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elejahfanfic · 4 years

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The Vampire Files/1

Fanfiction

Part 1

AU crossover story

Elena Gilbert and Nick Amaro are FBI agents, investigating paranormal activity and all different strange cases involving demons, witchcraft, vampires.

There will be other tvd/to characters in it. All of them and they will all have different roles, completely different than those on TVD/TO and some Law&Order svu characters like Olivia Benson.

As always- love plays a great part too!

I hope you enjoy this story- as always thanks for reading. xoxo

@miguelsbrat

a/n: blame this one me still watching Law&Order svu and other shows like Penny Dreadful, City of Angels. And been rewatching X files and - cuz I can’t get enough of Nick, the detectiveguapo. 😊

****

Elena Gilbert extended her condolences to her partner's wife.

"I am so sorry", the Agent said,"Jackson was a really good man."

"Yes, he was."Freya said numb. Elena could see in the woman's eyes that she still blamed her for her husband's death. To tell her that she was going to do everything to avenge her partner was not appropriate at that moment. Elena just nodded as a goodbye to the woman and walked off.

To be a Special agent of the FBI was a tough job. Death was everywhere. A daily occurrence. She has seen the most heinous crimes in the seven years she had been with the Bureau, and although she looked like she was stoned faced and nothing much moved her, she hid a very warm and tormented heart under the made up facade. The picture of Jackson with his heart ripped out kept lingering in her head and although she tried to block it with her usual methods of removing herself from the pain, it still was so vivid and it made her contemplate leaving her job altogether.

****

At the FBi HQ- the Executive Assistant Director stood up greeting Special agent Nick Amaro offering him a seat. The Agent sat down ready to listen why he was brought in taken away from a case he was investigating. The two men obviously knew each other well, but still there was a certain coldness that made this meeting a very brief affair.

"It is the extension of the X-files, you are familiar with I know. Elena Gilbert, your new partner, has been working on it for the last two years. I believe you have heard that she had lost her partner two weeks ago."

"I have. And I suppose you are assigning me to the X-files?!" Nick said with no particular emotion.

The EAD passed him the file Elena and Jackson were working on adding a simple yes.

"That is all, I guess." the Agent said taking the folder standing up.

"This is off record" Rafael Barba said. "Just so you know, you were not reassigned because of the shooting. We thought that agent Gilbert would need someone with your expertise."

"Is that all?" Nick sais standing up, ready to leave.

The man just nodded and with that Nick left the office. He wasn't particularly surprised at the reassignment. And it had all to do with the shooting. Him losing his cool for a moment was something he knew he would pay severely. He took his phone and pressed the speedial.

*********

Meanwhile

Elena walked in her office. Another agent was waiting for her to leave the last forensic data she had received.

"Wasn't expecting you here today." Olivia said as she handed her the file over.

Elena sat down at her desk. "If I work and get Jackson's killer then I am useful. I just couldn't be there any longer or go the house. Freya still blames me. And maybe she is right. This is all my fault."

"Come on. He was a professional. And you were in far worse situations before." Olivia said.

"We should have done it differently. Like all the the text book stuff got lost on the way. I don't know. I am playing it over and over in my head at what moment the investigation went so out of hand. I will almost believe he was cursed. Like that voodoo priest said." Elena lamented.

The women were interrupted by the knock on the door and a man walking in greeting them politely as he introduced himself, "Hello. Agent Nick Amaro. I've been assigned to - I’m your new partner."

Elena stood up looking at him nodding a little. She knew that eventually someone would be assigned to take Jackson's place, "Gilbert -uhm, this is Olivia Benson, FSS ( Forensic Science Service)"

Olivia welcomed the Agent and then excused hersel, leaving the Agents.

Elijah looked around at a very small office. with the most strangest posters and a board of It felt like he was demoted. But it actually it didn't matter. They would be out in the field lot more than in his place. He walked over to the desk that was set exactly opposite from Elena's. It was still cluttered with Jackson's things and notes, other personals stuff, like the photo of his wife.

"Yes. I have not yet come to clearing it up. It will be done today." Elena said standing up, taking the photo off the desk and collecting the notes jotted on the papers scattered on it.

“I know how it feels.”Nick inhaled softly. He remembered his own loss. Losing a partner is one of the hardest things, as this person is more than a friend. Someone you put your lives in hands on a daily basis, especially in their line of the work. He knew of her, seeing her in the building numerous times, and always wondered how someone like her got to work with the Bureau. 'She is tough as nails' Rollins said to Nick once as they had heard of a case a kidnapping of a little girl being solved by her and Jackson a year before.

"Nick Amaro - Ah, I remember now. You worked on the cold cases, and then with the Jeffersonian. Here it is about monsters and paranormal. Voodoo, witchcraft, demons. Take your pick."

"I heard you have PhD in demonology?!" Nick said.

"Did you not read my resume. Anyway, how do you stand on that?" Elena shot back.

"Demons? am here to investigate criminal activities. I had a fair share of twisted cases."

"Twisted cases, ha?" Elena said not so happy his take on it.

"Maybe not a clever choice of words." Nick corrected himself seeing the deadly look she gave him.

"Maybe." Elena said. "so, I guess you read the file?!"

"I did. Actually skimmed through it. I heard also that another body was found in Virginia, Mystic Falls." Nick said.

"Yes. All drained of blood. No markings on the obvious places, suspecting vampire activity."

"Vampire activity?" Nick said with a surprise in his voice.

"Yes," Elena replied,"File under the number 88. Vampires, beings from who subsists by feeding on the life essence, generally in the form of blood, of living creatures. "Oh, I guess they will finally send someone down to install your own computer. We are here like non-existent as you can see. It's like weird doesn't really is real."

