Test your abilities

You'll never know if you can do something unless you try. Failing is always a possibility, however success is inevitable if you stick to it.

[awesomesuperherowanted]

Emison not endgame 😒

Note: Because the perfectionists broke them up, I felt like this is how Ali felt for awhile.

The moon was determined not to let the room descend into an abyss of darkness. It’s soft light invaded every crevice, bounced off every surface almost willing the shadows to retreat.

Ali didn’t care. She sat with her back against the opulent diamond tufted chair, the leather squeaked as she sunk lower into its depths. She starred at the contents of her glass, briefly she wondered what glass she was on but didn’t dwell on it long enough to guess an answer. She lifted the glass in a silent salute as she downed the contents. She waited for the searing sensation of the liquid as it made its way to her belly. Nothing.

She was numb. She had been at this for awhile and she knew she was probably way past her limit, but that wasn’t going to stop her. Her mind was still turning and she needed to shut it off but sleep eluded her. The half crumpled paper beneath her glass sat mocking her. She wanted to burn it but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Instead she had crumpled it up and smoothed it out like a mad woman. She just kept repeating the process, her head telling her the paper needed to be destroyed in order for her to finally be free, but her heart stopping her each time. It had become a game she invented to slowly torture herself.

Well tonight was different. She wasn’t willing to let herself wallow any longer. Emily had moved on, why couldn’t she? She had moved away, started a new life, met new people and still had the empty, lonely feeling. She had tried to start over, but each time something was always missing. So two years later, here she was back in Rosewood, in the house she had shared with Emily and the twins. Here she was haunted by memories of the past and the what could have beens. No one knew that she spent her nights holed up in her study, fighting with herself to be strong enough to move on, only to lose the battle and have to face the day with a cheery face as if she hadn’t a care in the world. No one needed to know. Ali knew she just needed time. She knew that she could do anything she set her mind to, but this was proving to be a lot harder than she expected.

Spencer watched her cousin slowly sink into ‪oblivion‬. She knew Ali was struggling, but she also knew that Ali didn’t like people helping her, not when she was this vulnerable. Spence had made it a habit of watching Ali, she knew that when the living room light went out it meant that she had went into the study to brood. There were times when Spence wanted to approach her, to try to help her, but she couldn’t even pretend to understand how she was feeling. She always thought that Emily and her were destined to live long and happy lives together after everything they had been through, but obviously destiny had other ideas. 

Instead she had watched the two drift apart, at first thinking that it was for the better, but then realizing that it was not going to be that easy.

Ali had arrived not too long ago and Spencer knew something was wrong but she didn’t pry. Instead they fell back into their old routine as if nothing had changed. One night she had thought to invite Ali out for a couple of drinks to blow off some steam. After knocking several times, she figured Ali had gone out. She remembered passing in front of the window and she could see Ali staring off into the moonlight. Spence walked over thinking maybe she didn’t hear her from the front. As she got closer, she could see that Ali was crying. Not wanting to intrude, she had walked away thinking it better to ask her the following day. When asked, Ali had denied anything being wrong and she seemed determined to stick to that story.

Spence shook her head. It had been months and Ali still continued this routine. Every day she would seem fine but at night, Spence would see her return to this torturous pattern. Not knowing what to do, Spence had just taken up watch to make sure that after each binge, Ali would be okay. She figured eventually Ali would push through or open up to her, either way she would be there.

[awesomesuperherowanted]

Seis Hermanas (RTVE series)

Note: This is Part 1 of a three-part series on why “Seis Hermanas” should be considered one of the best feminist shows to ever grace our homes.

For centuries, women around the world have struggled to find where they fit in. Less than a century ago, they were told that their worth was dependent on their ability to bear children, nothing more and nothing less. The line delineating the roles of male and female have always been clear cut and going against the grain was unthinkable. While we have made great strides to battle for equality and parity in a male-dominated society, it’s been an uphill battle for much of the last century.

Here’s the thing about us women, we have a mind of our own and, sometimes, we believe society needs a little help in seeing what is actually right. Throughout history there have been many who have proven the contrary to this paradigm: Olympe De Gouges, Frida Kahlo, Joan of Arcadia, Catherine the Great to name a few. With those, there have been millions of others who have lived and gone under the radar, the historians unaware that they had lived contrary to what society had set out for them.

In present time, we take for granted the struggles that those before us have had to overcome. We have a mountain to climb in terms of getting true equality, but we don’t fully understand how far we have actually come in the last century. Seis hermanas gives us an ingenious take of how women could have fought and changed things during a pivotal time in history without actually making the history books. It brings to light the battles women faced and how they got around them, it showed how being a feminist didn’t necessarily mean you needed to hold a sign and break down doors to say you wanted equality.

Many would ask what makes this show so special. The fact that the story revolves around six women should already be a hint. Six strong female leads, each different, yet all sharing one common goal, set in a time when women were considered chattel, a piece of property to be owned by the highest male bidder. Their goal was simple, to live and protect what was theirs.

Their father laid upstairs, lifeless, and the six of them hovered over his body, tears pouring down their faces because their world had just come crashing down. They were going through the motions, but it hadn’t quite sunk in what his death truly meant. Moments later, Adela, the eldest, sat, frozen in time, her mind racing from the events of the evening. It slowly dawned on her that without their father, they had no one to claim what was theirs. They would soon be penniless if she didn’t think of a way to safeguard their futures.

While everyone grieved, she knew what needed to be done. In a time when women were not even allowed to conduct business or make decisions for themselves, Adela had made the ultimate feminist choice – she was making a decision for herself. She chose to step into her father’s shoes and take over what was rightfully theirs. Not having a head for business or knowing how she would pull it off, she knew that it would take the six of them to unite and figure things out.

Now let’s think about this, this show is set in 1913 Spain where women didn’t even walk alone at night, yet here we have a show daring to say these women can somehow skirt society and be able to live a life of their choosing. The show gave modern viewers a glimpse of the injustices women faced, the punishments they endured for daring to think or live independently. They cast a spotlight on the definite biasness that society had towards men and women in this era and gave us characters who could manuever through all that, and in a way, beat the system.

