Netflix’s Dumplin’ is a Heartwarming Coming-of-Age Story of Self-Acceptance That Never Fails to Entertain

 

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Danielle Macdonald in Dumplin’ (2018)

I’ll admit, Netflix’s latest teen flick, Dumplin’, wasn’t a film I went into with very high hopes. With that in mind, I can safely say Dumplin’ surpassed my expectations by quite the stretch. Sometimes it’s great to be wrong – and boy was I wrong. Of course, the film’s no cinematic masterpiece, but it’s not trying to be. Dumplin’ succeeds in all the ways Sierra Burgess Is A Loser failed, sending a positive, heartwarming message about body positivity that doesn’t feel forced or in-your-face politically correct. Dumplin’ has a strong emotional core, with surprisingly realistic characters that balance out the film’s sillier side.

Based on Julia Murphy’s novel of the same name, Dumplin’ follows the story of Willowdean, a teenage girl whose mother, played by Jennifer Aniston, is a former pageant winner. Willowdean always felt more connected to her beloved Aunt Lucy than her image-obsessed mother, as she shared Willowdean’s values of confidence and body positivity – along with a love of Dolly Parton. After the loss of her Aunt Lucy, Willowdean is surprised to discover that Lucy had once wished to enter a pageant like her sister, but never went through with it because of her weight. Willowdean decides to enter her local pageant in honour of her aunt (and in spite of her mother) to prove that you don’t have to be skinny to compete.

I was surprised by how much I liked the main character, Willowdean, played by Australian actress, Danielle Macdonald. Straight off the bat she seemed so have a very strong sense of her identity, which was a refreshing change from the usual strain of self-pity you often see in teenage characters. Yes, Willowdean has issues with her weight, and yes that does affect her confidence, but it certainly doesn’t define her. Unlike Sierra Burgess of Sierra Burgess is a Loser, Willowdean is a charismatic, positive individual that doesn’t make you constantly question why anyone would ever want to spend time with her. This allows the film to explore Willowdean’s struggles with her insecurities in a way that actually feels genuine.

Willowdean’s relationships with her friends and family are similarly genuine, which gives the world of Dumplin’ a wonderfully lived-in energy. Female friendships are the true heart of this film, each one as complex and well-developed as you could hope for given the time constraints. Each female character has their own personal journey and core values. Although they often contradict Willowdean’s, each of them comes to their own throughout the film and are allowed to flourish as their own person. This wide variety of characters, who are each wholeheartedly accepted for who they are (by the end of the film at least) sends a wonderful message to audiences. It was lovely to see such a range of women come together, support one another and most importantly, have a whole lot of fun.

Music plays a large part in the film, and Dolly Parton is the star. Willowdean’s love of Parton is the cherry on top of Dumplin’s southern charm. The music ties the whole film together, from Parton’s greatest hits, to the six original songs she wrote specifically for the film (including the Golden Globe-nominated song, “Girl in the Movies”). The result is an unapologetic celebration of southern style and glamour, through a refreshingly youthful gaze.

The pageant setting just adds to the fun. Similar to Sandra Bullock’s Miss Congeniality (2000), Dumplin’ doesn’t take any definitive stance on pageant culture, merely pointing out some of the positives and negatives along the way and leaving the audience to decide for themselves. Although her mother’s pageant career may have negatively affected Willowdean’s self-esteem, she still gives the pageant a chance. She ends up enjoying her time, whilst remaining thoroughly aware of pageant culture’s faults. Willowdean never had any interest in winning, but she still supports her friend, Millie, who aspires to win the pageant despite her weight. The pageant brought the girls together, and it was just lovely to watch them support each other, regardless of their wildly different priorities. Perhaps in the real world it wouldn’t have been such a fairytale, but it sure does make for a wholesome viewing experience.

The one thing I expected to see a lot more of in Dumplin’ is romance. I was pleasantly surprised to see it take the back seat, as, at no point is romance the main priority of the film. It’s portrayed quite realistically, as one of the many aspects of Willowdean’s life, explored in the form of a charming subplot that, somehow, never feels forced. Willowdean’s love interest, Bo, began the film as her friend and co-worker. You could already see that the two were close – it was just Willowdean’s denial holding their relationship back from progressing further. He had a clear admiration for her from the start, and so it seemed only natural when his feelings took a more definitive turn for the romantic. I enjoyed the depth they brought to the root of Willowdean’s denial, shining light on her hidden insecurities. Despite her confident exterior, Willowdean couldn’t understand why Bo would like her, becoming automatically uncomfortable and self-conscious when he touched her or made any romantic advances. This brought to light how deeply ingrained some prejudices are within us, that no matter how confident you are, social conditioning can still have a huge impact on the way you see yourself. It’s moments like this that are so important to see. It’s such a common thing that often goes unmentioned, and Dumplin’ weaves it in so perfectly.

Is Dumplin’ a perfect film? Not by a longshot, but it’s lighthearted and fun nonetheless, with its fair share of touching, poignant moments along the way. It certainly had far more depth than I expected to see. For fans of teen drama, or coming of age flicks, Dumplin’ is a must watch this holiday season.

All American Midseason Finale Raises the Stakes and Returns to the Realm of Football

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Bre-Z and Daniel Ezra in All American (2018)

In the midseason finale, “Homecoming”, All American balances out all the high school drama, as the day of the impending homecoming match finally arrives. It is, after all, a show predominantly about football, and even though I’m not the biggest sports fan, its return was a welcome reprieve from last week’s non-stop relationship drama.

