Billy Did Get Suspended For A Week, But It Was So Worth It.

perhaps controversial idk i’ve never seen anyone talk about it but i do agree with what mike said about them using el’s powers too much and depending on her and solely her (which is not an assumption lmao they shut the fireworks idea down because they were relying on her) i just don’t think he went about it right but i understand why he’s like that and while el can make her own decisions and only el, she would do anything for them even if it kills her so it’s not like she’s doing things out of her own interest or benefit resulting in unnecessary and harmful sacrifice so it’s not that simple

Currently obsessed with the idea of a Jaskier’s-immortal, it’s-modern-times-now AU where some of Jaskier’s songs have survived to the modern day. They’re not like, widely sung or anything, but people know they exist. Most of them survived as scribbled lyrics but in one or two cases the music survived as well. Those get sung at ren faires by the REALLY dedicated people.

And like, some of them are barely even the same songs anymore- verses got added and changed and lost over the years, somebody added a The Moral of This Story Is verse to “Toss a Coin” like a century after Jaskier wrote it and to the horror of everyone involved, it stuck, the second verse of “Her Sweet Kiss” got lost to time aside from the first line, so everybody knows it’s supposed to be there but nobody knows what it was-

The academic debates surrounding these songs are furious and intense. People kinda know who Jaskier was, in the sense of “we know there was a bard, at about this time, named Jaskier. We know when he was born, he flits in and out of the historical record for close to a century, and we can attribute these seven songs to him.” But then you’ve got the people saying “these songs are autobiographical and we can work out the details of his life from them” vs. camp “he was clearly just making shit up,” you’ve got Shakespeare-style authorship debates (”these other ten songs were also his!” “this song is weird and bad so clearly he didn’t write it!” “this song is weird and bad and that’s probably because it’s the earliest song we have from him!” “Jaskier didn’t write his own music!”), you’ve got some historians who study witchers very politely asking if they can play with the songs for a minute-

So. Many. Theses. Have been written about “Her Sweet Kiss,” with subjects ranging from “how many people is this song about, actually? Two? three? four?” to “who were these people to each other” to “can we pin down specific historical figures for these people” 

Meanwhile Jaskier’s a super obscure indie musician who occasionally tweets things like “The subject of whether or not I am gay is the subject of much scholarly debate. This isn’t just invasive, it’s stupid, if you’ve heard any of my songs you know I’m bi” and has REALLY STRONG OPINIONS on what those obscure, seven-century old ballads are about.

He sings “Her Sweet Kiss” at some open mic night and everybody’s like “Oh, that’s cool, you made up a second verse” while he grumbles under his breath that he made up the first verse, too, but nobody ever gives him credit for it these days

Q U E E R   A S   F O L K Season 3, Episode 13

I'm in hysterics watching the scene where Athos and Aramis tell the other everything. Sure, it's dramatic and awful and very bad stuff happens - justice for Lemay and Marguerite :(((! - but also: Treville experiencing more emotions in those 2 minutes than he had in his entire life up to this point? Porthos being so angry he expresses it by angrily hugging Aramis? D'Artagnan, notoire adulterer, having the most disappointed and long-suffering expression?? "You could have done that by not sleeping with her"?? Athos' look of pure resignation??? Each "there's more" eating away at Treville's sanity??? Treville flinging the hat??? Comedy gold.

Translating Period Dramas for Today

I finally got around to watching Little Women (2019) directed by Greta Gerwig and there was a scene that felt very familiar.

When Amy March is giving her speech to Laurie, talking about how marrying just for love isn't a practical option for her, it reminded me a lot of Charlotte Luca's words to Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice (2005).

"So don't sit there and tell me that marriage isn't an economic proposition, because it is. It may not be for you but it most certainly is for me." - Amy March

"I'm twenty-seven years old, I've no money and no prospects. I'm already a burden to my parents and I'm frightened. So don't you judge me, Lizzy. Don't you dare judge me!" - Charlotte Lucas

Both are from more modernized versions of period dramas where the book is written by an author that was actually from the time period.

Both feel like the characters are anachronistically defending themselves against modern day feminists, saying "Don't judge me! I'm making the smartest decision I can given my opportunities in society in this time period!"

Which is fair I guess, but it feels out of place. Maybe a woman from that time would say that, but they wouldn't have been defending themselves as much against our modern-day sensibilities of "Marry whoever you want! It's completely your choice! Or don't marry at all! You can do whatever you want with your life!"

It feels like an attempt by modern producers and writers to translate the period drama character's circumstances to a modern audience.

But it still feels weird.

Book!Charlotte never seemed like she was defensive. She was just like, "Hey this is who I am, Lizzy. I got a sweet deal and it works for me."

It's like modern period dramas are afraid to be period dramas. Granted, I do appreciate the little bits of expositional dialogue that helps explain historical things to the audience that they might not know, like how Longbourne can only be inherited by the next male heir, but I wonder if there's a better way to translate stories to audiences today without characters having to give speeches about how you shouldn't judge a woman for lack of agency when the patriarchal society of that time period has left her little to none of it. (Still a fair point though.)

What do y'all think?

I have to say, the doll incident in the show is very much a symbol of the problems in Ned’s relationship with Sansa.

Ironically, since it was probably supposed to be a part of Ned being hurt by Sansa rather than her being hurt by him, it blatantly shows how little he cares for her.

If he’d taken even the slightest bit of interest in his kid, he would have already known she was no longer playing with dolls. He would have known how she spends her time(sadly, we didn’t get to see as much of Sansa in her element bc D&D are stupid), and he would have been more kind and careful with her. Instead, he basically ignores her, ignores her interests, ignores her passions, even when she’s basically standing in front of him, begging him to look at her.

The doll, when given to Sansa in this context, is as much an insult as it would have been if given to Arya. It’s a symbol of how little he actually cares for her.

Much is made of how Sansa keeps the doll and seems to value it, just as much is made of the way Ned chooses to renounce his honour, in order to protect her.

But when held in the context of their actual relationship, these two acts have a very different meaning.

Sansa keeps and values the doll because it’s literally the only thing Ned ever gave her. If he’d given her something else with any kind of emotional depth, the doll would not have held the importance it did.

Ned renouncing his honour, protecting Sansa, seems like love on the surface. Until you realize that it’s the only time he actually seems to show that he values her at all. And even at that point, I truly doubt he could tell us so much as her favourite colour.

I feel like in our rememberings of mad men we always imagine Don either at work or like banging chicks in the city or driving around Oklahoma avoiding his responsibilities which is why it's so weird to reflect on just how much time he actually does spend at home. Both Betty and Megan expect him to be home every night and he usually does get there on time. He was married to Betty for years building a normal suburban life before the show even starts. He has a big office filled with leather bound books. A shed full of tools

i will NEVER stop being emotional about how much cassian andor cares about people. like he’s ruthless, yes. down to murder. but he tells his mother to turn the heater on. he visits his friends in the middle of the night just to see them. he tries to keep ulaf from being punished when ulaf can’t be on program. he stays with him as he dies. he encourages kino to speak to the prisoners because he knows that’s kino’s strength. he lifts people and moves them along and tries to help as many people escape as he can. he notices something’s wrong with kino when everyone is escaping, and doesn’t get the chance to help. he is so stone cold and so compassionate. how does one man fit all that in his soul. tf

No but imagine Aegon rocking up to the free bar at the funeral of some woman he’s never met, getting pissed, falling asleep outside in a ditch and coming round to find little bro is down an eye and they’ve got a new pet to feed. 💀

Aegon “What the fuck did I drink last night” Targaryen