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Canon Promo Post 2022
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Please use this post to promote the fandoms you're interested in requesting, or ask for recommendations of canons that suit you!
Comment here with information about the canons you are thinking of requesting, or otherwise want to get people into!
Information you might include
Title
Please put your fandom's title in the subject of your comment. This helps people find your promo again.
Media
Approx length
Where to find it (If giving links, please only link to legal sources. You may want to encourage people to contact you directly if they are having trouble finding a canon and you can give them tips)
What is it, in summary?
What do you love about it?
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence) - this is at your discretion and is not expected to be comprehensive
Some examples: Yuletide, Fandom5k, previous fffx posts.
Please keep an eye on comments, as people may have follow-up questions about your canons.
You're also welcome to leave comments (anon or not) asking people to rec you canons that they are likely to request.
For example: "Please tell me about canons for which you'd be excited to receive interactive fiction."
If asking for recs, consider letting people know if you're interested in specific media only, or have other restrictions.
Please use this post to promote the fandoms you're interested in requesting, or ask for recommendations of canons that suit you!
Promoting your canons
Comment here with information about the canons you are thinking of requesting, or otherwise want to get people into!
Information you might include
Title
Please put your fandom's title in the subject of your comment. This helps people find your promo again.
Media
Approx length
Where to find it (If giving links, please only link to legal sources. You may want to encourage people to contact you directly if they are having trouble finding a canon and you can give them tips)
What is it, in summary?
What do you love about it?
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence) - this is at your discretion and is not expected to be comprehensive
Some examples: Yuletide, Fandom5k, previous fffx posts.
Please keep an eye on comments, as people may have follow-up questions about your canons.
Asking for recs
You're also welcome to leave comments (anon or not) asking people to rec you canons that they are likely to request.
For example: "Please tell me about canons for which you'd be excited to receive interactive fiction."
If asking for recs, consider letting people know if you're interested in specific media only, or have other restrictions.
Code Vein (Video Game)
Media: Video game, available for the PS4 and XBox One. Being a Souls-like, it's a rather difficult game, and there's also a free demo available if you want to get a feel for the difficulty for yourself.
Summary: Code Vein is a post-apocalyptic action RPG, and a rather difficult one at that, and while it takes place in the same universe as the God Eater series, you don't need to be familiar with God Eater to enjoy Code Vein. You play as an amnesic protagonist who bands with other revenants - humans who died and were revived as immortal vampiric beings - to battle the monstrous Lost and find a way to survive in a dying world.
The gameplay is difficult and the action bloody and frenetic, and there's a high emphasis on exploration. You can also have a companion join you during exploration, and each companion has their own strength and weaknesses depending on your playstyle. My personal favorite companion is Io, because I have a thing for mysterious white-haired anime girls.
My letter: Here!
Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi | Sunday Without God (Anime)
Media: Anime; it's twelve episodes with one bonus episode, and the English-language Blu-ray release is readily available. It used to stream on HiDive, but right now it looks like it's unavailable.
Summary: According to legend, God abandoned the world fifteen years prior, and thus people are no longer able to give birth and cannot find rest after death unless buried by a mythical "gravekeeper." The protagonist, twelve-year-old Ai, is one such gravekeeper for her tiny, isolated village. After tragedy strikes her village, she resolves to set out on a journey to save the world God has abandoned, and along the way she makes new friends and discovers how humanity has adapted to this slowly dying world.
Despite the bleak premise, it's actually a rather hopeful series, and I loved Ai's journey and her relationships with her companions, and I also really love the canon's setting, as it's both beautiful and haunting.
My letter: Here!
Toji no Miko | Katana Maidens (Anime)
Media: Anime, can be watched on Crunchyroll. It's twenty-four episodes, available both dubbed and subbed.
Summary: Young girls known as Toji wield special swords to hunt supernatural monsters called aradama. The first episode starts with a tournament, but it quickly becomes an action/thriller series as protagonist Kanami and her friends find themselves involved in a plot involving aradama-possessed humans and the truth of the great disaster from twenty years ago. The anime has a good variety of female characters and plenty of femslashy subtext too.
You can't go wrong with girls with swords, and all the yuri subtext is definitely a welcomed touch. I really liked the friendship between the girls, and I also enjoy the friends-to-lovers trope. All the sword-fighting is good too - even with utsushi, fighting aradama is no easy feat, and one of the girls being injured during battle is also ripe for hurt/comfort potential.
My letter: Here!
