Really enjoying Ted Lasso, but one thing that bugs me about Ted's characterization is that the show frames him as genuinely positive, but then consistently shows his mask dropping whenever he is alone. He's like this schizoid Pollyanna who uses humor and positivity as a mask and then turns around and drinks away his sads and hates therapy.
It feels so boring to me. I would be more interested in seeing someone choose optimism not as a mask but who was genuinely struggling to live that way. If Teds positivity is a mask he uses to hide, then he really isn't much different from other men in that he is presenting a different type of masc persona, but is still not being his genuine self.
I hope that one day I am able to promote fat positivity and portray a heavier person as attractive not in spite of but because of their body type as effortlessly as in "Someone You Can Build a Nest In" by John Wiswell. Just read it and I wanted to gush on here about the very positive representation both as someone who has a similar type and who finds that same type attractive.
It's rare to see. And it's not just mentioned in the beginning character description, it's throughout the entire book. Like the author is kind enough to be like "Don't forget! she's built." every few chapters lest we forget and paint her as a typical damsel.
Homily is fat and Shesheshen is wild about it. Also they're kind of both ace, so it's not carnal or anything but on the other hand there is plenty of talk about devouring so like I think my point stands.
Petition to finally, permanently call the Creature, Adam. Give him his name, he already has so little to own and cherish. Let him be known as Adam, please.
nobody is saying you CAN’T have your characters settle down and get married and have children at the end of the story. it’s a happy ending for many people. but if you’re going for a satisfying ending then it should be a satisfying ending for those characters in particular. it has to feel right. if all your character ever really wanted throughout their story was a family and a fucking break, then by all means go for it. but if they had other ambitions that were given up or forgotten or glossed over then it’s not going to feel like the end. story’s not over. revise it or keep going. marriage and children and a 401k doesn’t have to be the end!! it can be in the middle!! life doesn’t end with parenthood. it’s just another stepping stone. treat it accordingly
Also, please don't have characters who've said they don't want children change their minds by the end. I know that happens sometimes, but the majority of the time, it doesn't, and it's really really frustrating for those of us who are staunchly childfree by choice to always see that happening.
If you’re hungry for more Frankenstein content, might I suggest…
…the off-Broadway “Frankenstein: A New Musical” (2007)! The best place to introduce yourself is the “Amen” animatic by corinkeen on YouTube! The musical itself is very book accurate. Unfortunately, there’s very little footage from the actual production and only the cast recordings are public. Despite this, it’s a great gateway to the actual novel!
…Brightgoat’s “The Unbound Prometheus”! This is an AU that’s especially great if you love the creature. They have several animations on their YouTube channel :)
…the Royal Ballet production! The costumes and choreo are gorgeous, and the creature’s design is wonderful! You can access the full recording after paying a small fee on the Royal Opera House streaming platform!
4. *National Theatre Live's production stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller, who both performed the roles of Victor and The Creature on separate nights. Both were recorded and you can choose which one you prefer, or watch them both. I think it's a very fun gimmick for engaging with the trope of "Frankenstein is the monster". Lots of impeccable physical acting. The set design is unbelievable. And aside from cutting Walton, (and Clerval, iirc.) the script is a little more true to the source material for anyone who cares about that, but wisely skews towards the Monster's experience. I think my favorite part of this production is their take on the ending. It's available to stream on National Theatre at Home.
nobody is saying you CAN’T have your characters settle down and get married and have children at the end of the story. it’s a happy ending for many people. but if you’re going for a satisfying ending then it should be a satisfying ending for those characters in particular. it has to feel right. if all your character ever really wanted throughout their story was a family and a fucking break, then by all means go for it. but if they had other ambitions that were given up or forgotten or glossed over then it’s not going to feel like the end. story’s not over. revise it or keep going. marriage and children and a 401k doesn’t have to be the end!! it can be in the middle!! life doesn’t end with parenthood. it’s just another stepping stone. treat it accordingly
Also, please don't have characters who've said they don't want children change their minds by the end. I know that happens sometimes, but the majority of the time, it doesn't, and it's really really frustrating for those of us who are staunchly childfree by choice to always see that happening.
If you want your character to end up in a romance, getting married, having kids, etc - establish from the start that this is something they want. If you want them to overcome some sort of misgivings about it, make it clear that those misgivings are holding back who they really are rather than affirming it. And make it something that this character specifically wants, not some universal standard of happiness.
