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cocogukkie · 2 years

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2021: kdramas in review (the heartwarming, the frustrating, and the sob-worthy)

it is indeed, once again, december 31st and I am back with kdramas-in-review ✨2021 edition✨ (it is 8 pm as i write this so *high fives myself*)

this year has been a pretty good kdrama year (if we ignore the fact that I didn’t watch a single thing this december) I ended up having watched 54 dramas! plus a rewatch. thats pretty darn good if I do say so myself, also really highlights how little I accomplished this year lmao. just stayed at home and watched tv, truly inspiring.

this year was chock-full of major hits and major misses for me and unfortunately i’ve got some super popular ones as ones that I think were kinda bad *runs and hides* now disclaimer my friends, these are my opinions and you are very welcome to think i’m wrong! and thats okay!! I watched all of these in 2021 but not all of them were released in 2021. (quite a few of these have multiple answers bc im indecisive like that)

(theres only 10 gifs in this bc tumblr cut me off at ten, how long was this a thing?? 😭😭how rude)

most heartwarming drama of the year

Racket Boys (2021)

this drama was so slept on!! its AMAZING YALL! it is genuinely the sweetest, most relatable, wholesome drama about friendship and all the dynamics that come with that. it's about first loves and the painful wonderful awkwardness of it all, it's about parents going through their own issues, them realizing they might be hurting their kids and wanting to do better for them, working towards actually listening to their kids and adapting and growing. it's about community and being there for others. It's genuinely so so good and everyone should watch it. the child actors are incredibly talented and i’m def going to be following their careers in the future.

Navillera (2021)

another absolute banger my dears, this was a beautiful drama and i loved it from the first ep. it's about going after your dreams, whether you’re young or older, and achieving them to the best of your capabilities. It's also about finding what you want to do in life, especially when you don’t have a specific dream. it's about the dichotomy of loving your parents even when they’ve failed you and deciding what level of a relationship you want with them. its found family and platonic m/f friendships and the pains of growing old and the tragedy that is alzheimers. navillera made me cry because of how absolutely beautiful and heartwarming it was. 10/10 recommend.

drama(s) that made me SOB

(a smidge of spoiler territory for this section!!)

Youth of May (2021)

ahhhh hahahah i fucking sobbed. there's no way around it. this devastated me, ESPECIALLY because of how much i loved the characters and rooted for them and their happiness. myung hee and hee tae are two characters that are doing their best despite the situations they are born into and the expectations surrounding them in 1980s korea. this drama is joyful and painful all in 12 episodes and it hurt. it's about the gwangju uprising and the devastation that followed, so trigger warning for a lot of death. if you want just the happy adorable bits, just watch the first 6 eps and don’t touch the last 6 w a 50 ft pole.

Move to Heaven (2021)

wooo another sob fest occurred this whole drama. i think i cried through half the show? i accidentally ended up binging it because of how good it was. so i’d watch a few episodes, cry my eyes out, get a break from another episode, and then the next one had me weeping again. this is about geu ru (who is also autistic) who worked with his father as a trauma cleaner. his father passes away in the first episode and geu ru has to process his grief while also dealing with meeting his estranged uncle. this was an excellent look at societal issues in korea, what grieving looks like on different people in various circumstances, how people even process their grief. so many stories in this were so touching and heartbreaking while also being incredibly heartwarming.

dramas with chemistry royalty (aka the best couples)

Run On (2020-2021)

this ended in 2021 so i count it as watching it this year! seon gyeom and mi joo are the realest couple out there, these two are so wonderful and adorable while also showcasing the awkwardness in adult relationships and how miscommunication can be solved with… communication. they care about each other deeply while also not intruding on each other, respecting each other's boundaries, promoting that self love is the key to happiness and a long-lasting relationship. just so cute and precious.