Atelier Ryza & Märchen Forest (Video Games)
Title(s): Atelier Ryza & Märchen Forest: Mylne and the Forest Gift
Media: Video games; both are turn-based/action-hybrid RPGs. Atelier Ryza 1 & 2 and the remastered version of Märchen Forest are available for the Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, and Steam. The remastered version of Märchen Forest also includes the Requiem of the Astral Realm DLC.
Summary: Atelier Ryza follows the titular protagonist as she suffers a bad case of small town boredom, so when a mysterious alchemist comes to her tiny island, she and her friends decide to set off on an adventure to learn more about alchemy and the truth behind all the ruins scattered about the island. Märchen Forest follows the cat-eared girl Mylne, whose genre-busting game starts with her helping her forest friends and then becomes a difficult dungeon-crawler as she explore a strange labyrinth to discover the truth of what happened to her mother.
Ryza and Mylne are both curious girls interested in alchemy and exploring, so basically I just want to see Ryza acting like a big sister to Mylne. Both games have their cute and dark moments, and it's easy to see Ryza and Mylne being adorable friends.
My letter: Here!
Eva Evergreen Series - Julie Abe
Media: Middle-grade fantasy series consisting of two books. There's also a stand-alone prequel called Alliana, Girl of Dragons, a Cinderella-inspired story about Alliana, the future Queen of Rivelle, and Eva's parents also play a prominent role in the book.
Summary: Evalithimus "Eva" Evergreen is a twelve-year-old trainee witch with only a pinch of magic. As such, she hasn't quite gotten the hang of casting spells, so when she sets out on her Novice Quest and ends up in the coastal town of Auteri, most of the residents don't expect much from her. However, with her flamefox Ember and a handful of new friends by her side, Eva is determined to prove herself as a true witch. All the while, the mysterious magical storm known as the Culling is inching ever closer.
I'm requesting Eva Evergreen as a crossover with Sunday Without God, as although the settings are rather different, I would love to see Eva and Ai becoming friends. It's also fun to imagine how to merge the settings, like figuring out how the magic of Eva's world would work with the lack of true birth and death of Ai's world.
My letter: Here!
Warriors - Erin Hunter
(Anonymous) 2022-08-08 05:19 pm (UTC)(link)Approx length: Depending on the book, 60000 words to 110000 words. The first book of the first arc (Into the Wild) is 62000 words, and a few of the novellas are around 102000 words.
Where to find it: https://readwarriorbooks.weebly.com/warriors.html (for arcs 1-3), https://readwarriorcats.weebly.com/ (for arcs 2-5)
What is it, in summary? Four clans of cats live in a forest and receive prophecies from their ancestors.
What do you love about it? The thing I love most about this series is probably the worldbuilding, closely followed by the cat politics. I love learning about the traditions of each Clan and how the Clans differ from each other.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? I would likely request ships from the first arc (The Prophecies Begin) or Bluestar’s Prophecy. I love the worldbuilding and the struggles that occur in the first arc, and Bluestar’s Prophecy has a lot of shipping potential to me.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships? Again, my requests revolve around Bluestar’s Prophecy and the first arc (The Prophecies Begin), so only those books would be relevant.
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence) - there is some fantastic racism throughout the series (the Clan cats toward kittypets) but it is especially prevalent in The Prophecies Begin as the main character is a former kittypet, and is somewhat prevalent in Bluestar’s Prophecy. The Prophecies Begin also contains a lot of gore, especially the last book in the series, and Bluestar’s Prophecy likely contains some as well.
Ever After High
(Anonymous) 2022-08-08 05:43 pm (UTC)(link)Approx length: Episodes range from 25 to 40 minutes, books range from 60000 to 90000 words, YouTube shorts are only a few minutes (no more than 8 minutes each)
Where to find it: The TV show can be found on Netflix and the shorts can be found in YouTube compilations
What is it, in summary? The children of fairytale heroes and villains attend a school that teaches them how to follow in their parents’ footsteps.
What do you love about it? I absolutely love the questions of morality throughout the series. Is it better to be forced to follow in your parents’ footsteps or make your own choices while risking everyone else’s lives? I also love to see the different reactions of each of the characters, and the unique pressure put on each one depending on their own story.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? Character studies and relationship studies.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships? The first and fourth seasons of the TV show (Welcome to Ever After and Dragon Games specifically). Also, I would recommend the book The Storybook of Legends for better understanding of the characters, but it isn’t necessary.
Content warnings - The Evil Queen is a particularly manipulative adult, and there is a heavy amount of fantasy fear in both The Storybook of Legends and Dragon Games. There is also a cannibalism mention and graphic heavily implied death in the Storybook of Legends.