People would look at this story and think it is just for entertainment, but … take a closer look. For those who are on the fence on what women are truly fighting for, the battle for independence is on full display. We aren’t fighting to take anyone’s place, we aren’t fighting to show we are better than the person next to us. We are fighting for a fair shake. Fighting to be seen as true equals, human beings with minds and dreams of our own, ambitions and desires that fuel us. We don’t want to say we are better, we want to be given a chance to live our best lives and if we happen to be better, well, that’s just a bonus.

“Seis Hermanas” is an eye-opening foray into the battles women have faced since the dawn of time. It’s not anger or rage against males or the unwritten rules that dictate societal expectations, it’s a demand to be treated as equals and given the free right to choose “whatever” for themselves.

[awesomesuperherowanted]

#aurelia, an epic love

I sat, phone in hand, every fiber of my being screaming at me to hurl it across the room. Realizing I had just spent the last 2 weeks entrenched in this story, I was livid. So before I could write what I thought about this story, I thought it would be best to set my anger aside. So here we go.

Celia Silva had become a part of my family. I looked at her and I wanted her to be happy. I wanted her to have everything she could ask for and I wanted her to just smile. I asked myself how could I get so attached to a character in such a short time when I am so unhappy with the storyline, then I realized it’s because she was actually written really well.

Now let’s be clear, I am heartbroken that aurora died and I’m extremely disappointed that they introduced cata just to make us see that Celia deserved more. However, the fact that I am so angry tells me that the story has really gotten to me. So I had to take a different approach to analyzing why this tale has left such a distaste in my mouth. I compared this story to any straight story where I got just as passionate about the lead characters and lo and behold it’s because they had woven a tale with people that were real. They had flaws and virtues, trials and tribulations you can relate to and a thirst for love that any person can understand.

So that being said, the love story between aurora and Celia is going to be one of those that hold a special place in my heart. From how they met, to the unwavering need for them to be together regardless of the obstacle, this story has it all. True, aurora died, however considering the story and time frame, it was going to happen. The point is the two defied the odds. Even after succumbing to society’s rules, they somehow found a way to be together and for the most part they had a normal life where they could go home to each in a time when women weren’t even allowed to live alone. How can we not appreciate this?

Watching the brief moments where they were at home and felt safe were a joy. The call out of “I’m home my love, how was your day,” to the “I will reheat the stew, sit and eat,” most people would say it’s boring, but the fact is we don’t see same sex couples doing that. The moments when they are alone and talking or reading, the significance behind it are lost on those who take it for granted but not on us. These are the things that made this story so special. The bond between these two, the unwavering love through it all, their love story was epic, but that isn’t the only reason I support this storyline.

Now for me the fact that Celia thought she was sick because of her love for the fairer sex, and that she allowed treatments as barbaric as electro shock therapy to achieve what others deemed as “normal” was the key to this story. Watching her try to be “normal” and having to see her endure everything in order to be, ripped my heart in two. Every scene she had after therapy made me want to throw that doctor across the room. She was frail and you could see the pain but she was hell bent on being cured. Introducing aurora finally showed her that “normal” was subjective. The question was whose idea of normal were you conforming to.

Once she figured out what “normal” meant, it was a joy to watch her accept herself and slowly come out of her shell. I watched her character grow into her own skin. The more comfortable she became the more you could see the strong willed woman behind the pretty face.

She understood the dangers of what her choices could have as she skated the line of being uncovered, but she still allowed herself to love and be true to her life’s path. In this day and age, we can all understand how complex and difficult it is to live our lives authentically. So watching her character do it in a time when the consequences were imprisonment or maybe death, is inspiring.

This got me thinking. Maybe our perception of a happy ever after needs to shift a little. Instead of the conventional girl lands girl and lives to be a hundred, maybe happily ever after means getting to live your life to the fullest. Being able to feel the extremes, from the top of the mountains high and in love, the depths of the sea of being broken and having to piece yourself together, to having your feet firmly on the ground with the renewed vigor to do it all over again. The heart is resilient and as much as we believe there is one person out there for us, why limit our love story to just one? If that one is all the way to the day we die then so be it, in which Celia was aurora’s epic love story, but Celia still has to live through the rest of her life, so why can’t she have another?

So I am choosing to view this story differently. My girl Celia is living her happy ending. In a time when her true self is actually considered criminal, she has chosen to continue. Her story is not over to me, and maybe one day I will write an ending that will suit me, but for now I implore you not to judge this love story by its death. Look at the beauty of it, the characters, the times, and the way it unfolds. Give it a shot, and don’t judge it by the end.

[awesomesuperherowanted]

#Vanity

I would like to apologize to all the Vanity supporters for not paying attention. Yes, I am human and apparently blind as a bat. In my defense there is a lot of crap content out there and I have to wade through all of it to find the ones that truly deserve attention. That being said, I would like to say that Charity Dingle and Vanessa Woodfield are rare gems and should be higher on people’s radars.

First off, Charity Dingle is a force to be reckoned with. Her quick wit and air of arrogance are a welcome combination on screen. For once we have a lead character who is flawed and isn’t afraid to admit she’s flawed. Also, we have a character that has so many layers that just when you think you have her figured out, you see her do something so out of left field and you can’t help but be taken aback.

Charity Dingle is a schemer, a liar, and cocky as hell. She knows she’s good and she’s not afraid to go after what she wants. I can appreciate this. Watching her makes you a little jealous that you can’t be that smooth. But on the flip side, she is loyal, caring and headstrong. Try to touch someone she loves and I guarantee you that you will regret it. Watching her and her family go at it is a pastime on it’s own, and I have to admit I have found myself laughing at them more than once. This lot is definitely full of schemers but at the end of the day they have each other and they will close ranks to protect their own.

Now on the other half of this coin is Vanessa Woodfield. Reliable, sensible, and trustworthy, this woman is someone you always want on your side. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body and she’s the type who will sit across someone so cantankerous and still maintain a smile and a sunny disposition.

