My Ship of the week ending 8/31/19 on TV goes to…

Justin and Jessica on Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why season 3.  So normally when I do these posts, there is something really swoon-worthy, passionate, or epic between a ship and I fall head-over-heels in love with them, but I am honestly really conflicted about this ship, but I still think it is worth a mention and perhaps a deeper discussion.  Please note major spoilers have been left out for your convenience.

In a lot of ways, Justin and Jessica have a toxic relationship and I didn’t really want to root for them after what was uncovered in season 1.  In season 3, Jessica is really finding her voice as a survivor and she is trying to get others to accept change, but she is also exploring her own sexual identity again, which is not easy to do. 

Jessica knows that it is wrong to be with Justin because she initially wants to keep their relationship a secret.  That being said, these two have some beyond sexy moments in season 3 and it’s hard to ignore the passion that has been sparked between them.

As season 3 continues, Justin even starts to recognize that perhaps Jessica is better off without him.  Justin is an addict and they are both broken so this thought process actually makes sense to me, except perhaps throw in a little open honesty.  Jessica continues to stand by Justin’s side and tells him, “Your shit is my shit.”  Perhaps she could have chosen some other words here, but she gets her point across, reminding Justin that she has his back always and Justin would do anything for Jessica.

At the end of season 3, I was left wondering if this ship truly has the potential to make it and I’m honestly not sure.  I personally think that Justin needs to actually deal with his addiction and recover from that before he can even attempt to be in a relationship.  Jessica is strong and powerful, but she is also still broken in a lot of ways and will she every truly be able to get over the past when she looks at Justin?

What’s next for Justin and Jessica?  I’m honestly not sure what season 4 holds for these two, but I am trying to keep an open mind.  I guess what I actually ship here is the potential for something real in the future rather than the present state of their relationship.

Maybe it will never happen and maybe it’s not meant to, but I can’t ignore the chemistry and friendship between these two and they do have some really adorable moments together.  I just think that they both need to find out who they are apart…and if their paths cross again in the future and they are ready to give it a try, perhaps this can be the start of a beautiful relationship.

What are YOUR thoughts on Justin and Jessica?  Toxic and unstable or charming and sweet?

Stay tuned for a recognized Ship on TV each week!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

[twitter-follow screen_name=’TV_Fanatic_Girl’]

Have a Ship that you think is absolutely swoon-worthy? Feel free to contact me with your nomination for the week by Friday at midnight! 

Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural?  Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery?  Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon!  Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well.  I really hope you enjoy!

The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Dreaming of Wonderland Series Blog

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

My performance of the week ending 8/31/19 on TV goes to…

Maura Tierney as Helen Solloway on Showtime’s The Affair.  Helen has always been a fantastic supporting character on the series, but a lot of the attention has previously centered around Alison, Noah, and Cole. With the opening of the final season of the series, Alison and Cole are no longer on the show and I was worried that we would feel a void without them.

Fear not; however, as Maura Tierney reminded us just how compelling and real Helen can be and it’s about time she got her moment in the spotlight.  Please note some spoilers are ahead if you are not up-to-date on the series.  After watching the season 5 premiere, I was left in tears and then some.

Both Ruth Wilson and Joshua Jackson were able to bring tears out of me last year as well with their beyond heartbreaking performances, but there was something so incredibly real and honest about Maura Tierney’s portrayal of Helen in the premiere.  Grief is something that is not easily portrayed.  Sometimes it feels over-the-top and sometimes it feels disingenuous, but somehow my heart was completely breaking for Helen and that was mostly because of how well Maura Tierney performed here.

Helen is used to speaking her mind and she doesn’t care who she offends when she does, which is part of what makes me like her so much.  In fact, some of my absolute favorite moments featuring Helen involve her saying something blunt, but she always comes pretty close to the truth.  In season 4, Helen has this revealing conversation with Alison and I really stopped to think about what she said and how spot on she was with her advice.

When Noah tells Helen that she is resilient in the season 5 premiere, Helen tells him that she had to be because she didn’t have a choice.  But the truth is, Helen is more than resilient.  Through it all, she has been strong, loving, and funny.  She’s a mother of four and she has had to deal with so much after finding out about Vic’s illness, which would probably push anyone over the edge, but somehow Helen is able to keep going, refusing to give up.

Helen has had some hilarious moments on the show, singing loudly and drinking wine in her bedroom and getting pulled over with her foils still in her hair, but in the season 5 premiere, there is this moment of silence where Helen just simply lets go, allowing her thoughts to drift.  This moment of self-reflection is when Helen starts to truly contemplate what has happened and where she is in her life, which was an extremely powerful and heartbreaking scene to watch.

What’s next for Helen?  We’ll have to wait and see, but it looks like she may have a new romantic interest in the near future who Noah will not approve of.  Even though it seems like there is still a connection between Noah and Helen, I feel like Helen is so above him at this point.  Noah doesn’t deserve Helen and I truly hope that she is able to find true happiness because she constantly puts others before her own needs and I just want her to experience a real moment for herself.  How will it all end?  I’m excited to find out and I can’t wait to see what Helen does next!

Stay tuned for a recognized performance on TV each week!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

[twitter-follow screen_name=’TV_Fanatic_Girl’]

Have a performance on TV that you think is simply outstanding? Feel free to contact me with your nomination for the week by Friday at midnight! 

**Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural?  Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery?  Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon!  Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well.  I really hope you enjoy!

The Dreaming of Wonderland Book Series is available here!

Dreaming of Wonderland Series Blog

Free Instant Preview of The Search for Alice is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!