Why proper representation is important.

woke washing: when a corporation, institution or individual says or does something that signals their advocacy for a social cause but also continues to cause harm to vulnerable communities. 

Think of almost any show or movie (it may even be your favourite!) and try to name at least five black characters that had an impact on the plot (if their name is even memorable to begin with). 

Trick question; you probably can’t. These characters are intentionally created to be unmemorable. 

People of the majority (white, straight, essentially any privilege that exists) in Western society will undoubtedly not only be represented in television and film but they will also be represented well, and certainly better than minority groups. 

Specifically on the topic of race and ethnicity, it’s unfortunately safe to say minority groups are not represented enough (atleast, not yet). As a young Black British girl who mostly consumes Western (American and British, to be exact) entertainment, I’ve come to realise there are generally two different kinds of representation that I’m used to watching. 

(I’m only going to discuss black representation since I can only really make a personal response to that). 

The obvious category, or ‘type’ of representation to address first is simply just, no representation. At all. Not a single person of a race or ethnic minority in sight. That doesn’t automatically make a show or film bad, though it doesn’t make it great either. This is mostly an observation I have for content made prior to the 2010s (I’m looking at all of those 2000s dramas and comedies out there; Legally Blonde Series (2001-09), Angus, Thongs And Perfect Snogging (2008), Wild Child (2008).. the list could go on) (though many shows and films still fall victim to a lack of representation nowadays). I tried to mentally ignore the fact that many of my favourite shows and movies basically had no black people, or even black girls in it when I was younger, “It’s just a show - not real life. It’s not that big of a deal.” People of majority groups may have this mentality, though not seeing yourself on-screen (that is meant to depict some kind of reality) truly emphasises how much of a minority you are in your society, causing you to feel isolated in some way. Weirdly enough, when I was younger the lack of representation hardly bothered me, or even crossed my mind. The lack of representation in what I watched seemed normal. 

Though the type of representation that has become increasingly common is mis-representation. Not outrightly offensive, but the kind that feels ‘woke washed’ so nonetheless problematic. Technically in modern day TV and film there IS representation of racial and ethnic minority groups. But the issue is A) there isn’t enough, B) the purpose of these minority groups are for comic relief or to promote stereotypes or C) all of the above. Usually with this type of 

representation there is only one or two characters to fill the diversity checklist so the show or film can claim they’re ‘diverse’. The ‘iconic’ comedies I watched growing up like Clueless (1995), Ten Things I Hate About You (1999), and literally any other Disney Channel show that came after That’s So Raven (2003) are perfect examples of when shows and movies add racial and ethnic minorities that honestly have no purpose, or are generally presented negatively, but add them in anyway so we as an audience can applaud them for this. I try to be more aware of what I consume nowadays, though it’s still unavoidable. It’s great that racial and ethic minority groups are (slowly, but surely) being represented but the way it's done feels incredibly patronising. In popular films and TV, black people are only seen as ‘the best friend’ of the main (usually white) character, or the comic relief, or are only extras. I often see this in a ton of Netflix teen content, for instance - Sierra Burgess Is A Loser (2018) or The Kissing Booth (2018). Not that I’m looking to these kinds of movies for representation (purely because better films exist, though it still would be nice to be represented), but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an issue. 

Whenever black people play the main characters, the majority of the time it’s a comedy (think The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air (1990), Everybody Hates Chris (2005) or a historical film like The Help (2011) or 12 Years A Slave (2013). It’s not necessarily bad, and this isn’t the case all the time, with dramas like Empire (2015), but I’d personally want to be more represented on screen to not feel ignored, rather than to be politicised and/or be added purely to make a point, whether that is to show black people as comedic or only to emphasise the horrific events black people have suffered. 

As today people are more aware of the importance of black representation, there is a higher demand for more black representation, so I’d definitely like to credit some films and shows I personally enjoyed that put black people front and centre: 

Blood And Water (2020) / link to trailer After crossing paths at a party, a Cape Town teen sets out to prove whether a private-school swimming star is her sister who was abducted at birth. The show is set in South Africa. (Should I do a review on the show? Please Let me know!) 

A Wrinkle In Time (2018) / link to trailer While on a quest to discover a scientific breakthrough, Meg's father disappears into another realm in space. Three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother, Charles and friend Calvin to find him. 

Euphoria (2019) / link to trailer A look at life for a group of high school students as they grapple with issues of drugs, sex and violence. 

Black Is King (2020) / link to trailer 

The film serves as a visual companion to the 2019 album The Lion King: The Gift, a tie-in album curated by Beyoncé for the 2019 remake of The Lion King. The story is told through black voices of today. 

