Aniela Krajewska

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8

Warning: some mild spoilers for the books ahead!

As someone who loved season 1 so much that I proceeded to read all the books in the Grishaverse (and ended up becoming a HUGE fan of the books), watching season 2 was kind of like a fever dream. I've been waiting for it for 2 years, basically counting down the days, and now that I've binged the whole thing I feel overwhelmed and underwhelmed at once.

Season 1 already wasn't a very faithful adaptation since the Crows don't exist in the original trilogy at all and their storyline and the way it intersected with Alina's was completely made up for the show, but it worked nicely. In season 2, they took even more creative liberties, and the result is basically a huge remix of no less than 4 (FOUR!) books (the remaining two installments in the Shadow and Bone trilogy + both Six of Crows books to some degree). It's just... way too much to cram into eight episodes. I understand the decision to add the Crows into the show since the S&B trilogy IMO doesn't have enough material to fill that much screentime (especially the second book, Siege and Storm, which is weirdly paced and not that much happens), but they really tried to do too much too fast. They also messed with the book timeline and chronology beyond recognition, especially in regards to the Crows. The Ice Court heist from the first book in the duology is set up in the last minutes of the finale with Kaz talking about "their biggest job yet" and the jurda parem reveal, but at the same time they... basically blew the plot of the second book (except watered down) on the whole Pekka Rollins conflict from the first half of the season? Choices were made.

I also have to criticize the fact that the writers seem so eager to get their SoC spin-off that they are completely uninterested in properly exploring Alina's story. And don't get me wrong, the S&B trilogy is probably my least favorite series in the Grishaverse, and the Crows are BY FAR the most popular characters in this fandom, and I actually liked s1 Alina much more than her book counterpart, but there were still so many elements in her arc and her relationship with the Darkling that were worth exploring in more depth on screen. Their dynamic in the books is complex and Alina struggles with the pull towards darkness and towards him much more. In the show, it seems that she's made up her mind about him being beyond redemption and stuck to it the whole season, which is kind of boring since it doesn't allow for character growth. She has some very brief moments where we see the conflicting emotions, but overall it's not really given much spotlight. Considering that the show is called Shadow & Bone and Jessie Mei Li is the first person on the call sheet, they could've done a better job of properly telling the actual Shadow and Bone story.

(But I do have to say, I appreciated the ending they gave Alina in the show compared to the book. The corruption arc of Alina Starkov is certainly a compelling setup that I'd love to see explored further.)

There were a few aspects of the trilogy that were well done. Genya's arc was beautiful and Daisy Head SLAYED (best acting this season alongside Ben Barnes and Freddy Carter). Nikolai was pretty much perfect, as were Tamar and Tolya. Zoya, my favorite bitch, was given a tiny bit more screentime, which is a win in my book. On the Crows' side, Wylan's introduction and Nina's incorporation into the group were both great. The cast has always been this show's strongest part for me and it's genuinely incredible how perfectly everyone embodies their characters. I just wish the Crows' arc had been done better and that they hadn't blown every impactful emotional beat from the books so willy-nilly, and I wish we'd spent more time exploring Alina's mindset and her connection with the Darkling.

Overall, this was kind of a mess, but there was some good stuff in there and the cast really delivered for me. The main reason why I still want a season 3 (though we all know how cancellation-happy Netflix is) is because the actors are just an amazing bunch and I love watching them, even if the writing and the story leave something to be desired. I'm curious to see how they would proceed with adapting the book material now that they've majorly changed the S&B ending. At this point, I basically approach the show like I'd approach a fanfic, and that way, I actually had a pretty good time watching this season, especially with friends who are not book readers. As long as you can separate the book canon from the show canon and don't expect a word-for-word adaptation, it's a fun ride. It could've been improved with some better writing and cramming less stuff in there, though.

Edith is trash for accepting Bertie's proposal without telling him the truth. Whatever Mary's motivations, she did Bertie a favor. Who knows how long it would've taken Edith to come clean. I wouldn't put it past her to keep him in the dark forever, which would've been unfair to him and Marigold.

Honestly, people who like Edith mystify me. She's supposed to be the nice one, yet I struggle to think of a single instance where she went out of her way to help anyone. The soldiers in the hospital during the war, I guess, but that's about it, and I bet she wouldn't have been half as enthusiastic about it if it was women she was taking care of, ultimate pick-me girl that she is. Meanwhile, we've seen Mary be kind on numerous occasions and help many people, including Anna, Tom, Carson, Lavinia, Rose, Mrs Hughes, even Barrow. But Edith's storyline is always about her: her love life, her child, her magazine. She seems to have little interest in anyone outside of herself. Mary can be a bitch like nobody's business, but Edith is self-involved to the max and I can't take to her at all.

Also, Tom's meddling in Mary's relationship was just weird and out of line. And I can't believe it didn't occur to anyone that Mary may be hesitant to marry a dude who drives for a living after her last husband literally died in a car crash.

Netflix loves to cancel its shows without warning, and it especially loves canceling them after 3 seasons, so I'm about 60% sure this is goodbye. But then again, Sex Education has been a huge hit for them, so I guess we might get a renewal.

If this is the series finale, it's pretty good. Unlike last season, there aren't any major loose ends left. The only storyline that hasn't been resolved is the paternity of baby Joy. Judging by Jean's reaction, it's not good news for Jakob.

As much as I disliked Hope all season, I enjoyed her conversation with Otis. It made her feel a bit more human, even if she is still deeply terrible.

The Groffs had a great storyline. I loved seeing Adam and Michael grow in their own ways. If we do get another season, I hope they explore their relationship a bit more. It's sad that things didn't work out for Adam and Eric, but maybe it's for the best. Eric clearly has some things to work through before he's ready to commit to one person. And seeing Adam discover his talent and passion was lovely. He didn't win, but he still achieved something really impressive all on his own.

I'm glad Aimee knocked some sense into Maeve. Their friendship is genuinely one of the best parts of the show. We didn't get a lot of Otis and Maeve in this episode, but if this is the end of the road, Maeve got a very fitting and satisfying ending. She finally has a family and she's off to do her thing in America. She deserves the world and finally she's getting it. And things with her and Otis are left open ended and hopeful. Even though they can't know if they'll still be right for each other when she returns, they're both willing to give it a shot. That's good enough for me.

I do hope this show comes back. I really do. There's something so quirky and unique about it, the storylines are great and the cast is excellent. It's truly a gem. But I'm keeping my expectations low just in case. Netflix has disappointed me many times before.

You know how I said the season 5 finale was kind of lame? This was better, but far from totally satisfying. I know a few decades is nothing when you have an eternity to look forward to, but it still sucks that Chloe had to be a single mother. It's not fair to her. I cried so much when Deckerstar were saying goodbye (a really messy, snotty cry). All the little callbacks like Chloe playing that simple melody on the piano were so sweet and Lauren and Tom really did a breathtaking job. But still, it didn't have to be this way. I think it would've been much better if Lucifer had chosen to commute to Hell and still be in Rory's life, and that moment had created an alternate timeline - so that Rory from the original timeline still arrived to fullfil her purpose, but everything from that point on was different. IMO that would've been much better than the time loop idea. When it comes to time travel, you can pretty much get away with any bullshit explanation anyway. Everyone else ended up in a really good place, so at least that was nice. Maze and Eve kicking ass and taking names together, Charlie sprouting wings... I liked all of that. Also they really got Tricia Helfer to come back without giving her any dialogue lmao.

