#they want 45€ for five episodes

[txttletale]

how would you recommend watching doctor who? there are so many different guys idk how it works.

so the thing about doctor who is that there's two shows -- classic who (1963-1989, doctors 1-7) and new who (2005-2023, doctors 9-14). due to a renumber of the seasons and a change in production company, i think it's fair to call the upcoming version of who (2023-??, doctors 15-??) its own, third show. the reason it's been able to run for so long is that when the show's lead actor, (william hartnell as the titular doctor) had to step down in 1966 due to failing health, they made up some sci-fi bullshit: the doctor's species can 'regenerate' instead of dying, instantly healing but changing their appearance and some of their personality. this means that every time a lead actor has walked away (or, in one unfortuante case, been fired) the show's just recast the doctor and moved on, often with notable changes in tone and format.

the easiest option if you don't want to backwatch anything is to start with this year's christmas special, the church on ruby road (2023). it's an obvious jumping on point to the series, introduces you to all the basic stuff (the doctor, the TARDIS, the fact that it's a silly sci-fi show about fighting weird rubber prop critters), and presumably sets up the upcoming season 1 of the disney-bad wolf version of the show that's gonna come out in may 2024.

if you do want to backwatch, you have to decide if you want to start with new who or classic who. i personally would recommend starting with new who, because there's less of it, it's got higher production values, and (imo this is the biggest obstacle to getting into classic who) it's paced in a way that makes much more sense to a modern TV viewer (self-contained 45-minute episodes). also once you're invested in the show, its main character, and some of its classic elements, you get to soyjak at the screen whenever you're watching classic who and you get to see the oirign of a monster you already recognize. you can also skip classic who entirely and never watch it, they don't bring up anything from it in the new series without giving it a new explanation, but if you do this you hate fun.

anyway, starting points for nuwho: the most obvious one is rose (2005). it's the pilot episode for the new show and imo it holds up brilliantly -- it introduces all the most basic concepts of the show, but ultimately it's really all about billie piper and cristopher eccleston's performances and they deliver. the special effects are gonna be pretty terrible for a while because it's early 2000s cg. there's no jumping on point like it for the whole of RTD's run of the show (imo, the best run of nuwho) so if you want to watch seasons 1-4 you've gotta start on rose.

another episode that's written as a jumping on-point is (heavy sigh) the eleventh hour (2011). as well as introducing matt smith's doctor and his companion amy, this also does the whole rigamarole of introducing the show's core elements, giving a nutshell recap of its history in the form of the doctor's rooftop speech, and also signal what the oncoming moffat era is going to be like (whimsical, full of complex time travel plots, way more misogynist). i'm biased -- i'm a hater, one of this episode's central plot conceits sucks real bad and i also hate the eleventh doctor's whole run. but it is meant to be a jumping on point.

there won't be another one of those in nuwho until the pilot (2017). this begins moffat's final season with which he made the odd but extremely welcome decision to jettison all his convoluted continuity shit from the last five seasons and refocus the show with the doctor being a professor at bristol university with a mysterious secret. i think season 10 is a hidden gem and if you find starting from rose daunting this is the next best place to pick up. capaldi's doctor is a delightful abrasive eccentric with a heart of gold at this point in his run & the stories are wall-to-wall bangers with only a couple misses.

finally, you could start on the woman who fell to earth (2018), the first episode to feature jodie whittaker's 13th doctor and head writer chris chibnall. i'd recommend this even less than the eleventh hour, because while i actually like it more, i think it's a much worse preview of what the upcoming era is going to be like than that one. if you watch the woman who fell to earth and keep watching from the start of whittaker's run on the show off the back of it, you're going to be severely disappointed as most of the more promising aspects of the episode get instantly abandoned.

so, summary, if you're starting with nuwho, there's five jumping on points, which i'd rank:

rose > the pilot > the church on ruby road > the eleventh hour > the woman who fell to earth

but i want to start with classic who because i'm a contrarian

alright. classic who also has a few jumping off points -- before i mentioned them, let me just talk about that format thing i mentioned earlier. classic who doesn't have self-contained episodes for the most part, but rather for most of its run told each of its episodic narratives across between two and seven 20-minute episodes. this leads to a lot of weird pacing, forced cliffhangers, and infamously a lot of filler shots of the doctor running up and down identical corridors. so obvsies i'm recommending entire stories here nad not individual episodes. that said, let's look at where you could jump on:

an unearthly child (1963). this is, like, the start of the show. that said i don't recommend it as a place to start (funnily enough), for a couple reasons. firstly, because of dreadful fucking archiving by the BBC, a lot of episodes from the show's first six seasons are straight up missing. some of them have been animated by the BBC from surviving audio recordings, but some of them are just straight up lost -- due to the format, this means there's very few full complete stories, which makes this whole era really hard to navigate. if you don't mind that and really want to start in the black and white era, i'd still recommend the tomb of the cybermen (1967) instead -- hartnell's portrayal of the doctor as a haughty, slightly impish old professor is great, but troughton basically defined the character's core traits for the next sixty years.

spearhead from space (1970) is a pretty big format upheaval for the show and so serves as a pretty great classic jumping-on point. it's the first episode to be in colour, and sets up a new status quo for the doctor as being trapped on earth and working for an elite paramlitary organization called UNIT that operates out of a ratty office. it's an interesting premise that the show gets some great stories out of. the special effects are bad in the best way. pertwee has instant charm in the role and it's all around a banger by classic standards.

if you want to jump right to the one all the boomers are nostalgic for, you can also start with robot (1974). i wouldn't recommend it, though--tom baker is electric in the role from the start, but the episode itself kind of assumes a lot of the context of the third doctor's setup and supporting cast which you're not gonna have.

i wouldn't recommend anyone start at any point during the fifth or sixth doctors runs because i want them to actually like the show, so i guess the last jumping on point i could really recommend after robot would be, like, dragonfire (1987), which heralds the show's short-lived renaissance with the seventh doctor and his best companion, ace. but although you'd be watching some of the absolute best the classic show ever gets, it feels like it would be a weird and disorienting place to start.

finally, you could watch tales of the tardis (2023), a limited series produced to celebrate the show's 60th anniversary. each episode follows the same format: through a vaguely handwaved Palace of Memories plot, two much-aged characters from the classic series meet up and fondly remember one of the adventures they shared. the bookends with the original actors are mostly shameless fanservice, but the episodes they're reminiscing about are superbly edited down into a much more watchable format -- it works as a good 'sample platter' for most eras of the show (although, weirdly, there wasn't anything from tom baker's run!) and i think it honestly wouldn't be a bad shout to just start from tales of the tardis and then keep watching from whichever of the stories featured in it you liked most. that all said, if you want to start with classic who, i'd rank these jumping on points as follows:

spearhead from space > tales of the tardis > tomb of the cybermen > dragonfire > robot > an unearthly child

all that shit said it's fundamentally a very episodic show with very few exceptions like trial of a time lord and whatever moffat was doing seasons 6-7 so in the end you can basically just start with any episode and more or less get some of the idea. have fun and make sure to do the most important job of a doctor who fan, update the tardis wiki page for penis whenever one is mentioned

#ask #doctor who #long post

[cipheramnesia]

This is the process my brain goes through every time I see anything about Netflix Avatar The Last Airbender.

My first reaction is always: Why? The original, although not without flaws, doesn't leave a lot of room to improve. A good remake or adaptation usually involves an updated context or change in perspective that adds to the original work and gives it new meaning. It's a risky undertaking because it usually involves wanting to take on something established as iconic and make it your own. But Netflix is a corporation and seems very risk averse for the most part. Its only investment is in the name recognition of AtLA. It's hard to visualize Netflix deliberately taking a big risk on an expensive show.

My second reaction is: How? The original series is about 1400 minutes over 61 episodes, and it still had to rush the ending. We're looking at 8 episodes of roughly 45-60 minutes per episode for season 1, which would require Netflix to let it run more than 3 seasons, if the series has similar pacing. Historically however Netflix shows have glacial pacing, and rarely make three seasons. Not really sure how they plan to tell the story if the series is anything like the average Netflix series, meaning it either needs to undercut the story or let the series breathe for at least five seasons. But nothing Netflix has done makes me want to watch anything they make as an ongoing series? Why bother, they cancel everything I enjoy. So I wonder how. What's the hook to say "this will be able to provide something new and interesting compared to the original, and will be allowed to tell the complete story."

Which leads me to think, but you can't judge if something is good without seeing it. Except none of this is about whether it's good, I just find myself wondering what are the odds it's worth the effort? They're low, and it has nothing to do with whether or not it's even any good on its own merits.

Following this, I ask myself, what would a good version of this be. Imagine you are making a live action series with eight hour long episodes per season based on a children's cartoon with 20 thirty minute episodes per season. You are trying to encompass a story which was presented over three seasons as a cartoon, and you do not know if you will have more than those eight episodes. It's made for Netflix which, in terms of a company which will protect the hard earned fruits of your artistic labor, is the fox guarding the henhouse. What do you do?

If you are looking to make something good, that respects your audience investment and your own work, you make radical changes to the story. You change the pacing, the character arcs, the plot arcs. You make sure you deliver a complete story in those episodes with as much respect for the original work and as many new ideas as you can.

Except, at that point, what is even the point of a remake. The only way to work with it is either to trust Netflix allowing you to finish the story (which you'd need to be incredibly naive to do), or tell a story so different it may as well be wholly original. And that's where I always end up. Like, it'll probably be fine, but what's the point of it all? Another vanishing digital property to get canceled because of some undefinable failure to return on investment.

I think about it a lot because the two ends of the spectrum seem to be "dunk on every new piece of information" or "wait and see" but the only conclusion I can ever reach is "why even care?" That's been the lesson to take home from digital streaming in general when it comes to series, but Netflix in particular, and honestly for movie series too. If it can't be self contained, the companies who produce and release these kinds of series just cannot be trusted with it, and there are too many good original stories being put out to care anymore about big budget promises that one day they will definitely for sure deliver a finished story, this time for real.

I care enough to think about why I don't feel anything at all about Netflix Avatar. It'll be fine, whatever else. Just fine.

#netflix avatar

[psiionicwolf]

Having very crucially only made it about 45 minutes into the episode before I stopped... What if it turns out that Oisin has had a crush on Adaine since freshman year?

He remembered the one class they had together and the one day they had it. He offers barrels of diamonds after talking to her for about five seconds. As she's running away he's trying to ask if she wants to study... And most insane to me is that he fully cannot make a shot after she talks to him.

I just....... He's going to be my favorite side character for the rest of this season....