Vincenzo (2021)

these dorks!! our lawyer power couple, absolute icons. their fashion and one-liners are enough to kill em dead. they are so so funny and are partners in the truest sense (which is my actual lifeblood). they bicker and didn’t really like each other at first, before we got them slowly moving to friendship! then partners/best friends!! then mutual pining!! its truly beautiful. vincenzo isn’t a romance (sad days) so our babies don’t get together till the very end but the journey was so much fun that i didn’t care at all.

Youth of May (2021)

i loved myung hee and hee tae and their relationship was precious and loving and funny and full of banter. they’re both absolute sweethearts and i want to be best friends with both of them. i related to myung hee so much, especially with the love she has for her younger brother. she is so brave and kind and hee tae is so smart and funny, they were perfect for each other. they were each other's chosen family and I just thought that was beautiful.

Doom at Your Service (2021)

another banter-filled, adorable, dorky couple! can you tell I have a specific type lol. these two were precious!! they supported each other, they were so goddamn funny together. their senses of humor matched perfectly and i laughed so much with them. dong kyung was relatable and myeol mang was wholly there to be a complete simp for her (as i think we all were). their relationship was honestly the driving force of this show (the plot is a little not really there and i didn’t love the side couple situation)

Happiness (2021)

MY BABIES <33333 i just finished watching this one and i. loved. them. they’re best friends to lovers with a marriage of convenience and seemingly unrequited pining but it's requited!! *sobs in happiness* (lol get it)

they’re partners, they care about and understand each other on a deep level. they know each other better than the back of their own hands, they support one another from episode 1, they were married! before they even realized it. just perfection. happiness is a mystery/thriller and these two absolutely stole the whole show.

best OST

Hospital Playlist 2 (2021)

I have to give this to hosplay because i genuinely have added almost every single song from season 2 onto my playlist. my personal favorite is Running in the sky by HYNN, i had this on repeat for like a month.

most frustrating/disappointing drama of the year

Sisyphus: The Myth (2021)

ahhh where to even start with this one…. first off, it was jtbc’s special anniversary drama which meant it was supposed to be,,,, i dunno,, good? and it was good at first. and then it got worse and worse and worse. i don’t think anyone really watched this one and tbh i wish i was one of them. the story is ridiculous, the ending is ridiculous, the whole thing failed to come to any sort of conclusion. the character work was atrocious. just nope. save your time and energy. if you watched this and want to read my rant after i finished it click here lol

dramas that fridged their female characters for ✨man pain✨

this was a weird thing i noticed this year in dramas and i did not like it. i thought we were over doing this shit but i guess not. spoilers ahead!

The Devil Judge (2021)

um i know a lot of people loved this but i didn’t. i get why others do, but i just couldn’t get over the writers for this one killing off half their female characters?? (all their main lead women btw) all for man pain??? or furthering a male plotline. like… please. soo hyun? dead for ga on’s pain. sun ah? dead. cause she gives up or her love for yo han or something?? i dunno man. even kyung hee got killed off to further the plot. at least elijah and jin joo didn't die *sigh*. my problem isn't that these women are dead, it's that only one male character died to further the plot and he was a supporting character. the scales are not even.

Jirisan (2021)

another one where almost every woman died to further the plot, except jirisan is even worse than the devil judge. bc in devil judge at least 2 survived. in jirisan, every woman in the title credit scenes except our female lead dies! all of them!! the fuck?? yang sun? dead. da won? dead. the grandma? dead. i cannot. none of the men died, just why. me no likey.

dramas that everyone else liked but the story devolved into nonsense (for me!!)

Mouse (2021)

pffft this show was ridiculous by the end. i actually really loved it for the first 10 eps, thought it was really interesting and engaging. and then the last 10 eps were dragged out, the story devolved into nonsense, things conveniently happened to move plot points along, the supposed “science” behind psychopaths got convoluted and don’t get me started on the amount of random brain surgeries occurring. as if the brain isn’t the most complicated part of our body. i have to laugh, truly. if you wanna give this a chance, go for it. but be prepared to suspend your disbelief all the way to jupiter.

