alrightokay

I haven’t read the books but enjoyed the Netflix series. I’m eager to watch the subsequent series but am hoping to be spoiled about one thing: who inherits the Featherington fortune? Is it a character we’ve already met or someone new? Thanks!

Delurking to say that I actually really like this group of bakers and think they are quite close. Lottie cried when Irish Mark left, and this week Laura cried and called Marc a "gent." I've been watching previous seasons in between this year's episodes, and I don't see how this group is less likable or has less chemistry than past groups. For instance, would this year's eventual final three have less chemistry or fun than S4's or S8's (I used spoiler bars in case people haven't seen those seasons yet)? To be clear, I'm not saying the trios I picked from the previous seasons had bad chemistry--I've enjoyed every group of bakers I've been able to watch on Netflix--it's just that I don't see how those previous finalists were any more likable or fun than this year's group.

This was my favorite episode in a LONG while--omg, GEORGE is such a gem. His magic club, his "Hollaback" song (so perfect, since the unpopular kids were showing how they were actually better off than the cool kids), his taking Josh under his wing--all adorable. Heather and Valencia were fantastic together, and the resolution of V-Father Brah's ill-fated romance was very sweet. I also loved Hector's anguish over his inability to extend the school lunch hour. All of the supporting players are just spot-on, with Heather/Vella being comedy gold. I actually thought Skylar Astin did a good job incorporating some of Santino Fontana's mannerisms into his portrayal of Greg, and I'm glad CEG is addressing this major part of Rebecca/the show's life. Astin's not as strong a singer as Fontana is, but he was likable, and I'm intrigued by where the show will go from here. I don't want Rebecca and Greg to get back together; I just think it's good that she's now seeing Josh, Nathaniel, and Greg as complicated individuals, and not just as fantasies (heroes or villains) or as the solutions to her problems.

As always, I loved the recurring supporting characters in this episode: Mrs. Hernandez--loved her stone-cold competence and her "WooHoo!" from behind the door when Nathaniel announced she got the coveted account. (It seemed like a subtle callback that she was listening at the door, shortly after Rebecca forced herself NOT to listen at the door during Tucker's audition.) Paula's sons, Tommy and Brendan--they're actually good, likable kids, and it was nice to see Paula appreciate that. Colin! Vincent Rodriguez III is just delightful, despite (or maybe because of) his wobbly accent. I thought the actor who played Tucker was excellent--but the storyline itself didn't really move me.

YESSSS--Heather and Hector got married.... TWICE! They've been my faves on the show for a while (if you go back to the S1 threads, you'll see I started loving Hector after his parking monologue, LOL), and it's a joy to see them so happy together. Adorable. I was also glad to see Rebecca and Josh be so kind and supportive toward each other. And Josh's realization--he doesn't want to be "a concept or an object"--was so well put. I think it's something we all struggle with, to be seen and accepted as we are; I had just never heard it put that way before. (Dr. ManAkopian is doing wonders with Josh!) I really enjoyed AJ; all the "narc" jokes made me crack up. Great to see Sunil and Father Brah again. And Nia Vardolos was fantastic as Wendy. About Nathaniel's final words--I really hope he doesn't mean Rebecca; I'm pulling for Mona (though he doesn't deserve her!). ETA: I would love for Naomi to return to the show before the finale. Rebecca needs to see if her mother can love her unconditionally, not as "a concept or an object." One more thing--I'm tickled by the running joke about Rebecca's college-snobbery. It's clear from Rebecca and Nathaniel's examples that going to an elite college doesn't necessarily make you a more fulfilled, worthy, or "better" person. I was glad that Josh questioned Rebecca's snootiness in eliminating certain prospects from his dating app. And I loved Father Brah's gentle dig at Rebecca while introducing her at the wedding. At the same time, the show isn't saying that everyone who goes to Harvard or Stanford turns out warped--Sunil seems to be doing well. It's just interesting to see this subtle commentary in the show at the same time that elite schools are coming under scrutiny in the news (the accusations of racism in Harvard's admissions process, the whole Kavanaugh-Yale connection, etc.).

I liked this episode more than the previous one, again because all of the supporting characters (so many returning faces!) were a joy. I continue to love Heather and Hector together (though I hope it wasn't a bad sign that Heather disapproved of Hector's choice for favorite scene in Hocus Pocus). A couple details that stuck out to me: how Devin's poop on the walls recalled Rebecca's poop in her shoe. And Burt calling Nathaniel "Son" at the end. I always thought that Nathaniel would come to see Darryl as a father-figure, but now that Darry's busy with Hebecca, maybe Burt will play that role....

As I said toward the end of last season, I'm mainly watching this show for the supporting characters now. Hector! Valencia! Heather! and most of all, George! These characters made this episode for me. I LOVED how the end credits played over George's just-composed ska song, "I'm Broken"--that gave me the best laugh. I also loved how Rebecca's point about the coyness of Harvard grads is the very thing that got Trent to "wake up" and have to confess. The little details in this show still bring me joy; I'm just not attached to Rebecca anymore. But I'm glad she's finally doing something selfless, and I liked the meta-ness of the two songs this week.