#oisin hakinvar #fantasy high #fhjy spoilers #ive fully been driven to madness by a single interaction

[dollsome-does-tumblr]

some midge/susie thoughts (and a few other things!) on the final episode:

that scene in the restaurant was just gorgeous, god damn. susie explaining her past with hedy, so poignant and beautifully acted (DAMN, we are losing one of the great tv performances with alex borstein as susie!) and even though it was just one monologue it painted such a rich picture that it told you all you needed to know.

and midge being like “i know exactly what she saw in you” and then saying she thinks susie will fall in love again and susie asking her “were you ever a blonde”??? like, the underlying vibe of susie being like “i’m in love with you and it’s dumb and i’m dumb and it will never go anywhere and i’m resigned to that, i’ve always been resigned to that, i can’t believe i fell for another impossible rich girl” but midge being like “uh actually maybe it’s not so dumb because i completely adore you and you’re my #1 life partner and the only one who truly understands this fire of ambition that drives me at my core* because you feel that way too” felt so tantalizingly just around the corner. it felt just like how i always imagined romantic feelings between them would bloom if they ever did, so it was surreal and dreamy to feel like i was watching a tiny bit of that unfold onscreen before my eyes.

(* i mean, lenny also understands it, but he was like her handsome man comic fairy godmother more than ever destined to be an everyday presence in her life.)

and midge saying in her standup that she doesn’t think she’s gonna have a permanent life partner-y relationship with a man anymore? and then she doesn’t? HELLOOOOOOO!

that shot of susie putting her hand to her heart and her and midge gazing at each other after midge’s standup ............ gorgeous!! gorgeous!!!!!

them as old ladies calling each other to watch jeopardy on vhs together and press play at the exact same time! midge being all fancy and susie being a bird hippie! midge sending susie a bird! susie naming the bird “whore”! making each other laugh so, so much, calling back to midge wanting to marry someone who makes her laugh!!!!! bro, i can’t believe i just watched midge and susie do grace and frankie romance.

45 YEARS TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

this just felt very “if i want to make this romantic then i can because it’s all there” and i’m so pleased and pleasantly surprised. i think they really (deliberately?) leaned into the subtext in these last episodes to very wonderful and rich effect.

also, this episode was just so, so charming and fun! i was surprised that we didn’t get more flashforwards with all the other characters, but actually i like the idea of just having those moments as sort of snapshots of future life rather than definitively told stories. and all the supporting characters really got moments to shine and it was delightful and warm. (and imogene was there! in her black beret! imogene!)

also, moishe and shirley in the shower, lololololololol!!! that was incredible. i wish that would happen to all my otps who need some epiphany time.

and abe and rose trying to summon the cab was a beautifully choreographed exercise in silliness that really just felt so ASP in the best way.

joel was very, very sweet in this episode. good on you, joel!

i am sad that we didn’t get to see midge & susie’s makeup scene from the 90s!!! but also: how fun to imagine in fanfic. in my fanfic they kiss and no one can stop me.

no other show will ever play this much barbra streisand in the soundtrack and that makes me sad. :’( every single time i heard her wonderful voice bless a montage on this show my heart soared.

i loved this season and I LOVE THIS SHOW! what a great show to have five seasons of to rewatch forever, knowing that midge and susie will be together for the rest of their lives (w/ one tragic five year blip) living complicatedly & soulmates-ily ever after! beautiful work, palladinos! thank you and goodnight!

#dollsome's deep thoughts #midge x susie #smidge #the marvelous mrs. maisel #tmmm spoilers

[triflesandparsnips]

Good Omens Book Club

So I have, in other fandoms, talked about the importance of what an audience can actually see on the screen. Specifically: When a constrained format (like, say, between 45 to 56 minutes of a single visual/audio input) is telling a constrained story (like, say, something that must start, climax, and resolve within some kind of structure), it's useful for the audience to pay attention to what gets given the valuable real estate of camera/story time.

So when time is given and effort made to show the actual titles of actual books... well.

Figure 1. Local bookshelf weighted down by an over-abundance of literary allusions.

This is a screenshot from episode 3 of Good Omens's second season, as Jim is reshelving all the books in Aziraphale's book shop by the first letter of their first sentences. He's about to shelve Jane Austens's Pride and Prejudice ("It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.") and the red sideways book, that he is about to pick up, is Good Omens itself ("It was a nice day.").

But, unusually, we can see the title of almost every other book on the shelf. Several of them appeared in the advertising poster, too, as I outlined previously (if you click that link, be advised that I am very proud of several bits of that essay and also let's not talk about how my go-to for musical references is Middle English folk rather than, say, Buddy Holly). Anyway-- with this in mind, and the understanding that time, effort, and celluloid have been spent on getting this shot to the audience, it would behoove us, I think, to actually look at these books.

Figure 2. A pair of showrunners providing not-so-subtle ancillary notation suggesting the same thing, so really, this is a no-brainer in terms of meta fodder.

Okay, Trifles, so what about the book club

Technically, this isn't my idea. It's Neil's and Douglas's, so jot that down.

What I figure is, I can provide a list of the books shown, their first lines, and a VERY brief summary of each. Those are below. And as I rewatch the show, I may reblog this post with additions, but also...

I've read some of these, but not all of them, and not recently -- with at least one of them, though, I remember enough to know that the first line and summary do nothing to showcase the heartrending possibilities the book may be alluding to for the overall Good Omens narrative.

And further-- as I collected these summaries and first lines, I started noticing some compelling commonalities. Which I, for one, would like to confirm and dig into more deeply.

So while I'm going to start reading these, it might be a Nice Idea for other folks to do so as well. The more write-ups we can get, the greater the concordance of Interesting Insights might be available. (And if you tag me in your write up, or otherwise draw my attention, I will gladly link your essay up here for the edification of others omfg.)

ANYWAY

The "Jim Shelving" Book List

From right to left (which feels odd, but it's the actual alphabetical-by-letter arrangement), and summaries from various internet sources:

Herzog, by Saul Bellows

"If I am out of my mind, it's all right with me, thought Moses Herzog."

"Herzog is a 1964 novel by Saul Bellow, composed in part of letters from the protagonist [...] The novel follows five days in the life of Moses E. Herzog who, at the age of forty-seven, is having a midlife crisis following his second divorce."

A Series of Unfortunate Events, (series) by Lemony Snicket

"If you are interested in happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book."

The first book in the series, The Bad Beginning, "tells the story of three children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire, who become orphans following a fire and are sent to live with Count Olaf, who attempts to steal their inheritance."

The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger

"If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth."

"The novel details two days in the life of 16-year-old Holden Caulfield after he has been expelled from prep school. [...] From what is implied to be a sanatorium, Holden, the narrator and protagonist, tells the story of his adventures before the previous Christmas."

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

"In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since."

"Set in the Jazz Age on Long Island, near New York City, the novel depicts first-person narrator Nick Carraway's interactions with mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and Gatsby's obsession to reunite with his former lover, Daisy Buchanan."

The Bible, (anthology) by God et al.

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

"25 And the Lord spake unto the Angel that guarded the eastern gate, saying 'Where is the flaming sword that was given unto thee?'

26 And the Angel said, 'I had it here only a moment ago, I must have put it down some where, forget my own head next.'

27 And the Lord did not ask him again."

The Big Sleep, by Raymond Chandler

"It was about eleven o’clock in the morning, mid October, with the sun not shining and a look of hard wet rain in the clearness of the foothills."

"Private investigator Philip Marlowe is hired by wealthy General Sternwood to stop a blackmailer. Marlowe suspects that the old General is merely testing his caliber before trusting him with a bigger job, one involving Sternwood's two amoral daughters."

Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell

"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen."

"In George Orwell's iconic and prophetic masterpiece, 1984, a haunting vision of a dystopian future unfolds. Set in a world dominated by the all-seeing eye of Big Brother, the story follows Winston Smith, a lowly Party member whose very thoughts are scrutinized. As the Party manipulates history and suppresses truth, Winston's yearning for individuality and connection pushes him into a daring dance on the edge of rebellion."

[A title I cannot, unfortunately, read-- if anyone who HAPPENS to be familiar with the show and HAPPENS to perhaps also be on tumblr just HAPPENS to say what this book might be, that would be Very Much Appreciated]

"????"

[WOW I WISH I WAS A SUMMARY OH WELL]

Catch-22, by Joseph Heller

"It was love at first sight."

"Set in the closing months of World War II in an American bomber squadron off the coast of Italy, Catch-22 is the story of a bombardier named Yossarian who is frantic and furious because thousands of people he has never even met keep trying to kill him. Joseph Heller's bestselling novel is a hilarious and tragic satire on military madness, and the tale of one man's efforts to survive it."

Love in the Time of Cholera, by Gabriel García Márquez

"It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love."

"The story, which treats the themes of love, aging, and death, takes place between the late 1870s and the early 1930s in a South American community troubled by wars and outbreaks of cholera. It is a tale of two lovers, artistic Florentino Ariza and wealthy Fermina Daza, who reunite after a lifetime apart."

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon

"It was seven minutes after midnight."

"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a 2003 mystery novel by British writer Mark Haddon. [...] The novel is narrated in the first-person perspective by Christopher John Francis Boone, a 15-year-old boy who is described as "a mathematician with some behavioural difficulties" living in Swindon, Wiltshire. [...] Christopher sets out to solve the murder [of a neighbor's dog] in the style of his favourite (logical) detective, Sherlock Holmes."

The Crow Road, by Iain Banks

"It was the day my grandmother exploded."

A Scottish family drama about a perfect murder against the backdrop of the 1990s Gulf War. "This Bildungsroman is set in the fictional Argyll town of Gallanach, the real village of Lochgair, and in Glasgow, where the adult Prentice McHoan lives. Prentice's uncle Rory disappeared eight years previously while writing a book called The Crow Road. Prentice becomes obsessed with papers his uncle left behind and sets out to solve the mystery. Along the way he must cope with estrangement from his father, unrequited love, sibling rivalry, and failure at his studies."

No Woman No Cry: My Life with Bob Marley, by Rita Marley with Hettie James

"I was an ambitious girl child."

"Fans of reggae legend Bob Marley will welcome this no-nonsense biography from his wife, Rita, who was also his band member, business partner, musical collaborator and the only person to have witnessed firsthand his development from local Jamaican singer to international superstar."

I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith

"I write this sitting in the kitchen sink."

"I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over six turbulent months, to hone her writing skills. She fills three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries. Her journals candidly chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle's walls, and her own first descent into love."

...and because I happen to know and love this book, I'm aware of the devastating last lines...

"Only the margin left to write on now. I love you, I love you, I love you."

