Split Screen: Tenure Review

Thanks for tuning into Split Screen! It’s your intro host Madelyn, getting academic now that we’ve really hit the end of the college school year. Despite the fact that there are no formal professors on either show, Emma and I somehow manage to talk tenure in both Boys Over Flowers and My Hero Academia this week. Who’s got it? Who’s an adjunct? Is Jan-di still studying for med school? Do the UA teachers need to get terminal degrees?

So many questions, so few answers. But don’t worry, we’ve got drama to make up for it!

(Tuning in to Split Screen for the first time? Catch up on all the action here!)

(EDITOR EMMA: Hi, holy moley, sorry it’s been a bit. We’ll be back to the weekly schedule from now on, probably. We’ve said that a lot after all. But I’ve finally got the time and energy to edit these again. Those photo captions take work you know!)

Boys Over Flowers Episode 21 (up to minute 33)

M: I never thought I’d say this, but not enough happened on Boys Over Flowers this week!

E: It’s more accurate to say that a lot of stuff happened, but none of that stuff had much, if any, forward momentum when it comes to the story.

M: Just the wedding, right? It’s more accurate to say that nothing happened that surprised me.

E: Well, I seem to recall you saying “I didn’t see that coming” once in this episode.

M: That’s the one exception to the rule.

E: Anyway, we start off with- oh, this surprised me too- reliving that horrible moment from the end of last episode, and then- oh my!- the mom walks in and makes it infinitely worse.

M: She got a nice haircut though.

E: She’s really leaning full evil in this episode, so the haircut goes with that.

M: Whatever, I respect it. I respect Mama Gu more when she’s sharp and nasty, rather than the wishy-washy stuff we’ve been getting from her lately.

E: I’m pretty sure she implied Jan-di was a huge slut just last episode, but sure, wishy-washy.

M: Yeah, but she turned around two minutes later and begged Jan-di to leave Jun-pyo alone.

E: Fair enough. I did get some intense satisfaction from seeing tenured housekeeping Grandmother outmaneuver the Chairwoman for an instant. Even if that was literally only an instant before things went bad again.

M: Jun-pyo’s happiness is the only thing she wants before she dies.

E: And, like I said, she’s got tenure.

M: I love the idea of a tenured maid. Is that why they haven’t fired Manager Jung yet? Is he tenured too?

E: Honestly, he must be. However, poor Butler Lee was not granted tenure when Jun-pyo’s dad kicked the bucket.

M: He got sent to a satellite campus. It’s tough to be an adjunct.

E: After that short-lived triumph, everything is bad. And that’s it. That’s the episode.

M: Ji-hoo and his grandpa had a sweet, absolutely predictable reconciliation! They’re the only safe part of the show these days.

E: I feel like the ring scene was too much too soon. I think I would have found it more emotionally impactful if they’d just had like a quiet, super awkward conversation while fishing. The fact that they put it in there, now that I’m thinking about, does actually make me a little more nervous about where they’re going with Ji-hoo than I originally was when we were watching it.

M: Welcome to my anxiety train. Take a seat! We’ve got snacks. Look at the weird lotus flowers out the window!

E: Is the snack also lotus-based? Because I might pass.

M: We’re not doing an Odyssey thing here. The snack is a cold breakfast I made hours ago while you were sleeping.

E: Oh. Well then. Yum a dum dum.

M: So, let’s address the evolving Jae-kyung problem, shall we?

E: I really think the issue is that I am honestly not sure how the show wants me to perceive her? I don’t know if it’s partially because I don’t want to hate her, because characters like that are lazy in my opinion. But I think it’s inconsistent writing too.

M: You have a very charitable explanation for her behavior: she’s willfully deceiving herself because she wants everything to be okay. I still think that makes her character tremendously stupid. I’m not sure if it’s worse than actual ignorance of her own cruelty, but it’s pretty close.

E: See, I don’t mind tremendous stupidity in this sense at all. It’s far less one-note than the Chairwoman’s machinations for me. She’s just, like, a stupid girl who wants to have a best friend and a boyfriend and for that to be uncomplicated and easy. And so, she’s willfully putting up those blinders as much as she can. And hopefully, the show will eventually have her reckon with and move on from that mindset.

