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Euphoria Szn 2 | HBO

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08/02/2026

https://files.catbox.moe/46a8nn.jpeg

Image credits: HBO

Rating: 3 ★

In light of Season 3 coming out this April (which I am quite excited for I can't lie), I went down a Euphoria rabbit hole the last 2 weekends and rewatched the entirety of Season 2. I remember when Season 2 came out, it was a cultural reset. So many iconic lines and looks, and I remember my high school classmates and I would do "Euphoria Thursdays" where we would watch the new episode each week and be gagged at each development.

But I didn't do a review back then, and I'm pretty sure when you're 17 you shouldn't be watching Euphoria even though the show is allegedly aboout teens and high school. So as an almost legal adult now with a more conscious brain, I will do my quick review and thoughts of Euphoria, specifically Season 2.

The most notable episode for me will always be episode 5, where Rue discovers Jules (and Elliot) ratted her out to her mom about not being sober, and flushing the drugs down the toilet. The acting always gets me and Zendaya really hard carries the entire scene with how she is able to violently go back and forth between rage, panic, sadness, betrayal and guilt. It's just ~15 minutes of pure chaos and tension but the show does a really good job of portraying the family dynamics and tensions as they try to cope with the revelation of Rue's relapse and her melt down over the betrayal and disposal. Granted, it does send me into a little bit of a freeze mode because it reminds me a lot of my own family but that's when you know they do a good job with the scene. The whole snippet of her also just running out of the car and into the road, combined with the shaky and spinning camera motions really sets the tone for how frenzied Rue feels and it's just wow. I guess it proves that Sam Levinson can write a good scene if he isn't too busy sexualising the other girls and denying the other character's their valid and very much needed character development.

Sometimes I think a lot of people (and me) forget Rue is the main character because of the Cassie-Nate-Maddy arc. On one hand, I sympathise with Cassie, especially in Season 1. The poor girl really just craves validation due to her family background, and there's that line in Season 2 where Maddy clocks Cassie by saying that she "loves to be loved". You initially feel for her with McKay, with the way her body has just been sexualised, and with the way way she tries to sell herself to the male gaze. But after Season 2 I really can't stand with her. I want to sympathise with her given her past, I really do, but her character is forever ruined now and to put it bluntly, she's just not a girl's girl. She broke so many moral principles and as much as Sydney Swenney is problematic asf right now, she does a great job of making Cassie progressively unhinged, crazy and unlikeable.

I really feel for Maddy, she's been through so much. I genuinely forgot about the fact that Nate went to her house with a gun just to extort the disc of Jules from her. She's the perfect embodiment of being trapped in a cycle of violence and it just sucks so much. I also think about this one TikTok edit where it transitions from Maddy banging the door in the first episode to her just crying and saying "open the fucking door Cassie". Friendship breakups suck and hurt so much more and it just hurts knowing how Cassie was comforting Maddy, giving her that scrapbook of them being best friends and listening to Maddy talk about Nate all while she was still having sex with him. Their friendship breakup hurts so much and even though I've never experienced anything like that, I feel so sad and empty watching all the scenes and tensions between Maddy and Cassie.

I guess that's what Euphoria does so good. I've never done drugs, or attended crazy parties, or did any of the crazy shit the characters do in the show. But somehow the show and the characters are able to psychologically connect with its audience and leave them feeling sad and empty once it ends. Like for Rue, you feel her desperation in trying to be alive, be clean and just hang on to everything, and this is compounded by the swirling lights and the camera motions. The breakups between Rue and Jules, Maddy and Cassie and even Kat and Ethan also have relatable aspects which I guess what makes Euphoria still popular and leaving its viewers wanting more despite the questionable and albeit shit writing for this Season. Like for Kat, even though she was horribly sidelined and Barbie Ferreira was bascially mistreated as both an actress and for her character, her breakup with Ethan and the whole orchestra mind scene where all those self-love influencers appear around her feel so relatable and suffocating. Maybe I sound pretentious but that's how I personally see it, and the tl;dr is just that Euphoria somehow is able to psychologically and emotionally connect with their audience through fundamentally relatable emotions projected through their crazy experiences and I think that's what makes the show leaving people wanting more.