The Sun Is Also A Star (2019) / link to trailer College-bound romantic Daniel Bae and Jamaica-born pragmatist Natasha Kingsley meet - and fall for each other -- over one magical day amidst the fervor and flurry of New York City. Sparks immediately fly between these two strangers, who might never have met had fate not given them a little push. With just hours left on the clock in what looks to be her last day in the U.S., Natasha is fighting against her family's deportation just as fiercely as she's fighting her growing feelings for Daniel. 

Sitting In Limbo (2020) / link to show A factual TV drama about the Windrush scandal. The story focuses on the real-life experiences of a Jamaican-born British man, Anthony Bryan, one of the victims of the UK Home Office hostile environment policy on immigration. Bryan had lived in the UK for 50 years when his life was upended as a result of the Home Office mistakenly classifying him as an illegal immigrant. (Although it is a drama about an unfortunate event, I strongly recommend this. It is available on BBC iPlayer for only 9 months, so you should watch it as soon as you can) 

As I said earlier, the amount of representation doesn’t, and perhaps even shouldn’t have to be the be all and end all to determine the quality of mainstream content, but it’s easy to discredit its significance when the individual who is watching is part of the majority. Having less representation does more harm than good and if you don’t realise it now, it may be a small thought or comment you make to yourself when looking back at your favourite shows and films from half a decade ago. 

credit to @theslowfactory on IG where i got inspiration for this blog post. 

Should you watch Netlfix's 'Outer Banks'? (Season One Review) *Spoiler Free*

Set on the outer banks of North Carolina, unusual activities occur on the island. A group of teens called The Pogues, led by group ringleader John B (Chase Stokes), embark on a mission to discover his missing father. Along the way, they stumble across a treasure map, leading to a long buried secret. The Pogues overcome many obstacles; drugs, love, fighting, friendship, and the law and the rich working against them in order to complete John B's father's goal that he had been working on for twenty years. 

The pilot episode had a great start. John B's narration throughout Outer Banks sets the tone for the type of show this is meant to be; mystery and adventure with teen melodrama. We are introduced to two distinct cliques on the island; the Kooks (the middle class) and the Pogues (the working class), as well as John B's best friends JJ (Rudy Pankow), Kiara (Madison Bailey) and Pope (Jonathan Daviss). John B’s father disappeared nine months ago at sea looking for a shipwreck but he believes his father is still alive. With naturally delivered banter between the group, the show establishes its world and builds the characters' back stories that are explored in more detail further in.

Surprisingly during lockdown I haven't felt inclined to binge-watch many shows, though Outer Banks definitely forced me out of my slump. Yes; It was that good (despite some fair criticisms).

The show is unpredictable and stressful at the same time. If you thought one episode couldn’t get any better, you need to keep watching. 

My initial thoughts on the show (specifically, the Pogues) was it would result in a cliche love triangle involving any two of the boys and Kiara. Also,  the first few episodes portray Kiara as a typical ‘I’m not like other girls' girl, so the idea was promising. Thankfully, Outer Banks steered clear of this (debatable) and I can only hope it stays that way.

The show has a significant number of antagonists; Rafe (Drew Starkey), Topper (Austin North) and the like. Take whatever from that as you wish, but in hindsight it forces you to be more engaged with the story. The fact that the Pogues have less supporters makes you wonder how and if they are able to find the treasure and find out what happens to John B’s father. As hateable as these characters are they honestly make the story exciting. 

There was clearly much thought and planning into the actual treasure hunt itself. As someone who loves learning about history I definitely appreciated the historical influence into the story, especially since it was part of slave history and isn’t white washed (from the way it was presented in the episodes). At first thought it was easy to assume that this was fabricated for plot purposes until you do a quick Google search. Though minor details of this story was told, it was nonetheless informative and the context helps to bring further understanding of the treasure hunt. (This only happens in episode four out of ten! That is definitely the episode that moves the plot of the season forward).

With all this being said, the show does fall short in other areas like rushed storylines.

Obviously the first season should have one main focus and set everything else up for further seasons, but at the same time if characters are going to have complex backgrounds more screen-time needs to credit this in order to give it justice. Screentime-wise, John B unfortunately does outshine the rest of the group. (As much as he is my favourite character…). It’s arguably that because he is A) the focus of the story and the main character and B) the narrator, the show is from his point of view, though that doesn’t mean that his friends aren’t just as important or as interesting to his story. It would have been great if there was more insight into the other Pogue's home life and perhaps even more insight on characters who become important later like the main Kooks. 

