TrininisaScorp

Yo. This looks WAY cool. I love some of the concepts already.

I love Richard E Grant. He's an interesting and delightful actor. I had an old lady night last Saturday and watched the PBS rerun of Marple, and Richard played her nephew, the mystery novelist Raymond West. It was so interesting watching him knowing the actor is playing a Loki. He had a twinkle and a sassy word in almost all of his scene (and got roaring drunk), so it all felt super Loki to me. Can't see what the Lokis bring to the party. It occurs to me that I haven't shown enough love for Sylvie and Sophia. Sophia has a tough job...she has to find the layers of her character, make her compelling enough for the audience to like her (b/c I don't think this works as well if you don't like her), and be able to go toe to toe with a phenomenal actor who has been playing this role for 11 years. With all of that, I think she's been amazing. I feel for Slyvie, care for her, and want her to get somewhere better than the fed up lot she's been given. I rewatched this episode in prep for episode 5 later today (eeeee). I really don't think Loki was going to tell her "I love you". B/c I was able to watch without the shock of Mobius being pruned, I was able to pay better attention to all what happened before. When Mobius came to get Loki out of the time cell, he mentioned that Loki doesn't have to be alone and he has capacity for good. I think THAT is what Loki was trying to tell her. Yes, he likes her, but I just don't know that I buy the romantic piece, yet. I love the idea that in her grief at being screwed over with the animatronic figureheads by the TVA, Loki wanted her to know that she wouldn't be alone, and that they can figure it out and do something more (free the other TVA variants? overthrow the lies?) together. That's some real damn character growth, IMO. Until something cannon tells me otherwise, this is my outstanding theory. GO GATORS! (Class of '03; College of Liberal Arts and Science. BS in Psych with minors in Sociology and Classics) P.S. All these ppl that were calling it a croc, I was like LOOK AT THE SNOUT! That's an alligator, damn it! I am glad the writer cleared that up. On the wilder side - The interwebs seem to be going NUTS for Tom/Loki kneeling in his time cell. Whooo chile. **wags eyebrows** Do look it up on the TikToks or the YouTubes. Normally that isn't my bag, but Tom kneeling with his perfect posture scrambles my brain, TBH.

As we waited out the rain on the observed holiday (the 5th), this felt like a good "day off and chill" movie. We made some nachos and got some boxes theater candy and made an afternoon of it. I have to say that it was better than I anticipated it. One of my favorite parts of a slasher is that opening sequence where it is chill, but slightly ominous and the shoe drops into horror. As an 80s child/90s teen, I LOVE anything in a mall (I have such fun memories) and I was obsessed with book stores, so the start at the B Dalton's was nice. I hope we see Maya Hawke again b/c I really like her. I enjoyed the cast, Yes, there was diversity of a few stripes, and I really like that b/c it feels more realistic to me from that period of my own life (thru now). I particularly loved the dorky brother Josh and am happy we made it. I was bummed that Kate and Simon got taken out at the very end b/c the actors were compelling. Honestly, Sam was the weakest link for me. It is a bit of a thankless role, but she was a bit boring compared to Deena. That said, they actually made some smart decisions, which I appreciate in these types of movies. Sheriff Goode (of that name...we'll see him again, I'm sure) was excellent as that small town sheriff hiding some crazy truths. I can't wait to get more into the history of Sunnyvale and Shadyside. All that "sins of the past" stuff in history causing havoc in the future is always so compelling to me. My husband and I said we were 100% in for the rest of these.

My work life is crazy busy and challenging. The calendar says my moon cycle is 'a coming. All of this to say that I'm in a place as a human. So, Mobius and Loki BOTH getting pruned 100% got me in the feels. I was genuinely upset in both regards. I don't know what to make of Loki and Sylvie. The actors do a nice job on conveying a layered relationship being built. Is it love (as the showrunners have stated)? Is it deep, trusting friendship? Personally, I would like them to have some stakes with each other as friends before it goes somewhere romantic. I think Lokis need to learn to love themselves and own the vulnerability of loving someone else without motive. But, there are different types of love. I see Sylvie as Sylvie and not Loki (I think their differences were made clear in little Sylvie's outlook and behavior...gosh that little actress is AMAZING), but the whole thing is minorly squishy. LOL. I like that we have the development of this Loki figuring out that he is the cause of much of his own problems, and his need to be cared for and to be accepted has caused him to take actions that push ppl away. Knowing that this Loki won't live thru The Dark World, Ragnorak, or IW, I like that he is still learning some lessons like this. I was worried at where this Loki would be (still angry after Avengers with the meglo complex) compared to Loki Prime. They have taken care of my concerns really well. I'll say that it seems to me that Loki was never all bad...he fought by his brother's side a number of times. I appreciate that both Mobius and Hunter 15 caught onto what the Lokis had to say relatively quickly. In general, I like the pacing and clip of characters figuring out that that are sometimes drawn out. I like how well Mobius thought it through and didn't let it go...his gut was saying something and I think he intrinsically believed Loki. Also, I would kill to know what Hunter 15 saw in her memories. That actress, who I adored in Lovecraft Country, has taken a small role and shined on. I knew Loki needed stakes and I hope that Mobius is somewhere with other Mobius-es? Mobi? LOL. B/c I enjoyed so thoroughly the return of the Loki/Mobius dynamic. Regardless of reasoning, Ravonna's actions and whomever is seem really terrible. The TVA are taking variants, wiping them, and having them be slave labor to do the same to other variants. This is fucked up. What she did to 20 was awful! What she did to Mobius was heartbreaking! I know part of the theme of this show is that identity and who people are are shades of gray and nuanced, but she seems to have quite a bit of red on her ledger (to borrow a phrase). I enjoyed the look and feel of the android Timekeepers team...comic book accurate looks. Can't wait for that to continue to unfold. I was SHOCKED as shit to see the 4 Loki! Bruh. They look amazing. Randomly - my alumni is the University of Florida. Our mascot is the alligator, so I cheered when I saw the weird as hell alligator Loki! P.S. Tom Hiddleston is bae all day. I need him to not leave the screen for so long again. I've missed him, and his earnest, excellent acting.