Coop is definitely my favourite character at this point, so let’s talk about her plotline first. She and Spencer have some really nice moments throughout this episode. Spencer still wants to help Coop get out of her troubles with Tyrone, who has been threatening her and Shawn for the last few episodes. Spencer and Coop go to Mrs Baker for help – a good decision, they are way too inexperienced to handle this stuff on their own. All they need to put Tyrone behind bars is for Shawn to be their snitch, which of course, he refuses to do. Instead, he takes things into his own hands, which goes just as badly as you would expect. Shawn’s death may have been predictable, but it broke my heart all the same. Coop’s reaction was especially hard to watch. Combined with the knowledge she would have to tell his mother and child, the scene was a tear-jerker for sure.

Back in Beverly Hills, the stakes are lower, but somehow just as complicated. Football returned to centre stage, and we see the aftermath of Asher and Jordan’s poor decision-making last episode. Asher is forced to sit on the sidelines and Jordan is still reeling after a wild night out with his girlfriend. Throughout the match, it quickly becomes clear that someone had tipped the other team off on Beverly’s strategies. This provides a nice opportunity for Spencer to step up. He works with Olivia’s new beau from Spencer’s old school, and together they plan out new strategies so that the Beverly Hills team can retaliate at full force in the second half. Spencer champions the team to victory, and Jordan works out what really went down.

I immediately assumed the traitor was Jordan’s new cheerleader girlfriend from the opposing team, but in a plot twist, it’s revealed that it was actually Asher. I’ve been pretty forgiving of Asher’s mistakes up until this point, but his actions in this episode were downright petty. Sure, I feel sorry for the guy – his dad is truly the worst. It still doesn’t give him a free pass to sabotage the rest of his team, especially when it’s his own fault he got himself suspended. Yes, he was drunk, and yes he regrets it, but he’s going to need quite the redemption before I (or I’m guessing, Jordan) will forgive him.

I have to say, Jordan is starting to annoy me. I really liked him at the start of the season, but he is being so oblivious right now I seriously want to reach into the screen, grab his face and yell at him to get his act together. He still has his moments – I especially appreciated the scene where he called Asher out for slut-shaming Olivia. Still, he was pretty hypocritical about the whole “there’s more to life than football” thing. I’m on the same page as Coach Baker on this one – Jordan really needs to figure out what’s important to him. I’m all for Jordan doing other things with his life, but he just spun the whole thing against Asher at the end because it was convenient for him. Asher totally deserves what he got, but it still was unfair for Jordan to pin it all on him. After all, Jordan’s hardly the perfect player right now – his girlfriend is a seriously bad influence on him. She may not have been the traitor this time, but she still has no respect for Jordan’s interests and his dedication to the game. Hopefully, Jordan has learnt his lesson this episode and we’ll see him stand up to her sometime soon.

Whilst Jordan’s love life continues to frustrate, Spencer and Layla’s relationship is actually starting to grow on me. Layla was freaking out for the first half of the episode because she thought Spencer had officially turned her down when he suggested last episode that they shouldn’t get together yet (as she had just broken up with Asher). When the two do finally cross paths halfway through the episode, Spencer reassures her that he definitely still likes her in a surprisingly sweet scene. I’m still not completely sold on the two, but I’m remaining cautiously optimistic for now.

In other news, the show seems to be hinting at more mysteries involving Coach Baker. The opposing team’s coach tells Spencer that his dad loved him and must have had a good reason to leave him, whereas Coach Baker “will do anything to get what he wants.” They receive an anonymous tip that someone in Beverly Hill’s team had been under the influence of drugs throughout the game, and they are all forced to take a drug test. When Jordan tells Coach Baker he will fail the test, Coach Baker switches out Jordan’s sample to ensure he won’t be suspended. I’m guessing the anonymous tipper was Jordan’s girlfriend, but we’ll have to wait until the rest of the season comes out next year to know for sure.

Why ‘A Discovery of Witches’ Is the Perfect Guilty Pleasure Romance Series to Kickstart Your Holidays

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Matthew Goode and Teresa Palmer in A Discovery of Witches (2018)

I’m a latecomer to the A Discovery of Witches bandwagon, but I didn’t see enough people talking about the show when it came out, so here I am, to tell you why it deserves more hype. A miniseries based on Deborah Harkness’s book of the same name, A Discovery of Witches is exactly the kind of indulgent, feel-good show the world needs right now. I don’t mean feel-good in the sense that it’s particularly happy or funny – I mean feel-good in the sense that every aspect of the show is simply a pleasure to watch. Not only do the two main protagonists the most wonderful chemistry, but the show also has a complex, well-developed plot and picturesque European locations that are beyond gorgeous.

Set in a supernatural world where witches, vampires and daemons live amongst humans, A Discovery of Witches centres around Diana Bishop, a historian who tends to avoid her magical heritage at all costs. Whilst conducting research in Oxford, Diana finds an enchanted book that has been missing for centuries. Thinking nothing of it at the time, her discovery invites unwanted attention from a number of magical creatures who are in search of the book, which is rumoured to contain vital information about the origin of supernatural creatures. Diana crosses paths with a vampire, Matthew Clairmont, who helps her navigate the world of supernatural, despite the enduring tensions and prejudice between vampires and witches. It doesn’t take long for Diana and Matthew’s relationship to develop into one of romance, and things only get more complicated from there.

Teresa Palmer is wonderful in the role of Diana, who makes a captivating heroine that gradually comes into her own throughout the series. I’ve been a casual fan of her co-star, Matthew Goode, for a while throughout his supporting roles in The Good Wife, Downtown Abbey and The Crown. As soon as I heard he had landed a lead role in this series I knew I had to watch it. At this point, Goode has truly perfected the role of the dashing gentleman and uses it to his advantage in A Discovery of Witches, breathing new life and depths into the role of Matthew. (Yes, they have the same name – clearly, Goode was destined for this role).

I was unapologetically invested in these two characters main characters – far more than I initially expected going into the show. It wasn’t uncommon to find me shouting at the screen or giggling with pure delight whilst watching their scenes together. If I’m being entirely honest, I’m still not entirely sure what makes their romance so special, but I suppose their chemistry is just that good. Even in the most dramatic, cliche over the top moments (which there are a lot of), I couldn’t bring myself to care – I was enjoying it far too much.