Towards the end of season one character backgrounds that were beginning to develop were brushed under the carpet. Personally I’m conflicted on this because while I thought the show was entertaining and had no filler, so many events can take place within even half the episode time yet there’s still so many questions unanswered about other characters besides John B. Ten 40-50 minute episodes is not sufficient enough to neatly wrap up every subplot and detail (and with how Netlfix shows are structured perhaps this shouldn’t be expected). Not to spoil for anyone who watches, but other ‘deaths’ within the first four episodes that were supposed to add to John B’s father’s mystery didn’t add anything to the final point of the season.

Surely it will be explored in season two but I can’t help but feel other character storylines ended so abruptly without making sense.

(Also, did anyone notice how randomly shaky some of the scenes were?).

There’s no clue or indication of the pace each episode has between the previous and the next. Although some of the hinted relationships are likeable the execution of how they came to be just came out forced. As stated earlier, the show gave an impression that Kiara would date (or show strong interest) in atleast one other Pogue member though there’s honestly no romantic tension with Kiara and any of the boys that actually seems like it would be a successful relationship. As friends Kiara and the guys have personalities that mesh perfectly, but nothing more than that. 

Unfortunately Outer Banks also lacks in representation, to put it simply. The cast are literally only white and black, and even so, black characters are either vilified by other characters for no reason, irrelevant or have reduced screentime in comparison to their lighter peers. This can also be said about the lack of LGBT+ characters, and I’m sure there's even more to be said in terms of representation. This doesn’t mean the show is bad for the lack of diversity but (positive!) representation matters and means more to minorities than people assume,

All in all, I would definitely recommend Outer Banks for the complex characters, and also for the plot. For a short series it is worth your time and emotional investment. 

If you’ve read this review and still aren’t sure, watch the trailer here.

My Thoughts On Sex Education: Season 2 **mild spoilers**

Season 2 of Sex Education opens with a painfully awkward yet humorous montage of Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield) sexually pleasuring himself and is clearly more comfortable in his own skin unlike the previous season. He's now dating Ola (Patricia Allison), while his mum Jean (Gillian Anderson) is dating her dad Jakob (Mikael Persbrandt). Otis' clinic has been given a break due to Maeve's (Emma Mackey) suspension, forcing him to push aside his now strained relationship with her. An STI breaks out at Moordale Secondary, making it apparent for better sex education at the school.

Sex Education discussed a variety of important topics such as sexual assault, sexuality, family relationships and so much more (this review would end up far too long for me to fully discuss everything). I feel as though the show managed to explore and develop these themes with the attention it deserved. Perhaps this is a bold statement, but it's one of the most engaging teen dramas right now. It's not afraid to talk about subjects of controversial nature.. obviously - hence the title of the show. This season brought out a special kind of charm; it balanced a comedic tone while not loosing sight of its themes and handling them with such care.

Obviously, no show is perfect, but I honestly don't have a single complaint about this season.

Arguably, the media is more proactive (to an extent) in making sure TV and movies are more representative to a wider audience, and Sex Education (though season two specifically) excels in the amount of diversity it has it almost feels unreal in some way. Not to say that a show can only be good if it fills the representation quota, but it's so refreshing to see under represented groups with screen time without condescending and often negative stereotypes.  Towards the end or so of season two, I noticed that there were many LGBTQ+ characters/relationships. I can only remember a handful from memory i.e Lily (Tanya Reynolds), Ola, Adam (Connor Swindells), Eric (Ncuti Gatwa), Jackson's mum's, Rahim (Sami Outalbali) and two other recurring characters who were in a relationship. Most of these characters mentioned were quite open with their sexuality in the previous season though there has definitely been a strong emphasis on that, though the writers approach the theme in an interesting and flexible manner - not all characters explore/react to their sexuality in the same way which adds to the reality Sex Education was trying to portray; Eric and Lily are very accepting of their sexuality and are very open about it, whereas others such as Ola are - at first - apprehensive about how they feel but then are willing to explore their sexuality... Then you have Adam who for most of their season who attempts to repress his emotions. All in all though, complexity of how this particular theme has been shown makes me appreciate Sex Education even more.

(The show is also diverse in its casting and characters' family dynamics, too which should not go
uncredited)

This season, Eric begins dating Rahim - the new boy at school. Their relationship escalates very quickly to the point of saying they love each other, but it was clear that Eric still had feelings for Adam. Most viewers either preferred Eric with Rahim or him with Adam, but honestly it's hard to like either couple. As decent a guy Rahim is, him and Eric clearly have a personality clash and their interests (such as religion) are just too different. Obviously you don't have to be of the same religion to date someone (or even believe in religion), but Rahim was quite disrespectful towards Eric's religion purely because he doesn't support it. (Eric however could've been respectful towards Rahim as well - he should've ended the relationship with Rahim instead of leading him on) From that point, their relationship looked like it was the beginning of the end for them. Also, their on screen chemistry isn't there; I just don't see it. Atleast Adam and Eric have that. Though (as much as this is an unpopular opinion) it's hard to support them as a couple when Adam used to bully Eric.

