Basically, I don't think there's going to be an announcement that Tumblr is getting shut down. If the pattern we're seeing holds, I don't even think it's going to happen intentionally. I think Tumblr is going to go out like an early 2000s forum: they're just going to keep cutting the tech support budget until something goes wrong in a way that none of the remaining skeleton crew know how to repair, which could be tomorrow or three years from now. If it does happen, it's probably going to happen completely at random, so there's no point stressing out!

#given that matt mullenweg's public conduct is indistinguishable from that of the administrator of a final fantasy message board circa 2002#this is of course entirely apropos

fwiw there was also a lot of very credible concern about twitter breaking in a way that they wouldn't be able to fix after the shithead gutted it. apples and oranges in a lot of ways, but definitely agree I don't think it's worth stressing about. back up your shit, if you can, and we'll see

No, you don't want the Hays Code to come back.

Listen, I get it. I'm aroace. I don't like sitting through gratuitous sex scenes that do nothing for the plot and exist solely for the purpose of "being a sex scene in the movie". It's lazy writing and a cheap marketing ploy, to be sure, but don't try to fool yourself into believing that a return of the Hays Code will somehow only change this particular aspect of film, and that everything else will be allowed to flourish as a result.

Let's pretend that the Hays Code did come back. If that ever happened, what kinds of things could you expect from all film, going forward? Well, we're going to go on a journey. I'm going to go through the Hays Code (which you can find here in its entirety if you'd like to read it) point by point, and the following list is just what immediately comes to mind while doing that. I promise you, the full list is much, much longer.

Things you could look forward to if the Code came back:

Now, yes, it's true that the Code goes on to clarify points, with things like "it's okay to sympathize with the person committing the crime, just not the crime itself", but these clarifications are always just there to make the Code seem less like a totalitarian dictatorship. Also, do you really think people are going to push their luck and possibly have their work subjected to severe third-party editing or, worse, flat out banned? Of course not. Filmmakers are going to err on the side of caution and not push anything.

You might be looking at this list and thinking, "but I know a lot of characters from the Code era that did all this stuff!" Right. I'm sure you did. And they were villains, by and large. And if they weren't, they were either fixed because it was a dramatic plot point, or they were punished with death.

I'm sure there are things on this list that you think are fine. But I'm just as positive that there's at least one thing that bans something you personally like. And I suggest you just stop for a second and think about all the media you like, and how many of them—under strict adherence to this code—would be banned.

Being in my 30s, some of these might be old or outdated enough to be obscure, but this would ban (or change past the point of recognition) things like Breaking Bad, NBC's Hannibal, Monty Python anything, V for Vendetta, James Bond, everything MCU and DCU, Ocean's 11, The Big Lebowski, The Boondock Saints, The Walking Dead, most every reality show in existence, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Substance, Straight Outta Compton, Heretic, Nosferatu, The Hunger Games, Percy Jackson, Salem's Lot, Boardwalk Empire, Wicked, The Passenger, Glass Onion and Knives Out, half of everything the Muppets have ever done, Smile, Skinamarink, The Babadook, Sister Act, The Blues Brothers, Gone Girl, X, Jurassic Park, Death Becomes Her, The Birdcage, Cabaret, Repo! The Genetic Opera, Mrs. Doubtfire, Smokey and the Bandit, Jaws, The Nun, The Amityville Horror, Reefer Madness, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Little Shop of Horrors, Moulin Rouge!, Les Miserables, Chicago, Hamilton, Adventure Time, The Menu, To Wong Foo, Paris is Burning, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, It, The Godfather trilogy, The Thing, Shakespeare in Love, Pirates of the Caribbean, Wilde, To Kill a Mockingbird, Fried Green Tomatoes, Murder She Wrote, and this is just what I can think of at the moment.

Even if you don't like or don't care about most of this list, you can't deny that this is a lot of things from a lot of different genres, many of which have almost nothing sexually provocative in them at all.

The Hays Code didn't make movies better. It isn't the kind of limitation that breeds creativity. The Hays Code existed explicitly to silence absolutely everyone that the Moral Majority didn't like, and I'm sorry to tell you this, but if you're on tumblr then there is a 98% chance that you are one of those people the Code sought to silence. It wasn't made for anyone's benefit except the people who made it and wanted to control as much of the culture as they could.

Things like the Code do not help people, and they do not only hurt people who aren't you. Ultimately, it does nothing except make art unilaterally worse.

I see posts go by periodically about how modern audiences are impatient or unwilling to trust the creator. And I agree that that's true. What the posts almost never mention, though, is that this didn't happen in a vacuum. Audiences have had their patience and trust beaten out of them by the popular media of the past few decades.

