17 June 2015-23 June 2015
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General Fandom
Which Type of Artificial Intelligence Would You Rather See in Our Future: Natalie Zutter (blog) - "Recent books, movies, television series, and comics all seem to have fallen on one of two sides in the type of AI they depict. Each is insidious in its own way, insofar as we've already seen the existence of early forms in our day-to-day lives. Furthermore, each says something grander (and scarier) about control, identity, and evolution."
Teaching With Geekdom: Fangirl Chat (podcast) - "On a special episode of Fangirl Chat, teachers Teresa Delgado and Sandra Choute share their experience using the stories of geek franchises like Star Wars, Star Trek, and Harry Potter to engage students in the learning process."
When things we don't like become popular: Yumeka (blog) - "But while that topic was about hype ruining an anime before-hand, today I wanted to look at "post-hype"; how lasting popularity can cause us to hate something we may have just been neutral about, or even liked, otherwise…"
How Do You Define Humanity in Comic Books?: Eugenia Hu (blog) - "hings already get a bit sketchy when it comes to identifying humans in comics. When asked to name a comics-universe-human in an informal survey of 70 participants, responses were all over the board."
Constructive Storytelling: Why Horror is Good For You, Part Two: Greg Ruth (blog) - "What we're here to dive into is the construction of horror narratives. To earn legitimate frights, to build tension and create mood, whether in film, TV, comics, prose, or a single image, requires a lot of thought and planning and elegance in order to do it right."
Let's Talk about Religion (and a Bit of Anime)!: Frog-kun (blog) - "What I want to talk about in this post is the act of pastiche. How does pop culture (in this case, anime) reinterpret religious motifs? To what end?"
Aniwords - Why Like Idol Anime?: Isaac Akers (blog) - "Of course, as an idol anime fan, I'm conscious some of the common conceptions about idol anime fans, even within the wider anime niche, and I'm well-aware of the disconcerting realities of the real-life idol industry. Despite that, I, along with many others, still find ourselves drawn to these stories of characters living out their dreams as larger-than-life music superstars. Why is that?"
Aniwords - Is There a Correct Way to Ship?: Isaac Akers (blog) - "With that in mind, I've taken upon myself the solemn duty of conveying to you sailors—veterns, newbies, or whatever—a set of principles to guide you through the err, lake waters of light-hearted shipping. To answer the title of the post: no, I don't really believe there's a "correct" way to ship...but if you follow my principles, you might understand why all of my ships are the best."
The Past was Terrible, the Present is Terrible, and the Future will be Terrible: mikelywhiplash (blog) - "And while that list has some peaks and valleys in terms of quality, there has been a real unifying theme: the realms of science fiction and fantasy have become truly effing bleak."
Sexualized Saturdays: More LGBTQ+ Characters in Fantasy: cloudnoodle (blog) - "The point of a fantasy world is that it's different from the real one. But how different is it, really, if there is no place for LGBTQ+ people in it?"
Magical Mondays: Concrete Magical Worldbuilding vs. Nebulous Magical Worldbuilding: porluciernagas (blog) - "I looked at some of my own favorite genre stories to get an idea of what I was getting into. Some appeared to have pretty concrete magical worldbuilding, and some appeared to have more nebulous worldbuilding. Both worked, but which was better?"
That Is Not What Sentinel Sidney Crosby Would Be Smelling Okay?:kiki_eng (DW) - "Right. So one of the great things about humanity and biology and the reality that we actually live in is that there's such a range of everything. People experience the world differently; it's pretty cool."
Untitled: beccaelizabeth (DW) - "
When I watch the movies and cartoons and comics I separate out the different canons just fine, but none of them are the perfectly perfect version, so parts and pieces go back in the stew for the version to live with."
Specific Fandom
Agent Carter/Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Without Smearing Her Lipstick: Missing Agent Carter? Try Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries: Jen Grogan (blog) - "Agent Carter is a good series and a step forward in that it's a TV show centered on a female protagonist in a comic-book universe, but its central premise is that even extremely competent women have difficulty surviving in a man's world. The show spends as much, if not more time, focused on the men surrounding Agent Carter (Howard Stark, Jarvis, Sousa, Anderson, the absent Captain America, etc.) rather than its title character."
Agents Of Shield
Untitled: regionsofkindness (tumblr) - "my adventures in the Melinda May tag following the finale, I came to the realization that I was disappointed because while I had hoped that fandom has come to read her with a little more grace and compassion over the past season, I realized that this compassion only applied if she fit two very narrow roles fanon – not canon – assigned her."
All About Eve
Episode 32: All About Eve: The Canon (podcast) - "This week's episode of The Canon brings us to 1950 and to one of the great films of all time, All About Eve. It's got Bette Davis, it's got absolute bitchiness, it's got an early Marilyn Monroe, it's got a razor-sharp Joseph Manciewicz script - it's got it all."
Amadeus
Amadeus: Salieri's Fantasy: aelarsen (blog) - "I think there's another way to think about the film, that it represents not historical fact, but rather Salieri's fantasies and inner demons."
Assassination Classroom
Assassination Classroom's Eternal Schoolhouse: Mage in a Barrel (blog) - "As it happens, Assassination Classroom is the perfect show to center this discussion on, because it's deeply enamored with the idea of "education as person-centered development," as opposed to the traditional image of education-as-preparation-for-assimilation-into-society."
Assassin's Creed: Liberation
Pixelthreads: Assassin's Creed: Liberation and Clothing as Stealth and Disguise: Megan Patterson (blog) - "But I think it was an interesting move, and while I may not have always found it completely successful, I do think it's a mechanic worth talking about, because there aren't that many games out there that make clothing part of the actual gameplay, instead of merely window dressing."
Bones
Why I Stopped Watching Bones: fozmeadows (tumblr) - "More saliently, though, there seems to also have been a conscious decision to change Dr Brennan's character. In the pilot episode, Bones is described as having "a disturbingly steep learning curve": she's fiercely intelligent, and her brusque manner is characterised as being a joint consequence of her focus on her work, her disinterest in small talk and her habit of distancing herself from potential pain, given her traumatic early life."
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
16x05: Ms Buffy Buff (blog) - "What "The Body" captures marvelously is the utter shock that one feels when the death of a loved one occurs."
Here's my Sunday night attempt at breaking down Season 6.: muchbuffy (tumblr) - " The Trio got too much screen time. Willow's arc could have been handled better, it made the middle of the season unbalanced. I forever fawn over Buffys and Spuffys arc. Buffy rules. The world didn't end. We all cried, had pizza, and continue to repress Taras death to this day."
Do you ever think about how out of the core Four, Willow struggles the most with being single/alone?: buffyboleyn (tumblr) - "the main thesis is that t i see "willow is an anti-social off and a off in her own world kinda nerd" when I think it's the opposite, at least to me. Social networks and partnerships are actually really (almost overly) important to Willow and she does not function well without them."
Untitled: beccaelizabeth (DW) - "Am watching Buffy season 1 for the first time in ages.Everyone is babies, except Giles."
By the Sword
The Heralds of Valdemar Reread: By the Sword: The Price of Command: Ellen Cheeseman-Meyer (blog) - Discussion and analysis of the section in question.
Cosmere
Words of Radiance Reread: Chapter 43: Alice Arneson (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the chapter in question.
DC Comics
Ask Chris #245: Superman vs. Shazam: Chris Sims (blog) - "The thing about Superman and Captain Marvel — or Shazam, as the kids are calling him these days — is that you can't really talk about one without talking about the other. I mean, you can, but the histories of those two characters and how they evolved over the years are so tied up together, both on and off the page, that they couldn't really have happened the way they did about without each other."