Ghosts (US)
(Anonymous) 2022-08-08 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)Approx length: There are 18 episodes in the first season and the average length is 21 minutes.
Where to find it: As far as I know, it is streaming on Paramount, available on Hulu with Live TV, and the full first season is available on Amazon Prime for $14.99.
What is it, in summary? A couple inherit a mansion from a deceased relative and decide to turn it into a B&B. The wife has a near death accident which results in her being able to see ghosts, including the ones inhabiting the mansion.
What do you love about it? I absolutely love the ghosts. Each one of them is so unique and I love the little references to the eras they were alive during and just their personalities in general.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? I requested shipfics in particular, but also love relationship studies.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships? There are some episodes that are more relevant to my request than others. I would say the most relevant episodes would be Pete’s Wife, D&D, Thorapy, Trevor’s Pants, and Farnsby & B.
Content warnings - There is a lot of implied/referenced death (because over half of the characters are ghosts). This lends to implied/referenced violence, as well as some onscreen death (accidental shooting with both a gun and an arrow). There is also referenced drowning.
スタミュ: 高校星歌劇 | Starmyu | High School Star Musical
Approx length: 3 seasons, but only season 1 and 2 are needed for this. Each season is 12 episodes
Where to find it (If giving links, please only link to legal sources. You may want to encourage people to contact you directly if they are having trouble finding a canon and you can give them tips):
https://www.funimation.com/shows/starmyu/ (season 1)
https://beta.crunchyroll.com/series/GYZXWE596/starmyu (season 2. Just make sure it's season 2 and not 3)
What is it, in summary?: It's a great "male idol" show, although they're not idols, but students at a school, where they have an elit department known as the "musical department". All the characters are great, the music and the visuals are phenomenal, and... hoh boy, the gay undertones are amazing.
What do you love about it?: Honeestly? everything from the forementioned things, to the chemistry between the characters, to ust... everything!
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? Well, I requested just about everything the writers want to! For Haruto/Uozumi, I alsoo gave some ideas for exes getting back together/ Uozumi taking care of an injured Haruto.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?: For Haruto/Uozumi, only season 2 is important, but for the other ships I requested, season1 is also needed. Season 3, not so much
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence) - this is at your discretion and is not expected to be comprehensive: None
England Series / Will Darling Adventures - K.J. Charles
Media: Books and PDFs
Approx length:
"England Series" = 2 novels: Think of England (m/m, set in 1904) and a prequel, Proper English (f/f, set in 1902)
WDA is a trilogy with m/m leads, set in the 1920s.
There are three extra chapters available via free PDFs at https://kjcharleswriter.com/free-reads/
Where to find it: various libraries / retailers
What is it, in summary?
In Think of England (ToE), a flamboyant Jewish poet and a boxing jock-turned-Boer War veteran investigate treason.
In WDA, a black-sheep aristocrat and a WWI veteran-turned-bookshop owner with an emotional support knife tangle with traitors and each other.
What do you love about it? Among the principals, chemistry off the charts (--> sizzling sex scenes). The classic pairing of verbally slippery blokes & underarticulate protective lunks who eventually understand them better than anyone else in the world.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? Crossovers!
* Daniel da Silva is so much fun to insert in other universes because he's so good at exasperating/manipulating other people, and temperamental enough for other people to enjoy provoking. (Also, for what it's worth, Archie is in ToE canon a nephew of Sir Henry Curtis from King Solomon's Mines.) Daniel/Archie and Wodehouse's Psmith/Mike have enough in common both values- and personality-wise for seriously unholy alliances and/or cheerfully pushing one another's buttons.
* [WDA] Edward Molyneux was a real veteran + fashion designer who appears in one scene in WDA and is mentioned in a few other spots. So he's barely on stage in canon, but there is soooo much sardonic (and elegant!) potential in his POV.
* [WDA] Kim's Bolshevik past. Mary Wimsey's scandalous socialists. Kim and Mary might understand each other, yeah?
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?
WDA can be read without prior acquaintance with ToE. (I myself picked up the trilogy because the covers were fantastic, and then opened ToE because the last book contained a blurb about it.) For seeing Daniel/Archie through a Psmith/Mike lens, the most relevant sections of canon are ToE, "Song for a Viking" (ToE 1.5), and "How Goes the World?"(joint series epilogue).
