angora

I could be misremembering--and I'm hesitant to Google anything CtM-related before the season is over--but when Cyril was first telling his church lady friend about his plan to get into social work, hadn't he seen a newspaper ad about a special program to get qualified in a short amount of time? I feel like there was some sort of scheme about getting new people qualified quickly. These "one half of a fictional married couple wants to leave the show" scenarios never seem to work out well. Killing them off forces the surviving spouse into a grief storyline that might disrupt any other arc they had going on, but dramatically sending them away and then leaving loose ends doesn't really work either. I wish the show would normalize the spouse just being offscreen--Lucille could have stopped working after her marriage, or maybe gotten a different job in another part of the city. They could have phased the actress out more gradually while keeping the character in the background through references, one-sided phone calls, etc. It'd be really great, if an actor want to leave but the show didn't want to kill off the character or anything, to come to an arrangement where they come back for a few days of work each year, filming a handful of small scenes that they could spread throughout the season. I can buy that Rosalind is more assertive/talkative personally than professionally, especially under exam conditions. I work as a sign language interpreter, and a few years ago, I had a really difficult time passing the screening to move to a new company. I can interpret just fine, but when I'm being observed/evaluated, it's hard for me to access my natural professional instincts. I get so focused on trying to make sure that I'm doing everything *perfectly* that I second-guess everything and it kind of falls apart. I don't really mind there being four pupil midwives when only Joyce and Rosalind get storylines. For the training program that Nonnatus is doing, it makes sense to have a small group of them but only focus on those who are actually going to be characters. It was the same when they had the trainee doctors staying at Nonnatus--I think that was a group of four too, but we didn't really get to know more than a couple of them. And didn't Nancy originally come with a small group of trainees as well? I think the biggest difference here is that it's so *blatant* that the other two aren't characters. In previous instances where they did this, I remember the minor trainees getting at least a few lines.

I suppose that, without the long hiatus, we wouldn't have gotten Nida Manzoor's Polite Society, which was hands down one of my favorite movies last year. But I'm sooooo glad the show's coming back! Looks like it'll be time to get Peacock again for a while.

In the interview with Lina Khan, when they were talking about product shortages, I thought it was disappointing that they kind of laughed off the Adderall shortage. Khan laughed when Jon brought it up, and he made a joke about the audience's reaction, noting they seemed to have an "interesting predilection" for Adderall. But ADHDers have been beating the drum on this for a while, emphasizing how hard it can be to function when they can't get access to their prescribed meds, and highlighting that federal agencies don't seem motivated to try and solve it. In articles I've read, they've mainly mentioned the DEA and the FDA, not the FTC, but it still wasn't a great look for the chair of a federal agency to make light of it.

Jordan, Desi, Michael, and Ronny all got solo weeks before Desi and Michael did their tag-team week. If they're keeping this format through the election, I imagine all four of them will have multiple solo weeks and different duo configurations. Maybe we'll get a round of solos for each of them, followed by a new duo, then repeat. ETA I really liked Leslie's piece! She always does a great job, and I continue to like the idea of former guest hosts or other comedians popping in occasionally to shake things up a little. I thought the main theme of the piece was smart, viewing Trump as yet another of the things Americans do even though we know it's bad for us. Also, I'm going to choose that the "I'm probably dying of scurvy" joke was an Our Flag Means Death reference!

Since the show came back after the strike, Dulce has only gotten one more full night to host, during the "news team takeover" week.

I keep waiting to hear when it's coming back. I wonder if we're gonna keep going with the guest hosts a while longer, or if they're holding off on more new episodes until they have the new permanent host in place? I could picture the show just kind of bowing out too, but I bet they'd be reluctant to pull the plug during an election year. If they decide to end the show, I could see them marketing this as the "final season" and bring in guest hosts to get us through the election--if the show was ending, they might be able to draw some guest hosts they haven't been able to bring in so far. I really enjoyed the guest hosts at first, especially the opportunity to see so many different perspectives, but I thought the show was a lot more uneven with it came back from the strike (though I thought all the correspondents did a great job with their hosting gigs.) Whatever they plan on doing with the show, I hope we hear something soon.

Fuck. I'm so grateful to the show for giving us a season 2 finale that could function as a series finale in the event that this happened. They had more story to tell, and I'm gutted that, barring some kind of extraordinary intervention, they won't get a chance to tell it--but I'm thankful that most of the characters were left in a good place for us to imagine their continuing adventures. Pouring one out for the cast and crew who put their all into this beautiful, hilarious, sad, weird, hopeful little show. Each one of them left it all on the mat, and I'm glad we got a chance to meet fantastic new characters this season like Zheng Yi Sao and Auntie.