Doctor Who
Total Destruction: Holly Boson (blog) - "It's massively misjudged, since the story's already self-mocking and absurdist, and because he's saved worse scripts than The Dominators (Tomb of the Cybermen and The Web of Fear) by doing them properly. And I think Troughton was smart enough that he knew that. He hated the production conditions at the time, and so he went into sabotage-mode."
The Ark in Space Commentary: Philip Sandifer (podcast) - "Jack and I are back, talking nonsense over The Ark in Space."
The Randomiser: An Unearthly Child: louisedennis (LJ) Discussion of the first ever Doctor Who story.
Dragon Prince
Rereading Melanie Rawn: Sunrunner's Fire, Chapters 25 and 26: Judith Tarr (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the chapters in question.
Dragonlance
The Dragonlance Reread: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Part 2, Chapters 1 and 2: Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the chapters in question.
Empire Trilogy
Rereading the Empire Trilogy: Mistress of the Empire, Part 15: Tansy Rayner Roberts (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the section in question.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Cortical Catharsis: Siddhant Adlakha (blog) - "To call Clementine a Manic Pixie Dream Girl wouldn't be pointing out shallow writing like it would elsewhere. After all, she's considered to be one of the prominent deconstructions of the trope, even though it was only given a name three years later."
Ex Machina
Ex Machina Abuses Women of Color, But Nobody Cares Because It's Smart: Sharon H. Chang (blog) - "Though you wouldn't know it from the plethora of glowing reviews out there—telling in and of itself—there's another prominent fembot in the film. About fifteen minutes into the story, we're introduced to Kyoko, an Asian servant and sex slave played by mixed-race Japanese-British actress Sonoya Mizuno. Though bound in abusive servitude, Kyoko isn't physically imprisoned in a room as Ava is, because she's compliant, obedient, willing."
Ex Machina and the Puppetry of the Patriarch: RMPIXIE (blog) - "I identify with that faceless Black robot because it is a perpetuated sexual stereotype that Black women are still seen as sexual chattel but not valued; that their opinion and intelligence is disregarded, illustrated by the robot's missing head."
Game of Thrones
Race for the Iron Throne: Steven Attewell (blog) - Website with multiple articles about Game of Thrones.
Tower of the Hand: Various (blog) - Website with multiple articles relating to Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire.
Game of Thrones Discussion, S5E10: The End Is Nigh: Laura Fletcher, Corrin Bennett-Kill, Cheryl Collins (blog) - "Join us for a discussion of "Mother's Mercy" with three fans with different perspectives: Laura Fletcher, a casual fan of the television and book series; Corrin Bennett-Kill, a dedicated fan of the book and TV series (she has read all the books four times!); and Cheryl Collins, who does not read."
A Brief Treatise on the Rules of Thrones 2.05: The Ghost of Harrenhal: Philip Sandifer (blog) - "Structurally, this episode is beating a tired drum. It's framed by two magic-enhanced murders, the first by the Lord of Light, the second by the Many-Faced God. Within are mainly politics."
Oh, My Pop Culture Religion: The Sparrows from A Song of Ice and Fire, Christianity, and Women: MadameAce (blog) - "The Sparrows and their faith are based on the Catholic Church in the middle ages, and how the Sparrows dehumanize people is pretty indicative of some of our current churches' backward beliefs."
*Game of Thrones* Season 5's Biggest Victim: Katey Rich (blog) - "One of Game of Thrones' many magic tricks over the years has been allowing our opinions on characters to evolve, seeing the goodness in killers and the darkness of girl heroines; Stannis experienced one of the most fascinating of those evolutions, only to toss it all away in the 11th hour at the service of . . . a quicker ending?"
Grisaia
Rape and Child Abuse in the World of Grisaia: Frog-kun (blog) - "As I mentioned in my post about the visual novel, the series is about dysfunctional people in dysfunctional relationships. Sometimes, in the more serious moments, the writing appears to be aware that these characters are psychologically damaged. Unfortunately, the series is not consistent with its portrayal of abuse, so it all comes across as rather frivolous in the end."
H.P. Lovecraft
The Lovecraft Reread: Alluring Strangers in Dark Alleys (But Not Like That): "He": Anne M. Pillsworth, Ruthanna Emrys (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the story in question.
Haibane Renmei
Faith, Friendship, Death, Life, God and Haibane Renmei: Kidd (blog) - "Taken as a whole though it turns out to be a psychological drama that really doesn't pull its punches and thankfully tries its best to not be as obtuse about its true meaning. It was written by Yoshitoshi Abe, creator of Serial Experiments Lain and Texhnolyze, it shares those shows aesthetic and use of symbolism."
Hannibal
"The Lion in the Room - Predatory Discourse in NBC's Hannibal": Kirsty Worrow (blog) - "The animal metaphors aid our comprehension of the dominant murder narrative as one that is primal and natural. The relationship between murderer and victim is framed through the dialogue (and often visuals) as predator and prey."
Hannibal 'Secondo' Review: Kirsty (blog) - "What interested me particularly in this episode is the reinforcement of the importance of mythology as a theme this season."
Hannibal: "Secondo" Review: stinekey (blog) - "I was pleasantly surprised by the way this episode handled its foray into Hannibal's past."
Harry Potter
The Harry Potter Reread: The Order of the Phoenix, Chapters 19 and 20: Emily Asher-Perrin (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the chapters in question.
Inside Out
Podcast 364: Pixar's "Inside Out": Overthinking It (podcast) - "Peter Fenzel, Ben Adams, and Mark Lee discuss Inside Out through the lens of Robert Plutchik's psychoevolutionary theory of emotion and, what else, Terminator."
In Inside Out, Pixar gets mature about growing up: Jen Chaney (blog) - "For starters, while previous Pixar movies have offered poignant reminders that navigating the milestones of kid-dom can be messy and painful, Inside Out essentially makes that fact its plot. The journey into young Riley's mental circuitry doesn't just touch on the psychological impact of coming of age, it focuses entirely on that subject, turning the subtext of other Pixar films into actual text."
Psychology of Inside Out: Dr Janina Scarlet (blog) - "'Inside Out' is a movie I'd been waiting for a year to see and, once again, Pixar did not disappoint. This is a movie I'm going to be assigning to many of my patients and doctoral students as a way to demonstrate important psychological principles."
Pixar's Inside Out Isn't Just a Good Movie, It's an Important Movie for Kids: Lesley Coffin (blog) - "But the movie is important because it isn't just entertaining and emotionally effective, but actually does provide an extremely valuable lesson for kids and families."
Inside Out & Pixar's Philosophy Of Melancholy: Andy Crump (blog) - "The near-universal love piled on the film practically feels inevitable: it does what Pixar does best, leaning on awesome fantasticism while blending emotional highs and lows into a satisfyingly complex mélange."
James Bond
Bond Girl: Re-Watching and Re-Evaluating Moonraker: Zina Hutton (blog) - "Moonraker isn't exactly an original movie.
It feels like it pulls from too many places at once so what should be a standout movie feels too much like the Bond movies before it."
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell Episode 2: How is Lady Pole?: Philip Sandifer (blog) - "In a real sense, this, not "The Friends of English Magic," is the first episode of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. Where the first episode was focused primarily on the task of worldbuilding, establishing the broad strokes of its alternate history, this episode is focused on the eponymous dualism between Strange and Norrell."