I will miss this show. Even though I feel like it had run its course and there weren't any stories left to tell, I'm still a little sad to see it go. It wasn't a perfect show, but it had some great moments, especially when it rose above the case of the week stuff and focused more on the celestial side of things and the relationships between the characters. It had such an interesting, diverse and lovable bunch of characters who all changed and grew in organic ways. The humor was always top notch, but the show also had some genuine emotion and a lot of heart. All in all, I will remember Lucifer fondly.

EDIT: After giving myself some time to fully digest this season and this final episode, I realized that there is something deeply messed up about a show that has always been about free will - Lucifer choosing to stay on Earth, Amenadiel choosing humanity, Chloe choosing to love Lucifer (remember how big of a deal the "does she only have feelings for me because she's a gift from God?" debacle was?), Maze choosing to develop human emotions and form connections with people, Eve choosing her own path after literally being made for someone else - not giving its leads any choice in the end and forcing them to follow a predetermined path. Again, the alternate timeline idea was right there and it would've reaffirmed the show's message that you make your own fate.

Excellent mid-season finale. Can't wait for the next 8 episodes to drop in the fall. What I love about Redemption is that it understands what made the original Leverage so good and uses it - that shouldn't be a surprise considering that both shows were created by the same people and have the same executive producers, but it's been 8 years since Leverage wrapped, so it wasn't a given that everything would come together as nicely as it did. We could've used more Hardison, but I understand Aldis had other commitments. Hopefully he'll pop up more often in the second half of the season. Breanna is a good character though and I enjoyed watching her. She and Harry fit in with the rest of the team really well. Nate's presence was heavily felt throughout these 8 episodes (and especially in this one) and even though I was never fully on board with his and Sophie's romance (she could do better), I did tear up a little when she realized that Nate never mentioned her to anyone because she was too important to him (on the other hand, that means that he was apparently like "yeah, fuck these guys" when it came to blabbering about the OT3). I kind of like that there isn't really a clear mastermind/team leader in Redemption - Sophie and Parker seem to split that role most of the time, but overall the whole planning aspect feels more like a team effort this time around. The cons were super entertaining and creative as always, and you can tell that everyone involved had a lot of fun making this, which is always nice to see. I'm looking forward to more shenanigans and I definitely wouldn't be mad if they decided to do another season after the first one wraps. I honestly feel like I could watch this chaotic bunch forever and not get bored.

Leverage is my ultimate comfort show. I only watched it for the first time last year, but I loved it immediately. It's got a fantastic bunch of characters, the found family trope, a cool heist in every episode, wacky hijinks that make you wheeze with laughter, and a fun, campy tone that's so refreshing in a world where more and more shows take themselves way too seriously. I started rewatching the original show last month in preparation for the revival (of course I timed it wrong and didn't manage to finish, but whatever), and it holds up so well on the second viewing. Not many shows manage to make me smile and say "God, I love this so much" after almost every episode, but Leverage is one of those rare gems. And thankfully the first episode of Redemption left me with the same bubbly feeling. The original cast members have barely aged (they're all looking :fire::fire::fire:) and the chemistry between them is as good as ever. Nate was always my least favorite of the bunch, so I don't miss him all that much. Harry seems like he'll be a good addition to the team. The first 10 minutes of the episode did feel just a little rusty, but after that it kept improving and by the end the Leverage we know and love was fully back. The banter is there, the chaotic energy is there, the fun is there. I'm honestly really pleased so far. Now, if they could just canonically give us the OT3... It's time.

I was so confused for the first 15 minutes of this episode. I suspected for most of the season that Amalia was either an alien or from the future, so it was nice to have that confirmed, but the origin story left me with more questions than answers. We know that in the future there are two factions at war, but it's not clear what exactly their motivations are aside from one wanting to save the world and the other determined to... keep it shitty and post-apocalyptic, I guess? Also there was so much jargon/made-up lingo that wasn't explained. I have no idea what a Stripe is. I know exposition dumps are not great most of the time, but I feel like we could've used one here.

Once we got back to Victorian times the episode got much better. It was fun to see how Amalia ended up running the orphanage and how she became the posh badass that we've gotten to know over the course of the season.

"I left Penance behind because you said 'Find me'. I left my heart to come talk to you" Did she just... literally call Penance her heart? AND she told her her real name that she protected all this time and didn't even tell her spouses? And this show wants me to believe that their relationship is platonic? Sounds fake but okay.

Happy 2021, everyone!

It feels like it's been 10 years and not 10 months since the finale of series 12. 2020 has really messed with my perception of time. The Doctor's prison routine hit a little too close to home for me as it was uncomfortably reminiscent of my life in lockdown - just endless identical days wearing the same clothes and talking to myself.

I would've been happy if the entire episode had just been the Doctor and Jack getting in trouble together. John and Jodie were instantly iconic from the first scene they shared. I love the love that Jack has for the Doctor, no matter the reincarnation. Another duo I quite enjoyed was Jack and Yaz, especially their conversation about the joy of traveling with the Doctor being worth the pain of having to say goodbye.

Ryan and Graham leaving was surprising to me. I liked their final scene with the bike, that was a nice callback to the beginning of series 11.

Yaz seems to continue the trend of female companions fancying the Doctor (with the exception of Donna, of course, and I guess Bill but that could be disputed since she would most certainly fancy Thirteen). Gays in space is what we deserve in 2021.

Oh, and there were Daleks and some dude channeling Trump. I don't know, didn't really pay attention much when Jack and the Doctor weren't interacting. My attention span is shot to hell. I liked the things that I did pay attention to though.

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COMMENT IS RATED S FOR "SAPPY AS HELL". PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

We all know a bad series finale can ruin the entire show, which is why I've been feeling on edge all week. I just wanted a satisfying ending for my team. And, for the most part, I got one.

I started crying as soon as they said the team would never be all in the same room again. And then Deke made a sacrifice to stay in the altered timeline! It made me so emotional, but it was also funny (the way Sousa tried to be all heroic only for Deke to just… go full Deke on him). He’s gonna be just fine. I almost dread to think what SHIELD looks like under his leadership, but I'm sure it's equal parts hilarious and insane.

Fitz guiding Jemma to get her to remember was lovely. Iain and Elizabeth brought their A game, as always. I’ve missed that good old Caestridge magic.

The way they brought the whole thing full circle to the season 6 finale… Genius. The logistics of time travel made my head hurt, though. It’s way too complex for me.

”- Nice flying there.
- That used to be all I did.”
Yeah, like a million years ago. That line got a smile out of me. The season 1 nostalgia is real. Everybody gives the pre-Winter Soldier episodes so much flack, but I really enjoyed those early case-of-the-week shenanigans.

