#cinematic analysis

[daymemebeliever]

What we can Learn from Dave the Octopus

Theme 2: Villains (part two lol)

I was doing a rewatch of Penguins of Madagascar (the movie lol) the other day and thought, you know, there's a lot of relevant themes in this movie that can be applied to today's social issues. (Not all of these apply to Dave's character but a good amount of them do.)

The Dangers of Scapegoating

This is a big theme in the movie. The main premise for Dave, the antagonist, is seeking revenge on penguins (especially the Penguins) for his hardships. Instead of learning to embrace himself for who he is and/or working to change the system that worked against him, Dave instead blamed and targeted penguins. When he recounts his story, it is never penguins that sent him from zoo to zoo, but humans. You can see he directed all of his frustrations with societal cuteness standards (if you will lol) onto penguins. And once he thought he had defeated the Penguins, he simply wanted more "revenge" (by finding another scapegoat "puppies, kittens, pandas").

None of this solved his actual problem: the way society perceived him. It only caused harm to another group (penguins). As we have seen in past years, it is very common for groups to be scapegoated, or blamed, for tragedies they did not directly cause or play a role in. When this happens, the actual problem isn't solved, but instead it causes more division and perpetuates more harm. Realistically, it's easier to point the finger at one group (who are in fact innocent) than to fix overall problems. Thus, scapegoating is common but does not contribute to problem-solving. His goal was never to fix the problem but make others feel his pain.

The Harm of Stereotypes/Generalizations

Perhaps the most prevalent motif throughout the film is the perception of penguins as simply "cute and cuddly". In the very first scene, the Penguins are described as "helpless baby penguins" by a documentary crew. A young Skipper aims to challenge this perception by breaking away from the status quo of ONLY being cute and cuddly by "rejecting nature" and saving baby Private.

We can see this perception of penguins being helpless when they meet the North Wind. Corporal, though well-meaning, sweeps the Penguins up in a hug, even though Private is the only one that actually seems to be enjoying a hug. Thus, he makes the assumption that all penguins would be cuddly. Classified, in anger, calls the penguins "pathetic" which immediately gets a response from Skipper.

HOWEVER, Skipper seems to internalize this stereotype about penguins as he, in turn, underestimates Private's abilities. As the movie progresses, you can see that he does this more so out of brotherly/fatherly concern for Private. Still, he ends up placing internalized stereotypes onto Private, which he himself had fought (and continued to fight throughout the movie). He also expresses these feelings of perceived inferiority through his constant challenging of Classified.

Even Dave, at the beginning of his story, tried to fight the stereotype that octopi were "unlovable". Yet after being placed into this category, after being rejected so many times, he became a self-fulfilling prophecy and became vindicative.

In real life, women often face a similar struggle of being underestimated or viewed as overall less competent than their male counterparts. It is more common for women to be taken less seriously than men simply due to stereotypes. Many women can relate to the Penguins' struggle in this movie: being seen as less competent despite being very well-equipped to solve an issue they have experience in.

Autonomy of Marginalized Communities

I'll go more into this in the next section, but a major problem with the North Wind's plan in this movie is their overstepping of the Penguins in their shared goal. Once the Penguins learn that Dave is targeting ALL penguins, not just them, they immediately are focused on finding a way to defeat Dave.

But they are "kicked off the mission" by Classified, who tries to send them to a "safe house" in Madagascar. Their autonomy in this situation is taken away, which leads the Penguins to come up with their own plan in Shangai. It also contributes to the tension and conflict between the groups.

Since this mission impacted the Penguins directly, as they are penguins, they were more passionate about this situation. Private notes this when Classified leaves to "regroup". If Private would have listened to Classified and "regrouped", the penguins (including Skipper, Kowalski, and Rico) could have been captured by the exterminators before they returned to help.

In real life, when marginalized communities' autonomy is not respected or valued, it can lead to things like gentrification (which actually causes harm by raising property taxes to where the original residents cannot afford it).

