T E L E V I S I O N / Broadchurch 201 - 204 Review

“I can still feel the weight of her, water dripping off her clothes all down me. What sort of a person leaves a child like that?” God, Broadchurch is back with a second series after the whirlwind that was the first and I am so freaking happy. SO HAPPY. There were a lot of directions I thought it would go, but none compared to what actually happened. My first few guesses dealt with a new murder case in town or exploring other crimes, but I'm glad it didn't really do that and instead focus on the next part of an arrest, that being the trial and flesh out more of the tensions and problems that will take place with such a dangerous and unpredictable outcome.  The writing and execution for this series has been superb on everyone's part. I can't even tell you how many times my jaw fell when a twist came up--like Joe pleading not guilty for one thing. I actually screamed right after. And in my head while it was still in its flurry was trying to answer what are they doing? How are they going to write this when we've already seen the entire murder fleshed out at the end in the last series. I was so nervous I thought I was going to puke. I'm so amazed with the direction they're taking it. Bravo, everyone, bravo.   This series also features a not-so-new new side plot featuring Hardy's old and unsuccessful case in Sandbrook. It's nice to see that resolved and add that tension with the current tension in the courtroom. Plus, it also offers us a shirtless and often sweaty James D'Arcy. I mean, who can complain about that? It's nice that we're also seeing more to Hardy such as his ex-wife and his daughter and his desperation with the Sandbrook case. My stomach is twisting though with the real murderer (I'm assuming) and whether or not he's going to be caught. Broadchurch definitely does suspense right and that's what I appreciate most about it.  With all the good bits said, and I hope this isn't a nitpick thing, but are we ever going to see why they threw in Paul's break of celibacy in the first episode if they're not going to go anywhere near it afterwards? Is it just a throw away point or like gasoline to priestly Arthur Darvill fantasies? I mean, I don't mind but I would just like it to have the same continuity as everything else.  Can't wait to see what episode 5 has in store!  Ratings: ★★★★★ B R O A D C H U R C H | Mondays, 10PM → ITV

T E L E V I S I O N / Suspects 303 - 304 Review

“Mr. Forrester, some days are good days.” Just as quickly as it came, Suspects series 3 is now gone and done. It was fleeting and I'm sad that each series is so short, but what can you do? So, here are my thoughts on the final two episodes.  While episode 3 was good, there wasn't anything big or unique or different in the world of procedurals and I suppose that's fine. Episode 4 and the way it introduced not only one but two transgender characters and appropriately navigated in using the correct pronouns for the boys was amazing. I think I appreciated episode 4 the most in the series in its message of the realities of transphobia and violence against transgender people. A common theme that connected these final 2 episodes is the idea of the protective mother who hide or flee with their children aka the ones who committed the crimes. It's a nice and sentimental touch, I think, in order to prolong the suspense.  Series 3 wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either. It felt like Suspects just fell into its footing it found in series 1, but didn't follow through with the fantastic building we saw in series 2. While self-contained episodes are great, I think I prefer the two episode arcs simply because we get more insight. I was also hoping that since series 2 featured Jack's background pretty heavily in this world, I was really hoping to get more of Charlie, but alas we did not and I think that's a real loss. Maybe, series 4 will give Charlie Steele her much deserved background and screen time. While I love me some Jack, I also love Charlie and she's just as critical to breaking cases as Jack and Martha. She deserves her limelight, goddamnit. C'mon Suspects writers, I'm begging on my knees here!  Ratings: ★★★★☆

T E L E V I S I O N / Suspects 301 - 302 Review

“I’d press that panic button now if I were you.” I'm so glad Suspects is back and that I'm watching it before the entire series is over! Granted, I missed the first two episodes on the day it originally aired, it probably wouldn't have made much difference since I'm in geographically restricted from watching this show. But, two--now three--series in and that has yet stopped me from this!  A noticeable difference from this series right off the bat compared to last series is that the writers have decided to have each episode be self-contained again (a hark back to series 1). I'm not sure I'm fond of it to be quite honest. With series 2 having the plot arc span over two episodes instead of fitting into just one allowed the characters--specifically the suspects themselves--to be fleshed out as the interrogation progresses. Whereas having a self-contained story per episode may give the story a more adrenaline and suspenseful narration (and it did keep me on edge the whole time), I prefer character driven rather than plot driven scenarios, you get me?   Episode one featured a serial psychopathic college teacher while episode two featured a convoluted missing persons' arc. While both were very suspenseful and shocking in their revelation, I obviously have some qualms. One, after last series and Jack's forced vacation from the force, he seems so happy and cheery and unaffected by the past in this series. Like they make references to it once or twice in the beginning and end, but that's it. There's no side eye wariness. There's no true consequence outside of what happened in series 2 and it feels...strange. Two, there's no build up to the suspect--this issue is presented differently in the episodes. In the first, Rory (the teacher) transitions from reasonable frightened and aggressive teacher who wants to keep his student affair hush to this sudden serial psychopathic killer with a trauma. The second half felt so unnecessary. It would have been fine, honestly, to leave it with just a teacher trying to keep his secret hush hush. In episode 2, the build up to Mike, the father, being the culprit was totally out of left field and after it was revealed, it was never fleshed out. Are we supposed to believe that the kidnap was because he lusted after his 8 year old daughter? The entire situation felt very...unresolved and I suppose, that was how the episode was meant to be considering he committed suicide before his arrest.  I hope this third series works out its kinks. It was doing so wonderfully in the second series too! I hope Charlie takes the center stage this time around and it seems like that's where it's headed considering the amount of screen time she's getting and the focus on her reactions and emotions and her abilities as a detective.  Ratings: ★★★☆☆ S U S P E C T S | Tuesdays, 10PM → Channel 5