The show definitely has a guilty pleasure vibe (and I’ll admit, it does feel like you’re watching a better-quality version of Twilight at times) but it still manages to be intelligent enough that you don’t have to feel all that guilty. Is it a revolutionary romance? No, but sometimes that’s a good thing. Sometimes it’s comforting for a romance to have a certain level predictability – it’s like a warm security blanket in TV show form (which I swear is a compliment – albeit a bit of an odd one).

Modern media has been oversaturated with vampire romances for far too long, but A Discovery of Witches still manages to put its own spin on the genre. The show takes a far more scientific approach to the supernatural than you would usually see. In an interesting take, it presents the theory of evolution as a danger to the future of magical creatures – who, in the modern world, don’t rely on their powers as heavily as they used to and, are therefore gradually losing their powers. This is an issue which Matthew is intent on investigating, which is what originally pushes him into the path of Diana (and the all-important book she finds).

Both of the main characters, Diana and Matthew, are highly intellectual individuals – a historian and scientist respectively. As a result, they both approach the supernatural through a lens of logic that grounds the show in a refreshing sense of realism. Whilst A Discovery of Witches is intellectually stimulating in many ways, its utmost strength is its emotional centre, which whisks you away into a captivating world of magic and forbidden romance.

A Discovery of Witches is visually stunning in every sense of the phrase (and I’m not just talking about Matthew Goode – or Teresa Palmer for that matter.) With primary settings of Oxford, Venice, and France, the show is filled to the brim with beautiful architecture and scenery. On top of this, the colour palette is to die for, with gorgeous subdued blue and brown hues (aka the classic orange and teal look at its prettiest). It also has the most beautiful soundtrack that works in tandem with the picturesque imagery, creating a leisurely atmosphere that completely immerses you in Matthew and Diana’s world.

Other than the clichés and over the top drama, my main criticism of the show is simply that there is too much plot and too many characters to keep track of at times. I’m sure those who’ve read the books would manage to keep on top of everything just fine, but I’ll admit I struggled at times to remember who certain characters were (or, more importantly, what they were). Perhaps if they had more episodes to flesh out the plot, it wouldn’t have been such an issue. Still, considering the limited number of episodes, they did a great job of covering the amount of story that they did. The fast pacing worked well for many other aspects of the show, so I’d still say they made the right call on making it a miniseries. This way, it’s short and sweet and doesn’t seem like such an overwhelming task to watch.

A Discovery of Witches is the perfect show for when you just want to sit back, relax and forget about all your worries. The holiday season is the perfect time of year for shows like that, which is why I’m actually glad I waited until all episodes were released before I started watching it. Binging the show was not only tremendous fun, but it managed to ease me into a relaxed state for the holiday season like nothing else could. (I guess you could say, it worked like a charm?) So, if you’re in need of a break or you’re in the mood for a good romance, get a cup of tea and a blanket, sit down and start watching this show. As long as you’re open to a few clichés here and there, I promise you won’t regret it.

Doctor Who Finale Sparks Debate on the Nature of Yaz and the Doctor’s Relationship: Could The Two Be Destined For Romance?

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Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill in Doctor Who (2005-)

Since the initial announcement of Jodie Whittaker’s casting as the Doctor, there has been increased speculation over the timelord’s sexuality. In the past, the Doctor has only been depicted in relationships with females, which, at the time, were simple male/female relationships. However, now the Doctor is a woman, things are a little more complicated. Under the assumption that the Doctor’s past attraction to women remains unchanged, many fans have predicted there may be a romance in the works for the thirteenth Doctor and her companion, Yasmin.

Billie Piper, who played the tenth doctor’s love interest, Rose, commented on the topic after Whittaker’s casting. Piper mentioned during a convention that Rose would still be in love with the new female Doctor if their paths were to somehow cross. On the Doctor’s side of the equation, you’d be hard-pressed to argue that the change in gender would magically alter her feelings.

Rose, of course, isn’t likely to be meeting Whittaker’s iteration of the Doctor any time soon. However, Alex Kingston’s character, River Song, always seems to pop up in the most unexpected places. First appearing in the tenth Doctor’s later seasons, River Song has been a recurring love interest of the Doctor, from her marriage to Matt Smith’s eleventh Doctor, to her reappearance during Peter Capaldi’s reign, maintaining her previous role as the Doctor’s wife. If Kingston were to make another appearance at some point throughout Whittaker’s reign, it would come off as pretty absurd if the Doctor’s shift in gender made any significant difference to their relationship. Kingston herself commented at Edmonton Expo, that if the two were to meet, “I think [River would] just take her in her arms and give her a big kiss!”

Rose and River aside, the potential love interest currently at the centre of fans attention is one of the thirteenth Doctor’s companions, Yasmin “Yaz” Khan. Speculation started in an early episode of season 11, in which Yaz’s mother questioned the nature of Yaz’s relationship with the Doctor. She was direct in questioning, “are you two seeing each other?” Some fans interpreted this question as an indication Yaz may have a past history of dating women. Although Yaz quickly dismissed her mother, saying they were just friends, the Doctor’s initial response to the question was a confused, “I don’t think so. Are we?” The Doctor certainly doesn’t seem opposed to the possibility, and many fans suspect that Yaz isn’t all that opposed either.

Time and time again, Yaz has displayed her fierce loyalty and admiration for the Doctor – not dissimilar to Rose’s behaviour back in the earlier seasons. Yaz demonstrated this when she made the decision to continue travelling with the Doctor, saying “I want more, more of the universe… more time with you.” She went on, expressing with wonderment, “You’re like the best person I’ve ever met.”