#good omens #good omens s2 #good omens book club

[mickimagnum]

Devin's Dude Ranch: Episode Three

*episode opens with a shot of Echo Valley Ranch and the sound of birds singing*

*the next shot shows the five contestants lined up in front of Devin. they look excited to see her, but also a little apprehensive about what's to come*

Devin: "Hi, guys. Welcome to my horse training arena. I hope you all slept well. Like I told you last night, today is the official first day of the competition, and to kick it off, you get to try something that I do pretty much every day. In fact, it paid for the building you're standing in. But, you won't just be doing it for fun."

Devin (continues): "Alright. I won't keep you in suspense any longer...who ever stomps out the best bottle of nectar will win a solo date with me!"

Houston (voice-over): "Oh *bleep*. I've been dreading the possibility of this as a challenge. I've tried nectar making before and hated it. The way the fruit feels between your toes. Blleeccchhh. It's one of the worst feelings on this planet. I think I might be sick."

Devin: "If you've never tried nectar making before, don't worry. I'll show you how to do it." *demonstration was performed off camera

Albert (voice-over): "I'm really excited for this challenge. I've made nectar before and really enjoy it. I've got this in the bag...hopefully."

Devin: "You'll all have 45 minutes to stomp out the best bottle of apple nectar you can. At the end, I'll judge each bottle and the best tasting wins. Alright guys, choose your station. You'll find your supplies already there."

*next shot opens with everyone in their positions, waiting to begin*

Devin (seated at the judge's table): "Alright, fellas. Your 45 minutes starts....NOW!"

*the contestants eagerly scramble into their vats and begin carefully stamping at their apples*

Stan (voice-over): "This is my first time doing something like this. I've never felt anything like that before. It was not pleasant. But, the whole time I'm doin' it, I just kept tellin' myself 'she's worth it' 'do it for her' 'I gotta finish strong so I can get that date'."

Handra (voice-over): "I've got a new respect for Devin because nectar making is not easy. I think more of my nectar ended up on me than in my bottle. But, I wasn't going to give up. I want the date because I want more time with Devin."

Houston (voice-over): "Every second in that vat was...terrible, frankly. But, every chance I could, I stole glances at Devin. Seeing her kept me grounded and helped me get through it. I would do anything for more time with her. If she asked me to make a hundred bottles of nectar, I would."

Miles (voice-over): "Don't fall, don't fall, don't fall," *laughs* "That was basically all that was going through my head the entire time."

Albert (voice-over): "Nectar making isn't easy, that's for sure. I mean, I'm not proud of it, but yeah, I wiped out once or twice. But, I'm confident Devin will be happy with the end product. I really hope so, anyway, because I really want to win that date with her."

Devin (loudly): "Alright, guys! Your time is up! Time to step out of those vats and fill up your bottles. I'll be around to taste your work when you're done."

*Devin makes her way to the beginning of the line and begins to work her way down*

*Devin pours herself a glass of Houston's nectar, holds it up the light to inspect and nods approvingly, before bringing it to her nose to inhale its apple tannin*

Houston (voice-over): "My heart is pounding as I watch Devin taste the nectar I just made. Why does it feel like my entire future is riding on this?"

*Devin sips at the glass of nectar. Her expression is hard to read as she sets the glass down*

Devin: "Not bad."

*Devin moves on to Handra*

*Devin repeats the ritual. As she begins swishing Handra's nectar in the glass, Handra's voice comes on:*

Handra (voice-over): "All I can think as she's drinking my nectar is 'I hope she likes it. I really hope she likes it.' I know I tried my best and I really want this date."

*After Devin tastes the nectar, she smacks her lips once, gives a curt nod and sets her glass aside*

Devin: "Acceptable."

*Devin turns and approaches Stan's station*

*Devin begins her evaluation of Stan's nectar. As she brings it to her nose, she winces slightly*

Stan (voice-over): "I hope I did alright. I'm nervous as hell for Devin to taste to it, but my fingers and toes are crossed she likes it. I really, really want to go on this date."

*Devin hesitates a moment before taking a cautious sip of the nectar in her glass. As she pulls the glass away from her mouth, she squints her eyes and makes a face as if she's tasted something sour. She sets the glass down and reaches for a nearby bottle of water*

Devin (hoarsely): "No."

*she then gulps down the water before making her way over to Albert. Stan looks crestfallen.*

*As Devin moves through her initial evaluation, she looks impressed with the quality of Albert's nectar*

Albert (voice-over): "I'm confident she'll like what I've got. I just hope I did better than the other guys here. That solo date is so close I taste it."

*Devin samples the nectar, sets the glass down, glances at Albert and says:*

Devin: "Passable."

*Albert looks slightly bewildered*

*Devin's eyes smile at him as she walks toward Milo*

*Devin begins to pour a glass of Milo's nectar. It plops out into the glass, more the consistency of applesauce than nectar. A mixture of confusion and disgust pass across her face*

Milo (voice-over): "I am so nervous watching Devin inspect my nectar that I feel like I might throw up. I really need this date with her."

*Devin looks at the pink sludge in her glass a moment and sighs before tipping it up and slurping at it. After getting a taste, she lowers the glass, wipes her chin, and shrugs*

Devin (setting her glass down): "Confusing."

*Devin crosses her arms and makes her way back to the head of the judge's table*

Devin: "Not bad overall, guys, especially with it being most of your first time doing this. Nectar making is an art and it's definitely not something you can master your first time in the vat. With that being said, there were definitely some clear leaders in the group."

Devin (continues): "The top nectars, in both quality and taste, belonged to..."

Devin (continues): "Houston, Handra, and Albert. Good job guys."

Devin (continues): "I'm sorry, Stan and Milo, but your nectar just wasn't where it needed to be.

Devin (continues): "But, this is a solo date, and there can only be one winner. And, at the end of the day, taste is everything, and the best tasting nectar belonged to..."

Devin (continues): "Handra!"

*weak applause can be heard in the background*

*winner chosen by random name picker due to three-way quality tie

*Handra makes his way up to Devin and gives her a quick hug*

Devin: "Yep. You are...so sticky."

*Handra chuckles*

Handra: "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry."

Devin: "Handra, I"m looking forward to our date. As for the rest of you, don't worry. There will be other opportunities to win solo dates with me. But, for now, you guys should probably take some showers."

*the contestants chuckle in agreement*

Handra, in diary room: "I can't believe I won the first solo date. Honestly, I'm over the moon and can't wait for more time with Devin." *smiles and looks off to the side* "I can't wait."

Devin, in diary room: "I have to be honest. Having five guys literally compete for a date with me was kind of weird. I mean, not that this whole experience hasn't been kind of weird. But, it was fun watching them try nectar making. It felt special to share that with them. I'm also really excited about my solo date with Handra. I feel like we have a good connection so far, so I'm looking forward to getting more time with him and seeing what all is there."

PREVIOUS | NEXT

Handra submitted by @bloomingkyras Houston submitted by @invisiblequeen Albert submitted by @bakersimmer James "Stan" submitted by @natolesims Milo submitted by @belsasim

#devinsduderanch #devin delaney #houston bloom #handra diaz #albert robins #james stanford #milo penn #sims 4 bachelorette #sims 4 bachelorette challenge #echo valley ranch #chestnut ridge #sims 4 horse ranch #simblr #the sims 4 #sims community #ts4 #sims 4 love story #sims 4 story #sims 4 screenshots

[wigglebox]

NYCC The Winchesters - 1x01 screening, panel

Good morning/afternoon/evening people! 

So I had to take a break from art in order to write down my first impressions on things for the prequel pilot and the subsequent panel after. 

Note that I haven’t had any time to watch any interviews the folks did before the screening/panel, so this is just me writing what I experienced in ~*the room where it happened*~. The bulk will be behind a read more! 

** Note, I try to avoid mega spoilers but I do go into my impressions of the pilot and my emotions with it, AND I do outline the characters. I try not to get into the nitty gritty since y’all will mostly be seeing it tomorrow anyway, but if you don’t want even a HINT of a spoiler, just don’t read it lol. 

The tldr; I loved it, it has so much to expand on, and I can’t wait to start speculating with y’all again on something SPN based. 

—

I won’t lie, I was nervous.

Not because I didn’t think this show wouldn’t do a good job, because it’s made it this far — which is a lot considering the last two attempts at a spin-off were dead in the water. I was more or less nervous of the audience reception.

Living in one's own head as a Supernatural fan makes you and your goldfish bowl of friends in your Twitter GC and Discord servers, have a set of parameters of what makes a good Supernatural episode or not. But not everyone else shares those parameters that you have convinced yourself are right.

And I was nervous because, given those parameters, I had to keep reminding myself that this isn’t Supernatural. It is its own thing. It’s its own form, own show, with a connection to the main show. These are new characters, even if we knew the older versions of two of them already. Everything is still basically brand new.

My nerves came from a mixture of anticipation, fearing audience reception after the year and a half wait we had to think about this show, and not knowing if I or the audience can see this show as its own individual self and not just another Supernatural episode.

Suffice to say after like, the first five minutes those nerves were gone.

The Pilot

I’m going to get this out of the way before I continue. Pilots aren’t ever perfect. Even Supernatural’s pilot, which is a pilot that I consider to be top-tier, has some clunkiness. 

Pilots can drag, or pilots can speed — there’s rarely an inbetween. The Winchesters pilot seemed to be a little fast paced, trying to introduce the premise of the show a little too quick. The pacing of events and understanding and dialogue kind of felt like this should have been a two hour episode and not the 40 minute one we’re going to get. 

And, some of the dialogue, just like in its predecessor, was indeed clunky exposition. 

But I’m saying this as someone who yes, understands that’s what that was — but also someone who doesn’t take this into account when it comes to what makes a pilot successful. In fact, I never expect perfection in pilots. 

The Winchesters pilot has a lot riding on it. Not only is it the third attempt at a spin off, but it’s having to perform two duties where the original Supernatural pilot only had to do one.

The Winchesters pilot has to both grab old fans, and intrigue new ones. The original Supernatural pilot just had to attract new fans and build up a new world.

So, given that The Winchesters has to do a little extra work, and given that it’s a network pilot, a pilot in general — for me — the fast-paced nature of the episode doesn’t really affect it negatively for me. I expected it, and I’m sure others did as well.

A successful pilot for me is 1) am I interested in this world/characters 2) did you make me ask enough questions to come back next week?

And, The Winchesters scored on both of those accounts!

The episode opens up with its standard cold open where you mostly see a character you have no idea who they are, doing something that’s going to launch you into the next 45 minutes of adventure with the main characters. But, this cold open also has to launch us into the entire season. It’s the first-ever cold open for The Winchesters and it worked very well.