"Agent Benson brought the forensics in? Nick now asked to change the mood.

Elena handed the latest update sheet to him."There."

As soon as he entered the room she noticed a certain assurance and command in his demeanor. He was about the work. There was no reason for her to act so defensively towards him. She knew very well that someone would be assigned to take Jackson's place. But, his appearance made the reality that Jackson was gone for good absolute. And it was harsh. Jackson's dead face came back to her and suddenly went pale.

Nick noticed the change in her. "Gilbert, are you all right?"

"Fine." Elena replied coolly, obviously trying to hide the pain.

"No, you're not. And it's perfectly acceptable. You are allowed to grieve."

Elena just put a small dismissive smile on as if thanking him for his truthful concern, but she was not ready for anything personal yet, so she overrode the moment and continued to talk about the case.

Nick listened, letting her brief him fully. It was clear that there was vulnerability under the facade of a woman made out of steel. He listened to her like in a trance. Everything about her captured his soul from the moment he walked into the office. This he could not deny, although he ignored it.

*****

Elsewhere

Rebekah walked in the diner, and sat down at the table at the end, taking her phone out, reading a message. The waitress came around with the cup of coffee, serving her, "Bad day?"

Rebekah thanked her for the coffee and replied, "I had worse."

The waitress left and she put the phone aside and looked out. It was still raining. There were days one wish they could be erased altogether. This was one of these days for Dr Rebekah St. Claire. She looked at her finger, where once a diamond ring was.

Flashback "I can't do this Bex. And it's noz because I don't love you. But, I am not myself. Everything inside of me is about the kidnapping. You've seen me. I could have hurt you yesterday. I can't. Let's call this all off" Marcel said.

"Please- we can do therapy- together. You can't just- go-" Rebekah said tearing up feeling like someone had kicked her in the guts.

Marcel felt the same- and looking at her so cut made his psychosis brew up wanting to set the world on fire for having messed with him.

”I can't” he slipped and walked out of the room.

Her attention was soon diverted by her friend Caroline, who sat down opposite from the doctor.

"Hey" Caroline just said without adding anything else. She knew all about her fiance's trouble.

"It hurts. And - you know what today is?"

"Yes. Would have been W-day"

"And look at it- pissing down with rain," Rebekah said, "maybe it is telling me something."

"I know this sounds like a cliche- but it will get easier" Caroline said.

"Not till I know that he is healed - somehow"

"You still blame yourself - the kidnapping had nothing to do with you" Caroline tried to comfort her friend.

"Come on, Caroline, we know it's not true. I had the evidence."

"And you could not give them - we don't negotiate with criminals" the blonde reminded her.

"No-" Rebekah said pensively.

Caroline's phone buzzed and she answered it-

"Klaus?- No. Still waiting the evidence to be released. Yeah- Later"

"You still hate his guts?" Rebekah now remarked "Pretty much. Hate having to work as his deputy" Caroline said.

"But since he was appointed as DA things are getting done- and you rock as a team"

"Can we not talk about him and work. Pie?" Caroline suggested.

Rebekah nodded as in yes, please.

********** At the FBI HQ

Nick was left reading Elena's notes from the File 88 - as she was called away to the Field Director.

He tried to cross-reference the data with the present case. Everything indicated that Elena was right. This murder was very much related to these mythical creatures.

A knock at the door made Nick look up as a man entered asking for Elena.

"Hi. Elena?" the man said, obviously inquiring for her whereabouts.

"Out," Nick said simply,"you are?" He knew who the man was, but he still wanted formal introduction, "Agent Salvatore, Stefan."

"Nick Amaro" the Agent replied turning away from the file.

"You"re her new partner?!"' Stefan cocked an eyebrow at the Agent.

"I am." Nick replied adding,"leaving a message?"

"No. I will call her later. See you" Stefan said and exited the office.

Nick returned to reading the file when his phone buzzed.

"Third body appeared in the woods," Elena informed him, “I’m outside.”

Swiping the call off, he put his coat on and went out.

*******

Elsewhere

Caroline walked in the pub called 'Georgetown' putting down her bag on the bar stool next to Stefan.

"What are you having?" Stefan asked.

"The same as you." Caroline said."it stopped raining."

"It did. I went to see Elena. She got a new partner." Stefan informed his friend.

"So, she did?! Who is it?"

"Nick Amaro" Stefan said.

"Right." Caroline said."I tried to call her. Today was Jackson's funeral. She hasn't answered any of my calls yet."

"She has just sent me a message that she is going to be out of town for a few days. The case." Stefan updated the attorney.

"She is allowed time off, but she has not taken one day off," Caroline said,"one day she will come crushing down."

"Not until this case is over and they find Jackson's killer." Stefan said."But even then she might just sweep it under the mental carpet."

Caroline now took the Bourbon that was served- and inhaled sharply.

*******

Three and a half hours later, Elena and Nick arrived in Mystic Falls. Although it was quite late, Elena wanted to see the Sheriff and get a brief update.

"Sheriff Donovan? Elijah said.

"Yes," Matt said,"come to my office."

Elena and Nick followed the Sheriff in. As they recieved the report, Elena asked when she could see the body. And of course it was first thing in the morning.

“Right.” Elena muttered and then asked if there was anywhere they could grab something to eat.

"The Grill. It’s the best place if you like home made type of food." Matt said.

"Pie - I actually really need some pie." Elena said.

“They served the best pie in all of Virginia” the Sheriff replied putting his hat on. “I’m on my way there, too.”

Soon, Elena and Nick were at the Grill with a burger and a slice of apple pie each.