The season 11 finale, “The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos” featured a similar moment which highlighted Yaz’s commitment to the Doctor. She made the emotional declaration, “I’m with you, whatever happens,” refusing to leave the Doctor’s side in the face of danger. These moments have led fans to believe there may be romantic feelings there on Yaz’s part at least. Whether her feelings are requited is, of course, another matter.

Executive Producer, Matt Strevens has commented, “Since the show came back in 2005, I think Doctor Who has been amazing at blurring the edges of sexuality and being quite gender fluid about the characters and relationships.” He went on to say, “I’m not going to say if any of our characters are or are not at this point. But it is part, I think, of the DNA that Russell re-imbued into the show.”

Hints of romance between Yaz and the Doctor are, at this point, too subtle to say for sure if this is the direction in which the creators are heading. Your average fan mightn’t pick up that there’s anything beyond friendship between the two – but that’s not to say romance isn’t on the cards.

Yaz certainly seems taken with the Doctor and, as previously discussed, it would be difficult to argue that the Doctor no longer has any interest in women. Does all this mean that the two are without a doubt destined for romance? Of course not, but I wouldn’t dismiss the possibility either. At this point in time, there’s nothing that refutes a potential romantic future for Yaz and the Doctor. However, it’s one thing for a romance to be possible, and another thing for the creators and producers to decide to go through with it. There are certainly those who would respond to such a romance negatively, dismissing it as the creators pandering to fans or a publicity stunt.

Such reactions make LGBT+ relationships a complex thing to accurately develop on screen. If you write a subtle gay romantic subplot the same way you would write a subtle straight romantic subplot, many viewers wouldn’t actually pick up on the romantic undertones. Where a gay person might read Yaz and the Doctor’s relationship as a will they/won’t they dynamic, a straight person might just see a close friendship.

There is, of course, a name for this – ‘heteronormative gaze’ – but it’s a phrase I’m hesitant to use. I can’t imagine anyone wants to be told that they’re looking at something through a ‘heteronormative gaze.’ It sure sounds like an insult (and there are many that use it as one.) From here on out, know that if I do use the phrase ‘heteronormative gaze,’ I am simply referring to the complex, socially-ingrained reasons why straight people may not immediately perceive the same potential for romance in same-gender interactions as they might in male/female interactions. (Simple, right?) When you go back to the roots of what ‘heteronormative gaze’ actually means and use it to examine different people’s varying perceptions of media and the effects of any discrepancies in interpretation, things start to get complicated.

In this scenario, where you have a large number of fans not picking up the breadcrumbs of an upcoming LGBT+ romance, these fans of course find it sudden or ‘forced’ when the relationship becomes more noticeably romantic. (Which can make the relationship feel like it was put in there randomly or to make some sort of political statement). In order to compensate for this, some creators may then feel the need to emphasise the build-up period more than they would have otherwise when portraying a romantic LGBT+ relationship. This again might come off as forced or as if it’s being pushed in the viewer’s face. This is a common issue that applies to Doctor Who right now: even if Yaz and the Doctor are destined for romance, creators will have a hard time pulling it off in a way that comes off as natural and honest.

Romance has never been at the forefront of Doctor Who. It certainly has its place in the show (see Rose and River) but fans are bound to become frustrated if creators place too much emphasis on any one romance. This applies especially an LGBT+ romance, which could all-too-easily come off as pandering to political correctness.

There’s no denying the fact the Doctor simply cannot be straight anymore. Whether the BBC will outwardly acknowledge this is another matter – as is the question of whether she and Yaz will become romantically linked. There’s a good chance nothing concrete will come of Yaz and the Doctor’s romantic potential. Considering the extent of Doctor Who’s audience, it might just be one risk too many for the show at the moment.

Personally, I wouldn’t mind if there isn’t any romance in store for the thirteenth Doctor – that’s not why I watch the show. In fact, I enjoyed season 11 precisely because of its all-round lack of romance. It certainly subverted my expectations – straight off the bat I assumed we’d be seeing Yaz and Ryan become romantically entangled at some point down the line. As of yet, there hasn’t been the slightest hint of anything more than friendship between the two, and it made for a refreshing change.

Would I like to see Yaz and the Doctor together? Absolutely – as long as it’s well written and doesn’t overshadow the rest of the story. It would be a great opportunity for the BBC to include more diversity, which they do love to take credit for (whether it’s well written or not). No, I don’t want to see Yaz and the Doctor together simply for the sake of diversity, but a relationship between the two (or even a ‘Martha Jones’-esque arc of unrequited love on Yaz’s part) could definitely still be an interesting, fresh avenue for the show to explore.

Will there be any definitive romance between Yaz and the Doctor? I wouldn’t get my hopes up too high – but with new Executive Producers, Chris Chibnall and Matt Strevens at the helm, anything’s possible. Doctor Who won’t be returning for a twelfth season until 2020, so it’ll be a while before we get a chance to find out, but who knows? Perhaps we’ll see more hints of a Yaz/Doctor romance in the upcoming New Year’s Special.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s “I’m Not the Person I Used to Be” Poses the All-Important Question: Could Greg Be Rebecca’s ‘Meant to Be’ After All?

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Skylar Astin and Rachel Bloom in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015)

The most recent episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, “I’m Not the Person I Used to Be,” is the one we’ve all been waiting for. I’m late to the review game again, I know, but I honestly struggled to piece a coherent sentence together after the first time I watched the episode (just a long string of wows and an even longer string of questions.) I watched the episode a second time before writing this review, and I have some (only slightly) more coherent thoughts on the matter. As the midseason finale, “I’m Not the Person I Used to Be” brought out all the stocks, with two top-notch musical numbers and, most notably, by bringing back fan-favourite character Greg, who has been absent since early on in the second season.

