#some thoughts on

[mmntvvr]

idk the whole thing with eloise is irritating because her frustrations are very real but she's in an environment and a show that ultimately affirms the patriarchy so moving forward, she will necessarily have to compromise with her beliefs in some way -- either as the character or with abysmal writing -- in order to have her pre-determined "happy ending".

the show writing her as someone selfish to make up for her very right criticisms of gender roles and course-correct away from the feminist path she's put herself on is irritating. they're going to write her to "grow into" being a choice feminist - one who declares "let women be women <3" ... bc that is what regency era women needed lmfao. "Let women like girly things!!!!! <222222222 and that's feminism!" this bullshit's fucking pissing me off. i cannot BELIEVE they had the fucking audacity to position her against hyacinth and create this nothingburger conflict. to position themselves as affirming the misogynistic status quo? un fucking believable. just downright ridiculous. hyacinth - lovely girl - doing the meg march "just because my dreams are different than yours doesn't mean they're unimportant." YES THEY ARE! oh my goddddd i hate choice feminism im losing all coherence bc that's how much i fucking HATE choice feminism and "let women be women". and to do it for the 1800's definition of womanhood? ur fuckign crazy . whoever wrote and approved that needs to [redacted] on some "not all of us want independence! some of want to fall in love and be property <3" bullshit. FUCK OFF!!!!!!!!!!

can you imagine being eloise for a second? everyone in your social circle -- from your family to your best friend to the ladies of the ton -- all gladly stick to a specific, restrictive, suffocating social script and not only that, but judge you for wanting something different! meanwhile, your asshole good for nothing brother colin gets to gallivant around the world, exploring new cultures and experiencing things you'll never have the freedom to (without a husband or brother), and your (soon to be former) anti-marriage partner in crime free spirit brother benedict gets to come and go and do whatever and literally whoever he pleases with no regards for consequences? like the life and freedom you want is constantly being rubbed in your face, all the while your mother is forcing her (albeit well-meaning) idea of a happy life down your throat with no regard for your wants and no recognition of the fact that maybe there are other happily ever afters! and then here comes your teeny bopper of a little sister, rushing head-on into the fire. realizing, and enjoying!, her impending demise & objectification. bc she doesn't see it for what it really is: objectification. and then she gets mad at you for not caring about ballerinas.

i do feel for hyacinth - she wants to be treated like an adult, and her definition of adult is Woman (tm). and she wants to connect with her sister. and i can't even blame violet too much - her reality is that you either marry well, marry below your station and lead an uncomfortable life, or be a spinster and be ridiculed by society for the rest of your life. so of course she keeps pushing eloise to marry for love, especially given her own wonderful experience with it.

i think that eloise's future, marrying philip crane, is an affront to her beliefs. Not the love between them but the necessary submission and transfer of property that is marriage in the 1800s. And there's really no way to reconcile Eloise's principles with the regency reality in a show sponsored by Big Marriage. if this was set in modern day i have no doubts that eloise would be a cristina yang of the bridgerton family. it's the time period in which it's set, and the tone of the show, that inhibit eloise's narrative. If this were any other show, there would be space to explore a spinster/pre-suffragette path for Eloise, but Bridgerton nipped that shit right in the bud in s2. i don't remember much about the previous seasons (except kathony... and i didn't even watch s1) but i do believe that was the purpose of the paperboy arc. eloise, as her character is, would definitely explore the world and become more class conscious and gender critical, but they obviously cannot give her an endgame romance outside of her class (see: the other ramble about benophie) so they had LW humiliate her and basically cut her off from that portion of the world (sidenote: what are eloise's thoughts on benophie given what she had to endure...).

idk. everything is just a mess. i get the appeal of including an eloise character but they kinda backed themselves into a corner with her.

importantly, i do not believe love is antithetical to feminism. this is the Correct Take and the one that I think/hope the bridgerton writers will pursue (as long as whoever wrote s4 is in the writer's room). there's nothing wrong with eloise falling in love with philip. i hope their relationship is woke as fuck though. I guess they fall in love through letter writing? so at least El won't have to perform femininity as much one has to during balls and social events. i hope this foray into writing sparks something in her and she starts writing feminist literature lmao. idk when exactly bridgerton is set... i think it's too early for married women's property act but maybe, fantasy as bridgerton is, eloise can play a role in shaping that. incredibly farfetched, but it would be nice to see her use that Bridgerton influence & relationship with the Queen for good. there's a lot for her to work with if she decides to be an activist on the downlow. i'm excited for her season bc i see a lot of myself in eloise and i don't think the writers are going to completely assassinate her character. i think there will definitely be a lot i take issue with but i do think there will be good as well (as long as s4 writers are iN THE ROOM!)

idkkkkkkkk. i hope this made sense bc it's straight from my mouth to tumblr's ears and im aggravated by this, so a lot is probably nonsensical sry. hopefully they serve franchaela goodness before el's season so i can go back and rewatch the lesbians when i get too frustrated.

