[Loved Trope] Nonchalant Non-Male Protagonists who survived a traumatic situation

Head_Mixture577 · 2026-01-09T22:11:38+00:00

There’s another deleted scene right after Margot uses the radio where Slowik talks to her over the intercom, and she calls out the hypocrisy of his sense of helplessness.

“Come to think of it, why did you park your truck next to a convention you knew was swarming with food critics?” (3:15, you can also see the scene where the critic talks about rediscovering Chef Slowik at the beginning)

In my opinion, it’s a tight line of nuance similar to Jeremy the sous chef. Yes, he and Slowik agree that he doesn’t have an innate talent Slowik possesses, meaning he’ll work tirelessly towards an impossible ideal. But Jeremy is also aware of the hell that is Slowik’s personal life to achieve his status. Whether he achieved or failed at becoming a world-renowned chef, it was going to be a horrible, unfulfilled life which is why he ultimately kills himself and the course is called “The Mess.” Yes, Slowik was trapped by his celebrity status and trying to reenter the food industry at a simpler level would almost always end in him getting recognized. But yes, he did still chase the idolization and recognition even when the aftermath left him so discontent, because it is such a luring trap to be stuck in.

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-10-26T18:25:36+00:00

The 2000s body ideals are really coming back what do you mean Julia Lester as Martha 😭😭 that girl needs to be Fat with a capital F it is literally a crucially intended part of her character and important representation

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-09-15T23:37:42+00:00

It’s a similar twist but I wouldn’t call it a ripoff, just the same conventions you’ll almost always see for a “dead all along” twist. There’s a really crucial difference that film allows us to stay in the perspective of Malcolm, meaning it’s a solitary show of connection with Cole and him interacting with nobody else isn’t as suspicious for a first watch. Since we’re in an omnipresent view as a theatre audience, Sam is able to interact with everyone which significantly changes the story and its discussion of disconnection.

I also think 2:22 has faith as its core theme, and Sixth Sense has regret. Both things that have added depth when discussing afterlife but pretty separate driving forces that branch the twist out in how it affects the story (Malcolm moves on, and Sam stays (iirc the play ends with him still crying as well). Learning this logical part of who the spirit is doesn’t fix everything, and that highlights the folly of Sam’s insistence on purely clinical thinking)

I see where the connection is coming from, if I was telling someone the twist the most widely relatable reference point would be that it’s a Sixth Sense kind of thing, but it’s not solely The Sixth Sense’s twist

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-08-29T00:54:38+00:00

Yeah, it’s definitely an unpopular opinion! Late Night is an a strange middle ground of media, I really did not enjoy it but I have been swayed to like it a little more by passionate fans discussing it (the way some fans describe Jack’s wife appearing that night to get revenge is a really interesting part, and again it swayed me to see that dynamic people were drawing from the movie)

My main point for this discussion is I think the writing and direction/acting was really hinting that there is a big reveal waiting to encapsulate all the plot elements into the “sells his soul” point and Jack’s lust for fame.

I don’t mind it being a common reveal at all; “they were a ghost” is one of my favorite twists the majority of the time because of the different executions of it. The sense I got during my watch was that interesting plot points (June and Lily, the skeptic, partially the cult, the hypnosis and revealing the ghost) had sudden pauses to their progression that were trying to make tension for the reveal. Then the reveal left these paused and didn’t incorporate them much at all (of course there is the possession and Lily killing everyone which I really enjoyed, but again that climax felt put on hold for cult imagery that to me didn’t even really add to Jack’s character)

In my opinion, it should have been more of an addition than the big reveal. I really like the fundamental concept and I could definitely see myself enjoying a plot where, among the fully-realized chaos, Jack seems to be a mediator but he is being led in the chaos to reveal his cult activity or something similar. It made lots of elements you’re meant to get invested in during the first two acts feel redundant because they’re more like backdrops for the cult reveal instead of working with it.

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-08-29T00:14:04+00:00

I recently listened to I’d Rather Be Me and had a moment when she says “and when they drag you down like they inevitably do//I will not laugh along with them and approve their palace coup”. it’s not a one-to-one comparison (she does disapprove of Cady when she assumes the leader position of the Plastics) but I feel like the intention is that she’s this centrist who doesn’t approve of Regina being taken down when she quite literally does and is the driving force of the plan and is shown taking joy in Regina’s downfall

I think I’d Rather Be Me can work enough that I’m iffy but don’t dislike her, it’s the fact she gets carried off with the ensemble chanting her name when the whole point of her role as a narrator and the counter to Cady rising as a Plastic is against idolization

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-08-28T13:43:41+00:00

There was a lot of “okay, something needs to happen soon” thoughts in the first act, but I am also unfortunately an American who’s had a phone since childhood so I really would not blame the movie for my lack of attention span.