After taking a bit of the pie, Elena seemed to change into a different person, making Elijah say, "Lack of sugar?"

"I think better when I had something sweet.” Elena said raising her eyebrow at her new partner.

Nick looked at her as if taking notes.

"Ready for the vampire hunt?"

"Excuse me?"

"Everything you said on the way here makes perfect sense, but trust me everything will defy logic." Elena said.

She spoke as if she already knew that they would be tapping in the dark, and there was a whiff of darkness from her heart kicking at him. A strange kind of resignation. It was not that particular case, it was clear to him that she was talking about Jackson's case.

"Agent Salvatore is on Agent Kenner's case?!" Nick then said.

Elena nodded with a small bitter smile.

How, why- at that moment he wished he could take the pain away from those stone cold dark eyes.

Come out while the rain is gone Slow down breathing on your road And the world keeps spinning around while we dive in it And the world is . in stone leaving marks on our skin

#nick amaro #elena gilbert #nick amaro fanfiction #crossover au #au fanfiction #fanfiction #klaus x caroline #rebekah mikaelson #nicklena #danny pino #nina dobrev #alternative universe #alternate pairing

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kylermalloy · 5 years

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My Official Unofficial Ranking of The Originals Seasons That Literally No One Asked For

So, these rankings turned out hilariously chronological. It’s not that I think each season just got progressively worse—it’s just that when I laid out the good things about each season, and the bad things that outweighed them... this is the order I ended up with.

MAJOR SPOILERS for The Originals ahead! Also, as a disclaimer: this is all opinion-based, and I reserve the right to change my mind at any time.

5 - Season 5

So...I kind of hate the last season. Part of it is my bitterness about how the writers messed up the character dynamics, and part of it is amazement that the (mostly) same team of writers wrote the masterpiece that was season 1.

So, the overarching story for this season is...? “We’re making a spinoff with Hope next year so we have to get rid of all the characters who are close to her who don’t want to be in yet another dumb vampire show”? That’s my impression of the writers’ goals when they planned this season. Although there are a few pertinent themes about hatred and prejudice (the irony of the Nazi-esque bad guys opposing Klaus when Klaus himself had a Nazi-esque crusade back when he first showed up on TVD is not lost on me) none of the themes have a lasting impact. They’re not developed in a memorable way. We get these purist losers to serve as villains for the first half of the season, then they’re unceremoniously taken out after they’ve killed a sufficient amount of main characters.

Then the rest of the season is just...wheel-spinning. A game of hot potato as we speculate who’s going to die at the end.

Don’t get me wrong, there was some powerfully good stuff in this season. I fully support the ending, even though the majority of fans didn’t like it. I loved it. I thought it incredibly fitting for the show to end as it began—with Klaus and Elijah side by side. Facing death together as they faced life. Dying for Hope. Their family’s legacy.

HOWEVER. A few good moments at the end of the season doesn’t make up for all the crap the writers pulled throughout the season. They had NO RIGHT to kill Hayley. They had NO REASON to separate Elijah from the family—the entire show, basically—for over half the season, or to make him complicit in killing Hayley. And that darn time jump from season 4 to season 5 is just...I have no words. Klaus and Hope were jipped out of so much time together, just because the writers wanted a teenage Hope. So many sloppy decisions were made in this season, both storywise and character-wise. It really calls into question the writers’ understanding of the characters they’re writing. So much of this season undercut what the last four seasons of the show were working toward. And the regressions we see in this season have no lasting impact—like Klaus’s murder relapse, or his estrangement from Hope. They’re nothing more than cheap excuses to make the plot happen.

(Clearly I have feelings.)

What this boils down to is that the narrative in season 5 has no structure. It’s a patchwork of lazy storytelling and fanservice—a few good moments between characters we already know and love doesn’t excuse that. Although the series ended with a bang, it’s clear that this final season was nothing more than the scattered, picked-clean bones of the show I fell in love with.

4 - Season 4

So this season is much better in terms of plot—the story is tightly paced and clearly planned out.

The problem is that it’s boring.

The narrative that the writers presented this season required lots of moving around and doing things and characters talking to other characters, and hardly any of it was interesting. Klaus and Elijah spend most of the season separated in one way or another. Freya is separated from her family for a large part of the season, and I’ve only just recently rewatched the entire show—so I can definitively say that Hope and Elijah don’t have a single conversation in this whole season. Elijah, the one who first believed in and fought for Hope—before Klaus, before Hayley even, really—Elijah isn’t important enough to talk to Hope. Elijah gets shunted off to his dark arc mostly with Vincent—all to facilitate a completely unnecessary breakup with Hayley.

The one thing I have zero complaints about is Klope. Klaus and Hope were flawless in this season. They were everything I wanted. Klaus’s unsure parenting, his determination to make this change-for-his-daughter thing last, his SOFTNESS around her...that part of the season was stellar.

Klaus’s arc of healing his relationship with Marcel was also good. I don’t think it got enough screentime, and by the end of the season it wasn’t fully resolved, but I liked how it was actually addressed. (This show has a tendency to brush off Marcel sometimes)

The other thing I really appreciate about this season is that Klaus, the main character, wasn’t given a love interest this season. After his major love interest died the previous season, the writers did not try to give him a new one, or even try to pair him up with his baby mama. His relationship with his daughter was his main focus for the season, and it was beautiful.

So, season 4. Not as insulting as season 5 in terms of plot, but this plot...and this’ll surprise everyone...took too much focus. We spend more time learning about the Hollow this season than developing Mikaelson family relationships, and that’s honestly a crime. Any story that doesn’t develop the Mikaelson family dynamics is dead in the water.