The argument against this is that 'people can change', and that is true. Adam is a complex character and although I'm indifferent towards him, I have some sympathy towards him, given his relationship with his father and his family life. He clearly does and is trying to change undoubtedly, though it doesn't necessarily mean it's right for Eric and him to date. It just doesn't feel right.

Sex Education is probably one of the few shows were I like and/or I'm interested in the majority of the characters, but Otis is definitely one who isn't likeable in the slightest. He was quite selfish last season but clearly he hasn't changed much. Despite him being drunk, watching Otis expose his true feelings to Maeve and Ola at the party honestly hurt to watch and he truly ruined it for himself from that point. Any sympathy I had for him (very little) went out the window the minute he tried to call both of the girls out. He only slightly redeems himself when he apologises to them and others he's been selfish towards, but barely. Unlike most of the characters, Otis appears to not have much character growth - Is he honestly any different to how he was in the first season? Not really

Though Otis' behaviour at the party wasn't nearly as cringe as his relationship with Ola. I don't really even know where to begin in describing my dislike for them as a couple; from the fact that they had little to no chemistry, to the fact that their parents are also dating yet they continued to date... it's a very odd trope I hoped not to see again after Serena and Dan's (Gossip Girl) and Betty and Jughead  (Riverdale)'s relationships. Otis is the central character of the show yet the relationship seemed to only serve in Ola's favour in terms of character growth when she realises she also is interested in girls.

Otis and Maeve's relationship however is what I'm interested in. Initially, it may have been thought to be obvious that they would be in a relationship by the end of the season, though clearly the writers are making them to be slowburn. As infuriating as it is for a watcher (Isaac in the final episode was beyond annoying...), perhaps is a good idea in the long run - Otis and Maeve should be together at some point (one can only hope) and can continue to grow and develop into a potential strong relationship.


Speaking of Maeve, she is by far one of the best characters, if not the best. Her storyline this season was so heartbreaking. Her mum comes back into her life is supposedly recovering from her drug addiction, and tries to be a good mother to Maeve and her younger sister by getting a job. Though we learn that her mother had hid her drug addiction and lied about it essentially. Maeve was brave enough to call child protection services to help her sister and her mum get better in the long run. I really admire how strong Maeve is as a person and as a character; she doesn't take shit from anyone. This season though we were definitely shown more of an emotional side to Maeve. She has a tough exterior but its clear that she is hurting. I really appreciate how the writers gave that kind of insight into her character.

At the start of season two, it seemed (atleast to me, personally) that there wasn't much attention to the female characters, and if there was it didn't present them in the best light (like when the girls arguing at the start outside of the school). Though clearly I judged the show far too quickly. One of season two's best episodes was when the girls were stuck in detention and were forced to come up with a presentation on how they are all similar. Not only was it clearly 'The Breakfast Club' inspired but it brought to light very important topics such as sexual harassment and assault, how (unfortunately) common they are and how it is brushed under carpet. The girls were really open about their experiences which takes so much courage, and then were also incredibly supportive of Aimee's fear of getting on the bus. It felt so raw and intense, but uplifting to watch. For once in a teen show (not literally, but it's rare to find teen shows that do this) girls are supporting each other instead of tearing each other apart. It was honestly so wholesome.

For eight episodes, the writers wasted no time whatsoever. This season was very enjoyable and I was genuinely engaged with every episode. This review would end up far too long if I wrote any more but underrated friendships like Otis and Ruby (Mimi Keene) and Viv (Chinenye Ezeude) and Jackson (Kedar William-Stirling) definitely can't go unnoticed. Both were very supportive of each other which was enjoyable to watch. Hopefully Viv and Jackson remain friends in the next season (and however long Sex Education continues for) as the show could fall into the pattern where two people date mainly for being the only people of that race on the show. Sex Education: Season 2 overall was such a strong season with complex character driven plots and amazing acting - it truly balanced its comedic tone while remaining grounded and realistic.

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Don't forget to share and comment! My blog is continuously growing and I cannot thank my readers enough for the support, it is very much appreciated!

- Edna

The End Of The F***ing World: Season 2 Review

TEOTFW: Season 2 takes two years after the first, which focuses on a new character Bonnie; a psychopath with a vendetta against Alyssa and James, hoping to avenge the death of her boyfriend.