T E L E V I S I O N / Glue 107 - 108 Review

“I just want to go back to the beginning. All I want to do is go back to the beginning.” I swore to myself that I would write a finale review for a show and stop my track record of never writing finale reviews (looks sadly at Mr. Selfridge & MMFD posts) by writing this one. Though it's incredibly late and my mind is a bit fuzzy on the specifics and details of what took place in the penultimate and final episodes, I still vaguely remember what I felt when I watched it. This won't be as in depth as the other reviews I've done since, like I said, it's been a while since I watched the episodes, but it'll be a overview of my thoughts. Well, let's start with the biggest reveal from these episodes: Who killed Cal? Like I said in the last review, I honestly thought Ian would have had a hand in it, but since he died before the end, that was crossed off. Part of me wants to say I never really suspected Eli would be the killer and part of it is the way the story was told and I tip my hat off to the writer for this. Because we see Eli desperately investigate Cal's pass, there's this automatic assumption that Eli is looking for Cal's killer and to piece the story together as the police and as we the audience are doing. But Eli's definition of Cal's murder is not his physical murder but the murder of the brother he once knew before foster care. That familial drive and aspect to Eli's character was so present from the beginning that it was nice to see it played out in a dangerous matter. I wish, however, since family played such a critical role to Eli's life that we got to see more of it with his father, and his mother. There were lots of talking and threats and too much telling than showing--of course, this could all be for suspense's sake. Despite this, seeing Eli as the killer definitely surprised me to a certain degree though I wish it didn't since all the signs were there! Watching it a second time, I'm sure there will be very subtle hints that form an arrow pointing to him.  Another favorite arc of mine was Ruth. I don't know if it's a regression or progression of character. I'd like to say it's a progression because from the beginning we see her deny her background as a Roma consistently, especially with her physical separation from the camp. By the end, she's living there with her daughter, immersing herself in the environment again. I also loved the development of Ruth and Tina's re-budding friendship. Honestly, I wish there was more of this. Their bonding in the flat pulled my heart strings and wished there was more since 80% of the show consisted of them glaring at each other. A lot could have been developed in terms of backgrounds and characters, but given the length of the show, I guess I can't find much fault with it.  This is total an aside fan thought, but I would have really loved Eli and Ruth to get together over Eli and Tina, but whatever. I'll take them separately since they're both independently great characters involved with a pretty good story.  Ratings: ★★★☆☆

L I F E / 2K15 Resolution

I don't have a long list of resolutions for this new year. I find that whenever I try to do that, I overwhelm myself a bit and I just don't touch the list at all. So this year, I only have one important resolution I want to achieve. For 2015, I am going to write at least 1000 words per day. Just for the sake of writing. Just to remind myself that this is indeed what I still want to do and to train myself to do it no matter what. I hope everyone has a great year! I also need to write the finale for Glue. I swear I don't know why I just don't write reviews for finales. I will write it! I swear!