Additionally, I think the music plays a really large role in driving the emotions of the scenes, particularly the crucial scenes. I'm not talking about the pop songs they choose. I'm talking about Labyrinth's official score. No TV show I have watched has yet to have a soundtrack as good as Euphoria. Labyrinth does such a good job at enhancing the emotions of each scene with the music. Season 1 already had some bangers, like Formula or Forever but Season 2 has some amazing scores too like Mount Everest or I'm Tired. The ethereal aspects of the music really match the aesthetics and lighting of Euphoria and it just makes every scene more visceral.

Other than that, here are my quick, rapid fire thoughts:

  1. I HATED the fact Jules cheated on Rue with Elliot. I was just soooo pissed even though I know Rue was also in the wrong for being high for most of their relatinoship and basically didn't experience anything with Jules. I love both of them honestly, but Rue and Jules are like the "Are they lovers? Worse, they are XYZ" trope and it sucks so much. Doomed queer relationship asf. I genuinely wonder how Season 3 is going to pan out for them.

  2. I loveeee Dominic Fike (that man fine as hell) but his acting was so bad in comparison to Zendaya and Hunter Schafer. I feel like I just excuse it and close one eye because he's sooo fine but honestly, he's really bad...sorry king

  3. Lexi's play was cool in the sense that the idea of a play within a show and having actors who are already acting for the show act within it is cool. But honestly, the last 2 episodes were such a drag sometimes and I found myself skipping through it occasionally because it served no purpose other than giving a recap.

  4. Ash dying and the fates of Fez. (RIP Angus Cloud T.T) I really liked Fez and Lexi's dynamic and she still thinks he stood her up for her play :(( She will never know he spent time wondering whether he should wear a tie or not for her, and the flowers he got for her as well.

  5. I wish they explored more of Nate and Jules. The random car scene where he returns the disc and they confess that what they meant over text was real then it just ends like that?? The lack of closure for them and a lot of characters overall is really badly written.

  6. I loveee the cinematography and colours. If there's one thing Euphoria will always do good is the styling, colours, cinematography and setting of the scenes. It's genuine art and it's such a shame the writing is so trashy at times.

  7. Oh I am so scared for Rue in Season 3. The poor girl can't catch a break. Again, back to the relatability thing, because even though I have never experienced what Rue has, the whole idea of her life finally looking up and getting too good (E.g. Being clean, being happier, lighter) before crashing down horribly (I.e. Laurie coming after her in the Season 3 trailer demanding for her money and chasing after Rue) feels so, so relatable.

  8. I still remember so many lines from season 2 which is honestly insane. I could still recite the whole "Rue? When was this?" scene from memory and be in sync with the show, as well as the whole Cassie crash out Oklahoma bathroom scene, including Maddy's "Bitch, you better be joking". I also completely forgot abou Fez's iconic "You're confused? I'm fucking confused bro". I just love how many iconic lines came out of this season which is part of the reason why I think it's so culturally impactful.

I think that's most of my thoughts? Not sure if I have more but I am excited for Season 3. I genuinely hope it does not flop like Stranger Things 5 and it is able to deliver just as big a cultural impact as it did in the previous 2 seasons. I'm a little worrried though, given how the trailer lacks that iconic, hazy blue and purple hues and glitter. The warm orange undertones from the trailer make it seem like Breaking Bad but who knows? Maybe it'll be great and give us just as many iconic, and quotable lines and scenes from Season 2 (and some finally good character development...)


Stranger Things Szn 5 | Netflix

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06/01/2026

ST

Image credits: Netflix

Rating: 2 ★

On one hand I do feel bad for this low rating but on the other, I'm honestly so disappointed by this final season and the fact that it is meant to be the literal conclusion to the whole series so whatever. The 2 stars got to Lumax, bits of the first half of season 5 and some other really minor things I will get into later.

I watched the first half during finals season when I was procrastinating so bad and honestly? It wasn't that bad! It made me have high hopes for the second half and I remember feeling this warm, fuzzy joy and excitement watching it after 3 whole years since Season 4. Seeing the characters return to screen and just the general vibe of Stranger Things and knowing it was the final season made me excited. Notable developments and scenes that made me particualrly happy were Robin and Will's new friendship and talk/speech together (!!!), the final MacZ batte and Will getting powers.

1. Plot

It was fine at first, with the interesting build up via the crawls and using the WSQK as the main hideout to try and search more about the upside down. The whole main issue of Vecna/Henry kidnapping the kids, with Holly serving as one of the main characters was interesting at the start, especially in how it created the huge and actually terrifying fight scene in the Wheeler household. And then shit hit the fan once the second part aired because so many things were unaddressed or felt lackluster.