Season two had potential, and generally it was decent, though it could have been better. Usually, I disagree with those who say certain shows should've ended with 'Season one' or X amount of seasons, but in this case, The End Of The F***king World would've been better off without a season two.

Even though I have to admit the hype was becoming tiresome when it premiered internationally on Netflix, TEOTFW: Season 1 was incredible, despite it being so short. The storyline was easy to engage with - so simple yet enjoyable. Of course James and Alyssa's relationship was not perfect, but it was hard not to root for them to get together at times. Season 1 does have its flaws, but unlike season two, it had a solid plot, and wasn't so anti-climatic.

Until episode 4 or 5, it didn't seem like this current season was going anywhere. Although I have to credit the acting and decent plot this season, I'm wondering why the writers didn't decide to explore more on how the outside world perceives James and Alyssa - they're (or were) technically young murderers on the loose, in the middle of nowhere. Surely in the space of two years, someone may've recognised their faces on newspapers and/or the news, like Bonnie did? To be fair, since the events of the first season were two years ago, perhaps people just stopped caring about that? Perhaps I'm looking into this too deeply, though it seemed very quickly swept under the carpet.

Bonnie's character stood out the most this season and hopefully there's more to learn about her (if the show is renewed for a third season). The first episode gave a solid introduction to her which made links to how her story connects to that of Alyssa and James'. Though it seems as like for the sake of time, her background was pushed into one episode... which is understandable to an extent, to prepare us for what this season will generally be about, but it also contributed to what made this season lacklustre. It was made quite obvious what Bonnie's intentions were, so I was essentially waiting for her to do it... just for her not to. In short, her character was anti-climatic, making her slightly disappointing, considering her potential. Bonnie barely made an appearance in the final episode, which has me thinking; is this the end of her character? Will we ever even see her again? As an antagonist, it was (again) obvious that Alyssa and James were going to survive and Bonnie's plans were going to fail in some way or another. The show could not end so abruptly by killing its main characters when it's only been out for three-ish years, especially in that way. Bonnie has potential, but it was felt so wasted.

There seems to be a trend with this seasons characters falling short, and/or being disappointing. Somehow, Alyssa in season one was more bearable than she is now. Her behaviour can be somewhat justified by her circumstances, but there are moments now where she acts rude so unnecessarily and is thoughtless. Alyssa thinks because her parents were "shit", she is naturally like that because it's 'in her blood', which is a total excuse. It's not obviously fair to compare her and James' personal lives, but she was quite insensitive to James - fair enough she was upset at him dumping her, but he's essentially an orphan now. She atleast became somewhat decent in the final episode, and despite everything she clearly does care for him.




In the space of 20 minutes, there's alot that happens, yet at the same time nothing at all. There's enough that happens to become engaged in, and being on the edge of your seat figuring out what will happen to James and Alyssa and when they will realise they are more involved with Bonnie than they thought, but when the season ended, I was left thinking, "Is that it?". The final episode felt very final, in that sense. Now that I'm thinking about this more, season two concluded the story in a very tight knot without any cliffhangers to keep people wondering what could happen next. Will The End Of The F***ing World even be renewed for a third season? Who knows.

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Happy New Year! 
I'm aiming to definitely post more regularly on here, so please look out for that! - Edna 

Euphoria: Season 1 Review

Euphoria follows fictional high school students' experiences of drug addiction, relationships, and trauma. Season one begins from the first day of junior year and we first meet 17 year old Rue, a drug addict who has no plans to stay clean. She befriends Jules, a carefree transgender girl who has just moved into town, and through Rue's narration we encounter others in her year; Nate, a jock whose anger issues mask sexual insecurities, McKay, a college football player, Cassie, who's sexual history continue's to follow her, Maddy, who experiences physical and emotional troubles in her relationship, and Kat, a self-conscious teen exploring her sexuality. As the teens struggle to make sense of their futures, the series tackles the teenage landscape from partying to anxiety-ridden day-to-day life.

The series has a prominent theme of sexuality, which was handled with a realistic approach. Rue (Zendaya) and Jules (Hunter Schafer) are, although not confirmed, thought to be atleast bisexual or pansexual by the majority of viewers. The presentation of LGBTQ+ characters are much more realistic in this series than in other shows in the sense that teenagers who question their sexual identities probably won't be able to identify with a label straight away - which makes sense; people grow constantly - and change their interests, which would make it hard to stick with one label and think that they would stay with that label for the rest of their life. In this show however, it's obvious that these characters aren't straight but the ambiguity of their sexual identities makes the representation better as we're really seeing the journey of these characters, and perhaps later on in the show they will figure out what they identify as. 