T E L E V I S I O N / Glue 104 - 106 Review

“So, she did what desperate people do. She called on the devil and the devil came.” Hey guys, here’s round three of Glue reviews. Even though I don’t post the episode reviews in a timely order (like episode 4 after it airs, etc), I do watch the shows on the day of. I just don’t get the time to really sit down and flesh out my thoughts…if you could describe these posts as fully fleshed out. So, here’s my low down on episodes 4-6. Episode 4 |  A lot happened in this episode and likewise, a lot didn’t. I think this is the theme of Glue. You take 3 steps forward and 2 steps back per episode. The focus of episode 4 relied heavily on loyalty. Just as Eli asks Ruth, where does it lie for each character? Episode 4 was Tina’s passion for horse riding vs. her skewed sense of commitment to Rob; there was Ruth’s sense of justice and also her duty as a mother. We see Tina throw the race and Ruth chase after the yellow car. I really liked these struggling conflicts that both fall into their characters, especially since the two choices reflect heavily on who they are as a whole. But, I won’t lie. I did get a bit frustrated watching Tina throw the race simply because this is her passion and a sacrifice like this means a sacrifice for her whole career whereas her relationship with Rob is already on a tightrope, incredibly uncertain and unbalanced. It was kind of hinted that at some point, Tina would have to choose between Rob or her future and I like how it was slowly built up, though I would have preferred to see Tina practicing and riding horses more to prove to the audience that she is a very talented jockey and not just have it said through the mouths of other characters. With all narratives (both in the visual and the written), show don’t tell should still apply. There’s more impact and emotional connection. Ruth’s struggle has been stated outright from the get go of the show. Family (her identity as a Roma) vs. Society (her sense of duty and justice). We see her unable to really fulfill the mother role. Throughout the show, it seems her drive for justice overtakes the balance she should have (granted, she doesn’t really try to make much balance for it). And, we see this negligence affect her daughter. She could have nearly been killed if there was a car nearby while she was out on the road—I was holding my breath the whole time in hopes that nothing bad would happen. Ruth can’t raise her daughter on her own because she doesn’t seem to be very aware that she is indeed a mother now. Everything other than the case seems to take a backseat. Other things are brought up with this episode, the biggest one being Ian’s involvement with Cal. At this point in the show, I honestly wondered if perhaps he was the killer. Like he and the other kid from foster care teamed up and killed Cal. Of course, this will be abruptly (not really) resolved in the later course of the series. Problems I’ve had or just general confused questions I’ve had after this episode finished. First off, really? I know I’m up for morally ambiguous characters/villains, but did this have to be applied to Dominic? It felt very left-field and very cliché. I would have preferred if Dominic remained the untrustworthy sideline villain that he is. He didn’t need to have that whole sap story of doing what he does to own the land, etc. And he suddenly loves Ruth???? Where did that come from? How did he go from “I have a contact in the police force, so trust” to “What about us? You were magical, Ruth. I really fell for you” when they had little to no interaction after dispersed sex scenes/morning after scenes/indirect interrogation scenes. Second problem, what is up with that little boy appearing in places so conveniently? Like he just so happened to be at Janine’s house and now he just so happened to be driving a car. Can someone explain? Unless he’s the killer, it seems kind of pointless. Episode 5 |  Since episode 4 recap was a bit long, I’ll try to make this one shorter and it’ll be easy because only two main (actually that’s a lie 3 but I'm leaving the third one for episode 6) thoughts filled the inside of my head. First, did anyone see that Cal and James relationship coming? I sure as hell didn’t. That was why I was so confused when hallucination!Cal was saying how much he loved him and how they were going to get away. To be honest, when that first came up, I thought it was James’ delusions of what he wanted Cal to say, but was never said. Think of a unrequited love on James’ part towards Cal. But, the longer this acid trip progressed, the more I realized that this was indeed very sincere, and very real and it made me so sad because James’ hope for a happy future disappears. Episode 2 then feels a bit of a lie. James wanting to leave, but already realizing that without Cal, it’s pointless. If anyone deserves a break, I think it’s James because he lost more than anymore. Well, maybe not as much as Eli. The second plot point was Rob’s whole internet stalker. Last time, I said that maybe it was Cal messaging from his grave. Wouldn’t that have been something? Instead, we got the girl we’ve seen brief glimpses of throughout the show get her 15 minutes of fame. It’s starting to really irk me with the way the writing has been going for this minor characters. All of sudden we are thrown a load of information about why the girl did what she did, for another girl Rob slept with who was also a traveller and someone it seems to hint that she had an unrequited love for as well. I think it was too big of a bomb to drop without foreshadowing it a bit. There are twists you should have seen coming and then there are twists that are meant for pure shock value and hold nothing else and this was certainly the latter. You can make the backstory as developed as you want, but it doesn’t excuse the poor writing on that front. Episode 6 |  If each episode became more centrally focused on one character, episode 6 was definitely a Tina episode (Tina/Rob but more Tina than anything). We finally learn more of their history, their past and how they met. Despite how destroyed they are now, they did seem to really like one another, maybe not love, but a very intimate like. And I loved how this arc of the story has been handled. Tina is removing herself, with the help of Rob, to get out of her comfort zone and move on. There are some parts of your life that you just have to end despite how great the past used to be and this is what she had to do with Rob. The problem I have regarding this break with Rob and this hop into Eli is that Tina herself does not get a break. She’s jumping from one relationship to the next. I know it was inevitable for her to end up with Eli from the start but girl needs time for herself, to understand herself and who she is as a person now before she dives in again. Tina’s character should not be driven by the relationships she’s with or is going to be with. Episode 6 also gave us more dead characters and more questions. Ian is dead. Janine is dead. Like I hope the last two episodes are done well to resolve the murder or else the writing would have spiraled out of control. You only have 8 episodes and even though suspense is good and all, you have to acknowledge to start dropping in hints and clues or bits of foreshadowing to wrap the whole thing up neatly. Unless, it’s going to be one of those open ended cold cases. My theory is that Ian and the other foster care kid teamed up and killed Cal. Or maybe it was Annie, I’d like to see her more than just comedic relief really. And…that’s it. All three episodes in one very long post. Ratings: ★★★☆☆ G L U E | Mondays, 10PM → E4