The role of Greg has been recast, with Pitch Perfect’s Skylar Astin picking up where Broadway star, Santino Fontana, left off. In this episode, we get our first glimpse of Astin in the role, and I’ll admit I was a little hard on him on first viewing. Don’t get me wrong, he was charming and witty and everything I’d hoped the new-and-improved Greg would be – but still, he’s no Santino Fontana. On second viewing my opinion improved. I was more open to the change and the point the writers were trying to make with it. There’s nothing not to like about Astin’s performance – except for the fact he’s not Santino Fontana.

The show handles the recasting exceptionally well of course, with a record number of fourth wall breaks, making “I’m Not the Person I Used to Be” the funniest episode in a long time. The recasting actually has a deeper meaning as well (because this is Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, where every joke is grounded in something deeper). New Greg is, quite literally, an entirely different person to the Greg we left behind in season two. He’s finally sober, and he has a real sense of purpose now that he’s in business school like he always wanted. Like Rebecca, Greg knows who he is and he’s ready to move forward as a better, healthier version of himself. Once again like Rebecca, the qualities that made Greg so entertaining in the early seasons were qualities that were bad for both him and the people around him. Astin’s Greg isn’t the same hilarious embodiment of cynicism and sarcasm that Fontana captured so well – but that’s a good thing.

Up until this episode, I was pretty confident Rebecca wasn’t going to end up with any of her previous love interests, but after seeing this new version of Greg, I’m not so sure. Rebecca and Josh could never pursue a healthy romantic relationship again after everything Rebecca has been through to get over him – and Nathaniel has far too much catch up to do on his self-improvement journey to be a healthy counterpart to Rebecca anytime soon. Greg, however, has been through his own journey of self-improvement off-screen and returns as Rebecca’s equal. Sure, there would certainly be significant complications to the two pursuing a romantic relationship once more, but, if they put in the work, it might just be possible.

Whilst Rebecca certainly doesn’t need to end up in a romantic relationship, New Greg presents new possibilities. He is now someone that Rebecca could pursue a healthy relationship with if she so pleased – and he’s someone that fans already have an investment in. If Rebecca is to end up in a relationship, Greg is the only healthy option right now that would provide a satisfying conclusion for fans. Perhaps the characters will explore this possibility and conclude that they’re simply not ‘meant to be,’ despite Valencia and Heather’s ongoing belief that they are. At the moment I’d say this option is just as (if not more) likely than the show ending up with the two happily coupled together, but who knows? Perhaps Rebecca and Greg will get their happy ending after all.

New possibilities present a number of new questions. For me, many of the questions actually revolve around Nathaniel. What’s his place in the story now if he and Rebecca are truly over? Whilst Josh and Rebecca have managed to rekindle a friendship and make amends, I’m really not sure what a Rebecca/Nathaniel friendship would look like – it’s certainly something I’m curious to see. I’m also keen to see Nathaniel and Greg interact. Does Nathaniel know who Greg is? If so, Greg’s return will certainly test Nathaniel for any remaining feelings he may have for Rebecca. In any case, my main hope for Nathaniel is that we see him in therapy by the end of the season.

In a perfect world, we’d see everyone in therapy by the end of the season (except maybe White Josh.) It’s not every show where ‘they all to go to therapy and work on bettering themselves’ is an actual possibility, and it’s one of the things that makes Crazy Ex-Girlfriend so great. At the end of the day, the creators will pick the healthiest path for its characters. That’s what the show has been about all along – Rebecca’s path of self-improvement. It’s a wonderfully satisfying thing. We’re in the home stretch now, and I know I’ll be the first in line to see how Rebecca’s story plays out. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend returns on January 11 with episode nine, “I Need Some Balance.” Until then, I think it may be time to go back the start and see just how far we’ve come.

All American’s “California Love” Turns Up the Dial on Teen-Drama (and Forgets About Everything Else)

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Daniel Ezra and Greta Onieogou in All American (2018)

All American isn’t even trying to be a sports show at this point. Yes, All American does teen-drama very well, but when you remove the sports and the insightful political conversation, all that’s left is tired love triangles – and that’s really all there is to episode seven, “California Love.” The episode sets up for the midseason finale, “Homecoming,” in which it looks like the football plotline will finally be returning to center-stage. In “California Love,” however, the show stacks love triangle upon love triangle, completely lacking the balance that makes the teen-drama in the previous episodes more digestible.

It wasn’t until this episode that I realised how little I care about Spencer and Layla’s romance. The writers have been pushing for the two to get together from the very beginning, but still, I held out hope that they would subvert my expectations and take a turn onto a different path. However, in “California Love,” the show takes a more definitive step in their direction. All of the simmering secrets and drama finally collides and pushes Spencer and Layla closer together. They’re not bad together – in fact, I really admire Spencer’s approach to the situation this episode. He was very blunt and honest with Layla about his feelings, which was a relief in a genre that uses miscommunication all too often to create drama. I just don’t find them all that interesting together. Also, I have to say it was incredibly rude of them to slow dance in front of Asher and the rest of the school directly after Asher and Layla’s breakup – even if Asher wasn’t the greatest boyfriend.

Asher was really put through the wringer this episode. I know he’s done a lot of bad things, but dammit I felt sorry for him. He was surprisingly understanding about Layla kissing Spencer – although I suppose he should be given the whole Olivia situation. Still, Layla’s actions were pretty cruel in comparison, keeping in mind she didn’t know about the Olivia situation at that point. I actually yelled at my screen when Asher took to the microphone. I could understand where he was coming from, but the consequences were rough. Homecoming is an unfortunate game to be benched on, considering Asher doesn’t have the money to pay for tuition without a scholarship. Karma really hurts sometimes.