Firstly, Kali just felt useless. She was just there and the only thing she really significantly contributed to the plot point was her creating the one illusion when her, El and Max go rescue the kids from Vecna/Henry's mind. After that, she was just there to 1. create suspense and shock that she was still alive after all this time since season 2, and 2. aggravate Hopper by fueling the typical tensions and arguments of "don't get hurt/you want to sacrifice yourself right???" between Hopper and El. She then DIES and contributes nothing to the ending battle, and even if the ending Mike theorised was true (I'll get into that later), she genuinely was so insignificant it would not have mattered if the Duffer Brothers wrote her into the season at all.

Secondly, the supernatural subpoints felt so weak this season. I remember when the mind flyar, the meat flayer, the demogorgons/demodogs, the demo-bats (?) were such a strong point in the previous seasons. They actually felt scary, inflicted crazy damage, and I would feel scared at some points. But the supernatural plot points with the final battle especially was so mid. El's powers were barely shown and she looked so WEAK in all the fights and her utilisation of them compared to previous seasons. Honestly, I think if you sum up every use of her powers/battles involving her this season and pit it against the battle of starcourt mall, it's still so lame and lackluster which sucks so much because the writers could have given her such great potential in using her powers in creative and insane ways again. Also, the final battle with the monster (idk if it was even the mind flayer) wasn't as thrilling and heart pounding. The upside down and the abyss was so lackluster and it just didn't feel magical or eerie anymore. I remember in previous seasons I would feel slightly scared or stressed when the characters would enter the upside down, with the toxic air, the darkness, etc. But this season, it barely felt dangerous and it just felt so normalised? The main character(s) armour went insane this season because the military people with literal GUNS and GRENADES would get badly mauled but the main cast would get barely scathed by any of the demogorgons even if they were just running for their lives with nothing in hand. What happened to the "stranger" in "stranger things"...

It was also never explained why Vecna/Henry needed 12 children and what he truly was going to do with them. He kept saying they were vessels and can easily shape them, draw the two worlds together, etc. etc., but honestly it was still so unclear what he was trying to do with them? Also why was there no mention of the clocks or the way he killed people in season 4 again. It's like that complete part of his powers just vanished and disappeared.

Third, the ending. Oh my god the ending was so bad. The final battle should have been 30 minuts ot maybe 20 minutes and then the epilogue should've only been 15 to 20 minutes max. Why was it literally 40 minutes long?? They could have done so much more with that because nobody needs to watch so much of the characters having little fantasy happy endings with the horrifyingly shit ending we got at the end of the final battle. El sacrificing herself was so shit and after all the abuse, suffering and hardship she's been through, she is still the one who still suffers the most in the end. She was nothing more than a machine in the final season. Everyone gets a happy ending and she's the only one who suffers? It's so unfair honestly. Also, that whole scene of Mike theorising of what happens to everyone in the end with him theorising she actually escaped with the help of an allegedly alive Kali??? Are we actually being for real right now?? As much as I want to be delusional and believe this, there is no way she is actually alive dawg. Can we be for real right now. Additionally, the fact that in the end, Rovickie is not confirmed and she just completely disappears off screen? And then the Duffer Brothers say it's up to the audience to interpret as it is ambigous?? So many goddamn things are left ambigous in this final season and it's so bad.

Fourth, there were so many plot holes.

Also side note, I don't even know if this review can coherently represent everything I want to say about the plot because I'm just so underwhelmed and disappointed by it. Like I feel like I have sooo many thoughts about this season but I can't get it out and the only way I can say it is that I'm just so unsatisfied and disappointed.

The slip up in Will's disappearance date, Will not feeling anything despite being connected to the hive mind when Vecna got snapped and died, Rovickie, who unlocked the shed door back in season 2, why was Will taken, how did Max get back to moving about so adaptly in the span of 18 months, water in the upside down, the upside down's general setting, THE PAINTING, what happened to the turnbows, where is Arygle, and so much more. Like it honestly just irks me and I feel like again, if they had just given 20 minutes of that long-ass epilogue to something else to further develop the main plot or address a bunch of these the finale would not have been as bad.


2. Characters

I won't touch on everyone because I don't have all day so I'll just touch on the characters/relationships which I have major Thoughts on.