3 - Season 3

At a glance, this season is awesome. I know a lot of hardcore fans liked it. I also know a lot of fans hated it. Me, I both hate it and love it. I think the idea they were trying to accomplish was a good one, but the cost? Very high, too high. The story, though it has great stakes, is actually quite shaky in places.

Personally, I never liked the Trinity storyline. The idea of the Originals facing their first sired was not interesting to me, especially when Tristan was boring, Lucien overstayed his welcome and became annoying, and Aurora turned out to be nothing beyond a silly soap opera plot device.

I did like the ending, though. Marcel finally reaching his last straw. Rising above his creator and finally showing us what would happen if the power dynamics were reversed. It’s sick and scary and exactly what I want from a monster soap opera.

But there’s a lot of things I don’t like. I don’t like that Cami was killed. Double-killed, actually. Davina’s arc was in complete shambles the entire season. Hope was out of focus for most of the season. And the werewolf drama that had caused Hayley so much grief last season wasn’t even background noise—it straight-up didn’t exist.

Like I said, I liked what the show was trying to do, but I think the writers chose an ending and forced it to happen instead of letting the pieces fall organically. There were probably some outside factors involved too, like the fear of not being renewed, actors wanting to leave, etc. My personal theory is that, out of worry that season 3 would be the final season, the writers killed Cami in an attempt to push Klaus to glorious redemption mode (don’t even get me started on how dirty they did Cami’s arc) thus giving us the conflicting death/vampirism/permadeath Cami arc in the back half. Which makes sense—but it’s still messy from a storytelling perspective.

But despite all that complaining, there were some things I truly loved about this season. The Klelijah rebuild was solid, organic, and completely earned. They began in a fractured place, seemingly beyond repair, then forced to band together in the face of threats, and ended the season possibly closer than they’ve ever been. (their hug in the finale still messes me up, y’all. I’m weak!)

Elijah got some truly interesting stories this year. While Tristan and the Strix were both duds, I actually really enjoyed Elijah’s relationship with Aya. And his relationship with Freya! Let’s be real, season 3 was really the season of Freylijah. As weird and incestuous as the Mikaelsons come off sometimes, Freya and Elijah are the most married. In fact, I’ll just go ahead and give a shoutout to Freya altogether. A hitherto unexplored Mikaelson with a sketchy-at-best history with her brothers moves into their house full-time? This could have been an epic disaster, or at the very least could have turned Freya into Rebekah 2.0—but somehow neither happened. Freya held her own, and her addition worked very nicely.

*deep breath* I have so much to say.

2 - Season 2

(Yes this list is shaping up exactly how you think it is!) Okay. I’ve got so much love for this season, even though parts of it drive me up the wall.

I’ll start with the positives: the family feels. Almost every part of the family drama hit home. The resurrections of Finn, Kol, Mikael, Esther, and the surprise introduction of Ansel were all superb ideas, storywise. The recasts of Kol, Finn, and Esther (and eventually Rebekah too!) all worked VERY well—a special shoutout to DSharman for making me truly care about Kol for the first time! And having an old family member as the main villain works SO well for this show. Dahlia was really awesome—and in the end, almost underutilized. But Freya! The addition of Freya to the family brought forth a whole new tidal wave of emotions.

And do I even need to say it? Klope, y’all. They just give me all the feels. The midseason finale will always have a special place in my heart.

That’s not to say I don’t have my problems with this season. The narrative structure comes from a very bold place—in typical TVD fashion, the terrible threats we started out fearing are soon rendered obsolete by this much huger looming threat. Alliances are formed, backs are stabbed, hearts are broken, and the end of the season leaves us and the characters picking up pieces of our hearts off the floor.

I very much like the idea that Klaus, obsessively paranoid and fearful, would turn on everyone he loves to protect his child. However, I don’t think the necessary steps were taken in the narrative for us to actually reach that point. There was too much werewolf drama—for Hayley to care about them so much, shouldn’t we know more than three of them by name? And speaking of Hayley, I kind of hated the back half of her arc. As she ascends to werewolf queen, she loses all the braincells that got her this far and decides to trust Jackson and her new family over the Mikaelsons, the oldest, most ruthless and feared supernatural beings in the world. Huh?

Altogether, I just don’t think Elijah, Rebekah, and Hayley all turning on Klaus was well-deserved in the writing—especially considering how well they all worked together in the beginning of the season. I think it was another case of the writers establishing an endpoint far ahead of time, then pushing all the characters and events to fit their plan. Still, I liked this season a lot. Not as sloppy as season 3, but still not as masterful as season 1. And without further ado...

1 - Season 1

Here it is! The masterpiece. My baby. The year of television I can rewatch at any time and enjoy so thoroughly I forget the other million times I’ve seen it. And I can wax poetic about it for days, much to the dismay of my followers.

I’ve heard some people—fans, even—call season 1 unfocused or disorganized, cluttered, still figuring itself out...but I disagree very strongly. Since TO is a spinoff, and the three main characters were already well-established by the writers (well, as consistent as the writing on TVD ever was) I never saw TO as a show that had to figure itself out. It knew who its characters were, it knew exactly what it was trying to do, and it did exactly that. It just was never what the audience expected, and it took a storytelling route that we as viewers aren’t quite used to.

This show took on the monumental task of trying to redeem one of the biggest, baddest fantasy villains on television. A thousand year old mass murderer who had long since lost any drops of humanity. A tortured soul, sure, who’d made a few cursory steps toward semi-goodness, but still damaged beyond repair...or so we think.