I had heard a bit about the BTS stuff, and I'm not sure what to believe. I am inclined to believe women in these situations, but he's a man of color and it seems like there is some ganging up that happened here. BRio may be problematic, but Manny being fascinating in the role isn't, and the women have never seemed to give him his due b/c a good portion of ppl have probably kept watching partly due to him (I def have). I do know how I will react when I see these guys in shows later - If MM is in a show (part of the draw of this is because I adored him in Graceland), I'm probably going to check it out for him. Same with Rhetta b/c she's fantastic too. I enjoyed CH in Mad Men, but I don't see her as having the depth to play a nuanced role like this (and I agree with those of you that said that it didn't seem like she liked playing it), so I will probably skip the show she lands next until there is something else that draws me in. MW has always been reliable and does good work with whatever material she is given.

The whining on all of these terrible people. I can't pick between who I dislike more between Ronald and Tiffany. Tiffany is a whiny person who has made the choices in her life to get her to this spot, yet takes no responsibilities for her part in her consequences. Ronald is an entitled overgrown child with weird masculinity issues and is an asshole (lower-middle class white South African born in the 80s has some connotations to me around his entitlement). Neither honesty seem selfless enough for children. I am very uncomfortable when ppl fight in front of kids or when they are holding them. If Tiffany is tired, I can't imagine that how those kids must feel too. The scene at the store was terrible. She was bitching him out the entire time, and he was being a dick. It is the normal flow of their relationship. The chicken was ridiculous. As of you all pointed out, a whole chicken is forgiving and can be cooked in a variety of ways and methods. Also an option? Breaking it down and storing the pieces to be made. Some fats (butter, oil), some spices, some acidity for brightness. You can bake it, airfry it, pressure it, dutch oven. And yet these weirdos struggle...it's like a metaphor for their whole lives. The diaper convo was nonsense too...bro, it's your daughter...change the diaper...jesus, why is he so weird?! Mike and Natalie are similar. I can't even look at them after the rat thing last week...I'm still grossed out with it crawling all over her and the toaster. Mike is a dick, no question. But, Natalie is so weird all the time. Why would she hide the surgery date? How is she planning to pay for the medical procedure she won't tell him about? What a marriage. That's your husband...have a conversation. She also is terrible in a fight b/c I think she misunderstand and also picks the most pedantic thing to use as a weapon. I am still amused at Mike's voice getting high pitched when he yells. Hilarious! Natalie is zero to 100...either she's overly fake batting her eyelashes (see when Mike brought the flowers), or she's VERY aggressive and yells. These two also don't let anything resolve in a way that is productive. The hooker thing will come back up. I guarantee it b/c they didn't resolve shit. Julia and Brandon looking like weird beatniks or Sprockets made me laugh a lot. Of course, the apartment Julia wants it too big and expensive, and of course she gets pissy b/c he didn't sign paperwork that moment. She seems very flighty. $800 seemed like too much in the car, but $1800 was fine? So she was a cage dancer at a club or something? The girl can move, but unless that gym offers those sexy heel dance classes, I don't know if she is a good fit. Again, she gets pissed she needs safety certifications...dude, that's about safety. The gym manager/owner seemed like a sport. I actually have a take on Yara - I think she actually has a good relationship with Jovi's family. When they were showing video while the the v/o, you can see some of the warmth and smiles she exchanges with Gwen and Jovi's grandma. Also, I love Jovi's sassy Cajun grandma. I agree with some of you that her edit is about princess Yara, but I think her humor is wrapped up in taking a piss out of being sarcastic and bossy. I think that may be the Eastern European thing b/c I can see glimpses of that in Julia and Andreeiii too. When she said she only packed her make up bag, that seemed like a little joke. It's challenging b/c she knew this was Jovi's job, and that nice apartment in the suburbs and the luxury of movers is being paid for by him being away and make that paper. With her having the Rona and having the baby, I can see her regret that he is gone. I don't blame her from moving out of NOLA if she feels more secure, but you know Jovi is about the NOLA life, so that's the set up for the conflict. Tampa Trash in an RV. What could go wrong?! Based on Jen's reaction when they were getting back into the RV where I think she was gently telling Libby that the child probably freaked out when Libby had a big reaction, I think that's exactly what happened. The adults well outnumber the kids. How come one of them couldn't have been watching Ellie while her parents were busy? Cmon, don't drop the ball when you didn't bring a baby gate or anything. I don't like how Elizabeth and Andreeiiii talk to each other in front of their daughter, Libby's family, God, and everyone else. The argument with Becky (god, I'm learning their names...ew) and Andrei was so stupid and dramatic. Again, the kids are there. Can you all not? So are the goofballs are trying to get Michael killed by the redneck banshee? They made some good points wrapped up in cultural toxic masculinity. I died when the one said "I don't know how you find her attractive"...Angela is going to get her ass on a plane and go burn them all alive. Angela is the absolute worst. She realizes she doesn't own Michael, right? She lives her life independently of him, and she gets mad with the idea that he might too? Maybe Michael is cheating...totally possible, but Angela expects him to kowtow, grovel, be a pillar of strength, and totally worship her with little to no respect given to Michael.