T E L E V I S I O N / Glue 102 & 103 Review

“In the old days, it was a bit of a tradition. They’d take all the things the dead person owned. They’d pile it all up in their trailers, douse it in petrol and set a match to it. They believed if you kept hold of the dead person’s things, they might come back to haunt you. ” Doing a bit of 2-in-1 episode reviews to catch up. Midterms week are upon me and whilst I procrastinate, I decided to get around to being somewhat productive and write this up because damn is the show getting good. Like most shows, the pilot usually helps you decide whether you want to continue. If I have some sort of interest (even the smallest amount), I usually end up watching the next 2-3 episodes and see how I feel after that. Thank God Eli's face kept me intrigued past episode 1 because I am mildly hooked. The series definitely got me with the second episode and amped up the volume in the third! Episode 2 fleshed out a lot of things like more about James life--his desire to go to university and leave the countryside for good, Ruth's family life, more about Cal's life and murder, and the kicker of this episode Janine. I like that they gave more insight into each character in fact it gives them the roundedness they need and also a drive for the entire plotline. Especially after the first episode, I was suspicious of James being the killer. I mean you can't just show him killing a calf and then drop it. But as episode two unfolded, the idea of James being the killer wouldn't make sense. Why would he start to reminisce about something Cal left behind/hid? I feel like James was just very connected to Cal, looked up to his free-spirit personality (though now we understand it was very much a heavy facade) because he could not under his sense of obligation towards his mother and the farm. Besides that, we are also introduced to his sister who splits the second the episode nears to an end. (This was one of the things that I didn't really like about this episode. Don't introduce a character and have them split 2 seconds later. I realize not all minor character's can't be developed and fully fleshed just for the sake of time, but it felt really odd to have this huge reunion in the family and see her book it. If they bring her back later on, I might forgive the writers, but right now, that's just poor decision making.) Next off, we have Ruth. I was mildly creeped out to hear that Ruth had an affair with Tina's dad and became pregnant because of it. It left me with a few questions as we are also introduced to Ruth's mother. Was the affair the cause of her break from the group? Was her pregnancy the reason she had to be essentially taken out of the camp? Hopefully, these will be answered. Out of most of the characters, Ruth is one of my favorites. We see her drive to be a good police officer/detective while struggling with her lost identity as a Roma and her new role as a mother. She, out of the few episodes that have aired, is the most developed and arguably the female protagonist of the show while Eli is the other. But even then, Ruth seems to take on more of the spotlight than he does and I don't mind it at all. Finally, Janine as the major twist of the episode. I did not see that coming at all with her identity theft. I mean, I could sort of see the faking horses to get more medication, etc. but the identity really punched me in the gut. For a moment, I also thought she was going to be the killer too, but similar to James' character, it didn't really add up. She was with Rob, and she doesn't seem like a killer type. Maybe a drug addict, and identity thief but definitely not a murderer. In Episode 3, we learn more about Cal--obviously through Eli--and his history, more Janine, and Rob. From what I'm piecing together, Cal was abused during his time in foster care, became mixed up with Dominic Richards--the drug dealer of the town, and became a teenage prostitute (this is my guess with the number on the wall). It's sad to see the misery he experienced while everyone just knew him as a great guy to be with. No one knew who Cal really was and now we get to learn through Eli who wanted to know him and protect him most of all. We also learn more about Janine's past, her family (her aunt specifically) and perhaps her reason as to why she took on a false identity and ran away. I started to feel sympathetic to her as a character. Actually, as each episode progresses, I start to feel a tinge of sympathy for each character more and more. Like Rob, who I just thought was the cheater/douche/head in the clouds kind of guy, actually was given some dimension with the introduction of his father, his father's affair, and his verbal abuse towards his son. Now, there's a reason why he's never home, why he keeps his distance from Tina but also turns to her the most out of everyone. Hopefully, we get to see more of the family dynamic. On another note, I'm not sure whether I'm down with the Tina/Eli relationship, but I don't mind it. I'd prefer Eli stay single though because I don't want him taken away from me even if he is a fictional character. My theory so far is that the sex tape of Rob and Janine was recorded by Cal--though whether he uploaded it and sent it or someone took it and now taunts Rob is still hazy. I want to say Annie might've been the one that killed Cal simply because we don't know anything about her. She's a character that hides behind her ditsy-ness compared to the rest. Unless we follow her in episode 4, she's one of my prime suspects. Also, I'm still reeling over Janine's attack. My mind is still trying to find a character who would fit the bill, but none come to my mind. Oh, and that kid that gets Cal's bracelet, having him pop up and around the area is kind of weird, especially in that last shot. For one thing, how close is Janine's house to the camp? Why was he there? I hope it wasn't just to make things eerie with the bad omen of the bracelet. I mean, come on now. Can't wait to see what episode 4 has in store being the halfway point of the show! Ratings: ★★★☆☆ G L U E | Mondays, 10PM → E4

T E L E V I S I O N / Suspects Series 2 Review

“There’s not many things that turn my stomach, Doctor. But, there’s a bloody awful smell in this room and it smells of you.” Though I am undoubtedly late to the party, series 2 of Suspects has returned and has gone just as quickly. With only 4 episodes under its belt this time around (one episode less than last series), Martha Bellamy, Jack Weston and Charlie Steele investigate, interrogate and round up the bad guys that plague the city. Last series, I had issues with the predictable and almost grudgingly slow pace that the show took in the first three episodes. Suspects found its footing to me in its final two. My last review of the show also commented on how I wanted to see more of the characters, their lives outside of their detective profession, things that defined them as people. Maybe someone from the Suspects writing crew checks out this blog, but all my concerns were more or less answered. (So if there is someone who does read this, can you say hi to Damien Molony for me? Get a video of him saying: “I love Christina” too?) I love the new format of the show, devoting two episodes for one case but also branching it out so it doesn’t seem as redundant. It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! I loved how the writing for the first arc episode really made you believe that the perp was Saul—the schizophrenic man—while the real killer hid in plain sight. I thought that was so clever and I applaud the writers on this decision. (However, I did have an issue with Sadie bragging about how the police were so stupid that they didn’t think it was her. Of course they didn’t doubt her. SHE NEVER GAVE THEM A REASON TO. Maybe this was just an error on the actress’ part? This show is still improvised, right?) While the story lines have gotten better at hiding their criminals, I also loved the fluid weaving of Jack’s background into the story and his development (or regression in the eyes of his co-workers) in this series. Though the episodes focuses primarily on solving the case, it also gave the audience an understanding of who these crime fighters are, what drives them, what has happened to them in the past to make them who they are today and even more about their personality—specifically their vices. Though this series seemed to primarily focus on Jack—and i’m not in the least bit complaining because I am more than happy for my DaMo fix—we also got to learn about Martha. In fact, we learn more tidbits of her in the transition of the first case to the second. Martha as both an excellent supervisor, maintaining her authority and composure, while also being a devoted mother (sighing over missed pizza nights with the kids and her daughter, Daisy, being a part of a dance academy, etc. It’s just these moments that make the characters more relatable and humanistic to the audience. I hope when series 3 rolls around next year, we learn more about Charlie because she is undoubtedly a character that has yet to be tapped to her full potential. I also hope with Jack’s “vacation” leave doesn’t mean that he’ll be completely gone from the next series. I may love that his character had to face some sort of consequence, I don’t want him away for too long. I need my Damien fix, and Suspects is the only way I’m getting any of that. Also, I just like to give a round of applause and a hearty pat on the back to the show's writers or casting directors or whoever asked Luke Newberry and Larissa Wilson to guest star in the two stories. It was bloody amazing. If only they could come back on again. Ratings: ★★★★☆ S U S P E C T S | Returns 2015 on Channel 5