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: "The Black Tower": Emily Asher-Perrin (blog) - "The penultimate chapter of the BBC's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is perhaps their most thrilling offer yet. That can hardly be surprising when it features a tincture of madness, a tower of darkness, and mentions of Lord Byron."
Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon Roundtable Index: The Hooded Utilitarian (blog) - Four new articles have been added since we linked this last week.
JRR Tolkien
The Most Metal Deaths in Middle-Earth: Austin Gilkeson(blog) - This is your definitive guide to the hardest trips to Mandos in all three ages.
Jupiter Ascending
jupiter ascending isn't what most critics thought: Crime and the Blog of Evil (blog) - "Jupiter Ascending is, in large-brush-strokes, David Lynch's Dune, but with the "Chosen One" trope excised and replaced with "Hidden Princess." It's a bold decision to make, because audiences aren't used to Hidden Princess in live-action anymore, and they're not used to it in nominally-SF movies at all."
Jurassic Park
Jurassic World All-Spoilers Edition: Birth. Movies. Death. (podcast) - "Jurassic World was just too much movie for Phil and I to handle alone, so this week we invited special guest Brian Collins to the discussion."
It's a Jurassic World: Fangirl Chat (podcast) - "ongtime Jurassic fangirls Teresa Delgado and Tricia Barr invited Geek Kay to chat about whether the latest entry in the dinosaur franchise lived up to the original. We didn't all agree, but the conversation highlights the many different expectations that the audience brings to the storytelling experience."
The biggest problem with 'Jurassic World' isn't a woman running in high heels: Anne Theriault (blog) - "But no matter how heartily defenders insist that Jurassic World doesn't have a gender problem—or, worse, that it doesn't matter whether it does or not because the audience is only there to see some glorified dinosaur violence—the truth is that the movie is sexist. And while acknowledging that fact is crucial, what's maybe even more important is that we're talking about it."
Why Jurassic World Doesn't Deserve Claire Dearing (Or Her High Heels): Lindsay Ellis (blog) - "But Claire getting a dressing down by her male co-stars was a part of the film's marketing, so that I was expecting. What I wasn't expecting was Claire getting a dressing down for being ambivalent as to whether or not she should be a mother from her own goddamn sister."
Legend of Zelda
The Women of Legend: Nabooru: Kassye Butler (blog) - "Her people have the utmost respect for her. But why was she chosen as their leader, especially seeing as she opposed Ganondorf with such furor? Let's take a closer look into Nabooru, and see just what it is that makes her worthy as the Sage of Spirit."
Mad Max
The Faith of Fury Road: Michael Elliot (blog) - "But did you know that this film also does religion well? That it treats faith not as just a piece of world-building or an antagonist like many movies of this size and popularity?"
Mad Max: Fury Road is less radical than its B-movie influences: Noah Berlatsky (blog) - "The film draws on 'women in prison' exploitation films, but its feminism and attitudes toward race are far less bold."
Marvel Cinematic Universe
Untitled: linzeestyle (Tumblr) - "And within the MCU, Whedon has made a very clear point of erasing Bucky from his narrative. There's a problem with this, simply from the perspective of creating a cohesive, ongoing universe – both in the MCU, and in the 616 Universe, post-resurrection/reboot Steve Rogers is defined by the tragedy of Bucky Barnes' death. This is to Steve what Bruce Wayne's parents are to Batman."
Supersoldier Metabolism Headcanon:samtalksfunny (tumblr) - "There is startlingly little variance in actual metabolism, aka BMR, among normal human beings (steroid users are KIND OF outliers, but primarily all that changes is that more surplus calories go to muscle tissue, not fat–so, sort of like supersoldiers). What variance in BMR there is may be attributed to lean tissue increase (aka, more muscles more burn) and increased activity even if it's unconscious (NEAT)."
Supersoldiers, Alcohol and Drugs: samtalksfunny (tumblr) - "So. Couple of questions. Enough about the raw calories required for supersoldiering… What about alcohol? What about painkillers? It's NOT the case, I don't think, that 'supersoldier metabolism is just too fast for them.' I think there's a lot more going on."
Mary Renault
Alexander Trilogy: naraht (DW) - "So I've finally finished reading the Alexander books. Some fan I am. In exchange for this tardiness I feel I should bring the fandoms some expansive, thoughtful meta, but all I have to offer are bullet points"
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
This is the part where I defend Me and Earl and The Dying Girl: David Ehrlich (blog) - "But what this piece presupposes is… what if he hasn't? On the contrary, Gomez-Rejon has made a film that articulates why it's valid, and valuable, to suggest a (young) person might try to make sense of a senseless loss through the lens of his own limited worldview. This bold attempt has resulted in a portrait that's honest in a way dramas about death seldom are. Me And Earl isn't a shrine to adolescent narcissism, it's a wrecking ball to it."
Orange Is the New Black
How Piper and Alex's relationship became the worst part of 'Orange Is the New Black': Chris Osterndorf (blog) - "What makes Piper the least likable character in the latest season is how those qualities manifest in her relationship with her on-again/off-again girlfriend, Alex Vause. In fact, Piper and Alex's relationship is not only annoying, it's the single worst aspect of the third season."
Ore Monogatari!!
Ore Monogatari!! Episode 9: Mage in a Barrel (blog) - "As much as I like it, I can't really deny that there's a gap between substance and depth in this show that was highlighted in this episode—plenty of teases at going deeper, but no actual commitment."
Ore Monogatari!! Episode 10: Mage in a Barrel (blog) - "The revelation I had this week, at its core, basically was the simple understanding that Ore Monogatari!! is just playing around."
Ore Monogatari!!, Episode 11: Mage in a Barrel (blog) - "Most of the comedy this week didn't work very well for me, if only because I was so preoccupied with the stuff that was bothering me that I started see the echoes of it even in the moments the show was being funny."
Orphan Black
Orphan Black Science Recap: "Insolvent Phantom of Tomorrow": Casey Griffin and Nina Nesseth (blog) - Analysis of the science of the most recent episode.
Orphan Black: What's Old is Neolution Again: Natalie Zutter (blog) - "Orphan Black 3×10 "History Yet to Be Written" is the first time I can think of the show truly living up to its opening credits, by completely mirroring the season 3 premiere."
Orphan Black: "History Yet to be Written" Review: porluciernagas (blog) - "Overall, I felt this season lacked some of the cohesiveness that previous seasons had — primarily in the Castor plot, which really fell short as other threats became more prominent."
The Orphan In The Black: Sarah, Felix And The Importance Of Representation:valiantprincess (tumblr) - "Sarah Manning and Felix Dawkins are important. They matter for a lot of different reasons to a lot of different people, but this time I'm talking about their importance to me."
The Professionals
Warnings and categories and ratings, oh my…: florenza_a (LJ) - "If the sexual content is otherwise 'gen', I refuse to feel obligated to up the rating simply because the story has gay protagonists. Gay folk don't buy their potatoes in a manner any more sexually explicit than people who are not gay."
Rose of Versailles
Rose of Versailles: The Changes of Oscar de Francois de Jarjeyes and the Dignity of Human Life: Mage in a Barrel (blog) - "However, in considering the show as a whole, rather than simply a five-episode excerpt, I came to understand that I had, to continue to metaphor, been on a rollercoaster the whole time. On a terrifying and exhilarating ride known as "life.""
Sanditon
Jane Austen's Clark Kent: Chris Gavaler (blog) - "I'm guessing, however, Jerry didn't read much by Bath's most beloved literary daughter, Jane Austen. Which is a shame because she penned the first Clark Kent all the way back in 1817."