Daisy and Bitch Boy’s showdown paired with Cavalry dropping from the ceiling made me SCREAM. When Daisy blew up those Chronicom ships... Avengers? I don't know them. I only know one superhero and her name is Daisy freaking Johnson. The movies wish they had her. For a minute I really thought she was dead and my heart stopped. I wouldn't put it past the writers to kill her off. The Whedons have never met a surprise death scene they didn't like. But she’s okay! And Kora saved her! I’m fine (* narrator voice * she was not fine).

So like I predicted FitzSimmons had a child. A very blonde, very cute child. Her little voice made me tear up even more, if that’s even possible. That adorable accent!

I'm glad we didn't see the actual goodbye because that would've been too much for me. But I also don't fully understand why they decided to break up the band in the end other than because Enoch and Fitz told them they would. Even though they're still in each other's lives at the end, after 7 seasons of watching them become a family it hurts to see that they're all separated. It's just not the same.

During the last 10 minutes of the episode all the remaining self-control I had went out the window. The waterworks were flowing. Especially when Daisy was the last one left in the room, it really felt like we were watching the character as much as we were watching Chloe herself get hit with the realization that it's over. That broke me. Also, I don't buy for a second that they only do the futuristic Zoom thing once a year. Sure, maybe not all together, but Daisy and Jemma definitely talk like three times a week and they all 100% have a group chat going on that consists mostly of cute videos of Alya and Daisy sending memes (May never says anything but she reads every single message and Coulson uses the wrong emojis all the time). This is what I choose to believe. And none of it contradicts what's been said in canon, so I'm sticking by it. But aside from that minor gripe about the frequency of their communication, I really liked the ending. FitzSimmons are happy with their daughter, May is teaching (which oddly suits her) at a new SHIELD academy named after Coulson and Flint is one of her students, Daisy is in space with Sousa and Kora, Mack and YoYo are still in the field, Coulson and Lola are reunited (the real OTP of this show), even Davis is back! All my babies are okay! That’s all I wanted!

Well, not true. All I wanted was for this show to never end. But it did, as all good things must. And it did so on its own terms, despite everything working against it.

Now comes the truly sappy part.

7 seasons. 136 episodes. And it all ends here.

In October 2014, I was a 16-year-old casual Marvel fan who stumbled upon this show by chance one Saturday afternoon and pressed play on the pilot episode without thinking too much of it. It’s been nearly 6 years since that fateful day and out of all my shows I’ve been watching this one the longest and the most consistently by far. It’s been such a steady presence in my life that I still can’t fully comprehend that there’s not going to be any more episodes to look forward to. Agents of SHIELD has taken root in my heart and ingrained itself in me more deeply than any other piece of media has ever done, which makes this goodbye all the more difficult for me.

Now, I am not going to claim that this show was perfect. But at its best, Agents of SHIELD was an absolute non-stop thrill ride filled with awe-inspiring CGI (especially for a network show!) and exciting fight scenes, jaw-dropping plot twists and well-crafted intrigues, laugh-out-loud humor and heart-wrenching angst, brilliant acting and skillful writing. And most importantly, it had a group of amazing characters at its center, characters who got under my skin and never left, whose adventures I followed with bated breath, whose joy and laughter and pain and tears I felt and shared time and time again. For those characters, for everything I got to experience with them and through them, for all the ways they have enriched my life, I am truly, deeply grateful. I can only say, from the bottom of my heart: thank you.

Thank you for Phil Coulson, the dad to outdad all dads, who gave his life to the cause more than once; whose unwavering belief in his team and everything they stood for was a foundation that the entire show rested on; and whose cheesy one-liners never failed to get a smile from me.

Thank you for Melinda May, our Cavalry, whose many demons never managed to consume her heart; who fashioned her jagged edges into a weapon to protect the people she cared about; who went through hell and unspeakable trauma and came out the other side fighting, always fighting the good fight.

Thank you for Leo Fitz, the man who loved a woman so much that he jumped through a hole in the universe to find her; whose brilliant mind saved the day too many times to count; who suffered so much but always stood for what he believed in, no matter the cost.

Thank you for Jemma Simmons, the girl with two PhDs and a million questions who looked to the stars and yearned for an adventure; who survived being stranded on an alien planet and traveled farther than she ever could’ve imagined; who never backed down, never gave up, never surrendered, even in the face of the most insurmountable odds.

Thank you for my darling Daisy Johnson, a lonely girl without a home or a name who dreamt of a family and built herself one; who went from a hacktivist living in a van to an earth-quaking superhero; who carried the weight of the world on her shoulders but refused to let it break her; who had a blazing fire burning within that nothing, no matter how painful or horrible, could ever snuff out.

Thank you for Mack, YoYo and Deke, who joined the team a little further down the line and became invaluable members of SHIELD. Thank you for Bobbi, Hunter and Lincoln, who I was sad to say goodbye to. Thank you for Ward, who all of us loved to hate. Thank you for every single character, whether main, recurring or guest, for every hero and villain, ally and enemy, everyone who contributed to making Agents of SHIELD what it was.

To my favorite cast, especially my OGs Clark, Ming, Chloe, Lil and Iain, who brought these characters to life and blessed us with their talent every week, and to everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make the best show possible: you guys absolutely rock. I wish all of you the best of luck and many, many more successful projects in the future.

Goodbye, my favorite team. I’ll miss you like hell.

If you’re still reading this, thank you for sticking by me while I went through 5 stages of grief in roughly 1,200 words. I feel like I need to stare at the ceiling for a while until the void that this show left inside of me feels a little less cold and overwhelming.

Me everytime I see Nathaniel Malick on screen: I've had enough of this man

He's so annoying! I hate his smug face. The audacity of thinking that his stolen powers could outmatch Daisy's... When she went feral for a second there (great moment!), the fear in his eyes was so satisfying. Daisy constantly gets nerfed either for story or budgetary reasons, but every once in a while we get a glimpse of how truly powerful she is and it's always epic. Shame May cut it short. I hope our girl finally gets to unleash a bringing-down-buildings level of destruction in the inevitable Quake vs Quake showdown. It really irks me that most of the time she's only allowed to use her powers to push people around. She may not be strong enough to tear the world apart, but I believe she could turn entire city blocks to rubble or demolish small towns without breaking a sweat if the showrunners weren't holding her back.

Daisy and Jiaying had some great scenes together in this one. I don't understand why everyone was going on about keeping her alive to protect Daisy's existence though. When Mack's parents were killed, an alternate timeline was created, but he still got to keep his memories of being raised by them in the original one. By the same logic, Jiaying dying shouldn't affect our Daisy at all, should it? It just means that her alternate timeline counterpart won't be born. But who the hell knows.

John Garrett making an appearance is a fun blast from the past. The fact that they chose Bill Paxton's actual son to portray the younger version of the character is so cool.

Perhaps I'm in the minority, but I haven't really missed Fitz that much this season. But damn if I'm not curious what Jemma's breakdown last episode was all about! I don't think he's dead, but something truly messed up must've happened. Next week we might finally find out what that is.

