talking about making some of the GOATs. They share clips and explain their collaborative process (including on projects like Jaws and Schindler’s List), and they take questions from film students at AFI. I’m only wishing it were 10 hours instead of 1!

6. The Night of the Hunter (1955)

Robert Mitchum’s terrifying preacher elevates this classic into more than just a standard crime thriller. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 8.5/10

7. Respect (2021)

While a few scenes indulge in melodrama, Jennifer Hudson’s killer performance—both in vocals and character work—more than makes up for it. This Aretha Franklin biopic hits the familiar beats, but it makes you feel like you’re in the room listening to Franklin sing , which is really all you want from a movie like this. Crowd: 8/10 // Critic: 8/10

8. Solar Power by Lorde (2021)

At first listen, this minimalist pop record sounds worlds away from the angst of Pure Heroine and the melodrama of Melodrama. At second listen, you realize it’s the Lorde you know and love, just with a Laurel Canyon influence. Carole King even gets a shout!

Also in August…

This month Kyla and I checked out Loveline, a call-in radio show popular during the run of Gilmore Girls. Should our favorite Yale students give up dating OR call into the syndicated radio show Loveline? Should Dr. Drew Pinsky and Adam Carolla give strangers advice OR make fun of them? Oh, and Germany OR Florida? Listen to ep. 107 of SO IT’S A SHOW?

The '40s are coming! Reviews of 1940s Best Picture winners are on their way, and I kicked it off with an overview of the Academy that decade focusing on how they responded to World War II and their new prestigious reputation.

Photo credits: The Muny, The Plot Thickens, Gene and Roger, Leon Bridges, AFI, Lorde. All others IMDb.com.

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timeagainreviews · 4 years

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Thoughts leading up to series 12

Happy holidays, friends! I know, I know. It's been a while. I would love to sit here and say I have been away doing important things, but really I've been hibernating. The results of that awful election, mixed with the holidays had left me feeling a bit lethargic as of late. That being said, I had a nice Christmas. Being an immigrant, I don't see my family on holidays. My boyfriend and I spent the day piecing together a Babylon 5 jigsaw puzzle. I made my pal Gerry a celery for his 5th Doctor cosplay and he gifted me a replica of the Li H'sen Chang poster from "The Talons of Weng-Chiang." It was a very Doctor Who Christmas! Sadly, there was no Doctor Who Christmas episode!

Alas, it hardly matters, as new Doctor Who is mere days away! As I did last year, you can expect weekly coverage for each new episode. I'm looking forward to getting back into the groove of consistent writing. Usually, the fandom is more abuzz when the show is actually airing, so please remember to check in with this blog, as I will be watching along with the rest of you!

If you recall, prior to series eleven, I made a list talking about some of my hopes and expectations for the new TARDIS team and the new production team. Seeing as series twelve is just days away from premiering, I thought I might do it again. Let's get to it, shall we?

The Thirteenth Doctor

Seeing Jodie Whittaker back in the TARDIS for another round of adventures has me massively excited. One of the downsides to Christopher Eccleston's run is that we never really got to see him develop the role of the Ninth Doctor. I'm hoping we'll get to see more aspects of her character. Seeing as I don't expect her to regenerate any time soon, there's still much of her personality left to explore. We've met the friendly adorkable Doctor, now let's see her bend a little.

One of my primary complaints about Jodie Whittaker's portrayal as the Doctor was that I didn't think she got scary. While I love her bravery, running headlong into danger, I would like to see a shade or two of her dark side. Up to this point, she's been too friendly to be scary. I know I'm not the only person with this complaint, so it will be interesting to see what a year of hiatus and refocusing will do for her. Honestly, I hope they don't change her too much, as she's pretty great. I'd just like to see them flesh her out a bit.

Other than her personality, I'm also hoping to see some costume variations. The trailer for the new season does give us Jodie in a bow tie, which I am all for. I've also seen a picture where her trousers are black. I'm hoping they continue to tweak her costume here and there, as watching the Doctor's costume evolve over time has always been one of my favourite things about the show.

Chris Chibnall's return

Was there anyone from series eleven that drew more ire than Chris Chibnall? Sure you got the people who hated Jodie solely because she was a woman, but on the level of legitimate concerns, Chibnall was up there. I myself threw a bit of mud in his direction, and I don't feel as though it was without good cause. The general management of the show seemed a bit aimless, despite many promising elements.

Something about the way series eleven was received gave the BBC pause to reevaluate the show's trajectory, and I have a distinct feeling that Chibnall was at the heart of a lot of it. From his lack of a season-long story arc, to the villains being a bit shit, to an overly dour tone, his first year as showrunner left something to be desired. The fact that we didn't even get a single webisode during this gap year shows me that they're still not 100% sure what to do with Doctor Who.

However, having said this, Chibnall's core TARDIS team is one of the most exciting aspects of series twelve. I can't wait to see more from this great line up of characters. And if the exciting trailer for this new series is anything to go off, we're in for quite a ride. Chibnall's most recent endeavour as showrunner was last year's "Resolution," a much-needed bit of classic Who villainy in the form of a Dalek. I was left feeling optimistic that Chibnall was capable of delivering solid storytelling. And that's the operative word- optimistic. As long as he doesn't get needlessly gritty, I'm cautiously optimistic that this year-long hiatus has yielded positive results.

The Companions

Like many other viewers, my chief complaint about the companions has to be Yaz. She really got shafted on the level of character development last year. When you have someone as talented as Mandip Gill, it's a shame to waste her. I know the fandom was quite vocal about this fact, so I fully expect to see the show give her more time in the spotlight. I don't know anyone who disliked her character, which is a good sign that the fandom wants more of her.

Ryan and Graham were two characters that I felt got a great bit of character development. The moment when Ryan finally calls Graham "granddad," was a truly exciting moment for two characters we had grown to love. The logical next step, at least in my mind, is to test the boundaries of this new relationship. I'd really love to see Graham meet a new love interest. Introducing someone into Graham's life would make Ryan have to broaden his definition of family even further. It might also be a catalyst for his own personal growth.

I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't also see one or more of the companions depart from the TARDIS. My gut says it would be Graham, but I wouldn't be surprised if all three of them left at the end of the series. As much as I love the current companions, I would love to see what energy a new companion or two might do for Jodie's Doctor.

The Villains

Prior to series eleven, I was feeling very optimistic for new Doctor Who. That is until I read an article where Chris Chibnall announced there would be no returning villains. Other than the announcement that Chibnall would be showrunner, nothing had made me more concerned for the show's future than "no returning villains." It's not that returning villains are a must for Doctor Who. It's actually a rather brave thing to attempt. The reason it's brave is that if you're going to leave out classic baddies, you've got to justify your decision by crafting new classics. And I'm sorry, but some Slipknot dude with teeth in his face is not classic.

