Heart of Fools Gold

And we’re back with the end to another month. April! Wow! Lots more great picks to talk about this time. Lots of new ones to the list too. So, let’s dive in!

Spoiler territory ahead!

THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER

or should I say Captain America and the Winter Soldier

I just finished the finale last night, so it felt right to start off with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. I really enjoyed it and I feel the episodes got stronger as the series went on. Each one felt like a mini-movie and I was upset it was over and had to wait another week for another one. I think the finale was my favorite. Especially the reveal of Sam as Captain America. I love his suit, his speech and the montage of everyone watching him. The last part of the episode was definitely my favorite and one I can watch on repeat. I loved seeing happy Bucky and him goofing off with the kids in Louisiana. He deserves so much happiness as he has now accepted he’s no longer who he once was. Bucky and Sam’s relationship is fantastic and I can’t wait to see it more. I know there’s a possibility of a second season and they have to be in a future MCU movie. Regarding the villain, I feel I was confused for most of the show as to what their objective was. I’m curious if this is because they had to reshoot parts during the pandemic. I also am mad with Sharon. Like what happened with her? She is definitely the true villain of the show. I also don’t love that we haven’t seen the end of Walker (but Wyatt Russell did a fantastic job). I also loved Torres and I hope he becomes the next Falcon. Definitely so different vibes from Wandavision, but just as good!

THE IRREGULARS

This is a show that more people need to be talking about! It was SO GOOD! I feel like I heard some buzz about it when it first came out, but not much after. It follows the teens featured about who live on the streets during Victorian London. The leader of their group, Bea gets approached by Dr. John Watson (that’s right…as in Sherlock and Watson) to take on a case that has more supernatural qualities. The story takes off from there. I think the group dynamic was fantastic. There wasn’t a character I didn’t like and each one brought something else important to the group (which they even bring up towards the end of the show). [I’ve watched a few cast interviews since finishing the finale and they seem like they get along really well in real life too.] There is a kind of love triangle, but it didn’t bother me and was over fast. I did like both combinations though. Lots of twists and turns along the journey. I have no idea if there will be another season, but there should be. It didn’t end on a major cliffhanger, but definitely ended in a way where it could continue nicely. Come on Netflix. 

HBO’S THE NEVERS

From one show set in Victorian times to the next. The Nevers just premiered on HBO and HBO Max earlier this month. It follows an ensemble of characters, similar to other HBO shows, ranging from characters who are called “the touched” to men in government who are against them. Being “touched” means they have a special talent or power, which can range from healing to speaking other languages, being extremely tall, or being an expectational inventor (I seriously love Penance. I just don’t know how to explain her ability). Amalia True and Penance Adair are two of the main characters and they help bring in others who are touched to a remodeled orphanage that is a safe haven for people like them. Of course there are those who are against them existing. This seems to be at least two groups as someone is abducting and experimenting on some of the touched, but we don’t know who they are…yet. I love the fusion of a historical setting with a fantasy element. I am very excited to see where the show is headed. I also love seeing so many of my favorite British actors on the screen together.      

ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND

Time for a throw back. Fans of ABC’s Once Upon a Time might remember the short lived spin off following Alice in Wonderland (and some of Aladdin). It only lasted for one season of 13 episodes, but I remember loving it and I am so happy I can rewatch it on Disney Plus. It reminds me of why I enjoyed OUAT so much and I think this show deserved another season or more crossover with the original show. (Luckily the Knave got that opportunity.) I think it should have aired as a summer show or when OUAT was on hiatus, this way more fans would have tuned in. It is something I’ll believe forever. 

Anyway, I’ll stop ranting now… I love Alice. I think she’s a badass and a fierce warrior. If you follow some of my posts on my other blog, Lydia-yougowith-Stiles, you’ll know that I love a warrior romance and Cyrus and Alice fit that perfectly (even if they are apart for much of the series). I also love Alice’s hair and outfits. Everything about her is cool. Her relationship with the Knave is one of my favorite friendships ever. I think they balance each other out so well and how they spend most of the journey together. Back in the day, I totally shipped them, but now I definitely don’t. (Even though I don’t love Anastasia.) This is definitely worth the watch if you’ve ever heard of Once Upon a Time or not. There is very cheesy CGI especially for 2013, but once you get pass that you’ll love it. 

ZOEY’S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST

It was on a longer break than I expected, and I didn’t miss it as much as I thought I would (which I know doesn’t sound good for a show), but I am still loving all the episodes this season. It feels like there are more musical numbers, which I love. Mandy Moore is killing it with the choreography. There are so many amazing moments. I also was a big fan of the newest glitch episode. Everyone is so talented and I also like that we’ve started to hear from more like Jenna and Tobin. Leif has become one of my favorites. I don’t love the new neighbor next door, but I think we’re done with his storyline. I’m not loving the Zoey love triangle, but I do like her with either Simon or Max. She seems really happy with Simon now. (FYI: I haven’t watched the most recent episode yet. The glitch one was my latest.) Can’t wait for more!    