Devil Judge (2021)

putting aside the fridging of female characters, uhh the story got so dragged out and boring by the end? was it just me? i was so bored the last 6 eps, the whole televised court system thing got repetitive and the points they bring up are really obvious ones?? at least to me. i didn’t love yo han like so many others so that's probably why i didn’t like it. again, give this a go if you wanna try it but be prepared for a lot of political jabber.

my favorite kdrama women this year

Kang Sol A: Law School (2021)

my queen, my girl, my ride or die. I love kang sol with my whole ass heart, i relate to this girl on a molecular level. i too suck at studying, i too am clueless to blatant flirting, i too will defend my friends to the death, i too wish to be as smart as her. she proves over and over again that tests don’t prove shit and her genius is shown through application and how she treats others. law school also has one of my favorite female friendships of all time, 💞💞💞ye seul x kang sol 💞💞💞

Ji Woo: My Name (2021)

i want to both hug jiwoo and be her best friend. she needs one very much and i am all too willing to provide. she was amazing to watch, her drive is inspiring, her story was heartbreaking. shes a complicated messy wonderful smart human being

Saebom: Happiness (2021)

if saebom stomped all over me, i would thank her. she is so smart, a complete and total badass. she’s also a lil weirdo and i love her for it. she cares about others but she’s not willing to let herself be emotionally trampled for it. she knows her boundaries and she protects them as well as being a fighter for the boundaries of those she cared about. i adore her.

Myung Hee: Youth of May (2021)

myung hee… my girl… she is a protective older sister who puts the needs of others above her own and wow do i relate. she has a tumultuous relationship with her dad and is a single female in 1980s gwangju trying to be independent and support herself. she works on trying to put herself first while also caring about her family. she is selfless and helping others is her life (she’s a nurse). again, i love her dearly. one of my favorite female characters.

overall favorite romance

Hye Jin & Du Sik: Hometown Cha Cha Cha (2021)

here they are!! my king and queen in all their glory!!!! if you know me or follow my blog, you know how much i love these two. they 100% could have also gone into chemistry royalty but i thought that list was getting long and this section is dedicated to them because that's how much i adore them. they’re bickering/enemies to lovers, they’re absolute perfection. they are perfect for each other, they learn to care about each other's quirks and not to judge one another based on initial perception. they challenge each other to be better, they talk to each other when they have problems. they love each other openly and loudly. they’re just so so great and a joy to watch.

favorite mystery/thrillers

Taxi Driver (2021)

this was so much fun! the vibes were there, the stories were all based on real events in korea which makes it even cooler. it was so engaging and interesting, plus lee je hoon fucking delivered. it felt kinda like leverage but with more trauma and i loved seeing the gang succeed and take down bad guys. i got my brother to watch this and he loved it too

Happiness (2021)

this drama was laced with something, i swear. i could not stop watching it. the vibes, the music, the characters, the fast-paced plot, it was all so so good. watch it!!

favorite netflix kdrama miniseries

D.P. (2021)

these are the 6/8/10 ep minis that netflix has been releasing this year, like; squid game, hellbound, my name, the silent sea, etc…

my personal favorite of the bunch hands down has been D.P.. it talks about an issue i didn’t really know a lot about, the military and its weird politics, rules, rigid structure and how it can really hurt some people (specifically men in this situation). i loved the dynamic between our two main leads, they were funny and kind of sad and heartwarming and engaging. this show broke my heart and im so excited for season 2 whenever it comes out. this drama has a lot of triggers so send me an ask for them (i also have a post)

favorite slice of life dramas

Hospital Playlist 2 (2021)

this season was so funny! i died laughing at so many parts, they really focused on the supporting characters this season rather than an overarching plot. I know other people didn't love it as much as hosplay s1 but i loved this season just as much. plus iksong finally sailed!! clutching my heart over here.