I’m not going to get too much into plot, to keep this spoiler free, however I will say in my head I described it as the Scooby Doo Avengers. When I say Scooby Doo I don’t mean campy, zoinks, goofy monsters of the week — but that there is this team, that is clearly already close, willing to do what it takes to figure something out. And... they have a van lol. 

In the group there is tension already from the get go, which I love. By group, I mean Lata [Latika but Lata is her nickname], Mary, and Carlos have already known each other.

Small spoiler, but at once point Lata tells, not asks, Mary “You’re still mad at me.” Carlos and Mary have tension and unresolved past things that they gotta talk about at some point probably. And John blends in with them rather effortlessly. I will say I’ll be keeping my eyes on John and Lata right now.

But all four of them had a chemistry that already worked. Not like “Oh we all love each other here, no problems at all!” kind of chemistry, but chemistry where you can tell that interactions aren’t being forced. Almost like they’ve been acting together for years by that point, even though they hadn’t.

That was another thing I enjoyed about this core four, the fact that they’re each their own characters but they’re also not standing out too much from each other. That they both don’t blend into each other, but also they’re not so over the top it feels like a caricature.

Here are my first impressions of the characters:

Lata is a book nerd, clearly the “brains” but she’s also rather timid, nervous about hunts, and finds her satisfying success when it comes to what she’s learned on the page rather than hunting down a monster. She’s softer-spoken, and I can see her being the more level-headed grounded one of the group. However, I can also see where her self doubt can get the better of her, and her fear, and given a conversation she has with Mary in the van — I have to wonder if something bad happened in the recent past that made her like this.

Mary is the kind of Mary I felt like we got with Sam Smith. Marching forward, doing what she has to do, almost “going through the motions” of being a Hunter. She already voices her desire to walk away from this, and it’s hinted in that conversation with Lata, something went wrong recently that caused a big upheaval in her life. But that’s kind of a plot point that can be saved for when you watch it Tuesday. Of all four of the characters, it felt like I knew Mary the most because we got later-seasons Mary for a hot second. However, you can see how Meg Donnelly brings her own understanding of the character to the table. I am so very interested to see where she goes throughout this series.

Carlos will be the problem child (affectionate). When the role was first cast, and you got his description, you saw JoJo getting cast, and then seeing him in the trailer, folks already pinged on him being the fandom favorite and I can see that. He’s sharp, witty, already has some one-liners, and I can easily see him causing but also solving problems for the group. One thing that gets me is that he comes across as almost stubborn, not willing to admit when he’s wrong, so I can imagine that comes back into play. That indication comes with a small conversation with Lata over something that happened in the past. It’s played off as a “ha ha,” but if you think about it deeper, you’re seeing someone who knows what he wants and likely will do what he has to do to get it. There are definitely two Alphas in this group, Carlos and Mary, and I can see them butting heads at some point.

And now we’re at John.

When this prequel was first leaked onto Deadline in June 2021, folks (save for myself and a few others that were on my timeline and Discord) immediately rocketed to their feet to voice their displeasure at John being a focal point.

Accusations of trying to twist the narrative and make excuses for John’s behavior in Supernatural-Prime (neglect, child abuse, etc.), or that the constant reminder that John and Mary’s love story was manufactured so how on earth could you have a story about it — or just the attitude in fandom that’s been in there since I’VE started, back in 2013, that John Winchester is an Asshole.

But, a few pointed out that indeed we don’t actually know anything about John aside from his father, Henry, “walking out” on him and his mother, and… that was it. The flashback episodes we had with Matt Cohen’s John were that of a story that we kinda already figured. “In the Beginning” was more about Mary and showing Dean how that deal was made, and “The Song Remains the Same” served as a lesson for Dean and Sam to understand that they “can’t escape fate” with their bloodline. 

Nothing’s really known about John at all, especially before 1973. 

That being said, I really have to spend this portion completely cheering Drake’s John on because holy moly. 

Drake has, and will continue to have, an uphill battle trying to get the most hardened Anti-John folk on board (a struggle Matt Cohen didn’t have to have as much I think). But, given the life that he’s brought to John in this pilot alone, I don’t think it’ll be too much of a struggle. 

I joked that with them casting Drake that “it’s almost like they want us to love and adore him” but I’m not even joking anymore. I adore him. 

Indeed, it’s important to note that this John is not the John we wind up with in the main show. And the cast and everyone involved knows that and have stated as such in interviews. They’re not erasing or rewriting anything. 

The truth, for me, is far more tragic:

The John in the pilot is likable with an almost puppy-like innocence, looking to get answers but also someone dealing with trauma himself as someone who went into the Vietnam War way too early and suffered the consequences of that. I won’t get into specifics, but there’s a touching moment when he’s describing what he saw and what happened to a dear friend and I almost cried. 

You have a kid, and yes I’m calling him a kid, suffering from this trauma in a way that you see twice in the episode, while also someone keeping his head held high while following orders and the motions from his new group of Scooby Doo hunters that he stumbled into. 

When asked how he found someone so fast, John remarks that’s what he does because he was in the Marines. So we get little glimpses of that. 

His ending moment after the final climax of the action was so adorable I wanted to squish his cheeks and yes, I know that’s weird, but he was so proud of himself. 

But, in my opinion, it also demonstrated something that I think may or may not come back — and that’s that he did what he did down there in the tomb almost a little too easily and without freaking out. And was excited to tell his new friends about it.

John in this show I think will become someone that even the most reluctant watchers may come to find they really like. 

And to me, that’s making him automatically, from episode one, one of the most tragic characters. 

Already in the pilot, I was mentally screaming for John to turn back, don’t investigate, don’t do any of this, because we know what’s waiting for him down this path.

I have to mentally make a line in the sand to separate Drake from Matt from JDM because there’s no way I can continue going with The Winchesters and not completely support and adore John and his efforts to understand the Men of Letters and also being with his friends.

With characters out of the way, I’ll mention we don’t get much with Ada or Millie, however I can’t wait to see more of them in the future and what they have to offer. Millie seemingly already knew about the Men of Letters and Ada — in my head when she was first announced as a character I saw her as a Bobby character, just the know it all that can be their “save us because we don’t know what else to do!” character. However it feels like she can, and likely will be, more than that. 

As for the plot of the episode, this is where my “Is a pilot successful” requirement is filled for “Are there enough questions to keep me coming back.”

The answer is, holy shit yes. 

Particularly two things, which I can’t wait to speculate on when the episode airs. One involves John and his letter with the Men of Letters star on it, and the other of who the big bad is for the entire season. I’m so excited to speculate with people on that.

But also, this hunters world in the 1970s is so different to me than what we were first introduced to in 2005. They don’t have cell phones, they don’t have GPS, they don’t have computers, they don’t have quick ways of communicating with each other. They will have a network, sure, but its the 70s. They also don’t have access to THEE Men of Letters bunker, at least for now, which holds a lot of information as well. 

So I have questions about those too. 

I didn’t want this show to just be about “hey let’s do a case study on John” and it doesn’t feel like it’s going to be that. I don’t mind that, but I also wanted this show to stand on its own.

And it’s clear that they’re looking at it in a way that will provide an actual story that can get folded back into Supernatural-Prime.

The Panel

After the pilot screening, there was a 30 minute panel with Danneel, Jensen, Meg, Drake, and Robbie and holy wow.

I wish I could convey to anyone reading this, especially anyone who had any doubts over anything, just how much this group cares. 

Like, it’s not even just in their words saying it, but you can feel it, and I wasn’t even in the front row. It was this like, almost electrical current in the air that could reach you and make you truly, fully, 100% understand that they’re not doing this just for kicks. 

They’re not just tossing aside whatever they want, that they’re not just doing this as a cash grab or anything — but that they’re a team of creatives that really truly wholly believe in this world that the main show created and wanted to explore that more. 

They do treat the existing material with respect, and that they’re not going to just throw all those 15 years of blood sweat and tears down the drain.

I remember in the months following the Deadline leak, folks online kept stamping their feet about canon this and canon that. We haven’t had much press until just recently about it therefore come comments that would be made at a Supernatural convention by Jackles from time to time would have to suffice, but still didn’t convince many.

I think at the time also, when the Deadline leak happened, a lot of opposition I saw came from younger fans, or newer fans, who started season 12 and onward (or even after the show ended) and didn’t quite understand just how monumental it was that Robbie was brought on board.

Robbie stopped writing for the show in season 11 and I wanted to take an informal survey of fandom asking them if they truly understood the word that he did. Some folks don’t pay attention to who writes what.

His episodes I find tend to be some of the most gif’ed episodes on Tumblr or most talked about episodes in general. Any one of his episodes you’d likely find up in any fan’s top 10 list. He’s given us Charlie, Eileen, and even had a hand in bringing Chuck back both in Fan Fiction and in Don’t Call Me Shurely.

For many folks who were in fandom before Andrew Dabb took over some time in season 11, Robbie was easily one of the top three writers for many people.

And there’s a good reason for that. Between writing snappy dialogue and getting characterizations down really well, he’s also seemingly a master at these unconventional episodes. He’s had more normal ones like Goodbye Stranger, 8x17, and First Born (9x11) among others, but he’s also done Baby, Girl with the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo, LARP and the Real Girl, Bitten, Fan Fiction, Meta Fiction and the like.

He’s written episodes that were great for character showcasing while also having unconventional storytelling apparatuses as well. My favorite one of his episodes was Time After Time, 7x12.

Suffice it to say, them grabbing Robbie for this project really stood out to me, which is probably why when Deadline first leaked the project, I wasn’t upset. To me, if Robbie was involved, then that’s really all I needed to feel secure in knowing that whatever, or however, they were going to tell this story, he’ll have fun figuring it out.

And I can’t even begin to describe how much it really does come across how much Jackles cares. 

It’s very very easy for someone with that amount of talent to just peace out from a 15-year show that ended, a show that likely made taking other roles nearly impossible, and just go on to do bigger things. 

But the fact that he stuck around and that even before the show wrapped in Sept. 2020 (due to the pandemic) he was already starting on this? That means a lot to me. Like, no matter what he does, he seems to want to keep one hand on his roots and that can only benefit us because you don’t do that unless you really believe in it and care about it.

It’s also hilarious to me that in these press interviews, he’s basically being outed as THEE biggest SPN brain rot stan and, he’s not alone there. We have jackets, dude!

So yes, up on stage, with them answering questions and describing the process, how they’re viewing this — you can tell there’s a reverence they have for the material and understand truly how much time, energy, blood, sweat, tears, smiles, sadness, chaos had gone into the main show.

