Luckylyn

It's terrible that Rick didn't even confide in Michonne about the signs that the Unfair Wolves might be near. It's like Rick has decided that since he and Michonne disagree about their approaches to Alexandria that he won't trust her anymore. After all they've been through, Rick should know he can be honest with Michonne. Maybe he's afraid she'd be able to talk him out of his take over and that's why he won't include her in his meetings with Rick/Carol/Daryl. Lack of communication is going to end up leading to something horrible, I think. I was kinda disappointed that no one in the group figured out Rick/Carol/Darryl plotting. No one in CDB thought it odd that Rick was taking Carol out for "shooting lessons." I totally thought Carol was going to be thwarted by Michonne catching her in the act of stealing the guns because I assumed Michonne would notice something was up. They kept talking about Carol being invisible but that should only be to the Alexandrians. CDB knows Carol and should have realized there was plotting going on.

Aaron is competent because as a recruiter he's not as sheltered as the other Alexandrians. He knows how bad things are outside the walls I wonder what horrible things he witnessed spying on potential candidates to join the community. The other Alexandrians don't seem to see how precarious a situation they are in worrying about pasta makers instead of the very real threats outside the wall. I can't believe how horribly protected their guns are. Anyone could scale their walls and find their way into that gun room and destroy them.

I think I could tolerate the Rick/Jessie stuff despite my disappointment at the writers not going there with Rick/Michonne if Jessie weren't married. I just don't have interest in that triangle. I suppose the writers think it's interesting to have a redux of Rick/Lori/Shane with Rick as Shane, but I'm iffy about it. I suppose it could be an exploration of how much Rick has changed to the point where he's more like Shane than the Rick he was in Season 1 but I just have a low tolerance for triangles. It's one of the most lazy tropes. How much of a Shane Rick is, is something that can be explored without a stupid triangle. It's really bothers me that Rick kept quiet about the W on the zombie forehead. He saw what the Unfair Wolves did to Noah's community. He's spoke to Deanna about security but didn't tell her that there is a concrete threat potentially in the vicinity. Never brought up what happened to Noah's family. To her threats from humans seem abstract because they have been so sheltered. She needed to know that a real threat is on the way. That he's not even talking to his own people about it is problematic. Does he want the Unfair Wolves to come so that he can show the Alexandrians how weak they are and let him be the big hero? There's an arrogance building in Rick where he may think anything he does to gain control is okay because he's "saving" them but in the end his help may end up destroying the place. Carol is absolutely ruthless. She's right to want weapons, and it was ridiculous how easy it was for someone to break in. Still her first instinct seems to go to the most ruthless choice possible when maybe there's another option. I think deep down Carol fears weakness in herself more than anything and overcompensates. Aaron is an intriguing character. I love that he understood how to reach Darryl. That's a friendship I could really enjoy. If Aaron weren't taken, I'd be shipping those two so easy.

I was really annoyed that Willow wasn't allowed to be bisexual. They showed that she'd been in love with two guys and then fell in love with a woman. I don't see how one love should cancel out the others. She could be attracted to both genders and the show set a foundation for that but didn't explore it. There's an interesting article the issue.