KUNG FU

CW’s newest show this month was Kung Fu, which I just learned was a reboot. It follows Nicky who returns after 3 years to her home in San Francisco. Her family has mixed feelings as she has had no contact with them for the last 3 years. She is now a Kung Fu master and warrior, out to avenge her mentor’s death and stop a villain from acquiring mythical weapons. The show gives me Arrow vibes every time I watch it. It has similar flashbacks each episode to an earlier time in Nicky’s life. While Nicky’s mission is different, the style just gives me early seasons of Arrow vibes, which I am not complaining about. It stars Legacies’ Alyssa Chen, who I didn’t love on Legacies, but instantly fell in love with Nicky. I think she’s a bad ass character and love how she’s fighting for the underdogs on the streets of San Fran, while also taking down a bigger evil. The love triangle is heating up and I’m definitely team Henry (even though there’s some mystery there). I think he’s great and once again we have an awesome warrior romance. They balance each other so well and it’s only been like 3 episodes. Now they’ve also been sleuthing together and it’s just amazing. 

NANCY DREW

Are you sick of hearing me talk about CW’s Nancy Drew? I hope not because I’m going to fangirl again. I LOVE THIS SHOW SO MUCH! I can’t wait till Wednesday comes and I tune in a little after it starts, so then I can fast forward on my DVR. Then when the episode is over I basically start it all over again and watch select scenes that were awesome. (More specifically, they tend to be Nancy and Ace scenes because I love them and we’re entering so much angst I don’t know if my heart will be able to handle it!!!) 

I’ll say it a thousand times: THIS CAST IS EVERYTHING! Their dynamic is amazing. You can have any match ups and it’ll be a great time. There is not one person I don’t like. I was so upset that there wasn’t a new episode last week (especially because it was my birthday). I loved the last one with the Hardy Boys and that Nace reveal! OMG! I’m so sad that Grant has left again because we barely had him, but I feel he’ll eventually come back. He has to. I loved the ending when he spoke to Thom by signing to him. (My heart!) I seriously can’t say enough great things about this show. It is not your typical CW show and deserves more love and views. So happy a third season has already been confirmed!! 

LAST NOTES

Just started Shadow and Bone on Netflix and am loving it! I’m sure I’ll have an entire post dedicated to it when I’m done. (Currently going to start episode 6.) I have no background on the universe or the books (just what my sister is filling me in with as we watch). I definitely plan on reading Six of Crows after this!

1. It’s good and genuinely heartfelt

2. Everyone but Zoey is unaware they are singing and the music pushes the narrative forward like an actual musical and the lyrics are just as important or even more important than the notes unlike glee when the characters are deliberately singing about their feelings most of the time, performing with an active audience and everyone knows what’s happening

3. It’s good

Also, what is the standard for being considered self reliant?

You have a job? You rely on someone being willing to hire you, and are therefore not self reliant.

You own a business? You rely on customers to patronize your business and employees to help your business run, and are therefore not self reliant.

You have skills? You rely on people teaching you those skills in a way you understand, and are therefore not self reliant.

This guy from uni hit me up and started hitting on me and he kept telling me that I have such an innocent look to me and look way younger and that he thought I was 19 tops (he is 23 and I am 25 actually) which immediately gave me a bad vibe, long story short he followed me on Insta and we kept chatting there and then he randomly attacked me about having a public IG profile and not being bothered about having 3k followers, most of which I don't know personally, and when I kept telling him it really wasn't a problem for me and that I like my followers and 3k wasn't that much to begin with, he hit me with a "you're way different than I thought," and said stuff like he guesses that I am not as innocent as he thought (wtf dude) and that he doesn't approve of the content I post ?????? and doesnt't see a point of the two of us talking anymore??? like, okay creep, I'd rather not be talking to you either and I was just being polite to you but insulting my followers who have never done anything wrong to you and have been nothing but nice, respectful and supportive to me??? Fuck off

not to mention that this is what he deemed to be my scandalous posts

13,000 of you followed me there out of pure spite. I got brave enough and revealed I run this blog to IRL people. It went well, though I am still nervous about it.

The entirety of Tumblr:

Spare a thought for all the computers that didn’t sign up for this shit

respectability politics is a trap.

People Matching Artworks: An Unusual Photo Series By Stefan Draschan

Obviously a lot of that is down to Lucy Lawless’s incredible ability to somehow act like she’s a 7 foot tall brick shithouse despite being rather slim and the same height as Taylor Swift, but I truly think some of her imposing presence would have been lost if Xena had worn pants. 

Her costume was revealing, yes, and far from perfect, but apart from the plunging neckline to show off her cleavage, it worked for her character. Bare arms and thighs made her seem powerful and heroic rather than exposed. She was allowed to have strong stances and move viciously, and so her costume successfully suggested “fantasy Amazon warrior in short pteruges coming to murder you” rather than “ballerina in a suggestively short skirt that you might get to peek up when she high-kicks”.

She’s still sexy and Good To Look AT, of course, but in a way that doesn’t feel nearly as demeaning as a lot of other superheroine costumes–sometimes even ones that technically show less skin.

“ I’m jUST tAKing the wHOLe thing !”

The REVEAL

“My friends actually call me Liv.”

Every time she says “Peter”

The yoga ball

Miles using his spider-stick to cling onto the computer

“We don’t need the monitor.”

Miles jump-slipping through the closing door

Yeets the bagel at a science man

Bagel is an onomatopoeia

Miles noises

The spiderman mask emote as he says “Intense life-threatening pressure”

Just the all background music, all of it.

The forest aesthetic, the birds chirping, the snow physics

Doc being extra just rips an entire tree in half

Miles being clutch but still keeping the tension up

“Thwip!” “and release!”

Guitar kicks in, y’all immediately know what’s up

She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’ll punch a scientist in the face

The cute little shuffling as Gwen gets her feet in position on the branch