J J Abrams is famous for making stories that raise questions he never figures out how to answer. He's also the guy with some weird story about a present he never opened and how that's better than presents you open--failing to see that there's a difference between choosing not to open a present and being forbidden from opening one.

You've got lengthy media franchises where installments undo character development or satisfying resolutions from previous installments. Worse, there are media franchises with "trilogies" that are weird slap fights between the makers of each installment.

You've got wildly popular TV shows that end so poorly and unsatisfyingly that no one speaks of them again.

On top of that, a lot of the media actively punishes people for engaging thoughtfully with it. Creators panic and change their stories if the audience properly reacts to foreshadowing. Emotional parts of storytelling are trampled by jokes. Shocking the audience has become the go to, rather than providing a solid story.

Of course audiences have gotten cynical and untrusting! Of course they're unwilling to form their own expectations of what's coming! Of course they make the worst assumptions based on what's in front of them! The media they've been consuming has trained them well.

bring. back. filler. episodes. (my 11yo nephew asked me the other day if i thought "filler episodes" of the clones wars were CANON, and i was like "WHAT?" and apparently there are people on youtube saying that, like, christmas episodes and that sort of thing are NOT REAL???, because they don't serve the story, and: that's where we are. viewers can no longer accept CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT or general wackiness as part of the damn story.)

STAR TREK: VOYAGER - S6E16 Collective

The Road to the Spear (S03E04) THE WHEEL OF TIME (2021—)

WANDAVISION 1.08 | AGATHA ALL ALONG 1.05

"You will eventually die, Agatha." "But I want you to stop pursuing me. I want you to stop making my life hell."

i've been thinking abt the agatha all along finale for months at this point and i am still finding new ways to interpret it, and what i think is very interesting is that all of my interpretations have gotten more optimistic over time. to an extent, i think the show invites a mirror of the grieving process itself -- for the first half, it seems to be building toward agatha finally belonging to a coven, agatha and rio reconciling, and agatha making peace with the death of her son.

and then it rips all of that away, and it's infuriating and sad and almost a little baffling. i wanted the comfort of the first four episodes back. i wanted better for all of them. when jen escapes and agatha ""dies"" and rio walks off grieving widow style, i was like... that's it?

but the longer i sit with it, i'm realizing that they really went as far as they could go in terms of a "happy ending" while staying true to how the characters would actually react to all of that. jen is willing to help agatha and billy on the road, but she's absolutely not about to turn around and go back for them, and it would've been a disservice to her character for her to prioritize anyone but herself at that point. agatha and rio make a move toward reconciliation, but it'd have been completely unrealistic for them to fully forgive one another, process those feelings, and have a resolute reunion, because that takes time. agatha finally admits that sometimes, boys just die, but that doesn't mean she actually lets go. it's just... messy and honest.

and i keep turning it around in my head and finding new aspects that are beautiful and hopeful and i think it's actually been a really lovely mirror of the way that loss seems all bad at first, but slowly shifts becomes something you can see beauty and joy in.

something i find very compelling about agatha is that for a self-protective character, she is surprisingly unconcerned with her own redemption. selfish villains usually try to make people see them as the hero, but after being persistently villainized and punished for things outside of her control (her mother trying to execute her, generally living through the witch trials, losing her lover and son bc of things tied their identities), agatha was essentially like — fine, you want a villain? i’ll give you a villain.

she knows that a large part of it is a performance and she lets people believe it because it’s the only thing that gives her control over bad things happening to her. salem seven wanna kill her? yeah, makes sense. every other witch hates her? yep, did that on purpose. nobody can hurt her more than she’s hurt herself.

and like, yeah, she’s still a villain and definitely having fun with it lol, but it really does seem to come from her realizing that nobody is ever gonna see her as anything else, anyway (except for rio, who she’s absolutely fucking terrified of, despite also being madly in love with her) (i would like them to get back together please and thank you)

and idk! there’s something really special to me about a queer person being like, actually, fuck you all, i’m going to be every bit of a menace you told me i was.

#this is what i like so much about agatha--she doesn't want to be seen as weak or soft or redeemed#she leans into the images people have of her even the lies because it is protective and it hurts at the same time#she destroys herself as she builds herself up all at once and then keeps mythologizing herself#it is like the one thing that is so terrifying about rio for her (outside of like the obvious)#this woman knows her knows her gentleness and she knows her beyond the stories agatha performs and how horrifying is that#agatha really is such a fantastic character (via @witchtwig)

Doodled magical university faculty ideas for Agatha and Rio yesterday, wanna use these to make a proper finished piece sometime. Agatha teaches spellcraft and history, Rio teaches principles and theories of maginaturalmechanics.