I wondered about their fate with NBC throwing them on Thursday in June and burning off 2 episodes quickly. Well, that frees up some of the my time for other tv. I wish I were surprised or sadder, but **shrug**. I too hope that Manny gets some good work (and more diversity in roles...not just the Latino gangbanger) b/c he's fantastic.

The way I cackled at this WandaVision bastardization. It's so true. Honestly, I hadn't followed much of the JPad drama prior to this, but this incident opened my eyes to his behavior and patterns. No me gusta, bro.

I think Jared got what he wanted, especially knowing how some in the fandom would react: Most of the media coverage today, including Variety, was Jared whole heartache social media. This should have always been a private matter, and I'm glad that Jensen is an adult about it. "Fans" are in many of the articles are commenting "I mean I would have watched but after how they treated Jared, I'm not going to". This is so unnecessary, but I'm glad it has been resolved. It would be nice to move on and be excited to see more about the planning and casting for the show.

Dang, I was looking at my channel guide and luckily I just happened to see this was coming back. On Thursday. For 2 episodes. I like the tension between Stan (b/c omg, I kinda get it...Beth is an asshole) and Beth, and I like that it is giving Rhetta layers to play. That said, Ruby is a grown ass woman who has made her own choices in this mess. Like Rio isn't Beth's gateway, Beth isn't Ruby's. Ruby shoulders some blame for this too. Annie is never gonna get it right with men, is she? I would rather her continue to focus on Benjamin and bettering herself first (for more than 1/2 an episode). If in the 90s you told me that Matthew Lillard and Brecken Meyer were going to play middle aged men in a weird bro-dude MLM cult thing, I would have slapped you. I am loving the weird shit in this whole storyline. It's probably some of the best guest casting they have done and I like the story. I DIED when Dean spilled ALL the tea. Bro, OMG, WHY?! Beth being a mother of 4 children and not even sharing the courtesy info that she is leaving the COUNTRY feels irresponsible. I know, I know. And look - one of the kids gets hurt and she can't be reached. Her love language for those kids is food, and I get where she was trying to go with the french toast, but that isn't what the boy needed that day when she was unexpectedly gone. She's absent b/c she is too preoccupied with the score and her activities. That simple act (combined with seeing Rio, seeing how happy she is making the money, and hearing the men validate his concerns) made Dean open his eyes to who she is, and now that he has an out, I think he may truly try to take it. Kudos to the production...Christina H looked so pretty when they were in the stripclub working on the pulp. She was glowing and in her element, which made it even worse. Noreen DeWolf continues to be really effective. I cackled when her character extorted the Girls. Do you think she deals with what she deals with on a regular basis and is stupid? Nope, she isn't. The Girls deserved that shit. Snow's Informer was the real MVP this episode. LOL. I thought they were being followed by Rio's ppl! I love Rio, but that seems foolish to not make it clear that they would be watched b/c they, as usual, lost everything. And Beth, as usual, overplays her hand. So she really thinks that she is going to succeed in the long term pitting brother cousin vs brother cousin? That her lady bidness and charms are that legit? C'mon. Interesting how quickly she discarded Rio and has decided to run after Nick. Let's see how that works out.