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence) - period-typical homophobia in all the books; anti-Semitism in ToE. Significant body count. The author has more comprehensive lists at her website: https://kjcharleswriter.com/content-warnings/
Thanks for taking a look! Even if you aren't inclined to write acres of Edwardian/flapper-era mayhem, reading them will lead you toward a trove of delightful fics (other people have crossed this with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and Saint of Steel...) and the KJC Discord server is hilariously feral.
Re: England Series / Will Darling Adventures - K.J. Charles
Asking for recs - Opting in to Interactive Fiction
(Anonymous) 2022-08-08 10:38 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Asking for recs - Opting in to Interactive Fiction
(Anonymous) - 2022-08-13 01:33 (UTC) - ExpandRe: Asking for recs - Opting in to Interactive Fiction
(Anonymous) - 2022-08-13 01:42 (UTC) - ExpandRe: Asking for recs - Opting in to Interactive Fiction
(Anonymous) - 2022-08-13 02:05 (UTC) - ExpandRe: Asking for recs - Opting in to Interactive Fiction
(Anonymous) - 2022-08-17 19:52 (UTC) - ExpandDavid Blaize
Approx length: DB is around 150 pages; DK around 300.
Where to find it: DB is free on Gutenberg. DK is available via some libraries and retailers in a variety of editions.
What is it, in summary? The adventures of David Blaize, largely at a boys' school called Marchester and then Cambridge. He develops an exceptionally close friendship with Frank Maddox, who's a star both academically and athletically.
What do you love about it? In spite of the author's gestures toward heteronormativity, this series is one of the gayest things I've ever read, and I consume slash on the regular. THERE IS SO MUCH PINING. And sooo many possibilities for fic, whether the characters find their HEA (or tragic ever after, for that matter) with each other or someone new. (Blaize fandom has produced some lovely, captivating OMCs, as well as crossovers with The Charioteer, Maurice, The Marlows, etc. And the series figures significantly in Aster Glenn Gray's The Larks Still Bravely Singing...) The timeline is loose enough that creators can hop Victwardian or post-War with the plotbunnies.
More specifically, I like that David and Frank are both gifted yet flawed. Other characters worship them, but Benson shows not only scenes of triumph and comedy but also their moments of being petty, insecure, inconsistent, and mean, in ways that fit whom and where they are. (That is, Benson successfully navigates the fine line between realism and character-being-too-annoying-to-stick-with.)
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? There will likely be sensible prompts for David/Frank, Frank/Hughes, MC/OC, etc. from more sensible people. Me, I'm asking for more about David's sister Marjorie, because outsider POV is fun and the little we see of her is enough to hint at someone with sufficient intelligence and personality to merit 5-10K of her own adventures (and/or swinging cluebats at idiots in love).
And, the possibilities with Saul Lazenby (of Spectred Isle) & Frank Maddox intrigue me. Frank might make a good Green Man, and he might get Saul in ways that the others do not, both archaeology- and class-wise, but Frank is also appallingly talented at getting in his own damn way, but Frank is also beautifully crafty and keenly interested in justice and fairness and making things right. (Shoot, I think I may have just talked myself into requesting Frank Maddox x Kim Secretan as well. See above for the Will Darling Adventures promo...)
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships? Particularly in DK, there are chunks of exposition/description that I suspect a number of readers besides myself fast-forward through to get to the next bit of banter between key characters. (To paraphrase one critic, some of it does read like an old boy being nostalgically detailed about incidents that are dead boring to people who weren't there.)
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence) - period-typical homophobia, sexism, classism, etc. Frank has been called a walking list of content warnings, and that's not wrong -- he's a gorgeous mess -- but there's a reason why he's the character who's tagged most often.
Re: David Blaize
Re: David Blaize
Re: David Blaize
Re: David Blaize
Something Dark and Holy trilogy
Media: books
Approx length: three books, each between 100-150k words
Where to find it: Amazon has all three, but please checkyour local library or bookstore for a copy; if you can't find it, please talk to me !!
What is it, in summary? the series in set in fantasy!russia and fantasy!poland, two countries at war because of religious differences - fantasy!russia has a pantheon of gods and clerics, figures that are able to communicate and wield the gods' powers, while fantasy!poland has said "fuck this shit" and invented magic of their own, which upset the gods and caused war for the past few centuries. our protagonist is nadezhda "nadya" lapteva, the last of the clerics, able to commune with the entire pantheon, and who leads a mostly normal life in the monastery where she was abandoned at - until the prince of fantasy!poland comes knocking to kill her. nadya flees, and ends up meeting a mysterious soldier from fantasy!poland, alongside his two traveling companions.