2.1 Dustin & Steve

I really appreciate how they portrayed Dustin's coping and experience of grief with regards to Eddie. The way he "self-harms" by getting/wanting to get punched by the bullies, isolating himself and pushing his friends and support system away...it all feels very realistic and raw. Gaten did a really good job of portryaing Dustin's emotions and the way he was trying to grapple with it. I especially appreciate his tensions with Steve and the way it was resolved (though albeit a bit too fast and not enough portrayal of their relationship for my liking). The way he first hits Steve out of anger and just can't express himself before finally tearfully admitting he can't lose him...I love their friendship so much and this is where I have issues because it kind of proves the writers do have it in them to write a good arc. One thing I will pick on though, is the lack of focus on Dustin and also his and Steve's relationship once they make up. I think Dustin is still a very underrated character.


2.2 Will (& a little bit of Mike)

Will...oh Will...people genuinely forget he was one of the main characters because he got sidelined so bad sometimes. I thought it was going great first, with the fact he got powers and began to fell more confident in himself. That scene of him recalling Robin's speech and replaying of his childhood memories was honestly so sweet and fanstastic...I teared up lowkey... BUT THEN they did him so dirty with the way he handled his feelings for Mike, the second half of the season with his new potential and powers and his coming out scene. Why was everybody and their mother in that room with him. I genuinely believe the best way the scene should have been handled is either 1. Just telling Joyce and then Mike overhears him secretly which leads to some Byler complication or 2. tell Joyce, and THEN gather the OG OG party (Mike, Lucas and Dustin, maybe El) and tell them, WHICH would have been not only a really sweet moment for Will but also for the viewers in seeing this development and getting a core 4 party-only moment for the first time in a long long time.

Even though I was never really a Byler stan and lowkey wouldn't have minded to see them actually get together for the shits and giggles, I ended up being annoyed they actually didn't end up together. I want to say that Mike and his facial expressions and everything felt so queerbaiting and I genuinely believed they were going to end up together but no. Nothing. And then to hit the final nail in the coffin, the stupid radio tower scene where the two of them finally have a talk following Will's coming out and Mike PMO SO BAD. Will is genuinely stronger than me because if I came out to my best friend who was also my unrequited, secret crush of god knows how many years and he said, "I don't want to be friends", paused and then followed up with "I want to be best friends", I would have pushed him off the tower instantly. Their whole relationship and Will's perspective and thoughts towards his crush on Mike felt so unresolved and horribly handled I feel like they did him so so dirty.

Also, his powers. Nothing was ever touched on it again which makes me so annoyed. I am happy he ended up having Hopper as a father figure in his life though, and the ending scene with Joyce and Hopper in his graduation gown and Jonathan filming them was really sweet because at least he finally got the family bonds he deserved.


2.3 El

El...another doomed and horribly handled character...I really really understand why Millie Bobby Brown couldn't care less or was unsatisfied with her character's ending and development. I would be too. She took such good care of El and really gave her all throughout these years and in the end, it was just mistreated. Like I said, El really shouldn't have sacrificed herself and she deserved so so so much better. She was again just reduced to being Mike's girlfriend (I.e. The ending scene where they still kiss) and her relationship with Hopper was no longer wholesome father-daughter but still a horrible, repetitive, boring cycle of them arguing about keeping her safe, not wanting to lose each other, etc. She barely got screentime and developments with the other characters as well, especially Max, who was supposed to be her first true female friend and got her to find her own interests and be herself. I wanted more interactions with Will too, who was her literal adoptive brother and they could have fought together more too which would have been so cool. I saw online how the Duffer Brothers said her character is meant to represent the magic and wonders of childhood??? And that her sacrificing herself is a reflection of it fading away?? Can we be for real right now. Like BFFR. How is her suffering, abuse, mental torture, being experimented on and never having a stable childhood and life in her formative years supposed to be the "magic and wonders" of childhood. Do they even hear themselves???? Honestly thinking too much about El and her development and character pisses me off so bad. My girl really deserved better