--

The pilot was good, it was something that would keep me interested with the characters they presented and the premise of the rest of the season to come. It established that we’re not in 2005-2020 anymore, it established a kind of big bad that we’re not used to seeing*, and it had enough easter eggs that satisfied my little Supernatural heart but not over doing it.

*This is something I can’t wait to speculate about.

On a personal note, I’ve been excited since that night, and had felt almost like I was in limbo for the last year and a half waiting for this moment and it was so satisfying seeing the pilot and understanding that my excitement and enthusiasm wasn’t misplaced in the slightest. 

I went into this with the question of “Will I be disappointed in all of this hype that I’ve helped build up for this, both in my head and outwardly?” And the screening and panel shot back: “Nah you’re good.” 

So I can’t wait to rewatch this Tuesday night, and then I can’t wait to watch it the following Tuesday, and again, and again. 

I’m excited for The Winchesters to grow its wings and fly! 

#long post #spnwin #the winchesters #spn #supernatural #nycc22 #i left out a lot of spoilery things #and still can be kinda spoilery so keep that in mind!

[11x13kyle]

that one argument that nick and stav had on cum town as the boys

kyle: we're able to leave in peace. i go off to whatever i'm gonna do, cartman dies--

cartman: no???

kyle: kenny lives off his situationship's journalism money until she gets tired of that and that ends.

kenny (their guest that invited himself on this particular episode): oh i think she probably is already!

cartman: i'll live a long, fruitful life, raising children and grandchildren on a meadow with a farm, fresh berries--

kyle: it's so funny that you think that's how your life is gonna go.

cartman: it will, dude.

kyle: it's--you're NOT gonna get control of your weight, it's gonna end tragically.

cartman: you are SUCH a hater

kyle: i'm not a HATER, i care about you--

cartman: no, you don't, you just wanna--you say bad, mean things to people to make them feel bad!

kenny: it's not mean!

kyle: it's not MEAN dude.

kenny: it's maybe a little--

kyle: if i was sitting here--look, if i was sitting here smoking five and a half packs of cigarettes a day, my eyes are yellow, i'm having tumors removed from my mouth--

cartman: that was a random tumor that had nothing to do with my weight--

kyle: and--and i was like "i'll stop smoking when i'm 45!"

cartman: that's not even what i'm saying, man--

kyle: at WORST this has taken five years off my life, i'll live all the way to 65

cartman: whatever bro

kyle: i can just continue to smoke--

cartman: you're a hateful little bitch--

kyle: chainsmoke cigarettes--

cartman: it's gonna be--i am gonna be bouncing my fucking children on my knee, my grandchildren, on a meadow, feeding them fresh berries--

kyle: you'll be lucky if you still HAVE a fucking knee! by whenever the time you think this is gonna happen.

cartman: you REALLY think you're not a hater?

kyle: yeah, i dont--

cartman: you in your heart believe you're saying something true and good to your friend right now?

kyle: i think it's like--

kenny: yeah, i--

kyle: no, i mean, if you want--honestly? i do think like.....like, yes, it may be harsh, but i do think you need to have some kind of like fucking wake up call. like what changes have you made that are like permanent changes?

cartman: i'm not fucking--first of all, i'm not talking about this on the fucking podcast.

kyle: why not?

kenny: but you are--

cartman: huh?

kyle: why not?!

cartman: because it's not--i'm not trying to fucking talk about it on the podcast!

kyle: not talk about what, like a DIET or whatever? i mean...

cartman: yeah, that's--it isn't funny, and also it's like, you're not HELPFUL--

kyle: most of the PODCAST isn't funny!

kenny: yeah, you guys get a couple good things in there that--

cartman: whatever, we're done, the podcast is over at this point, i'm not trying to fucking have this--

kyle: THIS episode is...

cartman: yes, i'm fine with that too, i've had a fucking terrible 40 minutes--

kyle: i mean this--but like do you not like--in no way is it--

kenny : we don't HAVE to talk about--

kyle: SHUT UP. is--in NO way there's like--there's no way to express any kind of, like, concern?

cartman: saying i'm going to DIE is not the way you--you don't know how to talk to people, that is your CENTRAL problem--

kyle: no but i mean--NO, hold on--

cartman: and--and this is not the way to talk to someone--

kyle: hold on, i've known you for YEARS and like--this didn't start with like "ohhh, you're going to die!" like...i've like WATCHED you lose teeth, you know, be bedridden...

cartman: that has NOTHING TO DO with having a fucking--that has nothing to do with fucking being fat, dude, losing teeth, are you kidding me?! it's a completely different dental thing! you also literally don't know how to fucking talk to anybody, it is not helpful the way you speak to me in ANY--like, you're not...HELPFUL, you're not fucking supportive in any way--

kyle: well, what's helpful? what's this, what's this--

cartman: sometimes you're a mean piece of SHIT and telling me i'm gonna fucking die over and over again is exactly that!

kyle: then what's like--what IS supportive, then?

cartman: uh, just fucking--what we're doing now, having a schedule so i can fucking plan my life and go to the gym and fucking eat well, that's supportive! the podcast--

kyle: no but like what's--what is the correct way to like express concern? if it's a problem where it's like my TONE is wrong, i mean i, like, sure i can EASILY change that or address it.

cartman: yes, your tone is wrong ALL the TIME, that's your personality!

kenny: that's the thing, it's coming from a place of love, though, it's not like--

cartman: it doesn't MATTER if it's coming from a place of love--listen--

kenny: he's not trying to--

cartman: i don't want this on the podcast!

kenny: he's not trying to be a dick--

cartman: can we just stop fucking having this--

kyle: we can cut--we can cut this--

cartman: but it's like, it's not--

kenny: but i mean there's people that like also are like--that care about you that listen to the show, i don't know, it's like not--

cartman: the show will never help me lose weight! the show is a fucking JOB. the only thing the show will do is get people to mock my weight, it's not gonna be fucking helpful, it's FINE i don't give a fuck, but i AM fucking--i have made a concerted effort--the last year of my life i was getting my fucking shit together for real and then i hurt my fucking foot and the last year has been a fucking incredibly unstable year for me, i'm not even talking on the mic anymore but it's like--it's been a HORRIBLE fucking year i had a fucking--hurt my foot, i had a fucking fight with my mom, like all this shit has been HORRIBLE--

#microceleb au

[enigmaticxbee]

XF Rewatch Series - Fic Recs

When you want to remember how it all was (or series-spanning fics that didn’t fit into my season by season lists):

Episode by Episode Rewatch Series:

TXF: Scenes in Between by @scullywolf - missing scenes for every episode through season 9!

201 Days of X Files by @30xf - through season 4

The FBI’s Most Unwanted by @leiascully - through season 3

All Eyes Lead to the Truth by @admiralty-xfd @fridaysat9 @monikafilefan @gaycrouton - third person perspectives on each episode, WIP currently through season 2

219 by @freckleslikestars - smutty fic for every episode, currently though Jersey Devil, NSFW

First Time, Every Time by @phillippadgettwrites - first time fic for every episode, currently through Conduit, NSFW

Check-In Vignettes:

Birthdays by @syntax6 - birthday fics each season through season 7

if the fates allow by @all-these-ghosts - Christmas with Mulder and Scully, 1993-2016

Movie Night by @i-gaze-at-scully - movie nights throughout the series

Fraternize by @admiralty-xfd @gaycrouton - a series of motel room trysts, NSFW

Inspection by @ingridgradient - for seven years, Mulder and Scully give each other tick checks in motel rooms, NSFW

#45 Hegal Place by @admiralty-xfd DanaScullyMakesMeFeelAutopsyTurvy - There’s never a dull moment when your neighbor is Special Agent Fox Mulder

This Woman's Work by @admiralty-xfd - the series through the eyes of Margaret Scully

Seventeen by @scapegrace74-blog - Explores how Mulder's sexual relationships shaped (and mis-shaped) him as a man. Each chapter represents a different partner. Mulder/Other, ultimately MSR, NSFW

X Files Rewatch Series by skuls - unconnected stories throughout the series, some canon-compliant, some not

if I am hopeful by @all-these-ghosts - Scully ficlet for every season

ever since, ever since, ever since by breakfastsandwich - scully realizes nine times over that mulder may in fact love her

Times Fox Mulder Cried by @frangipanidownunder - every season through the revival

these tornadoes are for you (or times she loved him back) by audries - vignettes throughout the series

5 A.M. by @kateyes224 - Five times Scully found herself awake at 5 a.m., and the one time she wasn’t alone

Kisses by @peacenik0 - two times Scully told Mulder “don’t do that again”, and one time she didn’t

Choose Your Poison by Solia - Five times Scully had too much to drink (and one time she had just the right amount of liquid courage!)

To Satisfy Your Expectant Tongue by @givesmevoice - The power and love of being seen and someone knowing how you take your tea.

Wake-Up Calls by lapsed_scholar - Government-issued cell phones are remarkably identical. (Or, Four times Mulder answered Scully's phone at an incriminating hour, and one time she answered his)

Canon Parallel Stories:

Incrementum by @lepus-arcticus - the progression of their relationship if they started sleeping together in the pilot, NSFW. WIP, currently through season 8

Triptych by @iconicscullyoutfits - married to Diana AU

Nuptiae Sub Rosa by @sisterspooky1013 @xfmaweezy - secret marriage AU

I've got you under my skin by cuits - In a universe where soulmate identifying marks exist and affect a part of the population, would Mulder and Scully's relationship evolve any different? Unfinished but complete through Existence so it still ends in a satisfying place.

Enough by @atths--twice - the progression of their relationship if they started sleeping together when the X-Files are shutdown in season 2, NSFW

He is the Master of His Fate, She is the Captain of Her Soul by @scullylikesscience - the progression of their relationship season 7 through IWTB era

Culmination by @admiralty-xfd - Mulder and Scully's journey of the heart, step by (baby) step.

#xf fanfic #xf rewatch #fic recs

[theschizotypalsolilquy]

In the past three days, I've maybe had five hours of sleep.

It's not helping that my mom's oxygen machine is fucked up and keeps going off with an alarm for some unknown reason at all hours of the night.

I was supposed to get out of the house later today, maybe go to Half Price Books or something. But I was asleep for maybe 45 minutes when that fucking alarm went off again and there was no chance in hell of going back to sleep.

It is 629 am. I don't want to go anywhere today, but my mother is forcing me out so I can do something for myself and not have to be on call. And all I can think about is driving down to the park near our home and trying to nap in my jeep instead of going out and being around other mortals.

Lack of sleep is never good for someone who is as mentally ill as I am. But I stopped taking my pills years ago cuz it was thinning my hair and fucking up other things with my health. I tend to be okay and can steer clear of triggers, but when my sleeping habits become even worse than they already are, I'm likely to have a schizophrenic episode.