What do you love about it? i love the characters! every single one of them is an extemely competent loveable loser - take them out of their comfort zone and theyre just... messes. none of them are perfect, and i just really like the amount of minimal worldbuilding we get in the epigraph of every chapter, and what little details narration gives us.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? considering the fandom is me, my boyfriend, and a shoestring, i'm requesting just more of it. whatever you want.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships? i'd take post-book 1 alone, if that's your deal!genuinely accepting everything here
The Langoliers (novel)
Length: 89k words, but it's a quick read.
Where to find it: It's in Stephen King's compilation "Four Past Midnight" and has also been sold as a stand-alone novel.
What is it, in summary? In The Langoliers, a small number of people on a redeye flight to Boston wake up to find that everyone else on the plane is gone, except they seem to have left behind their personal belongings, including eyeglasses, tooth fillings, and surgical implants. They manage to land the plane in Bangor (a deadheading pilot was one of the sleeping passengers) and find that the airport in Bangor is similarly empty. It turns out that they've flown through a time warp into the recent past, which is devoid of life and soon will be devoured by the "Langoliers" of the title. So they decide their best bet is to refuel the plane and try to head back to the time warp they flew through initially. They're working against both the clock (the Langoliers are coming) and against each other (not everyone survived the trip with sanity intact).
What do you love about it? It's a fun as hell Stephen King novel, and the story is wild. Parts of it are a little dated now -- some of the language particularly feels out of date and sexist -- but the story itself is a great ride. I picked it up the other day to look through it to check some details for my prompt, and ended up re-reading the entire thing in a single morning.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? There are two characters in particular that I'm requesting - Nick Hopewell and Laurel Stevenson. Nick Hopewell distinguishes himself early on in the story as some kind of a badass with spy skills, but it doesn't come out until later on exactly what's going on with him. Laurel is a fifth-grade teacher who has trouble not fainting at the sight of blood. But they're drawn to each other in the midst of all this chaos, and there's a burgeoning relationship happening....that, in canon, ends up not going anywhere. I want it to go somewhere! My request is basically asking for some version of a happy ending for these two, somehow, some way.
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence): As mentioned earlier, there's some kinda sexist language in parts. There's also flashback scenes to child abuse (one of which is very intense, IMO), and in the present a child is harmed/killed. There's also a certain amount of blood and gore.
King of Avalon - Frost and Fire
Title: King of Avalon: Frost and Fire
Media: Mobile game. A fairly standard city builder RPG with a bizarre storyline featuring Orlando Bloom.
Approx length: It took me a couple of weeks of casual play to complete the Sir Orlando storyline. However, I don't know if this is still available in-game.
Where to find it: It's available on Android and iOS, with a live action trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvvOoqrQ8yE
You can also enjoy screenshots of what passes for a plot here
What is it, in summary? You play as a blacksmith from the town of Dragonshield, which is attacked by the Unmelted - ice zombies that could not scream 'we couldn't afford the GoT licence but we really wanted it' louder if they tried. With the town besieged, you are rescued by a knight called Sir Orlando, who sends you to a city called Dragonsholm with a dragon egg to begin the fightback against the Unmelted. He guards your retreat and is presumed lost in the fight, whilst you go off to Dragonsholm and embark on pretty standard quests of sending your soldiers to clear out mooks, collecting resources and using them to build all the structures you need to be the Lord of Dragonsholm.
Then comes the bit I'm not sure if you can actually get any more: You defeat the Unmelted a few times, and it makes you think of Sir Orlando. The Old Man is aggravatingly vague and says you are both fated to meet him again and fated not to, so of course the next person you meet looks suspiciously like him. Long story short, he's now cursed and part-Unmelted, but has clung to his humanity and is out for revenge against the Unmelted and to protect the innocent.
What do you love about it? I don't even know. It makes no sense, but it compels me. It’s a bog standard fantasy world with refugees to rescue, treasure to find, frost basilisks, orks, centaurs and orthoses and now Unmelted to fight. Also, for some weird reason it has Mulan and Santa as unlockable characters. There’s also a plotline about Mordred trying to claim the throne of King Arthur and a war among the Knights of the Round Table, I’m not sure how that’s supposed to relate to the Sir Orlando storyline because, quite honestly, it’s kicking my ass and I can’t get through it. It’s a very silly mobile game and the reason I’ve done barely any reading or writing for weeks.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? I want Lord Blacksmith/Ser Orlando happy ending. That's all I want. Worldbuilding would be nice, because god knows the game doesn't have any. I also kind of ship Elaine of Gardot with Hellawes from their interactions in the Journey for Excalibur sidequests, and Sloane with the Wineskin Knight. And I want Nora to be able to settle down and have a bit more of a childhood.