M: What are Jae-kyung’s interests other than loving Jun-pyo? Does she have any?

E: Travel. Bad singing.

M: Oh yes, so nuanced.

E: I’m not at all saying that Jae-kyung is the best written character on this show, I am definitely not (although I think you could play that game for several characters and come up kinda empty). And I might be superimposing a character arc that I find compelling on to her, I’m willing to admit that possibility. I’d would like it if that was how her character was.

M: Don’t bring Woo-bin into this! My problem is that you’re right: the show does seem to want us to feel a tiny bit sympathetic to Jae-kyung’s situation, at least based n the heavy use of sentimental music when she’s feeling sad. However, I really think that her behavior is ultimately much worse than Mama Gu’s. I know murder isn’t on the table for her, but Mama Gu is at least up front about the fact that she hates Jan-di and wishes her ill. Jae-kyung seems mostly interested in rubbing Jan-di’s face in all of this while insisting that they are friends. Even though I’m supposed to feel sympathy for her, she’s behaving with such abject cruelty that I just can’t

E: It seems like you’re looking at it with sort of a personal dislike of Jae-kyung’s actions, which I totally agree with. I agree with your assessment that, in a lot of ways, her actions are worse than Mama Gu’s. But I feel like Mama Gu is just there to be cruel whereas Jae-kyung at least has the potential to be doing cruel things from a place of vulnerability and whatever personal hang-ups she might have. And that makes me like her more as a character, because that’s a more interesting conflict than just Mama Gu vaguely threatening to murder Jan-di for the sake of the company pride or whatever.

M: I can’t wait for the tipping point moment where Jun-pyo calls off the wedding or runs away or something and Jae-kyung either finally steps up as a friend and realizes she’s been awful to both of them or goes completely psycho.

E: Yeah. At least then, I’ll know whether it was bad writing or well-intended but incredibly sloppy writing.

M: That leaves us with Yi-jung. Can you believe the pottery teacher is dating his estranged barista brother?

E: Okay, I don’t think they’re dating. They specifically did not use any language like that. And all their behavior could be read as sort of a big brother/younger sister type deal.

M: Anything that makes Yi-jung go back to Ga-eul is fine in my book.

E: How they did not notice his bright orange car though, I will never understand.

M: They were too busy learning about coffee.

E: I hope they don’t take this Yi-jung storyline to too dark of a place, because I need the show to stop being so dour all the time. Please.

M: I don’t know. Yi-jung needs to really hit rock bottom. Idea! I bet Yi-jung is going to get into a terrible accident right before the wedding and they’re going to have to postpone so Jun-pyo can rush to his bedside.

E: Hm. Not feeling the odds on this prediction. Because I’m pretty sure he was present at that leg breaking scene in the next on last time.

M: Well, hopefully he and Ga-eul hook up at the wedding. Give me something her!

E: Oh yeah, we didn’t even mention. They moved up the wedding! That’s the big plot development this episode.

M: Jan-di is the maid of honor! F4 are probably groomsmen!

E: Get it? Maid. Maid of Honor.

M: Oh that’s funny. Will Jae-kyung make Jan-di wear her pretty maid outfit?

E: Honestly? I hope so. That’d be stellar.

M: Will Ji-hoo propose to Jan-di in front of Jun-pyo? At the rehearsal dinner?

E: See, now that I’m thinking about it more, I’m kind of worried about that. It’s a weird feeling, I honestly have not been worried about Ji-hoo for, like, over half the show now (at least it feels like). I don’t like that this has returned.

M: Chekhov’s heirloom wedding ring.

E: So, the remainder of the episode was pretty much fluff in which Jan-di and Ji-hoo posed for fake wedding photos in order to win a whole bunch of beef, that I’m kind of skeptical that you can send in the mail, no matter how useless your parents are.

M: It’s probably either salted and preserved or Ji-hoo can arrange a special cooler for it to transported in. He’s got money.