As been constantly pointed out on social media; the makeup, cinematography and editing (my personal favourite part) of Euphoria is really only a few of it's unique selling points (along with the hard-hitting storylines). The makeup is quite out there and elaborate, but it's hard not to appreciate it when watching - it's just so aesthetically pleasing, especially in party scenes or even at scenes set at dawn or in broad daylight. The lighting is really flattering on the girls.

Speaking of the girls, Kat's (Barbie Ferreira) storyline was the most engaging; she's a curvy teenage girl who is very different from other "fat friend" tropes found in other shows and films. There just isn't any other curvy girls on screen right now that has her complexity and unapologetic personality. Out of her friends, she is the central focus and isn't just defined by her appearance, which is more than what mainstream media needs right now. As Kat said in episode five, "there's nothing more powerful than a fat girl who doesn't give a f***", which shows Kat's start to growing more confidence within herself, and the idea that what is powerful is being yourself and not caring about what others think. Though in a way she uses her sexuality as a tool to hide who she truly is deep inside - she behaves in the way she thinks boys want her to be. This only seems to work for her temporarily as it stems from her insecurities that still evidently exist, showing that even those who try to appear confident aren't always. Though Kat is definitely heading towards the person she wants to be, which we see a glimpse of in the season finale.

Whilst watching I found myself to feel indifferent towards Rue as character and also her relationship with Jules. Her bluntness towards her family and that one odd-hypocritical moment she had (she only ever talked with Lexi when in need by didn't want her around when Lexi asked if she was okay) made her personality unlikeable and uninteresting, and was hardly even necessary. That being said though, her story of experiences of depression and as a drug addict were explored quite well and were definitely thought-provoking. It's important that character and story are discussed separately as they are obviously very different, and Rue's situation and background are unfortunate. Although as a main character (and narrator) Rue's character isn't perhaps the most interesting, her experiences should not be disregarded as representation (not glamorisation!) of drug abuse and mental illnesses in POC's are rare in mainstream television. 

As for Rue and Jules' relationship, I'm even more unsure of how I feel towards them; on the one hand, they have incredible chemistry and it's clear they care for each other, though regardless neither are mentally ready for a genuine relationship, let alone a relationship with each other. As we see towards the end of season one, Rue is heavily dependant upon Jules, which could be a reason as to why Jules started to distance herself. It's unhealthy for a single person to be the source of your happiness, and given that Jules never showed that she was genuinely serious about the relationship, it isn't fair on either of them. Being with Jules would actually be damaging for Rue rather than benefitting. They fell in 'love' with each other immediately, but their relationship (if you could even call it that) would (and is starting to) fall apart already.  Toxic seems like such a strong word to use that is thrown around constantly over fictional ships, but Rue and Jules at this point should really take time to themselves before they start a proper relationship.

Overall, Euphoria definitely starts important conversations needed to be had and doesn't oversimplify characters or their stories, making them more enjoyable for mature audiences. Though the finale, personally felt underwhelming - not necessary because of the strange scene with Rue in the final minutes, but because there's not really a concrete plot of the show. There's obviously a story.. but eight or so of them are being shown at once, and they don't all necessarily link, or just had a very (again) underwhelming end. Also, (perhaps this is controversial) besides Nate, Jules, Kat, Fezco and Cassie i feel as though the other characters' personalities are unlikable and/or underwhelming such as Rue and Maddy. Of course, no one on Euphoria is perfect and that is also what makes this show realistic - the writers aren't trying to sell us Mary-Sue-esque teen characters because they don't exist in real life - however there comes a point where a character becomes so unlikable that their way of thinking or acting is barely understandable or justified.

For a short series, Euphoria has more strengths than weaknesses given that it is the first season, such as how mental illnesses, body insecurities and other mature themes were explored and the phenomenal acting, though personally I can't see the longevity of the show if season two (expected release is Spring/Summer 2020) does not have many sustainable characters or an over-arching plot line.

Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below; did you like Euphoria? Who were your favourite characters/storylines?

- Edna

The Good Place: 4.01-2 Review *includes spoilers*

Replacing Michael, New architect Eleanor Shellstrop struggles at managing the neighbourhood that introduces four new subjects all under her supervision for an experiment. The group finds it difficult to manage the new residents when they begin to show their true colours. Janet reveals some upsetting news for Jason.

Season 4 starts very smoothly as it wastes no time establishing the emotional consequences from Chidi's memory wipe; while Chidi obsesses over his books and reading lights, Eleanor's expressions in close-ups reveal her emotional pain and loss. This season so far definitely has to be credited on how it keeps in focus to the storyline, though for a premiering episode it felt quite tedious.