2.3 Max & Lucas

I'm so so happy and glad they ended up together and Max came out alive. Honestly, if they failed at any point or Max died I would have given the show 1 or 0 stars. I really enjoyed how they initially showed Lucas' insecurities in grappling with his racial status and popularity status in school, trying his best to fit in and make a place for himself. And then this also goes poof and he gets reduced to just being Max's boyfriend. Don't get me wrong, I love the two of them so much, and Lucas is truly the best guy ever, like carrying Max throughout the hospital, visiting her everyday, just waiting for her, having faith, having the softest gaze ever for Max...like Lucas Sinclair the man you are...but Lucas is one of my favourite characters, and his whole identity and development again getting reduced (I'm sensing a pattern here) is so horrible and makes me so mad. S1-S2/3 Lucas was a huge nerd (and he still is). He was sassy, funny and cool, he was a geek and he had real plot and character development points. The only semblance of that Lucas in S5 was the popcorn scene where he comes with Erica to share his idea in how to charge up the demogorgon. Other than that, he is just there and reduced to Max's boyfriend and I wish wish wish he had more screen time and developments.

Max being revealed to be "alive" in Vecna's mind with Holly was honestly really good and shocking. I remember gasping in delight and being so so happy. I appreciate and enjoyed the friendship she and Holly struck up, and how it led to their escape. Again, plot hole but I'm so pissed that Holly and Max did not get a reunion together in the real world after they were rescued?? After all the bonding and adventures they had, Max felt like another older sister to Holly but they didn't even get a reunion which makes me so disappointed. That aside, the final scene where she escapes his mind and wakes up, and that moment with Lucas was so sweet...I cried. I waited so long for her to wake up and their performance together in that scene was so heart wrenching (in a good way). When she said she just needed Lucas and not Kate Bush I was like oh my godddd...I love their relationship so much T.T The way they finally got their movie date since that one scene in season 4...SOMEBODY SEDATE ME

That aside, in similar fashion, Max kind of gets sidelined again till the part where she joins Kali and El to rescue the kids. But after that, she's sidelined again and even in the finale she literally couldn't do anything. Also, the fact that she could skateboard perfectly after 18 months after being in a coma for so long and not using her muscles felt unrealistic and I think it would have been cooler to still see her slightly disabled/struggling to move properly.

2.4 Misc

I don't really have much in depth thoughts for the rest. Just some other rambles include:


3. Final/Misc

Honestly, again, I'm just really disappointed by this season and the fact that it's the end of Stranger Things. I watched this in a slight sleep-deprived haze in the very dark airplane cabin on the way back home so it kind of feels like a blur. But at the same time, it made me realise how bad the CGI and blue/green screens are this season when I relook and rewatch some of the scenes now in a less tired manner, especially the Abyss. Why is it that horrible overly saturated yellow filter??? After all the darkness and eerie-ness and spookiness from the upside down and monsters and everything, I thought the Abyss would look scarier but no. They slapped on some yellow warm filter those White American movies use to depict Mexico or India and it looks so bad. That one screenshot of Lucas and Mike in the abyss with the camera panning to them from bottom up looks particularly bad and I remember when people praised Stranger Things for having good cinematography and compositions...like where did we go wrong guys...

I stil can't believe the show is finally over and the cultural impact this show has on the world is actually insane. But I truly believe this season is the weakest and poorest season, and the actors and their characters got done really dirty. I feel like I have more thoughts and maybe when I do, I'll come back and update here but for now, I'm just so disappointed and empty after this final season. This feels like Sex Education all over again.

My final ranking of all the seasons:

1. Season 1
2. Season 3
3. Season 2
4. Season 4
5. Season 5



Abbott Elementary Szn 1 | ABC Network

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23/12/2025

classroom

Image credits: A room with tables and chairs by 1ndex

Rating: 4.5 ★

Tried watching this show again, and maybe because my attention span is healing or I’m just more well-rested, but this was so good? Idk what was wrong with me last time when I tried watching it and now I really regret not starting it earlier when I still had Disney+. I really found myself enjoying every individual episode, character and the overall arcs as well.

I think I particularly resonate with the show because of my job as a teacher over the last few years and right now, and seeing the lives of the teachers and how hard they (mostly Janine) fight to try and make the school better for the children and the dynamics between them is really fun and refreshing for me. I know a lot of workplace sitcoms exist out there like B99 (which I also dearly love) and superstore, but this one felt more personal since I felt like I could resonate with some of the broader themes or scenes pertaining to the children or even the social issues.