I ran over here the moment I read the news. I felt shocked, then upset (b/c I don't trust), and then after reading about Jensen and Robbie being involved, I got very excited! That took a turn quickly. Imma need Jared to just call his friend, please, and not do this over socials. That's between them. Misha had a cute post: Seems like this show would benefit from a time-traveling angel-in-a-trenchcoat character. Just saying... https://twitter.com/mishacollins/status/1408239652331429889

The visuals on this show are so beautiful! Lamentis and it's purple glow was a good change from the brown/earth tones of the TVA. I got Blade Runner vibes during the last act for sure with the almost blacklight neon effect in the city space. In a show like this, I can forgive an episode where I'm not sure where it is driving the main plot, but think it will probably matter quite a bit later. Certainly, the news about the TVA agents not being created specifically, but being brought in and brainwashed has implications. I still don't know that I understand Sylvie's motivation or powers. Is she is a Loki or something else entirely? It's not like either of them are trustworthy narrators. I didn't mind Mobius being gone this episode, but would like him back the next. Loki and Sylvie fighting, arguing, and getting to know one another was the highlight of the episode for me. Either they are bringing on super good foils for Hiddleston or he just has freaking chemistry with everyone (or some combination therein). The conversation on the train required me to watch it twice b/c there was so much happening. I continue to love the layers Hiddleston gives Loki. In a moment, you see him talk about Frigga in a way he hasn't ever talked about anyone, and it is so clear that the parts of him that want to do the right thing are motivated by her influence. That's a lot to convey, and yet it was so rich and obvious culminating in that super cute fireworks trick. Good conversation about their individual adoption stories too. I LOVED the almost casual nature of revealing Loki's (and presumably, Sylvie's) sexuality more openly and honestly. I love the story about this being the showrunner's truth and actively including Loki's bi/pan sexuality as an organic, yet deliberate, part of the show. The actors played it so well too by not overplaying it. I'm so happy that it is my boy Loki finally bringing needed representation into the MCU. I'm not sure what to do with Love is a Dagger. Loki's dichotomy of "rascal" and "sensitive boi" is really compelling b/c I'm never sure who I'm going to get in a moment. It was a clumsy metaphor, but at the same time speaks to Loki's experience that love hurts and ultimately might be nothing more than an illusion. My immediate thought was "who hurt you, my lad?" The chemistry between Loki/Sylvie was interesting, flirty at times...leave it to Loki to fall for another Loki (even if she isn't, it's amusing to me). The small moment when the song got slower and softer about the girl who sings and comes home seemed very directed. I was trying to figure out if Loki was trying to play her or Sylvie was trying to play him. She seemed to want to keep her faculties about her when Loki was getting wasted. "I'm just full" was a LOL moment for me. But, is Loki this silly during a situation like this? Or, is it a game of his? Sylvie is particularly good b/c I keep overreading into what she says to Loki...does the "postman" matter to the story and is part of a bigger thing, or was it just a way to get him to share with her? They both seem calculating in terms of what they want to share and when they want to share it. An aside - Christ, Hiddleston is just all the things, isn't he? Who looks that beautiful in that ugly TVA outfit (wearing it like it's Gucci) with that hair (flowing and curling) and singing songs in another language?! The man can do anything, and wears clothes so very beautifully. I have never stared at a man's legs in my life, but my focus kept getting pulled to "look at his long legs...goodness". LOL

I love little moments so much. Whether it is Loki playfully going after Miss Minutes, Loki's glee at releasing baby chaos in Pompeii, or the Ren Faire, these beats are quirky and fun and fill me with joy. The part in Latin when Loki is telling the villagers that all hope is lost tickled me b/c as a Tom Hiddleston fan, I know he has a double in Classics. So, letting him use his random Latin knowledge (and would love to see Ancient Greek too!) felt just for him. And I adored that! The combo of Loki/Mobius is a real highlight. I love Hiddleston and Wilsen together...that chemistry is so good. The salad scene of explaining the gap in variance security was delightful. My Loki learning from this episode is how inherently exhausting it is to be him and be around him. I think in The Avenger or Thor movies he said he isn't a creature of satisfaction and that felt so deeply on display tonight. Also, people can easily be exasperated and annoyed with him b/c he is so much all the time. It's loveable, but annoying. My unsubstantiated, unresearched head cannon theory is this is the wizard of Oz...there are no actual timekeepers. It's all a central myth to keep everyone in line. Renslayer is in on it somehow. I enjoyed the Roxxcart scary bigbox. As a Floridian, the climate change disasters are SO VERY REAL. Hurricane season has just begun, and it's a thing (but like a real Floridian, I only worry about Cat 3+). So, the dude going to the store during a "hurricane sale" felt SO on brand. LOL I'm an organizational psychologist by trade, so the Office Space-red tape-TIP reports feel also tickles me. The dichotomy is where the humor lives...they are inside a pocket of existence where Infinity Stones are paper weights, yet they are pushing paper and reading jet ski magazines without ever having seen or used one. (Shallow) Hiddleston looks so damn GOOD all the time. How does someone make that terrible TVA outfit look THAT good?! Dayum. (/Shallow)