Savior Complex vs. Actual Allyship

Despite not being penguins themselves (and being all larger/omnivorous animals), the North Wind sees themselves as the "professionals" or experts when it comes to saving the penguins (and any other "animals who can't help themselves"). Instead of listening to the Penguins or collaborating with them, Classified dismisses them. This leaves the North Wind with many blind spots in their perception of penguins and the actual nature of the problem they are aiming to solve (protecting penguins/stopping Dave).

In real life, there are already many organizations run by members of marginalized communities. When people outside of these groups try to start helping, without respecting the thoughts, opinions, or needs of members of these groups, this often does not turn out to be helpful and can even be harmful in some instances (ex. Autism Speaks who have historically been known to have very few Autistic members of their board). Without actively collaborating with members of marginalized communities, there is a danger of speaking over them. This can make the situation worse, rather than helping.

Sometimes amplifying voices or simply listening is the best form of allyship.

BUT when Classified listens to Private and does things "the penguin way", they all complete the mission successfully. Even then, they do not save the penguins but work with the penguins, who are saving themselves.

What are you thoughts on the lessons from this movie?

(Should I do a video essay on this? XD)

[kuroshika]

now, i know we give will slack for being a whore here. but there's so much to analyze!! will backing himself into a wall (not really a wall, but you know) and cornering himself to allow hannibal to approach. leaning back and baring his throat. hannibal's reaction to it all.

will's person suit is straining in this scene. he's confronting himself about why he can easily slip into killer's minds now, why he sees himself killing the victims. he's thinning the space between himself and his person suit.

hannibal can sense that and in turn, his own suit is straining because he's pushing will to embrace his becoming. will can feel the ripper (beneath the person suit) and is reacting to the emotions that are being displayed. from his reaction, there's probably a rush of adrenaline (from how his breath catches), some strong sense of possessiveness (why he seems to lean back and freeze), and something more sinister, more predatory (why he bares his throat and makes sure to keep a grip on the side of the ladder).

another interesting tell that the two are straining their projections is to watch hannibal. unconsciously, his shoulder rises and falls in the same way will's does in the second gif. here's a terribly done artist's rendition of it.

also, notice how once will has a grip on that person suit again, he immediately looks away and to the side to keep himself from meeting hannibal's eye. he reinforces the "i try to avoid eyes at all costs" mantra he told hannibal at their first meeting as a way of reestablishing control of himself.

hannibal mirroring will unconsciously is also an amazing detail. it shows how conjoined they are already, how the men beyond their person suits have bonded and begun to take on each other's mannerisms. even more interestingly, you can see hannibal's face fall slightly when will pulls himself together and looks away. he got close to seeing, to feeling him, and the brief disappointment when he sees that he hasn't pushed him far enough is a telltale sign of hannibal's affections for him.

whore or not, this scene is super important to their relationship.

[castielhoney]

Sometimes I am baffled by the people that do not enjoy Fandom behaviour.

Let me explain.

I was talking to my friend a couple weeks ago (female, cishet) who has watched all of supernatural. Offhandedly mentioned destiel, expecting a chuckle and en eyeroll. I got a bit more than that: she went on for a while about how I was "doing too much" and that's "just weird". Okay. So I told her I'd gather a list of evidence, if you will.

That came back up today, as we were chatting over coffee when I saw the jeopardy question. She said she just didn't understand the "ship" stuff. She said she feels like it just ruins the show when you start making stuff up about it. She said "that... destiel or whatever you wanna call it, it doesn't matter what the [showrunners, cast, and writers] say, if it isn't in the show, you're making it up."

That was baffling to me. Cinematic analysis is one of my favourite things in the world. Over-thinking every line, every glance, every lighting choice. And it isn't just with supernatural, it's with everything I watch. It increases my enjoyment of the show tenfold.

And yeah, sometimes I just like to enjoy it for what it is. But sometimes, I see just a tiny microexpression and watch it from a slightly different perspective, and it renews the entire film.

Destiel is just one facet of that, albeit an epic one. It is not delusion. It is a storyline that was trampled for two decades, and not only did it come out alive, it is still getting renewed attention and acknowledgement, both by new fans and by those involved in the show.

