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Post by Jack Malone on Dec 21, 2014 21:06:55 GMT -6
I would just like to point out that I was tagged int the tweet that including Riddler hinting, so... I feel so loved. But like these two wise people have already stated, THIS IS GOING TO BE AWESOME. I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU'RE NERVOUS ABOUT DOING THE RIDDLE, LIKE, HAVE YOU READ YOUR CHARACTERS?? IT'LL BE AMAZING. Hahaha, I don't know! I mean, I would think The Joker would be more challenging but I've always been worried about doing The Riddler (odd phrasing of a sentence). Now that I've gotten to write this *really small* scene in the opening of "Thief" that involves him, I really want to do a big episode for the guy. I think it'd be nice to have him in a much darker lighter too. So we'll see if that can happen next season :-)
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Post by Jack Malone on Dec 19, 2014 21:08:07 GMT -6
TWO WORDS: OMG, YESSSSSS!!!! Ever since I started reading Watchtower, I've been WAITING IMPATIENTLY for the Bruce/Batman character to evolve enough to start taking on more of his iconic villians, and the Riddler has always been one of my top favourites!! I can't wait to see how Jack brings him to life!! I was always so reluctant to do The Riddler. He was seriously in my notes of "never going to happen" because I just didn't think I'd be able to do him any justice. This time around, I get to début a DC Comics baddie in an episode that doesn't have them in the primary spotlight of being the main antagonist of the episode, and get to revisit him later in a bigger, grander way. So hopefully you like the very little of him you get to see.
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Post by Jack Malone on Dec 19, 2014 7:46:37 GMT -6
Just In: Joe Anderson Cast As DC Comics' The Riddler!Batman's rogue gallery is about to get even bigger! "The River" actor, Joe Anderson, has been cast to play DC Comics' The Riddler in an upcoming 2015 episode. The news broke a few days ago when series creator, Jack Malone, revealed on twitter that "The Riddler may or may not appear in 312." Guess the decision has been finalised! However, with an already long list of DC Comics' baddies for our heroes to go up against this season, VSGuide had to get to the bottom of this, so we turned to the man himself for the answers!
"One of the great things about the Hush storyline in the comic books was that it was filled with so many beloved characters, and one of the things on our bucket list of stuff to do this season with this particular storyline was to include as many of those characters into our show," executive producer and series creator, Jack Malone, told VSGuide. This can be the explanation for Ivy's involvement in the upcoming tenth episode of the season. However, while The Riddler played a pivotal role in the Hush storyline, producers have told VSGuide that it will not carry through to Watchtower, stating: "We wanted to do things a little differently."
Instead, the character of the Riddler is expected to show up in the twelfth episode of the season, titled "Thief". It will feature the return of Eliza Dushku's Selina Kyle (Catwoman), as well as introduce "The Identity Thief" aspect of the infamous Hush storyline. Opening the episode, however, will be DC Comics' The Riddler. "It's very reminiscent of the comics in the way that we get to début this iconic villain," Malone said of the character's introduction, "I think the fans will be very happy with how it goes down." The fans can also expect at least two riddles thrown their way at the beginning of the 2015 episode. "It would be criminal of us not to do it."
Despite not having a massive role as a main antagonist, Malone told VSGuide that The Riddler was one of the Batman villains that was always going to be off limits for him. "Whenever it came to this character, I just got really doubtful of my ability to execute it, and really fearful of not being able to do it justice," Malone admitted, explaining his absence for the first two seasons of the show, "Having dabbled with him slightly in this upcoming episode, I feel a lot more confident in the idea of bringing him back for a sophmore outting." Malone continued in telling VSGuide that he wanted to take a darker approach to the character when it comes to another visit from The Riddler, and that the fun would be in whatever his elaborate scheme might be. "You'll definitely see him again." So what are your thoughts on the casting? Excited for The Riddler? What do you expect for his role in episode twelve?
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Post by Jack Malone on Dec 18, 2014 23:55:30 GMT -6
Didn't even see the pilot attached oh my god I need to read it now!
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Post by Jack Malone on Dec 18, 2014 21:03:41 GMT -6
Dude, you know how much I love this pitch and I love this series. I think it's definitely something new and different for theVPN and can also tackle a lot of relatable elements I think everyone has gone through but in a fresh and exciting way. The title alone is just awesome, and you've sent me a lot of teasers from the pilot and so I'm looking forward to reading the finished pilot and really hope for a 2015 pickup for sure! I think the cast is very spread out too, and its nice to see you so passionate about a new project.
Good luck, man!
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Post by Jack Malone on Dec 12, 2014 3:08:28 GMT -6
"The Devil Within"
It's the sequence finale time, and things are ending with a bang! I feel like there were two biggest questions going into this finale that made it "on-the-edge-of-your-seat" thrilling, which was: who is holding the gun, and who isn't going to survive to see the next sequence? As the events played out - cutting back and forth between characters at the height of their sequence-long story arcs - the questions narrowed down into finding their answers and we were left with one of the biggest shock endings of the series so far.
The episode opened with Paula being the first to be cleared from harm. After Judy finally gets a hold of her, we learn that Paula successfully ended things with Jace and isn't in any harm whatsoever. I thought it was clever to start us off with learning more about these charges in Jace's past: they were assault charges against his ex-girlfriends. I was honestly relieved to have Paula be immediately cleared from the looming threat of whoever it was wielding the gun because she was a high contender after the situation with Jace in the penultimate episode of the sequence. So that's one down to safety!
As that was playing out, we also had the arrival of Michael at the set of Alex's film, which provided a bit of light-hearted humour to the finale which I think was needed. It was nice to see that amidst all this chaos that was forming in the background, we could still have a bit of a laugh, and a bit of happiness before it all went to shit. So I definitely commend you for finding another angle, and another story built into the high-stakes of this drama to give us more than just complete anarchy (of which I remember last sequence's finale exhibiting).
At the film set, Rose and Alisha crossed paths. It was nice to see that Rose was able to turn her experiences into a way of helping someone else, however it was clear to me that Alisha wasn't that someone else that her story could save. Despite the embrace that followed, I think it felt like this interaction sort of helped Rose overcome her struggles a lot more than it did calm things for Alisha and what she was yet to face (a confrontation with David). I think those lines at the end of Rose's speech tried to tie it back into their interaction a little more, but rather than having a large impact, it sort of just demonstrated a nice bonding moment between the two. It was nice to see a friendship between these two women, and I think it's a connection and a dynamic I want to see explored more in the fourth sequence.