Vanessa is the upstanding, law abiding citizen, the type that doesn’t dare go against the rules, so of course she would be drawn to Charity. She is the yin to her yang and honestly the two of them balance each other out. Rather than most couples where you have to change to be with each other, these two actually understand each other and they love each other anyways. That’s the thing, loving someone unconditionally is accepting that they are flawed and these two manage to wade through all the noise to stay together.

I have seen many characters, but none like these two. Maybe I’m drawn to the fact that Charity skates the line. For example, her counting cards at the black jack table to turn a pretty penny is commendable. Now most people would say that it’s cheating, but hey in gambling the house always wins. If there is someone who can beat the house, I can appreciate that. Then turning around to use that money to buy a house for her betrothed and their children, nevermind the fact that her cousin is the one who had to foot the bill. I know it seems bad, but I like to think of it as just an unfortunate byproduct of an otherwise ingenious plan. She had good intentions, and we never said she was a saint, so I don’t see the problem.

Vanessa sees this and initially rails on her for lying, cheating and scheming. However, in time, she sees the other side of the equation. Charity caring for her children, doing everything possible to keep them together, Vanessa realizes that this is one of the many reasons she loves her. So she accepts the good with the bad, and we see Charity attempt to be more good than bad.

This is just one example out of the many these two have come across in the last two years. That is correct, they have been together for about two years and I’m only speaking about them now. I told you, I’m a little slow and I am sorry. I have worked my way through their storyline and I have found myself enamored with the whole Dingle clan. I think more people need to take the time out to watch Emmerdale and if you don’t have the time, watch the Vanity storyline at least. I promise it’s definitely worth it. We finally have two characters who have individual stories as well as their own story being told at the forefront… and guess what, there is no end in sight. 

[awesomesuperherowanted]

Batwoman 1x7

Where did we leave off? In case we forgot, Alice is still out there with a nefarious plan of her own, Sophie knows Kate is the Bat, Mary is reeling because her family is falling apart, and we have established that Alice is actually Beth. All caught up? Alright let’s move on.

So going into this episode I have staunchly said that I don’t like Sophie. Apparently the powers that be have decided that they will dedicate an episode to try to change my mind. So I am dubbing this episode Sophie’s Redemption Road. Half the episode was us watching what actually transpired between Kate and Sophie, and the role her father played. Now we know the reason Sophie declared she was straight and broke Kate’s heart, and low and behold it’s because the world is homophobic – tell me something I don’t know. 

We get the indepth look at how Sophie still has feelings for Kate and that everything she did was motivated by her need to support her family. Maybe I’m being a little harsh here. I’m not saying I don’t understand it, but I just thought there would be a better reason, I mean creativity writers, find some. Before I get vilified for saying this, I just think that this was too easy of a reason and I’m really hoping that this story is deeper than that. Right now, I still don’t like Sophie, so eh.

Moving to the sister front, Mary is currently trying to salvage her relationship with her sister because her mom went and blew up their family. I totally get why Catherine did what she did. Many would say it’s wrong, but understand what it’s like to watch your loved one slowly sink into the abyss with no way of helping them. I get it Catherine, might not have been the smartest move, but I get it.

Back to Mary, at this point my girl is trying to strengthen her bond with her sister but Kate is just so wrapped up in Alice and the Bat, she doesn’t realize that her sister needs her. We spent majority of the episode discussing Kate’s trust issue, it took her forever to realize that she should trust Mary. Maybe it’s just me, but the moment she brought Alice’s boy toy to Mary to take care of, should have been the day that she realized she trusted Mary. She can sit and brood all she wants about how she has only a piece to give at a time, but as I see it, the Bat seems to lean on Mary for a lot and she throws Mary out there when she needs her. That’s means you trust her dummy, might just be me.

Now then the one I think Kate should be chasing is Julia. What? Sue me, I like her. I decided she needs to find her way back to Gotham. Having Julia served a dual purpose, first to debunk the idea that Kate is Batwoman, and second to make my heart skip a little. This woman had fire, spunk and was able to go toe to toe with Kate. I ship this.

The rest of the episode was used to give us a little peek at what Alice has planned. Apparently Mouse is still able to fool everyone with his skin trick (though I still think there are holes with this), and now we know that there is another big bad besides Alice. In Gotham, we can only handle one bad at a time so she remains off screen with the hint of her eventually making an appearance (hopefully with Julia in tow).

All in all a good episode, leaves lot of room for the stories to take root and really wow us. Now that I have said that, I’m hoping they don’t disappoint.

On a side note, I loved this trio. Luke talking to himself was gold. Kate, you need to realize that there are people around you that are supporting you and it should go both ways. Julia discussing Sophie and their past relationships, Luke analyzing the information and the two of them putting their two cents in, I think Kate needs this. I’m all for the lone wolf thing but after this I think the trio idea is way more entertaining.

[awesomesuperherowanted]

Batwoman 1x6

What did we learn after this episode? The Gotham city police department is inept and unless the bat and the crows figure out how to work together, I think the criminals of Gotham don’t have that much to fear.

Let’s dive in.

So this week we were introduced to the idea that the government system is corrupt and that it may have fallen prey to racial profiling. I know this is a huge problem, but I assumed that since this was a superhero show, the big bads would be a little more complicated. I guess I was wrong.

So we got to watch Batwoman point out that people are fallible while getting her butt whooped by a big guy posing as a modern day executioner. Yes the mask and ax was a nice touch. Before everyone gets upset, this guy was 3 times her size and so therefore one hit from him should have rendered her unconscious. I think Luke needs to tinker with her suit a little so that it makes her hits stronger than what it should be, but that’s my opinion.

So besides this part of the story taking up half the episode, we also got to see that Sophie has figured out Batwoman’s identity. This doesn’t interest me in the least bit because I have decided I don’t like Sophie. Mary telling her exactly what we all have been thinking, I mean why has it taken so long for someone to tell her. This woman runs around like she has the right to say and do whatever and not worry about the consequences. Mary was there and saw firsthand the damage Sophie caused Kate so I’m glad she spoke up.