From what I've seen of the trailer and promotional stills, we're looking at at least three returning creatures from the Whoniverse. We've all seen the picture of Jodie staring down the Judoon. If I am completely honest, those have left me with the least amount of hype, as they weren't ever even full-on villains. I've always found the Judoon slightly hokey, so I could take or leave them. The plus side is that there is still plenty of room to develop them as a species. Are there non-Shadow Proclamation Judoon? Are there evil factions? I'm curious if nothing else.

Another familiar face is the Cybermen. While I feel like both the RTD and Moffat eras used the Cybermen ad nauseam, they're still a classic baddie with a solid track record. It appears they'll have something to do with the finale and that "timeless child," storyline I'm uninterested in, so fine, sure, ok. The real alien species I'm excited for is the Racnoss! Much like the Judoon, the Racnoss are also underdeveloped. I wasn't a big fan of them the first time around, which is why I'm excited for more. I'm curious to see what depth can be found in these campy arachnids. If nothing else, the makeup is fun.

The Guest Actors

Series eleven treated us to a surprisingly tender performance from Lee Mack in "Kerblam!" We got a decent turn by Mark Addy, working with not a lot to go off as the underwritten Paltraki. But without a doubt, the best performance came in the form of Alan Cumming's King James. Not only was he as hilarious as he was loathsome, but he also elevated what could have been a more straightforward performance, by finding that sweet spot of camp and contemptible.

That being said, with actors like Stephen Fry, Lenny Henry, and classic Doctor Who alum Robert Glenister joining the show, I'm hopeful we'll get at least one memorable performance out of the lot. I've not followed many of the ins and outs of the storylines, so I have no idea who anyone is playing other than Goran Višnjić as Nikola Tesla. That being said, the addition of Tesla to the series seems an obvious fit. He was an eccentric man who was a bit weird about his pet bird. I expect his story to be one of the stranger ones we'll enjoy this year, or at least, it had better be.

The BBC's involvement

I'm hoping that in this last year, the BBC weren't just reevaluating Chris Chibnall's direction for the show, but their own involvement as well. They got rid of Bake Off and Formula One, Top Gear's audience followed Clarkson over to Amazon. All that's left are partisan news coverage, QI, Countryfile, and Doctor Who. Oh and I guess "His Dark Materials," but I don't know anyone who's talking about that show. As I said earlier, it's been a year of nothing from Doctor Who as a series. Other than comics and a less than perfect VR game, we've gotten nothing from the Thirteenth Doctor and the fam. Not even a novel or webisode to tide us over. How hard would it have been, while filming series twelve, to shoot a quick little skit on the TARDIS set? The Moffat era did this a lot, and it was always nice to see a little bit of Doctor Who while waiting for more episodes.

As the last vestige of the BBC's once-great television empire, you would think they might start to give a shit about Doctor Who. I know it's a crazy concept, but perhaps shelving one of your best shows for a year wasn't the best option. It would be nice to see them put more money and effort into the show. It would be a welcome sight to see them also put more money into the budget for things like merchandise or extended universe media. We've got three books for the current Doctor and that was last year. David Tennant had over thirty novels, while Matt Smith's Doctor appeared in over 15, and Capaldi only appeared in nine. Do you remember the last time we got a Character Options figure that wasn't a repaint of another figure? The most recent one we got was Harry Sullivan, and I'm pretty sure the only new element to that figure was his head. I've seen previews of the new companion figurines, and they're great, but I want more.

Perhaps I sound a bit spoiled. Many shows never expand beyond their allotted episodes, but this is Doctor Who, a show with a broader reach than your telly. It seemed last year that they were finally giving the show its dues. There were billboards of Jodie's face everywhere. The hype was palpable. Now, it's just four days from series twelve, and I've not even seen a bus ad for the new show. A woman I see out on dog walks was surprised when I told her the show was returning on the first of January. She had no idea. This is the Doctor Who audience that they're failing, not people like me who count the days like an advent calendar. The BBC needs to decide once in for all if they're going to give Doctor Who the respect it deserves, or sell it someone who will.

And that's it for now, friends. I hope you're all just as excited as I am to be back in the blue box. If all goes as planned, I should have a new review up the day after each episode. I'm optimistic that I'll have some great things to say!

#doctor who #series 12 #Jodie Whittaker #Thirteenth Doctor #chris chibnall #dalek #cybermen #yazmin khan #Ryan Sinclair #Graham O'Brien #mandip gill #tosin cole #Bradley Walsh #bbc #stephen fry #racnoss #judoon

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s-driesen · 5 years

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hey - ‘yellow curtains’ and ‘21:21’ from the ask list thingy :)

(Thank you so much for sending this, I’m on a long ass bus journey and this is giving me something to do other than brood and listen to music 💓)

21:21: When/where did you first hear about SKAM?

I saw a few GIFs of Isak and Evem floating around on Tumblr, around the time the O Helga Natt clip dropped. I didn’t really get it, and wasn’t into watching stuff with subs at that time, plus the clip things seemed complicated to me. So i kinda left it for a while, and then when i saw some hype for season four on instagram, literally a few days before the trailer dropped, i started to do more research. I watched Season 3 first, in split up clips on YouTube because I didn’t know DailyMotion/GoogleDrives were a things. Because of that I missed half the story and thought the show was nonsensical bullshit, but I just put that down to not watching seasons 1&2. So i watched them, on GoogleDrives this time and it all went uphill from there. Watching Season 4 in real time was so cool, all the theorising and texts sucked me in immediately.

As for finding the remakes...I fell out of love with SKAM for about a couple months after Season 4 ended. I found the fandom toxic, after the whole shipping Henrik and Tarjei happened, and people theorised Lea was a stunt girlfriend...that shit was wild. So i got into other stuff (mainly IT and Stranger Things) and turned my nose up at the concept of remakes, I heard about France first and then Italia. I watched s2 of Italia first and just though, meh. I didn’t like it that much, so I left the remakes alone for a while until all the ones we have now had at least one season. I found SKAM France’s Season 3 in my YouTube recommended, the full length episode 1 and then 2, and thought ‘fuck it’. I watched SKAM Fr S3 clip by clip after Episode 2 and I was fascinated by the idea of remakes thereafter.

Yellow Curtains: Rank the remakes.

(I’m giving reasons because there’s still 30 minutes to go on my bus ride)

1. Netherlands

Right, I know i don’t show it much on this blog but SKAM NL is my all time favourite. It just feels so unique and like a totally separate entity to SKAM og. The characters are so painfully relatable it makes me laugh, like Isa licking her phone screen. The girl squad reminds me of me and my friends and our collective stupidity, and the fact that it didn’t get renewed for Season 3 breaks my heart. They could’ve done wonderful things with Lucas’ character and the Isak/Even storyline, and the fact that we’re missing out on that makes me so sad. I hope one day it does get renewed, but for now, we have 2 amazing seasons.