From here, we were given an intense confrontation between David and Robbie. At this point in the episode, I started to question who was the one with the gun, and this scene started to make me think that it could quite possibly be David. There was so much rage and so much aggravation and hurt behind David's words and actions that it made me question if he would be the type to turn to violence after such a heartbreak. Ultimately, he crumbled to tears at the scene's conclusion and it squashed my fears of this direction. Other than being terrified of seeing my favourite character go down that path, I felt that Robbie was so genuine in his reaction, and so genuine in his feelings that he didn't deserve to be the one with a gun aimed at him (not that anyone does). I feel like Robbie's feelings for Alisha were true, and honest, and the fault in the downfall of David and Alisha's relationship comes down to Alisha's choice to act on whatever it was between them.
Speaking of which, the explanation was finally given and while it doesn't justify Alisha's actions, it certainly shines a light on the motivation behind them. Alisha isn't the popular girl at high school, and she isn't this "whore" that Mia paints her as, and so when she's shown affection by another guy, and flirted with... she doesn't know how to take it. That doesn't make her a horrible person - what she did was bad but you genuinely have to feel for the girl because up until now she's done nothing wrong, and I think it's a perfectly understandable perception she has of herself and how it could mutate into this really horrible thing. I think this sequence has done a good job of focusing on the insecurities teenagers can have, and what they have to go through during that period of growing up. Everyone is insecure about something and I think if there was ever a time to explore that in a destructive way, this sequence was perfect because it has been a more emotionally driven story than the previous two.
While on the topic of emotion, it was heartbreaking to see that final scene between David and Alisha. I think it was already painful to see them fighting in the first place, but to have David about to leave and Alisha calls him Aquaman?! That was just like you reached out of the page, ripped out my heart, and put it in a blender cackling (weird imagery I'm sorry). It was such a well written moment though because you feel the history between them, and you realise that innocence and that adorableness about them has just been tainted by this horrible situation and David has to walk out because there's no healing these wounds - they're still so fresh. I think the moment David said he wishes Alisha stayed with his mum was the moment I realised that there was no turning back from this. At least not anytime soon.
Things progressed, and we got a nice little moment between Rose and David before all hell broke loose. I honestly felt like Rose was the perfect person for David to speak soon and was upset that it was cut so short. I think she would have been able to help calm him and that's the tragedy of it all because that's when the shooter comes in and nothing can be properly resolved. The shooter is Jace, and he's come for Michael. However, when he pulls on the trigger, the only one going down is David, and I did not see that coming. The second Michael is shown to still be standing, and unharmed, and charges for Jace, I'm sitting here going "WHAT?! BUT HE FIRED THE GUN?! WHAT?!" And that's when you read: "David lies on the floor, his shirt covered in bright crimson BLOOD." ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!
Out of all the characters who were going to fall victim to something as tragic as that this sequence, I did not even think about it realistically being David. I'm in shock man. So much so that I read this episode about 6 hours ago, and I'm only just writing a review for it now. I can't believe its David. He better be alright, man. He better live through this.
Quote of the episode: "Things will be fine" BECAUSE ITS SO FLIPPING IRONIC TO SAY THAT IN THE SAME EPISODE WHERE MY SHIP GETS BURNED TO THE GROUND AND MY FAVOURITE CHARACTER IS LEFT BLEEDING ON THE FLOOR, CONVULSING. THINGS ARE NOT FINE ROSE, THEY ARE NOT FINE AT ALL!
*breathes*
10/10 - I enjoy a finale that has a really intense story and raises the stakes and while it's great to have character beats within finales (which you did have) I much prefer the big events, and the massive confrontations, and life and death drama and so I appreciate that this had a lot more of it than I was expecting. As for the character beats, they were a lot more subtle and sort of reflected a sequence's worth of development for some of these characters in the smallest of scenes which showed so much more than the scenes would run for and that's a testament to your writing. Well done to another fantastic sequence, Brady, and may the fourth sequence open with David restored to complete health, Jace resting behind prison bars, and a beautiful reunion between David and Alisha. *cries*
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Post by Jack Malone on Dec 5, 2014 4:34:33 GMT -6
Work begins on "312: THIEF" today. It feels great to finally start the second half of the season and start to pull some of those loose threads in to answer questions about the many mysteries of Season Three. What better way to start that with figuring out just where the hell Selina Kyle (Eliza Dushku) has been and what has she been up to? *excited*
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Post by Jack Malone on Dec 5, 2014 4:22:58 GMT -6
"Tears Dry On Their Own"
Holy shit, did things go down in this episode or what? From Mia and Rose crossing paths, to the much anticipated confrontation between Alisha and David... this penultimate episode was bound to be amazing from start to finish and if that wasn't enough we were left on quite possibly the biggest shock/twist of the sequence (so far).
First and foremost, I want to talk about Rose and Alex. I think for a few episodes now we've sort of seen this connection between them that - to put it in the simplest of terms - I really dig. I think they've got something there that should be honed in on whenever the time is right because I feel like it could blossom into another power couple for the series.
Speaking of Rose, it was kind of heartbreaking to see Mia read her so well and figure everything out and regurgitate what she's gone through this sequence back out at her and to see Rose crumble to pieces like that especially after witnessing her put those pieces back together in the past two episodes with the help of Alex. I think we could potentially be looking at a dangerous turn for her in the finale and I hate myself for even thinking it but there's got to be a follow up to this, right? There's something coming out of the Mia and Rose confrontation.
As for Mia, I still love her as an antagonist. I think it's been fun to watch this character who is so insecure about herself use those insecurities to start tearing everyone around her down. I think it's very human and a very real threat on the show and you don't stray from highlighting those insecurities and reminding us that despite Mia's strength and her power as an antagonist for the sequence she is still very much human and very much hurt deep down so it creates a lot of internal conflict that she tears out and uses to "attack" others. I have no idea where things are headed for her in the finale but maybe it's time she and Alex had a good one-on-one? I don't know. It seems to have moved past primarily Alex and into a sort of... *holds mirror up* look at what you're becoming, Mia type thing perhaps. Again, I don't know and it's exciting as much as it is infuriating to not be able to figure out this direction for her.