Fair warning - I adore Hiddleston, and I have been on pins and needles waiting for this series in particular (the announcement of this series is what made me convince my husband that we needed to get yet another streaming service). That said, I have never had interest in wobbifying Loki too much. He has done some bad things and actively made shitty, bad decisions. People died actively or passively because of him. Still, I think of him as an anti-hero after the 10 yr MCU arc. And, rarely has an actor in the MCU given more to a character, IMO, than Tom Hiddleston has with Loki. That first episode was everything I wanted it to be. I wondered how we were going to go from angry, megalomaniac, Thanos influenced Avenger's Loki to something that resembled IW Loki. Truly, one of my saddest moments in Infinity War is that Loki's arc felt cut down too soon, and the cynic in me wonders if his redemption over time was really just b/c of the audience consistently positive reaction to Tom's work vs. a strategic choice. Thus, I thought the "reel of life", while cruel in so many ways, was a good device to get us to some of that evolved Loki by quickly dashing some of his assumptions about his family, but keep his jagged edges (and that's the development we should expect to see in s1). Hiddleston's range of emotion watching Frigga die, hearing Odin call him son, watching his triumph during Ragnorak, and then his death and Thor's reaction broke my heart (Tom's eyes are so very expressive at all times). Watching the footage coupled with trying to use the tesseract and failing, makes his defeated attitude at the end all the more earned. And maybe I am naïve, but I do believe that he doesn't like killing, and that sometimes the part we play to keep us under the illusion of control of our lives makes us do things we don't like. It doesn't make it right, nor does it allay blame from us, but it's honest. With all the magical and surrealism, that rung true for me more than anything. I wonder if the central theme of this series is identity and who we are/how we see ourselves. These D+ series have been excellent at exploring what it means to be human using the medium of superheroes. I'm not yet at a place to talk about the predestination part of the show yet...I think I need to see more to see what they are really saying. Mobius was cruel in his stark honesty partly to get Loki to heel, but how much was accurate? I also don't yet really understand how their timeline theory works. Like, maybe what the Avengers did was ok, but what about Steve choosing to stay in the 40s with Peggy? How does that not fuck up the scared timeline? I guess they can handwave that was meant to happen, but...really?! I hope Eugene Cordero's Casey is going to be the Jimmy Woo/Jaoquin Torres for this series b/c I already love him, and this actor has delivered in The Good Place, Kong (with Hiddleston!), and Tacoma FD. That Infinity Stones in the drawer/paperweight scene was shocking. Upon thinking and rewatch, I have 2 major observations: 1) I personally think the ones in Endgame timeline didn't die without purpose b/c I think these objects/mcguffins work only in their own timeline or realm. So, they don't matter in the TVA. It's still shocking, but it makes sense in my simplistic little mind. 2) Watching Loki's face was SO telling in this scene. I could feel his stomach drop with the reality of the TVA being a different reality that he is used to. I can't wait to see more of Renslayer and Hunter B-15, as both actresses have caught my attention right away. Like WandaVision rehabbing (IMO) Age of Ultron, I think Loki is working to rehab Thor: The Dark World. (Frankly, besides IM2, it is the movie I like the least of the MCU movies from phase 1-3...though, Hiddleston and Loki were the major bright spots then too) One of my major issues is I'm never sure how much Loki knew he held some responsibility for Frigga's death, so that getting somewhat closed here was cool. Also loved the great Loki sass after he's captured in The Avengers with his hilarious little wave to Hulk and his turn into Steve. Finally, more of those fun, wild DB Cooper like things. I always like the glimpses we get of Thor/Loki/Et Al before the actions in Thor 1. There was a relationship that was good and fun and built on some real brotherhood, and I wish we saw more.

Y'all, I was crying moments into the start. I am in agreement with all of the comments here. Angel Curiel is truly a revelation to me. On a show where I love all of these ppl, Papi is the one I look out for the most. His earnest, sweet nature is so lovely within the bounds of how he must have come up (and how we first met him), and he's so damn funny too. I can't wait to see what ABC does next, and I hope he has a lovely, long career b/c he is charismatic and wonderful! I love Papi's reaction to Angel's vows and that those vows were a take on that speech he gave to Angel when they got together, that he's a prize, and she will see that. I loved his moment at the beach at the very end just talking to another husband/father too. The light that was shot in was beautiful. P.S. Beto is the cutest little dude, man. David Zayas is a fav of mine way back from the Oz days (and Dexter). He adds something to everything he touches, and I felt that way here. You can tell that he loves Angel, but like Papi said, there are conditions to that love in brown communities when you color outside of the lines. I was livid that he took Angel's money, while demeaning her whole existence. It was the most realistic thing about the episode, and it stung. I also hated that Angel walked herself down the aisle, but that was a statement in and of itself. The wedding itself was gorgeous. The opulence, honey! Damn. I started WEEPING when Cubby came through looking like an angel in his suit, and Papi's whole vibe with his groomsmen, though I missed Damon so much, encapsulated all the things I love about this show, these characters, the story, and the actors. When we moved to the ladies, I was already so in my feelings, but when Blanca started by giving her mama's cookbook I was GONE. Add the hammer in a gd Tiffany's box and the reappearance of Candy in that KILLER outfit, and I felt like an exposed nerve. And we weren't even to the wedding! Indya Moore is the prettiest of humans, but, ITA with y'all...that makeup was wayyyyy too much. I was a bit ambivalent about the dress with the mechanical flowers...cool, but it detracted from the beautiful Angel. The moment Papi started reading the vows, I was like "wait a damn minute...is that I Swear?!" The surreal move into a musical number was unexpected and kinda corny, but with this being the second to last episode of the series, I'll take it. The actors sold the shit out of it too. As mentioned, the backward hand hold between Papi and Ricky as Ricky started to sing, got me. Dyllón is a force, and I hope to see him in more things too. The moments about the AIDS quilt made me so heartbroken, as did everyone's reaction to Pray's eye condition in it being the writing on the wall. I don't know if I now attach this so strongly to Billy's IRL truth or what, but I just don't want to watch him die. Pray is so damn ALIVE to me. **weeps** P.S. WTF was up with Elektra's whole "commitment ceremonies are good enough for..."?! 1) They got lucky the Papi was charming the Dominican lady and 2) if they get caught at ANY point in the future (insurance?), it is going to be a mess for them and Beto. I always struggle with this crabs in a barrel mentality many marginalized communities have (I can say this b/c my South Asian ppl aren't a bed of roses). Why do we need the majority to beat up down, when we do so fine a job ourselves?! Ugh, that's frustrating. I was born in '82, so the 90s was truly my coming of age. All the terrible fashion and badass music. That said, I would hear a song and go "that song isn't that old" and look it up and it is, in fact, that fucking old. Sigh. Wasn't the 90s 10 yrs ago?! Anywho, I am not emotionally prepared for next week.