I saw the special when it dropped on Disney+, but I didn't get a change to post about it earlier. Some stray thoughts: When it comes down to it, the Toymaker is *so weird.* He's canonically one of the most powerful entities in all of Who, and he spends the millennia forcing mortals to play twisted children's games? I like that the show delved into him a bit, with the whole, "Your good and bad mean nothing to me. There is only to win and to lose." NPH did a nice job--I liked his showdown with the Doctor in his realm, and between the hammy accents and the strong mix of absurdity and menace, I feel like NPH was flexing his Count Olaf muscles. I really liked that we saw Shirley crossing her legs in "The Star Beast," so it was great to see her transferring from her wheelchair to a workstation here. Fantastic casual representation of an ambulatory wheelchair user! And then they referenced it when Kate was affected by the Giggle, with her ableist remarks! I thought Mel's return was, pound for pound, one of the single *nicest* reunions we've gotten with a classic companion. Both she and the Doctor were so delighted to see each other, and even though they were both busy with the task at hand, I like that they found time to catch up a little, and that Mel was with the Doctor alongside Donna for the rebigeneration. The Fourteen-Donna scenes were spectacular, as usual. I loved Donna first trying to brush off the Doctor's fears that he wouldn't be able to save her and then saying, "Well, maybe I'll save you." I don't mind the bigeneration, and I'm so glad that 1) Fourteen didn't have to die after having only lived for a few days and 2) he's taking some time to rest and heal with his chosen family. That lunch scene near the end was so beautiful! Speaking of the bigeneration, I am so hyped for Fifteen! Ncuti was spectacular. He just *was* the Doctor straight out of the gate, even in his undies. At first, I was a bit confused that he felt so decidedly older than Fourteen, but after the "we're doing rehab out of order" line, I understood that he's coming from the *end* of Fourteen's life rather than just branching off from that moment on the rooftop. He was so tender and kind with Fourteen, and he had such a brilliant mix of joy and warmth. Can't wait to see more of him!

I loved it! Others have already brought up the comparisons to "Midnight," and I was also reminded of "The Impossible Planet" / "The Satan Pit" (somewhere with a language not even the Doctor knows, out further than the Doctor has ever gone before and he feels the pull of the unknown.) The Not-Doctor and Not-Donna were both supremely creepy--I loved the moment when I realized the two conversations in the control rooms were happening at the same time, and the Not-Doctor's, "Oh, we get hungry, don't we?" gave me chills. Both David Tennant and Catherine Tate were just incandescently good. They really felt soulless as the Not-Doctor and Not-Donna, and it was especially eerie as they copied more, how they could imitate the real thing almost perfectly, but then they'd get caught out and they'd just turn empty inside. And they were amazing as the actual Doctor and Donna too. This was an episode that got to the heart of who both characters are, what they mean to one another, and how well they know each other, and both rose to the occasion magnificently. Tennant played the Doctor's pain over the Timeless Child revelations and the Flux sooooo well, and Tate killed me stone dead when Donna got left behind. Their scene together in the TARDIS after escaping was beautiful. Wow, putting the Doctor in a situation where he has to try *not* to think, lol. I loved the switch from him coaching Donna to let her mind slow, to Donna trying to warn him off when the copies started tempting him with questions.

Seriously, why are Dulce and Ronny not getting their own weeks? Roy, Jordan, Desi, and Michael all did. It feels really shitty at this point. I loved John Leguizamo's week--he's one of my top picks too, @Sarah 103--so I was happy to see him pop up for another segment. I'd really enjoy that as a recurring bit, past guest hosts/"friends of the show" occasionally coming on to do a piece about something important to them. It would be a good way to maintain the wide range of perspectives from the guest-host era once we have a permanent host again.

I loved it. Ten and Donna are my all-time favorite Doctor-companion team for new Who, and David Tennant and Catherine Tate were spectacular together. They slipped back into these roles so seamlessly, it was like no time had passed, and yet both of them also played their parts conscious of how the Doctor and Donna have changed and grown since they last saw each other. Fourteen mostly seems like Ten, albeit older and wiser. I absolutely loved his reaction to the new TARDIS console room, and everything between him and Donna on the Meep’s ship was beautiful. I enjoyed Rose Noble, even if she felt a little underwritten, and loved that Mum Donna was equal parts “I will destroy anyone who hurts my daughter” and “how many flipping times have I told you to take out the bins?” So interesting to see how Sylvia has changed since season 4 and what her relationship with Donna is like now. I like that we got the chance to get to know Shaun a little and that he seems like such a solid guy. Lovely mention of Wilf. I haven’t decided how I feel about the new sonic yet. Besides feeling overpowered, the projected screens/force fields have a Tony Stark-tech look to them that, to me, doesn’t look right for Doctor Who. And more than anything, if the new sonic can do all this stuff, I would’ve at least wanted the Doctor to go, “Whoa, since when can you do that?!?” I knew that we were getting the Meep from the old Fourth Doctor comic “Doctor Who and the Star Beast,” but I hadn’t realized we were getting pretty much the exact same story! While it was amusing to watch it in live action, it felt a little flimsy compared to the much stronger personal storyline with the Doctor, Donna, and her family. So glad to have fresh Who content with these old faces. Really excited for the next two specials, and nobody let RTD do anything terrible to Donna!