Paired with this particular storyline we finally had the big confrontation with Alisha and David. I think less is more when it comes to moments like this and I love that it was just a matter of him basically coming out and saying "No, we are done" that just drove a knife straight to my heart. I was rooting for him. I was rooting for the couple as well. I was waiting for an explanation from Alisha. You've got two of the most lovable characters on this show in a relationship together that just found its first second big source of drama which could potentially end the couple (and seemingly did) and it splits you down the middle because you still love them both, you know? If I was looking into parallels here, I would say David and Paula might just be headed on a similar path. In the same light that Paula's mother has the ability to "dull her shine", I think this entire storyline for David is what might dull his and it's absolutely heartbreaking. I think what also hurts is that there's a moment in that scene where he's so fixated on comparing himself and Robbie where it kind of feels like he almost expected to be left behind because he's not like all the other high school guys, and he's not every girl's "most wanted" and so I feel like there are some insecurities within his character, and his confidence and belief in himself that Alisha's betrayal just enhanced for him and it hurt to see him so hurt.
Onto the shocking twist of the episode: Jace has a mugshot?! Jace is going to kill Michael?! What the hell, Brady?!
As shocked as I am, it finally adds a much needed layer to the character of Jace who was feeling a little underdeveloped at this point in the series and I feel stupid for not questioning this character, and not trying to ask more about him and figure out his story. I always just sort of saw him as a walking love interest, you know? I just thought he was here to be with Paula and it would add some sort of strife for what I hope is building towards the epic love story of Paula and Michael, and so I was totally blinded by shipper eyes for those two that I didn't even think there could be more to Jace. I applaud you for not allowing your audience to get comfortable with a character as just an embodiment of a storyline, or a specific "role" and I love that there is more to this character that I can't wait to see play out in next week's finale!
Quote of the episode: "I thought he would've already bought me a dog. That's what guys do, right? They... they buy dogs?"
All in all this was another 10/10. I think it started scratching at the surface of what could be an even better finale than the previous two sequences and the shocking twist at the end just made it even better!
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Post by Jack Malone on Dec 2, 2014 21:15:47 GMT -6
Im glad you get where Im coming from. Dinah was always a cool character for me because she was a legacy character. Unlike the rest of the league, she had to prove her self worthy enough to be Black Canary. And I enjoyed every moment of it. I especially loved Justice League Earth One. Because she was one of the founding members of the JLA. So i cant wait to see how you incorporate her life in Star City. I swear we should do like spinoffs . As for the episodes......I dont know if I can wait till January. . I mean....I could....but....you know how much I love Hope Sullivan-Queen. She better be a series regular next season. I would LOVE for her to stick around for a bit. Some Mother and Daughter bonding time. Especially considering they both kick ass!!! Actually speaking of Hope.....does she have a codename in the future? The really interesting thing about Hope is that there's an unspoken importance about her. You get the feeling that it's not just an important character because she's our main protagonists daughter, but there's something else and that something else is something I want to explore in the future (no pun intended). I don't think I could bring her on as a regular. I haven't broken the story for the fourth season yet but I mean "Charmed" found a way to bring Chris Halliwell in for an entire season (and more) so it would be stupid of me to say its not possible. We will just have to see. There is more I want to do with the character, though. I mean, there's a reason why there is a Hope Sullivan-Queen and it wasn't just about bringing a baby onto the show. She's important. Another cool aspect of bringing Hope into the story is that we finally get to explore the idea of timelines, and time travel, and it just adds layers to the mystery aspect of this season. There is a really big twist at the end of the episode involving Hope and another character and it helps explain a big question mark that has been sitting on the season for seven episodes now, and so I can't wait to see everyone's reaction to it and if it translates in the way I wanted it to translate. You and your codenames, man. Hahaha. I don't know about that one. I think she's like her mother. She doesn't need one
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Post by Jack Malone on Dec 1, 2014 12:09:11 GMT -6
Lord, you're making me remember when I first heard they were bringing in Black Canary to "Smallville", I was so totally against it, because having been a fan of the short-lived "Birds of Prey" TV series, I wanted it to 'exist' alongside "Smallville". But after they brought her in, I was quickly converted into a Dinah-lover, since she was so much more closer to the comic book character then the Rachel Skarsten incarnation. I'm one of the lonely few that was never really a 'Chollie' shipper, at least not at first - I always wanted Ollie to end up with Dinah, I kinda felt they rushed the Chloe/Oliver relationship a bit too fast after Jimmy's death, it wasn't really until "Salvation" I kinda began to support their growth as a couple. Personally I do enjoy what Jack has done with Dinah over the past 2 seasons, grounding her, developing her beyond the 'Canary' role, and until recently, she was my favourite incarnation, but slowly, Laurel Lance on "Arrow" has begun to take the lead, especially now she's past all the whole weepy 'woe is me, my life sucks' arc she had during Season 2. I still can't get used to the name though - I wonder if she'll ever start using 'Dinah', but I doubt it this far along now. As for the rest of the season, I'm most looking forward to 'Control', and how Film Freak/Dylan O'Brian will be portrayed in it FINE.hahaa I'll give Jack that about developing Dinah. She's alot better than when she first poppped up for Smallville. But it must be my love for all things Chloe for me not to enjoy her. Hell in the smallville season 11 she pawns off Mia after Ollie asked her to train her. Idk. I'm just whatever. But its like Jack said...ill wait till the end of Season 3A before I make my decision. You don't need to dislike Dinah for the sake of Chloe. They can co-exist peacefully together, man. LMAO! But no, I think I get where you're coming from. I've been meaning to make one of those VSGuide interviews up to discuss Dinah's arc because I was able to do something with the character for each of the episodes in this next run. The really cool thing is that this entire arc for her sort of developed into this sense of belonging and how she doesn't feel at home in Gotham. There's a pretty big reason for taking her out of Gotham and to Star City (where we know she truly belongs) that will be solidified in "Toxic", but there's also other beats throughout the arc which kind of came together really well. We get to revisit Sherwood Florist. There's some resolution between Chloe and Dinah that hopefully is a pay-off to their many disputes, cat-fights and more heated moments together. I'm actually pretty happy with the turn-out. Plus I got to do a really awesome storyline between Dinah and Bruce that felt really fitting so I really am excited to see what you think after this next arc. I've finished episodes 8, 9 and 11. I don't know when Chris will be done with 10, I only handed in the outline for it about a week ago. Hopefully we're looking at January/February return. The plus side of this is that I'll be able to do written trailers for all of these episodes to get you guys excited week to week as well as releasing preview scenes
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Post by Jack Malone on Nov 30, 2014 22:11:28 GMT -6
"Ruined"
Dude -- I just want to start this off by saying that you are a phenomenal writer. You have all these individual storylines for these characters, but all of them always seem to interlock with a theme for that episode, or the entire sequence, and it's all different storylines but they connect in some bigger way that just adds to the tone so well and I needed to tell you that straight off the bat finishing this one.
