A Few Days Ago I Was Watching A Blair Edit And It Just Came To Me If People Say Bo Xilai Shaped His Public

…what if I’m happy with staying in my little cosy room? The club metaphor can be off-putting / hard to understand for neurodivergent people and people from different cultures. Maybe it’s hard for some western people to imagine that some immigrants like me need to learn from media and remind ourselves that parties really mean fun stuff, not stress-inducing, awkward, and boring chaos.

“she should be at the club” “but not everybody can handle loud music / likes going out / enjoys drinking / wants to—“ YOURE MISSING THE POINT. “she should be at the club” is not about the literal club!! it’s about the whimsy of youth!! it’s about the things you can get away with, body and mind!! it’s about having fun and ignoring the horrors for as long as you can!! it’s about the fact that you do not deserve to feel this pain and have these responsibilities, you do not deserve to be locked in your room with your sadness, you deserve to enjoy the music and the pretty lights and the ass shaking of life!!! it’s about how i wish joy for you, even if you do not wish it for yourself!!! you should be at the club!!!!

5.23 去影院看灯火阑珊

下周

5.25 in9的the last weekend播出

5.26 什么意思游戏直播

5.27 市松寿ゞ謡出新歌

gordon brown, my life, our times

给翻看旧帖的自己：千万不要再回国。记得这次回国回家的遭遇有多难受。身体+精神+work受到多少影响。

更搞笑的是另一方可是明确地恨着共产，她就真中立到没一句怨言，对着受害一方则必须进行挑刺

搞这圈sfw的怎么还能有中立人呢（胖虎图.jpg），翻了翻发现，之前信共产主义的，哦明白了，在这地儿信共产的都是特色人，一时接受不了自己牢固的、本能一般的、如母乳一样安全的“信仰”崩塌，也是可以理解的。

carsick中，于是自己给自己唱《顺路》（串流平台都没有这歌，youtube网不好），之后想到《夜游杜拜》，“风沙中想起你 哀伤多么赤裸”有点“天地不仁 以万物为刍狗”的意思

战争开始前网上有俄罗斯人讨拍，英文评论一片拥抱，那时我说我不清楚俄罗斯人，但我能确信的是“人民都反战”至少不适用于我的故土。当时我心里想到的还是小岛，从没预料到开战后真的立刻示范给我看。

想起了《旁观他人之痛》，竟然已是2020 的歌。我那时听完崩溃，不敢点收藏，或许是潜意识想忘掉这首歌吧。我的愧疚感和被原谅都是凿壁偷光。现在听还是崩溃。19之后我偷偷地渐渐地光明正大地顺理成章地把我的无力和惭愧踢到一边埋了起来。今天看了半部Olga，却总是想起香港，为什么啊为什么啊为什么香港看不到任何希望。片尾有2020年美丽的基辅。

还是要夸一夸作词人欲龙，喜欢研究林夕，也真有林夕之风（这首不是最明显）。

RANKING 10 DEPICTIONS OF MARY 1ST

Today, I’m looking at 10 depictions of the first queen regnant of England, Mary Tudor. Of course, Mary has been depicted more than ten times, but I’m restricting this list to English-speaking, adult portrayals. I don’t feel comfortable discussing portrayals of children or performances in languages I don’t speak, as I would struggle to discuss the intricacies of those performances. To be included, the portrayal must feature at least two scenes (so no deathbed scenes with Catherine, sorry!).

This list was hugely inspired by @theladyelizabeth who made their own list discussing Elizabeth portrayals and @annabolinas who made 3 list’s discussing Anne’s which i would hugely recommend for those interested in their historical figures as both are obviously extremely well informed!

#10 ELIZABETH 1998

It genuinely cannot get worse than this. Mary is depicted as an old, religiously fanatic hag who lives in a dungeon with only a dwarf as her lady, while Elizabeth stays young and fresh throughout the entire film series. Would you believe me if I told you this movie was marketed as feminist? Sigh. This depiction of Mary has all the character depth of a classic Disney villain without any of the fun campiness. The movie also heavily leans into the Gloriana myth, which I can excuse in some older films, but in 1998/2007, while claiming to be progressive? It’s genuinely shameful.