W I S H / The Current Covet #2

backpack | skirt | sunglasses | lip stain | shoes | ring

T E L E V I S I O N / Glue 101

“Tell you what? He had brown hair, fair skin, liked chicken for dinner, sausages sometimes. Is that what you want to know?” The series name alone makes you hesitate. Glue? The first thing I thought of when I heard it a few days before the show even premiered was: are we supposed to be thinking the actual glue product? You know, the white sticky stuff that you’d spread all over your hands and wait to dry and peel off to see what skin would look like? The obvious route would be bonds, things that connect other things together—but it’s also easily breakable. I came in to the show knowing basically nothing of what the show was about except that it was new and on E4, and I’ve left the episode with a sense of piqued interest and a new on screen crush. As a brief synopsis for those of you who haven’t heard of the show, Glue is about a group of kids in the countryside experiencing a traumatic event—one of their friends being murdered. No one knows who did it, but it’s heavily implied that it’s someone within the gang. If you need a further run down of the basic essence of the series, think Skins with murder. You get your drugs, your sex, and your wild teenage angst. But what Glue offers and what Skins really didn’t is this new inclusion of Romani culture. Although I don’t live in the UK (though I will in the future!!!), I can assume that like those here in the states, these people are often looked down upon. The public perception of them are simply what stereotypes are offered (gypsys, thieves, uneducated, etc). What Glue includes and seems to be executing well from my opinion, is this culture’s side of the story. What the English view as backwards, they view as practical for their own lives. Though the nude opening scene seemed quite sudden, I didn’t mind it. For once, it seems, there is a show that has more male nudity than female or at least, it was equal rather than lots of boobs hanging left and right in other shows (sideyeing you, Game of Thrones). The writing seemed interesting and engaging. As a sucker for aesthetic shots, the cinematography kept me watching. There were so many shots that were so pleasing to the eye in its pastel/rural way. The pilot of the show has definitely left me with a curiosity to see how the murder will unfold and how well it will be executed in terms of finding the killer and learning the backstory of each character in a way that gives them each the nuances and complexities they need. I await the second episode with a subdued excitement. Plus, Callum Turner, aka Eli Bray on the show, is a fresh face with literally (read that in Rob Lowe’s voice) razor sharp cheekbones and a hair that d e m a n d s to have fingers run through them. Just fyi. Ratings: ★★★☆☆ G L U E | Mondays, 10PM → E4

R E A D I N G / The Orphan's Tale: In the Night Garden

“Never put your faith in a Prince. When you require a miracle, trust in a Witch.” - THE ORPHAN'S TALE: IN THE NIGHT GARDEN, Catherynne M. Valente After properly sitting down and shutting off the laptop, I managed to finally finish the rest of In the Night Garden. This is the second book that I have read from Valente, and in its overall presentation, it did not disappoint me. What I expected from the novel was the writer's unique and uncanny ability to string words together so beautifully that it became my food source. My stomach only craved her writing and my brain could only digest those sentences and question: how in the world did you come up with that? Did you gain your talent by selling your soul to the devil? The imagery of the tales were so vivid and rich, set in a place familiar to fairytales I've read as a kid, but also very different. Valente uses this to flip familiar and often damaging tropes and stereotypes towards female characters such as the damsel in distress, the beautiful dead queen, the woman reuniting with her long lost lover. This brought about engaging and different character dynamics. However, just as I want to continue praising how wonderful the novel was, there were some issues I found while reading it that lowered my opinion of the overall quality. First and foremost, the arc of the book itself resembles that of The Arabian Nightes: Tales from One Thousand and One Nights where the female character tells stories to the male character, and enticing them through it. Though I can't comment on how One Thousand and One Nights dealt with the actual present day arc, I had a sense through reading brief summaries that the actual characters themselves--Scheherazade and Shahryar--play a much larger role, especially in the content ratio of them versus the tales. The Prince and the orphan girl here however take a minimal amount of space compared to the stories, taking a backseat even though they were the main protagonists. Because of this, though the stories themselves were developed (perhaps overdeveloped), the actual framework for the tales fell incredibly flat, the characters static and seemingly unnecessary. Similarly, the tales themselves proved difficult to swallow as tales endlessly spiraled within one another. Minor characters were given grand plots and storylines when I didn't really want to read up on them, or thought their story needed to be told. Valente also used these minor tales to bridge the two main stories together. Though it was an interesting concept, it was poorly executed. The ending "connection" in its attempt to be a twist became contrived and poorly fleshed. I thought it was thrown in just to see how clever it could be. Lastly, though I praised her for this earlier, Valente in this particular work through her attempts at empowering her female characters seemed to be shaming others. Such things kept on being emphasized like beautiful women were weak and it was the ugly ones that truly held power. While its nice to see female empowerment, there shouldn't be a need to look down on femininity. Who said you can't be both beautiful and strong? Overall, the book was a great read. It definitely taught me the importance and strength in developing a character's background to secure that unique voice that they themselves carry. No one is the same, and we all have a tale to share. Ratings: ★★★☆☆ BUY IT HERE | AMAZON, BARNES AND NOBLE