I’m still not sure how Olivia feels about Spencer – I’m not even sure if she knows. She seemed okay with everything when she was talking to Layla at the start of the episode. She was perfectly happy for Layla to take her shot at Spencer, but then later in the episode, Olivia gets made at Layla for making a move on Spencer when she knew Olivia liked him. I think it’s time Olivia’s get over him and moves on. At least she’s trying. She took the guy from last episode to Homecoming with her, and he seemed really sweet, but she left him to go comfort Asher, which confused me a little. I didn’t realise the two of them were particularly close, although I guess they have a fair amount in common. It’d make more sense for Jordan to comfort Asher, but I suppose he wasn’t around, so Olivia was the next best thing.

The girl Jordan was flirting with last episode made another appearance, and it looks like things are getting more serious (on his part at least.) I can’t say I care about their relationship at all really – she just appeared out of the blue last episode, and she doesn’t seem to be particularly good for him. There’s a good chance she’s manipulating Jordan to make him vulnerable for the Homecoming game, but I have no idea why. They definitely could have given this arc a bit more thought, and introduced her in a way that made more sense. Hopefully, we’ll see some pay off next episode. I’d like to know who she is, and why she’s doing what she’s doing – right now the whole thing is far too random for my liking.

The most serious arc of the episode was Coop’s. Her struggles always provide a welcome shift in perspective from the ‘first-world’ problems of the kids of Beverly Hills High. Coop had a welcome moment of reconciliation with Spencer towards the start of the episode, and the two returned to their usual buddy-buddy friendship again. She even accompanied Spencer to Beverly’s Homecoming dance – and looked incredible I might add. Back in the hood however, things aren’t looking too great. Coop and Shawn find themselves getting deeper and deeper into their criminal pursuits, despite Shawn’s attempts to go clean. Their arc is one of the most interesting arcs on the show right now, and I know I’m curious to see how it plays out in the upcoming episodes.

Although “California Love” wasn’t my favourite episode, it was well executed nonetheless. It moves the plot forward in an explosive payoff to all the secrets and drama that had been slowly building up over the season. This will hopefully allow for a shift in focus towards some more interesting storylines in the future.

Widows Impresses Across the Board, With A Refreshing Plot That Provides Just Enough Room for Its Stellar Cast to Shine

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Viola Davis in Widows (2018)

I went into Widows with the highest expectations, and somehow, they were met. With an all-star cast, a screenplay written by Gillian Flynn, and 12 Years A Slave’s director, Steve McQueen, at its helm, this film was a recipe for success. McQueen demonstrates his mastery of fine detail, able to communicate an impressive amount of information through the simplest of interactions or sometimes even a single shot. As a result, Widows is filled to the brim with a vast array of wonderfully complex characters and plot arcs working in perfect tandem.

A fresh take on the heist genre, Widows exposes the less glamorous side to all the scheming. The characters journey and struggles throughout the film further reflect on the progression of their grief. Putting its female characters at the forefront, Widows is, what many have coined, the more serious counterpart to Gary Ross’s Ocean’s 8.

Widows delves into a number of themes and topics of conversation from race to gender inequity, to grief and financial divides and many more. None of these topics seemed forced or out of place, which is a miracle in itself. Still, I wish there had been time to explore each one in more depth – the same goes for the characters.

I was seriously impressed by the sheer number of complex characters in Widows. The fact they were able to give each actor enough time to shine as well as they did is proof of some serious quality writing and directing on Flynn and McQueen’s part. That being said, I would have loved to see each of the characters explored in more depth. Widows was an excellent film, but I have to say, it would have made an even better miniseries – which is no surprise, considering the film is based on 1983 miniseries of the same name. This extended format would have allowed more time to comprehensively explore all the elements that the film merely touches on, but I suppose making an Oscar-contending film is a more glamorous prospect than a miniseries.

Widows, after all, was like the perfect playground for its all-star cast. Viola Davis was incredible as always as the wilful Veronica Rawlins, championing the film from start to finish with a perfect balance of grief, anguish and determination. Davis never ceases to disappoint. It’s making my job quite difficult here, but what can I say? She was excellent, and no one’s surprised – let’s move on.

Elizabeth Debicki was a standout performer as Alice, making the most of her screen time by weaving in the most intricate little details. Debicki’s work was perfectly precise, from her expression of betrayal when Veronica hit her, to her involuntary flinches whenever men touched her without permission. Certainly the most memorable performer, Debicki was the one actress I immediately had to search up online after finishing the film – and the one actress I will be keeping my eye out for in the future.

Colin Farrell excels in one of his best roles yet as politician, Jack Mulligan. Despite the pedigree of his company, Farrell still manages to stand out. Farrell features in an impressive range of profound and innovative scenes in which he truly dominates the screen. At times you could definitely hear the Irish in his voice but, to be fair, I have watched my fair share of Colin Farrell films lately, so I may have been more honed onto his natural accent than the average viewer.

I loved seeing Daniel Kaluuya take on the role of antagonist for once; it certainly looked like he had a lot of fun doing so. We all know Kaluuya can play detached and creepy from some of the more sinister moments in Black Mirror and Get Out. In Widows, he takes it a step closer to full-fledged villain role and – no surprise here – he pulls it off incredibly well. I would have liked to see more of his character however, as it didn’t receive the same level of nuance as most of the others.

Widows had me hooked until the last second, but I’ll admit the ending could have used some work. It just seemed to taper off, ultimately ending on a fairly ambiguous message of hope and reconciliation that perhaps could have been executed more clearly. There were a number in my viewing party that left confused, although I must admit, I personally enjoyed the ambiguous nature of it.

All faults aside, Widows is an acting masterclass, with wonderfully precise directing and a captivating script to top it all off. It was simply a pleasure to watch the film play out – to see how all its different threads would come to intertwine. I’d recommend Widows to heist-film fans and film connoisseurs alike – it’s certainly one I’ll be going back to watch again myself.