Fanfiction is one of the most beautiful things that the internet ever brought us. And I don't just mean writers and artists; I mean headcanons, or fleeting thoughts, or an imagined quip, or thinking of a character when you see something in your day-to-day life. It's the way a story can knit itself into who you are as a human being. Writers, actors, and artists only give us a prompt. We are what make it a story. How boring life must be without your imagination.

[heliza24]

Analyzing the sex scenes in Young Royals (using cinematic language!)

Every day I log on to this app and see y'all waxing poetic about the way Simon and Wilhelm kiss. And don't get me wrong, they're good kissers and you should talk about it. But like, if we're gonna discuss the intimate scenes in Young Royals, let's discuss them. Let's break them down. Let's get into the nitty gritty. Let's analyze lighting, let's discourse about framing, let's talk about musical motifs. And then let's all say "thank you" together to our queen Rojda for gifting us with these beautiful scenes. Yes Omar and Edvin are great at their jobs and have incredible chemistry. But at least 75% of why I love these scenes is down to directorial choices. It's Rojda's (and Erika's and Lisa's and Kristina's) world and we're just living in it.

Before we get into it, I should probably tell you about my thesis about sex and intimacy in this show (hammered out over the course of many irl discussions with @bluedalahorse), because it really shapes how I think about each individual scene. There's a lot of different reasons that characters make decisions in Young Royals. They're influenced by their families and their childhood and their peers. But they also often make decisions based on a kind of physical and emotional logic that only makes sense to us only because we have witnessed the magic that exists in the intimate scenes. Does it make logical sense for Sara to want to date the boy that betrayed her brother? No it does not. But the tangible proof of their connection is in their scenes together, so I understand why she made the decisions she did even if I don't agree with them. Sometimes I don't think it makes sense for Simon to go back to Wilhelm after everything that Wilhelm put him through. But I've felt the magic, the way the rest of the world falls away, in their scenes together. So I understand how Simon can be so desperate to put the rest of the world aside and kiss Wilhelm again in 2.4, damn the consequences. In order for this to work, in order for me to believe that two characters' attraction is so powerful it alters the rules of logic and gravity, the sex scenes have to speak their own cinematic language. They have to be different, elevated from the rest of the show. They have to feel sacred. And that's why we need to talk about more than just the kissing itself if we want to understand why we're so obsessed with these scenes.

I think the morning after scene (aubade, as my Shakespeare professor would have said) at the beginning of 1.5 is a good place to start. It's the zenith of Wilhelm and Simon's connection in season 1 and it's easy to notice all of the things that make it special, because the knock on the door that ruins the moment creates an immediate contrast with the regular world.

The whole scene is diffused with golden light, which makes sense because it's morning, but is also an intentional choice. That light becomes a recurring theme whenever Simon and Wilhelm are together in this way. The camera is close to both boys; when you're getting coverage of one of their faces you're practically on the shoulder of the other. Their faces fill the whole frame. (The show occasionally pulls a little trick of giving the camera the POV of a character, like before the first kiss when the camera stands in for Wilhelm and Simon is looking directly into the lens. This isn't that direct but it's still very intimate.) Contrast this with the wide shot of both boys after the knock on the door, when the camera is removed and above them.

I'm obsessed with Matti Bye's score in general but I especially love the music here. Those sustained notes create an otherworldly feeling of floating, while deconstructed pieces of melodies we've heard before filter into the scene. Also, the way the sound is mixed here is so different than any other part of the show. We are able to hear every tiny detail: sheets moving, breath quickening. Every touch has a sound. That sound cuts out immediately after the knock on the door, so much so that it almost feels like the oxygen has been sucked out of the room.

The first thing I notice about the kiss scene after the dance in 2.4 is the lighting. The lights coming from the party in the background are twinkling, which creates a magical backdrop. But the reason they're twinkling like that is because they're out of focus. The shallow focus of the scene creates a literal bubble for Simon and Wilhelm to exist in. The noise of Hillerska is distant and unimportant compared to whatever is going to happen between them here on the lawn. The other lighting element that sticks out to me is the warm light the hits Wilhelm, which I think looks like it's coming from a street lamp. That's a light source that makes sense for the scene, but I'm also sure it was intentional. A return to being with Simon means a return to that golden light.

