what are the best novelly episodes and also the most important episodes for liz or casey (regardless if the other is there) i need to watch for research
I'm so happy you asked and I get to talk about Novelly, they're everything to me 🥹
(this list is by no means complete, I'll just name some episodes off the top of my head; also these contain very minor spoilers and they're not in order)
Novelly
Rockabye: Novelly is literally in one single scene, but it was the scene that convinced me that these two have something going on—their interaction is so heated, loaded, it's everything; I wanted them to kiss
Gone: Liz is a great friend (or...?) and mentor and everything to Casey. she reminds her that not all is lost, and we can kinda see her soft side
Cold: very important Novelly episode, even though it breaks my heart
Responsible: the one with the alcoholic teens; Liz has some great lines and some Novelly interaction too
Infected: another amazing Novelly episode in my opinion; I gotta admit I haven't seen it lately so I don't remember all, but I do know that I made several screenshots where Liz leans in to whisper something to Casey and I definitely see something 🥹 gotta do a rewatch
Obscene: this interaction is everything to me—it shows me that they must be closer than an average employer-employee relationship:
What did I do?
You don't even say hi to your boss?
Hi. What did I do?
Casey
Night: where Casey gets attacked and we can see the aftermath—I just want to tell her everything is okay
Influence: when we get to know how she lost someone for mental illness and how that influences her decisions at work
Blinded: ...and when this is totally used against her and I want to puch someone in the face
Goliath: where she is up against no other than the US Army
Bound: only one scene I remember where she interrupts some judges' poker game and she is just a cute dork and I love that side of her
Serendipity: Casey's first appearance
Painless: very important moments between Casey and Munch—I've just learned that this episode is not super liked in the fandom, but I really liked it, not just because of Casey, but the topic too
Birthright: she tries a super hard case where there is no good solution; nevertheless, she finds the solution
Impulsive: definitely one, maybe two (not sure if I remember correctly) amazing scenes in this with Casey; we get to see how far she'll go for a warrant and I love that for her
Liz
Persona: we learn a lot about her background when she steps down as judge to try a case and finish some "unfinished business." she is girlboss and vulnerable all at once.
Zebras: one of my favourite Liz episodes. amazing lines, judge Liz, kinda flirty Liz, domestic Liz. we have all.
Guilt: my all tme favourite episode; and I love all her interactions with Alex. you can see her in a mentor role, and I'm here for it.
Denial: Alex-Liz interactions again.
Juvenile: we see Liz as an ADA, trying a case. she goes hard.
I'm sure there are many more but this is my list 🤗
Liz just guiding Casey through it & reminding her that she hasnt lost yet despite the (first) trial being over, that there’s still round two & she’s got this. Ugh. I love them. I love Liz.
It took me & @holycrapraewth like an hour to fucking find these but I needed to send them to you based on that post. Like…. LADIES!! Get a room!! *not my gifs*
I feel BLESSED by the novelly gods today. as Elizabeth Donnelly herself said,
i should gif this scene because the way the stand with each other??? insane. INSANE.
(a/n): no warnings, really. this is just the lead up to…. everything. next chapter will focus entirely from yn’s position and will start off from when she enters the bar and goes up to get a drink. 🥴
in light of new evidence, we’re asking for immediate dismissal of all charges, your honour.”
“mr. barba?”
“the people have no objection.”
“well then. mr. wilkins, you are free to go.”
the gavel slammed against the desk, and while rita was elated that her client was free to walk, and she had, on some level, defeated barba, the attorney was bored. restless, even.
“you win some, you lose some, mr. barba,” she eyed him, teasingly, “nice tie.”
they slipped out of the courtroom and down the hall to a room of reporters, answering some brief questions before continuing further, stopping near an elevator to chat.
“you seemed bored in there?.”
“you know how it is; i was eager to decimate you in there. and now? it’s over, just like that,” she added with a chuckle.
the crowd began snapping photos as mr. wilkins entered the hall, speaking to the woman who had sent in the audio recording who had gotten him released.
“sounds like someone needs to get laid.”
had it not been for the hoard of reporters, or the history with rafael that rita didn’t want to stumble back into, she would have given him a playful smack on the arm. instead, she laughed back and leant against the wall. she also missed elizabeth donnelly passing by, stopping into a nearby office to deliver some documents.