Sense8
Why Sense8's Nomi and Amanita Are Everything (to Me): Teresa Jusino (blog) - "So, when I saw the relationship between the San Francisco-based Nomi Marks, a transgender lesbian "hacktivist" and blogger, and Amanita, a cis, New-Agey queer woman who works in a bookstore and loves any opportunity for costumes, I was thrilled. First, because the relationship existed on a series I was watching at all, and second, because the relationship is positive, accurate, and honest."
everything looks perfect from far away: musesfool (DW) - "So, Sense8. I finished it last night. It's...ambitious and entertaining in parts and deeply flawed."
Untitled: noprincenorape (Tumblr) - "There's something about Sense8 that you will only notice if you are actually familiar with all/most of the original languages that should be used and that's the way the narrative is written is completely based in the original language."
Shakespeare
When Less Plot is More Play: Love's Labour's Lost vs. Pericles Prince of Tyre: Ada Palmer (blog) - "Today I will take on the unsurprising thesis that Love's Labour's Lost is a better play than Pericles Prince of Tyre."
Shingeki no Kyojin
Attack on Titan: Inspiring Post-Apocalyptic Adventure or Japanese Military Propaganda?: Vernieda Vergara (blog) - "I think, though, that Attack on Titan is less military propaganda, more a reflection of disaffected Japanese youth."
A Song of Ice and Fire
Tower of the Hand: Various (blog) - Website with multiple articles relating to Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire.
A Read of Ice and Fire: A Dance with Dragons, Part 25: Leigh Butler (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the section in question.
The Sopranos
Men Will Never Understand The Sopranos: Zack Budryk (blog) - "And it got me thinking about another popular piece of Mafia-related popular culture and, much like Smith, once I was led to a suitably hot take, I knew no more thinking was necessary. So here it is: men are not capable of understanding The Sopranos."
Star Wars
Star Wars Rebels Is Fixing Darth Vader: Devin Faraci (blog) - "By the time Vader showed up at the end of Revenge of the Sith a powerful part of his mystique was lost. The Dark Lord of the Sith just wasn't quite the same after he had been exposed like that."
Fathers and Father Figures in Star Wars: Amy Ratcliffe (blog) - "From Darth Vader to Jango Fett, father-child relationships play a big role in Star Wars."
Steven Universe
Why I Fell In Love With The Brilliant Steven Universe: James Whitbrook (blog) - "What Steven Universe actually is, however, is both one of the most joyful and smart sci-fi series I've watched in a long time — one that just so happens to be wrapped up in the guise of a magical girl-style pastiche and a loveably goofy aesthetic."
Supernatural
Brothers as Lovers: Shipping Wincest in Supernatural: Kimberly Workman (article) - "For whatever reason, Dean and Sam Winchester as brothers has easily slipped into Dean and Sam as lovers. Incest might be a societal taboo, but Wincest no longer is."
Why I Relate to Fictional Characters: Courtney Pagleno (blog) - "I've often wondered why I let myself get so attached to these characters – and then I think of Sam and Dean. I think of them along with the many other characters I've found myself relating to over the years, and it all makes sense to me. Ultimately, it's because they give me hope. And who couldn't use a little more hope in their lives? "
Thor
Review: Marvel's Thors #1 Fails the Goddess of Thunder: Adam Sorice (blog) - "Tying in with the Secret Wars event, series writer Jason Aaron returns with Thors #1 – a story meant to continue the threads of new!Thor's heroic journey, but one that fails to be remotely as empowering as her solo series."
Tortall
Tricked by the Trickster: Where is the Protagonist Who Was Promised?: porluciernagas (blog) - "However, I hadn't liked the Trickster duology when I first read it, and apparently, I still didn't like it when I reread it. After thinking about it, I came to the conclusion that it wasn't the story itself I disliked—it was the way in which it was told."
True Detective
True Detective: Pulp, Crime, and the Weird Tales of Nic Pizzolatto: Gilbert Colon (blog) - "But Pizzolatto's pulp influences come from more than just rough-paper periodicals like True Detective—they are shot through a "weird fiction" prism."
True Detective Season 2 Premiere Recap: Scott Wampler and Phil Nobile Jr (blog) - A detailed discussion by the two reviewers of the show in general and the episode in specific.
Twin Peaks
The Twin Peaks Log: S2 E's 11/12: Women Write About Comics (blog) - "Welcome to our biweekly roundtable of Twin Peaks where we are working our way through every. Single. Episode. Some of us are regulars and some of us newbies, but none of our experiences are the same."
Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time Reread Redux: The Great Hunt, Part 5: Leigh Butler (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the section in question.
Yamajo
Analyzing the Appeal of Yamajo: AnimeNation (blog) - "The Yamajo series, however, bucks the trend by depicting a high school environment in which kissing is neither routine nor immodest."
Yu Yu Hakusho
Cruelty and Class In Yu Yu Hakusho: Tsunderin (blog) - "However, reading through the volumes of one of my all-time favorite series, Yu Yu Hakusho, I discovered that the series does a lot more to bring up the struggle of those in relative poverty than I would have expected it would have; though its approach is much more 'in your face' than Rowling's was—which is refreshingly reflective of the series's protagonist."
If you have meta to submit or rec, please comment to this post or to the screened Submissions Post. If you'd like to give us blanket permission to link your meta please comment to the Blanket Permissions Post. If you have feedback or questions, check out our FAQ, Contact the Mods, or PM/email. If you'd like to volunteer to link-find or mod, please comment to the Volunteers Post.
General Fandom
Which Type of Artificial Intelligence Would You Rather See in Our Future: Natalie Zutter (blog) - "Recent books, movies, television series, and comics all seem to have fallen on one of two sides in the type of AI they depict. Each is insidious in its own way, insofar as we've already seen the existence of early forms in our day-to-day lives. Furthermore, each says something grander (and scarier) about control, identity, and evolution."
topic:science, topic:sciencefiction
Teaching With Geekdom: Fangirl Chat (podcast) - "On a special episode of Fangirl Chat, teachers Teresa Delgado and Sandra Choute share their experience using the stories of geek franchises like Star Wars, Star Trek, and Harry Potter to engage students in the learning process."
topic:canon, topic:teaching
When things we don't like become popular: Yumeka (blog) - "But while that topic was about hype ruining an anime before-hand, today I wanted to look at "post-hype"; how lasting popularity can cause us to hate something we may have just been neutral about, or even liked, otherwise…"
fandom:anime, topic:popularity
How Do You Define Humanity in Comic Books?: Eugenia Hu (blog) - "hings already get a bit sketchy when it comes to identifying humans in comics. When asked to name a comics-universe-human in an informal survey of 70 participants, responses were all over the board."
fandom:comics, topic:comics, topic:superheroes
Constructive Storytelling: Why Horror is Good For You, Part Two: Greg Ruth (blog) - "What we're here to dive into is the construction of horror narratives. To earn legitimate frights, to build tension and create mood, whether in film, TV, comics, prose, or a single image, requires a lot of thought and planning and elegance in order to do it right."
topic:writing, topic:horror
Let's Talk about Religion (and a Bit of Anime)!: Frog-kun (blog) - "What I want to talk about in this post is the act of pastiche. How does pop culture (in this case, anime) reinterpret religious motifs? To what end?"