I think my favourite character so far is Gregory. His dry, deadpan humour and mannerisms sometimes remind me of Captain Holt from B99. He’s also so funny and I love his interactions with the other teachers, particularly Jacob. I know I also already spoiled myself and to be fair you can kinda clock it but I can’t WAIT for him and Janine to get together. Like they are soooo cute oh my god??? The way he instantly folds for her. He is the literal definition of “his eyes softened” when he sometimes looks at her. I’m sooo glad she broke up with Tariq and when he got together with Taylor I was SO MADDDD. Bro was just trying to move on but Tariq was sooo bad and arghhhhh. I need them to get together it’s not even funny.

The dynamics of all the teachers are so fun too, though Ava PMO sometimes with how she treats Janine (Kind of reminds me of an exaggerated version of Gina and Amy in B99). The actors all do such a good job of portraying the personalities of their characters and being teachers. I love Jacob and Janine’s dorky friendship and Melissa and Barbara’s older wine aunt energy.

I haven’t been able to find a show that’s been able to keep me hooked for a while, and the overarching plot of S1 being Ava’s job as principal on the line and Gregory finding out was really interesting. I also liked how the individual episodes dove straight into setting up and further developing each character’s personalities. I’m quite excited for S2 which I also just started today.



ASOUE | Netflix

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19/12/2025

ASOUE

Image credits: Netflix

Rating: 4 ★

I recently went back down an ASOUE rabbit hole and then speed/binged watched all 3 seasons in 2ish days and then went back on my theory rabbit hole as well. Like wow have i changed??? granted I didn’t really watch it properly because I skipped through some parts and I didn’t watch from the Vile Village to Carnivorous Carnival cos that’s my least favourite arc (i’ll get into that later) but honestly truly think ASOUE shaped me and played such a big role in my childhood when I first learnt about it when I was 9 years old. truly believe it changed the trajectory of my life forever #life changing asf

I still honestly give it 4 stars even 6 years after I watched it (omg time isn’t real???) because im always so so so thankful they followed the original book quite faithfully. ASOUE’s universe is so thick and in the words of The End, it’s like an onion with many layers that you keep slowly unpeeling. I still remember the unparalleled JOY i felt watching the TV adaptation for the first time and seeing everything I read really get followed closely – the narration and vibe was just so so good. I know some people didn’t like the way Netflix added in the additional layers and plot behind VFD, the sugar bowl and the additional characters but I honestly really appreciate it even until now? like I see the TV and book series as both separate but connected media if that makes sense. For the TV series, I honestly enjoy and still enjoy the added additional nuance to the original plot. like Mr Poe’s secretary Jacquelyn actually having an important role (and even being the duchess of Winnipeg the callbackkk), and as aforementioned, Larry actually having a backstory as a volunteer and being integral to the plot and development, and even Olivia Caliban not just being some carnival fortune teller but having a backstory as the librarian at prufrock prep and joining VFD later on. Honestly even Lemony being a self insert with his own moment at TPP was actually interesting and I feel that Netflix handled his own cameo quite well and the way he interacted with the Baudelaires to try and get them to escape. I do really appreciate how Netflix tried to weave all these additional characters and how they are all interconnected quite well given how chunky the original source material already is, especially when it came to the backstories like when they explained the night at the opera.

I really have to say though the CGI and the acting was lowkey ASS in the first season and this is where I take off majority of that 1 star. I cant lie malina weissman and lois hynes acting was lowkey stiff, and the cgi of sunny and some of the creatures is so bad AND THE GREEN SCREEN OH MY GODD it’s sooooo funny like watching this now in the great year of 2025 is like wow how did I never notice this last time. BUT even then, the set and everything is so beautifully made and im so appreciative of the level of detail the set and costume designers went into because from the VFD spyglass, to all the items that were “in” in TEE, from the self sustaining mobile home in TVV and even just all the buildings like Prufrock Prep, Lucky Smells, Aunt Josephine’s house, Uncle Monty’s home, etc. , watching this now still brings me so much comfort and joy in how they really made everything I imagined as a kid come to life on the screen.

The casting agents honestly did so so good as well, like watching this again now even after all these years I really feel like most of the characters, especially lucy punch and neil patrick harris, did such a good job of making their characters come to life cos honestly that’s how I really imagined esme and count olaf when I was younger. The people who play the villains in this show is honestly unmatched and I really have to admit lucy punch does such a superb job of being esme squalor. the way she enunciates her words, her tone and even the slight expressions and mannerisms is so perfect and really reflects Esme’s high status but also her insecurities and attempts at villainy. even after all these years she’s still my fav in the show and TEE will always be my favourite book and arc because I feel like that’s where the fun starts.