The new residents (besides Simone, though we'll get to her later) weren't impressive in the slightest. Linda was obviously intended to be, though her unexpected scenes (i.e near the end of episode 1 when she started attacking other residents, including Eleanor) were more strange than comical which I'd assume the creators were going for (though later it is revealed that 'Linda' was actually an undercover actor sent from the Bad Place, which somewhat explains the random acts). Brent however atleast managed at being funny; his characterisation plays into explicit ironic behaviour as he claims he isn't 'racist' but couldn't even get "Chad" (Chidi)'s name correct. (Not to say that alone makes somebody racist, but claiming not to be something is a popular way of defence...).
That bring said though, his character is still incredibly one dimensional and plain. Maybe these residents have more to offer in future episodes, but who knows?

Simone truly captured my interest in this episode - despite her completely obnoxious behaviour, she seems so embody the thoughts of an atheist.

Here me out; she calls everyone 'figments' of her imagination, emphasizing how she doesn't believe the afterlife is real, but rather a fabrication of an alternate reality made by her subconscious mind. Essentially, she totally dismisses the reality of the afterlife, so continues to walk around in random costumes (as seen in the second episode), and label everything as 'not real'. Perhaps this theory was elaborate, but it struck me as an interesting thought while watching.
Though Simone's behaviour is actually quite amplified - as Chidi said in the second episode, she has a rather solipsistic view of the Good Place  ('the view or theory that the self is all that can be known to exist') - though really, it wouldn't cost her anything to be a decent human being to others. Simone has been acting out of character so far. Even though we're technically we're seeing different versions of her (after death: present season, alive: season 3), her personality has...changed? this doesn't feel like the same character who was cheerful and upbeat, which is quite disappointing, to be honest.

The rest of the group (aka; Tahani and Jason) are starting to bore me. Sadly it seems as though their purpose so far this season has dwindled into not being that proactive as main characters. There's not even an issue with the amount of screentime they receive (it's a fair amount), but rather how they use it; how their time is used in an interesting way. Fair enough Janet and Jason had their break up, though their relationship was hardly fascinating initially for me personally to be engaged or even emotionally moved. Atleast there's subplots involving him though; less can be said for Tahani. Perhaps she'll be involved with a stimulating plot later in the season, but as of now it's difficult to comment on her as she doesn't seem to be involved much in terms of the main, or even subplot. Michael and Janet though still never fail to entertain me with their dry humour, nonetheless.

(Also, has anyone else noticed that Jason has worn the same monk outfit since season 1?! I'm not sure if this is meant to be a running gag or if it's to present the idea that (compared to everyone else) he hasn't grown, or changed as a person. He's still the same old Jason from Jacksonville).

I personally couldn't understand how and why in the premiere, everyone supported Eleanor as the architect, yet after only small errors in Eleanors plan to guide the new residents everyone was suddenly against her as leader - no one (besides Michael, much) was helping Eleanor at all; supervising four humans simultaneously does not sound like an easy job, especially for someone who had to take on the role unexpectedly. It just didn't seem reasonable to suddenly call her out on how she's doing a supposedly 'bad' job.

So far, The Good Place; Season 4 isn't delivering the quality it usually does; time passes by so quickly when watching the show normally, yet nothing much (or rather, nothing that can bring thoughtful discussion) is happening. Though truthfully, beginnings never seem to be the shows strongpoint, yet more shocking and thought-provoking stories are usually revealed later in the season, so I guess that is something to look forward to in the following weeks.

Did you enjoy the new episodes? What do/don't you like so far? What would you like to see happen later? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below! I'm interested in hearing what you think.

-
Edna

13 Reasons Why: Season 3 Review

13 Reasons Why: Season 3 takes place 7 months after Tyler nearly commits an unimaginable act at Spring Fling. Clay, Jessica, Tony, Justin, Alex and Zach help Tyler in his recovery whilst finding ways to deal with the burden of the cover up. Though there are serious repercussions from Homecoming - suddenly turned into a grave situation. Everyone finds themselves as suspects under the police's inspection. With the addition of a newcomer, they are steered towards revealing their own secrets, leading up to the shows most shocking reveal.

Season 3 tackles sensitive topics; rape culture, gun violence, drug use and sexual abuse. Thankfully, it's managed to make an enjoyable season without any incredibly nauseating, yet still meaningful scenes to get its point across.