“believe me, that’s not cutting it now, either.”
“get out there, do something fun tonight.”
“will do.”
the two attorneys separated paths, rita heading for the doors to the stairwell. her normal routine would’ve been to go home, the gym, and eat a late supper in her wonderful home in tribeca, but elizabeth had other plans.
“ms. calhoun! a word?”
“certainly, what can i help you with?”
“i just happened to overhear your… predicament with mr. barba, and i think i could propose a solution of sorts.”
“oh?”
rita couldn’t help but cock an eyebrow at elizabeth’s remark. she knew donnelly to be a passionate woman, certainly, but rita didn’t consider her passion comparable to her own, and she immediately put off the thought in her head: she’s significantly older and i’m absolutely more dominant, i could never.
“i don’t mean with me, though i do have an agreement with an associate, and i think we could help.”
“i’m all ears, then.”
“any plans tomorrow evening?”
“absolutely none; it’s a saturday and i intend to utilize it.”
“good. come by the capital grille off broadway at 7pm. i have a private table in the back.”
“see you then.”
it worked perfectly. the capital grille was right by rita’s home in tribeca so it wouldn’t be far for her to escape if the night went poorly. departing ways, rita slipped into her vehicle and headed home for the evening, desperate to have a few glasses of wine before heading to bed for the night.
***
saturday’s hours seemed to melt away, blurring from one hour to the next. nearing 6pm, rita slipped on her black manolos, changed into a black billowing blouse with a checkered maroon burberry london blazer and matching skirt, and headed out the door.
upon her arrival, she noted the upscale, romantic, and contemporary lighting. the walls coincidentally matched her blazer and skirt in colour, and the room had a brooding, pensive feel to it.
“do you have a reservation, ma’am?”
“yes, under the last name donnelly.”
“she’s right this way.”
sure enough, elizabeth donnelly was seated in a booth plated for three, her hair tousled softly, and adorning an all-navy dress.
“rita, please, have a seat.”
“you said your associate would be-”
“she’ll be by shortly, just running a bit late, i’m afraid.”
diving right in, rita began to explain the situation that elizabeth had stumbled upon. she delved into the fact that she was feeling bored with her usual lifestyle and discontent in general, and wanted some excitement, but didn’t necessarily know how to get that at this point in her life.
just as she finished explaining the situation, and food and drinks had been ordered by the two, including for elizabeth’s counterpart, casey novak appeared. she sat herself immediately beside elizabeth, and rid herself of her blazer.
“ms. novak?” rita’s eyes wandered to elizabeth, noting the intimacy that seemed to bloom between the two upon casey’s arrival, with casey reaching over to grasp elizabeth’s hand, giving it a soft squeeze and a light kiss atop her knuckles.
“i know, you must be wondering,” elizabeth began, seeking casey’s consent before divulging their situation, “we stumbled upon an interesting agreement ourselves.”
both of the women discussed their intimate lives as rita nodded and sipped at her wine. she was dumbfounded at what she hadn’t noticed had apparently blossomed between the two. it was also more than intriguing to her; the idea that one would want to submit themselves or dominant another on varying levels to another person.
“so she’s your-” rita hesitated, motioning to casey
“submissive,” they both replied swiftly.
“and you’d consider yourself her dominant?”
“indeed.”
“it’s interesting, i’ll give you that, but i have yet to understand how that pertains to my little predicament.”
“we have an inner circle that we’d love to introduce you to at a small event tonight, actually, if you’re interested-” casey offered hesitantly.
rita mulled over the thought. the two women before her were particularly attractive, and even if the scene wasn’t to her inclination, she might have a good time, and she may even have some wild stories to divulge with over a glass of scotch with rafael. hell, what would she have to lose?
“it’s mostly elite socialites, but no workplace or similar discussions. only good drinks, greater people, and a quaint atmosphere.”
“alright.”
elizabeth and casey explained more of their situation in greater deaths which rita soaked up. she’d always been one to be particularly dominant in both the courtroom and in the bedroom, and some of her previous partners hadn’t particularly enjoyed that. rita found herself in situations where she felt uncomfortable, and she’d had wished in those moments they had discussed sexual compatibility.
“we have a few questions for you, as well, if that’s alright?”
“by all means,” rita said, gesturing back to the two.