One of the things this sequence has lacking - which I didn't realise until we got it - were scenes between Michael and Alex. Opening the episode with these two was a nice little bit of fresh air because it's felt so long since we've had it and it's not a negative to say that we've lacked it this sequence - because the story doesn't really call for those two with what's going on right now - but it's nice when you get scenes that just show us little everyday things or remind us about how some of these dynamics are and the father/son dynamic between Alex and Michael is just beautiful. Their moments are understated and just perfect for me so I loved it.
Speaking of Michael, he gave one of the best speeches to Paula. I don't want to bring personal stuff into this review but I just wanted to say that everything he said sort of struck a chord with me and it's taken me a while to sit down and read this episode and I just love how when I finally do it has something in it that I needed to hear right when I decide to read it, you know? I just loved it. Also, there have been quite a few memorable speeches this sequence, and some that have been a bit hit and miss for me and I just want to say that this was done so seamlessly and there was no forceful push for Michael to say what he did - it just spilled out and flowed and was exactly what was needed.
Jace is starting to worry me. I think the themes of jealousy this sequence which have definitely been tackled more-so with Mia's character are sucking Jace into it too - with reason, though. I think it's easy for me to sit back and dislike Jace for bursting in and having that outburst but when you take into account that this women he's with is confiding in another man and hasn't spoken to him for days, and hasn't talked to him about all of this stuff then you can understand why he's upset so I like that this show is able to make you understand instead of jump between hate or love, like or dislike, etc.
Rose has definitely become one I'm excited about now. I think there was a period when I didn't really remember her all too well, or didn't really go into an episode thinking "I wonder what Rose will be up to in this one," and this sequence has just flipped that on its head. She has really grown into a - as David would say - "hella" character. I think when I talked earlier about this storyline showing a lot of potential, it hit something in this one which exceeded my expectations. I didn't see there being a power-play between her and Brian, and a way to go - you know - you can't tell the world about me to ruin my career and I can't do the same for you. They're stuck at this checkmate right now that's really interesting. I don't know if this is where that story ends between them and if it's just a parting of ways now (with a nice slap to the face too - go Rose go!) but whatever the case this was definitely an unpredictable outcome and milestone within Rose's storyline and journey this sequence that I absolutely loved and appreciated.
As for the way this episode ended: holy plot twist, Batman! I knew Mia was going to do something, and I half expected her to just blurt it out so again... I just love how I don't see these things coming. I loved that she was more manipulative, and more scheming. It makes her more interesting, and it makes this storyline even more interesting than it already is. I don't know what David is going to do from this point onwards and I don't know what to think about Alisha/David. It is obvious to me that she loves David so I think it's just a matter of digging into her mind, and her justifications and reasoning and things like that which I hope are coming to fully understand how she could have done this, and whether or not I think David and Alisha should stay together. Either way, this was such a nice way of having shit hit the fan and now I'm looking forward to see that shit spiral around and f*ck the room up before someone comes in and cleans in. *pats back for making ridiculous poo in the room analogy*
Quote of the episode: Other than the entirety of Michael's speech; "That would be hella." "Did you just say-" "Hella? Yes, yes I did. I'm widening my horizons."
Another 10/10 for obvious reasons: in that the whole damn thing was f-cking perfect.
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Post by Jack Malone on Nov 30, 2014 21:46:31 GMT -6
Lord, you're making me remember when I first heard they were bringing in Black Canary to "Smallville", I was so totally against it, because having been a fan of the short-lived "Birds of Prey" TV series, I wanted it to 'exist' alongside "Smallville". But after they brought her in, I was quickly converted into a Dinah-lover, since she was so much more closer to the comic book character then the Rachel Skarsten incarnation. I'm one of the lonely few that was never really a 'Chollie' shipper, at least not at first - I always wanted Ollie to end up with Dinah, I kinda felt they rushed the Chloe/Oliver relationship a bit too fast after Jimmy's death, it wasn't really until "Salvation" I kinda began to support their growth as a couple. Personally I do enjoy what Jack has done with Dinah over the past 2 seasons, grounding her, developing her beyond the 'Canary' role, and until recently, she was my favourite incarnation, but slowly, Laurel Lance on "Arrow" has begun to take the lead, especially now she's past all the whole weepy 'woe is me, my life sucks' arc she had during Season 2. I still can't get used to the name though - I wonder if she'll ever start using 'Dinah', but I doubt it this far along now. As for the rest of the season, I'm most looking forward to 'Control', and how Film Freak/Dylan O'Brian will be portrayed in it Oh, I remember "Birds of Prey". I quite enjoyed that show, but yeah they strayed from the comics quite a bit. With "Smallville" though they just made Dinah such a quick-to-jump-to-conclusions kind of character that... well, she was being manipulated by Luthor? I feel like the only way I can sort of make sense of it all is that this must have been the start of her journey; she must have suited up within a year to two years prior. I mean, I've been writing it a little like that because it's not until after this next run of episodes (eight through eleven) that I feel she will be verging on the Black