I love Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters! I love a good gothic or historical fiction (Jane Erye is one of my favorite books), and I felt like she captured that spirit so well. Her characters were always nicely drawn, and even in the midst of weird "is it supernatural or nah?" stuff, there was always a lightness and levity to the writing. Even in more modern settings (she was writing some of these in the 70s/80s/90s), you could feel that gothic influence. Additionally, Amelia Peabody is an excellent series (though, I didn't love the last few books a ton). I miss her. Alexander Dumas is a favorite too. The Count of Monte Cristo opened my eyes to historical writing. It was a sordid tale that felt like a soap opera. I'm shocked I haven't see more adaptations (or ones that were done super well). As a Floridian, I take pride in Zora Neale Hurston. I grew up and live in Central Florida, so the history of Eatonville is a part of our local history. Their Eyes Were Watching God carved up my insides in the best possible way. Finally, I love LOVE Jane Austen. I know people are hot and cold about her. I'm in the "what a brilliant satirical proto-feminist!" camp. Sense & Sensibility and Persuasion are amazing, as are Pride & Prejudice and Northanger Abbey. Excellent heroines, interesting male leads, fun commentary on the bucolic life and society. It's so unfortunate that she passed away before she was able to publish more, but I am a grateful Janeite for what we have.

I just reread The Henna Artist (and realized that the next book in her world will be released this year), and I think this would be ripe for adaptation. I could see Mira Nair (who will always love for Mississippi Masala, Monsoon Wedding, and The Namesake) directing. I believe I have seen some rumor of a production happening with Freida Pinto, but until I see more details on cast and director, I am skeptical. Kind of out there, but I would love to see A Thousand Ships somehow adapted into a movie. I love mythology and the female POV take on classical stories would be pretty cool if done well.

I agree with all of you. It's really fun to watch the extravagance and the money flowing from Elektra, but it's realism is super questionable. I LOVED Elektra's meeting with the mob guys, but when did the mob get taken down by Guliani? Was it in the 90s? Because if so, then Elektra and her money are headed for a great fall. I LOVE Lil Papi and the story of the child was an unexpected, tragic twist. I know Angel has stuff going on, but he has been there for her from the moment they met. She may need time with it, but to see him on his knees begging and her just walking out really upset me. I love the Angel/Papi relationship, but she seems to play the power dynamic in a way that bothers me a bunch. Boo. The music is always so good. I played that Janet CD until I broke it and needed a new one.