Also though, please for the love of god can we have some characters who don't do the whole 2.5 kids and a picket fence thing. Including in romance stories. Especially in romance stories, because so many of them seem to position that as the "natural conclusion".
nobody is saying you CAN’T have your characters settle down and get married and have children at the end of the story. it’s a happy ending for many people. but if you’re going for a satisfying ending then it should be a satisfying ending for those characters in particular. it has to feel right. if all your character ever really wanted throughout their story was a family and a fucking break, then by all means go for it. but if they had other ambitions that were given up or forgotten or glossed over then it’s not going to feel like the end. story’s not over. revise it or keep going. marriage and children and a 401k doesn’t have to be the end!! it can be in the middle!! life doesn’t end with parenthood. it’s just another stepping stone. treat it accordingly
I ran into this with someone I was trading critiques with who was writing plays with Christian themes. I am agnostic/pagan, but I acknowledge that people will write religious fiction of all kinds, but obviously conversion is a common theme in Christian narratives.
Now, I am no longer working with this person in part because they got frustrated that I kept giving them the same critique, and I think they took it as me being unwilling to accept their story *because* it was religious, which was not the case. I am more than willing to acknowledge there can be strong stories with religious elements to them. I wouldn't write one, but I am not going to gut it out of any story someone else would like to tell, either.
What I will do, however, is look at the motivation of people finding religion in your story, and ask you what it is about this moment that makes them want to make a major change in their worldview like that.
Not gonna harp on it, but as an ex-evangelical, I have seen and been in many productions that ended with everyone accepting Jesus, and the majority of those did not ask any questions about why they would do that, and whether or not that choice has any impact on their initial conflicts. (Or worse, imo, resolve the conflict BY converting an antagonist.)
Honestly a story with a conversion in the middle that's well motivated but doesn't solve any major conflicts could potentially go pretty hard imo, but I don't think I have ever seen a conversion that isn't treated as the big finale.
I am happy (ok, maybe that's a little strong) to engage with evangelical narratives on their own terms, but I will engage them like I would any other story. And if your conversion scene is unmotivated, you can either make it stronger by setting up that moment better, or you can have a weaker story that probably won't play well to audiences who don't already see conversion as inherently good and cathartic.
I think a really important thing I have only recently figured out is that all work is flawed. Even and especially work from "masters". I think that not enough is said about how "the great man" theory of history applies to how we're taught Art and Literature history as well. Things that are adopted into "western literature" are literally just things that were popular enough. That's it. A lot of them are really great, but they aren't inherently infallible.
I love that Viktor Frankenstein is shown treating actually sick people horribly. I love that he goes on this long agrandizing rants about defeating death and then stands in front of people condemned to die, miserable and terrified, and looks them in the eye and goes "ugh terrible condition ugh be glad you're about to be killed you would have died anyway ugh" because yeah that's what an ego boost "I'm gonna defeat death and beat god" will do to you. That's a horrible doctor, an incredibly smart one, but a horrible one. He doesn't care about improving the quality of life of anyone, he doesn't care about actual healing, he cares about his ego, about getting retribution from death for having taken his mother, not anyone else's mother though, or someone else's son or father or daughter or sister, just his mother. Even when he finds out about Harlander, who has done so much for him, there was no empathy only disgust at his compromised body. And I liked that it was shown because so many doctors, even to this day still, despite the development of ethics and deontology committees, don't understand that the job isn't to defeat death or destroy a disease, the job is to help a human being. Even when you can't heal you should still do your best to help them, improve their quality of life even if they only have one minute left to live. That's the job.
But Viktor didn't vow to become a better doctor, he only vowed to become better than his father but he was still on the same wavelength, still on the same ego trip, just better at defeating death. And the other doctors who rejected him, they were also on the same wavelength, still obsessed with their place vis-à-vis god, as good christians and good extensions of their god, that they shouldn't try to defy him. But noone in that boys' club was identifying the actual problem of their practice. That patients were accessories when patients should be at the center of every single decision a doctor makes.
Viktor (upon finding out his longtime benefactor, the one person who has ever respected his work has the Syphilis...): Ugh! You want a new body? Gross! you'll just ruin that one too! I just built it and it's perfect. I'm not putting your nasty brain in to it so you can give it your cooties. Of course this is the obvious favor I should have predicted you'd ask for but I didn't know you were a dirty sicko when I said I owed you one!
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: *loading a pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* moon’s stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: *loading a pistol* moon’s stuck in a time loop. do you have extra ammo? this won’t be enough.
nasa employee: enough for…what?
astronaut: *finding extra clip of ammo, pocketing it, and getting back on the rocket-ship* don’t worry about it!
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: *emerging from supply closet with a space harpoon, getting back on the rocket-ship* moon’s stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early astronaut: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: what?
nasa employee: how did you know what i was going to say?
astronaut: *punching in key pad code for base evacuation signal, getting back on the rocket-ship* i told you…moon’s stuck in a time loop.