Now then let’s talk about the skin swap Alice has been doing. I’m not that tech savvy however I believe facial recognition doesn’t read just your skin but also the contours of your face, thus the whole recognizing your face part. But for the sake of this story they have decided that mouse puts on a skin and he automatically can get past this tech. Why you ask? To steal the great weapon, a weapon that can penetrate the bat suit. I have yet to figure out why this is the greatest weapon. From what I can see, Batwoman hasn’t instilled that kind of superhuman fear, but once again, might just be me.

Then of course we got a glimpse of Alice’s plan. From what I can see, she wants to make her father suffer and she is trying to figure out if she hates Kate or not. Maybe I’m reaching but I think we need to see more of Catherine. I actually think Catherine and Mary are integral to this story, they are the wild cards. I will sit and wait to see if they ever show us more of their role in the grand scheme of things.

Basically this episode had the usual mediocre criminal, a little of the angst of being the bat, the hardships of past decisions, and of course the part where we watch how humans react to everything happening around them. Nothing special stood out and as an episode I would say I will reserve judgement. The one question I do have is will we see super villains equivalent to the penguin and joker? Right now Alice ranks up there but everyone else seems like a walk in the park. This is a superhero show isn’t it?

[awesomesuperherowanted]

#chelly, #teriah

As much as I like to complain about these two, I will give the network some credit for having the guts to go down this road. Many would say that it doesn’t require guts and that they just need to give us equal playing time. That may be true, however public opinion changes as fast as you change your underwear, so I can see why they would be a little gun shy. If they cater to one group but the majority is not happy, they can’t possibly stay on the air, so it’s a tricky slope.

Let’s be clear, this is not giving them an excuse for not fleshing these stories out. I give them credit for going down this path, but I almost prefer you not do it if you’re not going to actually put some time and energy into it. Before everyone gets upset and wants to defend their ship, let’s analyze this for a second.

I have been a #Teriah fan for as long as they have been around. Having grown up with American soaps being a staple in my household, the Newmans and Abbots are almost family. That being said, when #YR decided to throw out a lesbian couple I just about fell down. By now, my family had grown attached to Mariah so the whole how can she be gay was not even an issue. My family’s issue was if Tessa was good for her. Trust me when I say I’m so glad my mother didn’t blink an eye with this. So as we watched, we saw Tessa teeter back and forth between thief, liar and lover. I was content to watch because hey, they were finally giving me something I can relate to. As their story went along I applauded all the steps the two had taken. Watching them go from friends to enemies and back to friends was entertaining. In soap time, it’s normal for characters to take forever to get to a point, so this slow pace was nothing new. But then, they disappeared. First it was for a week, then they would show up for an episode or two, then be gone again. I’m all for other stories being pushed to the forefront, but these two disappeared where I started to wonder if they still lived in Genoa City.

That being said, I waited patiently for them to come back, each time eager to see how they had progressed. I didn’t care if they progressed on or off-screen, I was just happy their story was there. Let’s be real though, there’s only so long you can sit and be happy with bits and pieces. After two years, I got tired of hoping. That didn’t mean I stopped watching, it meant I started getting disappointed in how they kept yanking us back and forth. 

I am all for representation, but this is ridiculous. Yes I know, gay people on tv with an actual personality and an interesting story is almost non-existent so the television network thought if they kept throwing something out there every month we would eat the scraps up. The were right and we have, but the question we should ask ourselves is should we keep doing that?

Now I thought US  television was the only one who seemed to shortchange us, but then I was introduced to #Neighbours. Here was an Australian soap that decided it was ready to head down this same path. And just like before, I ate it up. I sat and watched, waiting for the characters to evolve so I can see where it was heading. After awhile, I realized that they believed that they could easily toggle back and forth between being straight, gay or bi. I was like, wait what? Now I am all for a person being with a woman then switching to a man if that’s how the character is written, but this story wasn’t adding up. I followed diligently waiting for things to pan out, because I was invested with the characters, but it’s still not making much sense. Now maybe this is just how their story is supposed to be. They are just destined to be friends and that would be fine, but why do they keep playing them up as a couple? That is just junk. I am going to believe that they are scared to actually open this Pandora’s box and it’s not because they are awful writers. It’s hard for me to believe that this kind of wishy washy storytelling is meant for primetime television. I feel like I’m in a bad novel or something and I can’t put it down until the end finally plays out.

I know I should be happy that both soaps are trying to bridge that gap, but honestly should I? For awhile I was, but then #willex had to show me that it can be done properly and they wouldn’t immediately go out of business. So now I’m sitting here looking at #chelly and #teriah wondering if I should be angry with their treatment or be somewhat happy that they do exist. For a long time we were happy with just having some kind of recognition, but maybe it’s time for us to start demanding a little more. I don’t mind if there aren’t that many provided the characters we do have get proper thought and care. We could be cheaters, liars, and a huge mess, but I would like to see us actually be on screen going through all that. I’m not saying that it has to be like the ‘L Word’ where everybody is gay, because nowhere in the world is it just gay people or straight people, but I think we should hold the entertainment industry to a better standard. We aren’t just happy with existing, we would like to actually live. Do you think that’s too much to ask for?

[awesomesuperherowanted]

Batwoman 1x5

I have said it before and i will say it again, Mary and Alice are carrying this show. This episode was good probably because it was focused on Alice and Mary.

Let’s dive in.

So now we get a better picture of what happened to Beth that led her to becoming Alice. I have to say this is some dark crap. I personally don’t like to watch shows like this because I know evil like this exists in our world, but it does give you an idea of why Alice is like that. No way in any shape or form am I excusing it but at least we can understand her a little.

Now my girl Mary is feeling like she may lose her sister only to realize her sister is too busy hanging out with a murderer. I have to admit I found this funny. Mary being drunk and venting to Luke was the right touch of humor to cut through the heaviness of this episode. Without her this episode would be really dark.

