mattie0808

Goddamn...the last 10 minutes of that episode...I absolutely have not been that tense watching a TV show since Ozymandias. Ozymandias you knew was going to be insane because of the cliffhanger the previous episode, and that one didn't let up for damn near the entire show. This one was unexpected, and focused on the end. But, the same level of tension, which I never really expected another show to do. What incredible acting from all three in that scene. I need to take some deep breaths, maybe have a strong drink, and go to sleep, lol.

Damn, I really trying to think if I’ve ever been so unprepared for an episode of TV, ever. I don’t think so. WOW.

But wasn’t Amy (briefly) already a presidential campaign manager for Selina? How could being one for Jonah be any kind of upgrade? Especially with Selina actually doing kind of well lately, if in fits and starts (with her pulling off the campaign announcement and winning the debate)? She just seemed so excited that she even temporarily forgot how much pain she was in, Dan seemed psyched too, and I just don’t understand, lol. On another note, I truly hope Richard quitting both campaigns doesn’t mean we’re going to see less of him!

Did I miss something? (Easily might have since I watched on my phone on the train this morning...) Why is Amy so super-excited to go work for Jonah? Why is she even available to work for Jonah?

Funniest quote to me... ;) JESUS!!! Not the most erudite, but I seriously, honestly laugh to myself just thinking about it.

I do think the introduction of a black, female president of MACUSA is a new/recent element that is problematic within US history. I do think some of what Rowling has tried to say in the years since the release of the books and the original movies about Hogwarts and the magical world has been new information that in some cases is difficult to deal with. I completely agree that in fantasy like Harry Potter, that is meant to take place in our world/with our history, there is always some suspension of disbelief required and some things aren’t going to make real-world sense. I just feel there’s a complete disregard of certain major issues that is increasingly problematic. I understand that there isn’t going to be a U.S. where, say, any notable portion of slaves were freed by a black wizard or witch. The X-Men, in the movies, didn’t radically change the course of history either. But there is a recognition of how is it that these very powerful people, who grew up “normally” until their powers manifested themselves in various stages of adolescence, dealt with being subjected to prejudices and oppression. The X-Men is also more of an allegory generally about prejudice, which HP certainly was never intended to be. But I think the frustration with JKR is that someone who always took care with all the very unique and creative ways she built her fictional world is seeming to show less care on some major points. She wants to add diversity (and I’d agree she’s doing so with good intent) - great! But that doesn’t make it reasonable to simply say that the magical community in the U.S. was so racially ahead of the curve (gender-wise too!) that they can elect that president at that time. It makes it hard to understand the social history of the magical community in the U.S. Were magical people coming to the U.S. from Europe back in the day just without any racial/gender prejudices? How is that possible? It’s not like they were coming from diverse countries or communities. They arrived in what became a diverse country that overran the racially different native population, enslaved another race, did not officially give women the vote and other rights until way later, etc. And again, aside from the majority population, it truly complicates things for muggle-born minorities. It didn’t need to be dealt with in the original books, because it was the 90s-00s, and there’s no real issue with the magic world reflecting the diversity of the UK/Europe at that time (even bettering it in some ways). Now, though, we’re in different countries, in different time periods. I know the social history of the U.S. is not the point of the books. But this is the direction JKR has chosen to go in. I’d like to see some acknowledgment of that - can totally be basic/brief/throwaway - in how the world continues to be constructed.

Okay. Sort of. But my question is, not what were all the so not-prejudiced white people doing "not interfering" throughout American and European history (at least) -- what in the actual, living hell are the BLACK WIZARDS AND WITCHES DOING. (And any other minority group.) I mean, am I just supposed to accept that throughout the magical community in the U.S., they are so completely, thoroughly, utterly isolated, that they can become the magical president by the time of FB1, but never thought to lift a finger to help their "No-Mag" brothers and sisters. Really? The MUGGLE-BORN black wizards and witches, who would have lived with the exact discrimination and oppression that black people faced at whatever point in U.S. history, eventually got told they had magic and -- forgot? Didn't care? Were so happy to be accepted by the magical society that they just didn't worry about it? Didn't want to help their own family members? Really? Forever? What? That to me is where it is clear that there was no real thought process about U.S. (and European) magical history. Think of all the things so many black people had to do and to sacrifice and to suffer. And not ONE magical black person ever decided to get or stay involved. Not one muggle-born slave, not one muggle-born in the Jim Crow south. No collective concern from black or Native or any other wizards and witches. Not one muggle-born Jew in occupied Europe raised a ruckus. Hermione, as a muggle-born, is ride-or-die to free the elves, but not worried at all about the society she was raised in. That's about as impossible as it is for the ENTIRE U.S. to only have one magical school, lol. X-Men (the movies, as I'm not a comics reader) at least throws some bones in this direction. Eric/Magneto didn't just go quietly to the camps. And he tries to intervene in U.S. politics at the highest levels. I just...come on!

I very rarely catch episodes of the original show on the one channel that airs them (that I always forget), but the last two I remember seeing were a Christmas episode where the gang decides not to buy gifts for each other, they all lie and do, and hilarity ensues, and one where Frank is introducing Murphy to a new girlfriend he might be serious about. The major political themes have always been part of the show, yes, but they were never front and center for every single episode. There were entire episodes where the politics were limited to quick asides and throw-away jokes (in maybe the Frank's girlfriend episode, Phil names his food items on the menu after celebrities/politicians, but realizes it's a bad idea pretty quickly, because so many people hate some of folks with foods named after them -- "I can't get anyone to order an Orrin Hatch!"). There were just sitcom-y episodes that were enjoyable because the writing was funny, and it was in a unique setting with good characters. I'm curious as to whether the current continuation feels like they could or should do those types of episodes? Or, does the fact that the show was brought back almost entirely because of the 2016 election mean that they don't want to be a "normal" sitcom at all any more? I guess we'll see the rest of this first season. I do hope a little balance comes back into things here.

Dear lord, I’m just watching that episode now, and made a BEELINE here because of this. There’s no way he’s 22, right? Like...NO WAY IN HELL. I would have thought he was lying if he said he was 42. How can any 22 year old have a FACE like that? Or hair? Or glasses? Or clothes? Impossible! Ok, now, I’ll pay attention to the case, and read the other comments, lol. Geezus!

Damn, this is a great goddamn show. Lol!

The Hallmark Channel is the king of this for me...hours of Golden Girls, Frasier, and Cheers around the time I'm going to sleep and well into the night. Wake up the next morning and it's I Love Lucy. It's big for me not to wake up to some obnxious informercial or game show (hello Baggage!), whether I sleep through until morning or get up a some point in the middle of the night. I don't really watch Lucy, but it doesn't have me lunging for the remote as soon as I am alert, lol.

Is TNT still showing L&O? For the last few weeks, it hasn’t been on the times I usually watch - 5 & 6 AM Mon-Fri, mornings until maybe noon or 1 on Saturday and Sunday. I miss it!

All the applause for Viola. Keep telling it, girl!

Good for Viola! (And Ava Duvernay.) https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5b99196ce4b0162f4732d131 The Help INFURIATED me. What foolish, insulting, history-rewriting schlock. Never begrudged Viola or Octavia any success they had or leveraged from it, of course. But it’s good to hear her say this. Here’s to POCs (especially WOCs) not being limited to these kind of roles, for real.

I saw this episode of Golden Girls over the weekend...if I’ve seen it before I’ve forgotten, and was struck by how completely obvious it is from about the 1:10 mark on that Bea Arthur and Rue Mc have just lost it laughing. Kudos to Betty White though, she plays it straight long enough to let them get back on track for the scene. Hilarious!