#ttp crit

[anotherttpfanaccount]

i originally didn't wanna talk about this, cuz i genuinely get afraid that if i critique too much, the creators will see it or people will have torches and pitch forks, but, uh.

one thing that's really bothered me, ever since i first got into the series, was the dragon.

not Porridge, no, but the obviously parental dragon.

like, when she first 'showed', my immediate thought was "oh, is there gonna be a subplot where they think Porridge got taken by Rupert and Amir, but then they eventually co-parent with them?"

yeah, that didn't happen. in fact, almost nothing happened. the dragon is just a super minor antagonist, and when i realized they weren't gonna do anything with them, i was like:

"THEN WHAT'S THE FUCKING POINT???"

maybe they had to cut some corners, but you guys couldn't just... cut out the dragon entirely and make Joan and her army fight something else? hell, they could've had a snippet where there's remains of Porridge's bio-parent, but there's literally nothing but "evil big dragon, must kill evil big dragon, even tho they're probably looking for their fucking baby".

i love Porridge, he's cute, but i thought they were gonna do something more with his lineage. especially considering, in the TTP universe, it's canon that dragons have been supposedly extinct. like, there's so much lore potential there?

still really do love TTP, but i would definitely have to warn people ahead of time that there isn't a lot of lore or worldbuilding in it. which, i wouldn't mind if it was a simple fairytale love story with curses and shit, but they included a fucking dragon and little crumbs of lore.

just kinda feels like gimlet really wanted to make a simple love story, but thought people wouldn't like it that much, so just added random things here and there, and i'm not even just talking about the dragon.

sorta wanna know if people would be interested in my take of TTP? again, i do love the podcast, but my brain's been itching to dive into this. the cast is memorable and charming, but, for me, that's sorta where the writing 'ends'?

but, again again, i am on edge about potential backlash, and i also understand that some things are better left alone, so if no one's up for it, i totally get it. just wanted to ask in case anybody's curious!

if this sounds harsh, it's genuinely not meant to be. i relisten to TTP whenever i desire to for a reason. i am really engaged with the cast, their personalities ( however rightly or wrongly they're presented ), and how they interact with each other. and i really understand that, especially in the time the podcast was made, queer stories were, and definitely still are, needed. i just wish that writers, esp queer writers, weren't so afraid to be 'simple', y'know? paying attention to your personal interests is important, and the key to doing what you love.

[anotherttpfanaccount]

this is me nitpicking, but it bothered me ever since i noticed it, so

.

so, in the podcast, Amir shouts at Rupert to toughen up, to fend for himself, 'cause Amir couldn't save him anymore. and while i could generally understand this being in a moment of anger, i feel like this still leaves Rupert looking like a male damsel of some sort, since Amir doesn't specifically apologize for that, just for yelling.

and it looks like this has at least some effect on a few of the fans too, from what i've seen? 'cause i've read here and there on how people like that Rupert took 'more initiative' in s2, when it never came off to me as him not doing so in s1?

sure, he's not as physically strong as Amir, but it's not like Ru hasn't done his own thing until s2.

the voice didn't have to convince Rupert to go to the Hollow, anyway. he was already going to do that, because his Kingdom was in danger and his mom sure as hell wasn't going to do anything about it.

yes, he was unprepared, but most teenagers would be, especially since he didn't have time to go back and get supplies.

and in the forest, he was willing to fight. poorly, but still willing.

when Amir had the cave collapse on him and trap his legs, Rupert was confident and determined in saving him, despite the protests. and he technically saved Porridge, too.

and then when Amir was ( not? ) about to send Porridge running, Rupert stood up to him and told him to knock it the fuck off.

then made a plan to trick Barabbas, Cedric, and Crazytooth to give their weapons and leave them defenseless, saving himself and Amir.

then he technically saves both of them again by surrendering and confessing his love for Amir in the forest, which heals it.

and throughout most of this, he keeps the overall objective in mind. to get to the Hollow and break the curse.

like.

he's not a helpless twig.

he's a pretty capable guy, just might not be able to throw a punch without spraining ( or breaking ) it.

i guess people think he took more initiative because he was more willing to bring out his sword and more prone to being stern // angry or something like that, but i don't think it was for the better ( as in, i don't think s2 improved Ru's character that much ).

soooo...

if it were me, i would've made Amir recognize Ru's capabilities pre-s2.