The music here is so intense. The use of the abstract choral vocals creates this incredible sense of anticipation, like the whole world is holding its breath. I love the contrast between Wilhelm's historical costume and Simon's modern outfit too. By going out to find Wilhelm, Simon is going back in time to when he and Wilhelm were together. He's also reaching back into the traditions of the past and trying to pull Wilhelm, who has been overwhelmed by the historical weight of his royal role, back into the present.

We've got the very deliberate sound mixing again; you can hear every move of that kiss. The thing that stays with me though is that the sound doesn't go back to normal until Simon has fully exited the scene. His footsteps crunching on the gravel are crystal clear. Wilhelm is holding on to every piece of him he can, even his steps as he walks away.

This scene actually contains one of my two gripes with season 2. (Gripe number one is a much bigger story thing to do with Felice, which I might write about another day). But this complaint is, of all things, a tiny editing decision I disagree with. The edit stays on coverage of Wilhelm's face through the whole lead up to the kiss. I really wish it had switched to coverage of Simon when he says "everything just got so messed up between us", because that's the moment he decides to step forward and kiss Wilhelm. Watching Wilhelm patiently wait for Simon to make that decision is fascinating, but I wish the edit had respected Simon's agency a little bit more in that moment and shown us his face while he makes that crucial decision.

Anyway, the kiss is still great. Ok, moving on.

The "what's going to happen to us" hookup scene in 2.5 is interesting to me because there's a very clear beginning, when the scene tips from normal dialogue into something more intimate. When I first watched this episode, I was holding my breath, wondering if that hug was going to turn into something more. And then it did! There's one wide shot of the boys hugging, during which the score drops out and the sound mixing changes to emphasize those small movements and breaths. Then the next shot is up close, with their faces filling the frame. We hear Simon sigh and know that the energy in the scene has shifted.

And then the camera catches the golden light from the window, creating a little bit of a lens flare. "Holy" starts playing, which sets this scene apart from all the other sex scenes in the show which are scored but don't have a needle drop. I love that the lyrics of the song make explicit everything that the cinematography up to this point has been trying to convey in these scenes: Wilhelm and Simon together create a sacred space. And there's so much yearning in that song, which perfectly suits the desperation of their situation. They're scared of all the ways the future might separate them, but they know they want each other in that moment.

Also, I'm obsessed with the decision to cut the scene at the climax of the music on a shot of the curtains. It's like the cinematic version of an ellipses. It invites us to imagine all the things they're going to do together, while still granting the characters the privacy they were so cruelly denied in season 1. It is, in a word, extremely sexy.

Each decision is so intentional in these scenes, and I think it's one of the reasons why people connect with this show on such a guttural level. I think it also feels rare to have queer sex scenes shot in this way, with such care and precision. I feel cared for when I watch them, because the creators clearly care for the characters and the story they're telling.

I think that's a good sample of scenes, but if people are interested or have scene requests I'm happy to do more! Also curious about what you all noticed that you think sets these scenes apart.

(And a little PSA: If you enjoyed me talking about the sex scenes in Young Royals you might also enjoy me writing sex scenes for our Young Royals fic Heart and Homeland. Even though it's an AU we tried hard to capture the sacred tenderness that we love in the show, especially in the Simon and Wilhelm scenes.)

And edited to add: there is now a part 2 of this analysis that you can read here!

[steven-thefish-burnsides]

While Crowley’s chair is more ornate, Aziraphale has his own matching ornate red chair (shown when he reads Agnes Nutter’s prophecies). From a cinematic analysis pov, this shows their shared qualities: Crowley’s throne doesn’t quite match his modern, grayscale aesthetic, and Aziraphale’s doesn’t quite match his bookshop, tartan vibe. A large part of this show is that they’re complex characters, not beholden to the stereotypes assigned to them (by the Divine Plan, or by themselves). From a fan pov, Crowley and Aziraphale went furniture shopping together and got matching chairs.