2. France

My entire blog is dedicated to Lucas and Eliott. Are you surprised this ranks as high as it does? I’m so attached to this cast and characters, and the dramatics of Season 3 are forever in my heart. There isn’t much to say, except that I believe Season 4 was crappy and they did Imane dirty, because I think my blog speaks for itself. I’m SO fucking excited to see what Season 5 and 6 will bring, because new plot lines take me back to when I first got into SKAM.

3. WTFock:

So this actually moved from like spot number 5 to 3 within like 2 weeks. Can you guess why? Season 3 so far is actually my favourite remake of Isak/Evens story. Sander and Robbe are amazing characters, and I’m utterly obsessed with the both of them. Although Lucas and Eliott are nearly taking their spot as the no.1 Evak remake, the cinematography of WTFock knocks them down a peg (as well as the soundtrack). Plus Zoë and Senne are my favourite Noorhelm, which is shocking because I dislike ALL noorhelms (even the OG).

4. Druck

Controversial opinion, but I don’t like Druck that much. I don’t know why, but I just don’t. Maybe it’s because Matteo’s character hit too close to home or because I didn’t like Season 2 at all but, I’ve got no interest for it. It’s good, a brilliant remake and I love my baby David (+ Lukas is the sweetest human) but I found myself growing bored midway through Seasons 3&4. Not awful, not disgusting or controversial just mediocre. Still entertaining and original, just maybe not my cup of tea?

5. Italia

So where do I begin? The show itself is good, albeit a little safe, but all in all did a good job with all storylines. The cinematography is amazing and you can tell the people working on it are utterly passionate about the product they’re putting out. My only issues with this series are the actors and actresses. If i didn’t get into the cast, or follow them on social media, Italia probably would’ve ranked higher than Druck or WTFock. But I did and here’s my issues. Number one: White Sana? The casting choice was poor, and made a character I adore unlikeable. It takes away from the roll and diminishes it entirely, which makes me uncomfortable. I’m glad the show got cancelled before Season 4 was made, that would’ve been a shitshow. Number two: Rocco Fasano does my head in. ‘whitewashed is a racist word’ ass ‘says the n-work IN THE TV SHOW’ ass ‘supports the idea of white sana’ ass and ‘is generally annoying’ ass. All his topless pics and obscure instagram captions made me unfollow, which sucks because I’ve drawn him and he was nice enough to repost it and call me talented. But when I found all this out...yikes I had to unstan.

6. Austin

Watching SKAM, in my own language? weird. Haven’t watched it, will probably watch it when Shay’s season comes out (pun intended)...Because I’m GAY and she’s BABY. Next.

7. Es- 🤢 Españ- 🤮

Dirty ass. I hate this fucking show, and the audacity it has to denounce pansexuality with such hatred. I watched Season 2 as the clips dropped, excited for the first WLW Evak remake and was gutted when it turned out shitty and panphobic with a terrible fucking cast. Joanas mental illness was handled badly, Cris calling her crazy made me sick to my fucking stomach. I stopped watching after that clip dropped. Then hearing they denounced the existence of pansexuality, making fun of it even, in THE SHOW ITSELF. AT THE END OF AN LGBT SEASON? DISGUSTING. The cast is a clusterfuck. Irene makes me ill, with her boldness and ignorance, her entitled attitude makes me so fucking angry. And Rizha (idk her name) even though her music does SLAP i feel like she only used the show to gain more popularity in that aspect. ‘Cute Bitch’ was a whole ass publicity stunt. The SKAM Es fandom is a plague. I cant mention the show negatively without getting a string of fucking bread emojis and the words biphobic and transphobic getting thrown about. GRIM.

Thanks again, and if you read this all...why? my opinion doesn’t mean shit.

#skam #skam remakes #ask game

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allislove111 · 2 years

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@bylerbigbang ❤️🌟✨

The Awakening

#byler video edit #byler trailer #stranger things season season 5 trailer concept #stranger things s5 #stranger things season 5 theories #stranger things byler #byler fanart #byler fanfic #byler big bang #byler fic #byler story #byler

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Star Trek: The Rise, Fall and Rise Again of Planet of the Week Storytelling

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It’s 1964, a couple of years since President John F. Kennedy announced that the USA was going to land on the moon. It was also the year that saw ground-breaking science fiction anthology series The Twilight Zone come to an end. The series had become a household name by telling self-contained, high concept stories written by leaders in the genre. Not just the endlessly talented Rod Serling, but names like Charles Beaumont, Richard Matheson, and Ray Bradbury. It also starred up-and-coming acting talent such as William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and George Takei.

As well as bringing talent to the field, The Twilight Zone was also notable for using science fiction allegory as a way to talk about political and social issues that advertisers and censors would otherwise not touch with a ten-foot pole.

In steps Gene Roddenberry, with a concept he describes as “a wagon train to the stars.” His opening pitch is “Action – Adventure – Science Fiction. The first such concept with strong central lead characters plus other continuing regulars.” In other words, fitting neatly into the niche left by The Twilight Zone, while bringing with it the marketability of a recurring cast.

The heroes of this series, the crew of the S.S. Yorktown, would visit alien planets, but not too alien, as Roddenberry himself points out:

“The “Parallel Worlds” concept is the key…

…to the STAR TREK format. It means simply that our stories deal with plant and animal life, plus people, quite similar to that on earth. Social evolution will also have interesting points of similarity with ours. There will be differences, of course, ranging from the subtle to the boldly dramatic, out of which comes much of our colour and excitement. (And, of course, none of this prevents an occasional “far out” tale thrown in for surprise and change of pace.)”

At which point Rodenberry probably noticed he liked the sound of that split infinitive. The purpose of the “Parallel Worlds concept” was to make “production practical by permitting action adventure science fiction at a practical budget figure via the use of available “earth” casting, sets, locations, costuming, and so on” but also to “keep even the most imaginative stories within the general audience’s frame of reference.”

An excerpt from Gene Roddenberry’s “planet of the week” pitch

In that opening pitch, which you can find at the Ex Astris Scientia fan site here, Roddenberry drops a number of potential story pitches. Some of them, like “President Capone,” would eventually find their way into episodes of the series. Others, like “Kongo,” which promised a race-switched portrayal of “the Ole Plantation days,” perhaps thankfully never materialized.

The idea of visiting a different planet every week allowed the show to keep telling “Twilight Zone-ish” anthology stories, while maintaining a recurring cast, in the same way a detective show could feature a different murder every week. It also meant, at a time when syndication was an important part of any show’s income, that episodes could be shown in pretty much any order without confusing the audience.