Hometown Cha Cha Cha (2021)

is this a surprise? nope. a beautifully filmed slice of life that explores people and various societal issues in korea. like divorced couples and the impact on their kids, parental death, how pregnant women can get treated by men (more specifically their husbands). it also focuses on regular day-to-day issues like living with loss, letting oneself feel their tragedy rather than bottling it up, opening yourself up to new relationships, not judging based on initial perceptions, being there for others, being kind, and so much more. a wonderful wonderful drama that is near and dear to my heart.

Reply 1988 (2015-2016)

I finally watched this!! I watched it earlier this year and then promptly rewatched it two months later. I adored this drama and the end makes my heart hurt in a good way and I can’t believe it took me this long to watch this. I get the hype, i truly truly get it.

favorite fantasy drama

The Uncanny Counter (2020-2021)

my favorite found family of the year!! this drama was a whole lot of fun with emotional depth and wonderful well-rounded characters, badass fight scenes, and satisfying taking down of bad guys! absolutely loved the relationships between our main 4 characters

Doom At Your Service (2021)

the fantasy elements were a lot of fun, myeol mang was actually a lil scary when he was hunting down bad guys (it was also hot af ngl). doom at your service was really enjoyable and was more a fantasy slice of life? the focus wasn’t really on the supernatural in this one, it was more on dong kyung and her prognosis.

k-movies i really loved

Little Forest (2018)

the quietness of this movie, showing the peace of living in a small village really made me want to live in a quiet town. i LOVED the detail of showing the food being made, it was so peaceful and calm. touches on themes of figuring out what you want to do in life, finding your own path and coming to terms that what you wanted as a kid might not line up with you as an adult.

Train to Busan (2016)

i watched this! extremely behind the trend as always!! and it was so damn good. i cried at this movie too. trust everyone’s reviews and watch this, it is so good.

Extreme Job (2019)

i watched this for honey lee and no regrets, this was funny as fuck. its about cops opening up a chicken restaurant as part of a sting and then being extremely successful at it. its got cool fight scenes, interesting characters, and a hilarious ending.

dramas i'll be starting immediately in 2022

these are the dramas that I just didn’t get a chance to start at the end of 2021 and will be starting immediately (as in tomorrow) bc they just look so good!!

Our Beloved Summer

Inspector Joy

The Kings Affection

Bad And Crazy

The Silent Sea

The Red Sleeve

mydramalist in my bio for every drama i've watched and their specific ratings!

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meetmeatthecoda · 3 years

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Wouldn't it be the most beautiful and satisfying finale (and I mean series finale, not season finale) if the last name on the list turned out to be Red's (it would tie up nicely with the "and he knows in his heart that he must pay" from the farmer's speech that, I think, we all feel was as much about Red as it could be about the Stewmaker) and he went out in style and in the most fitting way one could imagine for him – protecting Liz and/or Agnes – and the girls would inherit his fortune while his empire would be separated into smaller autonomous parts...

But!

That's, of course, not the end of it, because I'm, like Red, not a monster.

So, in the post-credits scene Liz would be in the park with Agnes and Dembe playing in the distance and she, perhaps, would be crying and then Red, alive and whole, would appear in the ending-of-the-Thomas-Crown-Affair style (because the way I see it the only way for him to be able to have a more or less normal life at this point is if the world would believe that Raymond 'Red' Reddington is dead) and there will be anger (on Liz's part, of course, because how dare he let her believe he was dead?!) and happiness (because he isn't, thank god) and declarations of love (which would be nice to finally have in a normal setting) and more tears (on both parts) and the series itself would end with a shot of Red, Agnes and Liz walking away holding hands with Dembe trailing a few feet behind them.

And that's the end.

