#just archivist things

[wintersoulwitch]

Another clip from Reece's recent Arrow Video interview

[unreesonable]

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Reece and Steve talking to Amol Rajan about Inside No. 9 and Stage/Fright, and about TV comedy on Radio 4's Today programme, 14 December 2024.

[tindome-art]

Beware of he who would deny you access to information

"/.../ free flow of information is the only safeguard against tyranny. The once-chained people whose leaders at last lose their grip on information flow will soon burst with freedom and vitality, but the free nation gradually constricting its grip on public discourse has begun its rapid slide into despotism. Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master."

Commissioner Pravin Lal, "U.N. Declaration of Rights" (from Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri)

[ober-affen-geil]

We’re gonna see if I can jumpstart my brain by tricking it into writing when it thinks it’s just flailing. So rather than doing my regular style of analysis I’m going to talk about a character in season 2 that I relate to on a personal level, and why that’s really, really important. This is similar to how I talked about the military representation in season 1 and what it meant to me (still does mean to me, season 2 was consistent) so if that’s not what you’re here for I get that.

But if you want to stick around, I’m gonna talk about Forrest.

Like I said this isn’t really analysis about his character or his characterization (though I have done a small meta involving him), this is about the fact that he’s a historian and I’m an archivist and I have never, literally never, seen a character in a profession so close to mine on TV that I actually relate to.

This is a perpetual problem really, for further reading there’s this great article by Arlene Schmuland written in 1999 that’s a very comprehensive breakdown of archivist characters in all types of fiction and what they look like, and tbh it’s really not flattering for us. And it’s also for the most part wrong.

The people I know personally and the people I see at conferences are usually shockingly liberal, extremely creative and personally expressive, chatty and personable as well as warm and welcoming if a little socially awkward, and finally (and I cannot say this with enough emphasis) every single one is a huge fucking nerd.

So the fact that Forrest dyes his hair and wears rings and is the emcee for an open mic night that he performs his own slam poetry at and names his dog “Buffy” and talks immediately with anyone about the book he’s working on? Is extremely on brand. And if your counter argument is “but he’s young!” I need to tell you that if Forrest is of an age with the rest of the characters (~28 years old) then he’s actually older than me. And that I have seen people decades older than him in real life be as much if not more personally expressive so. Just saying.

I would also like to point out that the fact that he’s researching WWII, specifically Nazi-related, information is not actually that big of a red flag. Partially because he’s a historian and WWII is a very “rich” time for historical research and partially because we now know he’s ex military and, speaking as someone who was raised in a military family, an interest in military history kind of comes with the territory. Also it’s local history and for him it’s literally on his doorstep.

Anyway, I got off track. The point I’m trying to make is that the Forrest we meet? In 2x04? Who is late 20s and has blue hair and wears a cardigan over a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers and greets Michael with their respective research topics from fighting over the microfiche machine and who starts a sentence in front of a cute boy with “interesting historical footnote”? Is absolutely PEAK representation for something that I never even thought to wish for, and I really don’t think I’ll ever be able to get over what a gift that was to see.

[stoker-the-fire]

[wintersoulwitch]

Saw Greg Davies on tour at the weekend. I'd seen posts about him mentioning Alex Horne during his set and so I came prepared.

Not saying any more to avoid spoilers. The tour is ongoing until Feb 2027 if you want to witness it for yourself. Transcript under the cut.

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"Are Alex Horne and Greg Davies in love?" We're not. But I'll give you a little Leeds exclusive. I'd fuck him. I'd fuck the boy. Just out of sheer spite, I'd fuck him.

[wintersoulwitch]

Reece Shearsmith with the Horne Section at the Leicester Square Theatre, 7th April 2026. Going here for archival purposes, cos I wanted to preserve the full uncropped video posted by Bernie Nelson (@weareclang) on her IG stories.

[wintersoulwitch]

Reece Shearsmith in the Evolution of Horror Online Pub Quiz 16 Nov 2025