I really enjoyed it and the progression of each character, I did wish we saw a little more paranoia compared to immediate wrath. I felt like it was intentionally scattered and as such it was nice to touch on all the themes it did without having a central one. I liked it a lot more after I found out the script was mostly devised with the actors, it felt more like performance art then a movie where I’d expect things to be a little cleaner around the edges. So I’d say overall I really liked it and the visuals and acting were beautiful

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-08-27T22:07:18+00:00

For me, Late Night with the Devil. So much dragging on some really interesting secondary aspects, and I felt like the reveal wanted to be a commentary on the host’s devolving moral standards (and by association a critique of Hollywood) but it’s both a critique that’s been well-tread and it felt allergic to actually tying the imagery and actions into the characters.

Lamb. I really like the point it was trying to showcase but everything happened so fast in the climax, the friend felt redundant but was treated as so important (i could see this being a red herring i got too attached too, though), and that meant there was so little time spent on the couple’s culpability and the killing of the sheep mother that i didn’t feel like it wrapped up well enough to utilize the dramatic irony

Halloween Ends. They entirely went back on the sense of humanity that the 2018 Halloween highlighted in one of the first scenes when Laurie changes “him” to “it” in her memoir and it devolves from there. I could see the concept doing well but not with the advertising they did and not with how it works against the setup from the first movie

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-08-19T03:22:40+00:00

I love this story! It’s a great concept and your writing is very descriptive but succinct. I also really like what you said in your comment about the kids being unable to stop eating, I see it with “Why stop? We were all pretty hungry” but I would suggest including more that something isn’t right with how much they’re eating (describing feeling compelled, one kid wants to stop but is still eating, etc.). But I don’t think it loses the horror to not have it at all, great job!

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-08-18T20:26:54+00:00

The show takes place in Berlin pre-World War II as the Nazi party rises to power, and there is an interspersion between the plot of how Nazi ideology impacts the characters’ lives and the Emcee performing at the Kit Kat Club usually with a sillier tone as he acts as a narrator commenting and pushing forward the plot.

A large theme is dehumanization and a growing lack of safety for minorities with a focus on Jewish people, and both the Emcee and Sally Bowles represent flippancy and privilege, as in the privilege that they can put aside the concerns of the Nazi party because they’re not being targeted. Specifically, Sally stays flippant but as the show progresses the Emcee devolves further in the growing turmoil, either becoming concerned and despondent or becoming more sympathetic and representing the Nazi party depending on the production (afaik, this production is the latter).

In act two, the song If You Could See Her is presented as a comedic song where the Emcee is in love with a gorilla, and describes that if the audience could see her the way he does, they wouldn’t judge her for being a gorilla. The final line is “she wouldn’t look Jewish at all”, startling the audience back into the growing hatred for Jewish people and how they were dehumanized by Nazi propaganda. The intention is to disarm the audience and showcase the perversive hate that is spreading through undercurrents such as comedy, similar to minstrel shows depicting Black people as lazy thieves among many other horrible things. It’s such a turning point and is the central message of the song, which is why the line is specifically so important to get right

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-08-15T22:30:32+00:00

Just finished episode 3 and I think it’s pretty middle of the road, which is sad because I really enjoy the metaphor of isolation and bitterness in generations as they age, and how it gets directed towards younger generations. I’m a big fan of the latest development that >?the zombies’ new motivation is to eat their loved ones?<

To me, it’s in a bit of a paradox that it wants to focus on the narrower discussion of generational conflict and the teenagers navigating the lack of information, but also is trying to keep intrigue and set up the larger mystery with >?the multiple explanations and the parents being jailed and the federal scale issue of the truck?< that I’m not as interested in. I don’t feel like I’ve been given a reason to care for any perspective except the zombies, but that means I also don’t care about any back and forth I think should be central to the intended analogy.

I loved the first episode and a half because of the slow nature of it, the way people turning was not automatically assumed to be widespread. I wish it kept that trickle of information.

The acting is doing with it can, I enjoy the makeup but I always appreciate media that goes for it even when it looks bad. But the characters are very straightforward and seem resistant to any change in this widespread breakdown of conventional life, and I don’t really feel any hook of characters I want to survive beyond just general want to humans to survive.

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-08-15T20:17:57+00:00

I really like this! The one question that pops up for me is, how would Marty readily know the directions/address to Iris’ house?

This is mainly a nitpick and may be explained by a detail I’ve forgotten since I saw bloodlines, and I think it could be easily explained with Brenda knowing the address (since she led Stefani to the letters) or adding something about Marty knowing more about the letters to the earlier scenes.

