shelley1234

So far, I am really liking the HBO series. I read the book long enough ago that I've probably forgotten the detailed specifics, so I won't be annoyed as much when it breaks from the page as I often am with other adaptations. I love Amy Adams, so I'm thrilled she's in the role. I do find it really intriguing when you already know the twist that is coming, so you can see the little nuances along the way that are building the foundation for it. I'll definitely keep watching.

I'm always a fan of CT, so I was super happy to see them come from behind and win. Tony I could take or leave, but liked how hard he played this season. I'm also impressed with both CT and Tony that they didn't get discouraged or even consider quitting. A lot of other people, especially with the back issue CT was facing, would decide to pack it in and quit. They kept on going and ended up lucking out with an eating and a puzzle challenge. CT's puzzle skills should keep him valuable in the challenge world, no matter the shape of his dad bod. I had to wonder if Wes though of the similar sliding puzzle he did last time on Champs vs. Stars where he was totally lost and CT just kept telling him which pieces to move where and he won with ease. CT isn't a brainiac, but those things just come naturally to him. I was glad to see Casper and Louise lose, mainly because of Casper. If he wasn't so overconfident then he could have housed through the eating challenge and probably won. So sorry, not sad. Wes and Booby are adorable. I'd like to see Booby back on a regular ol' challenge. I think he might then realize that Wes isn't the total genius he thinks that he is. Still, I'd be down to see him with the rest of the challenge crew.

I judge on what I see. I've seen the likes of the moms of David and Nathan and Adam condone and enable the abusive behavior of their boys. It's was clear from jump street that David's mom will do nothing but defend that abusive ass. They enable their abuse. Point. Blank. Maybe the dads do as well, but I haven't seen them. I'm not gonna sugar coat the part that these moms play in the abuse cycle. I know nothing about the fathers of these abusers. I imagine they are abusers as well, but we've seen zero about them. And yep, Barb created Jenelle too. And she's gone a long way to righting those sins in taking care of Jace and giving him at least a chance. He's still seriously messed up and she's no perfect parent, but at least she tried to do a little better than she did when creating her messed up kids.

David's mom raised David and seemingly defends all his abusive and controlling behavior. The moms of the likes of folks like David and Nathan can also have many seats. (And the mom of Adam too while we are at it). They created these abusers.

I call BS on anyone in Jenelle's camp being offended of how Nathan spoke to an elderly woman.....cause we've all seen time and time again how both speak to Barb and she's no spring chicken. Also, David pushed a pregnant woman and then threw her out of the car and j to the middle of the street. Have many seats.

Kail sure knows Javi's number...and as we've seen since the break up, Brianna agrees. Javi cares about the cameras and little else, so she took what matters most to him away. It's petty, but I love that it showed who Javi is.

The images of women being raped are common place. That's an absolute fact. I can't think of a drama show that doesn't have a female rape storyline. It does not mean men are not raped and that it isn't difficult for them to report it or even put words to it. Not sure where that was said in this thread.

True. It is unfair. It's also what made it incredible real for me. He went off, worked on himself and really started to change, but the system he came back to....didn't change at all. And he is still someone that the "Tried to Get Justice League" mostly see as one of the bad guys, so he doesn't get a group hug or support. He came back to an environment where the only outcome was something along the lines of what happened. While I don't condone it, I understand the decision Tyler came to when he came to that dance with the gun.

Yep. True. I also think that there is a sense that "well of course that is assault" when with women the lines of grey make it something that has to be proven, and most times is not. It's why someone like Jessica does not want to come forward and be put on trial and called a slut in order to bring her rapist to justice. And even when she does, she doesn't get justice...at least not the justice she deserves. The lawyers and the judge all called it "unfortunate on all sides." The rape of Tyler isn't something that would be seen unfortunate on all sides and that highlights why it is so hard for women to come forward and why most do not. I'll also add that while I think male rape is more jarring for all the reasons we have discussed, I also think it's jarring because of how and when it happened. Tyler came back and seemed to be on the road to health and maybe even happiness. To see his hope and potential and then see what happened is something that just kicks you in the gut. Tyler saw a way out and then was dragged back in by a brutal beating and rape.

Laurel still gave immunity to her and made sure she was safe. That's loyalty in my book.

I was a fan of Wendell all along. It was either Wendell or Michael for me, so I've clearly been Team Wendell for a while now. I loved that he won and how he won. Wendell won due to genuine loyalty to another person. Wendell saved Laurel when there was no perceived benefit to him. He even thought and said at the time that it might not be good for his game (if only he knew...) but did it anyways because Laurel was someone he wanted to be there at the end. Dom played an aggressive, arrogant game and Wendell played a loyal game. And when the final twist turned around, Wendell's game won out.

Except that it happens. I worked with kids in jail diversion programs and they would come back and have all these skills they wanted to use and then some version of this happened more often than I like to remember. That kid was a sitting duck since the moment he got back. It also showed the point that the school has done zero things to protect the students there if they aren't the precious valuable athletes. I would make the case that is in fact the case. Women being raped is common place. It isn't shocking. It's life.

