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.: The Notebook musical is opening on Broadway this week, and I am nothing if not a complete pushover for a big, romantic musical. Also, The Notebook -> Ryan Gosling, + musical = must talk about how “I’m Just Ken” is still stuck in my head.
The ballads usually win the Oscars, but there’s no denying that this was the most fun, vibrant, and perfectly-produced Oscars song performance in quite a few years. The old-school musical references, the audience interactions, the singalong lyrics… 10/10, no notes, this Broadway Barbie is deeply impressed.
Ashley W.: The Great Gatsby musical that’s coming to Broadway later this month recently released a music video of “For Her/My Green Light” featuring the absurdly talented Eva Noblezada and Jeremy Jordan, and I am OBSESSED. So my fangirling over those two actors, the show, and those songs in particular has returned to an all-time high. And I even have the song stuck in my head as I am writing this.
Rachel: I was happier with the Oscars as a whole this year than I have been in a long time. I adored all the wins for Oppenheimer, there were some good bits throughout (like the reunion of Twins stars Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger!), and of course, the “I’m Just Ken” performance for the ages from Ryan Gosling. It really emphasized for me that 2023 was a great year for film. My film-loving heart was happy.
Jasmine: Learning that we have a new Soap Opera The Gates coming to CBS which will place Black people at the forefront brings me so much joy. Black women are one of the highest demographics watching Soaps yet it’s a genre that doesn’t fully recognize us onscreen. Knowing that Michele Val Jean a Black woman who has an amazing track record with Soaps is the writer, showrunner, and EP makes me very happy.
Ashley T.: I’m a little behind, but I realized this week that HAIM cleared out their Instagram. Their About section simply says, “writing…writing…writing…”. I’ve read rumblings online about a summer release for their next album, so I’m hopeful that we’ll get an update soon!
WTF Moment of the Week
Raquel: My biggest WTF of the week is that Society of the Snow won’t win the Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling — actually, all the Oscars the movie was nominated for, but especially this one. Poor Things has great makeup work but Society of the Snow is superior and I’m sure it would have won if it were an American production and crew. I said what I said.
Amanda P.: More of an, “aw, really?” moment than a true WTF moment, but sticking with the Oscars for a moment, I was really quite disappointed that Lily Gladstone didn’t win Best Actress. Listen, Emma Stone is a phenomenal talent (and a fellow AZ girl!) and was a very worthy winner.
But Poor Things also is, in my opinion, one of those movies that emphasizes the most acting (and design, and everything else in excess), whereas I thought Gladstone’s performance was riveting in an entirely different and even more powerful way.
Stone has been nominated for four acting Oscars in nine years, and won twice — I hope, nine years from now, Gladstone will have had a career like that too.
Rachel: I have to agree with Amanda P — I wanted Lily Gladstone to win that Oscar. Badly. Emma Stone’s performance in Poor Things was award-worthy but Lily’s was too, and it was also more than that. I look forward to more awards attention in her future.
Jasmine: I find it absolutely ridiculous that General Hospital seems to be attempting to wash away Heather Webbers criminal/murdering past by saying she’s being poisoned by a hip replacement she had years ago. It makes ZERO sense because she’s been on the wrong side of the law for a very long time. I hope this is NOT becoming another wonky Redemption storyline like the Esme one.
Ashley T.: Here’s a really good WTF. I can’t believe I got to interview the cast of Star Trek: Discovery this week! The questions asked in these roundtable interviews were so good. Stay tuned here to Fangirlish for when these go live!
What We’re Listening to This Week
Amanda W.: The creative and marketing teams of The Great Gatsby on Broadway are giving the fans what they want by blessing us with a music video featuring two of the musical’s songs, “For Her/My Green Light,” performed beautifully by Jeremy Jordan and Eva Noblezada. And while I haven’t really listened to much Ariana Grande besides what’s in the Broadway musical & Juliet, I’ve been enjoying her latest album, eternal sunshine.
Ashley W.: Dermot Kennedy just released his new EP, “I’ve told the trees everything,” so I will be listening to it on repeat for at least the next three months, and you should consider doing the same.
Rachel: This week, I had fun listening to the latest episode of the “What A Barb” podcast which is about the Polin ship on Bridgerton. There was a release of merchandise in Italy this week that featured a new image of Colin and Penelope from season 3 so of course they had to squeal about it. And the image is worth squealing about. It’s a perfect “in-love” pose if there ever was one. I hope we get an HD version of it in upcoming promotions for the show.
Ashley T.: If I’ve not listened to Women in Music Pt. III by HAIM at least once a month, someone needs to come check my pulse. I’ve been trying to listen to some new music, which I have, but I needed some good warm-weather music this week with the early spring weather we’ve been having in my neck of the woods. WIMPIII fits the bill for that easily.
What We Rewatched This Week
Amanda P.: I’ve been meaning to rewatch Galavant for a while and finally started this week. What a weird, wonderful little show that was. It’s Alan Menken doing a Disney-owned show, parodying Alan Menken doing Disney movies, and it actually has some exceptional character work. I still super-believe in you, Galavant!
Amanda W.: Since attending Disney Princess: The Concert at the start of the week, I’ve been in a bit of a Disney princess mood. So I watched Enchanted and the live action Aladdin (which gets more hate than it should, in my opinion). Plus, the live action Cinderella is finally on Disney+, so that required a rewatch!
Rachel: I timed my Christopher Nolan rewatch so that I rewatched Oppenheimer the night before Nolan and the film won all their Oscars. Watching the film again just solidified my admiration for it. It is technically and thematically so assured that I think every award win for it is deserved.
Ashley T.: I had a few rewatches this week, but I especially enjoyed my rewatch of Tank Girl. Lori Petty is criminally underrated, so I’m talking about Tank Girl, as well as some other Lori Petty films on an upcoming episode of The Video Store Podcast, so push that like and subscribe button on your podcatcher of choice!
Badass Character of the Week
Raquel: After watching the La Reina Roja series, I got the book it’s based on and Antonia Scott is the baddest woman ever!
Ashley W.: Prime Video’s Invincible season 2 part 2 (finally) premiered, and the female characters on that show really deserve a shoutout after the newest episode, 2×05: “This Must Come As a Shock” — particularly Atom Eve/Samantha, Mark/Invincible’s mom Debbie, and Mark/Invincible’s girlfriend Amber.
Without giving away too much, this latest episode highlights the three women’s recent hardships and how they’re working to move forward Anyone who knows Mark/Invincible’s story knows just how much he deals with, but this newest episode makes sure to give time and space to how the women in his life are examples of strength in spite of struggles.
Ashley T.: My Star Trek: Discovery rewatch is finished and I’m still in awe of Captain Michael Burnham. She’s a badass in every sense of the word. I can’t wait for the premiere of season 5 on April 4!