I like the theory that Alexandria is playing possum and trying to purposely appear weak as a test to see if Rick's group will try to take advantage, but the way the run was handled by ROTC Douche shows there are serious weaknesses. Enid is able to get in and out of the community without detection. That means dangerous strangers could find a way in too. They have too much faith in the wall on its own and that sort of complacency is a problem. I think Rick and Carol trying to fit in and play along while maintaining their suspicions is the right way to go. I'm very curious how exiling is handled. That story might be the best way to know Alexandria's weaknesses and strengths. Was it really an exile or and execution? Information in this situation is a necessity. Rick had a nervous breakdown after Lori died. I'm shocked the others haven't also broken down too. It makes sense that Michonne has her breaking point as well. She's tired and needs a break to stop from losing it. I also think she's thinking of the group as a whole and not just her own comfort. The Michonne who was suspicious of Woodbury is different for who she is now because she has more to lose. She and Daryl both expressed concern for the kids being out there in danger. I feel like Rich's paranoia and Michonne's willingness to try to trust come from the same protective instincts for their group. Trusting Alexandria is a risk but staying out there is also a risk. I think Rick believes they were too complacent at the prison. I think the traumas of losing the prison community they built, the Claimers, and Teriminus has changed Rick. His trust in people has been eroded, and he understands just how ruthless the world can be even when things appear safe. He did offer to take people at the hospital with him so he still has in him the man who let the Woodbury people join them at the prison, but he's more fierce about protecting those he considers his people. After all that has happened, Rick, Carol, and Daryl can't help seeing a wolf in sheep's clothing. Meanwhile I think Michonne is the same and trying not to be because she wants something to hope for not just for herself but the others too. Survival alone isn't enough to sustain them indefinitely. What if they truly exiled people and didn't kill them to protect their location and the exiled joined up with the Unfair Wolves? I think the Unfair Wolves are on their way, and Alexandria will fall if they don't listen to Rick and the others about how to strengthen up.

What I love about the fic Lipstick (on my collar) is that it shows Felicity's pov about the rumors she slept with Oliver to get her job which the show never dealt with and her feelings about the impact of Oliver taking her IT job away from her. He had good reasons for needing someone he trusted to be his assistant, but it's really sad how easy it was for Oliver to derail Felicity's career and negatively impact her reputation without asking her first and without consideration for her feelings. Felicity cared about Oliver getting QC back but has Oliver ever shown consideration for any career aspirations Felicity had? Her usefulness to the mission is appreciated but the sacrifices Oliver demanded of her career and the resentment Felicity might feel over that weren't explored in depth. If the show focused more on issues like that there would be some interesting character dynamics to explore without plot driven manufactured angst. This is why I love fanfic because there are times it fills in the blanks. Lipstick (on my collar) - Oliver asks Felicity to help him maintain his playboy cover, and against her better judgement, she agrees. One night stands and vanilla cupcakes - Felicity has a one night stand with a hot stranger. Oliver is unimpressed. Diggle thinks the two of them need to get over this shit already but so long as Felicity bakes him cupcakes he's not getting in the way.

I thought that moment with Carol being all awkward with the gun was odd and then realized she was putting on a show to look like someone who doesn't really know how to handle a weapon. The meek character she's playing so they don't know how dangerous she really is is brilliant. Plus, it was clever to request a job that put her in contact with lots of people which puts her in a position to gather intel without drawing attention to herself. I can understand Alexandria having a rule that new people can't carry weapons inside the community until there's been a probationary period but a general no weapon rule for everyone is a horrible idea. Also, they should really have everyone doing some sort of fight training since they are so sheltered so that they will have the skills to fight if they get invaded. They trust their wall too much. They should be preparing just in case it's breached. A group of organized ruthless humans could and send a ton of zombies through. They don't seem to be watching their perimeter, and no one seems to be guarding the wall. I'm on the fence about what Rick said at the end. If these people don't have the skills to protect themselves, than he should teach them. If he tries a violent take over he could end up destroying the place so one one could use it. I'm hoping Rick is planning to use guile to take over and not violence to preserve resources. I'm wondering if the people who are exiled were murdered. It's also possible they are Enid's family and that's why she's sneaking out possibly to feed them. I'm so happy Rick's beard is gone. I liked Michonne smiling at seeing his face clean shaven for the first time. My inner shipper was hoping the death of the beard could lead to something happening between them, but I doubt it. Outside Michonne and Rick were this unit, but Alexandria is changing that. She wants to take a leap of faith, and Rick's paranoia won't let him follow her. I feel like I get both their sides because hope and caution are both needed to survive but a serious fracture between them could happen. I don't want that. They are such a great team even if it never goes romantic like I'm hoping.