The penultimate spot on this list goes to...
6x03 "Fear and Loathing on the Planet of Kitson"
Admittedly, this episode is nowhere near as good as some of my other favorites (cough "Self-Control" cough), but it is 42 minutes of pure dumb fun featuring my two favorite gals accidentally dropping alien acid, so what's not to love? Daisy and Jemma are such an underrated duo. Every season they get like an episode or two where their dynamic is center stage, but other than that, they are largely overlooked, which is a shame. Elizabeth and Chloe are obsessed with each other in real life, which translates effortlessly into the chemistry between their characters and makes them so fun to watch. I just know they were dying laughing while filming this episode. It's kind of a guilty pleasure episode of mine and a highlight of an otherwise meh season (along with "Inescapeable").

Where do I even start? First of all, congrats to Elizabeth Henstridge on directing the best episode of a spectacular season (and one of the best episodes of the show)! I love it when actors get to branch out on their shows and try new things. She did a terrific job.

This episode was all around perfect. It was a total nail-biter, you could really feel the urgency of trying to find the solution the whole way through, but there was also plenty of humor (Coulson explaining everything to Daisy, Daisy and Jemma's made-up word bit, Enoch repeatedly kicking everyone's ass) and good old-fashioned Feelz with a capital F. I'm glad it was a Daisy-centric episode as she didn't appear at all in episode 7 and only had a couple scenes last week. Chloe Bennet was fantastic. She had to carry this entire episode on her shoulders (the runtime was 42 minutes and she was literally on screen for like 40 of them, I can't imagine how many hours of filming that translates to) and she made it look easy. You can really see how much she's grown as an actress since season 1. She's always had talent and charisma, but over the years she's had the chance to polish those raw qualities and she's really become one of the best actors on the show.

I'm very sad to see Enoch go. He's been with us for a while now and I've grown attached to him. But at least he wasn't alone and he sacrificed himself for his friends. And his death scene was SO beautiful and moving. Did he foreshadow the season finale when he said the team would fall apart? That's definitely something I could see them doing, leaving SHIELD just to finally have a life.

Man, Chloe and Enver have brilliant chemistry together. Daisy taking an entire loop just to have a conversation with him and then going in for that kiss was lovely. It's a shame he won't remember any of it. And I guess he's gonna die now, just like every single one of Daisy's love interests. Although I don't think they would kill an important character two weeks in a row, Enver is still only listed on IMDb through episode 10, so I guess we'll see what happens next week. I would really like to see them end up together though.

11/10 overall. I'm so glad this final season is so good. Imagine if it had turned out to be as meh as season 6. That would've been a huge bummer. This is the send-off that my team deserves.

Only three spots left on this list, here we go!
5x14 "The Devil Complex"
Just like Elizabeth got her chance to really shine back in season 3's bottle episode, this was Iain's tour de force. That episode really stabbed me right in the heart when that twist was revealed. That was the episode Fitz became a morally ambiguous character for me. I understood the reasoning behind everything he did, but hurting Daisy the way he did made me feel kind of :grimacing: about him (and yes that emoji encapsulates my feelings better than any words could because that's the exact face I make when I think about him in that episode). I still don't like the fact that the writers just straight-up killed him at the end of the season instead of actually making an effort to fix things between him and Daisy. It felt like such a cop-out. But this episode was amazing and intense and I loved it but also kind of hated it? You get it. Either way, Iain was on fire and the writing was brilliant.

Honestly the fact that we only have 5 episodes left now makes me wanna stab myself in the foot (but it's fine, I'm fine).

I loved seeing Dichen Lachman again, this time sans scars and homocidal tendencies. I really hope she and Daisy will get to interact when she shows up again. Also, when she called Cora her daughter... I assume she meant that in a spiritual sense rather than biological, but still, Daisy Johnson has left the chat.

YoYo and May are just a delightful duo. I love that they decided to use sparring as a way for Elena to get in touch with her feelings. And I guess she's just a regular speedster now? That's neat, I always thought the bouncing back thing was a tad lame. They could've done that a little earlier on in the show though, just saying.

FitzSimmons never catch a break. They've beaten the odds so many times, from being stuck on the ocean floor and running out of air to Jemma getting transported to an alien planet to Fitz becoming kinda evil and then literally dying... And the writers keep finding new ways to separate them and tug at our heartstrings. I swear, if these two don't end up in some cottage in Scotland with three children and a dog...

Speaking of romantic relationships, they want us to ship Daisy and Sousa, right? Otherwise, why would they make a point of Daisy telling Coulson that she's glad Daniel's with them? What other explanation is there for that scene with Sousa dutifully sitting down by the healing chamber to watch over Daisy while she got her rest? I'm torn because I like that pairing a lot - it totally came out of left field for me, but I'm loving it - but Enver Gjokaj is only listed on IMDb through episode 10, which I realize might not mean anything and he could very well stick around until the finale, but I don't wanna get my hopes up in case he actually does leave at some point. But like I said, why would they give them so many scenes together with so much romantic subtext if they weren't going in that direction?

Can Daisy just kick Nathaniel's ass already? I hate seeing him with her powers. They are a part of her in a way that he could never fully understand or hope to achieve. They're embedded in her DNA while his came from a syringe. I hope we get to see Daisy unleash a completely new level of destruction when she finally confronts him. Tear the bitch apart, babe!

Next week we're going to have a Groundhog Day timeloop situation with Daisy and I am LIVING for it. I loved it when Legends of Tomorrow did it and I can't wait to see the SHIELD version.

And now it's time for what might be my favorite episode of the show:
4x15 "Self Control"
When I said I SCREAMED while watching this... Season 4 is my favorite season and the sheer power of this episode is absolutely unmatched. Fitz and Simmons trying to figure out which one of them was an LMD was easily one of their top 3 tragic scenes and one of the best acted of the entire show. The range of emotions they both went through in a single scene was insane. The general consensus in the fandom seems to be that Iain is the best actor on the show, which I agree with, but Elizabeth is right up there with him. If either one of them were a lesser actor, that scene and FitzSimmons in general would never have worked. The way they bounce off of each other so beautifully is what made the magic happen. And aside from that, we got all that wonderful Daisy and Jemma content (their friendship gets overlooked so often it's not even funny, so the whole Framework arc and "us against the world" gave me life). Also robot May sacrificing herself. This episode >>>>>>> literally all the MCU movies (and I say that as someone who really likes the movies, but Endgame wishes it had half the emotional impact of this masterpiece).

Don't you just love it when a character who's supposed to be from the Balkans not only has her lines captioned as [speaking Russian] (spoiler alert: Russia and the Balkans are nowhere near each other), but the lines themselves are in Polish - terrible Polish, I might add, but Polish nonetheless (also not a language you'd find in the Balkans)? I know the Slav Squad is more or less interchangeable to English speakers, but you'd think they'd at least make an effort to get it right. Unless of course it was a deliberate choice since Deke was the one narrating the story and he probably can't tell the difference, but since the joke would fly over a lot of viewers' heads, my point still stands.