Though the small occasional flashbacks to Tyler and Jessica's sexual abuse weren't necessary; watching those scenes for the first time was scarring enough. The audience already knows what happened, and seeing their rapists in the school hallway would obviously remind them of that - which is more than enough. Speaking of, I really appreciated this season's strong emphasis to sexual abuse survivors that they should only speak up when they are ready - definitely an improvement from season 2 as Clay constantly pressured Jessica to speak up in court, to the point where she felt, quote on quote "hunted". It was done in a way that felt natural and real instead of overbearing. When Jessica made a speech about being a survivor in school assembly, then members of the audience stood up and called themselves 'survivors' (Episode 12) was beautifully done - I genuinely loved that. Seeing Tyler speak up was amazing.

Surprisingly, the narration from newcomer Ani Achola (played by Grace Saif) made little to no difference to the overall storyline, and felt slightly odd. For someone who's new to the school, she acted as though she knew everything about the entire situation, when really all she did was accuse people of doing things based on false assumptions - like when she suggested Jessica slept with Bryce to 'take back control' in episode 5. That clearly shows her poor judgement of her own friends, and those kind of assumptions make it harder to trust her. Ani was always a questionable character to me, but it was a shock and a disappointment to see that she quickly became a rape apologist...? Of all people to be defending Bryce, it was a real shock. It was so hard for me to like her at all initially, but her comments in that scene made her one of my least favourites this season. Whilst watching, I noticed that the episode titles were quotes from Ani taken in the episodes. Plus, her as the narrator (talking to the police) made me think that perhaps she killed Bryce (I know, sounds like a crazy theory) or had a big part to play in his death. My point is, these small additions to the season made Ani appear as an important- maybe even a central character. But was she, really? The only way Ani related to the story was that she lived with Bryce. Thats it. No other relation to the story. I'm sure if Ani was taken out, only a small part of the plot would be different/altered. I was expecting so much more from her character, to be completely honest.

I can't be the only person who was confused by this seasons timeline and the constant change from present day to past within the first 2-3 episodes. I didn't realise at first how dull the lighting this season had into the scene changed into bright, normal saturation you'd see on any show (though that was obviously deliberate to set a tone for the season). Sometimes, flashbacks would have characters talk about situations that I didn't know about, or had forgotten. In the season 2 finale, Jessica and Justin kissed in a locker room, so I assumed they would be dating from that point (even though Jess cheated...). Though instead, in the first episode Jessica kissed Alex, meaning she never told Alex about what happened and strung him along, essentially. That should've been addressed somehow; it was confusing to try understand what was happening back then and now. Though it became easier to differentiate between past and present as the season went on as it was made clearer.

Theres obviously no doubt about Bryce being a vile person, but it's important to also understand from a writers perspective how important it is to show Bryce is a different light (somehow). Characters - just as real people - are complex, obviously. It was actually surprising to see Bryce so differently - such as him genuinely wanting to help Tyler, apologise to Jess and Mrs Baker. It made Bryce more dimensional as a character. Though the writers were over-doing it. The entire purpose of seeing Bryce from a different perspective was to make the audience understand him more as a character, but not to the point of feeling sympathy. Ultimately, Bryce is meant to be the antagonist of the show. Not to discredit his want to change, but sometimes an apology and a different act just doesn't cut it. As much as I hate Bryce, him being bullied at Hillcrest and his death doesn't equal as 'payback'. It would've been better to see him get actual, fair and justified punishment. Honestly, if he didn't move schools or get bullied, he would be exactly the same as he was two seasons ago.

That being said though, his death and the way it happened was not justified. At all.

The reveal of Bryce's killer(s) was shocking, though personally I thought other characters had stronger, and more believable motives to kill Bryce - specifically Clay. There was a certain amount and kind of evidence against him to the point where I was very much convinced. It baffles me how everyone can live with the fact that one (actually two) of them were involved in Bryce's death, and feel somehow free because the situation managed to sort itself out, thanks to Ani. The ending thankfully had no shock value, but in figurative sense, it did have shock value - because of how insane and unpredictable it was (which essentially, is the whole point, but still). The situation was so convenient in everyones favour which was so wrong. Those physically responsible for Bryce's death should honestly be in jail, no matter who it was. It's anti-climatic and unsatisfying that lies were told to keep everyone together. It would've made the finale much better if those involved were caught, as opposed to being saved by friends. Bryce should not have died the way he did.

Another season has been confirmed - the fourth and final one. No date has been confirmed, though it should be released mid 2020. Overall, I was really engaged in this season, though it'd be better with less episodes as the plot felt stretched out and if they kept Bryce being dead a major plot twist instead of spoiling it in trailers. I'd rather have the show end here; what more can be added and stretched out for another 13 episodes?

Did you enjoy this season or not? Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below! I'm interested in hearing what you think!!

- Edna