#9 FIREBRAND 

Oh! We're still depicting Mary as stupid just to prop up Elizabeth in 2023? I’m sorry, but I just can’t with this movie. I watched it after being drawn in by the beautiful costumes (which are the best part of the film), but its depiction of Mary is absolutely awful. She’s weak-willed, easily manipulated, and gets by far the worst costumes of the bunch. Her relationship with Catherine Parr is practically nonexistent, and it feels like she only exists to contrast Elizabeth. There’s even a scene where Elizabeth lectures Mary and claims her own trauma is worse something the real Mary would never have tolerated from her little sister. It’s clear the people who made Firebrand are not Mary fans, which is fine, but it really ruined the movie for me.

#8 THE VIRGIN QUEEN (SHOW)

I mean, it’s fine—it covers most of the same ground as Elizabeth but allows Mary a lot more dignity than that movie (Which is really not saying much). Still, it’s not really worth watching for Mary fans. Joanne Whalley is a fairly good visual match for an older Mary if you can ignore the hair and the god-awful costumes… which, unfortunately, I cannot.

#7 ELIZABETH R 

Sorry, Elizabeth R fans—I do really like this show! But when it comes to its depiction of Mary, well she’s barely in it. :( For the little screentime she gets, she’s fine—a fairly basic portrayal, but nothing offensive. The actress definitely has the right look, and I do appreciate that her relationship with Elizabeth is shown as somewhat affectionate. I love this miniseries, but I really can’t recommend it to Mary fans since she plays such a minor role.

#6 MY LADY JANE

Does this one really count? Probably not—but I’m talking about it anyway. If you’re not aware, My Lady Jane is a historical fantasy Tudor show that has absolutely no interest in historical accuracy. That said, I have to admit it’s very funny.

Mary in the show is depicted as a gloriously campy villain who pegs Edward Seymour and wants to kill the lovebirds, Jane and Edward. I did say this wasn’t exactly trying to be  historically accurate! But what it is—is fun. And that’s why it ranks higher than the others. I’ll always appreciate something that fully commits to its insanity over something that pretends to be historical. Also… it said “strap Mary rights,” so I have to give it props for that.

#5 WOLF HALL

It pains me to place this so low because I feel like there’s a version of this show that could have ranked much higher—but, alas, that’s not the version I got.

This depiction of Mary is a real mixed bag. I can appreciate any portrayal that doesn’t villainize her, and I dearly hope they get the chance to play Mary again. Based on their interviews, they seem to have a real understanding of her as a historical figure. But I fear their performance is let down by the writing—something Wolf Hall certainly didn’t do. Also, the actor who plays her, Lilit Lesser, is phenomenal.

The issue is that Mary seems unable to exist without Cromwell. Like many of the women in this show, she is completely and utterly taken with him, which… is a choice. I wouldn’t be opposed to a depiction of Mary having a one-sided admiration for Cromwell—I could see that working with a different script—but unfortunately, that’s not what I got. I find the show’s take on their relationship deeply unsatisfying, and worse, it completely consumes Mary’s character.

She’s also depicted as rather quiet and withdrawn, which feels like an odd choice given what we know about the real Mary. On a more positive note, I loved the mention of Mary buying gifts for Elizabeth. It didn’t actually happen, but it’s a nice touch that highlights both Mary’s poor financial habits and her genuine affection for little Elizabeth. Also, the costuming in the second season is absolutely gorgeous.

I feel bad being so negative about this show because I do genuinely enjoy it, and Lilit is fantastic casting for Mary. But as a depiction of the historical figure? It’s just not successful.

#4 LADY JANE

I admit i may have placed this one slightly higher then it deserves but i have a mile wild soft spot for this movie despite it’s rather egregious historical inaccuracies (There’s little evidence that Jane even liked her husband, let alone that their relationship was some grand love story, and she certainly wasn’t a social reformer concerned with the plight of the poor) What can I say? I’m a sucker for cheesy enemies to lovers romances, and I’m not ashamed of it.