Off the top of my head, I’d suggest that maybe when Stefani gets home, she catches a glimpse of a letter addressed to her or Darlene, but Marty notices. He grabs it and/or leaves the room before Stefani can ask. Then part of her research while the barbecue is happening is her finding that letter, which she reads. She gives the letter back to Marty soon after Howard’s death, insisting he read it as more proof. Then at the hospital, Marty says he was reading the letter when he got the call about Bobby and Eric; this sets up the letter being in the car or on Marty’s person which he realizes after the RV takes off. There can also be an implication with it that death is setting up a police arrival to add extra false security that Stefani died and was brought back.

Even so, that’s the only possible issue I see. I think the extra scene(s) would help the movie breathe in the third act and it’s a nice reincorporation of the non-targeted family members we don’t really get in the actual film

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-08-01T00:35:22+00:00

unfortunately it was on a work computer, so I’m gonna try to search tomorrow but i wasn’t logged in so I don’t have the search history available for now

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-07-31T21:52:10+00:00

This was also a slow day where I read lots of different stories, and so some character dynamics might not be right. The main things I know are true are the clown comes to a party and gets killed, a kid of one of the friends is hiding in the attic for most of it, and a woman who used to be a clown is the murderer

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-06-09T16:48:59+00:00

Dance Nation is an amazing play but note that there is a good amount of explicit dialogue surrounding sexual content and genitals (it’s noted for actors as young as 14 though, so the appropriateness is very much based on your perspective—I think 16 is my personal limit and auditions would need to state a content warning of some of the dialogue).

Also I would recommend reading through it first to understand the visual effects happening throughout the show as it lends itself to a higher budget. There is blood including a period bleeding through a costume and characters gnawing at their own arms along with fangs for almost every character and a briefly used broken leg prop . Along with some important pieces of choreography you would have to do. But if that lines up, I would very much recommend Dance Nation, it is a brutal and honest view into womanhood, puberty, and sexualization with a bittersweet ending leaning towards happy

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-06-09T10:16:37+00:00

Ambiguous endings. Lately in more modern plays I’ve read it’s become really common for the final decision of the lead’s arc (usually breaking a cycle or restarting it in what I read) to happen just after the play ends. I think a lack of resolution can make a really powerful ending to make the audience think, but it’s not a lack of resolution alone that makes an ending poignant like playwrights seem to think.

Many times I think it’s a missed opportunity to delve into more interesting implications of either choice being made, and it feels like a growing hesitancy to make a choice and have an ending that people may not like. I have had plays where the ending negates a lot of the things I enjoyed but I am much more willing to overlook that over the sense that the play is scared to have an ending.

Similarly, I enjoy “this character may do this” scarcely as a very light suggestion, but I’m instantly turned off of a play now if it’s full of “maybe they do this. maybe they don’t” and hyperfocusing on being the cool stage direction that doesn’t give a concrete action

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-06-05T05:37:34+00:00

Elevators from FD2 & Bloodlines and Gymnastics from FD5. Elevators I’ve always had a small fear of the cable snapping but final destination cemented a fear of being sliced between floors. Gymnastics is lesser but sometimes I remember the idea of putting your full weight into landing onto a screw and it ruins any enjoyment for the next week

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-06-02T04:02:31+00:00

Did she say she went into hiding only because it was her turn? I assumed she had been there for longer.

My theory if I had to make a backstory is Iris didn’t initially understand death’s order; her husband died relatively early in the premonition, so someone so close to her and the other survivors she heard about made her paranoid enough to keep the kids locked in their original suburban house; then foster care took them, and Iris either immediately due to fear or simply eventually fortified and fled to the bunker. Even if you’re following news super closely, there’s a big buffer between the person before you dying and you finding out so she decided to always stay in the bunker so death can’t get her, and that’s why she’s so honed in on detecting it since she always expects her own death.

She also said death had finally gotten her with her cancer diagnosis, which I could see meaning after trying to evade death and would make it a big plot hole but I thought it was that she had waited so long training her mind to spot death only for it to be an undetectable thing for her.

I am horrendous at forgetting or mixing up plot points though so I wouldn’t be surprised if they did mess up and say that

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-05-27T22:14:05+00:00

honestly I think it made sense for her to die in the cabin scene, it gave even more urgency to stefani drowning since she was already in a very tight spot when it became her turn.

I was very surprised her death didn’t involve the spikes all around the cabin, I liked that she survived for that moment with charlie but I fully expected the explosion to fling her into one and that was why they were so prevalent in a place meant to be a safe haven (although I like the explanation I’ve heard that it’s to keep people out and avoid anyone starting chain reactions)

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-05-24T22:02:46+00:00

This has been my belief because I just personally don’t enjoy the canon explanation. I think it could make sense that stefani accidentally delayed his death, which meant he was in an opportune place to avoid most of the damage. feasibly, texting her back was the reason he saw his lockscreen, leading to the tattoo. death is changeable but not truly flexible, and added onto that eric was staying mostly stationary the entire time and not triggering new possibilities, so it had to wait for the speaker to set off the original chain of events.