I enjoyed the songs this week, especially "He's the New Guy," which was so clever, and the Heather storyline was excellent. I thought she (and the show) handled the awkward diversity conversations with Kevin and with the Home Base bigwigs with an empathetic firmness. I didn't like Rebecca's storyline, however, and she's starting to veer back to early S2-levels of selfishness/unlikability for me. I've said this before, but all of her friends are so supportive of her, but she so often fails to see their needs. Granted, she was there for Darryl and went through a lot to donate an egg for him. But she couldn't help Heather with her career worries, and her plot to take back control of Whitefeather seemed more self-serving than genuinely beneficial to her colleagues or "the little guy." Rebecca's all about grand gestures; sometimes they work out (like in this episode with the egg donation and winning back the shares), but most of the time, they end up creating huge messes that people have to keep forgiving her for. I've wanted Rebecca to do something that takes her out of herself, and helping others is definitely a way for her to do that; but she's got to start small. Making thoughtful small decisions will help her to see that she is a good person who can make wise big decisions later. Simply listening to her friends, really being present for them, would be an important step.

I loved seeing so many supporting characters in this episode, especially Father Brah and Hector. I agree with @doesntworkonwood (are you a Doctor Who fan? :)) that the bachelorette party actresses weren't very good, but everyone else was great. I don't know why, but I find the side-characters' little quirks so delightful--for example, Jim's repeated emphasis on the "s" sound when he and Tim were covertly inviting Darryl to the poker game cracked me up. Did the Beverage Guy use the same "rent-a-date" service that Rebecca mentioned and someone used earlier this season (am I remembering correctly?)? I've never really enjoyed Josh as a character even though I like Vincent Rodriguez, but I think the writers are doing a good job making Josh more sympathetic this season. Even though Heather and Valencia might not want to hang out with Josh, it might be good for all of them to see that they're going through similar career uncertainties. Josh said to WhiJo and Nathaniel that he felt bad because it seemed like everyone else knew what they were doing, but the reality is that most of the characters are still trying to figure out their paths, whether personally or professionally. I know it'd be hard to get past the baggage they have with each other, but if Valencia and Josh could eventually become friends (maybe through Heather and Hector?), they could actually support each other through their struggles.

This episode was a bit of a let down for me after S10 finale two-parter, but there were still some lovely moments. If 'World Enough and Time"/"The Doctor Falls" was a grand opera, "Twice Upon a Time" was like a lullaby--gentle and simple (and a little bit snoozy). I liked how it turned out that there wasn't an evil plot that the Doctors had to thwart--the biggest obstacle the Doctors faced was their inability to let go (something a lot of people can identify with, myself included!). I also loved seeing Bill and Nardole again and (surprisingly) didn't mind seeing Clara. The imagery of the glass people didn't quite work (bad CGI), but the idea is powerful: that a person is a bunch of memories, and like glass, those memories can be fragile/delicate and sharp/painful. I thought Twelve's final speech echoed his words in "Hell Bent" and "The Doctor Falls" a little too closely, but I suppose Twelve is now a bundle of memories, too, so we were maybe "reliving" his most painful moments with him (when he lost Clara and when he lost Missy/the Master). Nevertheless, Capaldi delivered that last speech beautifully, especially his final line ("Doctor, I let you go"). I'll miss him terribly. But I do look forward to seeing what S11/Doctor Thirteen brings.

IRL released a video of their live performance of FTC at the Roxy (weirdly, still no "official" FTC video, even though we've seen pics of the guys on the set....). The boys also shared a Christmas greeting. Warmest wishes to everyone on this holiday! :)

A new episode of "Real Life with In Real Life," focusing on the KIIS Jingle Ball. Thank goodness--no precocious host for this one! Near the end, you can hear a snippet of the studio version of "Tattoo." LOL, the gushy interviewer is back.

Vulture.com ranked all of the NewWho Christmas Specials. i wouldn't put "Christmas Carol" so low or "Runaway Bride" so high, but I do agree with the top 2! Also, here's a tribute BBCA put together for Peter Capaldi; it's a compilation of fan art and thanks from famous and non-famous Whovians (sniff, I'm going to miss him so much!).

I haven't heard any of their songs on the radio, and I don't listen to Radio Disney, so I don't know how much IRL is played there. But a fan did find this post with news of the eventual "Tattoo" release as well as a list of IRL's accomplishments since being formed. I don't know how legit this is, as I can't find the original post on that company's IG, but it does say that "Eyes Closed" went to #3 on the Radio Disney countdown (I'm not sure how big an audience that translates to, though). I have no idea why they haven't released the FTC video (or why they released the IBH video first instead of promoting FTC as an original). Maybe they're dropping FTC on Christmas itself? It could be a "Christmas present" for the fans, even if it doesn't help with sales. (LOL, I don't know why I'm trying to rationalize everything, a lot of their management's decisions haven't made sense!)

Thanks for this link--I'm really impressed by him! I especially liked his "River" performance and his Bastille duet. You're right that he wouldn't fit into a boy band (LOL, I can't imagine him singing/dancing to "Eyes Closed"--it doesn't seem like he'd even want to). It worked out better for him that he didn't make it far on BB and got much more exposure on The Voice. And yes, the IRL guys are on a break for the holiday--their next performance is Dec. 27 on Good Morning America.