L I F E / Batman Versus Harry Potter

“Win or lose, I admire those who fight the good fight.” - George R.R. Martin Last Friday, as part of a mini-treat for working on the yearbook and working on a collage for this family reunion, my sister and I got to go to the WB Studios lot to take a look around, babysit my cousin's kids and let them see their aunt who works there. It was cool learning which shows were filmed where and there were quite a handful of shows. Unfortunately, since it's summer, most of the shows have wrapped up and not many were filming that day. Wouldn't it have been cool to run into someone? My sister basically fangirled over most of the Pretty Little Liars set and I fawned over the partial True Blood and Batman set scenes. We got to also see the Batman exhibition that was just opened to the public a day before and the Batman vs. Harry Potter museum featured on the lot. Oh and we took a quick breather at the F.R.I.E.N.D.S. set, chilling on the couch at Central Perk! It was pretty awesome, believe me. Hopefully, we'll get to go again around the fall when shows start up again! But seriously though, if Batman and Harry Potter had to battle, who would win? I feel like they'd just compete over who has more dead on their side.

L I F E / Mid-Year Resolutions

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” - Ernest Hemingway (image credit) Is it weird to finally make some resolutions even hough it’s half way through the year? Well, better late then never. Also, I work better under pressure so setting resolutions when the year is coming to an end gets me motivated. What I’ve learned from the past two years of college so far is that procrastination and last minute attempts always turn out the best. (KIDS, DON’T DO THIS AT HOME) So, since this is my last summer before senior year, I’ve decided to set up a focused resolution list to prepare myself for the application process of grad school and also, improving myself because I’ve felt very stagnant lately. PREPPING FOR GRAD SCHOOL Just like anything, even if you’re procrastinating, it’s important to prep. I know this seems a bit…counter to what I said about last minute and procrastination but, once the groundwork is down, it’ll be at least less stress and burden on the mind. So, what do I need to do at least over this summer break? Samples, Samples, Samples | Samples take up a big chunk of the application process especially for MFA programs. While I was doing some casual researching, most MFA programs required sample(s) of at least 20-30 pages worth of writing for the portfolio. Depending on the school, this can be for one work or two or even more works. Even though it's better to just work and revise on a piece already written during the course of the year, I haven't been able to get into creative writing/fiction oriented classes (90% of that is the university's fault for not offering more classes for this area, 10% of this is my fault since I didn't want to attend night classes though my tune has changed since I'm taking a workshop very late at night this upcoming year). So, it's important for me to start cranking out some work that I displays my capabilities and also my potential to the committee. Crossing my fingers that I don't dig myself into a terrible writer's block rut that hinders me to do anything.  Finding 10-15 Schools | This is an obvious one. I mean, can't go to a school if you don't know which ones offer what and whether it's a good fit for you. This is similar to choosing an undergrad college to attend. However, what I'm changing in method for the first time around that I applied for colleges is whether or not the universities that have MFA programs require GRE scores. I'm so done with standardized testing and luckily, there are great schools that offer this option. The range of 10-15 is just so that I have at least a few backups (hopefully). Or I'll be faced with a large amount of rejections--perhaps an insight into my future life when all my queries get rejected by agents too? Hmmmm. CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YOURSELF Little things that I need to do to just better myself in terms of a writer that I have been horribly neglectful of this past years, using poor excuses as justification. Write |  It's pretty pathetic how I tell others how I want to be a writer that this is my dream but I do absolutely nothing to try to achieve it. I haven't written anything the past year. A lot of it is because I keep believing that my work isn't good enough, or that something about it is bad. It seems I have my editor persona on at all times that it stops me from doing anything at all. But, I need to remind myself that naturally, all first drafts will suck. So long as I can just write it out, and get it out of my system, it will be better than nothing. And anyways, that's what revisions and drafts are for, right? Read |  Can't have one without the other! I have been majorly slacking in this field (although it's a bit better than my writing activity). I have ordered and bought so many books that I tell myself I want to read or will get to reading as soon as I have the time, but I continue to let the pages collect dust on my dresser. Now is time for change! I will force myself to get through more books and read a greater variety than I have before. If I want to be a better writer, it's only natural to learn from those who are successful. If anything, if I don't learn anything, I'll still be expanding my library with beautifully written and wonderfully crafted characters and plots from the best!  Internships |  If everything goes down the drain, I need to fall on something. Internships are crucial in gaining experience and skills that will be marketable in future careers. It's a stepping stone to actually witness the career and field you want to enter. Plus, no one would really be open to hiring a fresh college student with little to no work experience. If my dream as an author disintegrates, I need to seriously think about other career paths. While my dream is like my dream guy (COUGH someone like Richard Madden perhaps COUGH), internships are like the small dates and relationships that I have the option of settling down with because even though the guy isn't that exciting (or Scottish and the King of the North), they're stable and not too shabby. Since I'm going to be a senior in a couple of months, I have to find something since I don't have that much time. Internships are usually more widely offered to college students and that clock is ticking pretty quickly now that I look again.  Trying to stop myself from screeching is taking a lot of my strength but hopefully, for the sake of my future, I can get through this!