*red warning lights begin flashing*
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: *rifling thru bookshelf of operating instructions, selecting one that says “AIRLOCK MANUAL OVERRIDE INSTRUCTIONS,” getting back on the rocket-ship* moon’s stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: moon’s stuck in a time loop. hey, do you have anything to eat? i’m starving. *opens random drawer, finds nothing, closes it*
nasa employee: a time loo- uh, we don’t have food in here…we can’t…eat in the control room, only the break-room.
astronaut: *sighs*
nasa employee:…my lunch is in like 10 minutes, though, and if my lunch is actually STILL THERE and not STOLEN, AGAIN, i can share it with yo-
astronaut: nah, that’s ok…no time. *loading a pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* or…too much time. but thanks, anyway. OK, bye!
*alarm begins blaring*
nasa employee: you’re…welcome? wait, a TIME LOOP?!
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: yup.
nasa employee: …?
astronaut: *sitting down next to nasa employee* so…do you ever like…wonder what the meaning of life is? the secrets of the universe?
nasa employee: aren’t you supposed to be ON the MOON?!
*alarm begins blaring*
nasa employee: hey, what the hell is that?
astronaut: that’s the code red override klaxon. moon’s stuck in a time loop. oh, and there’s an explosion imminent. But don’t worry, we can deal with that tomorrow. So, you have any siblings? *pulls beer out of space suit, cracks tab* want a drink?
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: do you know frank in IT?
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: do you know frank, who works in IT?
nasa employee: yeah, but why are you guys back so early?
astronaut: moon’s stuck in a time loop. call frank, tell him there’s a virus in the security patch and the system’s compromised. then get the hell out of the base.
nasa employee: wait what? what? where are you guys going?
astronaut: *loading a pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* back to the moon. it’s stuck in a time loop. call frank!
nasa employee: *picks up phone* ugh, straight to voicemail. i wonder wha-
*alarm begins blaring*
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: *grim silence*
nasa employee: i said, you guys are back early…hey, what are you…?
astronaut: *randomly opening drawers until they find a pair of scissors and some duct tape, getting back on the rocket-ship* moon’s stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: *loading a pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* moon’s stuck in a time loop.
*sticks head back out the door of the rocket-ship* by the way, if you go to the break-room in exactly 2 minutes and 45 seconds, you’ll catch the person who’s been stealing your lunches for the past two weeks.
nasa employee: what?! WHO IS IT?!
*alarm begins blaring*
nasa employee: *running for the break-room* FUCK!!!!
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: *sits down, sighs, pulls a beer out from their spacesuit* moon’s stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: …ok, and? hang on, how did you get a beer? you can’t have that in here.
astronaut: what do you know about project floyd?
nasa employee: I mean, the usual amount? i’m not really on the project anymore, why?
*alarm begins blaring*
astronaut: COME WITH ME TO THE ROCKET-SHIP, we don’t have ti-
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: yeah. moon's stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: *loading a pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* moon’s stuck in a time loop. see you tomorrow. maybe.
nasa employee: WHAT?!
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: *sighs, rubs hands over face, and loads pistol, before getting back on the rocket-ship* moon’s stuck in a time loop. and, uh…you should call your mother like you’ve been meaning to. and tell her you’re not actually mad and that you will come to dinner tonight. you’re gonna be hungry.
nasa employee: wait, what? WHAT?? how do you know my mom?! why am i gonna be -
*alarm begins blaring*
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: what?
astronaut: *grabbing two pistols, an extra box of ammo, a pair of scissors, some duct tape, a space harpoon, and a booklet of operating instructions that says “AIRLOCK MANUAL OVERRIDE INSTRUCTIONS,” starting to get back on the rocket-ship, but dropping everything with a horrendous clatter* FUCK! goddamn moon’s stuck in a time loop.
*alarm begins blaring*
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back early
astronaut: moon's stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: what? also, hey, where’d you get that duffel bag?
astronaut: *grabbing two pistols, an extra box of ammo, a pair of scissors, some duct tape, a space harpoon, and a booklet of operating instructions that says “AIRLOCK MANUAL OVERRIDE INSTRUCTIONS,” shoving them into the bag, and getting back on the rocket-ship* moon’s stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earl-
astronaut: *grabs nasa employee and kisses them passionately*
nasa employee: what? WHAT?!
astronaut: *loading a single pistol and getting back on the rocket-ship* moon’s stuck in a time loop, sweetheart.
nasa employee: what?!?
astronaut: a time loop!!! i love you!!! get out of the base!!! stay alive!!!
nasa employee: *presses fingers to lips, confused but intrigued, as alarm begins blaring*
nasa employee:….
nasa employee:…
nasa employee: ho hum what a regular day at the office
*alarm begins blaring*
nasa employee: what the hell is that?!
nasa employee: oh hey u guys are back earl-
astronaut: *grabs nasa employee and kisses them passionately*
nasa employee: what? what?! WHAT!?!? also, hey, where’d you get that duffel bag?