A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding Doesn’t Measure Up to the Success of its Predecessor, and It Doesn’t Take a Genius to See Why

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Rose McIver and Ben Lamb in A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding (2018)

In my last review of Netflix’s holiday selection, I made it no secret that I was looking forward to this disaster of a movie. It’s predecessor, A Christmas Prince, was one of the best so-bad-its-good films I’ve seen in a long time. The two main protagonists had the most wonderful chemistry, and the film has just enough cheesy Christmas goodness to make it a genuinely enjoyable experience. Hence, I couldn’t wait to see the sequel, A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding. Look, I never expected it to be good quality, but I had hoped it would retain its predecessor’s endearing feel-good spirit at the very least. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little disappointed with the result.

A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding is a cute film, but I was left wondering why I had liked Prince Richard so much in the first film. He seems to have lost most of his endearing qualities in the sequel, and I couldn’t tell you the number of times I exclaimed, “Prince Edward from The Princess Switch wouldn’t pull this sh*t!” I get he’s going through a tough time and all, but I just wish they could have weaved in some more lighter moments of him and Amber actually being happy and in love along the way. Instead, they went straight into Richard disregarding Amber and shutting down all her political suggestions – and there just wasn’t enough cute payoff in the end to make up for it.

Maybe I’m so disappointed because The Princess Switch explored the exact same arc – and did it so much better. Both showed the Prince/King shut down his fiancé’s political ideas because it wasn’t Stacy/Amber’s place as future Queen to take part in such things. Amber and Richard had already been engaged for a year when this happened, whereas Stacy and Edward had only just met – and somehow, Richard’s apology was nothing compared to Edward’s! To be fair, as King, Richard was under far more pressure to uphold protocol but he could have at least tried listening to Amber. Richard really needs to step up his apology game – I’m #TeamEdward on this one. (That was a bad joke I’m sorry.)

Amber was the more likeable one in the pair for sure, although she was definitely overly-defensive about the sacrifices she had to make for the wedding. The dress, I can understand – that thing was a travesty – but the rest really wasn’t that bad. I mean, what did she expect? She’s marrying the King, there’s going to be a few protocols she’ll have to follow. Also, what kind of Queen writes blog articles about all of her kingdom’s issues? Of course she wasn’t going to be able to do that. All that being said, Amber did realise pretty quickly that there were far more important things going on and dived straight into the investigating – which was by far my favourite part of the movie. I mean… “I have a light sensitivity disorder” though. Truly iconic.

Somehow A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding managed to couple up just about every side character, which made for the most hilarious guessing game. Why they thought Amber’s friend and Simon would make a good pair is a mystery to me – even if they gave Simon a bit of a redemption arc. The two gay characters were lumped together, of course, one of which was an uncomfortably racist stereotype – I’m not sure who thought that would be a good idea either. The father and the chef’s side plot was probably the best of the bunch – they should have left it at that.

If you’re a fan of the original film, then you might enjoy the sequel. It’s easy enough to sit back and just enjoy watching the chaos unfold. However, I doubt anyone going into the film with a more critical eye will find very much to like in A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding. It just doesn’t have the same cheesy Christmas spirit as its predecessor, and the two leads don’t have enough screen time together (where they’re not fighting) for anyone to actually root for them as a couple. I think it’s time to rewatch A Christmas Prince and pretend the sequel never happened.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’s “I Will Help You” Brings New Revelations for Rebecca Whilst Josh and Nathaniel Make Hilarious Attempts to Better Themselves

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Rachel Bloom in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015)

We’re one episode away from the mid-season finale, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend just keeps getting better. I’m a bit late to the party on this one, but I enjoyed the episode so much I just had to review it. Episode seven was relentlessly entertaining, creating new opportunities for reconciliation, and taking leaps and bounds in the character development department.

The major talking point I want to draw from this episode is Rebecca’s acknowledgement of her tendency to overshare. This tendency is something I mentioned in my review of the previous episode, in which I mentioned, “Rebecca, especially, has always been self-centered, often imparting an unfair amount of emotional burden on the people around her, without offering much support in return.” In “I Will Help You”, we finally see Rebecca acknowledge her habit of oversharing – although she does focus more on how her oversharing affects her, not so much on the people around her. Nonetheless, I started clapping and cheering when Rebecca finally realised, “I don’t need to tell everyone everything all the time,” and that she doesn’t need external validation from people she barely knows or cares about. Although I’d still love to see Rebecca consider the burden her oversharing often puts on other people, this moment was a damn good start.

Another standout in “I Will Help You” was Nathaniel’s ongoing journey to be a better person. It was a happy surprise to see Nathaniel actually stick with the choice he made last episode, and actively try to be kinder to the people around him. I was glad to see the show didn’t immediately let him off the hook however – the confused and suspicious reactions of all the other characters still held Nathaniel accountable for his past wrongdoings. Nathaniel actually had to defend his actions, “I’m nice! I just sent you all massage gift cards, check your phones. Look at them. Look at your phones!” His hilarious frustration at their disbelief reminds the audience that he’s still Nathaniel, and he still has a long way to go if he truly wants to be better. His interactions with Paula, in particular, were quite telling. I loved that she pointed out Nathaniel’s role as a ‘white saviour’ – waving a chequebook around and other such material gestures don’t automatically make Nathaniel a good person. Through his volunteer work in the prison, he instead found a more meaningful way to help people. I found it interesting that he didn’t want Rebecca to know about his efforts. In the past, whenever Nathaniel did anything good, it was usually to get in Rebecca’s good books. Hopefully, this deviation from his usual pattern is an indication that Nathaniel truly does want to be a better person this time around.

Tovah Feldshuh was incredible – as always – as Rebecca’s callous mother, Naomi. Feldshuh took Naomi’s cruelty to a whole other level this episode, and Rebecca’s speech to her at the end was all the more satisfying as a result. Her song was absolutely hilarious – the costume department had a ball with this one. (Although I have to say “Where’s the Bathroom” still retains its place as the best Naomi song in my books.)