Overall, this was a fun episode that made me laugh out loud a few times, but it also felt... unnecessary, I guess? I like both Mack and Deke just fine, but do I like them enough to have an entire episode dedicated to them? Maybe in a regular season, but definitely not in a short final one. We already have so few episodes left, we didn't need what was essentially a filler that excluded most of the main cast. Throughout the whole thing I couldn't help but think "okay, we've had a few laughs, can we find out how Daisy's doing now?". I did like the fact that it gave Mack time to deal with his grief, but other than that and Sybil getting the Time Streams to Malick it didn't really move the plot along in any significant ways. I know not everyone feels the same way and that's fine, but I'm mostly here for my OG team, so this episode didn't really do it for me. The preview for next week looks insane though.

(Also, if Nathaniel Malick got his powers in '76 and we're in '84 now, that means he's had them longer than Daisy who's only had hers for like 5 years. That should be interesting.)

Now, for your weekly rundown of AoS's greatest hits:
3x17 "The Team"
This one had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. Trying to guess which Inhuman got infected by Hive was so exciting and Daisy turning out to be the one after a series of clever misdirections was a big fat shocker. I loved how they really kept us guessing the entire episode and the ending still truly surprised me. Plus, Daisy using her seismic blasts or whatever you call them to basically bring down the entire Playground was a very sexy look that I still think about sometimes. It truly had big "mark me down as scared and horny" energy.

Daisy Johnson and Daniel Sousa being a potential ship is honestly the biggest plot twist of 2020, but I'm not mad about it. I was already like :eyes: when he pretended to be her fiancé last episode and this week has really solidified them for me. The chemistry is there. The vibe is there. All their scenes together are gold. Plus, we know Sousa likes a badass woman. I love how his "I'm right where I need to be" line at the end, in which he was probably referring to the Zephyr and helping save the world could very well also be referring to being at Daisy's side while she heals. They'd be great together.

Speaking of Daisy, I am thoroughly underwhelmed by how little Quaking we've seen so far this season. Damn Nathaniel Malick managed to cause more destruction before he dropped dead (or did he though) than she did in 6 episodes. Hopefully the healing chamber restores her powers after what that asshole put her through. Daisy getting tortured or used for somebody else's gain is an unfortunate recurring theme on this show.

Jemma's secret was pretty easy to figure out to be honest, I've seen many theories about the device in her neck suppressing her memories. FitzSimmons continue to be tragic as always.

Coulson's "yo I'm a bad bitch, you can't kill me" moment was funny as hell. Just casually getting blown up because he knows he'll return somehow.

Mack's parents turning out to be Chronicoms was horrible. His younger self literally got orphaned! His memories will all change! Or at least they should. Time travel is very confusing.

I wonder what happened to the Zephyr and what time period it jumped to. If we're following the pattern, it should be the 90s. I need to see what Daisy will pick as her 90s attire.

We're halfway through the season and halfway through the list. This one won't suprise anybody:
3x05 "4,722 Hours"
Granted, I could have done without Will and I think the episode would've had an even bigger emotional impact if Jemma had been alone the whole time, but still, this episode perfectly showcased Elizabeth Henstridge's acting chops and let her shine. She absolutely deserved it. AoS had never done a bottle episode before so this was an interesting change of pace for a show that relies strongly on its ensemble. Every minute of this episode was stellar, especially the beginning and Jemma's struggle to survive. The hopelessness of not being able to find water at first, the triumph of overpowering an alien creature and using it for food, coping with loneliness by talking to Fitz... I FELT it all. It was a masterclass both in acting and character writing.

That 70s opening sequence has to be the best one we've ever had (also they really said fuck Fitz lives by not including him, huh).

First of all, what the hell is going on with Jemma? That glowing thing in her neck can't be good. They must've done something to her during that time in the season 6 finale before she came back in the revamped Zephyr. I'm worried. And I'm even more worried about Daisy and that asshole trying to steal her powers. Actually, pretty much everything went sideways in this episode, from the Chronicoms using poor Mack's parents as leverage to Sousa yelling at Jemma (leave her alone!) to him and Daisy getting kidnapped. May introducing herself as "Chastity McBride" was really funny though and so was Patrick Warburton's character. Daisy calling Coulson "Dad" was an underrated moment that I absolutely loved. Enoch appearing in the nick of time to fast and furious the team out of trouble made me grin. And what I wouldn't give to see the look on Sousa's face when Daisy tells him that her powers are not a result of a serum, but a metamorphosis she went through when some space crystals triggered the latent alien genes in her DNA. Also, Daisy continues to be a total fashion icon. That outfit had me quaking (I'll show myself out).

And this week on Agents of SHIELD Throwback Edition:
2x21 & 2x22 "S.O.S Part 1 & 2"
Okay, so these are technically two episodes but it's a two-part story, so you can't really talk about one without the other. The reason they are on this list is because it's highkey my favorite season finale of AoS ever. Daisy's mom literally trying to murder her? Daisy's fight with that Inhuman who could clone herself? Ward shooting Kara instead of May? Bobbi being tortured by Ward (remember those needles???), breaking free, fighting him, getting tied to a chair to watch Hunter die and taking a bullet for him? Daisy going to see Carl and giving up the name she chose for herself to honor her dad? Simmons getting eaten by a rock? Honestly, SHIELD always pulls through when it comes to their season finales, but the raw energy of this one is unmatched. Truly legendary in every way.

Time travel is my favorite thing in the world. Literally nothing gives me more joy than a ragtag team in a futuristic vessel visitng different points in history. Whether it's Doctor Who, Legends of Tomorrow (the only good Arrowverse show we have left, I said what I said), Timeless (deserved 7 seasons tbh) or now Agents of SHIELD, the serotonin rush I get from watching some chaotic neutrals running around in period clothing is indescribable. Can't wait to see what our favorite Agents plus Sousa are gonna do (and more importantly, wear) now that they're in the 70s (that song at the end is from the 70s, right?). Another thing that I love to see in my TV shows are film noir episodes. Framing Coulson's inner monologue and the black and white as his systems malfunctioning was pretty nifty. The whole intrigue with Sousa's death was well-crafted and I'm glad he's gonna stick around. Poor Enoch got absolutely no love, hopefully he will be reunited with the team eventually. May being an empath is so cool! Didn't see that coming but looking back it makes perfect sense. Overall, this episode was a blast. Season 7 has really forced me to reconsider my top 10. The showrunners said that this season was an opportunity for them to have fun and celebrate the show and it definitely shows.

And now, for the next episode in my Top 10 (that you're undoubtedly chomping at the bit to see):
2x10 "What They Become"
Season 2 was really hard to narrow down since it's one of my favorites. Another strong contender from the first half of that season was 2x05 "A Hen in the Wolf House", which gets an honorable mention because it gave us Bobbi Morse and finally revealed what Jemma had been up to while she was gone. But "What They Become", just like "Turn, Turn, Turn" from last week, was a total game changer for the show. This is the episode where Skye meets her father and learns that her name is actually Daisy, this is the episode where she goes through Terrigenesis and we get a first glimpse of her powers. When she quaked off that cocoon... that was a cultural reset. This was a mid-season finale to rule all mid-season finales, which combined with an unbearable 3-MONTH-LONG (!!!) break afterwards puts it in the iconic category instantly.

How does it make you feel when I say the word... "moist"?