[kuroshika]

actually, tbh, i think ive been getting wills characterization wrong. he doesn't have a person suit.

hannibal does, very obviously. he can zip and unzip it at ease, and you can't make it slip. he's got a firm grasp on the zipper and what lays beneath it.

i guess that would mean will's projection would be more like curtains. he has a grip on them, and can open and close them at will, but there are also winds that flutter them open every now and again. you can see the shadow of what lays beneath through them and he tries his hardest to block that — one of the ways being things like how he dresses. his extra layers, his glasses. like how in coquilles, as he's getting into that fight, his glasses come off? as those curtains begin to become harder to keep together, those protections disappear. he wears less layers, his glasses disappear. his protection is thin, and he wants people to see that shadow in the fabric and want it.

and hannibal did that! that's why the "i let you know me. see me." - "you wanted to be seen." - "by you." line makes sense — hannibal wanted to be seen by will, because he saw what was behind those curtains, and he unzipped that suit for him. i think that's also why will sounded so... awestruck. because he was in shock that hannibal had unzipped this cautiously created person suit for him.

"i won't miss you. i don't want think about you anymore." this is where will is closing his curtains to hide himself off from hannibal, taking back that rare gift he allowed him. but he still wants him to need him, to crave him, so that shadow is still there. even in trying to close himself off, he's giving just enough for hannibal not to lose interest.

@lesbian-hannibal @shatteredlesbian

[heliza24]

Let's talk about the music in Young Royals! (Part 2)

This is the second part of a two part analysis. You can read part 1, which focuses on needle drops in the show, here.

I absolutely love Matti Bye's original Young Royals score. It is beautiful and immersive. It makes Hillerska feel like some place special. It shimmers and sparkles and draws us in to the emotions of the characters.

I've already talked about how effective the score can be at elevating certain scenes and creating intimacy in my posts analyzing the sex scenes in the show, which you can read here and here. But today I want to focus on another purpose of the music: the way that it emphasizes themes. Much like the needle drops in the show, the score helps emphasize the difference between public performance and genuine emotion. The conflict between the characters' assumed roles and their actual feelings is one of the biggest themes of the show, and the score helps establish this.

In order to examine how the score reinforces this theme, I want to break down the music in one small section of the show. The music that underscores Wilhelm's speech at the end of 2.6 tells us so much about what Wilhelm is going through in that moment, and it's the culmination of several musical motifs that we've heard earlier in the show.

In order to really be able to listen to the score, I ran this little clip through the program that I use for video edits, that separates vocals from background music. It is admittedly better at isolating words than it is music, so the audio here isn't perfect. But I think having the dialogue muted helps when you're trying to concentrate on the music and pick out melodies. I'm going to use time stamps based on this video for the rest of this post.

At the beginning of this clip, the score feels almost... familiar. There's a shimmery opening sound, and then a sequence of falling notes. It sounds so familiar, in fact, because it's a version of "Recomposed", one of the two tracks (along with "Harmony Theme") that are played most frequently throughout the show, and that together make up a kind of unofficial "theme song" for the show.

However, these two themes are used in very specific ways. You never hear them used in intimate scenes between two characters, or when a character is talking about their true feelings. Instead, they're used over montages of the students at Hillerska, when the class system of the school is on full display, or in moments of stress for our main characters. The best example is probably their wide use in 1.3 during parent's day. "Recomposed" plays when August is making a stink about letting Sara, Simon, and Linda eat with the boarders, and when August makes Wilhelm pose for photos with him. "Recomposed" is beautiful but it's also stressful, and it's used here to underline how arbitrary and discriminatory the Hillerska traditions are, and how uncomfortable Wilhelm feels adhering to them.

So, the first 55 seconds or so of the speech the scoring sounds like "Recomposed". But not exactly like "Recomposed". It's a little slower. The notes are more syncopated. It almost feels like the melody is breaking down. Just like Wilhelm's ability to maintain his facade and play his role is also breaking down. If you were to listen to this section of the speech with the words unmuted, you would hear Wilhelm struggle through and then abandon the scripted speech he's been instructed to give. So the idea of this oft-repeated musical motif also being slowly discarded is just perfect.

