#michael stirling

[aaajmachine]

One of my favorite parts of the switch up from Michael to Michaela is they lowkey took away the cheating aspect of it. Like, in the books, Francesca actually flirts with Michael while still with John.

Our Francesca would never ever do that. She was totally devoted to him.

The genderswap actually makes their story even more genuine. Yes, she immediately falls for Micki upon seeing her but she has zero clue what these feelings mean and she doesn't act on them.

While Michaela is a much kinder person than Michael. She loves John and would never do anything to actively hurt him. Even though baby girl is a flirt and she doesn't know how to turn it off but she does know how to tone it down out of respect. The moment her feelings for Fran got too big, she literally dipped even though doing so broke her own heart and shattered Francesca's into a million pieces.

I truly hope the shows how much she grieved for Micki as well as John. How everyone tried to help her put the pieces back together only for her to undo their progress with an outburst or silence.

This change up is far more complex and beautiful. Two women navigating love, loss and societal stigmas is much better story than a guy who seduces his cousin's wife and threatens her with impregnation if they don't get married.

[superohclair]

I would think that the conversation between Francesca and John in episode 4 ends the very stupid and baseless accusations by antis that Francesca didn't love John enough at the end of the last season the way she does in the books. it is EXTREMELY obvious that she does, and that they very much in love with each other, and that Francesca trying to find ways to be enough for John is because SHE wants that and SHE wants him, and John telling her she is enough as she is, is because SHE IS. this has zero to do with her queerness or her interest in other people later on, including Michaela. if you still cannot see that the show is offering us a beautiful illustration of a very compatible and true love match, just admit that you hate that these are a black actors and a black woman, and stop pretending this has anything to do with either the book or this love story.

[lvthkllr]

I often find myself wondering why the book readers talk about Phillip like he’s the devil incarnate when ALL OF THE MEN ACT HORRIFICALLY IN THE BOOKS.

First we start with Simon who lied about why he couldn’t have kids and in the ensuing argument with Daphne, punched a wall next to her head and physically aggressed her.

Next we have Anthony who essentially sexually assaults Kate and then heavily pressures her into sex on their wedding night.

Now we move to Benedict who also pressures Sophie into sex and then belittles her quite heavily for declining his “offer” to be his mistress.

Then comes Colin who, after demanding that Penelope stop printing Lady Whistledown, grabs her by the arm hard enough to leave bruises when she publishes another column.

Let’s mosey on over to Michael who’s internal monologue is COVERED in declarations about coercing Francesca into having sex so she will have no choice but to marry him.

Here we come to Gareth who pursues Hyacinth on a dare from his father and then, like Michael, spends the majority of his encounters with Hyacinth thinking about how he has to have sex with her so she is stuck with him.

And finally land of Gregory who, after being rejected OUTRIGHT by Lucy during her wedding ceremony, showed up at the reception and tied her to a pipe so he could figure out why she declined him

Now I’m not saying Phillip is perfect—he’s emotionally stunted, unwilling to acknowledge his own trauma from childhood abuse, has very little sympathy for Marina’s depression or her suicide, acts in a wildly inappropriate manner during his sexual encounters with Marina, & initially pursued Eloise purely so he could avoid parenting his children—but his toxic behavior is not singular within the series.

[tmntmaster13]

I do not oppose the lesbian version of Francesca and Michaela, but I hate the fact that they are making Francesca fall in love with her WHILE she is still married to John.

I mean, she was so in love with her husband, she literally spent 4 years grieving him. They both felt incredibly guilty about liking each other. Michael actually ran away because of that.

Like, I get it, they are trying to put as much possible of the books in a single season, they have been doing it since the first season. But they have been undermining their story from the very beginning and it pisses me off.

I do not oppose Franchaela, just do not like how they are developing it.

[romanticatheartt]

*Bridgerton Spoilers*

She's already down bad... I mean who wouldn't be?

Happy pride month I guess...

[viavolterra]

"We're changing Francescas story bc queer ppl dont see themselves in the show"

THEN WHY TF DID U TAKE THIS AWAY FROM US

if they keep Eloise with Philip even after changing Francescas

im gonna kill someone

[orangepeelshortbreadcookies]

I'm just... obsessed with this 5-second meet cute we have of Francesca and Michaela. A lot have been said about Frannie's adorable tongue-tied, flustered face, as well it should. But I'm gonna need to draw your attention to Michaela's beautiful little reaction over here:

You see that??? Her. Face. Dropped. This woman 100% thought Eloise was John's wife and was ready to put her flirt on the sister before Frannie clarified her identity. You can practically hear her scream 'Oh no, she's gorgeous. I'm in deep shit.' internally from this face. This is the expression of someone who's already head over heels, lovestruck, down bad. Michaela Stirling's kicking into gear her Subaru on Hopeless Devotion Highway right here. The quiet pining is already starting. It's going to hurt deliciously. I am seated.

[herstotaste]

“Friends, then?”

Followed by flirty intense eye contact???

BOOMSHAKALAKAAAAA