I found Ronald using Daniel to try to manipulate Tiffany disgusting. "Well if you miss me, tell mom..." Get the fuck outta here, dude. Work a steady job and buy the tickets if you want to see the kids. That said, Tiffany isn't much better. So, you know dude got a record and that is going to be huge issue with immigration, yet you have a baby and then have him and the older child bond to do what? "well, we def aren't moving to SA if he gets denied", which is fairly likely. The adults may get messy because of it, but the kids will be ones ultimately hurt. Just ugh. Like I said last week, Julia needs to calm her tits. Ain't no one in here want your little piece of man. This girl rolled in here with her bf, and looked nice...not like she was trying to woo a man, but nice. She isn't allowed to do that. I think the friend (Melanie?) felt Julia's bad attitude walking in, and just decided to go IN on their weird shaky relationship. Her communication choices weren't helpful, but damn if I didn't get why she is asking the questions. Julie, though, is really immature and her jealously isn't cute. Is she one of those chicks that can't have female friends b/c of her own insecurities? That's really unfortunate b/c my girl gangs have been a real savior in my 30s. Mike and Trish are so weird. "Mommy", the sign in the room, the weird collections are all nightmare fuel. Nope nope nope. Natalie is the absolute worst, but I feel a little sorry that she is with these damn ppl. Interesting "divorce = giving up" hot take from Low. I think it is part culture, but I also think that a part of this is about the bed that Kahlani has made for herself. I don't, however, believe that doesn't mean she shouldn't get a divorce. I don't know that she'll do it with the pressure around her, though. As much as I dislike Angela, I do think it is totally screwed up the Gorilla Glue doc DOUBLED the amount of reduction they agreed to. They said 1 lb each, so while she still maybe a double or triple D, that isn't what they agreed to. Angela is the very worst patient of all time with the way she was treating the staff post surgery. Yara and Jovi are annoying. There isn't much story here. She's an overprotective new mom, he's teeth/hair/a penis/hormones who is rarely home, and they are poor communicators. I'm honestly not sure why they are even on this season. Tampa Trash is Tampa Trash. Thank you, next.

Well, these last two character based episodes have been PHENOMENAL. I was also not really looking forward to the concept, but I found myself pulled in from the jump with the lymphoma diagnosis. We have a few HIV positive characters, and while I know it would be painfully unrealistic to not have some of them pass, I don't want to lose any of our loves. I don't want to see Pray's funeral...he's so...alive to me. **weeps** The trip home was beautifully done. I loved the casting of his mom and aunts...that's fucking royalty, and all three actress deliver Pray some closure in their very different ways. I love that Jackee thought enough about Power of Attorney, so Pray can have his wishes followed. Truly, Billy Porter is a gifted national treasure. His song at the church was moving and monumental. Go ahead and give him his next Emmy right now. As a straight woman, I didn't expect to relate so much to Pray this episode. My parents are mixed religion (Muslim and Hindu...I know...) and I was supposed to be a Muslim. I just...couldn't. For various reasons, it was apparent that it wasn't for me. Even now, this is a sensitive spot for my mother. Not 3 weeks ago, mom decided it would be fun to jump on me about her massive disappointment for not being Muslim. And I felt like Pray: I have my own spirituality, I know I try so hard to be the best human I can be, and I know mom is mostly upset b/c she is uncomfortable with how to address me with family. In her older years and newly retired, she has become more devout, and she has strong feelings about regret for my not taking to religion. So, when Pray talked to his mother about his all after the dinner, I felt some kinda way. Shooo. So much. My situation continues to be unresolved, but my answer with mom is clear - You live your truth, and I'll live mine and that's all okay. I'm glad Pray got some closure. The storyline with Vernon was unexpected, but everyone knew he wasn't showing up. Vernon gets to live with his demons about his comfort and openness with his sexuality, and his family will certainly feel those consequences in some fashion. Sigh. What a tough reality of oppression and sadness. Finally, I loved the scene at the end at another family dinner. Loved them talking about Left Eye burning down Andre Raisen's house and Angel's "but I'll burn them in essential oils". LOL So good.

Jovi is just a penis, hormones, and teeth, right?! Now, NOW is when you realize you all should have sorted out parenting styles, as you suck down crab legs and she is freaking out about the baby in the sun. You know Jovi's discomfort at public breastfeeding has to do with his own hang ups and objectification. The lady's tit isn't out for you...she is discreetly feeding her child and there is nothing wrong with that. Grow the fuck up. But, Yara is yet another one (looks at Kahlani and Tiffany) who knew exactly what she married and procreated with. IMO, Angela is the most unpleasant person on TV right now. She is consistently petulant and rude to people, including the team of medical staff meant to take care of her. She takes her own insecurities, bottles them, and turns them into a Molotov cocktail of acid when she interacts with anyone. Unless it is a handsome black man...then, she pretends to be "coy". I dislike her more and more each episode, which is really saying something. Jojo is a better friend than Angela deserves. Look at Big Ang pulling her away from her life and pulling her into her elective procedure...if anything goes wrong, Jojo has to manage it all, including taking care of the kids and grandkids. GFTO. Julia, honey? No one in their right mind wants your deranged ventriloquist doll momma's boy edition. Calm your tits, Julia. Also? If I'm in serious mode and telling my husband about this thing related to my career and he serves me a condescending smile while continuing to play his video games? Yeah, let me get this smothering pillow... There is not enough TWoP brain bleach in the world to delete the convo at the end of the episode between Kahlani and Asuelo. What the hell?! How did we swing from intimacy to the Hulk to bring food and then Aseulo loosing his temper? Sex is the least of their problems...they can't have a serious conversation, they don't trust each other, they don't seem to make the other person in the relationship happy. Sex is yet another symptom of their significant incompatibility and problems they continue to mount in the farce of a marriage. Those little boys are watching how their father and mother treat each other. Asuelo is toxic, gaslighting, and manipulating, IMO. I feel so sorry for Daniel. He wants so much to have a father b/c his mother promised him one. And now what? His "father" is a shiftless person, and his mother continues to run to and from bad choices while stringing those kids along. Tiffany and Ronald are beyond a mess. Mike and Natalie are useless af. What is even the story we are following? Finally, Tampa Trash. I love the shadiness we are seeing with the Tampa house flipping. "Fix it as cheaply as possible", huh? I do not see how these dysfunctional, dumb, self centered ppl could possibly really do this to a high level of success without a lot of dumb luck and huge infusions of cash.