Canary of the comic books. It'll be interesting to see what you guys think of her after this next run. Chloe and Oliver were a ship that started out as just me wanting them to do something with Chloe's character in that ninth season where she was, firstly, not getting enough to do, and secondly, Allison Mack was talking about it being her last season (and thus I started planning a spin-off with Watchtower). I've always envisioned Chloe as becoming a mother. I think its that nurturing element she's exhibited with the heroes throughout the show that made me think it would make her just an amazing mother. I remember when a Canadian promo for the series finale was released and it had Chloe reading to a young, blonde boy - I just flipped out I was SO damn excited! So when it came to Chloe and Oliver... I was just expecting this "friends with benefits" thing to just be a way for them to give the fans what they wanted (so many people were on board Chlollie before it even happened and even more so in the ninth season) but then plug for Chloe leaving the show; a pregnancy. However, that wasn't the case, and once they got *together* I realised how much I loved these two and I didn't want a rushed exit for Chloe, and so I was so freakin' happy when she came back for more episodes in Season Ten, and even happier when Chloe and Oliver had their "happily ever after" at the end of "Fortune." I think it was through Chloe and Oliver that I actually started to like Smallville's Oliver Queen more too because I was always on the fence with him; I'd like him one episode and not like him the next. I think with Watchtower now, I'm more interested in playing around with the mythology and using it as an advantage rather than... back in the first season I was like, "Dinah will not be a threat to Chloe and Oliver," and now I'm more interested in exploring as much as I can and earning the outcomes at the end. I legitimately don't know who will end up with who, and it's kind of exciting. I have no reservations and I don't think "Watchtower" is a very ship-heavy show. I don't think there's a pull for characters to end up with characters so much as it's just been about characters (at least judging from reviews and stuff I've gotten). I mean, I by no means think the Chloe and Oliver story is finished because I'm not about erasing the entire history of something and leaving it at that so you can take that statement to mean whatever you want, but I'm also not opposed to exploring Oliver and other relationships, and Chloe and other relationships. I mean, you writing Metropolis: SCU must get what I mean about playing with the mythology - it's fun to look at source material and go... okay, so that's not going to work for this but I can do this with it. The entire "Hush" storyline this season is an example of that, and seeing how that plays out might give an indication of how I'll continue to work with the mythology of the comics *praises you for loving laurel lance* Laurel is my absolute favourite character on Arrow. I adore her. I think she's badass and Katie Cassidy was born to play this character. Seriously. Also: it is an absolute compliment to hear you say that about Dinah and what I've done with her so thank you so much. I'm hoping this next arc just advances her even more. / end my way too long response here!
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Post by Jack Malone on Nov 29, 2014 21:48:25 GMT -6
Well I'm glad that "Hope" will answer my questions on what the hell is going on with my favorite Sullivan-Queen. I'm still waiting for you to say that there will be a Hope spinoff. Because I would be down for that . Hahaha. I don't want to crush your dreams. Perhaps Hope already has a much large role on Watchtower that will quench your thirst for a spin-off I think Smallville just got Dinah wrong. I seriously do. I even found it hard to play with the character back in season one because I really did not like her on Smallville. But I knew I wanted to do a semi-birds of prey thing with Helena on WT, and then when the KCS was hunting down vigilantes I thought it was a good way to bring Dinah back into the story and give her more to do. I liked expanding on her friendship with Oliver, and I really liked bringing her mum back because I felt like these characters are so young - I mean, Oliver and Dinah both aren't really the Oliver and Dinah from the comics and I wanted to do more to steer them in that direction. For Dinah, it was always her mother (something we haven't really seen on Smallville) and so I thought she had to be alive still and there had to be some story there for me to play with. By the end of this arc (episodes 8 through 11), Dinah will be ready to take Star City by storm and be the Black Canary from the comics. If I intend to bring her back at any point I'm going to be picking up some Green Arrow / Black Canary / Birds of Prey comics to further it even more. And duuuude, Laurel Lance is my favourite character on "Arrow". Legit fave. *sets you on fire* LMAO!!! JKS. As for Chloe and Dinah... yeah, I'm eager to see what you think after 'Hope' and what you think after this next run of episodes (which I'm now positive will have to air in January/February 2015). Yeah, I mean "Purpose" at the time was done because I hated the idea that Chloe's endpoint was sort of already established so anything I did on Watchtower could be like... well, we know nothing serious is gonna happen because look she's fine and happy seven or so years down the road. Also that season was going to end with her death, and so "Purpose" sort of created this idea that Chloe's future was changed, and then "Anarchy" really kind of tested it because she died. But that scene, and that moment... there's an extension of it that will happen on Watchtower, and we'll see where Chloe and this little boy are living, and whether she is alone, whether its her child, or as you said, Dinah's, or Connor Hawke, or whatever other speculations there have been. But it hasn't been erased. Dude, have you seen how much I ramble on? Hahaha. Don't even feel bad for it, I do not shut up. Ever. Ugh, "Fate" is just... there isn't much I can say about it without spoiling so much so I'll just say "emotional wreck" is on point. Well the goal is for that episode to create that so yeah...LMAO!