I still believe that Mary can help Luke in whatever the heck he is supposed to be. I know he’s supposed to be the information guy but googling things doesn’t exactly make me feel confident in his abilities. I know everybody is still figuring out where they fit in this story, but I will say Kate needs to up her game.

For someone who’s supposed to be the hero of the story, Kate spends a lot of time getting tricked and on the wrong side of the handcuffs. I swear I am trying to cheer for her but I don’t remember batman needing so much rescuing.

I know I promised I wouldn’t compare the two, but I feel like they are trying to make her a carbon copy. She’s even got that devoid of emotion type of demeanor. I am hoping that her character evolves a little because I find myself way more interested in Mary and Alice then I do with her.

Episode 5 has opened a lot of doors and I am hoping that this story gets better. I fear that this is just a classic revenge story and I will be sad if that’s the case. I’m really hoping for some kind of twist or turn otherwise I don’t think this show will last very long.

As for the whole superhero thing, right now Batwoman can barely save herself so I’m not sure if we can call her a superhero right now. Sigh, here’s hoping episode 6 has more to offer.

[awesomesuperherowanted]

Batwoman 1x4

Maybe the first three episodes might have set this episode up for failure. I mean after the bombshell about Alice and then catherine faking beth’s death, I would say that would be a tough set to follow. With that to consider, I think this episode didn’t really quite live up to my expectation.

In my opinion the only real thing I thought that kept this episode worth watching was Mary and Catherine’s scenes. Also I have to give my boy Luke some props because his scenes were also quite enjoyable. I still believe he is a perfect balance for Kate.

Now that I have said that let’s dive in.

So basically this episode revolves around Kate realizing that she can’t have a normal life if she is Batwoman. Well, did we really need an episode to tell us that? Um no, but I guess the CW thought we did so okay.

Then on the other side of things, we see that maybe Mary might be able to help the bat in the future. Seems my girl Mary is living up to the scene stealer I believe she is. Her parts had me wondering how exactly is she going to fit in later on. I’m here for this so take your time showing us why Mary is important.

Let us not forget that in this episode we have now found out that beth/Alice knew that Catherine is partially the reason why she was never found. I say partially because they didn’t exactly find a whole body and yet her dad stopped looking. Just saying.

And last but not least we now know that Alice has a bigger plan and it involves a lot more violence. Why does this not surprise me? Maybe because my girl went and sliced off a finger to make a point. Yes she is serious and is not afraid to kill or hurt others. I know she’s unstable and all, but I have to know her story so bring it on.

The rest of the episode was filled with Sophie, Reagan, and Kate drama that I could easily just ignore. Oh yah and the introduction of a new villain only to have her captured very unceremoniously. I will say this villain was not even worth watching. She had great promise then ended up being yanked off a building to be carted off by the crows. Yah, I wasn’t impressed.

So what did I think of this episode? I will reserve judgement only because I will hope this will lay ground for something bigger. I want this show to succeed so I will be an optimist. So let’s go Batwoman, live up to your hype.

[awesomesuperherowanted]

#willex starting conversations

The reason I bring this up is because in almost every storyline I have come across only younger people struggle with the idea that they may be gay. If the person is older or if it’s an older couple, their characters are pretty secure in who they are or what their preference is. I applaud when they show established older couples because yes they do exist (even though the world seems to think only the young are gay), but the entertainment industry shies away from a woman questioning whether or not she is gay if she is over 30. Why? Do they not exist?

Now take a moment and put yourself in their shoes. Imagine having a husband or having relationships only with men. Imagine having kids, having a home and a group of friends, families and acquaintances knowing this version of you for as long as they can remember. Now imagine heading the carpool for your kids soccer games, a van teeming with pre-teens and adolescents, you more than happy to undertake this task because you know that when you get to the soccer field you will be seeing a certain someone. This person makes you smile like an idiot, makes the arduous soccer game fly by with jokes and insightful conversation, and she’s not hard on the eyes. But see, you categorize it as friendship, you can’t possibly be attracted to this person, eventhough every moment with her makes you feel giddy. So what do you do? What if it’s just her? What if it’s just because you don’t have a friend like her? Would you dare think that maybe you might be capable of being gay, bi, or let’s not label it, but able to be into a woman?

Now if you face all those questions, let us not forget all the soccer moms who allow you to take their kids to the games, all the friends you have over on Friday nights for barbecue night, or all the people you see at your kids school events. Now many would say, it’s your life, what’s the big deal. Well, the big deal is that maybe you aren’t ready to face the fact that you might be attracted to the same sex and maybe it’s a huge thing to you. Yes, it is not something only faced by young people.

The reason I like #willex so much is because it has two women who are in very different stations in their life. Alex is well established career wise and is a confident gay woman. Willow is still unsure of where she’s headed and has been extremely straight. Now Alex has turned her life upside down and she has to figure out if she wants to come out or if keeping it to themselves is the way to go. On the other side, Alex has to figure out if she wants to let her heart fall that badly while helping Willow navigate the uncertain waters of being straight or gay. There are so many ways this story can go and in the meantime we get to enjoy that they are not teenagers dealing with this life altering moment. I have nothing against the younger storylines, I just think that the entertainment industry needs to understand that just because you’re older doesn’t mean you automatically know who you are or what you want – and guess what, there’s nothing wrong with that.

So this is why when I see people saying that #willex is important to the younger queer audience, I’m like, it’s important to the queer audience in general. I wish the entertainment industry would understand that life doesn’t stop at 30, and that they struggle just as much as everyone else. Here’s hoping that eventually everyone figures that out.

[awesomesuperherowanted]

Why does this matter

#willex is just another lesbian couple. They are just one out of so many already. Wait, what? People wonder why this story has struck such a chord with the lesbian community and I’m wondering why they don’t get it.

For the record there are only a small amount of characters on tv that are lgbtq. It feels like there are a lot because the straight world is not used to sharing their space, so therefore one is already one too many. Then when they do decide to toss us a bone, they write it where we sit here asking ourselves do they really think we think like that or act like that? Normally I would say hey they are learning but then again we are no different from any other couple on tv, so why should we give them so much slack.