Thanks to this plot with Nick and Rio, I am reinvested. So, I guess Nick IS the big dawg and has no problem showing his subordinates who's boss even if it is his brother-cousin. I think I remember from Graceland that Manny Montana actually really boxes, so nice for them to incorporate that here. Maybe he's a lightweight or welterweight? Either way, I liked seeing that element tonight. I just cringe with Dean. Full in on an MLM and this stupid idea of Nevada. I was wondering when Stan would finally have something to say about Beth. The entire scheme with the strippers and the bags is just...so complicated for little reason. Beth just likes making enemies. Interesting to see where this goes with the Secret Service lady now. I guess we'll be back in June and by then will know the fate of the show after this season.

I feel some shades of Jax Teller with where EZ is now. I don't see him finishing the series alive. This idea that he is full of something dangerous like his father will be his Shakespearean fate, IMO. One of my favorite TV characters of all time is Dean Winchester, and as a fan, I always knew his end had to be in the midst of action bc even if he was more (and he was), he was committed to this thing. EZ feels similar. That said, even though he was a prick about it, Pops wasn't wrong. Gaby is certainly safer far away from EZ. Girl, bye. Go be safer and sane in Lodi. I loved the conversation between the brothers on the stairs. For all his gruff and poor coping, I have always contended that Angel's heart was good. I really enjoyed their discussion. Those actors bring out the best in each other. So glad Gilly went all Rambo and got Coco out. Annoyed that he brought Hope with them. Whatever, Martha. I actually really appreciated Emily this episode! Her convo with EZ felt like a proper end to their weird relationship, and I'm glad she left Galindo. Be alone, you bitch ass motherfucker. I know Taza fucked up from killing Riz onwards, but I just want to support his bravery in coming out to Bish even though that isn't part of their motorcycle culture. I hope Taza isn't shot and that they find a way past this. The actor who plays Taza is fab. Tacking on the FBI dude and Adelita believing him and all of that felt unnecessary. I am good with never seeing Adelita again even though the actress is good. Good to see Alvarez taking a stand. Nestor, get your shit together. Mikey left you to run. At the end, EZ vs a ton of angry bikers and no one else coming made no sense to me. It felt really indicative of a weird season they had go work around the Rona. Hopefully, 4 gets us something a bit more cohesive. That said, I wasn't mad about this season.

I cannot imagine how anyone STANDS being around Angela. She speaks nastily to everyone, including her supposed "love" and "best friend", she seems like she smells, and her dour personality mixed with that HORRID cackle are just repellent. Just no. We all know she is going to do all of this work for NOTHING b/c there is no way she is going to have the discipline to handle this...she wasn't drinking broth, she was eating actual chicken soup with pasta and chucks of chicken. That's not a clear diet. FFS. Kahlani and Tiffany are the poster children for "You knew who tf your man was. You got knocked up and married his dumb ass anyway. And now you take zero responsibility for your portion of the shit show you live in." I would love to understand how Miss "Virtual" Make-Up Artist and Miss SAHM are going to qualify for loans and other major financial things. I'm sure Tiff was annoyed at having to continual live at her mom's house, but I'm certain she also wasn't purchasing groceries, nor saying no to free babysitting. Let's see how well she does on her own b/c she seems nice and lazy, and has a bad pattern with men (heaven forbid another comes along). And with Kahlani, buying a house will fix nothing in her marriage. I'd like to see what kind of loan a SAHM and gig economy Uber driver get. Looking at brand new $350K+ houses...crazy. Every time we cut to Tampa, I cringe. As an Orlandian, I just die a little bit at how much Family Libby are stereotypical Florida/Tampa trash. Ick. Oh look, Jovi is still useless. What a shock. I know Gwen means well (and maybe a 4 day old is too early to take a baby out, IMO), but she has to figure out how to not rub Yara the wrong way. But, Gwen came in with 2 boxes of diapers...and you KNOW they were the right size b/c she isn't an idiot like her son. So, is Jovi even going to home a month before he has to leave for 2 months to South America?! I get that's the nature of his job, but damn, that's tough on a new mom like Yara.

Freaking Fox. They always do this to me...either cancel something I love (The Gifted was the last one), or save it only to allow it to get really fucked up (I'm looking at you Sleepy Hollow). This is the only show I watch on Fox, and it makes me very sad to see it go. Damn, I hope they get a pick up somewhere. Honestly, the format works better on FX, but maybe Netflix? I don't know...sigh.