Fucking yay

[unladyboss]

CARMY'S AGE

Mikey was born in 1977.

We saw that on the program for his funeral

CARMY wasn't born in 1987

So we know that Mikey was, AT THE VERY LEAST 12 years OLDER THAN CARMY.

This is strange to me because they way Richie talks it's like Carmy was just a few years younger than them. Richie was a few years or a couple years older than Mikey.

So when Carmy was 12, Mikey was about 24 and Richie was about 26.

Why that's strange, is the way Richie talk like they were forced to have Carmy around etc. to a 24 and 26 year old, who should have been out living on their own, what is this?

And when Richie says Claire and I grew up together (to Kelly), the ICK should have settled in

Anyway if Richie is 14 years older than Carmy and in the show he's 45-46 that would make Carmy 31-32.

Five years before this stage was the Fishes episode. So he was 25-26 THEN during fishes

One year before this stage he was in NYC with mean chef so he was 30-31 THEN in NYC.

NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES

CARMY at 25-26 saying he doesn't have a love of his life and his brother probably worried he doesn't date, means he doesn't date.

If he got best new chef at age 21. That means he was grinding from age 18 onward, to be the best chef. Never having had a gf and making no time for that

Something is also curious 🧐. Why did aunt Michelle offer NYC as if Carmy was living at home with Donna?

He didn't want to go back. I thought he was visiting for the holiday.

Ok. So he's been back in Chicago for maybe TWO to Three WEEKS. That's what Richie and Marcus said at THIS STAGE.

So he's been in NYC AT LEAST these past Four years.

Meanwhile SYDNEY SPENT SOME MONTHS TO A YEAR UNACCOUNTED FOR. Roaming NYC I believe, with her one way ticket after finishing CIA

#the bear #carmy berzatto #sydney adamu #carmy x syd #sydcarmy #slow burn #romance #relationship #Claire

[jonnywaistcoat]

hello!! you probably won't see this, but that's what i told myself when i submitted a question under the name "gerry's oedipus complex" and you read it in the q&a episode anyway, so i guess i should get my hopes up a little. i just wanted to ask what your absolute favorite films are, since i think you have cool taste and i always need movie recs. thanks!

Always happy to give film recs, so my current top five (in no particular order):

The Thing (1982)

Absolute stone-cold classic. Arguably the best horror film ever made. Great monster, great effects, great Kurt Russell. Sorted.

Dark City (1998)

I wouldn't call this a "forgotten classic", exactly, but I don't see this super stylish sci-fi noir talked about enough. The vibes are astounding, though make sure you watch the director's cut (or mute the first 45 seconds) or there's a voiceover up top that gives away the big twist!

The Raid (2011)

A good martial arts movie, in my opinion, should have you graaaaduallly leaning forward in your seat as the fight gains momentum, then suddenly something really gnarly happens and you leap back going "Ooof!" That's this movie. Also heavily features my favourite punchman, Yayan Ruhain, doing some absolutely brutal punches.

Ravenous (1999)

Absolutely bonkers cannibal western with good scares, weird jokes, and Robert Carlyle's bum. If you're a fan of homoerotic fights to the death, the climax of this movie is for you.

RoboCop (1987)

Hyper-violent (and hyper-fun) satire of corporate capitalism and police militarisation, but more importantly: remember when RoboCop shot that dude in the dick?

#favourite movies #the thing #the raid #ravenous #dark city #robocop

[ocean-ai]

Day 19: Role Playing - Mark Lee

Pairings: Mark X Female Reader 

Genre: Smut

Word count: 1,599

Warnings: Pizza boy! Mark, Role Playing, oral (male receiving) masturbation (female)

---

You sighed to yourself as you thought about what you wanted to do next. It was Halloween night, but you didn’t feel like doing anything. You had just watched your favorite Halloween movie and debated on watching another movie, but you couldn’t decide which one. You decided not to go out this year and stay in since it was cold. 

You had your apartment to yourself since your roommate was out partying with her boyfriend, Yuta. They wore matching costumes from an anime they both liked, they were cute and it made you sick. Another reason why you didn’t want to go out, you had no one to go out with. 

Ridding yourself of your thoughts, you realized you were getting a little hungry, so maybe getting something to eat wouldn’t be a bad idea. Looking through your food apps, you decided on ordering a pizza for yourself. You got a little too excited when you remembered you were all alone; your roommate couldn’t say anything about your pizza choices. 

Once you finally decided on which pizza you wanted, the app told you it would take about 30-45 minutes to get delivered to your door. That gave you enough time to finish up an episode of the drama you had been watching. There wasn’t much left of the episode, so this was perfect. 

The episode ended on a cliff hanger and you were now frustrated and hungry. You checked your phone and saw the pizza was going to be delivered in five minutes. Finally, you were starving and you couldn’t wait any longer. You checked your socials, and everything looked fun, but you were glad that you decided to stay home tonight. Maybe next year. 

Soon enough, you heard a knock on your door, meaning the pizza had finally made it. When you opened the door, you were face to face with quite possibly the cutest boy you had ever seen. He had short brown hair, big eyes, and a cute smile. You saw his name tag read ‘Mark.’ “Order for Y/N?” He looked a little surprised to see you. You figured he wasn’t expecting to see you wearing nothing but a bralette and little bike shorts that you slept in. He definitely wasn’t expecting you to answer the door. 

You nodded, trying to figure out how you would get him inside your apartment. You almost had to shake yourself. Did you really want to fuck your pizza delivery boy? Maybe you were desperate, but it also seemed like he was doing his best not to check you out. “Yes. Thank you,” You had already prepaid for the pizza, so there was no reason for him to stay any longer. 

The cute boy cleared his throat. “Is it just you tonight?” You were caught off guard by his question, but you composed yourself. 

“Uh yeah. I didn’t feel like going out tonight.” You looked at him, his eyes looked like he didn’t want to leave. “Do you want to come in?” What the hell were you doing? You don’t even know this guy, but there was something about him that you couldn’t resist. He was just too cute to let him go. 

He looked surprised. “Are you sure?” 

You nodded. “Yeah. Are you done for the night? It’s kind of late.” He checked his phone for the time and he realized he was supposed to be off a few minutes ago. 

He chuckled. “I’m done now. You were my last delivery.” He smiled at you while looking over your appearance again. His sweet eyes were showing something else that wasn’t so sweet anymore. He looked like he was going to pounce you right there by your door. Little did he know, you wanted to get to him first. 

“Come on in, I can’t eat all of this by myself anyway.” He chuckled and followed you inside your apartment. You put the pizza down in your small kitchen. Now that you had the boy, you weren’t hungry for food. You had another craving that only your cute pizza delivery boy could satisfy. 

You had come out of your kitchen and you were now face to face with Mark, faces inches from each other. You didn’t even have a chance to say anything before Mark’s lips were pressing against yours. He kissed your feverishly and sloppily, but you didn’t care; this almost made it more fun. His hands were traveling all over your body; your hips, your waist and your breasts. The bralette was thin so you were able to feel when his hands brushed against your nipples. 

You moaned into your kiss and your hands were going up his shirt. You could feel that he had a nice body underneath his uniform and it excited you. You couldn’t wait to see him without his clothes. He pulled away from you to remove his shirt and catch his breath. Based on what you were able to feel, you were right. He had a great body. You smiled at him before you took his hand and led him to your bedroom where you pushed him down onto your bed. 

Mark had a flustered look on his face as he watched you place yourself on top of him. Your legs on eithe sode of him, straddling his waist. You leaned down to kiss him again as your fingers fiddled with his belt. You finally got it undone, so you pulled away from his lips to trail kisses down his body. You lingered on a few spots, leaving little marks on his skin. You kissed down his chest, his stomach and right above his pants, which were now completely unbuttoned and unzipped. He lifted his hips and you helped him pull down his pants. 

You licked your lips when you saw how hard he had quickly become. You had to stop yourself from drooling when you saw the tent in his boxers. You started to remove his boxers and he sighed when his dick had sprung free. He had a nice cock and you couldn’t wait to have it inside you. But for now, you wanted to tease him a little. He was so cute, you just wanted to know how he would react to you sucking him off right here. 

You looked up at him one last time before you gave his tip an experimental kiss. His breathing hitched when he felt your lips on his dick, the sound making your ears perk up. You wanted him to keep reacting to you and what you were doing to him. He was nervous to touch you, so he kept his arms at his sides, gripping your sheets. 

You took more of him in your mouth and he moaned softly when he felt your tongue on him. You liked knowing you could get noises out of him, it inflated your ego. You pulled away from him and put your hands around his shaft, pumping him slowly and watching his reaction. Mark’s eyes were blown out and his jaw was slacked. How was he so cute like this? 

You put your mouth around his tip and sucked lightly, making his hips jerk. You were slightly startled, but you gladly took him in further, as far as you can. His tip hit the back of your throat and you gagged around him. Mark groaned loudly and his hand was now on the back of your head. You moaned around his cock and once again, his hips bucked. You prepared yourself this time and relaxed your throat. You just wanted to make him feel good. 

From his moans, and how nice his cock was, it was also turning you on. Your hand was now in your shorts and playing with your clit. Mark looked down to see what you were doing and he could tell he was getting close. The lewd sight in front of him was one of the hottest things he’d ever seen. 

You pulled away from his cock one more time, a mixture of your saliva and his precum made his cock slick and slippery; it was easy to jerk him off. One of your fingers was now inside your pussy and you moaned before kissing his tip again. “If you keep this up, I won’t last much longer,” he breathed out. He could feel his cock twitch in your hand, he was close. 

You didn’t say anything to him, all you did was put him back in your mouth and take him in as far as you can. Your hand was now free and fondling his balls; you were determined to make him cum. You added a second finger in yourself, making them go as deep as they could. Mark's hand was now gripping your hair, and you moaned at your hair being pulled slightly and how deep your fingers were. 

“Shit!” He cursed as you pulled away and saw how red and swollen his tip was. You put your hand back on his cock and pumped him quickly. It didn’t take long for Mark to cum. You opened your mouth and it landed on your tongue, some of it dripping down your chin. Because of his moans and how good he looked when he was coming, your own orgasm had you came around your fingers. 