The series was successful, then less successful, then cancelled to the upset of a collection of vocal hardcore fans.

It spawned imitators. Blake’s 7 and Space: 1999 were darker, weirder, and more British than Star Trek, and more tied into their own long-term narratives, but both still featured plenty of stories where the characters arrive at a planet and encounter weird stuff. Battlestar Galactica, while trying very hard to be Star Wars, was also no stranger to the planet of the week.

Roddenberry tried to relaunch Star Trek a few times. First as Star Trek: Phase II, then an unrelated series called Starship, then a movie, until eventually striking gold with Star Trek: The Next Generation.

The Next Generation

After an, admittedly, rocky start, The Next Generation took the Star Trek concept further than ever before, and over seven series elevated “planet of the week” to almost a philosophy procedural. Over time, it did things the original Star Trek could never do, introducing character arcs and long-term storylines, such as the Borg, or Data’s growing humanity.

Even in the show’s Writers’ Bible, we can see how the Star Trek concept has been refined. It specifically lays out “We are not buying stories which cast our people and our vessel in the role of “galaxy policemen” and “We are not in the business of toppling cultures that we do not approve of.” It also narrows the focus. No more “Earth where Rome never fell” stories, instead, saying “Plots involving a whole civilization rarely work. What does work is to deal with specific characters from another culture and their interactions with our own continuing characters.”

Star Trek: The Next Generation “The Masterpiece Society”

In its planet-of-the-week stories it hit some of the old stand-bys, such as The Planet Where There Is No Crime But The Only Sentence Is Death, or Racist African Stereotype Planet, in admittedly not classic episodes, but also gave us stories such as “The Masterpiece Society,” which not only gave us a look at a hypothetical world where everybody does the job they are born for, but also asks uncomfortable questions about how the Enterprise should interact with these cultures, a theme we see prop up again in “First Contact” (not the movie) and “Who Watches the Watchers?“

It also gave us “The Outcast,” an episode that, while it’s dated extremely poorly, was at least trying to address the prejudices of the time (and may have done so more successfully if Frakes had got his wish of the gender-neutral alien love interest being played by a male actor).

Star Trek: The Next Generation was an enormous success, and success breeds imitators.

The Planet of the Week’s Golden Age

Red Dwarf started out as an entirely different sort of beast to Star Trek, replacing military and scientific heroes with chicken soup machine repairmen, and space adventures with bunk bed comedy that just so happened to be set aboard a spaceship. But as the series developed they would encounter waxwork museum planets, psi-moons that replicated your inner psyche, planets like ours but everything runs backwards (later remade as Tenet), and a world where everyone was Arnold Rimmer.

The mid-nineties to early noughties were a golden age for planet of the week TV.

Star Trek: The Next Generation itself would inspire several spin-offs, including Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise, as well as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (which we’ll come to later).

The movie Stargate was spun-off into the TV series Stargate: SG-1, using the film’s premise to make a planet of the week series that a) saved money on expensive spaceship footage – until they decided they wanted to do that anyway – and b) handily explained why all the alien cultures looked extremely human. That series itself would eventually spin off two other series and a handful of TV movies.

Farscape took the Planet of the Week setup and decided to get real weird with it, taking full advantage of the creativity of the Jim Henson Creature Workshop to give us aliens that were far more than a funny-looking forehead, and storylines that were far more complex and messy than the clean cut Star Trek universe would typically allow. At the same time, while planets of the week weren’t a rarity, Farscape’s episodes would frequently bleed together into overarching single plotlines. Sliders, meanwhile, would abandon spaceships entirely, taking Roddenberry’s original “parallel worlds” pitch to its logical extreme.

Even Gene Roddenberry’s unused ideas were being mined for potential ideas, with Gene Rodenberry’s Andromeda giving us a series about a Definitely Not The Federation Starship getting thrust into the future to discover the Definitely Not The Federation has fallen and the galaxy is in disarray (an idea that might sound extremely familiar to modern Star Trek fans).

But while space shows were in a boom, two shows in particular were already adding twists to the formula that could spell doom for the Planet of the Week.

Bringing the Strange New Worlds to You!

As The Next Generation was getting ready to end on a high, two series were closing in on a way to replicate its success. There is some debate about how much these two creative teams arrived at the same solutions in parallel, or if there was some cross-pollination, but either way, the thinking was the same.

Q’s Return on Star Trek: Picard Season 2 will Follow “Significant Trauma”

By Joseph Baxter

Star Trek Picard Season 2 Teaser Trailer: All the Easter Eggs & References

By Ryan Britt

The most expensive thing about planet of the week shows was, basically, the planet. You could creatively reuse props and costumes, but each world needed its own backdrops, scenery, alien makeup, and more. What if you could do Planet of the Week but without the planet?

And so we saw Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Babylon 5 emerge. Instead of a spaceship, the setting was a space station, and instead of visiting a different planet every week, the adventure would come to them in the form of alien visitors and clashes among the native alien populations of the station.

The station brought with it other implications as well. No longer would the characters be able to fly away at the end of the episode, never thinking again about the chaos they left in their wake. These characters would have to live with the consequences of their actions, with the effects returning on them again and again.

Both Deep Space Nine and Babylon 5 started out with storylines that seemed like fairly straight forward Star Trek-style fare, but over time these long-term plotlines would build up. Both space stations soon found themselves facing a mysterious new threat, and the outbreak of a galaxy-wide war.

As the necessity for one-and-done storylines fell out of vogue, writers felt more freedom to produce these ongoing storylines.

These series, alongside Space: Above and Beyond paved the way for yet more serialised storytelling in the form of a new, rebooted Battlestar Galactica. This version was no Star Wars knock-off, and had no interest in planets of the week. While it was set on a fleet of ships, Battlestar Galactica was less interested in the planets those ships were flying by than in the relationships between the people aboard those ships, and their battle with the pursuing Cylons.

The cast of Babylon 5

At the same time, a feeling was spreading that bobbly forehead aliens looked a bit silly, and stories became decidedly human centric. Firefly straddled the gap between episodic and serialized, in much the way Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer had done before it, but every character in it was human, and every planet (or often, moon) they visited was a human colony, more often-than-not, a desert one with a decidedly Wild West aesthetic.

Star Trek: Enterprise became the first Star Trek since the original to get canceled, and the first not to have a successor series immediately lined up.

By 2010, the only series about spaceships visiting alien planets was Stargate: Universe, and even that show was more interested in the inter-character drama among the ship’s crew than in the planets they were popping in on along the way.

Even J.J. Abrams’ new Star Trek movies were less interested in strange new worlds, than in preventing attacks on Earth. Star Trek Into Darkness climaxes with Spock having a fist fight with someone on the roof of a rubbish truck in a really quite modern-looking San Francisco.

