We watch a lot of TV and movies! And we listen to a lot of music, podcasts, audiobooks…so yeah, we’re fangirling over a lot of things! Each week we come together to highlight all the feels they give us throughout the week. On these Fangirlish Feels of the Week, there are five categories and many thoughts! Ready?
Here we go!
What You’re Fangirling Over This Week
Amanda P.: I’ve been waiting all month for Hallmark’s Sense and Sensibility adaptation to come out, and it was somehow even better than I hoped for! You can see the influences of previous versions — especially the pretty-much-perfect Emma Thompson adaptation — but it brings its own feeling, too.
Deborah Ayorinde was my standout as Elinor, letting us see the warm, loving, and romantic spirit that she tamps down for the sake of others, and Victoria Ekanoye and Carlyss Peer are deliciously nasty as Lucy and Fanny, respectively. And a big shout-out (especially for historical romance fans) to Dr. Vanessa Riley, the movie’s historical consultant and a beloved author in her own right!
Rachel: As a film buff, we’re in the thick of awards season, so when my favorites win, that’s a thrill. That happened in all the movie categories at the SAG Awards this week, and I hope the same will be true for the Oscars in a couple of weeks.
Brittany: It was a rough week for my beloved procedurals, but I’ve gotten surprisingly hooked on Fox’s game show The Floor, so I was excited to see the final two episodes of the season. It seems like such a simple show but it’s fun and Rob Lowe is the perfect host (his reactions to the trivia duels are a great bonus). I hope it comes back for Season 2!
Ashley W.: Hadestown recently announced its next Broadway castings for Eurydice and Hermes: the daughter-father duo of Isa Briones (Star Trek: Picard, Goosebumps) and Jon Jon Briones (American Crime Story, American Horror Story). And I could not be more thrilled about these choices!
Not only is it heartwarming that they’ll get to star in a Broadway show together, but it also means the main cast will feature two Filipinos! As a musical-loving Filipina, this news is incredibly exciting and enough to make me need to see the production again. Isa, who previously starred in the first national tour of Hamilton as Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds, will also be making her Broadway debut. So there’s just a lot to be happy about!
Ashley T.: Mr. Nerdy Blogger and I started watching Schitt’s Creek for the first time this week. We try to watch comedies together and this is one we missed during its heyday. I’m enjoying the dialogue, the chemistry between the characters, but Catherine O’Hara takes the cake for me.
WTF Moment of the Week
Amanda P.: Originally, I wrote here about the NCIS spinoff that just got announced this week, but then PBS goes and renews Miss Scarlet and the Duke… without the Duke… At some point, I’m going to have to start a tracker of how many shows (and ships) I’ve loved have been derailed when an actor decides to leave.
Rachel: Amanda said it– this week had my biggest WTF moment in a long time with the news that Stuart Martin was not returning to Miss Scarlet and the Duke. This is just a huge slap in the face to fans who invested in William and Eliza’s relationship for years.
This hurts even more coming after the satisfaction of watching the wonderful season 4 of this show play out, with all the of the William and Eliza content it gave us. Maybe it sounds dramatic but this feels like a betrayal.
Brittany: I am the biggest fan of CSI: Vegas, but I was disappointed by the step back that this week’s episode took, particularly in the reveal that Serena had been informing on the Crime Lab team.
I’m a Josh/Allie shipper, but dropping that out of the blue felt like it was a quick reveal meant to get Serena out of their way. It also undercut a character who grew so much during Season 2. Hopefully the show rebounds next week, because Season 3 was off to such a strong start!
Lizzie: I do have to say something about the NCIS spinoff, because maaaan, I’ve been hoping for a Tiva something for like a decade, but that was before CBS had to pay 9.5 million to settle a harassment lawsuit due to something Michael Weatherly did on the set of Bull. To let the man headline a show a few years after that is a choice. I know ship nostalgia, but it’s not a good choice, either. And he’s a producer too! Cringe.
Weatherly apologized when it all went down and CBS seems to certainly believe that, despite the large settlement, Weatherly is someone who can behave appropriately in a TV set. But at the very least, there’s a reason to doubt that’s true. And that’s what makes this all rather iffy. I’m thrilled for Cote de Pablo, truly. But I’m also concerned.
Ashley T.: It’s been a sad WTF week for the Star Trek fandom with the passing of Ken Mitchell. Ken played a few different roles in Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Lower Decks. He was a fan favorite on the screen, and at conventions, but above all, Ken was known for his good humor and his kindness, even while dealing with the devastating physical effects of ALS. Rest well, Ken. We’ll miss you.