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Post by Jack Malone on Nov 29, 2014 3:12:00 GMT -6
Im sure this is not relevant....but Im assuming Dinah has seen Oliver......does that mean they are going towards the relationship they have in the comics. And if so, will Chloe kick her ass for it? Im Sorry . I dont know why I have this such strong hate for Dinah all of a sudden . I mean....I cant wait to see her pop up, but I swear I dont know why i cant stand her. Maybe its because Chloe is the bae and I have to side with her. Even though we may not see that happily ever after for Chloe that we saw on Smallville, considering you retconned that out of existence .hahhaa Also Jack did you see what they named baby Sullivan-Queen in the comics. I thought it was sweet . BUT totally a tease. Considering that Justin Hartley and the EP said it was Connor Hawke I will say that Dinah hasn't seen Oliver. We'll learn about Oliver through Mia in [episode eight] and what's been happening with him. Dinah is just sort of on the precipice of finding her purpose, you know? She's had this entire year with the Suicide Squad, and her mother, and she comes back to Gotham and it's almost this sense of... she doesn't belong there anymore? There are going to be some definitive moments that really shine a light on why that is the case, but what I'm saying is that this arc will guide her towards being Black Canary in Star City that we know and love from the comic books. Chloe and Dinah's conflict stems from the fact that Dinah has spent the last year bonding with her mum, reconnecting, and getting that chance to know her, and have this relationship with her, and when Chloe gets the opportunity to do that with Hope, here comes Dinah doing everything to prevent it. I think it'll make more sense when you read the episode because we legitimately don't know if Hope is good or bad, and we don't know what she wants, and she does come from the future and threatens it because of what she could change and so she is a legitimate threat whether her intentions are good or bad and so Dinah's reasoning is justified, but so is Chloe's. Their conflict has nothing to do with Oliver. I will tell you that the flashforward in "Smallville" does still exist and will resurface at some point in the series. The only thing is... Chloe had a daughter. That child is not Hope. We don't know who that child is, or if they're Chloe's, or what and it will be explained. When I done "Purpose," I wanted to captivate on the idea that nothing is guaranteed. I mean, that season ended with Chloe dying, and that is where she was meant to die - whether it be called fate, destiny... whatever! That was the end of her story. Her being brought back by Bruce means she doesn't have this future set in stone, but I can confirm that the flashforward wasn't retconned and will be explained before I'm done with writing this series. It could still be Connor Hawke. It could be an adopted son of Chloe's. It could be just a random baby-sitting incident. Chloe's future could be completely different to still being Watchtower. There's a lot of questions about that and I think it would be wrong of me to erase it or gloss over it. It's just not going to be explained this season. ;P I'm not a huge fan of "Jonathan" for their son. I kind of knew that Chloe wouldn't birth a Connor Hawke because even though Chloe/Oliver aren't mythology in the comics, they wouldn't pair their story with another's. So it would feel weird to me. I think Bryan Q Miller tried too hard to make Chloe's arc and pregnancy be more related to Clark than her own journey and it upset me a little bit - whilst also being understandable because it is a comic book series/television show about Clark Kent / Superman - but I think Chloe's earned the right to have some of her own moments within that which are solely about her and her journey instead of how she fits into Clark's story 110%. But yeah, it was kind of sweet when you look at it on the surface and its heartfelt and beautiful but then when I pulled it apart a little I realised I didn't like the name that much at all. Each to their own
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Post by Jack Malone on Nov 29, 2014 2:57:29 GMT -6
YAS THESE SPOILERS. Okay, I'm going bullet point style with this one, according to the order of these spoilers. - Oooh, this one's going to be interesting. Chloe's heroic nature has always intrigued me, but I don't really remember questioning as to why she does the things she does, so it'll be neat to see how her story unravels in this episode and to what the "sacrifice" really is since it's not dealing with Chloe. Glad she gets a break bc dayyyuuummmm has she sacrifice a lot, HAHA. Anyways, milestones in Chloe's arc, who we've seen develop since day one of Smallville has been suuuper excited! When it comes to Chloe, I've always just sort of seen her as more interested in nurturing heroes and especially when it comes to Watchtower she has the ability to look out for them, guide them, etc. With that comes this maternal instinct of their life always comes before hers, so she's willing to take the bullet for them. I mean, "War" played on that a lot where Emil is kind of like "no, you're engaged to the man you love, you have a huge future ahead of you, you have an actual purpose here to fulfil, you were not born to be a martyr." And so this season's mid-finale will sort of allow for a moment of growth when it comes to Chloe, and there's a really powerful scene she shares with someone that just... it just makes everything click and she's going to find a new purpose to stay in Gotham. I said this season that Chloe is definitely forging her own path, and at the moment - despite there not being actual on-screen moments of Perry and Chloe as much as I would have liked - she is staying in the city because he asked him too and it is very much a temporary reason as Perry is dying, and so I think very much after this episode we will have an actual, grounding purpose for why she will stay in Gotham, and why its important that she doesn't leave and start anew somewhere else (because there is no way I'm writing Chloe off the show). I'm so excited about this. It's going to shock ya'll Aw, well thank you! I adore writing Kahn. I think I could potentially see her sticking around for a long time - if not, the rest of the series. The dynamic between her and Vicki has been a lot of fun to write, and I like the fact that there's a strong, powerful, female figure at the head of this paper. There's some interesting developments for her in this next run that sort of reel her into the bigger picture in a way. She's less sort of... on the sidelines. OH, DUDE. JUST YOU WAIT There will be a pay-off. I promise. This next run for Kyle is all about pay-off. We're going to learn where his powers come from, how he got them, potentially why as well, and we're also going to see things progress a lot for him, his abilities, etc. Ending the first half of the season with Kyle as this fully established, no-longer-a-mystery character is an achievement I'm happy to tick off, and I look forward to writing him as a more integrated member of the team. As for the Chloe/Kyle dynamic, it will definitely make sense (and there's a huge purpose behind it too so *yay*) HUEHUHEHU. This is fun. I just outlined the scene involving Hush and... I know there's Doomsday in this episode, and I know that's probably a huge pull for it too seeing our heroes go up against this lethal bad-ass beast, but the biggest scene of the episode involves Hush and its just... its huge, man. I hope you like it. I think it's fun to have Hush sort of pop in and out of the story. The second half really tackles his arc, and him as the main threat (even though realistically throughout this half he's also been painted as the main threat). As for who he won't allow to die... it definitely brings about another cool ass mystery for S3-B. Dinah is definitely a lot more present in the episode, and I think episodes 8 through 11 are just a rollercoaster of events for her. Within it, there's a lot of set-up for her own future as Black Canary in Star City, and branching out and leaving Gotham. As much as I loved writing her in season two, I do want to still have things work nicely and surprisingly into the mythology - not saying everything lines up but its fun to draw the dots sometimes or just play around with it. So Dinah's arc kind of sets her up on her journey. As for Mia, she has quite a small role in the episode, but she shows up at just the right time and the pay-off for her return in "Hope" is finally achieved. I think she's definitely the same... there's a set-up there and something I wanted to achieve with both of these characters for this season. CLIFFHANGERRZZZZZZ Oi, if I had the time in the world to do like 15 seasons, I would do Barbara as both. But we will figure out which one she will be, and what path she will take. I think there have been little hints of both throughout, and this season for Barbara is not only the introduction of her within the show's universe, but also the origin story of her coming into either Batgirl or Oracle. It varies a lot from the comics, with little nods here and there, but I do hope ya'll still enjoy it. You guessed it right LMAO Absolutely! I think this is sort of her redeeming arc. The time to test her. Is she still one of the heroes or has she walked on the dark side for too long that she's become corrupt *star wars feels rn bc of new trailer and I just said dark side* But no, one of the coolest things in this first half