Heyya did you watch s3? How we feeling?
I didĀ watch it. I kinda skimmed through it very fast at first but then I took my time rewatching. I have mixed feelings all around. That's why I took a break from tumblr. I needed to digest it. Obviously, one of my biggest nays isĀ they didn't give daxton enough time before the break up. Right now, I'd rather talk about what they did right re:daxton because we have months to dissect the bad.
1 - I liked that they didn't assassinateĀ Paxton's character but instead, he continued to develop as a character. That was one of my biggest fears going into season 3. I'm always amazed at his emotional maturity but they pushed this trait a step forward this year. He knows when he's wrong and when to take ownership of his mistakes and apologize, compared to otherĀ characters I will not name. I liked that he thanked Devi for making him apologize because it felt good, because he genuinely has a kind heart. He's not swayed by his friends' judgement anymore and stands hisĀ ground. Right into the season, we see Trent give him a nasty look when he walks in with Devi but he shrugs it off and confronts Trent later. And while the bar for male characters may be on the floor, I like that they used him to send a message about sexual consent. I also liked that he voiced how he wants and needs a meaningful relationship, instead of the casual flings he collected in his pre Devi Vishwakumar era. This is an argument in favor of paxton as much as it is in favor of daxton. It's a testament to his growth and maybe a tease for daxton. The point is Paxton genuinely did noĀ wrong in my eyes thisĀ year. I'm a proud mama. I may be biased but I have yet to find a valid argument against him in season 3. That's not to say they made him a one dimensional pushover because they didn't. He's just a kind, considerate and supportive guy who also knows his worth and we needĀ more male characters like that. Especially the ones who fit "the hot guy" archetype because it's usually those characters who getĀ a pass for being jerks.Ā
2. I liked the reason why daxton broke up. The scene made me tear up and made me cheer at the same time. From an outsider's POV, I looked emotionallyĀ unstable. Yes, I'm pissed it happened in episodeĀ 3 but I loved that it had nothing to do with Ben or Des or any kind of cheating,Ā physical or emotional. This was also one of my biggest fears. Paxton said he trusts Devi and she proved him right. The only third person who was standing between them were Devi's insecurities and I loved that because it validated everything we've been saying, and the show has been saying, about daxton's relationship since the beginning. She never believed she was good enough for him and it made her self sabotage every step of the way. I have to stress that he never did anything to make her believe this. Especially not while they were in a relationship. It was the opposite. This was the only way daxton could come back from this plot. The writers tookĀ great care of having Paxton be a complete simp for Devi. He was showering her with praise at every corner. Even when they broke up, he didn't aggravate her insecurities by dating Haley and proving Devi right, because she was wrong. The line where Devi told Des no one ever spoke about her that way was heartbreaking as a daxton but again, so soĀ validating. It was evident that she was spiraling during the valentine date. So much so that she didn't even register Paxton's compliments. The line with Des was on purpose and it was a direct callback to the 3x03 scene. So I did like how Paxton's words kickstartedĀ her own individualĀ storyline about self love. Do I wish it would've happened while they were together? Yes but it also would've sent the wrong message. Romantic partners can't fix the way you view yourself if your self esteem is already on the floor. I'm not sure she believed Des but the thing with him is he didn't know the Sherman Oaks version of Devi, and that's the version of herself that Devi was ashamed of. The one who was called crazy, unfuckable, a psycho, the paralyzed girl, the nerd etc.. so if Des didn't see all that, she believed he liked the better, cooler version of her. That's not to say she didn't grow from the experience with Des but jumping in another relationship couldn't fix the original problem. Instead, Devi's growth was directly linked with Nalini and their relationship, and I loved that.Ā
3. I liked how the show made a point of shattering Devi's idolization of Paxton without destroying his character or their relationship. I really think they're better than they've ever been after seasonĀ 3. There's genuine care and love for each other and they pushed each other to be better. In any other show, I would 100% be convinced they're heading towards the endgame because as Lang Fisher said, they're on equal footing now and there's an entire season left. They can have a real shot at a relationship if (when) their paths cross again. But there's the Mindy Kaling factor... For me, their romantic future is a toss up. We know Paxton is allegedly in s4 as much as he was in s3. We know, allegedly, the love triangle isn't over and we know Devi doesn't end up alone. Now I hope for my Paxton loving heart, they're not about to have one last go at the triangle only to have it end up the way s3 ended. Even if he ends up happy, this would only piss me off more as a daxton fan. I know what it's like when showrunners bait to keep the audience engaged, especially when love triangles are involved, so I'm not getting my hopes up until I see it with my own eyes. We have yet to find out how much they'll interact since Paxton will be in college and isolated from the rest of theĀ characters. Besides the holidaysĀ and summer vacation. Daxton scenes are guaranteed but a real storyline, time will tell. Maybe he takes the semester off for whatever reason to do online learning or something.
These are my 3 (unpopular?) yaysĀ about Daxton. This season and their break up didn't taint my love for them and I take it as a win. I think their relationship has become even deeper. I have so many thoughts and highlights and complaints about the other characters but I'll probably make an individual post about it in a few weeks :)
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