Brought to you by the fact Witchbrook finally is going to actually exist, and the pixel art for it looks so gorgeous.

RIP 🪦

Christophe Beck and Michael Paraskevas breakdown Agatha Harkness’s theme music on Agatha All Along.

source: instagram

Beck: All the statements of Agatha’s theme have been leading up to this moment.

Parakskevas: This is what she came for. It was Agatha… All Along.

Beck: The main part is all over one chord and is pretty simple descending feeling and that gives it a slightly ancient eternal quality.

Paraskevas: The other thing with Agatha’s theme we carried over from her theme from WandaVision was this detuned alto flute, that we pitched down an octave. That also adds a sense of mystery, and darkness, and heartbreak.

Another presentation of Agatha’s theme was in her association with Nicky we used this detuned piano.

Beck: It has a watery quality to it. It really sounds like distant memory.

Paraskevas: In Episode 8, Agatha finally gets her power back. And we got epic, soaring strings. Episode 9, we really lean into the witchiness of Agatha and have all this really cool evocative vocal textures. Wanna try and sing it?

Beck: Absolutely not. Point your ears towards the high-plucked, dulcimer-like sound you’ll hear it’s actually outlining the whole theme.

A single theme can express such a wide range of feeling while also still connecting all these disparate parts of an entire series, and it gives it everything a wonderful cohesion.

AGATHA ALL ALONG 1.03

#thinking about how often agatha's pep talks are things she needs to hear #there's no one to tell her that she's more than her power #that's why she's a good mentor #filling in what she never got to have (@sapphoshands)

#yes to all this#but also: I love how fuckin bloodthirsty (literally) she looks in the last gif (via @smirk47)

If we do ever, EVER get canon onscreen Agathario backstory, I need Rio to appear at least once for perhaps only even just a minute in 18th century mens wear

I need this because LOOK AT AUBREY LOOK AT HER and also I need someone to emulate

I also would not at all mind Agatha kitted out like that

Cute interview with Maria Dizzia, who plays Rebecca Kaplan on AAA.

INTERVIEW: Maria Dizzia Discusses 'Agatha All Along'

Oct 23, 2024

Episode 6 of Agatha All Along provided us with key insights into Teen/Billy's identity and motivations. It also introduced us to Billy's loving and supportive parents, Rebecca Kaplan (Maria Dizzia) and Jeff Kaplan (Paul Adelstein). I had the opportunity to interview Maria Dizzia and discuss some of the pivotal scenes.

Now that you're able to talk about this role, how does it feel? Was it hard to keep this secret for like more than two years?

Yes, it was really hard to keep it a secret because I had so much fun filming it. It was such a beautiful experience meeting Joe and creating that family with him and Paul, who played his father. It meant a lot to me to be part of it, so it was really difficult not to talk about it.

It feels like the cast and crew of Agatha All Along became a family... It is a labor of love.

Yeah, I think very much like family... and like there's so much love within every aspect of it. I was really surprised [that] the creator, Jac [Schaeffer], was so embracing to us when we got on set.

I felt that the part of Rebecca is an important part of the story because there is an aspect of mothers in the story. The Scarlet Witch is a mother who's mourning her children and Agatha is mourning a child, so I know that thread is important in the story. But, at the same time I was like, Rebecca Kaplan is such a small part of it that I was actually really surprised how much care and attention Jac gave to us and it really meant a lot to me. It’s not often the case that when you do a smaller role like that in a story that people take such care of the character and are so willing to have conversations with you. It really was a labor of love and that really got into all of the corners of the story, it was really great.

Have you seen WandaVision?

Yes! One of the things that was so amazing about WandaVision was that we all kind of discovered it together because it came out during COVID. You weren't necessarily like out and about looking at Billboards or hearing about it. It was just something that I feel like a lot of us just uncovered on our own, being like, "oh, I've watched all this other stuff and I fell in love with it."

I think one of the things that struck me, aside from the originality of the concept and the fantastic performances—like, obviously, Kathryn Hahn and Elizabeth Olsen—was how ambitious it was.

You and Elizabeth Olsen are now kind of the mothers of the same character...

Yeah, I know! I was actually excited about that because Elizabeth and I have worked together before. So there was something that felt so nice like a little string, another little connection to her...

You’re also playing Aubrey Plaza’s character's mother in My Old Ass, right?

That was great, and we actually filmed those scenes in the same calendar year. I knew I was on set shooting my scenes before Aubrey arrived, but I knew she would be doing that part. I hadn’t shot my Marvel scenes yet, but I knew I was going to, and she was part of that too. It was so fun to have that connection with her.