Klaus’s redemption comes through this child that he fathers. But it doesn’t come for free. I often say that Klaus is both the protagonist and the antagonist of season 1, because no one is working harder against his betterment than he is. We as viewers have to learn quickly that Klaus accomplishing his goals is not necessarily a good thing. We expect his struggle with Marcel to end in triumph at the season finale, because that’s what generally happens with pilot plotlines. But instead, Klaus wins the Quarter in less than eight episodes, and his rule falls apart multiple times before the season ends. (I’m especially grateful for Marcel’s character not falling into the trope of “Klaus created a monster who ended up being worse than he is!” because that’s stupid— and why Lucien, who does fall into that category, fell so flat for me. It just doesn’t work with a character like Klaus. Nobody out-monsters him.) We expect him to get everything he wanted—because he’s the main character and things work out in the end, right? No. The entire season is a slap-in-the-face wake up call for Klaus. He can’t be worthy of this child that he can’t deny he wants unless he changes who he fundamentally is. He expects to rule the Quarter through his sleazy condescension and his larger-than-life threats, but he finds himself challenged and even overpowered at every corner. He expects to mistreat his sister, walk over her and rage at her like he always does, and ultimately win her inevitable forgiveness—but she can’t take it anymore, and she leaves him.

He expects to be able to control everyone around him, placing himself at the center of everyone’s universe, and that ought to create a suitable environment for his child to grow up in. But when she’s born, he can’t even keep her safe on her first day of life. And that’s when he realizes he can’t do this anymore. Despite being a master strategizer, this can’t be how Klaus lives and acts as a father. The season finale is a beautiful culmination of this realization, as he does what he’s never quite been able to do, and trusts the people around him—release control.

Of course, this realization isn’t the one-and-done redemption story. The walk back is long and arduous and full of setbacks, as the subsequent seasons prove. Klaus’s old temperaments get the better of him over and over and over again. He learns and unlearns and learns again. And I could just go on and on about how much I love this season.

Now, after all that gushing, I still don’t know how much of the season was planned, or if outside forces (actor contracts, availability, etc.) had a hand in shaping the story, but either by tight plotting or happy coincidence, the stars aligned and this season is darn near perfect.

There are definitely flaws and shortcomings, but the overall story is just so good that I can easily overlook them. Catapulting off TVD, which relied so heavily on shallow drama, TO did what most spinoffs can never do, and surpassed their parent show. This first season? It’s to die for.

(I realize this was far too long, and I don’t really care. I’m aware of my inability to move on from shows that have ended, and I also do not care.) I’d love to hear thoughts, discussions, opinions, anything!

#the originals #original groupies #another example of ‘why we shouldn’t let kyler nightblog’#i get incredibly long winded and emotional #i always say tired-me is what drunk-me would act like (if i ever got drunk)#there’s so much i didn’t even talk about #this show is just so darn BUSY #kylerrambles #also yes I am still working on rankings of spn episodes #i just had to get this out first #rankings

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mantra4ia · 5 years

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OG Roswell vs Roswell New Mexico

I just finished rewatching Roswell (concluded/three seasons/streaming on Hulu) circa my youth from late 90s/early 2000s in order to compare it with Roswell New Mexico (new/ongoing/CW), and I have made the following conclusions so far:

Pros-

CW definitely picked the right actors for Max Evans and Liz (formerly Parker) Orcheto. I love Nathan Parsons - he has the soft-spoken, essense of puppy dog look that Jason Behr had in the role- and the chemistry between them is great.

That said, I think the original series did it better. Nothing beats the casting Shiri Appleby and Jason Behr and their goofball mariachi scenes, biology lab shenanigans, and alien 👽 ears. Sidenote about RNM: for as much as I love the unexpected twist of Alex and Michael together in RNM, nothing beats the casting of Majandra Delfino and Brendan Behr either. Their fantastic "at the same time I want to hug you, I want to wrap my hands around your neck" Michael-Maria dynamic is unbreakable, which I think the CW is trying to replicate with Alex but not with the same bantering charm.

RNM definitely comes out swinging with the political commentary/humor, and it makes the show feel of-the-times in the same vein as classic Roswell's "George Bush is an alien" t-shirt and the other references of the era to various 90s pop culture and music artists. The revival doesn't always stick the landing with the laugh, but the effort is there.

So on the subject of humor, levity in the original series is beyond compare. Yes it's corny, yes they pull out all the stops on hokie. But that's also what makes it so endearing. Seeing the main characters' relationships with their parents is also an unfortunate missing piece that RNM, by the mechanics of the "all grown up" plot, misses out on. Mrs. DeLuca, Mr. Evans, and the sheriff, had their fair share of laughs in Roswell and I miss that.

Alien special effects have far improved over the course of nearly 20 years. No more silver paint handprints, woooooohoo.

That said, nobody does 90s music transitions between scenes like Roswell. Nor jump cuts and cutaways.

I like Roswell New Mexico's homages to the OG show (the CrashDown, the waitress uniforms complete with antenna, and the ketchup are still priceless). More than anything, I like the fact that RNM paid attention to where Max's character left off in the original series, a little lost in purpose but wanting to help people, and so they made grown up Max a deputy, and likewise Liz became a scientist. And of course, the throwback mentions of Liz and Max in bio lab, Liz wiping hot sauce from his face...

But why have an homage when you can have the original hot sauce? Or, for that matter, half broken Jeep, fully DoA Jetta, and peach Snapple?

I'm thankful that so far there is no sight of the Tess character in RNM (I say, despite my love of Emilie de Ravin), and that they've seemed to pass along her mind warp power to Isabelle.

Cons-

How dare RNM backseat Maria DeLuca's character?! She was the beating heart and soul of terrestrial Roswell, her friendship with Liz is vital to the show in a way that the revival is not pulling off so far.

