Television
"Inside the Manosphere". Content Warning.
I watched what now seems like the ‘infamous’ Louis Theroux documentary “Inside the Manosphere”. Boy, I was not expecting this type of feedback from the people that I follow and others on social media. It honestly baffled me. The timing of the documentary’s release, in my opinion, was perfect. We seem to be going through a massive decline and reversal in our generation’s thinking and the generations that come after us. Misogyny is on the rise again (though it never really left, did it?).
By soft static7 months ago in Critique
Review: Brighton Part Two – Emotional Highs, Historical Lows, and Character Depth in Regency Drama
After the release of part two for Brighton, I found myself in a strange limbo, waiting a few days before I could finally watch it since my mum was still away on holiday. That anticipation was a genuine test of patience and set the tone for my viewing experience. During this time, the ongoing high tea scenes became increasingly irritating—they felt like they dragged on forever, with little movement in the plot. For instance, the repetitive pouring of tea and polite small talk seemed to stall the storyline, making it hard to stay engaged. However, the cheese tastings among the gentlemen offered a refreshing contrast. Watching these moments unfold felt authentic; it was fascinating to see a tradition that was commonplace in the Regency era depicted faithfully on screen. This attention to period detail helped ground the show and made the setting feel more immersive, reminding me why I enjoy period dramas in the first place.
By Sarah Xenos7 months ago in Critique
Oscars spark debate after 'KPop Demon Hunters' acceptance remarks cut short....
The 2025 Academy Awards were meant to be a night of celebration, but for many viewers, one particular moment sparked an unexpected wave of criticism. The spotlight fell not just on the winners, but on how their victories were handled—especially during the acceptance speeches for the animated hit KPop Demon Hunters.
By Shirley Oyiadom7 months ago in Critique
The reason Hulk refused to fight Thanos
The Real Reason Hulk Refused to Fight Thanos 🚨 Most people think that in Avengers: Infinity War, Hulk refused to fight Thanos because he was scared. After all, this was the first time anyone had seen the Green Goliath genuinely overwhelmed in hand-to-hand combat. But the truth might be much deeper than simple fear.
By Literary fusion7 months ago in Critique
Why Saying Less Makes Words Feel More Valuable
There is a widely held belief that words gain value through scarcity. When someone speaks rarely, their statements are treated as weightier, more deliberate, and more worth attending to. When someone speaks often, their words are assumed to be interchangeable, disposable, or less carefully considered. This intuition is not entirely wrong, but it is frequently misapplied. Scarcity does affect perception, but perception is not the same as truth, and rarity is not the same as meaning.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast8 months ago in Critique
Bridgerton Season 4: A Predictable Turn and Diminished Intrigue
When season 3 of Bridgerton wrapped up, I genuinely thought it would be the show’s swan song. Penelope’s marriage provided a satisfying conclusion to her romantic journey, while the long-awaited reveal that she was Lady Whistledown finally brought her secret life into the open. With both of these major storylines seemingly resolved, it felt as though the series had reached a natural stopping point, leaving few significant loose ends. That’s why the announcement of a fourth season caught me off guard. Still, as someone who’s thoroughly enjoyed the previous seasons and is a fan of historical fiction, I was curious to see what direction the story would take next.
By Sarah Xenos8 months ago in Critique
Stassi Schroeder: The Gender Gap in Accountability
Stassi Schroeder. The #OOTD creator, the queen bee of SUR, the blueprint of the strong-willed woman. Many believe that Lisa Vanderpump's hit reality television show Vanderpump Rules would not have been nearly as successful without Nastassia Schroeder's strong opinions and intense personality.
By Autumn Henderson8 months ago in Critique
Speaking to Time Instead of the Room
Much of modern communication is oriented toward immediacy. Writing is framed as something meant to be consumed quickly, reacted to instantly, and replaced just as fast by whatever comes next. Under this model, the value of a piece is measured almost entirely by its initial reception. If it does not land immediately, it is treated as a failure. This assumption narrows the purpose of writing and misunderstands how meaning actually travels through time.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast8 months ago in Critique
Practice vs Performance
One of the quiet pressures shaping modern communication is the assumption that anything written should be immediately shareable. Drafts blur into declarations, and exploration is mistaken for conclusion. Under this pressure, writing becomes performative by default. The moment words are placed on a page, they are treated as finished statements rather than steps in a process. This expectation distorts both how writing is produced and how it is received, collapsing practice into performance and leaving little room for genuine development.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast8 months ago in Critique