The next section of the clip, from around :55 - 2:05, is characterized by a series of ominous sounding chords and the lack of a clear melody, which reflects Wilhelm's anguish as he decides whether or not to tell the truth about him and Simon. I think this is a good reflection of the way the score in general shifts between seasons 1 and 2. Season 1 has a lot of complete, distinctive melodies. By comparison the season 2 score feels muddy. There aren't as many distinctive melodies, and the emphasis is on highlighting the stress and confusion that characters are feeling rather than creating a pretty song. This makes the season 2 soundtrack album less satisfying to listen to on its own, but works really well in context. Season 2 is full of amplified emotions and the score really captures that.

Ok, now we're on the last part of the clip, from 2:05 to the end. This is my favorite discovery that I made while working on these posts. For a long time I could not figure out where I had heard this melody before. The piano notes sounded so familiar. It made me think of Simon and Wilhelm in happier times. And then I remembered: the fish scene. This clip once again has (most) of the vocal track taken out. Can you hear how it's the same melody as the end of the speech clip?

So, we have a musical motif that is closely associated with Wilhelm and Simon's love that plays while Wilhelm is admitting to being in a relationship with Simon publicly for the first time. Makes sense, right? (Also thank you to @books-books-smolderinglooks for pointing out that this is on the soundtrack for season 1 as the track named "Dad"!)

Well I got curious, and did a full series rewatch, looking for this musical motif. And I found it in two more places besides the fish scene and the final speech. It also plays during Wilhelm's first two sessions with Boris the counselor. These sessions are so significant for Wilhelm. They allow him to actually feel his emotions in a safe place and realize that he does actually have agency over how he chooses to live. So while I was originally thinking about this as the "Wilmon Musical Theme", I had to revise my thesis about it a bit. Now I would describe it as the "Wilhelm Living In His Truth Theme", which of course includes Simon.

It's so meaningful that this music plays while Wilhelm is admitting that it was him in the video. He's doing what he should have done at the end of season 1, telling the truth and being honest about his and Simon's connection. And he's reclaiming agency over his life by refusing to continue to lie. The music subtly enforces this, without us even realizing, by using a motif that we have already associated with those themes.

I cut off the clip of the speech right before it transitions into "The Most Beautiful Boy" by The Irrepressibles, but I think the juxtaposition of that needle drop with this musical motif is so beautiful.

Those are all my thoughts on the score, and this particular musical moment in the show, for now. Do you have a scene where you think the score is particularly effective? Do you have more scenes that you want me to analyze? My ask box is open and I would love to hear your thoughts!

[heliza24]

Let's talk about the music in Young Royals! (Part 1)

This post, which will focus on the needle drops used in the show, is the first part of a two-part analysis. Part 2 will focus on the original score.

I love the way music is used in Young Royals. It was one of the first things that attracted me to the show, but it's only recently that I’ve stopped to think about why I find it so effective. I used to (in a pre-disability past life) work in the music industry, and I’ve been missing my old job a lot lately. So I thought I would use some of my knowledge (and my media analysis skills) to write this meta. I've tried to link a youtube video for every song I reference, so you can go and listen to the tracks if you want to.

First, let’s talk about some logistics. “Needle drops” are when a show uses a pre-existing song as part of the score (like literally dropping a needle on a record player; isn’t it weird how that terminology has stuck around even while the technology has changed?). You can also call them music syncs, which refers to the fact that in order to use pre-existing music in film, you have to obtain a music synchronization license from the copyright owner (this ensures that the recording artist and the songwriter get paid for the use of their music). The person in charge of selecting songs and clearing the rights for them is called the music supervisor. The Young Royals music supervisor is Magnus Palmborg, and I think he does an incredible job. (He was also a co-writer on Simon’s Song, so we really have a lot to thank him for).

Music serves a very important role in Young Royals. I believe that the selection of songs and use of the score really helps establish one of the most important themes of the show: the dichotomy between the public and private self. So much of Young Royals is about the images characters consciously try to project and the pressure society puts on them to act a certain way, and the way that conflicts with their actual internal feelings.  And this dichotomy exists very clearly in the music too.