My Two Dads (Live action TV series)
Media: Live action TV series
Approx length: 3 seasons of ~20 minute episodes, for 60 total. (You do not need to watch the whole thing!)
Where to find it: You can watch the first season on Youtube, the 1st and 2nd season on Crackle, and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd season on Tubi. (You'll have to search 'my two dads' on Crackle or Tubi.)
What is it, in summary? My Two Dads was an American sitcom that ran from 1987-1990. The premise was that two estranged childhood best friends, Michael Taylor (Paul Reiser) and Joey Harris (Greg Evigan) are reunited when they're presented with their 12-year old daughter, Nicole. They'd been in love with the same woman 13 years ago, but their fighting over her drove them all apart. Now they have to decide if they want to raise her together (it's unknown who the biological father is), and then how to work together to be good dads.
Oh, and they're complete opposites in just about every way. (It's a good thing they all actually adore each other.)
What do you love about it? Despite the foibles that come with these kinds of sitcoms (embarrassment squick, ridiculous situations, etc) I find it sweet and funny even watching today. Michael and Joey are sincerely trying to be good parents, and I think the show does a pretty good job with that aspect. Also, their relationship with each other is adorable. They bicker a lot, and sometimes seriously argue, but they always support each other.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? I'm requesting Michael/Joey! First time, or established relationship, hot sex or old married family life, I don't really care, but I need to see these two in love with each other. They frequently act like a married couple on the show, and the whole premise behind the show is the kind of thing that raises eyebrows. They never actually say Michael, Joey, and Marcy had a threesome - but they never say they didn't!
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships? Yes, I think you can probably watch half the first season and still get a good handle on the characters and their relationships. (So that would be under 4 hours total viewing time.) Obviously, you can watch more, but IMO the first season is the best.
Content warnings Casual 'comedic' misogyny typical of the genre, though I would say it's not actually rewarded that often, and generally the show tries to teach Nicole feminist values. Also, I would say while the premise of the show is homophobic (it's so funny that two presumably straight guys are raising a child together!), there are never any gay freakouts or 'no homo' style remarks. Occasionally they start talking like they're married, then go 'why am I talking about this with a guy?'
Oh, and I have a longer promo post on my journal.
Earth Star Voyager (Movie)
Media: Movie (live action, made for TV)
Approx length: 3 hours.
Where to find it On Youtube.
What is it, in summary? Earth Star Voyager is a Disney made-for-TV movie that ran in two parts in 1988. The basic premise is that in the year 2088, Earth has reached such a state of environmental destruction that they're starting to look for a new home. Thus the mission of the Voyager: a young crew is sent on a round-trip journey (27 total years) to explore a recently discovered planet. Of course, things go wrong immediately, and the young, inexperienced 2nd-in-command, Jonathan Hays, has to decide whether to continue on. They just so happen to encounter another ship's commander, Jake Brown, stranded on a derelict space station, and he helps out as the crew continues to encounter difficulties.
What do you love about it? For some reason, it's just always hit a really lovely spot in my id. This isn't a pretty show - everything is white, grey, and blue, the sets are sparsely decorated, and the computer screens are little more than schematics. I actually love that, because it feels like somebody sat down and tried to project mid-80s technology into the future. The world building is really interesting to me, because there is this whole villainous movement (the OTZ - Outlaw Technology Zone) that we only get glimpses of. And I love the characters. (I go into who they are a bit more in my promo post.)
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? I've requested worldbuilding, slash (Jake/Jonathan), femslash (Lani/Luz, two of the young women who are on the bridge crew), and both Jake and Jonathan as individuals. Honestly, I'd just love anything more about the show.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships? I feel like you need to watch the whole movie (which is 3 hours).
Content warnings: The only two people of color in the show have bad things happen to them. (Lani winds up in a coma, but does survive.)
The Quick and the Dead (Movie)
Media: Movie (Live Action)
Approx length: 2 hours
Where to find it: It can be rented or purchased on Amazon, or watched with ads on pluto.tv.
What is it, in summary? This is a Western that came out in 1995. It was directed by Sam Raimi, and has a lot of his fun stylistic quirks and camera shots. It stars Sharon Stone as Ellen, a woman whose childhood was ruined by the outlaw Herod (Gene Hackman) when his gang took over the town. She's returned many years later to take part in a quickdraw tournament hosted by Herod, only her goal is revenge, rather than to win the money. It also stars Russell Crowe as Cort, an outlaw-turned-preacher who becomes an ally to Ellen, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio as the Kid.