I liked seeing Sarah Silverman and Leslie Jones again--as an Our Flag Means Death fan, it was especially fun that Leslie got to be the one to interview Taika Waititi--but this week is reaffirming that I really wish we could've gotten a full week for each of the correspondents. Dulce and Ronny were both great, and I'm bummed that only having one night for each means we won't get their Long Story Shot topics. I loved Ronny's interview last night with John Oliver and their discussion about what it's like to be immigrant comedians.

Whoa. I’m still processing, and I definitely need to watch it again, but I was happy with the season finale. Considering all there was to get done in half an hour, I think the show brought it home well. Spoilers ahead! Ed reading Stede’s letter was so sweet, and I loved their reunion amidst fighting all those British soldiers–cut short, of course, to help Zheng! I also liked the interactions of the whole Stede-Zheng-Ed trio and thought they worked well together. I liked seeing everyone holding their own against the British, whether it was the imprisoned crew’s determination to escape, Roach dropping cigar ashes in people’s food, Izzy showing his open contempt for Ricky, and then Spanish Jackie poisoning everybody! I loved her reassuring the Swede, “Everyone’s poison trained in this house,” and I laughed *so* hard at Stede saying, “Oh shit, is that us doing that?” when all the British started keeling over. And everyone looked exquisitely good in their stolen British naval uniforms. Can we get this cast in a gender- and racebent adaptation of a Jane Austen romance or something? Gorgeous! I’m glad Auntie survived. I liked Oluwande helping her, and seeing how his encouragement paid off–Zheng’s reaction to Auntie saying she was proud of her was really lovely. I’m still trying to decide what I think about Izzy’s death, but I liked that they used his unicorn leg to make the cross for his grave. Lucius and Black Pete’s wedding was both funny and sweet. I love that the crew tag-teamed officiating the ceremony, and I laughed out loud when Roach begrudgingly admitted that they could kiss instead of slashing each other’s faces. That final tracking shot of the crew–plus Zheng, Auntie, Jackie, and the Swede–setting off in the Revenge was gorgeous. Now we’ll see how long we’ll have to cross our fingers as we wait to hear any news about renewal. Stede and Ed opening an inn together has lots of potential, although I’ll hope the show would still find plenty of reasons for them to interact with the crew. The cast chemistry is too good to keep them apart!

Definitely. How quickly Jim seems to have forgotten their comment about, "I guess you never know when you're in the good old days." Leaving Stede and joining up with a captain who'd previously planned to execute Jim and Archie is quite the choice for these three to make. Not to mention, Zheng has been creating her own fleet. Instead of leaving the Revenge, why not at least try to broach the idea with her and/or Stede about teaming up?