Roswell New Mexico has one advantage over Roswell for which I am grateful, and that's the fact that Maria, Max, Liz and crew are grown up and not keeping diaries anymore (thankfully I think TVD used up that plot device and the well has gone dry for the foreseeable future), which leads to fewer face-eating awkward make-out scenes in high school back rooms. Yet somehow the post-teenage angst is still front and center, go figure.

I like Michael Trevino. He's a welcome addition to any ensemble. But the CW plug to the Vampire Diaries/Julie Plec by putting a VD book on the shelf in Rosa's room is so cringy I can't take it. I am trying to black out the fact that Plec is EP on RNM and they make it impossible.

Roswell was kind of episodically self-contained with very few true cliffhangers, whereas Roswell New Mexico seems to stretch out the plot arcs a bit more. I can appreciate that added bit of complexity.

However, RNM also takes itself way too seriously. And I'm not just talking about the balance of drama and humor, for which the revival leans into the dramatic side heavily. I'm talking about the fact that the original Roswell, while it fully embraced the science fiction, was also self-effacing at times, like it was in on the joke that everything was just a little bit ridiculous. It embraced the cornball element. Dare I say it loved the cornball, and I think that's part of the reason why it's so rewatchable and bingeworthy years later. Roswell New Mexico has none of that.

I never understood the need for royal hierarchy conflict, love triangles, babies, and exiled aliens fighting a nearly unseen foe - Kivar - in Roswell (because more often than not the plots double back on themselves and come up half empty), so I'm glad Roswell New Mexico took a more worldly approach to the problems the protagonists are facing.

Sadly Michael Guerin and Isabelle, like Maria DeLuca, fall flat in the new series so far. In part I think it's because the story hasn't done a lot of relationship building between them and Max (it spends so/too much time building the drama and tension around Liz's sister's 'murder' plot that I'm not yet invested in) to highlight the sibling connection that made the first iteration charming. And that's a shame.

Lastly, who's disgusting idea was it to swap hot sauce for acetone polish remover? Never. No. NO.

Overall, I still much prefer the original Roswell vs. the Roswell New Mexico revival. It has a rewatchability and heart that the new series has yet to capture for me. I could give it time at least until I see the episode that Shiri Appleby directs, but I think that the new tone of the show is something else entirely and I'm not the biggest fan.

#og roswell #roswell #roswell new mexico #compare and contrast #max evans #liz parker #maria deluca #michael guerin #valenti #shiri appleby #jason behr #brendan fehr #majandra delfino #emilie de ravin #nathan parsons #crashdown cafe #hot sauce on everything #first impressions #roswell reaction'd

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dahvangogh · 6 years

Text

about stares and smiles

The girl squad are doing their homework while sitting in the bleachers when the football team starts their practice.

Friday, classes just ended minutes ago and people were minding their business. The bleachers of Bouldin High School were being graced by warm rays of sunshine, that’s why the five girl group decided to sit there and enjoy some of their spare time together. Or they were enjoying it until they started doing some homework.

“Can’t believe we already have homework! ” Jo threw the blue ink pen at her notebook, frowning so much her eyebrows that they almost looked like one. “Estupido profesor, it’s our first week!”

Meg smiled sympathetically, she hated math as much as Jo and most of the student population. Or at least the majority of it without including the nerds or the members of the academic decathlon.

“I will do it this weekend, it’s for Monday so I’ve got time” Kelsey smiled while using her backpack as a pillow, she was leaning back and looking all bright thanks to the sunny rays. “Relax, it’s just three or four exercises, nothing too complicated!”

“I almost flunked math last year, so this is nothing but complicated as fuck.” Jo hugged Zoya. “Help me, save me from this hell of math equations!

All the girls started laughing at Josefina’s theatrics, while Zoya patted her shoulder and tried not to. Last year Zoya’s help was crucial for Jo to pass and this year she will probably need the extra help too. While all the girl chatted and chatted, and the homework was left untouched, Grace started doodling Megan’s soft side profile and Jo’s laughing smile. When she felt content enough she then moved to do the same with Zoya, her calm demeanor and soft smile watching all the girls, she was a badass but when it came to them, they saw the real one. She then raised her left brow at Grace, who just winked and kept doing her drawing of the hijabi.

Beautiful, soft and lovely Zoya Ali.

The girl was so focused on drawing the girl as accurately as possible that she didn’t even notice when the football team entered the field to start their practice. When she started her doodle of the blonde, she saw how suddenly her expression changed. Her eyes became bigger and shinned, focused on something on the pitch.

‘‘Oh my god, Daniel looks so hot!’’ Kelsey giggled while staring at him. ‘‘Like, that tan makes him look even hotter! You know?’’

Grace’s pen stopped over some shadow lines she was creating, since the day he called her gorgeous and beautiful that name made her feel weird. She closed her eyes and breathed deep, got her hair out of her face and looked towards the field. And there he was, she found him as quick as a wink.

He was smiling, his hair more messy than usual and a bit more tanned than the last time she saw him. Those dimples of his gave her headaches, it was so unfair. Why was he so handsome? And then he laughed at something Jordan said and she couldn’t stop the smile that crept across her face.

Unfortunately to her, he decided to turn around at that moment and as quick as she found him before he did the same this time. It’s like they were magnets, never missing the other. He stared at her astounded, it was like she just took his breath away, and then he smiled even more. It was like someone just punched her stomach, hard and without a warning. He was smiling softly, and that wasn’t there before when he joked with his friends, it was just for her. Because of her.

‘’Fuck.’’ Grace whispered and turned to look back at her notebook, quick as lighting.