T E L E V I S I O N / My Mad Fat Diary 205

"I’m thinking about moving away.‘Cause I’ve got no other reason to stay. Have I?" I hate it. I hate it, but my God, this episode was incredible. I don't think I've ever watched a show or a movie that had made me so uncomfortable or so disgusted at myself for watching it afterwards. With episode 5, My Mad Fat Diary definitely crossed that line. And you know what the worst thing was about all of this? With the train of events that have happened so far, you can completely see this happening. I think the greatness but also the troubling aspect of this series is that it's so intimate and it is displayed so realistically that it drags the audience in. As a viewer, I sympathize and about 99% of the time, really relate to Rae and even see her as her own person. This is where episode 5, for me, drew that barrier between audience and character. I couldn't help Rae. She's fictional, but she's also so very real. And the fact that I couldn't be there for her and help her out through the times where she needs it makes me feel incredibly gross, as if I became a bystander to a crime. But let’s back up and start from the beginning before we get into the nitty gritty. The episode started off as a normal MMFD episode would. Cheery happy, just usual Rae comparing her life to others and her and her mom getting into a bit of a spat that you would THINK would get resolved by the end of the episode in normal episodic fashion. I think this was one of the great things about the writing of this episode in contrast to the series we’ve seen so far. We have expected the formula of problem > Rae working it out > happy solution > another problem to lead into the next episode/an emotionally driven twist in the last 5 minutes that would lead into the next episode. This episode followed the general beginning but 2/3rds in, everything got f***** up fast. We get to see more into Chloe’s life a bit more, her family especially. We also see the new group of older guys that she hangs out with. At first glance, you can see the sleaziness written all over their faces. I figured it would be a one off thing, and would be resolved when Rae could see past their bull, but I was wrong. There’s also Finn’s new 24 year-old girlfriend, Olivia who he has started seeing. When I learned that she was that old, I started wondering, how in the world did these two meet and is Finn really that much of a lady magnet? Either way, Chloe’s older guy friends and Finn’s older girlfriend pushes Rae to act like an adult in a span of quite a short time. There, a guy starts taking interest in her (the ugliest wanna-be Aaron Paul look-a-like of the 90s) and they laugh and hang out. This leads to issues with her mom and general butting of heads. At this point, I was ready for a scene to take place—probably when Rae takes her to get the ultrasound done—for their relationship to be mended. I mean, their arguments have never gone to the extent of Rae being kicked out, but it always seemed to be headed in that direction especially with people as stubborn as these two. This led to Rae learning more about her father, what he looks like and where he lives. Though I had always wanted to know who Rae’s father was, after this episode, I didn’t care for him at all. He has simply been out of Rae’s life for too long that it’s obvious he may call himself a father but will never actually accept all the responsibilities and characteristics that a proper father should have. He, like the general first half of the episode was relatively forgetful or dulled in comparison to the second half. The pivotal scene was definitely the one that required the most trigger warnings. It should have been plastered all over the screen just before Rae went into the bathroom, to be quite honest. Maybe even a announcer to exclaim: WARNING WARNING. But, I went in blind and watched strangely as Rae and Chloe participate in this older crowd, trying to play up to the stereotypes and obviously on Chloe’s part, seizing the attraction of a guy by engaging in a female-female kiss. I watched as Rae went into the bathroom, expecting her to wash up and leave, return to a nice warm bed and day dream of Finn and his loveliness. If there was something I was wrong about, this would be it. This would smash all my wrong guesses to ashes. I started crying as I watched her struggle, heard her voice crack as she pleaded no and almost wanted to simultaneously puke and castrate the guy whose name I don’t even want to know because he’s not worth my memory space. It was even worse when Chloe (who has been great up until this point) told her to engage in sex with the guy and then later for her to leave because she was staying. However, despite my temptation to view this as a deterioration of character for Chloe to that static figure, I found it as just a revelation of her own problems and insecurities. We have seen consistently Chloe’s own problems and just because she did a few things that might be redeemable in our eyes, no one has helped Chloe fix these problems, so it’s only natural that these conflicts would stick around. The hardest was watching Kester give Rae the sudden “professional” shoulder to Rae despite her assault and despite her completely distraught nature. Kester since series 1 has been developed as a moral, supervising figure. We trust Kester, just as Rae trusts Kester. In fact, he seems to be straddling this line of therapist and friend, leaning more on the friend side. Their relationship have developed this way since series 1 as a way for Kester to reassure Rae that she can always come to him. So, it made me distress that when this girl, recovering from a mental illness, comes to him again after being nearly sexually assaulted and he—because of his own personal life—steps back and decides not to help her unless she was actually physically hurt or on the verge of hurting herself seems problematic. Similarly, when he shuts the door in Rae’s face when she tries to seek help again after Finn leaves. Of course he should try to create a boundary between private and professional life (even if he didn’t make this boundary clear at first), there are other ways to turn down someone with mental problems that wouldn’t be so devastating or harming their self esteem. On the same note of adults who were at fault in aiding in this spiral is Rae’s mom. Though I understand the necessity to enforce rules and restrictions on children, I thought Rae’s mom was treating her with little to no sensitivity. You would think knowing about Rae’s background of mental illness so intimately as she, would evoke some kind of balance in being both a parent in the form of supporter and guider. But, I suppose two people who are so similar to each other will often butt heads with each other, viewing their opinion as the right one above all, first and foremost. Maybe, the pregnancy may have added to this overreaction, but treating Rae so coldly seems out of hand. Despite everything, she’s still your daughter. I think that’s the struggle she faces when I try to sympathize with her. She loves Rae so much, it’s so clear but sometimes you get so fed up and the filter just vanishes. But you don’t want to stoop down to apologize no matter if it’s the right thing to do. This is getting quite lengthy, so, I’ll make short comments about other plot points. Archie is great for calling out on Chop’s silence and generally standing up for himself. GO ARCHIE! I’m not sure why Izzy kissed that guy if she wasn’t attracted to him at all. Maybe, Chop was too suffocating as a boyfriend? Hopefully, this will be explored though with two episodes, I’m not quite sure how well it will be touched upon. Finn needs to return, a.s.a.p. I can’t have the group dissolved like this. I barely got them this series and I don’t like it. Lastly, I have lost my once profound admiration and love for Liam that had been lighted in me last week. Goodbye, puppy eye MMFD shots. Goodbye, bad boy turned nice guy storylines. He was just a douche inside and out with a thin veil of niceness. I hate that I fell for it, and I hate that this episode was so devastatingly good. Ratings: ★★★★☆ M Y   M A D   F A T   D I A R Y   » Mondays, 10 PM → E4