I wonder if they initially planned for another ten-episode season and then felt like they had to cram when they only got eight. I think even another two episodes would give the plot quite a bit more room to breathe. My thoughts on the new episodes: Episode 6 Such a great episode! I like that the big party from the trailer wasn’t specifically a drag night, a wedding/engagement party, or anything like that. It was simply the crew “Calypsoing” Stede to throw a big party just because. But within that, I love that Ed explained the con to Stede and he still went along with it, and that everyone got super into the spirit of it, making up fake Calypsan traditions–culminating, of course, in Wee John dressing as Calypso! The quick shot of Jim, Oluwande, and Archie dancing together was sweet, and I loved Izzy singing! And using the treasure from Ed’s “guilt room” to pay for the party was a lovely idea on Stede’s part–I really liked the theme of “turning poison into positivity.” Oh, and their strings of pirate-themed bunting were so cute! I can easily see those popping up on Etsy. I’m glad we’re seeing that Ed is still troubled by his guilt and the things he’s done. It was good to finally get a scene between him and Izzy, and while we certainly didn’t get a heart-to-heart between them, I think Ed’s apology to Izzy, as small as it was, was important. And Ed’s own feelings of regret turning into concern for Stede was really well done. I love that, for the most part, Stede handled Ned Low *his* way. The seeds were already there with Ned Low’s crew, as we saw the crew of the Revenge picking up on their boredom/discontentment and trying to turn that to their advantage. But Stede did a marvelous job of it–love that Hellkat Maggie took over the ship and was ready to discuss profit-sharing with the crew! Like Ed, though, I’m worried about the turn things took at the end, and I’m not sure what it says that Stede and Ed’s first time is going to coincide with Stede’s first intentional kill (the quick flashbacks to young Stede after throwing Ned Low overboard were nicely done.) We see a lot of “artistic” killers/torturers in pop culture–hello, Hannibal! But I kind of love that, for all of Ned Low’s pretension, his art was pretty lame and his crew was just grumpily going through the motions of it all. He repeatedly sneered at Ed for being generic and “lowborn,” but his great “symphony” was just his shallow attempt to find purpose in a bunch of people screaming. I noticed during the Calypso party that we hadn’t seen Lucius and Black Pete yet, so I was glad to see them show up below deck. I laughed so hard at Lucius saying, “What if we just tell their stories? Isn’t that the best revenge?” They were so funny running around collecting every single knife they could find, and I liked that, when they finally emerged, Ed just told them not to get in the way of Stede doing his thing. Episode 7 Yep, I figured post-kill sex wasn’t going to be the right move. The morning-after breakfast scene was cute, and you could tell Ed was starting to broach the subject of getting out of piracy–I wonder if he might have explained himself better if they hadn’t been interrupted, or if that conversation would’ve gone badly no matter what. I completely understand why Ed wants to put all that behind him. He was disillusioned with piracy before he ever met Stede, and feeling trapped in his “monstrous” Blackbeard persona was what fueled his downward spiral at the start of the season. At the same time, though, he’s being super impulsive here. It took him every ounce of willpower he had to be quiet long enough to catch a single fish, and now he thinks he’s going to be a fisherman? Girl, please. It’s realistic that Stede’s newfound fame would go to his head. So many people have regarded him as a joke for so long, and he’s managed to work within that space, but now that he suddenly *is* like one of the notorious pirates he’s read about, it makes sense that he’d play the peacock here, to the point that he’d get himself in way over his head against Zheng Yi Sao. To that end, I can buy that he lasted as long as he did in their duel. She was clearly toying with him throughout, both to impress upon him how wrong he’d been and because she didn’t see him as a real threat. Frenchie and Black Pete grifting off of Stede’s fame was fun–I loved Frenchie selling “genuine planks” from the Revenge, and I laughed out loud at Black Pete urging Lucius to hurry up with the counterfeit autographs. And I loved the post-credits scene! Again, after noticing that Roach and Fang hadn’t been around, it was great to see them at the very end. I love that they had a spa day! I don’t mind Oluwande still being hung up on Zheng Yi Sao–apparently his type is “ruthlessly capable badass”–but I wish we could have seen any of that between episodes 3 and 7. If he was “always” talking about her back on the Revenge, where was it? We could’ve gotten a quick bit of him trying to tell a story about her and Jim or Archie going, “You do remember she was gonna kill us, right?”, or lamenting that he might never see her again when they were being tortured by Ned Low’s crew. Just something. If they weren’t going to bring it up at all, they could’ve gone with him not realizing how he felt until he saw her again. Still loving Zheng Yi Sao and Auntie, and so excited for the season finale! That last scene was a banger.

I liked both Leslie Jones and Sarah Silverman as guest hosts, but I'd rather get a full week for Dulce and a week for Ronny instead of second weeks for them.