What do you love about it? Ellen. I love Sharon Stone's performance here as a woman who's just barely keeping it together as she faces down the demons from her past. She's badass, but very human, and I love these kinds of revenge stories. Russell Crowe is, in my opinion, at his prettiest here. The whole cast of characters (including Lance Henrickson and Keith David) are entertaining. It's quirky and I like Raimi's visual style.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? I've requested anything about Ellen, before, during, or especially after the movie. (I also have a few crossover requests for her, with The Magnificent Seven tv series, and the movie Hannie Caulder.) I'm also very open to Cort/Ellen, if that's something you'd like to write, although I didn't request that specifically.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships? No, you really need to watch the whole movie.
Content warnings: There's a storyline about a young teenage girl (possibly younger, I'm not sure) being groomed by one of the gunslingers. Oh, and there's a lot of violence, though it's not realistic violence. But the point of the tournament is to shoot your opponent.
Supernatural (1977)
Media: TV show.
Approx length: I'm requesting characters from a single standalone episode which is about 50 minutes long, but there are eight 50 minute episodes in the series in total (and they're all worth a watch).
Where to find it: This episode can be found on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuqafiyLnN4, and there are several other episodes on there too. Episodes can also be bought singly on Amazon's UK streaming service.
What is it, in summary?: Supernatural (the 70s one) is an anthology of Gothic horror stories from the BBC, each of which features a protagonist narrating their tale of horror to the Club of the Damned in the hopes of becoming a member. The price of failure, death. In the episode Night of the Marionettes a biographer of the Shelleys stops with his wife and daughter in an Alpine inn, and starts to think there may be a connection between the grisly puppet shows put on by the owners and Mary Shelley herself.
What do you love about it? Well, first off, it's got Gordon Jackson and Pauline Moran as a father and daughter with a heavily implied incestuous mutual attraction. :D The series as a whole wallows unashamedly in the Gothic atmosphere, but this episode in particular is astonishing. The puppet show in particular is one of the most gloriously weird things I've ever seen. Howard spends most of his time wandering along darkened corridors and brandishing a candelabra, and part of the rest of the time carefully trying to extricate himself from inappropriate clinches with his adoring daughter. Their relationship is absolutely the heart of it for me: they're so messed up but completely devoted to each other at the same time, and the actors are both clearly really, really enjoying themselves while taking the script completely at face value. It's a lot of fun to watch, and I am so delighted that it exists.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? More horror, mainly, especially Gothic horror in the style of canon. From a fanfiction point of view, there are a lot of questions left unanswered, and while the story itself is satisfying, there's still a lot to explore and I have so many questions. Is Mary possessed, for example? What happened at the Villa Diodati? What happens to them afterwards? Why does Howard approach the Club in the first place?
I'd also like to see their relationship explored. It's so screwed up, but at the same time they just adore each other so much that I can't help shipping them. I'm open to any level of explicitness for the ship, but I'm also happy for it to be treated as entirely gen.
Space Force
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Title: Space Force
Media: TV Show
Approx length: 17 episodes (~9 hours?)
Where to find it: Netflix
What is it, in summary? General Mark Naird must build Space Force, the US's military branch for IN SPACE!, with the help of his chief scientific advisor, Dr. Adrian Mallory. Despite no one taking them particularly seriously, they have a number of successful and less successful missions to space early on. Similar vibes to The Office - not a very serious show, despite the military trappings.
What do you love about it? Mallory was such a stand-out character for me. Intellectual, sophisticated, older (and gay), he makes a great contrast for Naird's blustering leadership. They make a pretty good team when they're not bickering over the budget.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? I plan to request fic about Mallory's relationship with General Naird, as well as with his science protégé, Chan.
Content Warnings: NAWA, but feel free to ask if there's anything in particular that would put you off!
Dr. Stone
Media: Anime. (I've nominated this version because it might be easier to get into, but it's faithfully translated from the manga. If preferred, I can help you find that as well!)
Approx length: 35 anime episodes in 2 seasons (~12 hours?)
Where to find it: Crunchyroll
What is it, in summary? You know how sports anime use sports as a plot device/goal/conflict that they can then build all their character development around? And likewise for cooking anime, card game anime, etc? This is like that... but with SCIENCE! The main character wakes up in a post-apocalyptic future, and sets out to use his scientific know-how to rebuild all of civilization from scratch.
What do you love about it? The science bits are clearly explained and feel educational (?). The main character is a larger-than-life genius who acts like he only cares about Science and Rationality but secretly wants to help everyone (my favorite trope!). The plot moves rapidly and goes in unexpected directions.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? I'm planning to request fic or art about some characters that come into conflict in season 2.