THANKS ANON, I'LL TAKE TWELVE 😭😭😭 Honestly, this would be the most befitting, satisfying, beautiful series finale!! Why can't we have nice, happy things?!?! I mean, I know TBL isn't a rom-com or anything & crime procedurals aren't exactly known for their happy-go-lucky atmosphere, but let's think for a second... How many actually happy moments can we count in all the seasons of this godforsaken show?? Like, the example that comes to mind is Castle - also a crime procedural & yet THAT show is chock full of good vibes, morals about family & love, & - yes! - happy endings!! Why do TPTB fucking insist on keeping everything so doom & gloom??? There hasn't been a fucking happy feeling to end an episode in what, a few seasons?? Cause that's what it feels like!! There's always some NeW dRaMa or a BiG sCaRy cLiFfHaNgEr or SoMe OtHeR bUlLsHiT like ??? I know it's not a comedy, but most shows endeavor to wrap up the big plot points with some semblance of positivity - something about bringing the audience back with the expectation of eventual serotonin - and it's USUALLY REPRESENTED IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MAIN CHARACTERS. so WHAT THE FUCK???

On a slight side note, ^this^ is kind of what I've been leaning on coming up to 8.22. Like, they've never faced an ending like this before & one of their 2 leads is leaving - presumably not to come back - so I was almost counting on some sense of stability & closure with Red & Liz for this ep, not their usual bullshit, BC IT'S THEIR LAST CHANCE TO WRAP THINGS UP WITH A NEAT LITTLE BOW. (& don't even try to tell me they expected this when they started the show!! The pilot episode firmly establishes: The Blacklist = Liz's [and Red's] story. I'm sure they never expected having to write out Liz before the natural end of the series, so I was hoping to count on that to assure a nice ending to her "arc".) But, with their track record?? I feel like we can't even be sure of that. For a long time now, their biggest concern has seemed to be Shock Value & raking in the Biggest Audience Possible to continue airing, even at the expense of the continuity, the characterization of their female lead, & the central relationship to show.

*heavy breathing* Omg, I'm sorry, anon, but your beautiful vision for the series finale - filled with parallels & full circle moments - triggered some visceral reaction in me bc THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD BE. THAT'S THE FINALE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO COUNT ON, OR AT LEAST SOME VARIATION OF IT. BUT WE 👏 CAN'T 👏 TRUST 👏 THEM 👏 And I hate that 😐 Anywayyyyy, sorry to go off, anon, but please take it as the compliment it is, bc your version of the finale is flawless & I will be forever bitter that we won't get that on screen with James & Megan 🥲 Thank you for the ask, I'm sorry again for the rage rant, & much love to you!! ❤️

#The Blacklist #Lizzington #thoughts #8.22 #mine #ask #anon #dear god #this show awakens such an anger in me #and i am far too fragile right now to be counted on for coherent thoughts #but thank you for this beautiful ask anon i will cherish it forever #😭😭😭#and probably write something like it at some point lmfao #much love to you dear friend!!#<3

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youichi-kuramochi · 3 years

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VIV YOU WATCHED RUN WITH THE WIND?? OMGGG TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS??? I LOVE HAIJI HE IS LITERALLY PERFECT!!! AND THAT LAST SCENE?!!! THEY ARE SOULMATES!! ITS SO GOOD RIGHT??!!

Also I dont know if you know this but the author of Run with the wind said that in the original version of the story Kakeru and Haiji were romantically and sexually involved!!!!!!

ADFLKGJALKDFGJAL YES I saw a couple people talking abt it on twt the other day and I remembered that u had recced this to me a while back and finally got over my inertia about starting new things and this weekend was like alright let’s see what’s up with this running thing and oH MY GOD DID IT DELIVER I really did not expect to like it as much as I did as quickly as I did like. like within a couple episodes I was INVESTED. it was so SO good like the writing???? holy shit???? it’s just so idk how to put it captivating? it just draws you into this world and like. idk it was so chock-full of emotion despite only being 1 season like I was thinking like I joke all the time about sports anime always being like oh maybe the real nationals/whatever big competition is the friends we made along the way but with run with the wind IT REALLY IS????? like it’s about the LOVE???? it’s really full of so many different kinds of love like romantic, platonic, familial, self-love, love of this sport, just LOVE. and like the found family????? GOD I was openly weeping (which is. expected lmao I have a hair-trigger cry reaction to things) and bf who honestly doesn’t get that moved by shows all that much was honest to god tearing up too like. holy shit. how did this happen. I am STILL reeling.