This was hands down the funnest episode of SHIELD we've had in a long while. Just pure unadulterated entertainment. Everything about it was brilliant. Jemma posing as Peggy was inspired (and she definitely enjoyed it too much lol). Daisy as a CIA agent was super badass. What May said about female pilots in the 40s and 50s was really interesting. I love it when I can actually come away from an episode having learned something. It was great to see Agent Sousa again too. And you know what? A big fat fuck you to Endgame for messing up him and Peggy. The Russos have such a weird obsession with Steve/Peggy that they completely ruined not just Peggy's arc from Agent Carter and her letting go of Steve and going on to find happiness again, but also Sharon Carter's character, who was treated like dirt and completely wasted in the movies. What a fucking shame. But back to the episode: I absolutely loved it and I actually think it might be a contender for my Top 10. I have 9 episodes picked out so far and still deciding on the 10th, so we'll see what the rest of the season has in store. Honestly, SHIELD has gotten so dark over the years, which isn't a negative thing because it's obviously given us so many great stories, but I have to say, I'm loving this return to super spy shenanigans. The season 1 vibes are strong in this one. Oh, and the title cards changing to reflect every new time period! I love that so much.

Now, for the next installment in the 10 Episodes I Vibed With The Most Over The Years series:
1x17 "Turn, Turn, Turn"
I'm not gonna lie, I don't remember what happens in most of this episode for shit except for the last two minutes, but those two minutes alone deserve a spot on this list because of how utterly game-changing they were for the show. You know what I'm talking about. Don't pretend you didn't gasp when Grant Ward, that smug motherfucker, shot Victoria Hand point blank and it was revealed that yes, he was Hydra all along! That was Top 10 Anime Betrayals at its finest, my dudes. I still remember the pure shock and horror of that moment. That changed the very fabric of what Agents of SHIELD was. It was also the one and only time when the connection to the movies actually benefited the show. I had to include it because it was truly iconic and a major turning point. Its repecussions carried well into later seasons and gave us so many great storylines.

Imagine you're just some random asshole living in 1931 and someone casually drops the words "World War II" into the conversation.

So the green stuff turned out to be Captain America's Super Steroids (thank you Simmons for both your brilliant biochemical analysis and pushing back against the sexism of the time). Fitz is still MIA because it's a rule that Fitzsimmons can never be happy (Iain probably didn't mind the extended vacation though, I can just picture him chillin' at home while the rest of the cast was busting their asses filming the show - good for him). May and Enoch's mortal combat scene was a lot of fun, but I'm genuinely worried about our girl Melinda. She seems to have reverted back to her aloof traumatized post-Bahrain self. The way she was absolutely ready to murder Enoch for a seond there... heavy stuff. Meanwhile, Daisy didn't get to quake anything, so really, what even was the point of this episode? And the whole to-kill-or-not-to-kill dilemma was interesting. You can't really punish someone for something they haven't done yet... or can you? Or more importantly, should you? It's the whole baby Hitler problem all over again (although even Deadpool didn't go through with that one, which is saying something). And finally, Koenig and Enoch is a fun duo that I'd love to see more of. Everything that led to the creation of SHIELD would be great miniseries material. And we're officially out of the 1930s and into a new time period! Can't wait.

And now, for the first entry in the Top 10 That No One Asked For (also these will be in chronological order cause I can't be arsed to actually rank them according to how much I like them in comparison to each other), we're kicking things off with a blast from the past:
1x06 "FZZT"
This was the best episode of the first half of season one (which was still good, don't @ me - those were simpler, brighter days; sometimes I miss the team just vibin' on the Bus and traveling around the world). That was also the first Fitzsimmons-centric episode and our first glimpse into how heart-wrenching they would become - up until that point they had mostly provided comic relief. Simmons trying to sacrifice herself and jumping off the plane while the music dramatically builds in the background and Fitz screams his lungs out in anguish KNOCKED me stone cold fucking dead, I cannot even begin to describe the emotions I was feeling. Also that was the first time Jemma was actually referred to by her first name, which I don't think we even knew prior to the episode (Coulson saying "I'm sorry, Jemma" before locking her in the lab is forever etched into my brain, the dramatic tension of that scene was off the charts). Fitzsimmons sitting and talking on the floor on the opposite sides of the glass door was poetic cinema and Fitz ignoring the quarantine and saying they were gonna fix it together was the moment I knew I was gonna go down with that fucking ship. I think about that episode a few times a week, no joke. I do believe that was the point where AoS went from a show I was casually interested in to a full-blown obsession. When I first thought of doing this top 10, FZZT was the first episode that popped into my head. 10/10, never change sweetie.

The beginning of the end is officially here. And it has the coolest vintage title card.

I absolutely love time travel, especially semi-historical hijinks, so this season's premise is right up my alley. Everyone looks great in their 1930s get-up and everything from the cinematography to the music is amazing. I much prefer this to the whole ancient-deity-from-a-far-flung-planet stuff from last season; this episode really felt like we were back to good old-fashioned espionage and secret agent work.

Highlights of the premiere include: Daisy putting the fear of God in that one cop, Coulson going full fanboy over meeting FDR, Patton Oswald returning (I've missed him!), Freddie turning out to be none other than Malick's father (also how does Hydra actually being an ancient Hive-worshipping cult fit into them going full Nazi and SHIELD being founded? I am very confused), Simmons continuing to be a smol yet terrifying force of nature and May turning into... the little girl from The Grudge? I mean, fuck it, why not? Ming-Na has the range.

I said last year that I wasn't ready for this show to end and that still stands true today. It's been such a big part of my life these last 5 years. 5 years! Do you know how many shows I've dropped or watched and forgotten about in that time? Yet SHIELD is always, always in the back of my head like a lingering ghost, these characters interwoven into the very fabric of my being at this point. I hold them so close to my heart and it hurts to know that we're nearing the end. But I also feel an immense sense of gratitude for the fact that we're still here in the year of our Lord 2020 getting fresh AoS content when probably all of us lowkey thought this show was gonna get cancelled two or three years ago.

Now, I don't want to spend this last season wallowing in sadness, so I thought: what can I do to celebrate this show? And I decided that starting next week, aside from writing nonsense about each new episode, I'll be talking about my top 10 favorite episodes of the entire series! Which should be interesting considering that, despite loving the show to death, I've actually only watched the whole thing once (I've been planning a rewatch for ages, but real life keeps getting in the way) and I honestly don't remember that much from the first couple of seasons. But even back then, there were some absolute bangers in the mix that snatched my wig so hard that I can still recall them in detail despite last watching them in 2015. Nobody asked for this and nobody cares, but I'm gonna do it anyway. I think it'll be nice to revisit our team's past adventures.

See y'all next week for another one of these... whatever these things I write are, brought to you courtesy of my last two brain cells.

Chibnall went all out on this one, didn't he? Loved it. So intense and that cliffhanger at the end makes me want to scream.

I don't fully understand how that Brandon dude fits into the whole thing, but I assume he is in some way connected to the Cybermen or the Timeless Child? It's an interesting storyline and it provided a nice contrast to all the futuristic space stuff. It seemed so lovely and quiant... and then it got weird. I hope next week we'll get all the answers because I'm currently pretty confused.