Speaking of arcs, my ranking of the books/episodes is as follows:

1. The Ersatz Elevator
2. The Slippery Slope
3. The Austere Academy
4. The Penultimate Peril
5. The Reptile Room
6. The Bad Beginning
7. The Hostile Hospital
8. The End
9. The Carnivorous Carnival
10. The Wide Window
11. The Miserable Mill

I really don’t love the early arcs, TMM and TWW is honestly such a drag for me, but I think it’s because I read somewhere Daniel Handler wasn’t entirely sure if he could serialise the entire of ASOUE so the first 4 books were more “standalone” so I don’t really blame him.

Also just a short digression but looking back and rewatching TBB, I never realised how dark and twisted the marriage scene was. It’s kinda like me reading a bunch of Jacqueline Wilson books and thinking EDs were normal type of vibe because really if you think about it, Count Olaf is like 50??? late 40s?? and Violet was only 14 in book 1 so it’s actually really horrifying. I actually felt really icked out and got chills watching neil patrick harris’ performance in his scenes where he keeps calling violet his bride and why did I never question it as a kid reading or watching it. Also, if I think too hard, all three children have such severe trauma it’s insane

Anyway, I digress. I guess that’s why I love TAA so much because it’s where everything starts shifting and picking up, with the Quagmires and the Baudelaires discovering VFD. Again, even after all these years, TEE, TSS and TAA are still my favourite books/arcs because of the insane developments and plot twists that also come along with it (E.g. Esme turning out to be evil, Quigley surviving the fire, VFD getting introduced, Sunny almost dying etc.).

Speaking of Quigley, Dylan Kingwell is soooo fine still. Like 12 year old me knew what she was doing when she thought Dylan Kingwell was the cutest in the show like he was my white boy of the month/years in ASOUE’s time when it was running. I think he and avi lake really looked like triplets/twins and did a really good job portraying the Quagmires, and I also appreciated how the show showed a view “behind the scenes” or small snippets of the quagmires lives before the fire and when Quigley was saved. It really added a layer of depth to their characters. ALSO in my rabbit hole of ASOUE theories, I recently discovered a Daniel Handler interview from 2025 where when asked what the Baudelaires and Quagmires might be doing right now, he replied saying he hopes they are cooking a big meal together. Honestly this speaks to me because maybe im #delusional but ig it means they are all alive and together which is awesome sauce and comforts younger me who believed they all died to the great unknown after getting off that island.

I think this review or thought dump is still very intertwined and biased with my book knowledge even though it’s supposed to be purely based on the tv show. However, I think that’s gonna be hard because the book series really played a large part of my life growing up. It was the one special book series no one else I know had read, and I was the only one I knew irl to this date who knew and read it so it always has a very special place in my heart. Like sure, I read wayyyy more Jacqueline Wilson and Enid Blyton but ASOUE was kinda my special thing I got to have, and I still remember when I discovered the theories online. I had a field day. Even now when I was recently reading all these theories, it is so fascinating to me that people are able to notice all these dots and threads together and can come up with genuinely plausible and realistic sounding theories. Like 11 year old me and honestly maybe even current me are still mind blown at the “Beatrice survived the fire” theory and the “what’s inside the sugar bowl” theories.

I know people have a lot of issues with how there’s a lot of questions and holes at the end of the series and i am also honestly frustrated because I want to know what happens in the end. I think that’s one of my biggest issues with the series because so much feels like it’s revealed but so little at the same time so you never really get to learn much and some things I always wanted to learn more of in both TV and book series would be the backstory behind all the VFD adults, Olaf and Kit’s story and what happened to the Quagmires and Baudelaires in the end. I think VFD had so many things going on at some point it was hard to tell what was real and what were decoys and yea, even till now, I’m still slightly frustrated I never got answers to everything but I guess that’s in the nature of the books since it was like a dark mystery.

Lowkey idk if this is even a review anymore. It’s more of just a post of me rambling about my deep rooted love for ASOUE that never really went away even after all these years. I really do love the book and tv series though (we don’t talk about the movie) and I think they both have such a special place in my heart. And in full honesty, if someone gifted me the Incomplete History of Secret Organisations book even today I might just cry.

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