topic:religion, fandom:anime
Aniwords - Why Like Idol Anime?: Isaac Akers (blog) - "Of course, as an idol anime fan, I'm conscious some of the common conceptions about idol anime fans, even within the wider anime niche, and I'm well-aware of the disconcerting realities of the real-life idol industry. Despite that, I, along with many others, still find ourselves drawn to these stories of characters living out their dreams as larger-than-life music superstars. Why is that?"
fandom:anime, topic:music, topic:popularity
Aniwords - Is There a Correct Way to Ship?: Isaac Akers (blog) - "With that in mind, I've taken upon myself the solemn duty of conveying to you sailors—veterns, newbies, or whatever—a set of principles to guide you through the err, lake waters of light-hearted shipping. To answer the title of the post: no, I don't really believe there's a "correct" way to ship...but if you follow my principles, you might understand why all of my ships are the best."
topic:shipping
The Past was Terrible, the Present is Terrible, and the Future will be Terrible: mikelywhiplash (blog) - "And while that list has some peaks and valleys in terms of quality, there has been a real unifying theme: the realms of science fiction and fantasy have become truly effing bleak."
topic:fantasy, topic:sciencefiction, topic:grimdark
Sexualized Saturdays: More LGBTQ+ Characters in Fantasy: cloudnoodle (blog) - "The point of a fantasy world is that it's different from the real one. But how different is it, really, if there is no place for LGBTQ+ people in it?"
topic:fantasy, topic:lgbt, topic:representation
Magical Mondays: Concrete Magical Worldbuilding vs. Nebulous Magical Worldbuilding: porluciernagas (blog) - "I looked at some of my own favorite genre stories to get an idea of what I was getting into. Some appeared to have pretty concrete magical worldbuilding, and some appeared to have more nebulous worldbuilding. Both worked, but which was better?"
topic:magic, topic:worldbuilding
That Is Not What Sentinel Sidney Crosby Would Be Smelling Okay?:kiki_eng (DW) - "Right. So one of the great things about humanity and biology and the reality that we actually live in is that there's such a range of everything. People experience the world differently; it's pretty cool."
topic:writing, topic:characterization
Untitled: beccaelizabeth (DW) - "
When I watch the movies and cartoons and comics I separate out the different canons just fine, but none of them are the perfectly perfect version, so parts and pieces go back in the stew for the version to live with."
topic:canon, topic:adaptations
Specific Fandom
Agent Carter/Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Without Smearing Her Lipstick: Missing Agent Carter? Try Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries: Jen Grogan (blog) - "Agent Carter is a good series and a step forward in that it's a TV show centered on a female protagonist in a comic-book universe, but its central premise is that even extremely competent women have difficulty surviving in a man's world. The show spends as much, if not more time, focused on the men surrounding Agent Carter (Howard Stark, Jarvis, Sousa, Anderson, the absent Captain America, etc.) rather than its title character."
fandom:agentcarter, fandom:missfishersmurdermysteries
Agents Of Shield
Untitled: regionsofkindness (tumblr) - "my adventures in the Melinda May tag following the finale, I came to the realization that I was disappointed because while I had hoped that fandom has come to read her with a little more grace and compassion over the past season, I realized that this compassion only applied if she fit two very narrow roles fanon – not canon – assigned her."
fandom:agentsofshield, topic:femalecharacter, topic:sexism, topic:racism
All About Eve
Episode 32: All About Eve: The Canon (podcast) - "This week's episode of The Canon brings us to 1950 and to one of the great films of all time, All About Eve. It's got Bette Davis, it's got absolute bitchiness, it's got an early Marilyn Monroe, it's got a razor-sharp Joseph Manciewicz script - it's got it all."
fandom:allabouteve
Amadeus
Amadeus: Salieri's Fantasy: aelarsen (blog) - "I think there's another way to think about the film, that it represents not historical fact, but rather Salieri's fantasies and inner demons."
fandom:amadeus, topic:history
Assassination Classroom
Assassination Classroom's Eternal Schoolhouse: Mage in a Barrel (blog) - "As it happens, Assassination Classroom is the perfect show to center this discussion on, because it's deeply enamored with the idea of "education as person-centered development," as opposed to the traditional image of education-as-preparation-for-assimilation-into-society."
fandom:assassinationclassroom, fandom:anime, topic:education
Assassin's Creed: Liberation
Pixelthreads: Assassin's Creed: Liberation and Clothing as Stealth and Disguise: Megan Patterson (blog) - "But I think it was an interesting move, and while I may not have always found it completely successful, I do think it's a mechanic worth talking about, because there aren't that many games out there that make clothing part of the actual gameplay, instead of merely window dressing."
fandom:gaming, topic:costumes
Bones
Why I Stopped Watching Bones: fozmeadows (tumblr) - "More saliently, though, there seems to also have been a conscious decision to change Dr Brennan's character. In the pilot episode, Bones is described as having "a disturbingly steep learning curve": she's fiercely intelligent, and her brusque manner is characterised as being a joint consequence of her focus on her work, her disinterest in small talk and her habit of distancing herself from potential pain, given her traumatic early life."
fandom:bones
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
16x05: Ms Buffy Buff (blog) - "What "The Body" captures marvelously is the utter shock that one feels when the death of a loved one occurs."
fandom:btvs
Here's my Sunday night attempt at breaking down Season 6.: muchbuffy (tumblr) - " The Trio got too much screen time. Willow's arc could have been handled better, it made the middle of the season unbalanced. I forever fawn over Buffys and Spuffys arc. Buffy rules. The world didn't end. We all cried, had pizza, and continue to repress Taras death to this day."
fandom:btvs
Do you ever think about how out of the core Four, Willow struggles the most with being single/alone?: buffyboleyn (tumblr) - "the main thesis is that t i see "willow is an anti-social off and a off in her own world kinda nerd" when I think it's the opposite, at least to me. Social networks and partnerships are actually really (almost overly) important to Willow and she does not function well without them."
fandom:btvs
Untitled: beccaelizabeth (DW) - "Am watching Buffy season 1 for the first time in ages.Everyone is babies, except Giles."
fandom:btvs
By the Sword
The Heralds of Valdemar Reread: By the Sword: The Price of Command: Ellen Cheeseman-Meyer (blog) - Discussion and analysis of the section in question.
fandom:valdemar
Cosmere
Words of Radiance Reread: Chapter 43: Alice Arneson (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the chapter in question.
fandom:cosmere
DC Comics
Ask Chris #245: Superman vs. Shazam: Chris Sims (blog) - "The thing about Superman and Captain Marvel — or Shazam, as the kids are calling him these days — is that you can't really talk about one without talking about the other. I mean, you can, but the histories of those two characters and how they evolved over the years are so tied up together, both on and off the page, that they couldn't really have happened the way they did about without each other."
fandom:dccomics
Doctor Who
Total Destruction: Holly Boson (blog) - "It's massively misjudged, since the story's already self-mocking and absurdist, and because he's saved worse scripts than The Dominators (Tomb of the Cybermen and The Web of Fear) by doing them properly. And I think Troughton was smart enough that he knew that. He hated the production conditions at the time, and so he went into sabotage-mode."
fandom:doctorwho
The Ark in Space Commentary: Philip Sandifer (podcast) - "Jack and I are back, talking nonsense over The Ark in Space."
fandom:doctorwho
The Randomiser: An Unearthly Child: louisedennis (LJ) Discussion of the first ever Doctor Who story.
fandom:doctorwho
Dragon Prince
Rereading Melanie Rawn: Sunrunner's Fire, Chapters 25 and 26: Judith Tarr (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the chapters in question.