“you’re fairly dominant in the courtroom, would you consider yourself dominant in the bedroom?”
“yes.”
“and would you be looking to be have the roles reversed for you? or-”
she couldn’t help but chuckle darkly as food arrived, cutting into her steak while the two women watched her carefully.
“no. i prefer to be the dominant one in the room.”
“i wouldn’t suspect anything less,” elizabeth replied with a grin.
the trio finished their drinks, paid the bills, and waited for elizabeth’s private car to arrive. rita set a silent alarm to buzz to remind her to head home, as she had what felt like a mountain of paperwork to complete the following day. she simultaneously eyed elizabeth and casey as they waited for the car, the two of them fitting neatly together while elizabeth stroked casey’s hair gently and casey leant into the touch, sighing slightly.
it was a mostly silent drive interspersed with blurbs from elizabeth reminding rita that this spot was invite-only and of the various small social rules that were involved in this scene, including a very strict no-work-talk informal policy. rita nodded slightly, but she had concerns brewing, particularly about the professions of others there.
what if she met someone and they were a judge? what if they worked as a police officer? these were all pressing thoughts in the attorney’s mind as they drove to the lounge, slinking out of the car and making their way to the entrance to le rouge lounge.
it was a beautiful and brilliant lounge, cloaked in a vibrant and enthralling crimson, and the woman taking coats and such at the door wore a polished yet sheer black halter top and matching black sequined skirt, the lace of her red lingerie peeking through the material of the halter top.
“liz, case! great to have you again!”
“thanks, sarah.”
“and who is this you brought with you?” she asked, turning to rita.
“rita ca-”
“no last names, please, ma’am. we don’t use those here.”
rita nodded her head as sarah led the three of them to a nearby circular seating area near the main room, the bar adjacent to the tables and seating area they were being led to. “mckayla will be by to offer you drinks in a minute,” sarah added, ducking back to another room to leave the three of them to sit and get comfortable.
“so, rita, a few of our… friends, will be by in a little bit. they have a wonderful girl i personally think you’d hit it off with. someone who can give you a run for your money. figuratively, of course.”
true to elizabeth’s word, a small crowd began to trickle in to the nearby seats, chatting casually with the three of you. she was introduced to a variety of women and men, whispering “women only” at one point to elizabeth before continuing in conversation with the small group. elizabeth introduced her, lastly, to melody, and the woman seemed to have taken a keen interest to rita. she kept leaning over so rita could have a waft of her perfume, lazily trailing her finger up and down rita’s arm, but she didn’t feel as confident about her. she was slightly older than rita, and her attitude felt querulous, almost childlike.
before she could get a word in with liz, you sauntered up to the bar, clad in a salient emerald silk slip dress, the top curling downward to expose the top of your cleavage. your hair was tousled, the sculpted curls trailing down to cover your shoulders and the curve of your which was slightly exposed due to the sweeping dress. you toyed with your hair as you mouthed something to the bartender, leaning against the bar, before taking a swift swig of your drink - scotch? whiskey? bourbon? and turning to face the small group.
“liz! case! oh it’s so lovely to see you!” you lurched forward into a hug directed at casey, who accepted just as eagerly and warmly, before smiling at elizabeth and then turning to rita.
she watched your breath hitch in your throat, the way you gripped your glass slightly, and the way you seemed to be mesmerized by her presence. she couldn’t keep her damn eyes off of you. you were the most exquisite woman she had ever laid her eyes on, and there was something in your behaviour that set rita ablaze. it was as if the world stilled between you two, and she watched as you settled in beside her. she was surprised at her innate attraction to you, compelling the two of you together, turning away from melody altogether to focus her attention solely on you.
you turned to meet her gaze, lowering it slightly before taking a gulp of your drink and meeting her eyes again. you were timid, and for rita, it was palpable. it was energizing. hell, it was only when you walked in that her temperament changed, rising to meet yours.
Dealing with the pandemic and quarantine by writing? Our friends at Novelly are hosting a competition looking for raw, honest stories about what you’re going through right now.
Channel some of that energy into whichever creative style of writing you do and submit your poetry, short fiction (500-100 words), longer fiction (1000-3000 words), or Essays or poetry that center specifically around race as it relates to the pandemic.
There are some pretty neat prizes to be won! Get your entries in by May 30th.