But that’s beside the point because we’re here to talk about their Mary! And she’s… actually sympathetic —gasp!— played fantastically by actress Jane Lapotaire in a movie that depicts Jane as our heroic lead it would be so easy to make Mary a mustache twirling (which they absolutely do with Francis Grey, who gets the full abusive, women-hating portrayal here) but Lady Jane takes a far more interesting approach, portraying Mary as a deeply complex figure. She doesn’t want to execute Jane and instead shows genuine sympathy for the young girl in front of her. She acknowledges Jane’s youth, treats her with a strict yet maternal air, but is still allowed moments of humour and softness.

The film makes it clear that Mary does everything in her power not to have Jane executed, and her insistence that Jane convert is framed as a desperate last resort rather than an act of cruelty. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend watching the movie just for Mary as she is in very little of it but, but her portrayal is definitely a highlight and one of the reasons I enjoy the film as much as I do!

#3 THE TUDORS

For a long time, The Tudors’ Mary was the gold standard against which every other depiction of her was judged. But does it still hold up? …Well, mostly.

Sarah Bolger feels like she was possessed by the spirit of young Mary in some scenes. Despite her lack of physical resemblance to the real Mary, she fully inhabits her essence—from the way she speaks to the way she moves.

That said, I do find the writing, especially in the later seasons, leaves me wanting. It feels like the writers realized they wouldn’t be able to depict Mary’s most well-known period, so they tried to cram elements of it earlier into her life. As a result, she seemingly decides to burn Protestants with little political motive an absolutely inaccurate portrayal. That misstep is what ultimately pulls down an otherwise fantastic depiction from the top two.

#2 MOTHERS DAUGHTER

Now, I can hear you all saying… what? Mother’s Daughter is a play written by Kate Hennig that focuses on Mary’s life and queenship. It specifically highlights her relationships with Elizabeth, Jane Grey, and the ghost of her mother. I adore how this play characterizes Mary—not as an evil tyrant, but as a deeply human figure, which is a luxury she’s seldom afforded, especially once she becomes queen.

Set after the death of Edward, it transforms Mary into a deeply tragic character. She’s forced to make difficult choices and question the motives of those around her, including her own family, all while facing xenophobia and religious nationalism. Shannon Taylor’s portrayal of Mary captures her evolution from a hesitant claimant to a resolute monarch. Taylor’s Mary is allowed to be funny and witty, while also reaching almost Shakespearean levels of tragedy. The depiction is both complex and effortlessly engaging.

In my opinion, Mother’s Daughter offers a deeply nuanced exploration of power, family, and identity. It highlights the struggle of a queen striving to reconcile her sense of duty with her personal convictions. I’m being a bit vague in my description because I really want you to read or watch this play—it’s beautiful, heart-wrenching, and fantastic. I highly recommend it to any Mary fans out there!

#1 BECOMING ELIZABETH

And, shockingly to no one, my number one spot goes to Becoming Elizabeth. What can I say about this show that hasn’t been said by every single Mary fan on the planet? Romola Garai is breathtaking in her role as Mary and absolutely blows every other member of the cast out of the water.

If you haven’t watched it, Becoming Elizabeth focuses on the period following Henry’s death and throughout Edward’s reign, highlighting Elizabeth’s development and her relationships, especially with Thomas Seymour (though they don’t handle that particular relationship well, so heads up if you’re planning to watch).

Garai’s performance is a standout. She captures Mary as a woman hardened by years of uncertainty and betrayal, while still remaining witty, funny, and headstrong. She’s fiercely Catholic and unwavering in her beliefs, but the show avoids turning her into a one-dimensional zealot. Instead, Becoming Elizabeth presents her faith as both a source of strength and a cause of isolation, especially in the Protestant-dominated court of Edward VI. If you want a clip that really highlights how good this depiction of Mary is, I’d recommend the scene where Edward asks her to convert. It’s heartbreaking and just so well acted.

When I think of Mary, I picture Garai’s performance. She, more than anyone else, truly captures Mary’s essence—her tragically complex relationship with her siblings. Mary is both deeply protective of them, but there’s such an obvious lack of trust between them. Despite my issues with the show as a whole, their portrayal of Mary is, without a doubt, the best and most accurate depiction of her in my mind.