Thoughts on the new episodes: Episode 4 OMG, I loved it! After everything Ed went through in the first three episodes, and everything he put his crew through, I figured we were going to have to deal with that before we could get to the Stede/Ed stuff, but this episode did an excellent job of covering both in a way that made sense. I completely understand the crew voting to banish him, and I can buy Ed not fighting them on that but feeling further betrayed by Stede as a result. “You’re no fucking mermaid,” was perfect. I thought everything between Stede and Ed was good. As fun and silly as the bit with the rabbit was, Ed broke my heart a little when he told the rabbit how rare it was to find someone who truly understands you. And throwing him and Stede into contact with the hilariously chaotic Anne and Mary was a good way to get all the baggage out in the open: old wounds poked at and secrets revealed before they were ready, which then allowed them to talk honestly as they waded through everything that had just come up. Stede was absolutely lovely, owning up to the hurt he caused Ed while also trying to explain *and* pointing out that he’s forgiven Ed for things too. I loved that he made Ed listen to his “I love you” speech while also assuring him he didn’t have to say it back. By the end of the episode, I could believe where they’d ended up; Ed softly admitting that he’d like Stede to talk to the crew again was sweet, and I laughed when Stede needed Ed to come with him because he couldn’t find his way back to the ship. Minnie Driver and Rachel House were terrific, a fun mix of sappy and murderous. I liked the scenes between Anne-Stede and Mary-Ed, and I loved that, for those two, the sweetest gesture Anne could make was to set their house on fire. And it killed me that people kept forgetting about Buttons and he’d just pop up randomly and freak people out. I loved the storyline back on the ship. So sweet that Roach, Black Pete, Wee John, and Oluwande wanted to try and help the others, even though it was completely believable that all of them were too jumpy and traumatized to recognize the loving gestures for what they were. The scene of everyone pointing their weapons at each other was fun, and I liked the resolution that they all banded together once they realized that Izzy was more messed up than any of them. I think this episode ultimately offered a lot of healing for Ed’s crew and Lucius, but I hope we continue to see evidence of how they’ve been affected by their experiences (much like how opening up to Stede and then Black Pete in episode 2 didn’t “fix” Lucius’s trauma.) Oh, and Oluwande calling Jim “babe” was too cute! Episode 5 This felt like a needed episode, a nice blend of growth and silliness. Some good stuff in the “curse” storyline, from Stede’s excited little twirls in the suit to Roach inventing peanut butter. I liked that Stede eventually acknowledged that the crew’s superstitious fears weren’t worth keeping the suit and asked for their input in ridding the ship of the curse. And I loved he *did* do well “in the field,” like he told Izzy–punching the guy who tried to stab him on the first ship and firing his well-timed warning shot on the second. I liked the mix we got with Ed here, that he genuinely was sorry and wanted to make things right with the crew but also didn’t know how and just kind of wanted to get it over with. The cat collar made me smile. Sending him fishing with Fang was a good choice; Fang was able to be honest with him while still being sweet and nonjudgmental. But while it makes sense that there’s a lot of focus at this stage on how Ed hurt people, I do hope that at some point he’s able to talk about what he was going through and get some support. With the crew, I appreciated that we got to see several different mindsets after the events of episode 5. You had Izzy determined to move on while also denying what he’d been through, Lucius trying to deal but feeling rushed by those who were pushing him to get over things, and the others mostly in a good place, integrated back with their friends. The scenes between Lucius and Black Pete were so sweet.

So much this! The show has always blended comedy and drama *so* well, but it really takes things up a notch with Ed's arc across these three episodes. How empty he feels through much of episode 1. The way we get this brief upswing from him once he makes his decision in episode 2, then how he plays the "madman"/monster until he can push the crew into killing him. The journey he goes through in the gravy basket. Not to mention, we also get Stede's overly optimistic letter to Ed in episode 1 giving way to, "I think I'm afraid to see you." Him stepping up to try and be there for Lucius, encouraging Lucius not to make his mistakes. The way he believes Ed has been killed but works to save the people who killed him. On a show where the writing and the acting never wastes a moment, Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby were absolutely going for broke. I love them too! I laughed at Archie telling Jim to take “the fucked-up one” as they prepared to amputate Izzy’s infected leg. And I found her nihilistic response to being forced to fight to the death haunting, especially when Jim had her on the ropes and she essentially gave them permission to kill her, saying, “It’s just life." With Zheng Yi Sao, I'm reminded a little of Ed in season 1, the way she's a legendary pirate who has the people around her in awe, but she often acts like just a regular person. She was so sweet and awkward flirting with Oluwande, and when she dealt with the "Soul Reaper," I loved the way she just winced and said, "I *know*, it's been a day!" And Auntie is great! I liked her take-no-prisoners attitude, her meticulous planning, and her filing system that’s “ahead of its time.” Each of them brings their own new flavor to the show while also fitting in beautifully with what’s already there. I'm obsessed with the behind-the-scenes details about the ending of episode 3. Rhys's mermaid tail wasn't CGI--it was an actual costume, and he had to practice swimming while wearing it! Entertainment Weekly has a good article about it, including lots of pictures: And cinematographer Andy Rydzewski posted this on Instagram, including several behind-the-scenes clips of Taika in the water tank. Because the tank was really big but not very deep, they actually shot him sideways for the sinking scene, then flipped the image to make it look like he was being dragged down:

That was a lot of fun. I'll echo all the love for OB, who's just a delight. It's sad but sweet to see how cheery he is about everything, working all by himself down in the basement, going 100s of years being visitors but happy to be part of the "team." It's also interesting that he specifically acknowledges that it's been 400 years since Mobius's visit. If time doesn't work in the normal way in the TVA, hence why people are convinced Loki can't be time-slipping there, how could he know it's been 400 years? Is he keyed into this place in a different way, has he gone much longer than any of the others without memory wipes, or is it something else? It's cute that Loki ends up being the one who gives him his nickname OB when he time-slips and meets him in the past. The whole past/present conversation between Loki-OB and Mobius-OB is great. But I think my vote for favorite moment of the whole episode is when OB pulls the manual out of his pocket while they're walking and casually tosses it over his shoulder, then Loki catches it. The timing and execution are just perfect--I love it! It's good to have Loki and Mobius back together again, even if it quickly deflates the big cliffhanger from the end of season 1. But I enjoy their banter so much that it doesn't really bother me. It's sweet that Mobius is so worried about Loki's time-slipping and is immediately focused on helping him, being all, "Yeah, yeah, apocalyptic doom warning, first we've gotta get you sorted out!" And both of them trying to reassure the other that the time-slipping doesn't look/feel that bad, cute. Intrigued by the timey-wimey stuff and excited to see where it's going. Great moment of Loki breaking through the mural in the meeting room to reveal the He Who Remains images beneath, and I love that brief glimpse between Loki and Sylvie in the future. Glad to have the show back. I'm ready for the ride!