Then to top it off they wonder why we get attached and want answers when one of our characters is misrepresented or winds up dead. Well if you only have 10 couples that are gay and in almost every single one someone dies or does something so far off character, I mean it gets kind of old. I understand they mess up on straight characters too and sometimes they die for the dramatic effect or furthering of the story, but guess what, they are abundant in the entertainment industry so there is always another to latch on to. Do the math people.

Now before you criticize us for getting attached to imaginary characters, remember this. There is a reason why Walt Disney is who he is. The world attached themselves to a mouse with red shorts, a sleeping princess, and a toy named woody, to name a few. Now imagine if we killed that mouse, or if sleeping beauty didn’t wake up, or Woody did end up in the wood chipper, I bet there would be a lot more people understanding our anger and frustration.

That being said, #willex is doing something that the English speaking world has yet to do, represent what a couple would look like if a straight woman decided she may not be straight because low and behold she is attracted to a gay woman. Now I know there is the argument that there are other stories that have been told, however this one has what has been missing, actual dialogue.

Take the exchange between willow and jas. Willow is trying to understand what just happened and jas is simply saying well how do you feel about it. They have several conversations on where willow stands on the relationship and we get to see how you would normally work something out with a friend.

Now take the exchange between alex and willow. One is unsure if the other really feels something or if it’s just a passing phase, so they talk about it. They grapple with their own fears and questions and eventually decide they can take the plunge and find out if there is something there.

Most stories surrounding gay characters are glossed over. It’s we are straight into bed or already married and then next thing you know one is dying or leaving. Everything that happens in between is inferred and it makes you wonder if they just don’t understand what happens in between so they just leave it out.

So far willex has managed to surprise me. They have managed to tell a genuine story with characters that do have chemistry. They have been honest to the point where we are cheering that they wind up together but we also realize that it is not set in stone. To me it’s not about them being together, it’s about their journey that makes it relatable. Can you imagine if more stories can be told this way?

[awesomesuperherowanted]

Batwoman 1x2, 1x3

Before I get into these episodes, I am going to say this, I don’t like Sophie. Shoot me, I don’t and unless something drastic happens, I don’t see myself liking her in the near future. I am sure many of you are looking at this as an epic love story where she goes off and realizes that Kate is the one for her and she shouldn’t hide who she is. I think that bridge was burnt the day she gave Kate and Alice’s location. Kate trusted her as if she was still her number one person, and she turned around and told. So, this factors heavily into my decision on not liking her.

That being said, I can’t say the same about Alice. I like Alice. I know there is something wrong with me, but I think there is way more to this story. Now I don’t condone the violence, because Alice is quick to kill and there is no remorse. Then again, that is what makes her a scary villain. But unlike most villains, she is complicated. She has a soft spot for her sister but there is a definite disconnect there. As for her vendetta against her father, her father isn’t as saintly as they paint him out to be, so I’m all for Alice emptying out his closet. I’m really hoping Alice’s motives pan out because I want to cheer for her. I know, she’s a psychopath, but it’s a tv show, I’m allowed to like the psychopath.

Now then, let’s dive into this episode.

First off, these two episodes should have been combined into one. Basically the episodes center around Kate realizing that donning the cape has bigger consequences. It makes her have to take a look at herself, and figure out if this is what she really wants to do. For once, it’s a commitment she can’t just walk away from. In doing so, she would be letting down a whole city and opening it up to a world of hurt. So what do you think she chooses?

Next we get to see that there is a whole lot more to alice than we think. We see glimpses of how the accident has played into making her into this sociopath. We see the lengths she’s willing to go to right the wrongs against her. Normally I don’t cheer for people who aren’t empathetic but there are small glimmers of something whenever she’s with Kate. That alone makes her intriguing.

Then, of course we got the ever so awkward deal between Sophie and Kate. I understand people need a love story in order to attach themselves to a woman character (totally false, but this is what most believe) so I sit through their very uncomfortable encounters. I will say the only thing that makes me like these scenes are Mary giving her two cents. Her quips and insights are spot on and it makes me love her character.

Lastly, there’s the complex relationship between siblings. The idea that Alice is jealous of Mary and that Mary is trying to forge a bond with Kate, I am here for this. Each relationship is already complicated then you add in the jealousy factor? I’m hoping that the jealousy doesn’t last long, because I would love to see these three somehow exist together. I know there is something twisted about that, but I think that they both love Kate and Kate loves them both. Kate just needs to learn to start showing some type of emotion towards them. We shall see.

My assessment of these two episodes: If we don’t dwell on the batman connection, we might actually have a great story in the making. Batman is already great, we need to differentiate between the two.

So that being said, yes I am ready for the next episode. I will hope it doesn’t disappoint.

[awesomesuperherowanted]

Batwoman 1x1

I told myself I wasn’t going to watch this. Before you shoot me for not supporting an openly woman empowered show that features a gay main character, let’s just say I didn’t want to get my hopes up. So I avoided this show like the plague because let’s face it this is the CWs hundredth superhero show (I know that’s exaggerated but you get the idea) and who knows what they are going to do with it.

On the one hand it could go great and we would be able to add batwoman to the already growing line of women superheroes on the big screen i.e. wonderwoman, captain marvel, supergirl. But on the other hand, they could end up writing it to where the superhero is so cliched that she may as well be a male one because it was written so poorly.

Many would ask how that would matter. Well, if you were to take many of the male superheroes and compare them, the only thing that separates them is their hair color and superpower. Their characteristics are so similar that honestly without their long history, they would just be another man running around in spandex. Now that I have offended every comic enthusiast out there, let me get to batwoman.

So I here I am attempting to wait for people to give their two cents on this show before I decide if I want to invest any energy in it, but YouTube had other ideas. Damn those recommendations! After the umpteenth time passing the video suggestions on my feed, I finally caved on a snippet of the show. The clip featured Sophie’s ability to kick ass as well as get her ass kicked. I was introduced to a villain that at first glance reminded me of Harley Quinn, but without all the distracting clown makeup. I have to say the deathly white makeup is oddly disturbing though without it. After 2 minutes, I was like okay, let’s just bite the bullet, if it’s bad we can blame YouTube.

