AvidBards
Reflections

The Arts in a World of Scandals

Separating the Art From the Artist The last decade has seen more accountability and increasing calls for public and celebrity figures to be held responsible for their actions and statements. Recently, Johnny Depp was removed from his role as Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beast franchise after he lost his libel case against a UK tabloid that labelled him a wife-beater. This is not an isolated case but rather, the latest of a long line of celebrity scandals just as Kevin Spacey was asked to step down from his notable role in the political drama show, House of Cards. Similarly, Hachette Book Group…

View Post
TV Shows

Good Omens: The Importance of Canonizing Queerness

Good Omens truly is a delight. The mini-series, based on Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s 1990 novel of the same name, came out in 2019. Starring the brilliant David Tennant and Michael Sheen, who are both powerhouse actors and absolute chameleons in whichever role they take on, play a demon and angel, respectively. At its core, the show is about an unlikely/forbidden friendship that is struck up between the two over a span of six centuries, and who secretly work together to put a stop to the Apocalypse which is set to happen in current day. That is Good Omens…

View Post
TV Shows

The Fall: Is it Feminist?

I am definitely late to the game on this one having just finished the BBC, British-Irish series The Fall this week! I knew that I wanted to talk about the series but I was at a loss of what exactly to talk about until I saw the ratings for the show. The three series tense thriller had people falling over themselves to binge watch the first series back in 2013, but by its finale in 2016, reactions to it had shifted. The recent addition of the show on Netflix UK has had many people obsessed (and thoroughly creeped out), bingeing it within a few days, myself included, a change of tune from 2016. So, what happened?

View Post
Reflections

How ‘Bojack Horseman’ Achieved The Impossible

BoJack Horseman, whose final season aired in January 2020, is now known for its legacy as one of the best animated shows of all time (and to me, is one of the best TV shows period). While some may argue whether or not it really is “the best”, one thing is certain: BoJack Horseman is a show that explores the human condition brilliantly. Namely because it does so in a way that brings the hardest truths about humanity to the forefront while injecting a bitingly self-aware sense of humour into it all. It’s a show that never goes down the easy, “tied up in a neat little bow” route, as it is determined to show audiences every nuanced aspect of its tragicomedic nature. Today, I’ll be reflecting on how BoJack Horseman wrapped up its epically thought-provoking show in its final season.

View Post
Reflections

Summer Playlist

Though many of my favourite artists have typically been creators coming from diverse backgrounds, lately I have been trying to make more of a conscious effort to discover more BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ voices, and discover more art created by marginalized groups in general. It’s imperative that the momentum from the #BlackLivesMatter protests and presence on social media is continued and does not die down, because we are nowhere close to being finished fighting the fight. In the continual aim of amplifying melanated voices, I’ve created a “Summer Jams” playlist on Spotify that predominantly includes songs from some incredible BIPOC and queer musical artists!

View Post
TV Shows

The Boys: the Abuse of Power in Positions of Authority

While we’ve seen the concept of corrupt law enforcement in countless mediums, a recent example who has done it in a way that mirrors reality uncannily well is the Amazon Prime Original TV series The Boys (2019). Based off the controversial graphic novel of the same name written by Garth Ennis, The Boys in its very concept exemplifies how its superheroes/superhero corporation, called Vought, act as direct metaphors of police officers and the reality of our current law enforcement system. The Boys delves into the nefarious underbelly of capitalism and corporate America, and boy, does it go all in. (Warning: Spoilers ahead!)

View Post

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Where to next?