Often there are no happy endings. Just more pain and more injustice. They didn't give the audience anything but reality. I have respect that they didn't tie everything up with a red bow because that's not how it works. Well, unless you are the Bryce Brock Turner types. For everyone else...standing up to the system is long and painful and many don't survive it. The David Hogg's of the world fight knowing that even when they win, the probably lose.

I do think that whatever the special powers have been this season have purposefully been there to help the Stars out. I think with how much the Champs just totally dominated them last season, they needed to do something to even the playing field. The idea that Kailah isn't a good competitor is the biggest bunch of BS. Just admit you don't like her. It's not like she's not aware. Wes is still trying to weasel himself through this game and just make it (in Survivor terms) to the merge. I am glad Ashley went home because I had grown tired of her nasty bitterness. Yes, it sucks that you got traded off a team where you had all the power to a team where you had none. Cry and whine a bit and then get over it. She was showing her true Ashley brat colors and I am glad to see her off my tv screen. Glad CT is there. It's honestly all I watch it for.

I heard in the description that Wes went up against his friend...so I had assumed it was CT and was so relieved when it turned out to be Devin. Phew. I love CT and totally lose interest in Challenges if and when he gets sent home. I know that they said that they picked Devin because they wanted Wes to win and come back, but they should have picked CT and taken a chance at taking out a big gun on the other side. It was a stupid game move, but I am grateful for their stupidity because CT gets to stay.

I think it would be more authentic if Johnny followed Kreese because it is often what happens when someone's abuser comes back in their life. Johnny doesn't have the skills or the support to stand up to him, so instead of that fight, he'll fall in line. I might be a good arch that Daniel might be the person to get through to him that he doesn't have to let Kreese control him, however in my experience with abuse and trauma, that isn't something Johnny is going to be able to do simply and easily, at least it shouldn't be.

I think Ashley is reverting back to the natural state of Ashley. I watched her on her season of the RW...and she was not only drunk and disorderly all the time, but she was brutally mean to people. She was entitled and treated people like garbage. At one point she told the other black members of the house that her family/friends came from such money that she could own them. She's no peach. I think she got safe and comfortable, but as soon as she isn't....the true Ashley comes out. She's Camilla lite IMO.

I thought he was right on target. He wasn't hostile or mean. He wasn't gonna give her a cookie for quitting while the rest of the team saddled up to play. I saw no evidence of CT's temper and he even apologized when Brooke broke out in drama tears...something CT never would have done before if he didn't think he did anything wrong.

Louise is gonna learn real quick why they called her Smashley for years. I don't understand Louise's move on a few levels. Why she didn't trade someone for a beast like CT makes zero sense to me...other than she might have been worried that it would give Wes an instant alliance. But she also switched one for one...one of the champs for another. She should have sent a champ like Tori and then taken one of the stars to have them have even more of a majority. It made no sense. None. Brooke crying and then people saying CT was being a jerk was ridiculous. He didn't like that she was a quitter. I am sure TJ is brimming with pride watching at home. He didn't pat her on the back and make it okay that she quit before even trying. I'm on CT's side. Saddle up and play...or go home.

I can't say I blame Daniel one bit for not seeing things thru Johnny's eyes. Johnny and his friends were brutal bullies to him just in the same way that the cool kids were bullies to Miguel. As for why Johnny wasn't a dad to Robby, I'd place chronic alcoholism as the culprit. I did have some issues with them showing not once, but twice Johnny driving drunk and really showing no consequences for that....Daniel even joking about it when Johnny drove drunk back to his place. My only regret about the show, even though it is probably more realistic....is that they didn't find a way to have Johnny show Miguel that there is another way. Miguel turned into that mean vicious guy who will go anything to win. I had hoped that Johnny could help him see that No Mercy isn't the way to go and that you can stand up for yourself without becoming the bully.

I'm over halfway thru and I like that Johnny is the Mr. Miyagi in this series. It does really show that while he was a bully jerk in high school...that he was a victim too. Johnny taking Miguel in and teaching him karate to deal with the bullies and then Daniel teaching karate to Johnny's son Mr. Miyagi style. I'm not even there yet but we know this is gonna end with those two competiting in the championship. I'd love to see those two run a dojo together, but that's probably a pipe dream.

I'm disappointed that June got captured so quickly. I wanted this season to be her on the run. I didn't want her storyline to go back to her being a handmaid so quickly.

Sadly, as we learned from Camilla....it doesn't matter what horrible things you say, you can stay....you just can't touch someone. The cast even brought that up as something they thought was fucked up.

I don't care how much I am pretty pretty pretty sure that they are not going to go through with it because they NEED me....if someone brings me up to a gallows and puts a noose around my neck, I'm gonna freak the fuck out. Sorry, not sorry.