On another note, I truly hope we're getting rid of one or two companions (or maybe even the whole squad). I don't know if it's because there's three of them or if it's just bad writing, but despite the copious amounts of backstory we've gotten for them, they still feel paper thin. And their dynamic with the Doctor is pretty much nonexistent, I don't feel any connection there. I remember crying my eyes out over Twelve and Clara when she left (yes, I loved Clara, yes, I know I'm in the minority, leave me alone). I was sad for days. I still feel sad when I think about it and it's been 4 years! Give me that kind of relationship between Thirteen and a companion, I'm begging. Because right now, I don't think I'd bat an eyelash if any of these three left/died.

Still an awesome episode though! Can't wait for next week.

Nice episode, quite disappointing and rushed resolution (the super powerful villains defeated in a 30-second scene), really great underlying message that it's okay to struggle with your mental health and other issues and that you should seek help if you need it. Loved Graham sharing his fears with Thirteen and her response that she's still socially awkward - that's the Doctor I know and love. I also enjoyed Yaz's storyline and the moment she shared with the older police officer when she visited her to pay the 50 pence she owed. I'm starting to wonder if one or more companions will leave at the end of the season given Ryan's doubts about how their time in the Tardis affects them. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Thirteen with just one companion, I think it would allow the writers to really develop a proper relationship between the two. It's quite crowded right now and I feel like the individual dynamics aren't super fleshed out. Overall, it was an okay episode with a few standout scenes. Next week looks more exciting, I love Mary Shelley and the circumstances in which she wrote Frankenstein are fascinating, so I think it'll make for a very cool episode.

The list of requirements for actors auditioning for The Master:
* must have sufficient chaotic energy
* must have aggressively sexual chemistry with whoever is playing The Doctor
I'm happy to say that they've chosen the perfect person again.

Jodie has such expressive eyes. She gets so much incredible acting done just through looks, communicating so much without saying a single word. The little details in her performance? The nuance? I don't wanna sound like a cheesy old white lady but that shit is breathtaking, bro. I love, love, love her as The Doctor. I truly hope she sticks around for a couple more seasons because I can't imagine having to say goodbye to her.

I found the laser shoes to be SO over-the-top ridiculous (actually same goes for Ryan piloting a whole ass plane via an app), but then I remembered that this is Doctor Who and that stuff kinda comes with the name, so I guess I'm giving it a pass.

I like the fact that the companions finally called out The Doctor for being so cryptic. Thirteen in her own way seems to be running from her past even harder than the previous incarnations, thinking that if she just ignores it, it'll all be fine. Well, the past came to bite her in the ass big time in the last 2 episodes. She can't outrun the darkness forever. Eventually, it'll all catch up to her and when that happens, the companions got a big storm coming.

Also, the Timeless Child is something I've completely forgotten about and honestly I kinda thought the writers have too but now Chibnall is referencing it again? I see you with your continuity, Chris. I see you. Nicely done.

Happy New Year, everyone!

I know that I'm in the minority when I say that I genuinely liked series 11. For starters, I found the overarching storyline a lot more coherent than a large chunk of Moffat's era. And I thoroughly enjoy Jodie's Doctor. She's bright and quirky and fun and she's got that oh-so-Doctory, slightly unhinged glint in her eye. I absolutely can't wait for her to finally snap Time Lord Victorious-style because I have no doubt that she's gonna do it brilliantly. The companions have grown on me too, as all of their predecessors did. Was last season perfect? No, it wasn't. But did I vibe with it? Yes, I did. I know there are a lot of edgy fanboys out there who'd love to explain to me that it was in fact garbage and the worst thing in the history of everything, but you can pry my enjoyment from my cold, dead hands. It's a lot more fun to like things, even if I see their flaws.

Anyway, I really liked this episode! I felt the mystery was quite compelling, there was a good mix of action, suspense, comedy and drama, and the score was REALLY good. The companions are coming into their own more and more - I particularly enjoyed Yaz and Ryan's scenes together. Jodie is exactly as chaotic and living her best life as I expected her to be, and I would absolutely die for her. And that reveal at the end? Just (chef's kiss) delicious. Can't wait for more!

Very very good finale. I really enjoyed Lyra and Asriel's scenes together. He is a fascinating character with so many sides to him. It's obvious that he cares about Lyra, but his mission takes precedence over everything, even his daughter or his morals - we could see he took no pleasure in sacrificing Roger, but he didn't hesitate to do it because he feels he has a duty to free all of humanity from enslavement. Having read the books, I obviously knew the tragic ending was coming, but it still hit me really hard. Roger was a sweet cinnamon roll and he deserved better. His death was absolutely devastating, maybe even more than in the book, since Lyra got SO CLOSE to him that she could hold his hand. My poor babies :( And on Will's side of things, he's finally found the opening! I have to say, I love the foreshadowing with the cat that showed him the way. Now that we're onto The Subtle Knife, things are gonna get crazy. Can't wait.

As a long-time fan of the books, I find a whole lot to like about this series. The casting is for the most part excellent, especially Ruth Wilson, who was born to play Marisa Coulter, and James McAvoy, who brings a lot of nuance and depth to Lord Asriel. I was so looking forward to finally seeing them interact and their chemistry is amazing. I would really love to see a miniseries centered around these two when they first met and everything that happened leading up to Lyra's birth. Dafne Keen somehow manages to look like both of her on-screen parents (I genuinely applaud the casting director) and I think she's done a good job with her portrayal of Lyra. Her acting can be a bit hit-and-miss at times, but when she's on, she's pretty amazing. I also like the actors who portray Lord Boreal and Will. And speaking of Will, I don't mind the fact that the series decided to introduce him in season 1. I actually like it because I remember how jarring it was for me when he popped up out of nowhere in the second book. I was annoyed because it felt like he was interrupting Lyra's story. The show has done a good job of making us care about him just as much as we care about Lyra, telling us right out of the gate that this story has two protagonists from parallel worlds whose fates are intertwined and who will inevitably meet at some point. Very good choice on the showrunners' part. The visuals and cinematography are beautiful, the music is excellent (the opening credits slay me every time) and it's for the most part a very faithful adaptation of the source material.

Not everything is perfect, though. The biggest problem I have with the series is that it severely undermines the relationship between humans and daemons. There is literally nothing stronger in Lyra's world than that bond. Seeing someone without a daemon is so viscerally terrifying that it's like seeing someone without a head. Yet in the series we constantly see people without daemons. Yes, yes budgetary restrictions and all that, but you know what? Maybe that's a controversial opinion, but if you don't have enough money to accurately represent one of the key world-building features of the story, then perhaps you shouldn't be adapting said story in the first place. Can't believe I'm saying this, but even the movie, which is terrible in many ways, managed to portray it better, at least between Lyra and Pan. I don't think I'll ever forgive the show for the way Lyra just ignored Pan after they were almost separated at Bolvangar and ran towards Marisa instead of immediately grabbing her freaking soul, her dearest companion, from that cage. Like I said, even in the movie Lyra would cuddle Pan whenever something dangerous happened. Meanwhile on the show I can count on one hand how many times Lyra touched her daemon over the course of 8 episodes. Again, I understand that they have budgetary restrictions, but Lyra and Pan's relationship is probably the most important dynamic in the books and it just doesn't feel that way in the series. Another thing I don't like - and I realize that in the grand scheme of things it's really not that important - is that they changed Kaisa from a goose to a gyrfalcon. I know they did it because a talking goose looked bad and cartoonish and they felt they couldn't make it work, but we've seen many characters with raptor daemons (Ma Costa and Tony, for example). Kaisa being a goose was unusual, unique, and changing that fundamentally changes who Serafina is as a person. To me, daemons are probably one of the greatest concepts ever invented in literature. They're endlessly fascinating. So the way they're treated on the show is just bitterly disappointing.