E: That’s fair. I’m glad they did end up with the beef instead of another travel episode.

M: The wedding will probably be on Jeju Island or something interchangeable though.

E: Um, so yeah. That’s like all that happened. It’s amazing honestly.

M: Any Romance Tracker predictions? How is this wedding going to go down?

E: So, I don’t think we’ll get to the actual wedding this episode, but we might get as far as the rehearsal dinner. I don’t know if they’ll go full “leaving at the altar,” but if it doesn’t fall apart at the rehearsal dinner, then I think they will.

M: Ji-hoo punching Jun-pyo is definitely about Jun-pyo seeming like he’s going to go through with the wedding. I feel like we’ve traded places here, because I’m advocating for Ji-hoo the Good Friend, but whatever. Man, I don’t know how they get out of this.

E: I mean, Unnie was kind of talking about how she sacrificed herself for the company, so I think Jun-pyo is going to have to seriously threaten to ruin the company or abandon it at least. But I don’t know how he gets to that place when his father left all those family video guilt trips for him to torture himself with.

M: I wonder if unnie is going to uncover something about Jae-kyung’s family company that makes them unappealing as business partners.

E: That feels like a cop-out to me, and I will be disappointed if that’s the road they take.

M: I just don’t see Jun-pyo literally running away. Maybe Jae-kyung’s parents see him kiss Jan-di and call it off?

E: I don’t know. Anything that isn’t Jun-pyo taking an active stand in this will feel like a cop-out to me, I think.

M: You’re right. He needs to grow a pair.

E: Like, he’s been complaining loudly but going along with it for so long now, that I feel like if he just breaks out by circumstance, it won’t have as much significance.

M: So maybe F4 and Jan-di and Ga-eul fly away to Paris to ditch the wedding and also reunite Ji-hoo and Seo-hyun.

E: I’m down with that.

M: Any other non-wedding predictions?

E: Yi-jung is going to get trashy drunk at some wedding-related event. I’m like 100% confident on this.

M: That’s for sure.

E: Any from you?

M: Woo-bin is going to show up to the wedding with four dates. All stunning.

E: Woo-hoo-bin.

My Hero Academia S3E5: “Drive It Home, Iron Fist!”

M: I wish Deku had a shirt and a not-shattered arm.

E: Ah. Yes. That would be truly nice. Unfortunately he only has pants and one arm that is not quite as shattered as the other.

M: Could he do a pelvic Detroit Smash if he had to? I don’t mean that in a gross way.

E: Yes, and shatter his spine. That’s much better, you’re right.

M: I’m not saying before using his arms! Just in a desperate situation, is it even possible?

E: I mean, probably? He just has to like channel the energy to that location and it’s imbued with power. He’s done those cheek flicks before, I think a pelvic thrust would work just as well.

M: A Delaware Twerk?

E: I hate that.

M: I’m still mad at the inability of these kids to finish the job.

E: Shockingly, the hero community frowns on murder!!!!!! Wow!!!!!! Also, they’re like children!!!!! Maybe they aren’t used to murdering people!!!!

M: Break his legs at least! Do something so that when he wakes up, he doesn’t immediately come back after you!

E: Okay, Deku, to be fair, can pretty much do nothing to break Muscular’s legs in that state without like sacrificing one of his own legs. And I think you’re asking a little much from Kota. Just a tad. I know, you’re funny and stuff, etc, etc, but it’s a little bit.

M: Deku could jump on his legs.

E: I don’t think that would work. (EDITOR EMMA: Thinking on it more, I guess he’s probably capable of doing this, but also that seems still bad to me)

M: Isn’t Muscle or whatever his name is only muscly when he’s actively quirking?

E: Yeah, but, like, Deku doesn’t weigh that much. I think you’d just fall on your butt and leave him like a bruise on his shin.

M: Agree to disagree. I’m glad to see Aizawa back in pro hero form this week. I hate on him plenty, but it’s obvious the series goes out of its way to sideline him because his quirk is too powerful.