I absolutely ADORE haiji I would lay down my life for him he is So Good. he’s just the perfect combo for me of like. sweet and caring and so very supportive of everyone on the team and just. absolutely feral. we love that duality in a man. I also really love shindou a lot he’s SUCH a sweetheart I was SOBBING over his leg of the hakone ekiden oh my GOD. though really honestly there’s not a single one of them I don’t love with my whole heart. they are just. they are Very Good Boys 😭😭😭😭😭

and YES I read that! esp. during That Scene in the last ep, bf and I were literally both just sitting there like bro. BRO. there is LITERALLY no heterosexual explanation for this. like ‘that’s my dream right there’????? ‘you asked me once what running is. it’s you.’???????? HELLO??????? so yeah I looked it up afterwards bc I was like this was not advertised as BL but like. hello??? it’s right there????? so I read a bunch of the commentary and stuff and I just aldkfglakdfgj good for them (also sidebar: the way kakeru’s face gets NOTICEABLY softer throughout the course of the show???? SCREAM)

all this to say I LOVED IT SO MUCH TY FOR THE REC u were so right it is AMAZING and I will be thinking about this for a Very Long Time

#there are. so many things I have thoughts about but I need to stop. I feel myself breaking down again. I can't I can't.#AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH [actual footage of the inside of my brain rn]#ask #deathbyfiction #text

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carterhaughs · 7 years

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some more charlotte + haxby stuff (which I already talked about extensively here) lol I’ll spare the tag another long post under a cut:

Given all the scenes they shared in ep 2 where Haxby sees how Charlotte and her family live and that scene with Mary, I don’t think Haxby’s feelings for her are purely hatred - they included that scene of him praying over Mary’s dying body - he initially said “all harlots are damned” but then ended up praying for her soul and I think there’s a reason they bothered to show us that as well as giving him so much screentime with Charlotte and seeing how things might be for her under other circumstances. There’s simply too much development and too many shared experiences there for him to be a flat antagonist - it would render all those scenes (and the wonderful acting in them) pointless - and would do the same for scenes where he’s been vulnerable in front of her, like the scene with the chamber pot I discussed here and a certain scene in ep 5 too based on what I know from spoilers anyway.

Speaking of ep 2, that episode is what made me think he’d develop a weird crush on her (was not expecting hate sex but I’ll take it) and maybe keep her secrets for howard because he understands her better now - where she comes from and why she is this way. like I said, there’s a reason they had him witness all that I think and there’s a reason he was at Mary’s deathbed with Charlotte. it’s her profligate spending that really drives the wedge between them and I can’t really fault him for that because she really doesn’t HAVE to spend that much. and I think part of the reason she does is that she’s just very irritated by the whole system and is extremely self-destructive. we see that in the scene in the gambling den with howard and lucy where she keeps increasing his stake just out of irritation really. but that’s also what makes me think eventually she’ll work with Lady Caroline and/or Haxby. it’s telling that neither character is mentioned in any of the spoilery episode summaries beyond ep 5 I think. their involvement will probably be somewhat unexpected.

Something else I noticed rewatching ep 2 was how Haxby observes Daniel flirting with Charlotte while she’s on the verge of tears next to the dead body of her old friend Mary lol she turns around and sees him watching (then turns back and takes a big swig of ale!) but his expression is neutral though obviously he’s paying attention and he doesn’t say anything about it to Howard later which is interesting to me (even though he did the first time he saw them together)