So glad to have the show back! Normally when shows drop multiple episodes, I like to watch one a day, but I knew I didn’t want to be spoiled on this one, and I didn’t want to spend the next three days dodging social media, so I watched them all today. (Lucky for me I don’t work on Thursdays!) I jotted down my thoughts after each episode. I’m not gonna spoil tag them, since the episodes are out now, so avert your eyes if you haven’t watched yet. Episode 1 Lots of place-setting in this episode, establishing where the characters are now, but I’m really looking forward to what’s ahead. Stede’s goofy dream sequence was fun. Him and Ed running towards each other on the beach and crashing into each other’s arms was the best kind of cheesy. Loved getting a look at Stede and his crew working at Spanish Jackie’s. I enjoyed how invested Roach was in the Swede and Jackie’s relationship, and Oluwande was the voice of reason, as always. I appreciate that, even in his full Kraken era, we still saw little glimpses of Ed being Ed. Signs of his ongoing heartbreak obviously, even amid his anger, but I also thought the moment where he was questioning the crew on the “poisoned atmosphere” and turned the gun on himself was very Ed, albeit extra manic and dysregulated. I felt for Izzy in trying to deal with all this, and he certainly didn’t deserve how Ed was treating him. But I had to roll my eyes at his insistence that Ed’s feelings for Stede were the real problem, making no acknowledgement of his own role in getting Ed to bury and sublimate those feelings rather than deal with them. Jim comforting Fang with the wooden boy story was so sweet and funny, especially when they started doing the voices and were cracking themselves up. No idea what’s in store for Frenchie as first mate, but I’m both excited and nervous to find out! (Side note: loving Jim and Frenchie’s makeovers! They both looked fantastic in the trailers, and I appreciate getting a better look at them here.) Episode 2 Still a pretty dark episode, but I thought it had a bit more humor than the first one. I lol’d at Roach and Oluwande calling themselves “tender” and Stede being so flummoxed when Zheng was assigning jobs. Also? LUCIUS!!! I’m glad we got back to him so quickly, and I laughed at the crew just chilling out watching him and Black Pete have their reunion. But even though everything he’s been through was so horrible, I appreciate that we didn’t just get an easy fix here. Lucius *was*, to use Stede’s parlance, mentally devastated, and it was totally understandable that he’d be mad at Stede. I like that Stede was able to own that, and that he encouraged Lucius to talk to Black Pete. I also like that Stede is gradually being nudged to consider that his relationship with Ed might not be salvageable after everything that’s gone down, even as he’s still not ready to give up on Ed. I thought the quick seconds-long flashbacks were really effective. We got some of those in season 1, quick glimpses of Stede’s unhappy home life, but here, they were soft flashes to season 1 when everyone was happier. (The exception, of course, being poor Lucius remembering Ed pushing him off the ship.) I find it interesting that both Jim and Oluwande are getting the opportunity to be with someone else while they’re away from each other. I’m liking the potential of Jim/Archie and Oluwande/Zheng, even as I totally still ship the two of them together. I hope that when they eventually get back to each other, they’ll both be healthier for having had these other experiences. Jim saying they saved Izzy because “he’s our dick” didn’t really ring true for me, because Izzy never really had that sort of relationship with anyone on the Revenge. I could see them saying that about, say, Black Pete, but not Izzy. But I liked what they said about how life used to mean something on this ship, and that was a good enough explanation for me. Frenchie and Jim would’ve both had much better previous associations with Ed, but I 100% get why no one’s really trying to help him, even as he’s clearly drowning. His self-destructive impulses were super destructive to everyone around him, and his wild moods kept everyone on edge. I appreciated how quickly it became evident that upbeat, “new day” Ed was just as unpredictable and dangerous as grim-faced Kraken Ed. Poor Frenchie could tell he was standing on a powder keg, despite Ed’s cheery facade. Episode 3 Great episode! I loved Zheng’s, “Girl, how *are* you?” to Stede, Stede leaping overboard to get back to the Revenge/Ed, and the whole escape plan. I laughed out loud when Stede was going around the Revenge taking out knives, then looked up to see the ceiling was *covered* in knives. So happy we got Oluwande and Jim’s reunion relatively quickly. They were both so sweet! And aww, Oluwande didn’t realize Zheng had been coming onto him! Poor Stede, thinking Ed had been killed. I liked that he admitted his feelings about all of this were complicated, that he was disturbed to hear about the things Ed had done and that he felt guilty for his part in it. And I’m glad Izzy finally acknowledged that he and Stede both had a role in this. It’s kind of startling how quickly Ed went back to the Ed that we know when he was in the “gravy basket.” Yes, he was super messed up, with strong abandonment issues and intense simmering anger that can bubble up into violence, but he was also goofy, honest, and sensitive. I liked him confessing how effed up his mutiny was, and I loved him trying out his innkeeping skills (the little bit of greenery pinned to his shirt made it art, lol.) I also really liked the “pros and cons” scene—Ed’s “con” that he didn’t think anyone was waiting for him was so sad. Great use of the flashbacks again, as “Hornigold” kept pushing him and poking at his damage. And the whole sinking sequence was beautifully done, juxtaposed with Stede finding Ed and begging him to wake up, which finally broke through to the drowning Ed. But then the sight of Mermaid Stede absolutely killed me! I like that, in the dream sequences in both episode 1 and episode 3, Stede gets to be framed as the rescuer, while Ed is the one who falls into his arms.