E: The image of his bandages like ripping through Dabi is honestly really freaky to me. Like, I think that the series sometimes struggles to make things creepy, but that gives me the shivers when he just like melts into the ground.

M: Why doesn’t Aizawa swing through the forest with his bandages? Why does he just run?

E: You know what, good question. I wish we had a friendly neighborhood Aizawa in our neck of the woods.

M: Literally!

E: Ayyyyyyy

M: Can’t believe he didn’t just nullify Deku’s quirk and carry him back to the classroom though.

E: Yeah…I mean, the presence of Kota probably complicates some things. Like, it’s one thing for Aizawa to carry one person on his back to deliver the message to Mandalay and then run back, but when you’ve got two people, that becomes probably much harder. I don’t think the solution is sending super injured Deku over to Mandalay, I think you try to send him back and go yourself. I mean, Deku wouldn’t listen, obviously, but you at least make that effort to send shattered arm Deku away from the danger.

M: Does no one have a cell phone?

E: Deku’s broke. And, I don’t know, maybe he tried Mandalay’s cell phone, I believe that she wouldn’t pick up, she’s busy.

M: Oh, I don’t mean Mandalay. Call frickin’ UA. Send in All-Might, send in literally every hero.

E: Fair enough. Again though, maybe they have, but they’re way out there in the country is my impression. So, even when you call, when will they get there?

M: Does anyone having a healing quirk at the camp?

E: No. Not as far as I know, so I’m going to assume no since it probably would have come up.

M: Who thought this through? Who thought this camp was a good idea?

E: Recovery Girl was like “eff this, never healing these ungrateful kids again” and there were no other options, obviously. Ragdoll’s Search isn’t a healing quirk, but she would be able to know if there was anything wrong with anybody just by looking at them, so that is a precaution.

M: Even under normal, non-villain attack circumstances, the whole idea of this camp is for everyone to push themselves past their limits, right? Feels like some injuries should be expected.

E: Oh totally. I feel like we’ve discussed this before, so to move on to other UA mistakes that we have discussed previously…the sports festival!

M: It’s so stupid. Of course the villains watch the sports festival.

E: Again, I do think we are meant to assume that villain activity has dramatically spiked recently, which sort of explains the existence of the sports festival, at least. I’d be interested to see how they handle the sports festival in the next year based on the changes. But it comes up twice this episode, with Shigaraki looking at Bakugo’s super flattering winner photo and Mustard mentioning that he saw Tetsutetsu on TV.

M: It should be industry-only. Not televised, just a training camp for pro heroes to scout.

E: That’s a good idea, get Principal Nezu on the phone.

M: Principal Nezu has sold his students out for advertising money.

E: Hmm, that’s something that would never ever happen in our real world. Can’t think of anything like that.

M: Nope, not at all.

E: Anyway, Deku ends up delivering two messages to Mandalay: first, that everyone is allowed to fight, Eraserhead said so, blame him. And second, that the villains are after Kacchan. Which, I think it’s a nice touch that Mandalay does not know who Kacchan is.

M: Did Mandalay not watch the sports festival?

E: I’m sure she knows who Bakugo is. But who is Kacchan?

M: This is why they should have had real teachers here.

E: It doesn’t really matter in terms of getting the message out, although I assume it’s even more annoying to Bakugo that he’s the only one being told not to fight while also being called Kacchan.

M: Once again, we have a Bakugo/Todoroki fight where Todoroki does not immediately ice blast the villain to kingdom come. It was such a mistake to show me that ability in the sports festival, because I will complain about it every episode.

E: I feel like it’s a matter of not underestimating the enemy though. Like, this teeth dude has shown that he can break at least parts of Todoroki’s ice. So, if he fires off a big one, misses, and then can’t see anything, that’s not helpful. But let’s not debate Todoroki’s tactics yet again.

M: I have to mention it once. It’s obligatory.

E: It’s just, we will literally have the same talking points as the Stain fight.

M: Brock and Misty did some good work this week.

E: Yeah, they took down the literal child. I do wish they had colored his gas like anything besides pink? Because I remember in the first episode it showed up, until it showed him, I was like “what’s Midnight doing?” right?