fandom:dragonprince
Dragonlance
The Dragonlance Reread: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Part 2, Chapters 1 and 2: Mahvesh Murad and Jared Shurin (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the chapters in question.
fandom:dragonlance
Empire Trilogy
Rereading the Empire Trilogy: Mistress of the Empire, Part 15: Tansy Rayner Roberts (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the section in question.
fandom:empiretrilogy
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Cortical Catharsis: Siddhant Adlakha (blog) - "To call Clementine a Manic Pixie Dream Girl wouldn't be pointing out shallow writing like it would elsewhere. After all, she's considered to be one of the prominent deconstructions of the trope, even though it was only given a name three years later."
fandom:eternalsunshineofthespotlessmind
Ex Machina
Ex Machina Abuses Women of Color, But Nobody Cares Because It's Smart: Sharon H. Chang (blog) - "Though you wouldn't know it from the plethora of glowing reviews out there—telling in and of itself—there's another prominent fembot in the film. About fifteen minutes into the story, we're introduced to Kyoko, an Asian servant and sex slave played by mixed-race Japanese-British actress Sonoya Mizuno. Though bound in abusive servitude, Kyoko isn't physically imprisoned in a room as Ava is, because she's compliant, obedient, willing."
fandom:exmachina, topic:racism
Ex Machina and the Puppetry of the Patriarch: RMPIXIE (blog) - "I identify with that faceless Black robot because it is a perpetuated sexual stereotype that Black women are still seen as sexual chattel but not valued; that their opinion and intelligence is disregarded, illustrated by the robot's missing head."
fandom:exmachina, topic:racism
Game of Thrones
Race for the Iron Throne: Steven Attewell (blog) - Website with multiple articles about Game of Thrones.
fandom:gameofthrones
Tower of the Hand: Various (blog) - Website with multiple articles relating to Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire.
fandom:gameofthrones, fandom:asoiaf
Game of Thrones Discussion, S5E10: The End Is Nigh: Laura Fletcher, Corrin Bennett-Kill, Cheryl Collins (blog) - "Join us for a discussion of "Mother's Mercy" with three fans with different perspectives: Laura Fletcher, a casual fan of the television and book series; Corrin Bennett-Kill, a dedicated fan of the book and TV series (she has read all the books four times!); and Cheryl Collins, who does not read."
fandom:gameofthrones
A Brief Treatise on the Rules of Thrones 2.05: The Ghost of Harrenhal: Philip Sandifer (blog) - "Structurally, this episode is beating a tired drum. It's framed by two magic-enhanced murders, the first by the Lord of Light, the second by the Many-Faced God. Within are mainly politics."
fandom:gameofthrones
Oh, My Pop Culture Religion: The Sparrows from A Song of Ice and Fire, Christianity, and Women: MadameAce (blog) - "The Sparrows and their faith are based on the Catholic Church in the middle ages, and how the Sparrows dehumanize people is pretty indicative of some of our current churches' backward beliefs."
fandom:gameofthrones, fandom:asoiaf, topic:religion
*Game of Thrones* Season 5's Biggest Victim: Katey Rich (blog) - "One of Game of Thrones' many magic tricks over the years has been allowing our opinions on characters to evolve, seeing the goodness in killers and the darkness of girl heroines; Stannis experienced one of the most fascinating of those evolutions, only to toss it all away in the 11th hour at the service of . . . a quicker ending?"
fandom:gameofthrones, warning:spoilers
Grisaia
Rape and Child Abuse in the World of Grisaia: Frog-kun (blog) - "As I mentioned in my post about the visual novel, the series is about dysfunctional people in dysfunctional relationships. Sometimes, in the more serious moments, the writing appears to be aware that these characters are psychologically damaged. Unfortunately, the series is not consistent with its portrayal of abuse, so it all comes across as rather frivolous in the end."
fandom:grisaia, warning:rape, warning:childabuse
H.P. Lovecraft
The Lovecraft Reread: Alluring Strangers in Dark Alleys (But Not Like That): "He": Anne M. Pillsworth, Ruthanna Emrys (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the story in question.
fandom:lovecraft
Haibane Renmei
Faith, Friendship, Death, Life, God and Haibane Renmei: Kidd (blog) - "Taken as a whole though it turns out to be a psychological drama that really doesn't pull its punches and thankfully tries its best to not be as obtuse about its true meaning. It was written by Yoshitoshi Abe, creator of Serial Experiments Lain and Texhnolyze, it shares those shows aesthetic and use of symbolism."
fandom:haibanerenmei, fandom:anime
Hannibal
"The Lion in the Room - Predatory Discourse in NBC's Hannibal": Kirsty Worrow (blog) - "The animal metaphors aid our comprehension of the dominant murder narrative as one that is primal and natural. The relationship between murderer and victim is framed through the dialogue (and often visuals) as predator and prey."
fandom:hannibal
Hannibal 'Secondo' Review: Kirsty (blog) - "What interested me particularly in this episode is the reinforcement of the importance of mythology as a theme this season."
fandom:hannibal, warning:spoilers
Hannibal: "Secondo" Review: stinekey (blog) - "I was pleasantly surprised by the way this episode handled its foray into Hannibal's past."
fandom:hannibal, warning:spoilers
Harry Potter
The Harry Potter Reread: The Order of the Phoenix, Chapters 19 and 20: Emily Asher-Perrin (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the chapters in question.
fandom:harrypotter
Inside Out
Podcast 364: Pixar's "Inside Out": Overthinking It (podcast) - "Peter Fenzel, Ben Adams, and Mark Lee discuss Inside Out through the lens of Robert Plutchik's psychoevolutionary theory of emotion and, what else, Terminator."
fandom:insideout, warning:spoilers
In Inside Out, Pixar gets mature about growing up: Jen Chaney (blog) - "For starters, while previous Pixar movies have offered poignant reminders that navigating the milestones of kid-dom can be messy and painful, Inside Out essentially makes that fact its plot. The journey into young Riley's mental circuitry doesn't just touch on the psychological impact of coming of age, it focuses entirely on that subject, turning the subtext of other Pixar films into actual text."
fandom:insideout, warning:spoilers
Psychology of Inside Out: Dr Janina Scarlet (blog) - "'Inside Out' is a movie I'd been waiting for a year to see and, once again, Pixar did not disappoint. This is a movie I'm going to be assigning to many of my patients and doctoral students as a way to demonstrate important psychological principles."
fandom:insideout, warning:spoilers
Pixar's Inside Out Isn't Just a Good Movie, It's an Important Movie for Kids: Lesley Coffin (blog) - "But the movie is important because it isn't just entertaining and emotionally effective, but actually does provide an extremely valuable lesson for kids and families."
fandom:insideout, warning:spoilers
Inside Out & Pixar's Philosophy Of Melancholy: Andy Crump (blog) - "The near-universal love piled on the film practically feels inevitable: it does what Pixar does best, leaning on awesome fantasticism while blending emotional highs and lows into a satisfyingly complex mélange."
fandom:insideout, warning:spoilers
James Bond
Bond Girl: Re-Watching and Re-Evaluating Moonraker: Zina Hutton (blog) - "Moonraker isn't exactly an original movie.