He saw her smiling. At him. He wasn’t supposed to. And why did she smile at something that asshole did? She trembled just thinking of his deep stare, because she knew he was precisely doing that right now, he was that predictable to her. And she felt it too which made her feel even more flustered. Fuck.

Grace stared at the page where she draw all the girls, her fingertips tingling to sketch another person. She closed her eyes for a second, trying to calm herself. After taking a deep breath, she opened them and picked up her pen, continuing the one of Kelsey and trying to focus entirely on her friend.

But why was she still talking about him?

‘‘Shut it, Kelsey!’’ she couldn’t stop herself. All the girls looked at her surprised, Grace was never that harsh with the blonde. ‘‘I mean… you should stop overthinking about it, he knew he did wrong and that’s why he apologized, that’s it.’’

Jo nodded and Zoya, with her arms crossed on her chest, looked proud of Grace for saying it out loud. They didn’t want Kelsey to get her heart broken by that idiot ever again.

And he didn’t apologize just because. Daniel Williamson did it so Grace Olsen would go out with him. That was the deal. So Kelsey needed to get that asshole out of her mind. She was worth a ten of him.

Meg started talking about something P. Jo told her, that the football team rented a house near the beach and had this huge party, which ended with all of them being trashed and destroying most of the furniture.

Grace frowned, those guys were trash. Every boy in that football team was bad news, and Daniel Williamson was the worst of them. He was the worst of them. She knew that.

Her phone buzzed on her jeans back pocket.

Donald: Beautiful Grace Olsen, i like it that you’re here watching me practice.

She rolled her eyes trying not to laugh out loud. Of course he thought he was the center of every human beings world. What a narcissistic asshole. Grace glanced to the field, it seemed the football team was on a break, and he was there on the bench, with one hand texting on his phone while chugging from his water bottle.

Another buzz.

Donald: I was wondering what time I should pick you up tomorrow. You know, for out date.

She bitted her tongue.

How about a quarter to never?

She glanced at him again, he was laughing while looking at his phone. She kept biting her tongue, so she wouldn’t bit her lip or giggle out loud.

Donald: Grace, I was promised a date.

She rolled her eyes, again. He was the biggest cliché she had ever seen.

Yes, a date. Like to a movie, when we don’t have to talk and I can put at least three sets between us.

When she looked at him again, he was staring at her. Dumbfound. Astonished. And was that hurt on his face? It seemed he was jaw clenching. She felt something weird at the pit of her stomach. So she just typed the first thing that came over her.

Can’t tomorrow, got something important to do.

He replied absurdly fast.

What?

She tried to think of an excuse, something that he couldn’t refute and seemed true. But nothing came.

Very important meeting with the squad, about our new dance routines and more. Sorry Donald.

He was smiling again and she felt herself frowning while staring at him, that stupid arrogant smile was driving her nuts.

‘‘Oh my god!’’ Kelsey high pitched squeal was almost heard in all Texas. ‘‘Daniel just texted me, he said Football team party tomorrow, bring your squad and come.’’

All the girls tried to see the blonde’s screen, even Zoya was excited about it. She frowned, looked back at him and saw how he was laughing at something a team mate said.

‘‘But we were going to have a meeting tomorrow? About this season and our new dance routine and all.’’

She tried to seem excited for the meeting, even though she didn’t care about it at all. Back then she just said yes to this whole dance group idea to meet Meg and Zoya. Nothing more.

‘‘But it’s the first party of the year!’’ Jo tried to reason with her. ‘‘We must go. The kittens will be there, so we should too.’’

Kelsey nodded enthusiastically.

Grace tried to make Meg side with her, but she seemed excited about it. Her eyes shined with the thought of dancing and having fun.

‘‘And I thought this meeting wasn’t important to you?’’ Confusion was all over Kelsey’s face.

Everyone was now looking at her, probably thinking the same.

‘‘But it is to you.’’ Grace smiled tenderly, she gestured to each of them. ‘‘And to all the team, so then it is to me.’’

Smiles crept in all their faces.

‘‘Well, I got an idea.’’ Meg winked at Kelsey. ‘‘We do the meeting first, then we go to the party.’’

Jo high fived Megan and said something like yes queen, the other just laughed and Kelsey squealed from happiness after another high five with Meg.

‘‘What you think, Zoya?’’ Grace asked quickly, trying to find a supporter.

Everyone’s attention was now on the hijabi, Grace felt her heart thunder from expectation. Hope was burning inside her, maybe Zoya didn’t want to go to the party and preferred to do something more chill.

‘‘I say let’s go to that party and show those bitches how to have fun!’’ Zoya smirked, her eyes twinkling from excitement.

Screams and cheers erupted from the other girls while Grace try not to overthink about tomorrows night. She took a deep breath while Kelsey asked the group about her answer, she wanted it to look cool and non-interested in Daniel, even though she completely was.

A couple of minutes later, when the reply was sent and the girls started talking about who would be invited to tomorrows party, her phone buzzed.

Daniel: You lose.

She outragedly looked at him, frowning so hard that it started to hurt, and he was looking smugly at her, playing with his phone. The couch of the team blew the whistle, calling the team back from their break, but he just stayed there, staring at her.

Furious at his manipulative ass, she raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms. She was looking fierce, every other guy would run to the hills, but he was there. And his smile changed, now not a smirk but it was back like later, soft almost like adoring.

Then he turned around and went back to where his couch was, leaving her dumbfounded and her thundering heart.

Saw this headcanon on Twitter, think it was @/tommyshelbys and @/hoe4noora, and had to write something about it. Key word try because it’s not that great.

Oh, and I was rewatching season 4 of TVD, some people probably understand if they read it all.