Most of the needle drops in the show are big, bold pop and hip hop songs. They are usually played over montages of the students at Hillerska, often towards the beginning of the episode, and they reflect the “cool” image that the students are trying to project to each other. The very first time we see Hillerska, “Wannabe Ghetto” by Fata Boom is playing, and the lyrics “keep up the front like it’s your mission/Look our best, cover up what’s missing” perfectly sums up the pressure the students feel to fit in at such an elite school. When everyone is getting ready for the welcome back party in 2.1, the incredibly confident "Ripe" by Flavia is playing. The lyrics “no need to go to work unless you're working on my body” are full of sexual confidence, but they also play while students are putting on makeup and trying to look their best, literally working on their bodies. (Flavia is one of my favorite finds from the soundtrack by the way. She makes total queer bangers, I recommend checking her out). 

It’s probably worth talking briefly about the opening title card here. A lot of shows have full opening sequences, with their own theme song. Young Royals eschews this, choosing instead to just flash the title on screen over an existing scene, often with a needle drop (but this changes each episode). I think this approach works really well, because it lets the music clue us in to the mood of each episode. A lot of episodes start with a very intimate scene, like the music room scene at the beginning of 1.3, and then contrast that with a burst of pop music during the title card that reminds us of the front the characters are normally projecting. In 1.3 the title card is shown over a montage of Felice struggling in the stables and is accompanied by a loud, lyricless pop song. That contrast from the intimacy of the music room, to a space where Felice feels like she’s always pretending, is really effective.  

But sometimes needle drops are used to reflect more intimate, genuine emotions. Sometimes the show does this by making the song semi-diagetic. (Diagetic music is music that exists within the story that characters can hear; so Simon’s Song for instance is diagetic). At the beginning of episode 1.1, Wilhelm is listening to “Bad” by Farveblind, which has the lyrics “I think it’s bad/I think it’s lame/I think it’s horrible” over and over again, which is a pretty clear indicator of how Wilhelm is feeling. The show does a similar thing in 2.3, when Wilhelm listens to “The Lonely Ones” by Lova in his headphones when he walks by the lake. He’s feeling lonely! He listens to a sad song! That’s pretty straight forward. 

But sometimes the way the music captures characters’ genuine feelings is a little more subtle. I actually think that there’s a lot more of this in season 2 than there is in season 1. There are a few examples I love from season 1, but most of my favorite examples are from the latter half of season 2. This perfectly reflects the journey that all of the characters, but especially Wilhelm, are going on; as season 2 goes on he gets more and more in touch with his real feelings and less and less able to pretend to please the royal family. These songs tend to be a little quieter than the flashy pop and hip hop that represents the facade of Hillerska, and you sometimes have to think a little bit about how the lyrics are illuminating what the characters are feeling.

Some of my favorite examples in season 1 include  “Holes (Deep Throat Choir Remix)” by Zhala that plays during Erik’s funeral, which has the lyrics “And I lose myself inside”, reflecting Wilhelm’s descent into grief and the way that he’s about to push Simon away, and “Sunday” by Gina Dirawi that plays as the girls are setting up for the sleepover and Wilhelm is going over to Simon’s house in 1.5. The lyrics “but I can see you clear here” reflect the fact that both sets of characters have found a sense of comfort with each other. But my absolute favorite example in season 1 is “Samurai Swords” by Highasakite, which plays while August uploads the video of Wilhelm and Simon to the internet. “I am leaving/I’m unleashing/I unravel to the leeches/I’m unpleasant/I’m unloving/So call out the guys with the samurai swords” plays while the camera focuses on August, reflecting his emotional state and also the fact that uploading the video is an act of self-harm for August (the image of samurai swords makes me think of seppuku, or the ritualized suicide that samurai warriors would commit instead of falling into enemy hands) and an act of aggression against Wilhelm and Simon. And when the camera cuts back to Wilhelm and Simon the lyrics say “someone else will love like a rainstorm”. The melody is so wistful and sad, like the show is already nostalgic for the perfect love that Simon and Wilhelm had which is about to be marred by the outside world. 