It feels like it pulls from too many places at once so what should be a standout movie feels too much like the Bond movies before it."
fandom:jamesbond
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell Episode 2: How is Lady Pole?: Philip Sandifer (blog) - "In a real sense, this, not "The Friends of English Magic," is the first episode of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. Where the first episode was focused primarily on the task of worldbuilding, establishing the broad strokes of its alternate history, this episode is focused on the eponymous dualism between Strange and Norrell."
fandom:jonathanstrangeandmrnorrell, warning:spoilers
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell: "The Black Tower": Emily Asher-Perrin (blog) - "The penultimate chapter of the BBC's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is perhaps their most thrilling offer yet. That can hardly be surprising when it features a tincture of madness, a tower of darkness, and mentions of Lord Byron."
fandom:jonathanstrangeandmrnorrell, warning:spoilers
Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon Roundtable Index: The Hooded Utilitarian (blog) - Four new articles have been added since we linked this last week.
fandom:josswhedon
JRR Tolkien
The Most Metal Deaths in Middle-Earth: Austin Gilkeson(blog) - This is your definitive guide to the hardest trips to Mandos in all three ages.
fandom:jrrtolkien
Jupiter Ascending
jupiter ascending isn't what most critics thought: Crime and the Blog of Evil (blog) - "Jupiter Ascending is, in large-brush-strokes, David Lynch's Dune, but with the "Chosen One" trope excised and replaced with "Hidden Princess." It's a bold decision to make, because audiences aren't used to Hidden Princess in live-action anymore, and they're not used to it in nominally-SF movies at all."
fandom:jupiterascending
Jurassic Park
Jurassic World All-Spoilers Edition: Birth. Movies. Death. (podcast) - "Jurassic World was just too much movie for Phil and I to handle alone, so this week we invited special guest Brian Collins to the discussion."
fandom:jurassicpark, warning:spoilers
It's a Jurassic World: Fangirl Chat (podcast) - "ongtime Jurassic fangirls Teresa Delgado and Tricia Barr invited Geek Kay to chat about whether the latest entry in the dinosaur franchise lived up to the original. We didn't all agree, but the conversation highlights the many different expectations that the audience brings to the storytelling experience."
fandom:jurassicpark, warning:spoilers
The biggest problem with 'Jurassic World' isn't a woman running in high heels: Anne Theriault (blog) - "But no matter how heartily defenders insist that Jurassic World doesn't have a gender problem—or, worse, that it doesn't matter whether it does or not because the audience is only there to see some glorified dinosaur violence—the truth is that the movie is sexist. And while acknowledging that fact is crucial, what's maybe even more important is that we're talking about it."
fandom:jurassicpark, warning:spoilers
Why Jurassic World Doesn't Deserve Claire Dearing (Or Her High Heels): Lindsay Ellis (blog) - "But Claire getting a dressing down by her male co-stars was a part of the film's marketing, so that I was expecting. What I wasn't expecting was Claire getting a dressing down for being ambivalent as to whether or not she should be a mother from her own goddamn sister."
fandom:jurassicpark, warning:spoilers
Legend of Zelda
The Women of Legend: Nabooru: Kassye Butler (blog) - "Her people have the utmost respect for her. But why was she chosen as their leader, especially seeing as she opposed Ganondorf with such furor? Let's take a closer look into Nabooru, and see just what it is that makes her worthy as the Sage of Spirit."
fandom:legendofzelda, topic:femalecharacter
Mad Max
The Faith of Fury Road: Michael Elliot (blog) - "But did you know that this film also does religion well? That it treats faith not as just a piece of world-building or an antagonist like many movies of this size and popularity?"
fandom:madmax, topic:religion
Mad Max: Fury Road is less radical than its B-movie influences: Noah Berlatsky (blog) - "The film draws on 'women in prison' exploitation films, but its feminism and attitudes toward race are far less bold."
fandom:madmax
Marvel Cinematic Universe
Untitled: linzeestyle (Tumblr) - "And within the MCU, Whedon has made a very clear point of erasing Bucky from his narrative. There's a problem with this, simply from the perspective of creating a cohesive, ongoing universe – both in the MCU, and in the 616 Universe, post-resurrection/reboot Steve Rogers is defined by the tragedy of Bucky Barnes' death. This is to Steve what Bruce Wayne's parents are to Batman."
fandom:mcu
Supersoldier Metabolism Headcanon:samtalksfunny (tumblr) - "There is startlingly little variance in actual metabolism, aka BMR, among normal human beings (steroid users are KIND OF outliers, but primarily all that changes is that more surplus calories go to muscle tissue, not fat–so, sort of like supersoldiers). What variance in BMR there is may be attributed to lean tissue increase (aka, more muscles more burn) and increased activity even if it's unconscious (NEAT)."
fandom:mcu, topic:science
Supersoldiers, Alcohol and Drugs: samtalksfunny (tumblr) - "So. Couple of questions. Enough about the raw calories required for supersoldiering… What about alcohol? What about painkillers? It's NOT the case, I don't think, that 'supersoldier metabolism is just too fast for them.' I think there's a lot more going on."
fandom:mcu, topic:science
Mary Renault
Alexander Trilogy: naraht (DW) - "So I've finally finished reading the Alexander books. Some fan I am. In exchange for this tardiness I feel I should bring the fandoms some expansive, thoughtful meta, but all I have to offer are bullet points"
fandom:maryrenault
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
This is the part where I defend Me and Earl and The Dying Girl: David Ehrlich (blog) - "But what this piece presupposes is… what if he hasn't? On the contrary, Gomez-Rejon has made a film that articulates why it's valid, and valuable, to suggest a (young) person might try to make sense of a senseless loss through the lens of his own limited worldview. This bold attempt has resulted in a portrait that's honest in a way dramas about death seldom are. Me And Earl isn't a shrine to adolescent narcissism, it's a wrecking ball to it."
fandom:meandearlandthedyinggirl
Orange Is the New Black
How Piper and Alex's relationship became the worst part of 'Orange Is the New Black': Chris Osterndorf (blog) - "What makes Piper the least likable character in the latest season is how those qualities manifest in her relationship with her on-again/off-again girlfriend, Alex Vause. In fact, Piper and Alex's relationship is not only annoying, it's the single worst aspect of the third season."
fandom:orangeisthenewblack
Ore Monogatari!!
Ore Monogatari!! Episode 9: Mage in a Barrel (blog) - "As much as I like it, I can't really deny that there's a gap between substance and depth in this show that was highlighted in this episode—plenty of teases at going deeper, but no actual commitment."
fandom:oremonogatari
Ore Monogatari!! Episode 10: Mage in a Barrel (blog) - "The revelation I had this week, at its core, basically was the simple understanding that Ore Monogatari!! is just playing around."
fandom:oremonogatari
Ore Monogatari!!, Episode 11: Mage in a Barrel (blog) - "Most of the comedy this week didn't work very well for me, if only because I was so preoccupied with the stuff that was bothering me that I started see the echoes of it even in the moments the show was being funny."
fandom:oremonogatari, topic:costumes, topic:sexism, topic:relationships
Orphan Black
Orphan Black Science Recap: "Insolvent Phantom of Tomorrow": Casey Griffin and Nina Nesseth (blog) - Analysis of the science of the most recent episode.
fandom:orphanblack, topic:science, warning:spoilers
Orphan Black: What's Old is Neolution Again: Natalie Zutter (blog) - "Orphan Black 3×10 "History Yet to Be Written" is the first time I can think of the show truly living up to its opening credits, by completely mirroring the season 3 premiere."
fandom:orphanblack, warning:spoilers
Orphan Black: "History Yet to be Written" Review: porluciernagas (blog) - "Overall, I felt this season lacked some of the cohesiveness that previous seasons had — primarily in the Castor plot, which really fell short as other threats became more prominent."