For a while, spaceships just weren’t something you found on TV. In 2014, the only space TV show on air, Ascension, turned out to actually be about a bunch of people who only thought they were on a spaceship, but were actually in a massive simulator.

Space Gets Cool Again

Then Abrams got the job that, frankly, judging from his Star Trek movies, was the one he had wanted in the first place. He got to make the new Star Wars movie. It came quickly in the wake of the heavily Farscape-aesthetic wielding Guardians of the Galaxy (Ben Browder, Farscape’s John Crichton, would later say “When I met James Gunn, I introduced myself and he said ‘I know who you are.’ And I said ‘Yeah, I thought you did because I saw your movie, bro.’”)

Around the mid-2010s, there seems to be a tipping point, where people finally have their fill of the post-apocalyptic and are suddenly very keen to get back to space.

In TV land James S.A. Corey’s The Expanse novels were being adapted into a TV series in an attempt to create the fabled “Game of Thrones in space.” That was quickly joined by the more cheap and cheerful space-bounty-hunter series, Killjoys, and space reformed-mercenary series, Dark Matter.

But with the exception of The Expanse’s protomolocule, we had yet to see many aliens on TV, with less interest in exploring alien worlds than in space crimes and interplanetary/stellar scale politics and warfare.

In 2017, when Star Trek, finally, returned to the small screen, we were given a series that involved less traveling to previously unexplored alien worlds, instead giving us a long-term plotline about the Federation’s war with the Klingons.

And yet old-style Trek stories were starting to make a comeback. Seth MacFarlane’s The Orville was marketed as a space spoof akin to a live action Space Family Guy, or something in the mould of Galaxy Quest. What viewers actually got was a remarkably faithful homage to the Star Trek of the nineties. Over two seasons it’s given us planets where the female gender is outlawed, where everything is decided by social-media vote (an extremely “successful white male comedian who’s worried about getting cancelled” form of social commentary), and a planet where everyone born under a certain star sign is put in camps. It’s a series that might not quite reach the heights of the stories it’s aspiring to be like, but it is clear about the sort of stories it wants to tell.

At the same time, planet of the week stories were coming from another unexpected direction, in the form of Rick & Morty. From its Purge Planet episode (that directly references Star Trek’s own ‘Red Time’, to the culture of civilized facehuggers, one thing Rick & Morty excels at is taking a big idea, playing with for the length of a story, and then putting it back in its box.

So while Star Trek: Discovery was followed up by the equally plot-arc-heavy (although extremely welcome) Star Trek: Picard, perhaps it wasn’t surprising that the third new Star Trek spin-off was an animated series written by Rick & Morty writer Mike McMahan.

Despite being a comedic take on the franchise, Star Trek: Lower Decks still feels more like “old” Star Trek than its franchise-mates. It features a big orchestral theme tune and an opening credit sequence with the ship flying past various planets. Its plots involve rescuing ancient cryogenically frozen colony ships, space zombies, extremely crystal-themed planets, and massive alien trials that actually turn out to be surprise parties.

Star Trek: Discovery, meanwhile, seems to have been taking the long way round to its planet of the week roots. Its second season gave us a look at the culture of Commander Sarus’ home planet (along with some very dodgy prime directive violations) and a planet of humans abducted from Earth’s World War III. Its third season saw the Discovery thrust into the future to discover the Federation has fallen and the galaxy is in disarray, allowing us the peculiar pleasure of seeing a Planet of the Week episode where the planet in question was Earth. Now that Michael Burnham is a Captain, and the ship is reunited with the remnants of the Federation, we may actually see some actual exploring next season.

Even Star Wars, which has never really been at home in this particular sub-genre, has given us The Mandalorian. Despite the ongoing plot, every episode of the Star Wars series features the Mandalorian (I refuse to remember his actual name) riding into town on a new planet with a drastically different biome and inhabitants, having an adventure, and then riding off perpendicular to the sunset.

And now we come full circle. Because as well as its own sideways edging towards Planet of the Week stories, Star Trek: Discovery has also introduced Captain Pike, the Captain of the USS Enterprise introduced in Star Trek’s original pilot. He, his first officer “Number One”, a new Spock (the third, if you’re counting) and their much shinier looking Enterprise NCC-1701-No-Bloody-A-B-C-or-D proved so popular with fans that they have been given their own series.

The description of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds sounds… familiar.

Executive producer Henry Alonso Myers describes it as “We want to do Star Trek in the classic mode; Star Trek in the way Star Trek stories were always told. It’s a ship and it’s traveling to strange new worlds and we are going to tell big ideas science fiction adventures in an episodic mode. So we have room to meet new aliens, see new ships, visit new cultures.”

It sounds like a pretty good idea.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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karolinachabier · 7 years

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making of “dans les bois”

Hey! I've already shown you the trailer of my graduation film, so this time I'd like to give you a little bit of an insight into the process behind it. So here's a tiny making of. I don’t have a lot of pictures, but hopefully you'll find the description itself useful. Let's use The Wolf Scene for visualising the process step by step.

1. Concept

Each scene has to be planned in terms of composition and movement of the characters. The Wolf Scene was the very first shot I imagined, when I started working on this project. I knew that it would be the key scene, so I wanted it to look quite "impressive" haha :) I imagined a huge wolf like creature lurking from behind the trees and walking with big thumping steps through the forest. And so I made the concept:

And here’s a beautiful concept of the scene made by Arthur (http://zhaphod.tumblr.com/):

2. Layout

Ok, so we have the concept and now what ? Let's begin with creating a layout. To be honest I didn't have any idea of how to do it ! Really. I had some graphic references, like "Limbo" game, the shadow theatre and the beautiful shadow boxes (thank you Nunu for the great idea ! ). And that's all. I had to test a lot of things and figure out which way would suit me best. I knew that making a bunch of real shadow boxes for all the scenes would be simply impossible (since I only had like 5 - 4 months to complete my film), so I tried fixing the layout together on a little multiplane we had at the school. Unfortunately it didn't look as well as I had hoped it would. Finally someone suggested using After Effects and compositing layers cut out of paper and simulating the multiplane-like look. The outcome turned out to be just what I've been looking for!

some of my references

3. Paper work

Once I found my way of creating backgrounds I had to have all of the layers cut out of paper. By taking a picture of each layer on a light table I created myself quite a "forest library", from which I could later composit my dream backgrounds. But to be honest, I'm not really good at cutting things out of paper, so I desperately needed help. Thankfully at my school there was a week, specifically designed just for that purpose, where the first year students are helping their older colleagues (I mean us lol) with their grad films. I was lucky to collaborate with Beatrice, who loves doing scenography. And she is precise like a surgeon! After the week she decided to work with me until the end of the production. So she is the one responsible for all the beautiful forest layers full of painstaking details ! And so yes - look at the film scenes, it's a handmade work (except one or two layers I had to cut on photoshop due to lack of time)!