Found this on Reddit. I had to give the legend a good looking over (ex: double-line connections are for friendship, doesn't indicate any blood relation,) but it seems pretty good. Click on the image to maximize.

They were using British Sign Language. It shares some signs/commonalities with ASL but it’s a different language.

This might be one of my favorite finales ever. It started off beautifully with the scene between Willie Jack and Daniel's mom--I teared up at her explanation of life, death, and community. It felt like the thesis of the season, maybe the whole series. Even though it was sad that everyone was gathering over Fixico's death, I liked how much love and life was in the episode too. Loved the montage of the guys digging the grave, especially Cheese hitting White Steve with the shovel! And that wonderful shot of the women dancing while they cooked. I cheered for Kenny Boy showing up with the shovels and then laughed at Maximus side eyeing him like, "Who's this guy?" Lovely moment with Bear needing a second after hearing that Elora was leaving for college, then telling her it was awesome--I loved his farewell to the spirit as well. I appreciated all the love people showed Willie Jack after her speech over the grave. And I swear Big made me laugh every single time he was onscreen. I especially loved everyone's reaction to him wondering if he shouldd sing a song, and his walkie dangling by its cord during his walk of shame with Bev. I agree that Cheese had less of a sendoff than the other three, and that it was a combination of him being younger than the others and having such a good spotlight episode earlier in the season. But I really loved that *everyone* got their moment. It wasn't just the Rez Dogs and bigger characters like Rita and Big. Seeing everyone come together for the funeral highlighted how big the recurring cast is. The show really did a fantastic job creating this community. Of course I would've liked more seasons, but I can't complain about what we got. We had three great seasons of this funny, sad, loving, wild show, and it was able to end on its own terms. Loved it!