In season 2, I really love “My Awe Sustains” by Ari at the top of 1.5, which perfectly captures the feeling of longing between Wilhelm and Simon (this is my other favorite discovery from the soundtrack; the whole album For Evig by Ari is one of my favorites now) and “I Wanna Be Someone Who’s Loved” by Tusse, which is included after the fight in the music room in the same episode. The lyrics to this one are really heartbreaking: “You make me feel like I’m invisible… Thought it would help but no one hears my call/No I won’t give up/I want to be someone who’s loved.” The lyrics capture how much Wilhelm wants to make his way back to Simon, but there’s frustration in melody too, which reflects how trapped he currently feels. “Please Don’t Go” by April Snow and Elias in episode 2.3 is another really interesting example. It plays right before August invites Sara to his room “just to talk” and before Simon tries to break up and Marcus doesn’t let him. The lyrics “I asked you to leave but I meant that I want you to stay/I need you to hear what I mean and not what I say” seem to capture the push-pull in both sets of relationships, and how all of the characters are trying but failing to really communicate what they mean.

But I think my favorite needle drop in season 2 that's used to illuminate the inner thoughts of a character is "Mirror" by Mogli. The song starts playing right after Wilhelm's last session with Boris in 2.5, when he realizes he has a choice: he doesn't have to become king. He could let August inherit and be with Simon. The lyrics "You don't want to be sad anymore/And I can't laugh/ No I can't laugh/I want to win this race but you can't lose/I let you score" underscore Wilhelm contemplating August in the Forest Ridge common room. Letting August inherit the crown would be letting him "win" in their invisible war for power, but what would that matter if Wilhelm gets to be happy with Simon? We see Wilhelm come to that realization, and then in the next scene he tells Simon that he's willing to give up the crown for him.

Since we’ve talked about the opening title card needle drops, we should probably address the fact there is also often a song over the closing credits as well. Again, this doesn’t happen in every episode; sometimes original scoring is used instead. But when a needle drop is included at the end of an episode, it feels like foreshadowing for things to come. My favorite is the end of 2.1, right after Wilhelm has a meltdown on the call to his mom. “Seize the Power” by YONAKA plays, and seems to signify Wilhelm’s arc for the rest of the season: 

“Woke up this morning, I feel so fucking important/Look in the mirror, I’m different, I finally made a decision/All the rejected that lost a lack of respect in themselves cause people get hectic/they hurt you and make you feel helpless/they’re not brave like you/they’re too scared to do/anything that’s different, anything that’s new/I don’t need lessons/I do what I want it’s refreshing/as soon as you taste independence/you start living life in the present”

Season 2 is all about Wilhelm realizing he needs to claim his independence and start living his own life, so the lyrics perfectly represent his arc. Plus, the melody of this song is driving and angry, which helps carry forward the momentum of Wilhelm’s conflict with his mom through the end of the credits and reminds us how urgent this need to stand up for himself is.

You’ve probably noticed that I haven’t talked about “Revolution” by Elias or “The Most Beautiful Boy” by The Irrepressibles yet. I saved these two for last because I think they get the most fan discussion of all of the music choices in the season, and for good reason. To me these two are almost the theme songs of their respective season; everything centers around them. They occur at the same place in the season (at the end of 1.4/2.4 and 1.6/2.6) and they encapsulate the lessons that Wilhelm needs to learn: how to stand up to his mom and defy what is expected of him, and how to prioritize his love for Simon.

(I’ve also already talked about “Holy” by Elias in my post about the sex scenes here).

Overall, I love the way that needle drops are used in Young Royals. I know some people have complained that the songs don’t have much to do with the story, but to me nothing could be further from the truth. The songs capture both the societal expectations of Hillerska and the tender, inner workings of the characters. They help us understand the pressures put on our main characters and illuminate how they are really feeling inside. Plus the soundtrack is filled with queer, female, and POC artists who are a delight to discover.

I would love to hear your interpretation of the needle drops in the show. Do you have a favorite song on the soundtrack? Is there something I missed that you want me to talk about? My ask box is open and I would love to hear your thoughts!