I couldn’t write a post about these two without further analysis of That Scene, so here it is - first, my friend @honeychurches‘ perspective, then mine in the next bullet point: “So he’s always sneering and disapproving but that was the first direct challenge to her power in the household. And obviously she’s desperate to feel she has control at that point, everything’s slipping. His reaction is quite powerful. Like he’s frozen at first, but his arms are quite visibly shaking. I don’t know that that means he’s ~violently repressed~ his attraction to her, but at least speaks to the depth of the connection. I wondered if her initial ~enjoyment was performative, she does play a role in sex. Is she smiling bc that’s what she does? I think she smiles bc it’s a high at first, her effect on H and sense of control. She is enjoying it, and whatever their connection is it’s a hell of a lot more real than with her culls. The kiss is super interesting to me, bc they didn’t have to? She’s just grabbed his dick, this is definitely heading in one direction. But not only does he kiss her, passionately, but there’s that intense look right before he does it. It’s all more intimate than you’d expect. The placement of their hands is also super significant I think, like a waltz. Her left hand perches on his shoulder while their others lock together. It’s weird she doesn’t do anything else with it, she just keeps replacing it on his shoulder as though she’s lost for what to do - probably symbolic of her loss of control. She’s initiated this but can’t gain the upper hand - in a dance the man leads, the woman follows. I think it’s a reversal of the beginning of the scene where she physically shoves him against the wall, against gender type. She laces their fingers together, which is quite intimate. When they finish, H’s hands still seem to be shaking (like seriously, GOOD JOB Ed Hogg) as they recover. Basically this scene is fucking intense and I totally bow down to the actors. HOTTTT.”

A lot of great observations above, esp re: it being like a waltz! Here’s my own response to my friend’s thoughts re: That Scene. something @calamity-bean pointed out too was the way he dropped the candle - symbolic bc of the candle scene earlier with lucy and charlotte? but starting at the beginning of your analysis - this was exactly that - the very first time he actually told her she couldn’t order him around, which is kind of true - he’s not a footman or a butler, he’s an estate planner whose place is generally with Lady Caroline but Howard’s ordered him to be here. this is not in his job description - looking after her and letting her boss him around. and as we’ve discussed before, charlotte engages in this act bc it’s the one thing she feels she has control over - that it’s the one beast in her life that is “an easy beast to tame” as she tells Lucy. it was impulsive but it seems like she figured she’d get a rise out of him, they’d have some sloppy sex and he’d be embarrassed at how much he is within her power to command. instead he responds enthusiastically and as you noted, passionately - I was surprised they kissed, for example, I thought they’d get right down to business. and he is shaking, probably for a number of reasons - repressed passion, frustration with her, as well as perhaps even fear and adrenaline at the realization they’re doing something very dangerous for both of them. but when they do have sex, as you said, he takes control - partly because a part of him likely really wanted this and partly because he wants to show her he’s a man I think (which as we discussed was what that smug look he gives her at the end seemed to be about) and yes you’re right it’s strange she just keeps her hand on his shoulder - she seems to be dissociating a bit from the situation but at the same time, she laces her fingers through his which is interesting and definitely very intimate. but YES by FAR the hottest scene on the show - I can’t imagine anything could surpass it really; it was beautifully acted, analytically chock-full of character and relationship detail, and also just really sexy? good lord. that scene revealed so much about both characters but also added a bit of mystery on charlotte’s end in the sense that she seemed weirded out by the whole thing and she didn’t get what she wanted out of it - a sense of control - we see that in her face at the end. but at the same time…the hands seem important here. perhaps she felt a sort of connection she didn’t expect to have? it was an act about trying to regain autonomy but it seemed to turn into something else at the end there - a connection she wasn’t really expecting between two people who have been feeling very deprived of their autonomy and rights by the same person. I don’t think there’s any doubt that Haxby was attracted to her before this but maybe she also felt something for him there…we’ll see. possibly not ever fullblown romantic but it is intriguing to say the least

the only thing that makes it seem possible to me that they’ll cotinue to develop this relationship in whatever form it takes in the future is the fact that the show has spent so much time developing it, really, and the different ways it could play into the show this season and in future seasons. so I’ll retain a sliver of optimism, however unlikely, that they’ll at least get to interact more and that Ed Hogg, who I always love watching on screen bc he’s amazing, will get to stick around.

#harlots #charlotte wells #thomas haxby #my harlots meta #don't mind me lmao

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