You swallowed what landed in your mouth and Mark Had a chance to catch his breath. He stroked your cheek with his thumb and chuckled. “This was such a good idea,” 

You giggled. “Halloween was a good day to start this. You make a good pizza boy,”

#mark x reader #Mark smut #Mark Lee #NCT #NCT 127 #kinktober #nct 127 smut #NCT smut #the thought of Mark as a pizza boy is so funny to me #i had to do it

[its-short-for-jackalope]

WOW! THAT WAS SOME LORE, HUH? :D

reposting this meme bc it's true and bc I really like it, lol

I have quite literally been scribbling notes on a scrap of paper like a madman while rewatching TGOA part 3 as many times as possible, just jotting down all the mindboggling information we've been given, and some less direct stuff that I could be reading too much into but is fun and neat even if it doesn't amount to anything crazy and galaxy-brained, lol.

So click/tap below the cut for rambles about the final part of Pulp Musicals episode 3

The Ghosts of Antikythera ⚓️

Names, Names, Names!!!

Hey, might as well start with all the new names we've gotten!

The captain of the Antikythera — the ghost ship from 'someplace else' — is Addison Arvad.

Kal (my beloved/beloathed ❤ ) is Kalfu

The Traveler we met in TBS is Sia 💖💖

Ahlaam is another Traveler. I adore her already, and not just because she saved Rose.

Dakkar is... somebody. As expected, I've been going crazy in my dms with @man-down-in-hatchet-town, and she believes Dakkar is probably inspired by/based on Captain Nemo? 👀

King(?!) Itzal is... probably bad news! Kal's the one who calls him a King and he is obviously pretty loyal and devoted to him, and wants to impress him (aww), so methinks Itzal is maybe not so good???? (I am also a proud supporter of Brooke's Dylan Saunders as Itzal campaign, lol)

The Blazing World is home. It's where the Travelers and the Antikythera's Searchers (rip) are from, it was destroyed once—but is being rebuilt?—and Kalfu and Itzal seem to want it gone for good.

Lincoln Island is the mysterious island our heroes on the Ellen Austin are approaching at the end of the episode, the place Ahlaam sent Rose and the Antikythera to via orrery.

Quick *Approximate* Timeline

Eh, what can I say? We got numbers and I decided to do a tiny bit of math about it.

1874 — the Antikythera & the Ellen Austin

🔴 YOU ARE HERE

🎶 When are we? 🎶 Well, Morgan Reese informs our time-traveling heroes that, uh yeah lol, last he checked the year was 1874. What a funny question from a bunch of rapscallions!

Captain Arvad's logs from the Antikythera start in January 1874, so we know the Searchers were out and about in this same year. Their disappearances were recent and the ship hasn't been empty for all that long, I don't think.

1865 — may this monument stand forever

On this site in 1835, Sir John Herschel and Anna Hanover launched the first brick satellite, the Sagitta, in what was known as Township Number Nine. Erected to commemorate their bravery, to thank them for their gift to all mankind, may this monument stand forever.

Dedicated August, 1865.

1864 — the dark angel appears

A desperate AJ makes his ill-fated deal with Kal in exchange for his crew's safety during the Battle of Mobile Bay.

Damn the torpedoes.

1835 — the beginning of our adventure

🎶 IT IS EIGHTEEN THIRTY-FIVE 🎶 and the Great Moon Hoax and The Brick Satellite both happen in this year. Things were so simple back then!

1829 — the Blazing World is destroyed

In 1874, we are told (first by Arvad's journal, and then by Sia) that their home, that the Blazing World was destroyed 45 years ago. If my math is right and they're not hippity-hopping too much in time (they have time travel capabilities so idk for sure) that would put the destruction of the Blazing World in 1829.

If the world being destroyed is also the Event that Kal alludes to in Gunpowder and Rum, pt. 3 ("Your powers are returning and you still don't remember what happened? 😒") AND it's the one that left Margaret without her memories and powers, then... could Margaret have been feeling lost, alone, and disconnected with her phantom pain in New York for 6 whole years before the Stratfords wrote the hoax that would bring the quartet together??? 🥺

And while we're on the subject of time passing!

If Sia and Kalfu and everyone besides the quartet has gotten to 1874 the long way 'round... (which I think is the case if Kal snarked at Sia for hiding Margaret in the future—if he has a sense of the future in relation to the world and time, I'd say this also implies he & the others have a pretty consistent present?) ...have they aged? Or does their magic also lengthen their lives? I imagine it would be mentioned if Sia was visibly older, and since Samuel described Kal as looking ~40 years old, then how could he be younger than the war he's been in? lol. But idk, this is just food for thought!

Kal Loves His Lore Dumps, Doesn't he? This one's mostly about Margaret <3

"You've proven quite elusive over the years... We've searched across the seven seas... I suppose it's only fitting that I find you here by chance, looking for an orrery! I'd have settled for the ship, what's its name? An-ti-ky-ther-a. But you will be quite the prize. It's you that will seal our victory! A ship from the Blazing World would have been quite the quarry. But you? That could end things once and for all!"

"The ship, the orrery, they don't matter now. Not when I can dispatch the two biggest traitors in history with just one blow!"

Seems like our girl is pretty special~ 🥰

I mean, of course she is, she's our Margaret, but if Kal is willing to let the Antikythera go to get her instead, and he's so convinced that taking her out will win the war... our girl is Pretty Special™ right? Maybe she's a princess or something, or maybe her Radiance is just that heckin' strong. idk, but I'm excited to find out either way.

I'm also wondering if there's a connection between Margaret and the orrery/orreries... If Kal thought it was fitting to find her when he was after the orrery, does that mean something more? Could Margaret have created the orreries and/or the magic behind them? 👀

...actually maybe this isn't such a good and fun thing. 😅😟 Things don't usually go very well for special and important characters—what is the saying, tragedies love heroes? I mean, Margaret has lost her powers and memories once already, as well as her home and whatever family she may have had before. I know all our pulp blorbos have been in dire straights a few times now, but I don't want them to get MORE DIRE than this!

Kalfu, Sia, & Margaret's history

Kal: High marks for cloaking the fleet, but seriously—

...

Kal: Come on, it's a Traveler reunion.

...

Kal: Just a drink between three friends.

...

Sia: Oh, you were once a man that I trusted. Tell me, where has he been?

...

Sia: Itzal poisoned your mind!

Kal: Itzal opened my mind!

...

Sia and Margaret: *powering up*

Sia: Hey, Kalfu!

Kal: Huh? Ugh, not again.

Kal: *team rocket fog's blasting off again*

I think it's pretty safe to say that, once upon a time, these three were once close. Maybe they were friends and peers, or maybe Kalfu was once Sia and/or Margaret's mentor with that "high marks" comment. Whatever the case, they used to be allies who trusted each other.

I think it's also safe to say all three of them are/were Travelers. Obviously Sia is, and Margaret probably is/was one as well, since she and Sia have a badass combined attack (that I'm betting they used against Kalfu ~45 years prior). As for Kal... I don't know how the radiance and the fog fit together exactly, whether they've always been separate or the fog is a dark bastardization of the radiance, but it seems like he is on equal footing with Sia as far as magic powers go, and he can teleport like they do—AJ witnessed this at the Battle of Mobile Bay, and Samuel did (kinda) on the deck of the Ellen Austin. I don't know if that's the only qualification for being a Traveler, but it's worth mentioning.

It seems like Itzal was a pretty big factor in this trio splitting up—for whatever reason, Kal turned his back on Sia and Margaret to follow him, or perhaps Sia and Margaret left Kal behind when he wouldn't leave with them. I don't know, but I want to—I have questions!!!

Sia and Itzal — Future sight?

Kal (to Sia): You know, for someone with precognitive abilities, you sure like to cut things close. 😒

...

Kal: How I wish King Itzal was here to witness this. Or did he already know? Eh.

There's not much to say about this, really, I just think it's interesting.

But it does make me wonder if Sia *knew* that sending Margaret and the others to Hanover in 1874 would lead Margaret to the Antikythera and help her regain her memories, even if Sia couldn't see much more than that. Like, if she knew that Kal would be there, I don't think she would have put Margaret at risk like that when she was still vulnerable. Unless she was betting on Margaret figuring things out before Kal could make his move... gah, who knows! (Matt. Matt knows.) We do know that Sia can't see everything, though—she knows that the crew of the Antikythera are gone but has to ask Kal what he did with them.

Also, obligatory "yikes 😬" at the idea of having an enemy (King Itzal) who could possibly see your attacks/plans before you make them. That can't make this war any easier!

Fogging the vortices, you say?

Kal: We've been fogging the vortices for decades. There was bound to be an Antikythera sooner or later.

Vortices.... plural for vortex, yeah?

"A mass of whirling fluid or air, especially a whirlpool or whirlwind."

Is one of these vortices located here in the Sargasso Sea? Is that why Rose already knows plenty of ghost stories about these waters, why this is a strange place that'll one day be dubbed the Bermuda Triangle? Where are the other vortices??? How many are there??? What are they, exactly???

Okay, but what about the gates?

Kal: A war for a world of power and might

Sia: A war for a world of courage and light

Kal: Fought over decades

Sia: Over ascension

Kal/Sia: No chance of surrender, no chance of redemption

I'm just throwing darts here, but I feel like 'ascension' has to do with the gates that have been alluded to a few times now?

First, in TBS, Sia told Margaret that she couldn't take her to the gate until her memories were back. Then in part 2 of TGOA, Kal said something about the Antikythera's orrery leading him to the first gate.

I don't think these gates are the same thing as the vortices—if the bad guys have already been 'fogging' them, then Kal wouldn't need an orrery to find them.

The gates probably lead to the Blazing World, right? Kal and Itzal want to destroy the Blazing World for good, which is why Kal was trying to get the orrery, to get to the gate, to ascend to the Blazing World and turn it to dust once and for all.

Travelers and Symbols/Elements/Associations

To finish up, here's one of the things I've noticed more recently. We have four magical characters now who seem to be at similar levels of power and might all be/have been Travelers, and maybe it's just a fun bit of flavor rather than anything Extremely Vital to the plot, but they each seem to have their own kind of... niche?

Lemme run through 'em real quick.

Kalfu—

● Want a drink?

● Gunpowder and rum, too strong for some! 🎶

● And poison... is kinda my thing.

● Non-lethal fog, my latest brew

Kal's easy to figure out—he's been pretty clear with his gunpowder and rum (delicious!) and once he revealed it he's been very cheeky and upfront about his use of/preference for poison too. He also stands out as the only person wielding fog, but I'm sure that'll change as we delve further into the dark and into this war we're learning about.

Sia—

● "Was that sunlight shining in the sphere?"

● We're here to light the fuse

● Lay another hand on her and you'll go down in flames

● I will always be that feeling burning under your skin

hehe okay, Sia is the reason this whole section of my post exists lol. I noticed the references to fire in enough of her lines/lyrics in part 3 that I thought it couldn't be a coincidence, and then I looked at the others. I just think it's neat!