How do you think Rebecca would view Wanda Maximoff as a mother?

I think, well, you know, since Rebecca's a therapist, I feel like she would believe that Wanda maybe has the best intentions and could somehow be rehabilitated as a mother. But yeah, I think she might still have some criticisms.

Did you do any specific research for the role of Rebecca Kaplan? There are comics and some material about her out there. Have you checked any of that out before?

I did. I looked things up online. I didn’t read a full story, but I looked at different artwork of her to get inspiration about who she is. There’s one frame in a comic where Billy comes home and introduces his parents to his boyfriend. Rebecca grabs him in a bear hug, saying, 'We’re so happy for you and happy to meet you.' That frame was really helpful to me and probably the most inspiring because you could tell from it that she was giving all of herself to her son, and she was so full of love. I liked the combination in that particular artist’s depiction of her with those strict rectangular glasses, which gave her a formal appearance. I think Daniel [Selon] also reflected that in the dress he chose for me first, at the bar mitzvah, but toward her son, she’s really effusive.

You have beautifully captured Rebecca Kaplan's sweetness and loving nature as a mother. Was there any specific energy you channeled for that?

Well, I had come to set thinking about those things already, but once I met Joe, I just concentrated on him. He’s a beautiful person and was carrying so much of the show on his shoulders. He’s so warm and playful with everyone, and I thought it was extraordinary for someone so young to be a part of this enormous story. I felt very protective and loving towards him, and once we were on set, it was all about how I felt about Joe.

That really came together beautifully. Many fans loved your portrayal of Rebecca. Would you be interested in returning to the role, or have you been told about any future appearances?

I wasn't told about any future appearances, but I definitely had my fingers crossed that I would get the chance to appear again. Especially because, as I mentioned earlier, the theme of motherhood is so important to the story. I thought maybe there could be an opportunity for the mothers to meet in some way—maybe even have a standoff, threaten each other, or come to some kind of understanding. I was really excited about the possibilities of that.

I think everyone would be thrilled to see you on the big screen or TV again. It feels like it could happen—people are really rooting for it.

I hope so, too!

Was it challenging to portray the intense emotions after the car accident, especially as a loving mother who feels like she’s lost her son, but not entirely, since he’s still there but has amnesia? That feeling of having him, yet him not being himself?

Yes, it was hard. I think the immediate aftermath, especially when we were working on the crash, was really challenging. I’m a mother myself, so there’s something terrifying about letting yourself imagine being in that situation, especially because my character was driving. The sense of responsibility she must have felt—it really is a parent’s nightmare in so many ways. Our director was really focused on capturing that feeling.

I think all kinds of loss are challenging. Losing someone completely is devastating, but what you're describing is being in a liminal space—where your mind tells you, "I still have them, so I shouldn’t mourn." You feel like you need to get to know who they are now because they've changed. But at the same time, there’s this sense of guilt for missing the person they used to be.

Also, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the accident happens after Billy’s bar mitzvah. I feel like that part of Billy’s story is a metaphor for losing your adolescence and becoming an adult—the way parents mourn the child you were but also learn to support the adult you're becoming. For the Kaplans, this transformation happens all in one afternoon, but in life, it usually happens gradually. I thought a lot about that.

I feel like I need to watch it again with everything you’ve said in mind—it’ll definitely give me a new perspective.

Oh, that’s so nice! Thank you.

Okay, my last question: How was your experience filming, especially with the scale of a Marvel project? And how was it sharing the screen with Joe [Locke] and Paul [Adelstein]?

It was wonderful working with Joe and Paul—both of them. Paul and I had worked together before on another project, an independent film where we played husband and wife, so it was nice to already have that comfort level with each other. Our characters were very different in that film, but we knew each other as actors, which helped.

Joe was immediately endearing, so it was so much fun to be on set with him. I was definitely intimidated at first, walking onto such a huge set. Jac’s vision is incredibly ambitious, so you get on set and it’s enormous. There’s the dance floor with lights and cues, smoke, and the room transformed into this otherworldly bar mitzvah. You just hope you’re not the one holding up production because there are so many moving parts. But once we started working, it was really exciting.

Another fun part was that most of the special effects were practical. For example, during the car crash scene, instead of using CGI, they rigged up a car that was spinning in the mud. As an actor, it’s easier to react to something real happening around you instead of having to imagine stimuli. But it was also just fun to be part of something so dynamic.

Yeah, I imagine that for an actor, it would be a dream come true, with everything coming together like the sets, costumes, and makeup.

It really did feel like you were playing in this supernatural world. That’s the kind of experience everyone wants to have, and it was truly exciting.