my happiness depends on you
Pitch: Wear It
I really liked this episode a lot. I mean, I groaned when I saw the flashback/flashforward structure, because man, shows have got to stop doing that, it's never used well, but I excused it here because of how much the episode reminded me of "Noel," albeit with much lower stakes. (Even the "What else you got?" reminded me of Bartlet's "What's next?") It's not quite that caliber, but it did subvert expectations in that Angie Cara didn't sell Ginny out, she really was trying to be a friend to her when Ginny was clearly having a bit of a breakdown. (I also hope Cara comes back so they can hook up and Ginny can be like, "I said I wasn't a lesbian. I didn't say I wasn't bisexual.")
And getting to see Ginny be a regular aimless 20something for a few hours was so happy-making for me. She just wanted to play beer pong and Mario Kart! Is that too much to ask?
I loved everything about how they paid off her earlier talk about being a baseball robot (honest to god I typed "hockey robot" and then had to change it - someone is writing me the Ginny Baker meets Jack Zimmermann meet at the ESPYs story, right?) with no friends and no 'regular girl' experiences and only Blip and Evelyn and Amelia around as every day support (and I guess Mike, conditionally) (where is the brother? Bring back BJ Britt, show!) and how they're not always going to be there when she needs them (and especially not if she doesn't let them know she needs them).
I also loved them addressing her sense of imposter syndrome and shying away from the limelight even after having sought it out - wanting to be acknowledged but not wanting to be singled out ("a distraction" in today's sports news parlance). It's so great to see that played with a female character, you know? Because she doesn't belong in the commercial with President Obama, but she has broken the glass ceiling (loved that imagery) for women in MLB, even if she's not actually the first, just the first one anyone's willing to acknowledge.
I like that it parallels both Amelia and Eliot's quest to be recognized as well, to some degree. Like, yeah, you're just doing your job, but it's nice if someone does thank you for all you do, especially when you put in so much extra.
And I love that both she and Amelia didn't want to hypersexualize her in the ad and they didn't. I can imagine a show even ten years ago would have had this episode be all about turning the tomboy into a lady with the makeover montage etc. and they didn't. She put on a gorgeous dress and did her makeup, but nobody was like "oh there really is a pretty girl under there." I think we could all tell that from the get-go.
I also loved that they explicitly referenced "Major League" since so much of Mike's DNA is from the Tom Berenger character from that movie (and if you haven't watched "Major League," you should because it is one of those movies I can never not watch when I run across it. So great. Even with Charlie Sheen and the variety of stuff in it that makes me cringe today.)
And I am going to say this again outside the cut, but someone is writing the "Ginny Baker meets Jack Zimmermann at the ESPYs (or some other thing)" story right? And they discuss their various coping mechanisms for dealing with the expectations and limelight etc.? Because I would read that so hard. Ginny and Bitty would have a lot of opinions on things re: North Carolina vs. Georgia. Blip and Evelyn could meet Ransom and Holster. IJS. There's no bad there.
I really do need a Ginny Baker icon.
Star Wars Rebels: Imperial Super Commandos
So this episode reunited Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson (aka, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo of HBO's "Rome") as Mandalorians (whether they were actually in a studio together, I don't know, but their voices were both in the episode!). #ancient roman buddy cops! I should probably give that show a rewatch at some point.
Anyway. Too bad it didn't live up to that, or the ridiculous title. I felt like this was a lot of sizzle with no steak. It had some fun action, but like, COME ON, SHOW! GIVE ME THE DEETS ABOUT SABINE. WHO IS HER MOTHER? WHERE IS BO-KATAN? We didn't get to see her response to Ezra working with Maul, and while she's not old enough to remember Maul killing Satine/taking over Mandalore, surely she has SOME opinion about it?
On a slightly smaller note, I just noticed she now has what looks like a convoree(sp?) painted on her shoulder pad - is that new/in honor of Ahsoka?
Speaking of Star Wars, I posted a story yesterday:
what spring does with the cherry trees (@ AO3)
Star Wars; Anakin/Ahsoka; adult; 3510 words
When Ahsoka's heat suppressant wears off while they're on a long trip through hyperspace, Anakin lends a helping hand. Among other things.
Yeah, the Anakin/Ahsoka heat fic no one but me was asking for! I have tried not to ship it, but it's basically tailor-made for my shipping interests. *hands*
I seriously doubt heat is a thing that will ever come up in canon, but I feel like of all the characters we know, Ahsoka is the one it works best with, and maybe Togruta have a more big cat-based evolutionary heritage than humans do, so why not go there? (I do not recommend reading up about lions' mating cycles though. I found it a little terrifying, personally.) Also, I feel like this is an example of Anakin really trying to be a good bro but, as per usual, not thinking through all the consequences, which may or may not blow up in his face at some later point. He gets so close to real self-awareness, but never quite manages to get there.
Ah well, I'm pleased with it, and I've had that title on the list for a while and it seemed so perfectly fitting for this that I couldn't not use it, so that pleases me as well.
***
This entry at DW: http://musesfool.dreamwidth.org/884485.html.
people have commented there.