Content Warnings: I can't think of anything major, but if you have concerns about any particular squicks, feel free to ask!
The Morose Mononokean (manga)
Media: Manga (there is also an anime adaptation, but it doesn't cover the full manga and has some pacing issues)
Approx length: 18 volumes
Where to find it: The English translation is legally available on Crunchyroll
What is it, in summary?: Ashiya Hanae thought youkai were just imaginary creatures - until he spent his first week of high school in the infirmary due to being possessed by one. Out of desperation, he calls the number on a recruitment poster for an exorcist and meets fellow highschooler Abeno Haruitsuki, the master of the Mononokean, a tearoom youkai that connects the human world and the Underworld. Haruitsuki agrees to safely send the youkai possessing Hanae to the Underworld, but in return demands that Hanae repays the price he can't afford by becoming his employee and helping him handle requests from youkai - which also takes care of his recruitment problem, as nobody else has applied anyway.
While the earlier part of the manga mostly consists of comedic case-of-the-day youkai-related plots, there is also a more serious central mystery connecting Hanae and Haruitsuki's backgrounds that is slowly revealed.
What do you love about it?: Hanae and Haruitsuki have a classic 'knowledgeable but cold vs unknowledgeable but kind and enthusiastic' dynamic that is done really well. Adding to this is that Haruitsuki is a human who sees himself as being on the side of the youkai in any conflict after growing up with them while other humans didn't believe they existed, and Hanae seems to be his first good human connection. I enjoyed seeing their relationship gradually deepen and trust build between them.
I also enjoyed the side characters; the youkai designs in particular are neat and often really cute. While the art is a bit rough in the beginning, it becomes very nice by the end, and the official art is really pretty. Also, while the series is officially a comedy, it also has darker moments where serious conflicts occur and lives are under threat, and I think it balances these moods well without loosing its overall lightheartedness.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?: Worldbuilding, gen backstory for Haruitsuki, and a darker pairing involving one of the side characters.
Content warning: One of the side characters has a sister complex joke, though from what I remember it really only comes up early on, and he never does anything creepy or controlling. There is some body horror and one or two gorier pages later on that wouldn't be out of place in a horror manga, and the death of one youkai character happens on page.
Elvira's Movie Macabre
Media: TV show
Approx length: Between 140 and 179 episodes depending on how you count them, but you don't need to see them all because there isn't a narrative and Elvira's character remains consistent
Where to find it: Shout Factory, https://www.shoutfactorytv.com/series/elvira-s-movie-macabre
What is it, in summary? Elvira hosts various cheesy movies while making jokes before, after, and during the movies.
What do you love about it? I love watching old cheesy movies. I love Elvira's personality and think she is really fun.
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? Elvira, the host and only character.
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships? Yes, you can just watch any random episodes. The episodes labelled season 6 are pretty good.
Content warnings (ie, rape, incest, racism, gore/violence): Sexual humor. Please look up the individual movies featured for specific content notes.
The Orville
(Anonymous) 2022-08-17 04:34 pm (UTC)(link)Media: Television
Approximate length: 3 seasons - season 1 is 12 episodes ~45 mins, season 2 is 14 episodes ~48 mins, season 3 is 10 episodes ~75 mins (total watch time: ~32 hours)
Where to find it: Disney+ internationally (and in the United States), Hulu in the United States. Some countries have other services that have it, if you can't find it in your country feel free to reach out and I can see where it is!
What is it, in summary? Science fiction workplace dramedy - think Parks and Rec in space
What do you love about it? It's just really fucking good scifi. The characters are all flawed people trying to do their best in a universe that is constantly changing and becoming weirder and scarier. Also, it's a show that only gets better as you watch more - Season 2 is better than Season 1, and Season 3 is better than Season 2 (at least, in my opinion).
What sort of things are you likely to request for it? Ed/Kelly
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfill your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships? You could probably start watching Season 2 without having seen Season 1. For the Ed/Kelly relationship, these episodes will get you close to seeing their whole relationship arc: 1.01 "Old Wounds", 1.09 "Cupid's Dagger", 1.12 "Mad Idolatry", 2.13 "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow", 2.14 "The Road Not Taken", 3.03 "Mortality Paradox", 3.07 "From Unknown Graves", 3.10 "Future Unknown"
Content warnings: Very dubious consent with alien sex pheromones in 1.09; allegorical transphobia/endosexism in 1.03 and 3.05