4. Multiplane camera

As soon as I had a new layer done I went to a stop motion studio called "Dynamotion" where I could work on a super pro multiplane! The purpose of taking pictures under the multiplane camera was to capture the beautiful light effect.

5. Animation

Animation time ! As in the case of my layout I wasn't sure how can I do it. At the beginning I thought I could make a cut out animation, but when I started animating this way I realized it wouldn't be possible to finish the film in time. Finally I decided to animate it on Tvpaint, but I wasn't quite sure if it would work. It was a really hopeless period for me ! Just take a look at the wolf without all the effects !

6. Hello, After effects

The pictures are taken, the animation is finished, so I can composite them together in After Effects. It is also time for adding more light effects, colour grading and so on. At the beginning of postproduction I thought I'm good at After Effects. Then I learnt that I know NOTHING about it. I had to test everything and follow advices of my classmates to find a way of making the scenes look as I wanted.

So here you are, a little (horror) story of my film. It was a challenge to make it but it's done! So now I can forget about it and start watching a new season of Stranger Thing

The vimeo premier of my film is on 31st october ! 🎃

#makingof #graduation #animation #PaperArt #character design #film #film market #behind the scenes

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sunnydaleherald · 4 years

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The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Thursday, May 7

DAWN: I just don't see why people bother. I mean, you put all this energy into chasing and having and brooding and— I just don't understand these relationships where you all do insane things. BUFFY: Bye, rant girl. (walks away) DAWN: Well, you could, like, paint a beautiful mural on every ugly wall in the world, and then you could paint a beautiful mural on every ugly mural in the wor—

~~Him~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Poison Ivy's crazy night (crossover with DC comics and The Hobbit, Faith, G) by Bacner

barefoot & outclassed (Buffy&Giles, K) by rubertgiles

There Are More of Us Than You Think (Jenny, OCs, K+) by Knight Ranger

[Chaptered Fiction]

I See You Through The Shadows Chapter 8 (crossover with Victorious, Faith/Jade West, E) by lizbianoddity

as day follows night Chapter 22 (Jenny&Faith, Jenny/Giles, Faith/Buffy, T) by The_Eclectic_Bookworm. COMPLETE!

Far From Home Chapter 13 (Buffy/Angel, ensemble, M) by aboutafox

The Darkling Chapter 58 (Spike/Buffy, ensemble, E) by OffYourBird

My Immortal 2 Chapter 7 (Torchwood crossover, Spike/Buffy, Jack Harkness, T) by elisi. COMPLETE!

Let the Wrong One In Chapter 1 (Buffy, Giles, Spike, OC, T) by Cynder2013

The Switch Chapter 2 (Faith, Xander, T) by btvsaddict

Poetry: Genesis Chapter 60 (Spike, OC, K+) by No Fate 1990

Never Is A Promise Chapter 10 (Buffy, Angel, Lindsey, T) by butimbroken

Moments that Make You: The Hero and The Princess Chapter 13 (Cordelia, Doyle, K+) by myheadsgonenumb

Door to Yesterday Chapter 2 (Spike/Buffy, Giles, R) by pfeifferpack

Xander Harris and the Eye of Ra Chapter 8 (Spike/Buffy, Xander, PG) by SlayrGrl

Every Letter That You Write Me Chapter 31 (Spike/Buffy, R) by othellia

The Paper It's Written On Chapter 5 (crossover with Supernatural, Xander/Sam, FR18) by BluLadyK

Chaos Bleeds Chapter 10 (crossover with Stranger Things, Scoobies, Potentials, FR15) by FR15

[Images, Audio & Video]

Vid: Dance Monkey (ensemble) by Alayne Stone

Vid: Dance Monkey (ensemble) by WeCanTry

Vid: Cold Blooded (The Whirlwind) by Echo2281

Vid: Way down (ensemble) by Whedonverseedits

Music: Rester / Standing cover (in French) by JeremyWayneOff

Fandub: "Faith, Hope & Trick" Full Voiceover | Sneak Peek #1 (Buffy, Faith) by A Pixie's Whisper, Allison MuddyOrbs

Fandub: Pilot Voiceover | "Not legally" (Willow) by A Pixie's Whisper

Parody / live-action fanvid: BUFFY THE CORONA SLAYER (ensemble & the artist) by Jonathan Margolis

Video: Lives Changed Forever Fanfic Trailer (Transformers crossover) by Sarcastic Primes Sparrow

Video: Opening Credits | Season 8 by A Pixie's Whisper

Video: Intro (Season 3) - (Brooklyn Nine Nine Style) by K-YC Videos

Yoga class: Buffy and healthy aggression by EMILY DENTON

Artwork: Wallpapers and phone backgrounds (Faith, Doyle, Dawn, Scoobies, worksafe) by Nix

Cosplay: new Sarah Michelle Gellar photo in Buffy's original Prophecy Girl costume

[Reviews & Recaps]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) and Origin (1999) by AnthroPOP!

PODCAST: Still Pretty 114. Listening to Fear (S5.09)

[Recs]

Bangel ficlet "Room for Hope" by badly_knitted recced by petzipellepingo

[Community Announcements]

It's true, there's a new place for B/A shippers to gather! [about the new Bangel Discord server] by perpetual

New Buffy/Angel Discord server created by kairosimperative

[Fandom Discussions]

May's Fandom Alphabet - G (Giles, Genres) by sparrow2000

This might be an unpopular opinion, but Harmony grows on you by multiple people

Bits of the show that haven't aged well / I am uncomfortable with Kendra. by BrilliantEconomist2

What were your thoughts when Giles killed Ben? by multiple people

Restless really stands out as an aberration compared to the other season finales hosted by ff_eMEraLdwPn

A rewrite with Oz post-New Moon Rising & Sanctuary, a concept by St-Kiki

Bangel v Spuffy/Cangel by CookieDough2887 and others

How Dawn Changed BUFFY by Taylor Melinda

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

Interview: "TREASURE VOMIT!" WRITER Q&A with FELICIA DAY: The Full Conversation by Sera Gamble Official

#btvs #buffy the vampire slayer #angel the series

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brokehorrorfan · 7 years

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Best New Horror Movies on Netflix: Summer 2017

I know there's an overwhelming amount of horror movies to sift through on Netflix, so I've decided to take out some of the legwork by compiling a list of the season's best new genre titles on Netflix's instant streaming service.

Please feel free to leave a comment with any I may have missed and share your thoughts on any of the films you watch. You can also peruse past installments of Best New Horror Moves on Netflix for more suggestions.