Okay, deep breath, rant over.

Still looking forward to season 2. And in the meantime, if anyone is interested in daemons as much as I am, I recommend this quiz: https://app.ex.co/stories/laurenb90/what-is-your-daemon. This is not a self promo or anything (as if I could ever make something this in-depth), but I think it's pretty cool and the results can be pretty damn accurate. This quiz gives you one of the 34 possible animal groups. In the description of that group, there is a link to a second quiz that gives you a specific species or breed within that group. Have fun.

(Mine is an opossum. And I love him.)

Me: Agents of SHIELD is one of my favorite shows ever!
Also me: * falls practically an entire season behind and frantically scrambles to catch up before the finale *

Ah, the duality of man.

I do have to say though, binge watching 10 episodes in the last one and a half days has made one thing quite clear: this season truly had everything and the kitchen sink, didn't it? Space travel! Daisy and Jemma high on alien LSD! FitzSimmons trapped in a mind prison (yes, best episode ever)! Fake Coulson! LMD Coulson! Space bats turning people into zombies! An ancient alien deity kinda thing in a terrible wig! Deke's influencer girlfriend! The Monoliths! Time travel! I could go on! And I loved every second of it!

Good season finale overall. It went by so fast, there was so much action and thrills. It set up season 7 really nicely and I personally cannot wait for the next adventure. To be honest, halfway through the episode I expected them to kill most of the team so that the rest could pull an Avengers: Endgame and go back in time to try and fix things, but I like this outcome too. Sure, I could complain about a thing or two (like the fact that the writers apparently forgot about Snow or that making us think May might be dead just to turn it around 2 minutes later kinda takes the emotional impact out of the whole thing), but if y'all know me, you know I'm not really the type to focus on the negatives. And I don't mind the fact that they cannot seem to stop bringing Clark Gregg back. I didn't expect anything else. He is who the show was created for in the first place, after all.

Now, recently it's been announced that season 7 will be the final season. And I'm not even gonna pretend that I'm not devastated about it. Yeah, yeah, I expected this show to get canceled last year, so the fact that we know it's coming to an end a year ahead of time and that they're getting to end it on their own terms is a blessing. That's the best any of us TV watchers can hope for. Plus, 7 seasons is a terrific run for any show, much less one as criminally underrated as this one.

But then I think about the fact that the cast has already wrapped up filming the final season. I think about this SHIELD family going their separate ways. And my heart grows heavy with sadness.

I'm not ready to say goodbye.

Still, we as viewers have that last hurrah to look forward to. Bring it on.

So Lawrence is a psychopath. Wonderful. But at least June pushes back and doesn't let him intimidate or humiliate her, no matter how much he tries. He certainly has a big fat ego too, coming at her with that holier-than-thou attitude. He thinks he's saving the human race, really? I'm sorry, but if saving humanity means subjugating half the population, raping rituals, public executions, taking away basic rights, then fuck humanity. Fuck it. Let them die.

Nick is all kinds of useless, isn't he. Not like he was super crucial to the plot to begin with, aside from fathering Holly he hasn't done much. I've never been a fan of him and June as a couple either, maybe because he has as much personality as a wet towel. I'm not going to miss him if he's gone for a while.

Serena with messy hair and tears on her face, walking into the ocean is such a contrast from the prim, proper and composed woman we met in season 1. While I do think June is using her manipulation skills to a degree to push Serena to do what June wants her to do, I also think that in a way those two characters are more themselves around each other than anyone else. They've seen each other at their worst, they've been enemies, they've been allies, they've gone through so much shit together and their dynamic has kind of become the core of the show for me. At the end of the day, when the dust settles and everything else goes away, they're the heart and soul of this entire thing: two women, so different and yet so similar, drawn to each other and repulsing each other at the same time, who should (and probably on some level do) hate each other but also can't live without each other at this point. Serena went to see June because she literally doesn't have anyone else in the world to turn to. And June, despite all of Serena's wrongdoings, does care for her. I know it's never turning romantic, but it should. Change my mind. I'll stop shipping it when Elisabeth and Yvonne stop having better chemistry than most actual romantic pairings on TV do. Also my conviction that Serena needs to be punished is just about gone at this point because she's been traumatized as fuck as it is. Yes, some of the things she's done (namely holding June down and letting Waterford rape her) can never, ever be forgiven, but I can't think of a punishment that'd be worse than what she's already gone through, from being brutally reminded that she has no actual power to giving up the one thing she wanted in the entire world.

Welcome to a brand new season of "Is this fictional dystopian future even fictional anymore?". Otherwise known as "Georgia or Gilead: Spot The Difference". One can't help but ask, is this a case of life imitating art, or did Margaret Atwood predict the world would go to shit with staggering accuracy? Either way, one of the best shows on television is back and I can barely contain my excitement.

What a strong season premiere this was. I have so many thoughts about the plot and I don't think I can put some of them into words properly just yet, but here, have a quick rundown of the things that stood out to me:

1. June and Serena. In case I haven't mentioned enough how much I love this dynamic, I'm gonna tell you now: I love them so fucking much. It's volatile and violent and angry and tender and soft and tentative and toxic and good all at once and my brain might just explode from the gorgeous complexity of it. I feel like the fire and Serena accepting June's hand might just be what finally pushes her over the edge; a symbol of old Serena going down in flames and a new one rising from the ashes. She's done so many horrible things, many of which cannot be excused in any way, she's hurt June so deeply and yet, at the end of the day, I find myself rooting for her. I'm not sure if you can call it a redemption arc since a lot of her actions can never truly be redeemed, but her character development with all its ups and downs has been nothing short of fascinating and completely organic, and I absolutely cannot wait to see where she will go this season. Also yes, I do realize that shipping those two is juvenile behavior but how can I not when they give us scenes like Serena breaking down in June's arms and June comforting her?

2. Emily!!! She made it to Canada and I can safely say that I didn't breathe for most of the river scene. The applause she got at the hospital made me cry. What a cathartic moment. She survived such horrors and she's safe at last. I can't wait to see if she'll be reunited with her wife and son.

3. So who's gonna take care of little Nichole now? Is she gonna end up with Luke? She's not even his daughter but she is June's, so it kinda makes sense for him to take her in.

4. June and the Wife's conversation aout Hannah was lovely. Elisabeth Moss is such a fucking powerhouse, man. She gives you all the feels.

Overall, such a strong episode that is absolutely on par with the previous two seasons. I'm hungry for more.