T E L E V I S I O N / Mr. Selfridge 209

"There is nothing in the world I want more than to smash your smug little face into the middle of next week." This episode was bloody amazing, with the exception of Victor, Mr. Grove and Loxely. They put the worst damper on everyone’s cheerful moods. But let’s start off with the man who has been perfect so far, Florin DuPont. The scene opens with Mardle and Florin, naked but covered by white sheets in bed together. I nearly fell out of my seat; I probably would have if I didn’t grab my desk for steady support. Who knew a kiss could escalate so quickly? But, I’m glad it did. You see Mardle filled with joy and happiness again, for a moment, she’s a young girl. And Florin, he’s still such a boy driven by this passion and love for this incredible woman, moved to kiss her in public though it may seem indecent. He has to, because he can’t contain it. Love is so beautiful, isn’t it? Too bad Grove had to be filled with jealousy and reprimand Mardle about her relationship with Florin. It angers me to know end that this man who abandoned her for a younger woman and married her instead of Mardle who gave away the prime of her life for him still feels that he has the authority to tell her who she can and cannot see. It breaks my heart also to see the effect Grove’s opinions still has on her because no matter what, she did love him and I believe that she always sort of will simply because of the lack of closure she got from the end of the relationship. And at that point in the elevator, you see her compare her age to Florin’s again and believing that she’s clutching at her youth through him and that she’s probably draining him. He’ll probably love another, someone his age and more beautiful. And it breaks my heart that this insecurity is rooted in Grove and not likely to be done away with so easily. Mardle, baby, stay strong! Speaking of strong women, Agnes was recognized for her strength and talent as a window designer. I’m honestly proud that Henri believed that she was the best for Winifred’s article. My heart warmed when Winifred praised Agnes’ talents too because she’s quite insecure about her work in comparison to Henri’s, and I think having female recognition is important because that is, after all, the demographic these displays are supposed to appeal to. Similarly, her strength when she anxiously waited for George. I screeched with her when he showed up at the door. The relief, the joy, the happiness, everything encompassed in that brief moment. Her chasing down that soldier in the store showed just how important George is. So, I’m glad he’s not killed off after all because God, that scene was painful. Never again, writers. Never again. This episode also gave us the weekly dose of the how-badly-do-you-want-to-kill-Loxley scene. I’m glad that Rose and Harry welcomed Mae into their home. I found it pivotal that Mae shared with Harry the hint about her abusive relationship with Loxely. She’s an incredibly private person, and one that tries not to show any sort of vulnerability. So, by sharing this fact, it reveals how far their relationship has grown, how much trust Mae has in Harry, and how good Harry as a person is. And when Loxley showed up at Harry’s home and Harry threatening to punch the little man, I applauded so much. FOUR FOR YOU, HARRY. YOU GO, HARRY. This friendship has grown so organically from the once skeevy business pact they made in series 1, that I absolutely hope it never goes away, especially when Mae has Harry’s back in all matters, especially with that pest, Delphine. So happy that the ~*~spirit of Delphine’s~*~ is finally out the door. Don’t need that woman anymore, trying to weasel her way between Rose and Harry’s marriage. The arc about Rose though is going to kill me softly, I can feel it. I wish I could step through the realm of television and hug her because she’s so afraid and has yet to tell Harry. I wonder if she will. Knowing Rose, she probably won’t just so he doesn’t worry about her. I’m honestly scared, I don’t want anything bad happening to her, but I have a feeling something will especially with how worried she is and the narrow scope of medicine and technology back then to help. This episode is basically me worrying about all my lady loves. I hope the finale will bring them all the greatest happiness because I can’t handle them being sad. Ratings: ★★★☆☆ (wish there was a code to give it a half star. just pretend it says 3 1/2) M R.  S E L F R I D G E » Sundays, 9 PM → ITV