1. Clown

Before Spider-Man: Homecoming swings into theaters, watch director Jon Watts' feature debut. Beginning as a faux-trailer that went viral, Clown was essentially willed into existence with the aid of genre favorite Eli Roth (Hostel, Cabin Fever) as a producer. Andy Powers (Oz) stars as a dad who comes across an old clown costume to wear to his son's birthday party, only to find that he physically cannot remove it. He then develops an insatiable hunger for children, soon learning that he must sacrifice five kids in order to remove the suit. Laura Allen (The 4400) plays his wife, while Peter Stormare (Fargo) provides the ancient, demonic history of clowns. Not your typical killer clown movie, Clown combines classic monster movie motifs, body horror elements, supernatural undertones, and gallows humor into one coulrophobic package. Read my full review of the film here.

2. Beyond the Gates

Beyond the Gates was clearly made by horror fans for fellow fans. The 80-minute romp can best be described as Jumanji meets The Beyond. Estranged brothers Gordon (Graham Skipper, Almost Human) and John (Chase Williamson, John Dies at the End), along with Gordon’s girlfriend, Margot (Brea Grant, Halloween II), find and play an old VCR game. They must obey the tape’s host (Barbara Crampton, Re-Animator) in order to solve the mystery of their father's disappearance. It's slightly hindered by a limited budget - the set-up is slow and the ending is a tad anticlimactic - but it's so spirited along the way that the faults barely register. First-time director Jackson Stewart taps into the VHS nostalgia to create a film that would feel perfectly at home on a mom-and-pop video store shelf in the late '80s. Read my full review of the film here.

3. The Eyes of My Mother

The Eyes of My Mother is too pensive for horror fans look for typical blood and scares, but those who appreciate arthouse fare are likely to get wrapped up in its unsettling tone. Writer/director Nicolas Pesce makes an impact with his debut, utilizing stark black-and-white photography to explore a character study illustrating the repercussions of murder. The story is told in three chapters, which each one showing a significant familial moment in a woman's life that shapes her into the disturbed individual she ultimately becomes. It’s a slow burn, even at a mere 76 minutess, but every moment is spent ruminating in its dark tone.

4. Backcountry

Backcountry is based on a true story of a black bear attack. The predator doesn't show up until two thirds of the way through the film; the rest of the time is spent developing the relationship between Alex (Jeff Roop) and Jenn (Missy Peregrym, Reaper), who embark on what's supposed to be a romantic and relaxing weekend hike through the woods. Tensions first rise upon the introduction of an Irish backpacker (Eric Balfour, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), then again when the couple gets lost in the dizzying forest. It finally takes the form of a suspenseful survival thriller when the ferocious bear begins attacking their campsite. The investment in character development is worthwhile, as it causes the viewer to care about them, thereby making the final act even more harrowing. Real bears were used during production, adding to the ripe intensity.

5. Dig Two Graves

The first act of Dig Two Graves could be mistaken for a coming-of-age drama - not only thematically but also stylistically - as a young girl (Samantha Isler, Captain Fantastic) from a podunk town attempts to reconcile with her brother's death. Things really heat up when a trio of creepy men tell her they can bring him back to life... but someone else has to take his place. The story is structured in an interesting way, sprinkling in flashbacks that contextualize the actions taking place in the present. Isler delivers a brilliant performance, as does Ted Levine (The Silence of the Lambs), who plays her grandfather, the town's sheriff.

6. XX

XX is a horror anthology made up of four segments written and directed by females, each one strong and unique. “The Box” by Jovanka Vuckovic adapts a Jack Ketchum short story about a boy who's forever changed upon seeing the contents of a mysterious box. “The Birthday Party” by Annie Clark (better known as musician St. Vincent) is a darkly comic tale about a woman who finds her husband dead on the day of her daughter's birthday party. “Don’t Fall” by Roxanne Benjamin (Southbound) turns a serene hike into a blood-thirsty creature feature. “Her Only Living Son” by Karyn Kusama (The Invitation) finds a mother learning a deep, dark secret about her son. There's not much of a through line outside of them all being female-led (3/4 of which are maternal roles), though neat stop-motion animation wraps around the tales. Several familiar faces populate the cast, including Melanie Lynskey (Heavenly Creatures), Natalie Brown (The Strain), and Mike Doyle (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit). It's no secret that we need more female voices in film, and XX is a potent declaration that's impossible to ignore.

7. Stake Land II: The Stakelander

Despite a terrible title that could be mistaken for a joke, Stake Land II: The Stakelander is a sequel to Stake Land, Jim Mickle's impressive 2010 vampire film (which you should watch first; it's also on Netflix). Mickle resigns to executive producer, but his co-writer, Nick Damici, returns to pen the script. Damici also reprises his role as Mister, reuniting with Connor Paolo as Martin. The vampire slaying duo embark on a journey across a Mad Max 2-style post-apocalyptic wasteland infested with ferocious vampires, which resemble zombies more than your traditional bloodsuckers. As is often the case, it's the other humans that prove to be the real threat. Like its predecessor, the film finds a rare balance between drama and intensity. It's not as effective as the original, but fans won't be disappointed by the follow-up.

8. Tag

Tag (also known as Riaru onigokko) is not for everyone, but it's too gleefully weird not to warrant a recommendation. Written and directed by Sion Sono (Suicide Club), the Japanese film opens with a bus full of school girls getting sliced in half in one fell swoop. It only gets stranger from there as the infinite possibilities of multiple universes are explored. One girl survives each time, continually awakening in different realities after watching all her friends get killed in gory fashions - including a teacher mowing down her class with a mini-gun. I thought it might be adapted from a manga, as it has that bizarre, fantastical feel to it, but it's instead based on a novel. It's dreamlike and absurd but not without heart.

9. The Windmill

The Windmill (formerly known as The Windmill Massacre) is a slasher film from the Netherlands, although it's (mostly) in English. It follows a guided bus tour of Holland that breaks down near a mysterious windmill. One by one, the passengers are picked off by a cool-looking killer armed with a scythe. With glossy production value and a dark tone, it feels more like a throwback to late '90s slashers rather than the golden age of the '80s - but there's still some solid gore and practical effects. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but the film offers a slightly more involved plot than the average slasher, including flawed characters and supernatural elements. It's also gleefully mean-spirited to the very end.

10. Man Vs.

As you may have guessed from the name, Man Vs. uses a survival reality show as the framing device for a creature feature. Doug (Chris Diamantopoulos, Silicon Valley) is the survival expert/host, filming himself in the Canadian wilderness - only to learn that he's not alone. It would have been cheaper to make a found footage film, but it's more effect as a traditional movie - though there are some shots from Doug's gear. The set-up is a bit slow, however you may learn some survival tips along the way. The story essentially becomes Survivorman vs. Predator in the final act. Unfortunately, the CGI creature is Syfy-level bad, preventing the big reveal from having much impact, but Diamantopoulos delivers a solid performance nonetheless.