I just finished rewatching season 1, so I'm utterly content, despite being heartbroken all over again and wondering if I maybe need to watch it one more time while I wait for season 2 to premiere. In this thread, we've of course talked a lot about the show's incredible LGBTQ representation, and we've touched on depictions of gender, race, class, and masculinity. But I wanted to look at something that really stood out to me on rewatch: its neurodivergent coding. This year, I've been coming to the long-overdue realization that I'm most likely autistic and ADHD, and that's gone hand in hand with realizing just how many of the shows that I've desperately loved over the years--*my* shows, the ones that completely stole my heart--have Big Neurodivergent Energy. (See also, Pushing Daisies, Doctor Who, Community, Parks and Rec, etc.) In the case of Our Flag Meets Death, there's arguably an ND reading for most of the major characters; "found family of misfits" shows tend to be like that. But it's especially evident to me, and poignant, with Stede and Ed. (IMHO, Stede is more noticeably autistic, while Ed is more noticeably ADHD, but they both have traits of both.) I'll start with Stede. Deeply unhappy with the life he's "supposed" to have, he takes extreme measures to change that, going against everything society says a person of his class ought to do. I find there's something deeply neurodivergent about defying societal convention to do what your mind/body/soul *needs* you to do, because you can't stand what you're supposed to do a second longer. But even as he radically changes his life and buys a pirate ship, he fills it with familiar, comforting things: his favorite books, his extensive wardrobe(s), copious jars of the marmalade he loves. First, this shows that familiarity and routine soothe him. Second, it's an outward demonstration that he's not being the sort of pirate he's "supposed" to be, either. With the Gentleman Pirate, he's creating his own vision for what he wants piracy to look like, from his "talk it through as a crew" mantra to "plundering" potted plants from fishing boats. He doesn't really "fit in" or understand the unwritten rules anywhere. He's out of his depth as a pirate, of course, and many who meet him think he's "soft" or an easy mark. But he also didn't fit in as a wealthy landowner--that's part of the reason he was so unhappy. At the party on the French aristocrats' boat, he admits that he's never done well at these types of social occasions. With his crew, he can be overly blunt and misses the obvious, such as being blindsided by the notion that the crew would be considering mutiny or gleefully confessing he "didn't want to give" Jim his petrified orange when they tell him he can keep it. However, he fares better on the Revenge than back in Barbados, because he's surrounded by people who come to care about him. Even if they don't always understand him, the crew likes him and tries to help him navigate situations he isn't always prepared for. Onto Ed. At the start of his time on the show, he feels bored and unchallenged to the point of depression, so much so that he muses on the idea of dying just because it's something he hasn't done yet (classic ADHD "bored-out," which is burnout due to chronic understimulation.) He's incredibly good at being a pirate, but he's gotten into a rut and feels trapped in the part he plays so well. When he hears about Stede Bonnet, the Gentleman Pirate, he's intrigued because it's something *new.* It's something different. And when he comes aboard the Revenge, that slides into full-blown fascination. He's delighted by all of Stede's knickknacks and eccentricities, and he runs around the ship taking note of *everything.* Izzy scolds him like an inattentive child, telling him to focus, not realizing that Ed's enthusiastic attention to detail has already noticed everything he needs to keep them safe from the Spanish. (When his plan falls apart, it's because of a tiny, dumb, distracted mistake--he forgot what day it is.) Unlike Stede, Ed is pretty good at fitting in, and he's perhaps too good at playing the part people expect of him (in the autistic community, this is known as masking.) In addition to aggravating his boredom, this also puts him in a very vulnerable position. Because he's generally good at wearing a persona, it hits him harder on the occasions when he *doesn't* fit in, like as he slowly starts to realize that the French aristocrats are laughing at him. It also means that, as he gradually feels freer to open up and be his true self, he takes it much more personally when people don't accept that--first when Stede appears to abandon him, and again when Izzy berates him for his emotional reaction. (Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, intense reactions to feelings of rejection, is common among ADHDers.) Of course, all these things are also influenced by the characters' sexuality, masculinity, class, and race, but I really enjoy exploring their story through this neurodivergent lens too. In this way, I find it even more beautiful that Ed *loves* the quirks that everyone else thinks is odd in Stede, that Stede meets someone who values him 100% for himself and that Ed meets someone who helps him start to drop his mask. From almost the moment they meet, despite many differences between them, their minds operate on a similar wavelength, allowing them to see and appreciate things that others don't. It allows them to come up with outside-the-box solutions together, like quickly rigging up their "lighthouse" to fool the Spanish out of stuff they find in Stede's cabin, and it means their love story includes delightfully oddball moments like riffing together on Ed's hypothetical restaurant. As with so many aspects of the show, it's just wonderfully inclusive and complex, and I love it so damn much. And just for fun, here's a supercut that made me smile:

I just finished watching the season again, and I got a kick out of the recurring bit of angels/demons getting stonewalled by Crowley after greeting him. The demon who sends the zombies to spy on him in the '40s is all huffy that Crowley doesn't remember being on the battlefield with him against Heaven, and then Saraqael does the same thing in the finale when Crowley comes to Heaven to investigate what happened to Gabriel, gets annoyed that he doesn't remember her from his days as an angel. I just love how casually Crowley blows them off, all, "Sorry, I meet a lot of people...." I think I've figured out why I'm all right with the finale (provided we get a resolution!), despite being Decidedly Not All Right about the finale. Obviously, it's not what I want to see for these two, and the parting was painful (those parallel credit shots, my god!) But breaking couples up/yanking them apart just as they're about to get together is such a time-honored tradition of TV. You see it with straight OTPs all the time, and and far too often, they're pulled apart for entirely lame reasons, dumb misunderstandings or the classic "I didn't know I wanted them until they started dating someone else!" This break, however, *matters.* It hurts precisely because it isn't lame. It's so rooted in who both of them are, especially Aziraphale's misguided loyalty to Heaven and the perception of them as the "good guys," and I understand why it would tear them apart, even as both of them desperately want to be together. The story potential as they repair the damage and come back together is going to be spectacular. (IMO, the same thoughts apply to another queer-centered show whose fandom often overlaps with this one--I hate the breakup, but they weren't pulled apart for nothing, and I can't wait to watch the angst unfold before they get back together.) I just hope that when we get season 3 ("when" not "if," right???), they're able to reconcile and get together *before* the finale. I don't just want "happy kiss, then roll credits." I want episodes of them being their "group of the two of us," both fully recognizing that that's what it is.