astronaut: *grabbing two pistols, an extra box of ammo, a pair of scissors, some duct tape, a space harpoon, and a booklet of operating instructions that says “AIRLOCK MANUAL OVERRIDE INSTRUCTIONS,” shoving them into the bag, then cupping nasa employee’s cheek with free hand* moon’s stuck in a time loop.
nasa employee: the moon’s stuck in a what?!
astronaut: a time loop, sweetheart, but we don’t have much time ourselves, so you have to listen to me RIGHT now
nasa employee: *faintly* …“sweetheart”?!
astronaut: in 2 minutes and a few seconds, you need to go into the break-room and find frank.
nasa employee: wait, frank from IT?
astronaut: yes.
nasa employee: how do you know he’s gonna be in the break-room? i can’t just call him at his desk right now?
astronaut: how do i know this?! because, one, time loop, ok? and…also…because…heismaybetheguywhohasbeenstealingyourlunchfortwoweeks
nasa employee: that BASTARD i KNEW it
astronaut: BUT THAT’S NOT WHAT’S IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW. hey! listen to me! go in there, catch him red-handed with your burrito, and tell him lunch is on you FOREVER if he goes RIGHT NOW and checks the last security patch - because there’s a virus and the whole system’s compromised. then you need to get the hell out of this base, ok?
nasa employee: …ok. ok. and…and what about you?
astronaut: *cocking pistol and getting back into rocket-ship with duffel bag* me? i’m gonna shoot for the moon.
EPILOGUE:
nasa employee: so, how many loops in total?
astronaut: i mean, it was hard to keep track. somewhere around six months, if i had to guess.
nasa employee: damn.
astronaut: yeah.
nasa employee: and in those six MONTHS, the best zinger you came up with was “shoot for the moon”?
astronaut: hey, you know what, i had some other stuff on my mind!
nasa employee: i mean, i guess. it sounded like you found time to flirt with me each time.
astronaut: yeah, like i said. other stuff on my mind.
*they look at each other, blush, and look away*
astronaut: sooooooo. you’re sure your mom is cool with me coming over for dinner?
nasa employee: can’t make the day any weirder. plus, i owe you for ratting out frank, right?
astronaut: he did help us save the world; we can’t be too mad at him.
nasa employee: you’ve had a little while to get over it, i might need some more time. and it wasn’t even your food!
astronaut: ok, that’s fair. what if i buy you lunch to make up for it?
nasa employee: hmm, when?
astronaut: tomorrow?
nasa employee: well, i’ll have left overs from my mom, and you might too if you play your cards right. day after tomorrow?
astronaut: honestly, anytime is good for me.
Guillermo del Toro's just like "How do I showcase the dissolution of the paternal bond between father and son in cinematic language?" and then blows up a giant phallic tower.
Guillermo del Toro accomplished something in Frankenstein I have never experienced before and I need to know if there's a term for this, but towards the end of the movie there's a line that is like a fourth wall break, but it's not the actors or the characters acknowledging the fourth wall but it's the writer himself giving a wink to the camera. It was remarkable.
I don't consider this a spoiler, but it does happen at the end so discussion below the fold.
It's the moment when Victor says "Maybe we can both be human now."
it brought to mind the cliche that I most associate with Frankenstein as a literary character, "Which is the real monster?" Meaning Victor or the Creature?
It was del Toro just directly giving a novel take on the entire premise speaking through the character, in my opinion. It wasn't out of place or character. and it wasn't bad writing it just stuck out to me because it so effortlessly was slipped in, and how direct the summary of the main idea was in just a sentence that made sense in context as well.
Guillermo del Toro accomplished something in Frankenstein I have never experienced before and I need to know if there's a term for this, but towards the end of the movie there's a line that is like a fourth wall break, but it's not the actors or the characters acknowledging the fourth wall but it's the writer himself giving a wink to the camera. It was remarkable.
I don't consider this a spoiler, but it does happen at the end so discussion below the fold.
It's the moment when Victor says "Maybe we can both be human now."
it brought to mind the cliche that I most associate with Frankenstein as a literary character, "Which is the real monster?" Meaning Victor or the Creature?
It was del Toro just directly giving a novel take on the entire premise speaking through the character, in my opinion. It wasn't out of place or character. and it wasn't bad writing it just stuck out to me because it so effortlessly was slipped in, and how direct the summary of the main idea was in just a sentence that made sense in context as well.
Guillermo del Toro accomplished something in Frankenstein I have never experienced before and I need to know if there's a term for this, but towards the end of the movie there's a line that is like a fourth wall break, but it's not the actors or the characters acknowledging the fourth wall but it's the writer himself giving a wink to the camera. It was remarkable.