[jpohlmanwriting]

My wife introduced me to a little show called #evil on #ParamountPlus on a total lark, and we binged the thing pretty quickly. Everyone knows there's more story to tell - and hopefully we can get it renewed! Here are my thoughts: #SaveEvil

Some Thoughts On: Evil (CBS/Paramount+) — Jesse Pohlman

Wherein Sci-Fi/Fantasy Author Jesse Pohlman gushes about a series his beloved wife introduced him to on a lark: Evil! (CBS/Paramount+)

[asknicorobean]

Do you think it’s possibile to write angst about Ivankov without going OOC?

ooc = out of character

AT = alternative timeline (still the same universe, things just happen differently)

AU = alternative universe (different setting/universe, 

When it comes to Ivankov i just prefer fan interpretations / ooc writing and art!

Bonus Ivankov:

[jumbleytumbles]

Some Thoughts On Hollow Knight (So Far) #1

• Still don't have a name for the little, playable dude. Might actually start calling them Nail, instead of Knight, because of their little sword they carry. Will at least do that for the rest of this post.

• I just realized I have no idea what a "Hollow Knight" is. Is it exactly what it sounds like? Am I the "Hollow Knight"?

• That aside, this game seems very sad. It might be the music or the atmosphere in general, but something about it all seems very, very sad.

• Nail is still very adorable. I enjoy them.

• Also, when Nail reachs one HP, they have these black, sludgy spots that radiate from them. I assume it's just an indication they're low on health, but could it actually have some significance to the game? I have no idea.

• Adorable bug people are adorable.

• Crying grub-man in Hallownest makes me sad. I only saw him once, but he makes me sad. Do not cry, Grub-man! I will find you happiness.

• Speaking of grubs/caterpillars, the wormy guys are probably my favorite thing so far. They're adorable.

• a d o r a b l e  g a m e

• o H THAT'S THE WORM'S MOUTH, NOT AN EYE

• ... whoops

• where is the B U G C U L A???

Side note: No one has done this yet, and I appreciate that. Please do not spoil anything about Hollow Knight for me; these posts are just a collection of my thoughts as I play.

[atimeofmagic]

Some thoughts on “Feminist Army”

I FINALLY got back from my school trip and watched the first episode of season two of TBT and I NEED to talk. Spoilers below the cut.

1. Kadena. Kadena Kadena Kadena Kadena. I’m just. Floored. Amazed. Shook. The the mini story arc in the episode was so perfect. Kat being proud to show off her new girlfriend, Adena saying “cunnilingus”, that last scene in bed.... I was a little worried bc het oral sex is a trigger for me, but this was so different, so perfect and happy. I’m dying. 

2. Yess Sutton. Career first. I’m so proud of her for making the choice to drop Richard. I’ll be honest, I was never really sure what she saw in him. I’m so glad she’s putting herself first. I love seeing how hard she’s working and how much her career means to her.

3. Poor Jane. I’m also proud of her, but also, you know, sad bc of what Victoria did to her article. But let’s be honest, Incite is the weakest part of the show. It’s, like, baby’s first discourse. I started cracking up in the first season when Jane clicked on an Incite article and it was just about intersectionality. I love intersectionality, but it’s not exactly ground-breaking to have an article just about that. You have to dig a little deeper these days. How have I talked more about Incite than Kadena??

4. So just a little more on Kadena: I feel so refreshed. How can I go back to the rest of TV? I love the little tender moments Kat and Adena had, the kiss in the office, the way Adena made dinner for Kat (even tho Kat ditched dinner for the Scarlet party), the way they lean in together. I love my Muslim sisters, and I’m so happy that they have this representation. I love how Adena is allowed to be Muslim, the way the show lets her be proud of her heritage and religion as well as being a complex and layered character. I hope when I’m married I can carry a headscarf as well as she does. I’m just bursting, honestly. 