11. Abattoir

Abattoir is directed by Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II-IV, Repo! The Genetic Opera), based on the same named graphic novel he created. It follows a real estate journalist (Jessica Lowndes, 90210) and a detective (Joe Anderson, The Crazies) as they investigate a series of houses in which tragedies occurred having the offending rooms torn out. They end up in a Twin Peaks-esque town where a local (Lin Shaye, Insidious) tells them of Jebediah Crone (Dayton Callie, Sons of Anarchy), an enigmatic reverend attempting to build a gateway to pure evil. Although set in the present, the picture is an unabashed love letter to film noirs of the 1940s and ‘50s. While the execution of the fascinating concept is lacking, Bousman manages to create a wonderfully imaginative neo-noir universe rife with spooky atmosphere. Read my full review here.

Bonus: The Keepers

If you were among the throngs of viewers morbidly captivated by Making a Murderer, The Keepers will be your new true crime fix. The Netflix original documentary series is every bit as compelling and frustrating as Making a Murderer, but the heinous crimes are even more stomach churning. The story revolves around an unsolved murder case of 26-year-old nun in 1969 and her then-students who have teamed up decades later to try to get to the truth. There appears to be a cover up that involves sexual abuse at the hands of a priest. The show consists of seven hour-long episodes. It probably could have been shaved down to five, but it's structured in such a way that make you want to keep binge watching.

Bonus: Riverdale: Season 1

Riverdale is like Twin Peaks meets Pretty Little Liars by way of Archie Comics. It reinvents the classic Archie characters for a modern audience with an interesting murder/mystery plot. I'm admittedly beyond the key demographic for the trashy teen drama that ensues, but the first season is fun enough, albeit inconsistent, to hook me. Several of the younger actors deliver great performances, given the heavy-handed material, but it's even more fun to see the parents played by '90s stars like Luke Perry (Beverly Hills, 90210), Mädchen Amick (Twin Peaks), Robin Givens (Head of the Class), and Skeet Ulrich (Scream). If you enjoy MTV's Scream, you'll likely get a kick out of this one as well.

#netflix #beyond the gates #riverdale #the keepers #the eyes of my mother #best of netflix #list #review #article

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aion-rsa · 4 years

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What Makes Eden Netflix’s First “Japanese Original Anime”?

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Earlier this week, Netflix re-released the promising trailer for Eden, a science fiction anime series coming to the streamer in May 2021. The four-episode, Japanese-language series is set thousands of years in the future in a robot city known as “Eden 3.” When two farming robots accidentally awaken a human baby girl from stasis during a routine assignment, they begin to question everything they thought they knew about the myth of humanity and decide to raise the child secretly on their own.

Great premise, right? Well, the production has some great creative talent to drive it too. Eden comes from director Yasuhiro Irie, who also did Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and boasts Toshihiro Kawamoto, best known as character designer and animation director for Cowboy Bebop, as a concept designer. Hopefully, Eden is good; regardless, it is a notable series in the history of Netflix, as Eden is being billed as “the first Netflix Japanese Original Anime.”

What does that mean exactly? If you’re at all familiar with Netflix, then you know the phrase “Netflix Original” can mean a lot of different things. Broadly, it means a TV show or film that is exclusive to Netflix (in the consumer’s specific market) and has not been made available elsewhere previously (in that market). More specifically, for TV series, it can refer to: 1) a show commissioned and produced by Netflix (e.g. Stranger Things), 2) a show for which Netflix has licensed exclusive international streaming rights (e.g. The Fall), 3) a show Netflix has co-produced with a partner from another country (e.g. Dracula, commissioned alongside BBC), or 4) a show picked up by Netflix for further seasons after being canceled by another network (e.g. You). From the production standpoint, a show can be a “Netflix Original” without Netflix actually having had a creative or financial hand in making it, such as with The Fall. Or, Netflix can have been involved in the production process since day one, such as with Stranger Things.

So where does Eden fall in this system of categorization? It’s a #1—or, as Japanese production company Qubic Pictures, who makes the series, puts it: Eden is Netflix’s “first wholly owned anime original title.” The series is based on a pitch from Qubic, but it was commissioned by Netflix and the streamer has a voice in the production process. Per the Qubic site: “Working closely with the creative team at Netflix, Qubic managed all aspects of the production and assembled an international group of anime industry all-stars to help contribute to the project.” The fact that this series is being created in Japan by (mostly) Japanese creators in the Japanese language makes it “Japanese,” and the fact that it is commissioned and owned by Netflix for distribution on Netflix makes it a “Netflix Original.”

(Note: I’m unclear why Dragon’s Dogma, which was a “production line partnership” with Japanese production company Sublimation, is not considered Netflix’s first “Japanese Original Anime”—maybe because it was bad?)

Netflix expanded into Japan as a streaming service in 2015, but its expansion into Japan as a production partner has been more recent. While Eden is Netflix’s first “Japanese Original Anime,” the company is already in the process of making more. Just last week, Netflix announced partnerships with three production houses in Japan (and one in Korea), bringing its number of total content deals in those two countries to nine. Each deal is a non-exclusive “production line partnership” with the larger aim for Netflix “to create the best content for the global anime community.” As part of the partnership, Netflix will “provide support in every stage of production to create the best content for the global anime community.”

“In just four years, we’ve built a dedicated team based in Tokyo that serves to entertain the global anime community through new and aspirational storytelling,” said Taiki Sakurai, who serves as Anime Chief Producer for Netflix, in a press release. “With these additional partnerships with industry trailblazers who do amazing work, often marrying the latest technologies and traditional hand-drawn animation, we’re excited to bring fans a greater variety of even more amazing stories.”

Currently (via ABC News), Netflix only has 5 million Japanese subscribers, a fraction of its total 193 million global subscriber base. Netflix needs to grow its subscriber base, but with 73% of American households estimated to have Netflix, that growth is probably going to have to come in international markets. While international markets will and do watch English-language, American-made television, audiences tend to prefer watching television in their native language about the country they live in. Because of this, Netflix’s role as a producer and co-producer of international TV—animated and live-action, scripted and unscripted—will no doubt only grow in the coming years.

“In just four short years since launching our creative team in Tokyo, Netflix has expanded the reach and overall audience of anime – a category conventionally seen as niche,” said Sakurai, during last week’s Netflix Anime Festival 2020 livestream out of Japan (via Deadline). “Given the success of shows such as Seven Deadly Sins and Baki, we are excited now more than ever to challenge ourselves to expand our aspirational anime programming for fans around the world.”

Eden may be Netflix’s first “Japanese Original Anime,” but it surely won’t be its last.

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#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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