of the season is that I've been able to give reoccurring/guest characters actual pivotal storylines and not just a one-off visit and I think that's been more enjoyable to write and I hope more enjoyable for readers. So "Sacrifice" bookends her storyline this season (actually don't think we'll see her again in season three *cries*) There's no way I'm spoiling the outcome of that Funny you should say "rip my heat out". HAHAHA. But no. I'm not 100% attached to the idea yet. There's just a lot of story and I think I may need an epilogue to close it out properly, or at most, have a big moment like in the premiere that kind of sets up the upcoming run of episodes (in this case the second half of the season). BAD-ASSERY AT ITS FINEST. Although I don't want to give away why. It's just... probably the coolest scene I've ever gotten to write for Watchtower is coming up and it involves the League of Shadows and I'm just uber pumped to write it (almost there!) Dem valuable lessons... You should be more worried about this season's finale than the mid-finale when it comes to Helena. Although there is one scene in the mid-finale that will probably make your heart stop. *then I'll let you breathe properly again because I'm not a complete monsters* Oliver is the reason Chloe is back at this. He's the one that brought her back to Watchtower, and knew this was her calling, and I kind of want to honour that, and honour what was built and set-up in the pilot, and there's a huge moment in this episode where it's like... Oliver may be gone, but he's such a huge part of the show and it makes sense why A) He had to be on Watchtower, and B) He had to leave. LMAO. I swear to god, next season there will not be any god damn threats against the buildings or the city. It needs to be more internal, and I want to switch gears a little. I mean, Emil wasn't really affecting the city, but then we had the flash-forwards of an AU world sort of thing that was prevented and put into an aborted timeline, and no longer existed, so the city was fine. But season two had the KCS and their killer-ass robots coming in and blowing shit up, and then of course The Joker was just like crash-bang-boom with anything related to the city, and now we have Doomsday, and whatever Hush is planning, and so it needs to take a breather. Gotham needs to be protected under a forcefield or something I swear to god! LMAO!!! Oi writing for Nyssa and writing the Nyssa/Talia scenes in this episode has been way too much fun. The cool thing about this whole scenario is that Bruce sort of represents Talia's humanity, and she's definitely become a much more redeemable person since he's come into her life (which will be evident more in this next run so I'm speaking a bit ahead here) and then you have Nyssa who sort of represents the entire LoS code, and her father, and killing, and all these things that Talia's eyes have sort of been opened on. I mean in her introduction we learn that she's in the "abyss" or whatever because where she is... there's so many people she's killed that want revenge, and she saw all the pain and suffering she caused and all these things, and so that's definitely her arc throughout this season: is she redeemable? Can she make her own choices or just do what's best for her father? Nyssa plays a huge role in that and her tactic to be like "Kill Bruce Wayne" really sets that up and tackles it. I ramble a lot when people speculate, but I just love it. I'm really in love with this season and I just hope you like it just as much. Plus, ever since mapping this season out... the second half has just been absolutely desirable to write for me and I'm pretty much there now. It's uber exciting, and there's a lot of pay off coming with the mystery behind Hush, and all the little seeds that have been planted that'll eventually grow and hopefully I can execute it well -- if not... *cancels Watchtower* LMAO. No. Hopefully you don't hate it. *cries* THANKS MAN!!!
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Post by Jack Malone on Nov 29, 2014 2:21:35 GMT -6
OMG.....these spoilers....they are the bomb dot com. I am very excited for what's to come. And I'm also excited about the fact that Kyle is finally getting a codename. And why is the suit coming later? Is he at least gunna get a mask while fighting doomsday? And my more in depth review will come later This episode takes place on the same night of when "Toxic" ends, and there's no logical explanation that calls for Kyle just randomly having a suit. But there's a nice scene in the episode where you have all these heroes contacting the Watchtower, basically saying their codename and informing Chloe when they'll be there to assist, and even later on when heroes are united, and Kyle just sort of has this seemingly one-off line about why he doesn't have a codename, and we will find one for him by the end of the episode. I think I already revealed his codename somewhere in the 33 pages of spoilers/spec here so happy hunting! c: As for Kyle and his role in the fight against Doomsday... he's definitely a part of the solution, but he's not really in need of a suit/mask. Take that as you will
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Post by Jack Malone on Nov 26, 2014 1:38:26 GMT -6
"Sacrifice" Spoilers
- Producers have revealed the episode has been titled "Sacrifice" due to one very significant moment, but other than that it will finally address Chloe's all-to-common attempts at jumping in front of the bullet to save the world. "There have been so many times where Chloe's decided that - as leader - she should be the one to pull the trigger, save the day, at whatever cost which usually would result in sacrificing herself for the greater good," series creator Jack Malone told VSGuide, "this episode really puts a stop to it and finally addresses it in a way that shows development, and progress and it's a huge milestone in Chloe's journey." So we can rule Chloe out of sacrificing herself? "I can one hundred and ten percent confirm that Chloe will not be sacrificing anything in this episode." - Eyes Only makes a shocking return in this episode, in a way that fans may not expect. Eyes Only was a tool Chloe utilised to warn the city in the first season's mid-season finale, "Offline." Instead of assisting the city, it turned the city into chaos as they feared for their lives and starting rioting, and looting shops. - Carrie Fisher told VSGuide that she gets to be in on the action in this episode. "It's taken a few episodes but I finally got to shoot my first big, stunt-heavy scene," Fisher gloated, excited about her role in the mid-season finale, "It's quite an on-the-edge-of-your-seat scene." - There's a new Bat Suit in this episode. - This episode will show us how Chloe recognised Kyle in episode two, despite him not recognising her. - There appears to be one character among the main cast who Hush isn't willing to let die and we will find out who in this episode. As for "why" that's another question to be answered later. - Alaina Huffman and Elise Gatien reprise their roles of Dinah Laurel Lance, and Mia Dearden aka Black Canary and Speedy. Producers tell VSGuide that Dinah resurfaces in the beginning of the episode, and that Mia's role is more towards the back end of the episode. "Mia is making her way from Star City so it's going to take her a little bit more time." - The entire episode takes place over the same night that the previous episode ends on. - Emma Stone reprises her role of Barbara Gordon in this episode, and tells VSGuide that if fans don't know where her character is heading before this episode, "You will definitely see what's being planned for her after [episode eleven]." There was an imbalanced speculation about whether or not Barbara would be Batgirl or Oracle (or something else entirely) since Stone was announced as being cast for the role, and this episode will solidify her path. - Kyle receives a "codename" in this episode, and producers tell us: "A suit will come later..." - Serinda Swan guest stars as Zatanna, and will play a key role in the fight against Doomsday. - Lynda Carter and Robert Wisden reprise their roles as Moira Sullivan and Gabe Sullivan. - It is rumoured that a short epilogue is to follow at the end of the episode, much like the season premiere, "Lazarus." - The League of Shadows will resurface in a surprising way. - Chloe learns a valuable lesson. - There are two major character deaths. - We will learn more about the status of Oliver Queen in this episode. Producers told VSGuide that this episode will put into play key components that will help develop the character even further off-screen. "We always said that Oliver is a huge part of this show whether we have [Justin] or not and we're able to shape his iconic future in a way that we couldn't had he been here in the flesh." Whatever that means! - Producers promise a LOT more Doomsday than what was given in Smallville's eighth season finale. "We understand how disappointing it was to only have Doomsday there for about thirty seconds and then have him defeated. He poses a much greater threat and we tackle it in a bigger scope than just our heroes having to take him down." It is said that Vicki (Yvonne Strahovski) wants to launch a complete evacuation of the city, while Gordon (Dylan Walsh) wants to fight for his city instead, calling in a SWAT team to bring Doomsday down. However, another force intervenes and will provide the perfect solution. - Nyssa Al Ghul (Viva Bianca) asks Talia (Stana Katic) to kill Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale).