Somehow Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is pulling off the recent pattern of only having one fully-produced musical number per episode (likely a reflection of the budget being spread thinly over the increased episode count in this season.) Darryl’s short-lived clean-up song was probably the best joke of the episode, building up to a full-fledged number before cutting it short because cleaning up really isn’t that complicated – you just put everything back where it belongs. It’s pretty rare to see Darryl so abrupt, which just added to the joke. He’s usually over-eager to help – perhaps he’s implementing what he learnt from Rebecca last episode.

Josh was utterly hopeless this episode and I loved every second of it. Watching him struggle to put a bedspread on all four corners of the bed was probably the most relatable moment in the show to date and although his attempt at making pasta was a crime against humanity, he looked so cute in the blanket cape I immediately forgave him. I’m really loving everything they’re doing with Josh in season four; he’s turning into one of my favourite characters on the show, which I never would have expected whilst watching the first two seasons. The mural he put up for Rebecca was such a sweet gesture, and I’m not surprised Rebecca had a moment afterwards where her old feelings for him resurfaced. I’d honestly be okay with seeing Rebecca and Josh come back to each other if I thought it could be healthy. Again, I would never have expected to say that whilst watching the first two seasons, but they’ve been working so well together as friends in this season that, in a perfect world, I could see it working well romantically too. However, where Josh is concerned, it would be all too easy for Rebecca to descend into obsession once more. That’s why I’m glad Rebecca had this moment now – and then again with Nathaniel – so she could catch those feelings quickly and see them for what they are.

Rebecca’s slips into her old patterns should make it all the more interesting at (spoiler alert!) the return of Greg in the mid-season finale next week. Although I’m still not sure what I think about Skylar Astin filling Santino Fontana’s shoes, I think it’s important for Rebecca to reconcile with Greg so that she can truly move forward. A Rebecca/Greg reunion is something we’ve all been waiting to see ever since his surprise departure back in season two. There are so many ways it could go down, and I am just itching to see what happens. I’m almost glad I took my time before watching this episode – it means there’s less of a wait until the next one!

Yes, Karen Page is My Favourite Female Character of All Time: Here’s Why

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Deborah Ann Woll in Daredevil (2015)

This is a quick follow up to my previous article on Daredevil’s cancellation, in which I briefly mentioned that Karen Page is my favourite female character of all time. I’ll admit it was a pretty big statement to make with very little context to back it up. Nonetheless, it wasn’t a statement I expected to have to defend. Somehow my article made it onto Reddit and this statement of mine about Karen became a means for dismissal – proof of my lack of credibility. Now, I’m not petty enough to write this article in direct response to that comment – to each their own – but it’s worth a mention to understand why I am writing this now. You see, before reading that comment I was blissfully unaware of some Daredevil fans’ dislike of Karen (a matter I have since familiarised myself with.)

If there’s anyone I would fight tooth and nail to defend, it’s Karen Page. I’m not saying she’s the best female character of all time – I’m saying that she’s my favourite. It’s a personal preference. This is why I mentioned it in the first place – in acknowledgment that I have a bias where Daredevil is concerned, that I am deeply invested in the show and its characters.

Karen Page is my favourite female character and I do not say that lightly. I have some personal connections to her and so I can relate to her on a deeper level than any other character in Daredevil. I admire her drive and compassion, and I value that she isn’t always strong. She has weak moments where she breaks down – because dammit she’s been through too much shit in this world not to – and I love that the show doesn’t put a filter on that. Karen is obsessive and impulsive and she drives the plot forwards in leaps and bounds because even when she breaks down, she gets back up and keeps fighting for what she believes is right. The same can’t always be said for Matt (who tends to wallow in self-pity) or Foggy (who is often logical enough to remove himself from the equation). I love Matt and Foggy to bits, but Daredevil wouldn’t be Daredevil without Karen Page.

Yes, Karen is flawed and poorly utilised at times (The Defenders) but as far as I can tell, the primary reason for the hate is because she suffers from what I like to call ‘hated by whiny fanboys for being a human being who feels emotions’ syndrome. Simply put, she cries too much to be the badass hot chick, and she’s too headstrong to be a cookie-cutter sweetheart. Perhaps if she were more quirky or snarky like Jessica Jones, fanboys would find Karen’s harsher side easier to digest. Instead, Karen reacts to conflict in a way that is far more common – she pours herself into her work or she faces it head-on. She breaks down, and she truly feels her emotions. That’s what makes her so wonderfully human. Nonetheless, people still seem to blame Karen for everything that goes wrong in the show.

There is a common pattern of fans using Karen’s individual actions and the subsequent consequences as proof that she is somehow terrible, but, citing ‘Karen Page did this thing and xy bad thing happened as a result’ is no measure of her character as a whole. If this is your method of judgement I’m surprised you find any characters to like at all. Are we just going to ignore every time Matt has broken down, or been whiney or acted impulsively? If none of these are reasons to hate Matt, then why are they so overused as reasons to hate Karen?

Yes, Karen’s done bad things and yes, worse things have happened as a result. Cause-effect is the most fundamental part of storytelling – that how it works. There are lasting consequences for Karen’s actions and that’s a good thing. The show doesn’t attempt to give her any kind of free pass or pretend those bad things never happened. Instead, they use those bad things to spur Karen’s character development forwards, allowing her to connect with other people through her empathy for their position – which is a vital role in Daredevil that neither Matt nor Foggy can fulfil.

I won’t go as far as to say that Karen is the best female character of all time, but I will say that she is the best female character Marvel has to offer right now. I dare you to find a more complex, interesting woman in the entirety of the MCU. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but right now I can’t think of one. I can’t even begin to thank Deborah Ann Woll enough for breathing such life and depth into Karen’s character, and all I can hope going forward is that we haven’t yet seen the last of her.

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