I've been wondering why they haven't just killed Fish yet and was thinking that maybe she has a rare blood type. A person like that would be too valuable to kill and Fish would know that. I guess that's unlikely or it would have come up already on the show.

That's a good point. Romance on a show doesn't have to hurt a show, but there are writers who keep going to annoying tropes which makes the romances hard to watch. I don't really like the derision thrown at people just because they enjoy romance on their shows. Although I do understand that there are shippers who take things too far which can turn others off. That isn't all shippers though. Plus, I find there's a sexist element too since it's assumed that shippers are all female when there are men who also root for certain couples too. I'm a shipper who doesn't enjoy poorly written romantic plots just as much as a non shipper wouldn't. Romance doesn't have to ruin anything. It's the writer's approach that really matters not whether or not there's romance on a show.

A Second Chance - Oliver wakes up with no memories since getting on the Gambit seven years earlier. With no memories of the island or the Arrow, where is his life going to take him?

One thing I thought this episode revealed is that Paige is not as easy to manipulate as Elizabeth thinks. Elizabeth has been going to church with Paige and pretending to be okay with it. This episode shows that Paige hasn't entirely bought Elizabeth's act. If she had, Paige would have confided her baptism plan in her mother but instead she ambushed Philip and Elizabeth at the same time. While Elizabeth was manipulating Paige, Paige was manipulating right back. That girl has more stubborn in her than Elizabeth realizes. Elizabeth believes what she wants so strongly that she can blind herself to things that don't fit the narrative she wants. Philip brings up reasonable objections to bringing Paige into their mess, and she just won't hear it. It's okay for her to try to get close to Paige to try and influence her but in her mind Philip isn't allowed to also have his own bond with Paige. I feel like so much attention is being given to Paige that Henry is slipping through the cracks. I feel like he's the kid they should be worrying, about but they won't understand that until it's too late.

I used to like the Not Quite Human tv movies where Alan Thicke creates an android son. Robin Lively played the daughter. I remember that he wanted to get recognition for his invention but also wanted to keep it a secret that his son wasn't human. I wonder if a tv series could work with that concept. I suppose it would be hard to explain for the scientist to suddenly have a teenage son no one had ever heard of before. Fake an adoption?

I don't know what to make of Emily. Sleeping with your dead patient's son while he's grieving seems very sleazy, but it's Proctor who I consider monstrous so I don't really care if he's taken advantage of. She clearly has no clue that she needs to be weary of Rebecca. Plus, Proctor isn't the type of guy you can just break up with if things aren't working out and so while Emily seems to be feeling powerful due to sleeping with him he could end up quite controlling. This is not going to end well. I just hope Brock doesn't end up dead when Emily realizes she's in over her head and inevitably goes to him for help to get away from Proctor. Or maybe Emily is more sinister than I realize and could end up quite okay with Proctor's brutality as long as she gets to be lady of the manor. Still Rebecca is the one she needs to be careful of because Rebecca at this point is capable of anything. I don't think Emily comprehends the dynamics she's walked into. I have to say I found myself disappointed with NLH and Aimee for not immediately killing Chayton. I get NLH wanted him to suffer first but just kill the guy and get it over with. Also Chayton is apparently a cyborg since he can be stabbed and shot and keep on going. I get super bored by villains who stick around past their logical expiration date. The whole what if Lucas Hood had lived alternate universe was a lovely and painful concept. Although I believe some situations were made worse by NLH's presence there were also other times where his willingness to fight and break rules saved lives too.

Limited series is just code for backdoor pilot. I'm not a fan of the limited series concept because it ends up leading to stories that would be a great miniseries into mediocre series instead like Under the Dome. Some stories are better in a limited time frame and won't work for multiple seasons. I say this admitting that wouldn't mind more Agent Carter but that's the except for me. I loved Galavant but hated the clearly hoping for a second season cliffhanger. It would have been better with an ending like a proper miniseries.