What We’re Listening to This Week
Raquel: Music has always been one of my escapes so I don’t have a single favorite song or style of music, I just listen to what feels best based on my mood. Lately, my playlist is an eclectic mix between urban pop and pop rock.
Rachel: I’ve been listening to “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal ever since an instrumental version played in Hallmark’s production of Sense and Sensibility last weekend. This is one of those songs you forget how great it is until you hear it again.
Ashley W.: Ahead of its first Broadway performance later this month,the jukebox musical The Heart of Rock and Roll released a music video for the titular song featuring the cast, and it’s so fun! No, it’s not the same as the original version by Huey Lewis and the News, but it’s not supposed to be. The cast sounds great, and it just feels like a good time. Plus, hearing Corey Cott sing is always wonderful.
Ashley T.: Last weekend I had the good fortune to attend a house show featuring independent singer/songwriter, Skye Peterson. Skye writes thoughtful, well-crafted songs and is quite funny and personable in her performances. I definitely recommend checking out her debut album, Where the Winter Was.
What We Rewatched This Week
Amanda P.: The 2005 Pride & Prejudice won this year’s RomCom Bracket on Twitter, so I joined the watch-along. It really never gets old! I know the ‘05 version gets criticized for taking liberties with some elements, but I really do love how it brings out the razor-sharp wit and satirical humor of the novel.
Rachel: This week, Interstellar was next in my Christopher Nolan rewatch. This film has always been low on Nolan’s filmography for me but I appreciated it more this time around. I liked the dialogue, visuals, and score more than I did before. The performances hit me harder too.
Brittany: I started rewatching an old CNBC show called Listing Impossible, in which Beverly Hills real estate guru Aaron Kirman and his team try to move difficult houses. As the title indicates, it’s basically Restaurant: Impossible for real estate, and it was a blast. Aaron is a great host/lead and the whole team were interesting folks, plus some of the houses were truly bizarre. It’s a shame that the series only lasted one season, but at least it’s still on Peacock.
Ashley W.: This rewatch was long overdue, but I finally got around to rewatching Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse for the first time. I haven’t watched the movie since seeing it in theaters, but it is just as amazing as it was the first time around!
The film is truly a visual masterpiece and utilizes art and different art styles to tell multiple narratives beautifully. It may have also revived my admiration for Spider-Punk/Hobie Brown and made me wish I could be as cool and nonchalant as he is.
Ashley T.: I rewatched 10 Things I Hate About You this week with a buddy. It had been a few years since I’d watched it, so I felt I was overdue for a rewatch. We both laughed at the film like it was the first time we’d seen it. It’s a film that stays fresh, so give it a second look if you’ve not seen it in a bit.
Badass Character of the Week
Raquel: Lately I’ve been watching The Endgame and Elena Fedorova is a real badass! Not only does she manage to put everyone who wants to catch her at her feet, managing them as if they were puppets and pawns in a game of chess that they don’t know they are playing, but she is betting everything on ending the people who destroyed her life and the life of her family once.
Lizzie: Kasie Hines on NCIS. She found herself out of her element – had to use her words to connect to someone, and didn’t just do that, but managed to make a friend and solve the case! And sure, she got kinda kidnapped too, but not really. And did I mention she solved the case? And went out in the field? And basically stood up to everyone? And got to open up, as well! A+ episode for Kasie, and Diona Reasonover.
Ashley T.: I’m handing it to Barbara Howard on Abbott Elementary. Episode 3×05 “Breakup,” articulated well something I’ve experienced as a Christian who is often misunderstood by certain church folks. It made me feel seen, but also showed me how strong Barbara is as a person.
Also, come on, we’ve all been waiting for an opportunity for Sheryl Lee Ralph to show off those golden pipes of hers, and that was only a little taste. I want a full on Barbara Belter by season’s end. And for the record, “Shackles” by Mary Mary will always be a bop.
I know Miss Scarlet and the Duke which I thought I read somewhere will now be titled Miss Scarlet was never 100% about their relationship and not a story about finding love. At the same time, the people who watched every episode for Eliza and William’s relationship helped the series stay on the air. Also I agree it feels like a slap in the face to the Eliza and William fans.
I’m wondering why they didn’t make Eliza Scarlet asexual? I am not saying that they should have. I wish the current cast and crew and of course Stuart good luck in their careers.