My assessment: it has great potential.

Normally I give a show the first season to establish characters and to hook you, and after the first episode, I want to watch the second and third so definitely worth giving it a second look.

So it’s hard to not make the comparisons of batman and batwoman - they are both isolated and train in unorthodox ways, they both have tragic pasts, they both internalize and bottle everything inside. I have to say the best part of how the two are connected is Kate realizing that she can make a bigger difference by carrying on a legacy. Yes she is striking out on her own, but the ideal behind the bat, what it represents far exceeds what she can humanly do. You can not buy that feeling of safety, it’s earned. Many people don’t understand that, and yes CW it wasn’t lost on me.

Now Kate as the bat, first the girl needs to stop getting her butt whooped, but I understand, it’s new. I like her as batwoman, she’s kind of bad a** but I’m hoping that she shows more emotion than Bruce Wayne. Because batman is monotone and stoic as hell, which fits him, but we don’t need a carbon copy. Her rebel streak fits her look, but I’m hoping they add more layers because seeing her softer side towards Sophie is a definite nice change.

Now the show itself, holy crap the creepy Harley Quinn wannabe is her sister? What? Okay that threw me and now they better have a good story to carry this bombshell. The stepsister being a rogue medic, I love this. She seems like your total socialite and then turns around and runs an underground clinic for the poor. And let us not forget the new but not improved Alfred. My boy luke seems like a great fit to Kate’s personality. As for the rest of the show, I only watched one episode, so I am sure other parts will grow on me.

To me, Batwoman is showing great promise. Mind you, it has only been one episode for me, but so far I liked it so we shall see what the rest holds.

[awesomesuperherowanted]

#willex

So if you don’t know this hashtag, I suggest you get on the bandwagon because this storyline has the potential to be eye opening. I have seen many lesbian storylines and I have written about many of them, so it’s hard to come by something new. For the most part, it usually starts with one being afraid to be different and then them having to deal with the fact that homophobia is real and does in fact exist in everyone’s circles. Yes, this is still relevant, but it is not the only story that needs to be told. So when a story comes along and finally has something new to offer, you better believe I am here for it.

Now before you all get into an argument about how there is a lot of content out there, and that we are evolving. I agree, but for the record, I believe that in our part of the world, it is still sorely lacking when it comes to proper representation. Between the disasterous ending for #kana, the disappearance of sophie webster’s love life, the wreck we call #chelly, and the constant airtime breaks with #teriah, I’m starting to wonder if it is really that hard to tell a grown up story about two women. Now while the queer world seems to flourish in all the shows geared for younger audiences i.e. riverdale, batwoman, bold type, supergirl, the list is extensive, I have to say I can only watch so many teen/young adult stories before I need to let my brain breathe. Thus the reason I ended up in the Spanish world,  and I have to say I haven’t been disappointed. Between #juliantina, #flozmin, and #luimelia to name a few (and I really do mean a few because there are an abundance of them) I can safely say they have gotten it right. Can they do more? Of course, but then again, I am currently watching Pequena Victoria in which they have done something the English world still struggles with, giving representation to the transgender community. So I believe that the Spanish world is definitely doing fine in terms of keeping pace, so therefore I applaud that.

Now, in the English speaking world, it is a little hard to come by couples that have that chemistry and is able to convey a story that can get my heart pumping like the Spanish ones have. However, that was before I came across #willex. I know this couple is relatively new and many would ask what is the big deal, well to me, the big deal can be summed up in this weeks episodes and two poignant lines.

“I don’t want to be your experiment.”

“What if I’m just a phase?”

Those two lines alone, made me sit up straighter and pay closer attention. Willow is supposedly straight, and instead of being afraid, she is diving headfirst into this relationship. She doesn’t understand what is happening but she knows what she wants and is ready to go after it. Alex on the other hand is like yes I really like you, but I need to guard my heart. Right? Because if the newness wears off, Alex will be the one holding her heart in her hand and being told, you know you should never let yourself fall for a straight girl.

That being said, regardless of straight or gay (because I think labels limits), these two women have to wade through uncharted territory while fighting desires and the urge to throw caution to the wind. We get to watch them fall in or out of love, and we get to feel just as giddy as they do. This is the kind of story you can’t help but be drawn into and you want them to be together but also you realize that there is a possibility that it might not happen. I know we want it to happen because well, we all want love. But in life we do go through phases, so what if it is one? What if Willow sleeps with Alex and decides its just not for her? Or what if Alex decides that she doesn’t want to be her first because the expectation is too high? I mean there is no guidebook here.

As I said, this story has the potential to be eye opening because most times, people don’t understand that we go through this. There is a saying, never fall in love with your straight friend. They may look like they could be with you but in the long run it never works. So with that in mind, I am here for this and I hope you are too.

[awesomesuperherowanted]

Ageism

This being premiere week, and me being gone from American television for so long, I decided why not watch something totally different. Usually I go for a good drama, or give me action packed episodes and I’m ready to binge. This is why I ended up in Spanish Telenovela land, if it’s one thing the spanish don’t skimp on, it’s the drama.

So finally making my way back to American television, I thought why not watch a comedy. It’s been almost a lifetime since comedies were entertaining. There have been an occasional breakout here and there in the last 20 years, but let’s be serious, there hasn’t been a line up that can stand us p to Friends, Mad About You, Seinfeld, Frasier, etc. That was a time when comedies were funny and abundant. Networks now are all trying to find that next ‘must see’ lineup.

So with that in mind, I started with Carol’s Second Act. It had its ups and downs, and I’m still on the fence if this show has what it takes to be that next best comedy, however the one thing I did find was it highlighting an issue that is usually shoved behind the curtain - ageism. It showed both sides of the coin, and with humor, it might actually open the door to maybe changing how this is viewed. The only problem with this is eventually these jokes will run thin and then what?