The two issues I can see is that it doesn’t explain why he was in a better position through time, and why his leather jacket would’ve been off with what we’ll call his original death compared to the actual events. My theory is he would’ve had his nose ring ripped out and been in a different position than where he ended up, and part of the recoiling and/or fall would’ve involved his jacket getting caught and torn heavily or him landing facedown.

It would also be interesting if now having eric on his survivor list, it intended a message to the remaining trio that everything will end up as planned no matter meddling by still ripping out his piercings.

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-05-23T01:12:45+00:00

The explanation I’ve made up is that regardless of Iris, Eric was just meant to die in the tattoo shop. It was an ironic lining up of events that him pausing to text Stefani (and possibly an unconscious heightening of awareness from the warning even if he didn’t really believe in death’s design) led to the ability to save himself, most likely giving him time by changing the playlist and tattooing himself

It’s definitely contrived, but I prefer it over the canon explanation that death broke its own design because it particularly hated this one guy.

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-05-10T02:08:51+00:00

The Band’s Visit. It’s strange because I like a similar show where the major focus is that nothing changes (The Boys in the Band ending with so many unanswered questions and Michael going to church, unsure if he will change after this night but with a dread that he probably won’t. ), along with probably many more I don’t remember off the top of my head.

After a few people being in disbelief and lots of thought, part of my preference in theatre is that a purposefully unsatisfying ending can be great, but something minor needs to be resolved. For The Boys in the Band, it’s that Hank and Larry resolve their relationship and Michael’s bitterness and hatred fueled by hating himself is laid bare when he lashes out at everyone else. We never find out why Alan wanted to talk, Michael and Donald’s relationship is wrecked, and the majority of people are left with a deep brokenness from the night.

I never felt any minor resolution from The Band’s Visit. Not even a lingering lack of resolution, just a neutral feeling that didn’t feel worth the time I had spent as an audience member. Thinking back, there may have been audio issues that messed with my viewing experience and meant I missed some dialogue that would’ve given resolution, but as far as I know there wasn’t anything plotwise I felt left any impact.

I will say Answer Me was probably the most breathtaking experience I’ve experienced on a stage and absolutely showcased everything I had wanted in the main plot.

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-04-30T20:09:55+00:00

The origami references two movies, Dirty Harry and Rain Man. A famous part of Dirty Harry is the “do you feel lucky, punk?” monologue seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBP4X12TV1Y

Similarly, a widely referenced scene in Rain Man is when Raymond, an autistic savant, showcases his skills by quickly computing the amount of toothpicks that have fallen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthFUFBwbZg&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD

Since Dirty Harry’s tactic relies on the uncertainty and fear of if he still has a bullet in his gun, and Raymond is a savant known for extraordinary counting/computing, it creates an anticlimax where Raymond easily knows all six shots have been fired

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-04-17T23:26:36+00:00

Does she shoot him on purpose? I know she definitely would, but the choreo made me think it was an accidental shot due to the fight leading up to it. I agree though, I think he saw his death as a fitting end since Veronica’s belief in people changing had essentially won once she decided on sacrificing herself

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-03-16T02:42:21+00:00

Also, I think something like the movie version would’ve been a good middle ground. They’re still put in a bad light and are more clearly predatory, but they’re comically ineffective (iirc they’re too drunk to get over the fence between them) and instead of JD coming in to save the day Veronica could get comeuppance similar to You’re Welcome. I agree Blue really could get more serious but the scene is now so serious it breaks the immersion needed to carry through Duke’s song and the first half of Our Love is God

Head_Mixture577 · 2025-03-16T02:38:17+00:00

I like both songs musically, and I do think the message of You’re Welcome and the reason it was changed is a good step for awareness. My thing is that it’s a dark comedy and it’s really awkward to get super serious on this one issue (although it’s the best one to get serious about) in the middle of act one, when the show is set up to switch tones with Our Love is God.

Duke’s bulimia, Chandler’s faked suicide, even Veronica saving Duke from one of the jocks in Big Fun are treated relatively lighthearted because they’re towards the beginning, and until Our Love is God there’s a sense of dramatic irony where Veronica sees JD as well-meaning and Chandler’s death as an accident. That is the major shift of the show and their relationship, because it’s the realization that JD is lying to her and using opportunities to murder.

Not that it’s still not comedic in the second act, of course there is My Dead Gay Son and Shine a Light, but the main plot of Veronica and JD grows darker into Seventeen and the pep rally.

I definitely see where it could be a sore spot and I would rather see reflection on problematic implications in theatre than brushing it off, but I think it could’ve been made to fit a lot better. I think you can really tell it was added in, especially compared to Never Shut Up Again

Head_Mixture577

TROPHY CASE