I think I remember NBC giving tv movies on Fridays or Mondays. There was a period where they were giving Danielle Steel movies and miniseries regularly. They also did some fantasy miniseries like The Odyssey and Alice in Wonderland that were entertaining too. At some point, NBC stopped making tv movies. ABC used to have the occasional Wonderful World of Disney produced movie but I can't remember the last time they aired one. I think the temporary Hallmark/ABC tv movie airings last year were the last time ABC regularly showed movies. Now Hallmark Hall of fame has moved to the Hallmark channel exclusively instead of CBS or ABC. It's a shame. TV movies seem to be only on cable these days. There were some classic miniseries like North and South, Roots, Lace, I'll Take Manhattan etc..., that I really loved watching. I am so happy for PBS Masterpiece which still gives movies and miniseries annually as well as importing series from the UK. I really wish broadcast networks got back into showing tv movies and miniseries at least during the summer. I don't understand why they stopped when the miniseries used to be a regular thing in the past.

I loved Daria so much. The idea of a live action version is intriguing.

This is a huge problem for me. The show has turned into a jumping off point for other heroes, and Oliver's story is getting lost. Characters like Felicity and Diggle are getting written poorly in order to twist things to support other characters. Characters like Thea and Sara are just plot points and their potential as characters squandered. The writers are so focused on the new shiny heroes they want to promote that character development has been lost in favor of plot driven stories. Ray had potential, but he's not been written well because the writers are more focused on the outcome of him becoming Atom and using him to block Olicity than they are on developing him as a person. Laurel is another character that suffers from that sort of writing. They are writing to have big moments without making the effort to build up to those moments in a way that makes the most sense for the characters. Killing Sara is a prime example of a lack of creativity and plot being a priority over organic storytelling. I'm so bitter because killing Sara was the laziest choice they could make.

I'm really bitter about the lack of urgency to inform Thea she was mind raped by Malcolm and help her protect herself.

I'm a Hocker - Oliver & Felicity - This one made me laugh

I'm hoping Sonny is faking the memory loss. I think he's giving Will the last chance to come clean. Also, Sonny might be concerned about Ari. He might want to talk to his Dad about what rights he might have as a step parent before confronting Will. I know Will and Gabi put in writing that Sonny would have custody of Ari in the event they died but I don't know if Sonny was legally made her guardian. He acts as a parent but legally I don't know if step parents can go to court to demand joint custody. I think once Justin shows up we'll find out what is really going on in Sonny's head.

More from Miss Mert - The pen is red of course. and she made a pic for Cupid as well.

Walter could really add so much and the whole biology vs. adopted family story could have been showcased. Plus, I would have liked to see Oliver and Walter working together over QC and forging their own bond. Walter and Felicity seemed to be developing a nice friendship in season 1. Concern for Walter was the big reason Felicity was willing to work with the Arrow but that friendship was just dropped too. They established this loving relationship between Walter and Thea in season 1 and seemed to forget about it. Why they couldn't let Thea simply be using Malcolm to gain some power is something I just don't get.

I think I can forgive stupid if the show overall is compelling and has characters I can get invested in. I do think Gordon and Cana are weak points. Cana is a character I change my mind on from scene to scene. Sometimes I'm bored with her and at other times I see potential for the character. She and Gordon both can be self centered in a way that really makes them look bad regarding their children. In Season 1, Gordon was the only rootable one with the whole NLH/Cana/Gordon mess. Then his season 2 self indulgent response to Cana's betrayal happened, and I couldn't stand him. This season, Gordon seems to be improving though. When Gordon has his act together, he's a character I can really get behind. Would he and NLH team up to go after Proctor once the Chayton dust settles? I don't see NLH/Gordon working together to get Chayton in prison cause NLH seriously wants him dead. Chayton's an idiot for poking the bear inside NLH. Before NLH was indifferent to the idea of Chayton killing Proctor but now Chayton's given NLH a reason to go on the warpath.

I totally get the Flash Gordon comparison. Flash Gordon was campier though but I still have a major soft spot for it.

lol, @Captanne.