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Post by Jack Malone on Nov 21, 2014 2:22:02 GMT -6
"Mommy Dearest" ReviewTo put it simply: this episode comes at the time our characters need the one thing that is going to make them feel a lot better about what they're going through-- a mother's love. However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows, even with their mothers in the picture and that all comes down to each character and their respective storylines and/or decisions to open up; which is the case for Rose. Rose has been the character for me that has only just started to hit her peak and become more solidified within the cast, and the story. In this particular episode, she shared a really nice scene with Alex that made me - dare I say it - really see a spark between the two in a "could be more" kind of way. I think this moment felt more earned and was more genuine than the previous episode and I really believed the exchange between the two characters. I think Alex's stems more from his kind-hearted nature and ability to really cheer people up and care for those in his life that he holds close to him. I saw a little bit from him that could suggest feelings are involved but - this may sound weird - I think Alex has a chemistry with majority of characters on this show because of how nice he is and because of how much he cares; it almost has this consistently blurred line - even with Alisha - where I legitimately can't tell if there's something more there or not and so I wanted to come into this review saying that I think it'd be great and I see it going somewhere but knowing this show and how unpredictable it can be at times (in the absolute best of ways), I was thinking how stupid I would look seeing something that may not actually be there. The other part of me thinks that there's a beautiful friendship here and not even male/female friendship needs to go from platonic to romantic: so either way, I am happy with the development between these two. *finally spits it out* The introduction of Rose's mother was my absolute favourite. I adore her. Cassandra seems like the kind of cool mum that you can just talk to about anything and she's obviously very affectionate and a very passionate woman and so I was confused as to why Rose would be so hesitant to talk to her about this situation. But then if you look at it from Rose's perspective, she probably feels ten different kinds of levels of shame, and embarrassment, humiliations, etc. Either way, the moment between them was a really nice scene - it was both really sweet, but also painful in the sense that you can feel how hard it is for Rose to both bottle this in, but also not be able to spit it out and connect with her mum, and let go of how much this entire thing is killing her on the inside. Paula's arc has just been incredible to watch play out this sequence, and I think the introduction of Judy has really allowed us to delve deeper into this character and add some more layers -- now we have her mum too? It's exciting. I think the really cool thing you did in this episode was- well, we've only ever heard these tragic things about Paula's mum and we have seen flashbacks before but we haven't been able to do something like this episode before and so when she answers the door... I'm kind of expecting this broken, shell of a woman who is not a ray of sunshine but just a storm-cloud that is so torn up and decaying but then she answers the door and we get: "Aw, look, it's a Smith family reunion." She becomes human, you know? She becomes a person and suddenly we're invested. We know that she's so far only been this idea in our head, and this story from Paula's perspective, and now we see her and she's a mum, she's a normal human being... she's just got this inner sadness within her that is a lot stronger than she is that has worn her down over the years. I loved her speech to Paula, and for a moment I thought that it was basically suggesting that Paula is the odd ball of the bunch and she's just this giant ball of sunshine that Judy or Savannah could never really relate with or see where it came from. However, I think Savannah used to be like that and I think Paula walks a very thin line of possibly following in her mother's footsteps and I think Paula has an inner sadness about her too that just hasn't gotten the best of her yet, you know? Paula's a lot stronger than whatever demons she's battling with at the moment and I hope this situation doesn't wear her down to be overwhelmed by those demons. Also: Judy redeemed herself for me in this and earned herself quote of the week- Quote of the Episode: "I'm not here to chat. I'm here to say one thing. Think about what you're doing before you do it. Don't be the person who dulls her shine, do you understand me?"
Last but not least, there was of course Alisha's role in this episode. I'm actually so bummed out right now and did not see what happened coming. I've totally been pulled out of her mindset, and I'm just... gah, I hate cheating. I hate it. I especially don't see it as a mistake, I see it as a choice and I think we all do bad things but to actively choose to betray someone like that, and to break a trust... ugh. And then she made it even worse by not only not telling David that first Robbie kissed her, and not telling David that she now made-the-hell-out with him, but then at the end of the episode she goes back to David and basically goes to bang him?! I'm just so disappointed in Alisha right now. I'm so gutted for David because I was sort of... this whole time I was just Team Alisha and now I'm looking back over the course of this storyline and she's never really said "I don't want to do this with you" or "I don't want you to kiss me" or anything of that it's just been "I have a boyfriend" which... gah! You're a monster, Brady. You're a monster. I hate cheating and I love this relationship and I don't know if they can come back from this storyline or if I want them to come back from this storyline and I'm just bummed out. *cries* 10/10 - thematically, the episode joined all plots together under a similar concept that was executed perfectly, and while I'm uber miserable and annoyed, that was the creative objective of the episode so I can't fault it for doing its job. *drowns in pool of tears*
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