I really liked this episode a lot. I mean, I groaned when I saw the flashback/flashforward structure, because man, shows have got to stop doing that, it's never used well, but I excused it here because of how much the episode reminded me of "Noel," albeit with much lower stakes. (Even the "What else you got?" reminded me of Bartlet's "What's next?") It's not quite that caliber, but it did subvert expectations in that Angie Cara didn't sell Ginny out, she really was trying to be a friend to her when Ginny was clearly having a bit of a breakdown. (I also hope Cara comes back so they can hook up and Ginny can be like, "I said I wasn't a lesbian. I didn't say I wasn't bisexual.")
And getting to see Ginny be a regular aimless 20something for a few hours was so happy-making for me. She just wanted to play beer pong and Mario Kart! Is that too much to ask?
I loved everything about how they paid off her earlier talk about being a baseball robot (honest to god I typed "hockey robot" and then had to change it - someone is writing me the Ginny Baker meets Jack Zimmermann meet at the ESPYs story, right?) with no friends and no 'regular girl' experiences and only Blip and Evelyn and Amelia around as every day support (and I guess Mike, conditionally) (where is the brother? Bring back BJ Britt, show!) and how they're not always going to be there when she needs them (and especially not if she doesn't let them know she needs them).
I also loved them addressing her sense of imposter syndrome and shying away from the limelight even after having sought it out - wanting to be acknowledged but not wanting to be singled out ("a distraction" in today's sports news parlance). It's so great to see that played with a female character, you know? Because she doesn't belong in the commercial with President Obama, but she has broken the glass ceiling (loved that imagery) for women in MLB, even if she's not actually the first, just the first one anyone's willing to acknowledge.
I like that it parallels both Amelia and Eliot's quest to be recognized as well, to some degree. Like, yeah, you're just doing your job, but it's nice if someone does thank you for all you do, especially when you put in so much extra.
And I love that both she and Amelia didn't want to hypersexualize her in the ad and they didn't. I can imagine a show even ten years ago would have had this episode be all about turning the tomboy into a lady with the makeover montage etc. and they didn't. She put on a gorgeous dress and did her makeup, but nobody was like "oh there really is a pretty girl under there." I think we could all tell that from the get-go.
I also loved that they explicitly referenced "Major League" since so much of Mike's DNA is from the Tom Berenger character from that movie (and if you haven't watched "Major League," you should because it is one of those movies I can never not watch when I run across it. So great. Even with Charlie Sheen and the variety of stuff in it that makes me cringe today.)
And I am going to say this again outside the cut, but someone is writing the "Ginny Baker meets Jack Zimmermann at the ESPYs (or some other thing)" story right? And they discuss their various coping mechanisms for dealing with the expectations and limelight etc.? Because I would read that so hard. Ginny and Bitty would have a lot of opinions on things re: North Carolina vs. Georgia. Blip and Evelyn could meet Ransom and Holster. IJS. There's no bad there.
I really do need a Ginny Baker icon.
Star Wars Rebels: Imperial Super Commandos
So this episode reunited Kevin McKidd and Ray Stevenson (aka, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo of HBO's "Rome") as Mandalorians (whether they were actually in a studio together, I don't know, but their voices were both in the episode!). #ancient roman buddy cops! I should probably give that show a rewatch at some point.
Anyway. Too bad it didn't live up to that, or the ridiculous title. I felt like this was a lot of sizzle with no steak. It had some fun action, but like, COME ON, SHOW! GIVE ME THE DEETS ABOUT SABINE. WHO IS HER MOTHER? WHERE IS BO-KATAN? We didn't get to see her response to Ezra working with Maul, and while she's not old enough to remember Maul killing Satine/taking over Mandalore, surely she has SOME opinion about it?
On a slightly smaller note, I just noticed she now has what looks like a convoree(sp?) painted on her shoulder pad - is that new/in honor of Ahsoka?
Speaking of Star Wars, I posted a story yesterday:
what spring does with the cherry trees (@ AO3)
Star Wars; Anakin/Ahsoka; adult; 3510 words
When Ahsoka's heat suppressant wears off while they're on a long trip through hyperspace, Anakin lends a helping hand. Among other things.
Yeah, the Anakin/Ahsoka heat fic no one but me was asking for! I have tried not to ship it, but it's basically tailor-made for my shipping interests. *hands*
I seriously doubt heat is a thing that will ever come up in canon, but I feel like of all the characters we know, Ahsoka is the one it works best with, and maybe Togruta have a more big cat-based evolutionary heritage than humans do, so why not go there? (I do not recommend reading up about lions' mating cycles though. I found it a little terrifying, personally.) Also, I feel like this is an example of Anakin really trying to be a good bro but, as per usual, not thinking through all the consequences, which may or may not blow up in his face at some later point. He gets so close to real self-awareness, but never quite manages to get there.
Ah well, I'm pleased with it, and I've had that title on the list for a while and it seemed so perfectly fitting for this that I couldn't not use it, so that pleases me as well.
***
This entry at DW: http://musesfool.dreamwidth.org/884485.html.
people have commented there.