[itsybitsylemonsqueezy]

Okay, I have so many feelings about Gotham 3x18 just... SO MANY and... here, have some because... FUCK they packed SO MUCH into what is functionally 60 seconds of total silence

Okay, so, my first question is HOW. HOW did they manage not to see each other until the Appropriate Moment. So this is my ideal blocking of that:

Ed’s pacing his cell, slowly, plotting his way out of this unfortunate prison, rehashing his TERRIBLE life choices, thinking up some new, terrible, Oswald-related riddles about all of this. You know, normal Ed Nygma stuff.

When behind him, down at the opposite end of the hall, the doors open, a new prisoner is dragged in. A particularly vocal and uncooperative prisoner. Who is screaming, “I DEMAND an audience with the Court! You can’t do this to me, do you know who I am?!”

Ed knows that voice anywhere. He sounds exactly the same, just as he always did. But no, this can’t be happening. This isn’t real.

Ed steps up to the bars of his cell to see what kind of cruel trick his mind is playing on him this time, because there’s no possible way this could be happening.

But he sees. He sees a guard taking the struggling, flailing man himself up to the cell right next to his.

And Ed freezes. He can’t move. The shock roots him to the spot that this is real and it is happening. He’s alive.

Oswald, meanwhile, is so focused on trying to free himself of his surly captor that he takes in nothing of the surrounding area, much less his fellow inmates. I checked the episode and when Oswald is shoved into the cage, he does a tight turn back to the door, his back is to Ed the whole time, there’s no possible way he saw him standing there, dead inside.

So it truly isn’t until the very second Ed says his name, in that broken voice, that Oswald even knows someone is standing in the cell next to his.

And, mutually, Oswald would know that voice anywhere. He knows without thinking who called out to him. And he came all this way for Ed, after all. And yet, he didn’t expect this. He was not prepared for... this. He’d thought he’d find him, that he’d have more time to prepare himself, to plan their meeting. But no, now this is happening... right here, right now. And there’s not a damn thing either of them can do about it. There’s no way to even make it better or worse. It just is.

And then there’s just... EVERYTHING

Oswald's shoulders hunch at his name, almost like a flinch, like he's almost FULL sewer rat right now, stripped down to that survivalist impulse for a second

Ed's FURIOUS, and broken, and DOES NOT EVEN KNOW HOW TO REACT. Like, his fury is not at Oswald, it's at the betrayal of the universe that Oswald could not stay dead, that he didn't even succeed in doing THAT.

And then Oswald, when he finally takes in that it's Ed, that Ed is here, he goes to goo and heartbreak and he can't quite believe it and then. And then he grabs for Ed and, after EXTENSIVE rewatching and gif set analyzing (GOD BLESS @riddlerbird @lankybrunettepartdeux in particular, I owe you guys, thank you so much for your good work), HOLY SHIT THAT GRAB:

Initially, we’re all terrified of it, except,f or some mysterious reason, Ed. Whose face Does Not Change, even though he steps back from him.

But, upon closer examination... that grab was not a threat.

Not matter how suddenly and madly it was done, Oswald DOES NOT reach for him in the intention to hurt him.

And I point this out because wHAT tHe FUQQQQQQQQ???!?!?!

I exhort you to rewatch, and examine these gif sets.

Now, I know it’s very fast and barely in the frame, but you CAN see, when you look hard, that Oswald’s hand is turned forward, palm out, fingers extended. He is not clawing or tearing at Ed. His palm is not turned down in a threat sign. Neither is he palm up in a show of submission, understandably. He is, quite simply, reaching out for him. The grab is, just that, a grab.

And secondly, look where he aims. He does not aim for Ed’s chest or face. Again, evidence he’s NOT aiming to attack Ed. They’re squared up pretty close to center so reaching forward, Oswald’s chest is near to parallel to Ed’s chest. But that’s not what Oswald reaches for, he reaches off to the side. He reaches for Ed’s arm, his hand. (What Oswald would have DONE if he managed to grab Ed is up for interpretation, he easily could have attacked Ed at that point, and perhaps 3x19 will offer some light on this, we’ll see. My only point is his initial move is not an overt threat, no matter how deranged he looks doing it)

And Ed is standing so close... Oswald DOES manage to brush him.

Now, not having noticed that for way too long, I assume Ed was RIGHTLY startled by Oswald and takes an instinctive step back like any sane, normal person would. Given this is, you know, Oswald Cobblepot who is into murdering the shit out of people who hurt him.