Maybe these lines are just nods to the fact that light can burn as well as illuminate—Kalfu would probably know, hah—but it is fun to think that maybe we could see our first and dearest Traveler friend whip out some cool fire magic later on—when she's not duking it out with somebody on a wooden boat, lol.

I'd love that for her, tbh.

...especially because alcohol is flammable. :)

Ahlaam—

Narrator: In a blinding flash, a woman materialized, and with a single motion, she pushed the water of the room with her mind

Okay, I fully admit this is mostly just a reason for me to make another waterbending joke. Ahlaam's appearance in this episode wasn't really long enough to give us much information about her, but I mean we also haven't seen anyone else do anything with water until she came along, so... if we see her do more stuff like this and she has more associations with water in episode 4 onwards, I will feel pretty smart. 😌

Margaret—

● the moon

● the sea

● astronomy

we might not know much about Margaret's magic beyond how brightly it glows—which isn't unique to her—and what she's been able to do with it, be we do know that she has a connection with the moon, of course.

I think we could also argue that she has a pull to the sea—mostly because of the view from her window and the rooftop, overlooking the water. Learning about the Searchers and the fact that Kal was looking for Margaret on the sea supports this connection, but again, that doesn't really single her out from the others.

Margaret does have an appreciation for astronomy, but even that might not be super unique, if her people have orreries on every ship and they all look up to the sky. However... my brain is still chewing on a possible connection between Margaret and the orrery, because of what Kal said. It would be pretty rad if she was the one who designed and crafted them, figured out that magic. So idk, that could be something.

If her memories are returning, maybe we'll see her really start to shine amongst her fellow Travelers as she recalls more about herself and brings together the person that resides in her memories and the person that losing her memories made her into.

phew, okay! this is a long post and I am now very sleepy, lol. I'm sure I missed a few things—I didn't take any *literal* notes during parts 1 & 2 and it'll be a few days before I get the album and lose my mind again—but maybe there's a few things I managed to catch that y'all will enjoy.

As always, feel free to reply/reblog with your own thoughts!!!

#still too stunned by the final part to do any art for it but i can type and that's your problem now 😇 #honestly i think I'll go back and relisten to the first two episodes #work on art for that while i wait to get the album #can you believe ive never even drawn sia before??? gotta fix that asap!!! #anyway. #jack jabbers #pulp musicals #matt dahan #pulp musicals episode 3 #the ghosts of antikythera #tgoa #pulp musicals tgoa #sia #pulp musicals sia #kal #kalfu #pulp musicals kal #ahlaam #pulp musicals ahlaam #the traveler #the travelers #king itzal #pulp musicals theory #pulp musicals theories #pulp musicals lore #the ghosts of antikythera spoilers #pulp musicals episode 3 spoilers #the blazing world

[xthelastknownsurvivorx]

2023 Writing Roundup

Thanks @inexplicablymine for the tag! This was a lot of fun to do

January

Satisfied (Never Have Been, Never Will Be) — RWRB, T, 833

Or, a rewrite of the lyrics of "Satisfied" from Hamilton set at the beginning of Philip and Martha's wedding, except Alex is a little flirtier and a little less repressed, told from Henry's pov.

February

Some Element of Mystery — RWRB, M, 4k

Or, five times that Alex thought Henry was a stripper, plus one time Henry corrected him. Written for the informal stripper!Henry fest.

March

Was working on finishing my master's thesis instead of fic for the most part, though I did write a few drabbles and make progress on my reincarnation au (see November)

April

Burn (They're Watching Us/I Hope That They) — RWRB, T, 295

Or, a rewrite of the lyrics of "Burn" from Hamilton, set immediately after the email leak, told from Alex's pov.

May

Graduated/finished my master's 🎉🎉 while also writing more of my reincarnation au (see November), including some major revisions

June

Got sick for part of the month, then spent the rest of it furiously working on my brownstone anniversary exchange fic (see July) doing tons of (probably unnecessary) research about Saturday Night Live and royal weddings.

July

SNL | Season 45 Episode 2 | HRH Prince Henry & FSOTUS Alex Claremont-Diaz — RWRB, M, 9k

Or, the fic in which I said bet and sent firstprince onto Saturday Night Live instead of having Alex go to London for a weekend. Written for the Brownstone Anniversary Fic Exchange.

August

Spent the month trying to make a lot of progress on reincarnation au (see November) and finally got some betas

September

Had a bad case of writer's block for most of the month, then went insane and wrote something for firstprince week (see October) despite promising myself I wasn't going to participate

October

Not a Day I Don't Miss (Those Rude Interruptions) — RWRB, T, 2k

Or, a Henry character study set during the week following Henry running from the lake house, loosely inspired by Taylor Swift's "Last Kiss". Written for firstprince week.

November

Red, White, and Royal Switcheroo — RWRB, T, 6k

Or, a body swap au set during Alex's "make nice" trip to England in which Alex and Henry have to play at being each other, and Alex discovers Henry's role is, in fact, very much not much easier to play. Written for Halloween, Huh?

Every Time My Heart Swings Back to You — RWRB, M, ~90k (ongoing)

Or, a reincarnation au set mostly in the modern era with college students Alex and Henry trying to piece together the story of their past lives as a knight and a prince through a series of non-linear flashbacks.

December

Trying my best to finish reincarnation au while also plotting out a very ambitious fic for a new fandom (mysterious lotus casebook) that I'll be trying to tackle in 2024. Also the month I got super into cdramas/c-ent.

--

Wow, compiling all this made me realize I wrote a whole lot more than I thought: posting 9 stories and writing around 50k new words! I also participated in a lot more fan events than ever before and finally begin sharing the story that's been living in my brain and docs only for almost three years. All in all, a very satisfying year for me while also looking forward to new projects in 2024~

I'm probably one of the last wants to get to this but tagging a few others who I don't think have done this (let me know though if you have) @14carrotghoul @formorewishes @affectionatelyrs @anincompletelist @celaestis1 @celeritas2997 @cricketnationrise, plus open tag because I'd love to see anyone else's writing year in review~

#writing round up #2023 writing round up #tag game

[honeybeewhereartthee]

My darling Dolls AU

Prologue:

You admire and love dolls. You always walk this certain shop from school when your young.

You always gaze longingly at the beautiful dolls that are being sold and displayed.

Yet as someone who cannot afford much, those dolls are luxuries you can never own.

Yet even knowing that fact. It doesn't stop you from wanting to own one. That's why you save and save, from pennies to a few cents.

Maybe with those mere changes and money, you have saved your able to buy one, someday.

Even the dolls arent new, or branded, or even if they are broken or haunted. You want the doll.

That's why when there's a chance of having one thrown your way, even if it's from a shady street toy seller, you are quick to run back home to get your savings and brought the only doll in the stock.

It's a beautiful doll with dark purple hair that reminds you of the night sky and beautiful shade of blue eyes.

The doll have a nervous sharp teeth smile, as if not sure what to do while you stare at it with a wide happy grin.

There's a a bit of damage in the doll but it's not something you cannot learn to fix.

That's why you hug the doll lovingly and welcome the first doll to your life. Not even minding the words of the seller.

"Remember dolls can have a soul. If they love and care enough, they will gain a heart. Maybe one day with enough love they can become a human too. So little deary, take care of mayoi for me ok?" The seller says as he give you the doll

"Ok!" The young you replied happily to the seller. Not even knowing such fate have been created that day you choice to take the doll home.

As you play with the doll beside you, after fixing the small problem it has, the nervous smile becomes a happy smile as it turns its head to look at your sleeping form that hugs its soft plushie body. "Hello, my owner... I'll take care of you too... Even though I won't do much. In this state of mine but maybe one day I can do more..... So please continue to love me till that day." A voice spoke out in your humble room but you were too asleep to hear it.

Soon a singing voice that lullaby you to a deep sleep can be heard in the room, as your doll sing you a song of a phantom who finally found a home.

Table of content:

Part 1: My darling dolls: Alkaloid, Crazy:B

01: Mayoi Ayase

02: dolls, gods and Tatsumi Kazeheya

03:Idols, 3rd-4th Dolls and Watchful gaze.

04: Lost, Classmate, haunted and Blue star

05: Reunion, Alkaloid and Crazy:b

06: Mofumofu and The phantom

Part 2: The Phantom, the haunted dolls and the blue star.

07: Playing dress up

08: Sewing a dolls pt1

09: Sewing a Doll pt2

10: A dream of a doll maker

11: The theory of time travel and no place as home

12: there's an odd kid outside

Part 3: The Sleeping Beauty, The forgotten Past and a Contract

13: The Sleeping Beauty

14: the same feathers flock together

15: The Plan

16: Worry

17: selfishness, hypocrisy and a contract.

18: The doll who become a puppeteer

Part 4: mischievous adventure of a Doll-MC

19: Kaname knows how to Jinx someone

20: Kaname knows how to Jinx someone pt 2.

21: Pseudo darling doll MC

22: Pseudo darling doll MC

23: Aoi twins Past, The 6th Doll and The Pikachu

24: ii Hiyori and the Sakumas brothers

Part 5: the sakuma siblings.

25: the pestering Rei, the Shadow Doll, and The Void

26:

27:

28:

29:

30:

Part 6: THE PAST AND THE PRESENT

31:

32:

33:

34:

35:

36:

Part 7: The first dollmaker(s)

37

38

39

40

41

42

PART 8

43

44

45

46

47

48

PART 9: the Lost God

49

50

51

52

53

54

PART 10:

55

56

57

58

59

60

PART 11:

61

To be added

62

63

My Darling Dolls AU Mini Corner: Dear sleeping beauty

Episode one

Episode two

Episode three

Episode four

Episode five

Episode Six

Epilogue

My darling doll au: crossover PT 3 "la mort"

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

Episode 6

Episode 7

Episode 8

Episode 9

Epilogue

COMICS

RECAP COMIC 1

RECAP COMIC 2

A/N: a fairy tale inspired au. A Pinocchio retelling. This is supposed to be a mayoi ayase one but I decided to make it an AU where the alkaloid are dolls. This is also inspired by a game known as 'nameless'.

UPDATE: I'm adding Crazy:b and MaM in this AU.

#ensemble stars x reader #enstar x reader #ensemble stars #mayoi ayase x reader #aira Shiratori x reader #hiiro Amagi x reader #my Darling Dolls AU #tatsumi kazehaya x reader #niki Shiina x reader #rinne Amagi x reader #HiMERU x reader #kohaku oukawa x reader #madara mikejima x reader #kaname toujou x reader #kanata Shinkai x reader #dear sleeping beauty