fandom:orphanblack, warning:spoilers
The Orphan In The Black: Sarah, Felix And The Importance Of Representation:valiantprincess (tumblr) - "Sarah Manning and Felix Dawkins are important. They matter for a lot of different reasons to a lot of different people, but this time I'm talking about their importance to me."
fandom:orphanblack, topic:representation
The Professionals
Warnings and categories and ratings, oh my…: florenza_a (LJ) - "If the sexual content is otherwise 'gen', I refuse to feel obligated to up the rating simply because the story has gay protagonists. Gay folk don't buy their potatoes in a manner any more sexually explicit than people who are not gay."
fandom:theprofessionals
Rose of Versailles
Rose of Versailles: The Changes of Oscar de Francois de Jarjeyes and the Dignity of Human Life: Mage in a Barrel (blog) - "However, in considering the show as a whole, rather than simply a five-episode excerpt, I came to understand that I had, to continue to metaphor, been on a rollercoaster the whole time. On a terrifying and exhilarating ride known as "life.""
fandom:roseofversailles, fandom:anime
Sanditon
Jane Austen's Clark Kent: Chris Gavaler (blog) - "I'm guessing, however, Jerry didn't read much by Bath's most beloved literary daughter, Jane Austen. Which is a shame because she penned the first Clark Kent all the way back in 1817."
fandom:janeausten
Sense8
Why Sense8's Nomi and Amanita Are Everything (to Me): Teresa Jusino (blog) - "So, when I saw the relationship between the San Francisco-based Nomi Marks, a transgender lesbian "hacktivist" and blogger, and Amanita, a cis, New-Agey queer woman who works in a bookstore and loves any opportunity for costumes, I was thrilled. First, because the relationship existed on a series I was watching at all, and second, because the relationship is positive, accurate, and honest."
fandom:sense8, warning:spoilers, topic:lgbt, topic:representation
everything looks perfect from far away: musesfool (DW) - "So, Sense8. I finished it last night. It's...ambitious and entertaining in parts and deeply flawed."
fandom:sense8, warning:spoilers
Untitled: noprincenorape (Tumblr) - "There's something about Sense8 that you will only notice if you are actually familiar with all/most of the original languages that should be used and that's the way the narrative is written is completely based in the original language."
fandom:sense8, topic:language
Shakespeare
When Less Plot is More Play: Love's Labour's Lost vs. Pericles Prince of Tyre: Ada Palmer (blog) - "Today I will take on the unsurprising thesis that Love's Labour's Lost is a better play than Pericles Prince of Tyre."
fandom:shakespeare
Shingeki no Kyojin
Attack on Titan: Inspiring Post-Apocalyptic Adventure or Japanese Military Propaganda?: Vernieda Vergara (blog) - "I think, though, that Attack on Titan is less military propaganda, more a reflection of disaffected Japanese youth."
fandom:shingekinokyojin
A Song of Ice and Fire
Tower of the Hand: Various (blog) - Website with multiple articles relating to Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire.
fandom:gameofthrones, fandom:asoiaf
A Read of Ice and Fire: A Dance with Dragons, Part 25: Leigh Butler (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the section in question.
fandom:asoiaf
The Sopranos
Men Will Never Understand The Sopranos: Zack Budryk (blog) - "And it got me thinking about another popular piece of Mafia-related popular culture and, much like Smith, once I was led to a suitably hot take, I knew no more thinking was necessary. So here it is: men are not capable of understanding The Sopranos."
fandom:thesopranos, topic:satire
Star Wars
Star Wars Rebels Is Fixing Darth Vader: Devin Faraci (blog) - "By the time Vader showed up at the end of Revenge of the Sith a powerful part of his mystique was lost. The Dark Lord of the Sith just wasn't quite the same after he had been exposed like that."
fandom:starwars, topic:villains
Fathers and Father Figures in Star Wars: Amy Ratcliffe (blog) - "From Darth Vader to Jango Fett, father-child relationships play a big role in Star Wars."
fandom:starwars
Steven Universe
Why I Fell In Love With The Brilliant Steven Universe: James Whitbrook (blog) - "What Steven Universe actually is, however, is both one of the most joyful and smart sci-fi series I've watched in a long time — one that just so happens to be wrapped up in the guise of a magical girl-style pastiche and a loveably goofy aesthetic."
fandom:stevenuniverse
Supernatural
Brothers as Lovers: Shipping Wincest in Supernatural: Kimberly Workman (article) - "For whatever reason, Dean and Sam Winchester as brothers has easily slipped into Dean and Sam as lovers. Incest might be a societal taboo, but Wincest no longer is."
fandom:supernatural
Why I Relate to Fictional Characters: Courtney Pagleno (blog) - "I've often wondered why I let myself get so attached to these characters – and then I think of Sam and Dean. I think of them along with the many other characters I've found myself relating to over the years, and it all makes sense to me. Ultimately, it's because they give me hope. And who couldn't use a little more hope in their lives? "
fandom:supernatural
Thor
Review: Marvel's Thors #1 Fails the Goddess of Thunder: Adam Sorice (blog) - "Tying in with the Secret Wars event, series writer Jason Aaron returns with Thors #1 – a story meant to continue the threads of new!Thor's heroic journey, but one that fails to be remotely as empowering as her solo series."
fandom:marvelcomics
Tortall
Tricked by the Trickster: Where is the Protagonist Who Was Promised?: porluciernagas (blog) - "However, I hadn't liked the Trickster duology when I first read it, and apparently, I still didn't like it when I reread it. After thinking about it, I came to the conclusion that it wasn't the story itself I disliked—it was the way in which it was told."
fandom:tortall
True Detective
True Detective: Pulp, Crime, and the Weird Tales of Nic Pizzolatto: Gilbert Colon (blog) - "But Pizzolatto's pulp influences come from more than just rough-paper periodicals like True Detective—they are shot through a "weird fiction" prism."
fandom:truedetective
True Detective Season 2 Premiere Recap: Scott Wampler and Phil Nobile Jr (blog) - A detailed discussion by the two reviewers of the show in general and the episode in specific.
fandom:truedetective, warning:spoilers
Twin Peaks
The Twin Peaks Log: S2 E's 11/12: Women Write About Comics (blog) - "Welcome to our biweekly roundtable of Twin Peaks where we are working our way through every. Single. Episode. Some of us are regulars and some of us newbies, but none of our experiences are the same."
fandom:twinpeaks
Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time Reread Redux: The Great Hunt, Part 5: Leigh Butler (blog) - Summary, discussion and analysis of the section in question.
fandom:wheeloftime
Yamajo
Analyzing the Appeal of Yamajo: AnimeNation (blog) - "The Yamajo series, however, bucks the trend by depicting a high school environment in which kissing is neither routine nor immodest."
fandom:yamajo, fandom:anime
Yu Yu Hakusho
Cruelty and Class In Yu Yu Hakusho: Tsunderin (blog) - "However, reading through the volumes of one of my all-time favorite series, Yu Yu Hakusho, I discovered that the series does a lot more to bring up the struggle of those in relative poverty than I would have expected it would have; though its approach is much more 'in your face' than Rowling's was—which is refreshingly reflective of the series's protagonist."
fandom:yuyuhakusho, fandom:manga
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- fandom:yuyuhakusho,
- topic:adaptations,
- topic:canon,
- topic:characterization,
- topic:comics,
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- topic:education,
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- topic:writing,
- warning:childabuse,
- warning:rape,
- warning:spoilers