Whatever, this is dedicated to all the fandom, we got too much hate but here we are, standing by our ship and enjoying the ride while waiting for our season 2.

Hope u like it and sorry for the grammatical mistakes!

#skam austin #skamau #graniel #move #daniel williamson #grace olsen #skam #my wrtiting

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septembersung · 6 years

Text

I was thinking about the Queen’s Thief books today and how everything changes on the reread once you know the end, and decided I needed to revisit the beginning of another story like that - so I rewatched the TVD pilot and did a little liveblogging. If you are considering watching the show, note that I am not spoilerfree like @thevampirediariesdiary‘s recaps. The pilot is pretty clever and deserves to remain unspoiled.

Opening scene: okay but HOW did he SCOOP HER UP INTO THE AIR, they should’ve brought that back

He compelled a bird to HIT THE CAR SHE WAS IN

Everyone looks like an INFANT except Caroline, who looks exactly like herself as always

How did I forget how much I love Vicki

Ah yes, Tyler, I’ve pretty much always hated you

WHATS WITH THE SUNGLASSES, STEFAN

I love Elena’s hair so much. More than anything. Except her scolding Jeremy. That’s the objective best.

Bonnie and Caroline zeroing in on Stefan as the mysterious hot new guy lmao

Matt eyeballing Stefan gazing at Elena gazing at Stefan and trying to read Bonnie’s text from an aisle away is there ANYTHING more high school pining-y

THE BIRD THE BIRD! It followed her through town, to the cemetery, WHICH MEANS!! Good grief, Damon. I’d ask if he had anything better to do... but...

Being not-obvious-obvious staring at her while silhouetted between angel headstones Damon you dramatic POS

Does Stefan realize what’s going on right under his nose? Probably not. Apparently not. IDIOT

He’s already looking at her like he’s been in love with her for a hundred years. And then there’s that creepy line about everything he’s been burying for years... HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO TAKE THAT, STEFAN, MR “YOU’RE NOT KATHERINE”

I love TVD’s vampire face a thousand times more than buffyverse’s but I do kind of miss the turning to a pile of ash on death thing

“We’re planning a June wedding” DING DING DING DING

Elena and Stefan have a magnetism from the get go which is very compelling (no pun intended) but it is nothing compared to what develops with Damon and tbqh I prefer the latter chemistry

POOR MATT. Poor baby Matt still in love with Elena. Poor Matt unable to protect Vicki. MATT I love you.

Poor Uncle Zach. And Stefan remembers but he doesn’t. THE PAIN.

Wait so Damon and Stefan haven’t seen each other in 15 years, Stefan says - which means - since the last time Damon saw Zach - and that was eclipse day. Cue waterworks. Damon really is a walking pile of awful and I unreservedly hate him as he is right now.

Why I loved Bonnie from the very beginning: She’s the most mature and considerate and the BEST friend. The things she says!! She won’t get in the middle of Matt’s unresolved-ness with Elena, she’s concerned for Elena in a way other aren’t because “it’s been all summer geez,” she’s compassionate with Caroline even while impatient with her self-absorption and frivolity, she’s fun and lighthearted but also clearly has a solid core - you deserved the universe, Bonnie.

“It was a night of great loss” What is THAT supposed to mean, STEFAN, considering you know the (almost) whole story???

Eavesdropping on your crush, Stefan, laaame

BONNIE TOUCHED HER AND SAW A CROW! A CROW, OKAY!!! When she’s right, she’s R I G H T

“You and me, it’s never gonna happen” ERRRR, wrong answer

They really get the high school vibe spot on in the pilot, I love it. I wish they hadn’t abandoned it quite so... thoroughly

If I just confessed that my parents had recently died and the cute boy responded “You won’t be sad forever” I’d be like... how do YOU know, and INSENSITIVE much? Not even a sorry first?? An attempt at empathy???

Are Matt and Vicki twins? Jeremy and Elena are one grade apart, but what about Matt and Vick?

“It wasn’t...” “Passionate?” Okay, he DOESN’T know an ordered desire from a hole in his head, but he’s also right here. And I’m PRETTY sure they were being spied on. HOW does Stefan not pick up on these things? Especially given the recent gruesome “animal attack”

They even TALK about the fog! But it never comes back even though it’s a classic vampire power! I much prefer to think, as suggested, of Damon hauling around that fog machine, dedicated to his unrequited love and The Aesthetic

Damon can’t even SAY HER NAME for the FIRST TIME without putting a happy little lilt in it, and that’s when he’s TRYING to be creepy

They should’ve included Stefan flying across rooms in a rage more often, that was a wonderfully bad bit of movie magic

About 90% convinced Damon’s “that’s a given” is more “well yeah, I’m a vampire, I eat people,” and less “of course I’m a killer,” but he’s very much playing Stefan, meaning quite a bit of it, and knows exactly how he’s coming across.

Poor Caroline. Drowning in jealousy and inadequacy. Why did I not like her at first???

Damon’s hair is so... droopy. He has bangs. Not his most attractive look. Also he looks like a million years older than Caroline, come ON girl, that wouldn’t be healthy even if he wasn’t unredeemed Damon Salvatore. My least favorite part of s1? Quite possibly. Damon and Caroline, I mean, not the hair.

I don’t think i’m ever going to be satisfied with this show because the early bits ARE so STINKING good but the really happy bits later on with all the right pairings last for all of .0005 seconds and no matter how many times i watch it that will never change, and that’s tragic.

#my tvd tag #i'll be honest a major reason i rewatched is i'm deviously planning to get two of my good friends into this show #i want to watch the first two eps with them and figured i better have a fresh perspective

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