The show starts right off with the idea that the old person is the boss. This joke gets reinvented over and over to the point where I’m wondering if they’re gonna have Carol mentoring these kids. Carol is old, and they are old enough to be her kids, we get it, but do they have to pound that to a pulp? So instead of Carol being an equal, and her age being a non-factor, they have chosen to highlight her age and put her in a role of being a parent/teacher. Heaven forbid that she become actual friends with the others, because you can’t possibly have anything in common with someone 20 years older or younger than you. I am not sure how I feel about this.

Now let’s bring in the young adults of the show. Can I just say I would be a little insulted if this is how a network television studio depicts my age bracket? I feel like CBS needs to go out and meet some millennials, or maybe I give millenials too much credit. If this were the only show you watched, you would think millennials are self-absorbed, airy, immature and highly unsure of themselves. The idea that the only bad thing that has happened to one of them is that his birthday is right next to a holiday, and that he views that as a bad thing because everyone is all partied out by the time it’s his birthday, I mean what? Maybe this is how millennials are, and it’s me who is out of touch. If so, we are in some serious trouble.

Now I know it’s a comedy, and things are overdramatized, but I’m hoping that there is more to it. If they continue with only this, the laughs will eventually die and so would this golden opportunity. I think this show has potential, and I believe that if they do it right, it may bridge the gap between generations. This show may highlight the difficult discussion that we have been putting off, and it may do so in a way where we can all share a laugh over it, so I’m really hoping this happens.

[awesomesuperherowanted]

#Flozmin

First off, I apologize YouTube for being annoyed that every video you have starts with a dumb ad. Because of you, I was introduced to Flozmin and for that alone, it is enough for me to overlook all the negative feelings I have towards you.

Now, for all of you who have had the pleasure of watching Las Estrellas in real time, I am jealous of you. I am very thankful for the people who put it all together and gave it to us to watch later on now that they are gone, but I wish I had watched the story unfold in real time. If you don’t know what I am talking about, please read on and I hope you too will find the magic in this show as well as in this couple.

Forging on, just when I thought Spanish couples couldn’t get any better, I found Flor and Jazmin (Flozmin). If you are impatient and want to know the story in like 2 hours, check out YouTube, the channel I believe is called Fandom Feels. They condense it into 10 videos and each one is like 10 to 15 minutes long, but they do a pretty good job of capturing their beautiful storyline.

This is how I watched them at first. At the end of binging this, I felt like there had to be more. I felt like these characters were so much more than what could be shown in this shortened version. So I scoured the internet in hopes of finding more. I was lucky enough to find their story on Dailymotion and can I just say watching the extended version, I found myself falling in love with Flor and Jazmin as well as all the sisters around them. Their story is a complex love story yet at the core of it, it’s as simple as it gets. 

Any show that has me attaching myself to a character, making me feel what they feel, is a show I endorse heavily. Watching Flor understand herself and Jazmin making her realize that she should love herself above everything else, it’s enough to make any heart beat faster. Regardless of Flor’s condition, her anxiety and how she deals with being different is as basic as it gets. Most will understand how she feels and to watch everyone around her support her and help her understand that it’s okay, can I just say thank you to the Las Estrellas writers. 

Also, you’d be a real dumba** if you didn’t find yourself totally falling for Jazmin. Everybody can only wish they had a Jazmin in their life and I will say I am jealous that this person doesn’t exist in real life. And if she does, damn, why have I not found you yet. Jazmin is beyond understanding and is the definition of what beauty is. Her soul is pure and she’s the epitome of eye candy.

If you’re asking why am I telling you this, well it’s because this love story is probably one of my favorites and I feel like more people should be talking about them. I know I say this everytime, but that’s only because I only write about the ones that are well written and portrayed properly. I am two thirds way through their story and I find myself wanting to slow it down because I know it will end soon. So for those of you who have not given them a chance, please do. They have subtitles in almost all languages so you can’t say it’s because you don’t understand what they are saying. These two deserve to be in every conversation when talking about great couples, and I’m hoping more will find their story and share it as well. 

[awesomesuperherowanted]

The Perfectionists

Going into the season finale of the perfectionists and I am still wondering if I am just seeing a remake of PLL. I understand it’s a spinoff, but I feel like it’s almost the same story with the same characters, they just changed the faces and rearranged a couple of things.

This scene

Mona: Spencer…

Caitlin: I’m Caitlin

Mona: Yah, I know

I mean, they know this and they point it out so does that make it acceptable? No offense to Caitlin, but I prefer Spencer then. 

Okay before you jump down my throat, let’s take a look at some of the other similarities. Mona and Mason being a flipped version of Ezra and Aria, Caitlin and Spencer, Dylan and Emily, Ava and a cross between Aria and Hanna (take qualities from both and you have Ava), and last but not least Alison and Taylor. Oh but I didn’t forget the nuisance called Dana Booker who reminds me a lot of Tanner. 

I started watching this show because of Ali and Mona. It’s never been a secret that these two have been my favorite characters, and when they finally put them on screen to drive the story, I was ecstatic. However the more I watch the more I’m like it’s a little early for a remake, it’s so close to the original. Don’t you think we should let 20 years pass before we go this route?

That’s not being fair. I said I would give this show the first season to figure if I like it, and so therefore I am really hoping this season finale does it for me. It’s great that there are a bunch of new fans who have found The Perfectionists as their escape, but there is a reason PLL was on for so long. We loved the story, and the ability to keep us guessing was part of the excitement. A part of me feels like instead of capitalizing off that and building off that, we are attempting to recreate it. No!!! I know you have it in you to take this story to the next level. 

There is the Beacon Guard storyline, there is the Nolan death storyline, there is the Jeremy storyline, there is the senator cheating storyline, and hell you can even throw in the Emison storyline. Please, for crying out loud, go in some direction other than where it seems to be headed. Break these characters from old habits, make them do something original. Give us a reason to latch onto this show. We are watching, now it’s up to you to keep us watching.