But again... Ed doesn’t look scared. Ed looks like a lot of things. But not scared. (And Ed has never looked scared of Oswald. Even when Oswald had a knife to his throat, Ed was never afraid. I... fuck.)

And when I managed to notice that Oswald DOES touch him... that means Ed isn’t flinching at the potential of Oswald touching him, but the reality. After all, Ed doesn’t step back until that moment. Ed has no fear and no desire to move away from him until JUST then.

And that is, still, in part being startled because Oswald full on LUNGES for him and it s startling. But also perhaps because the last time they touched, Ed threw him into the river. Just A Thought.

But if it’s not to hurt him, at least not yet, why then does Oswald grab for him in the first place? Especially with an unhinged, irrepressible need and urgency. When he has been unable to do ANYTHING else but stare, speechless, at the man across from him.

I think Oswald can’t help it. I think it’s the one instinct he has left, while everything else is in dead shock. When everything else has left him, he still has the ungovernable impulse to grab Ed. A clutch for balance. A reminder of reality. Just... just that, just that simple need of wanting to touch him, to see if he’s real, if he exists, if they exist, if they are both here in this place. Oswald probably doesn’t even really know why he’s reaching out, just that the urge was so strong he couldn’t resist, didn’t even consciously think about it, it just happened.

I think they both don’t quite believe this is real, that they’re both shocked by it and cannot cope. Reality is a stranger to them in this moment. Neither of them have anything to their names right now except for the knowledge that each other is here and they have to deal with that. That's... that's how small their reality is, just that one fact: You're here in this place too. And I can not forget it or escape it or deny it. I can only live with this fact.

And... Oswald has on his "I will bite your face off" face, his high-intensity, will-snap-at-the-smallest-thing focus as he draws back from Ed’s... rejection? Flinch? Reaction?

Ed just stares and stares and stares. And it's not quite accusatory and it's not quite guilty and it's not quite grief. It's... it's a hardness, it's the hardness that comes before acceptance. Anticipation. That's what it is. It's anticipation and you think you're going to die. Like NOTHING about it is positive or hopeful, Ed's anticipating this will kill him. And not necessarily because Oswald will murder him. But because seeing Oswald again is too painful.

And then there’s the lighting!

There is, as always, a staggering glow behind Oswald symbolizing his love for Ed. Go back and check, Oswald and realizing he’s in love with Ed is ALWAYS marked by crazy bright lighting. Lighting is a HUGE symbol in their relationship, huge fucking deal.

And FOR ONCE there's the same glow behind Ed, although muted, and with obstacles. But I'MMA FUCKING TAKE IT. Because they have been OBVIOUS with their lighting cues for these two. So, FEELS.

And, finally, the fact that Ed and Oswald HATE this.

In that first shot they're adversaries, and it's... it's so weird because they've never been adversaries before, not really. But Ed is so OFFENDED that he's alive. He's always been so THRILLED to see Oswald before. You can't help to think back to when Oswald shows up at his door in tar and feathers and Ed CHEERS. Ed fucking LIGHTS UP because his best buddy is here. And, now, here they are, where there's only bars to keep Oswald from potentially murdering him. And Oswald has no idea if that’s what he wants or not.

And in that last shot, they remember they used to be friends. And really liked each other. And still like each other. And it's so fucked up that they're here now. They both think it's fucked up, they both would rather ANYTHING ELSE was happening right now, that anything else had happened so that they wouldn't be here now.

The both of them want to NOT hate each other. And that... knowing they’d rather be friends, that the fact that they’re not is breaking their hearts... that’s going to fuck them up for awhile. Possibly forever.

This has been some thoughts on the 60 seconds of silence at the end of 3x18. I am very tired now and going to bed. I might add more to this as needed. ...fuck me, these two are going to kill me.

[mmntvvr]

anthony, benedict, eloise, and francesca would have so much to talk about if they would just open up and be honest with each other... they all feel a little out of place in the family somehow. anthony, with his Duty and parentification, benedict the gae, francesca the gayer, and eloise with her rebuke of traditional gender scripts.

there's a reason that benedict was constantly running away from home & into the arms of whichever people he found -- being at home was suffocating. eloise tried and failed. she would've tried again, and francesca would've run too, if it were socially permissible. & anthony knows the suffocation of a Role and one's Duty all too well.

idk. i jsut think they're neat.