M: I forgot Midnight does that too.

E: And especially since his name is Mustard, you’d think it’d be colored like mustard gas.

M: One, it allows him to be Team Rocket’s Koffing here. Two, yellow gas looks like fart.

E: You know what, I’m sure that was the rationale on the part of the team working on this show. In that order, obviously.

M: I don’t appreciating the shipping of Tetsu-squared and Misty, but I would approve of a love triangle with Axel.

E: Interesting. An interesting thought.

M: That means I’m right.

E: No, no. Not really.

M: Also, big ups to my man (or reptile?) Lizard Cloud Strife. He has the raggedy maroon cape and everything. The buster sword! It’s wild.

E: Spinner is Madelyn’s villainsona and scalesona because she told me that Stain is her favorite character in the show so far.

M: Stain was mad interesting and I’m disappointed they killed him off and replaced him with lame emo hand boy.

E: I think the fact that Stain has had such a profound impact makes up for it. I agree that he is “mad interesting” but I wouldn’t ever be like “oh man, Stain, gotta get my Stain poster and my Stain mug” you know? (EDITOR EMMA: After Japan, I’m an accidental Todoroki fangirl instead). Although there are plenty of people in-universe doing that, as evidenced by the finale of season 2.

M: That brings up an interesting point. What are you supposed to do if you’re born with a villain quirk?

E: Well, the show tried to touch on it a little with Shinso back in the sports festival, but even if brainwashing sounds bad, it’s not automatically bad. But yeah, like Mustard with his poison gas and Shigaraki with his crumble to dust with a touch and I guess even Stain’s blood licking are very much destructive and nothing else. So, yes, that’s an interesting question.

M: Where’s Shinso, by the way?

E: He’s in general studies, so he wouldn’t be on this trip. He’s somewhere though. He’s doing stuff, don’t worry.

M: Wasn’t the whole point of the sports festival that some people might get promoted?

E: Yeah, but, you know. Deku beat him up so.

M: He still made like, top eight.

E: Sixteen, pshaw.

M: Deku should have been demoted for that fight alone.

E: No, I agree, I don’t fully understand why he wouldn’t be promoted considering he beat like over half of the hero course just to get to the final round. But, I don’t know, maybe they were like “you were too underhanded” or something.

M: I think it’s plot exile. Like Aizawa, his quirk is too powerful.

E: True enough.

M: I feel for the kids with villain quirks.

E: I mean, like it sucks to have them for one thing, but just imagine discovering them too. Like, no way that went well.

M: How do you think Mustard discovered his quirk? How does he generate the gas?

E: I don’t know, let’s not think about it. He’s affected by it too though, so I imagine he poisoned himself a little when it happened.

M: Yeah, been there.

E: I hate that.

M: Rise up like a vortex cortex, indeed.

E: Game over now.

M: That video game shout-out from Shigaraki came out of nowhere.

E: He’s always liked game metaphors though. This one was a little more specific. He prepared it in his little evil leader journal beforehand. But yeah, you heard it here first. My Hero Academia is a Fire Emblem game, not a Final Fantasy game, and Shigaraki does not care about permadeath.

M: Is his whole character a send-up of toxic gamer culture?

E: I think the League of Villains in general is a portrait of different ways youth can end up radicalized. I don’t think it’s because he played violent video games, but he’s certainly, yeah, playing off that toxic internet culture purposefully.

M: Last but not least, literally can’t believe they’re going to have to fight Dark Shadow.

E: It’s okay, Shoji’s got Midoriya all hooked up to his natural baby carrier. It’s gonna be fine.

M: Does Tokoyami need a night light to sleep? He must, right?

E: Probably, yeah. I think he probably just leaves a light on. Speaking of Quirks that would be weird to discover, Dark Shadow is up there.

M: It’s like…did you see that story about the possum that lived in the girl’s room for like a week?

E: Uh, no.

M: She kept telling her mom there was a creature or a monster in the room, and her mom didn’t believe it. But there was a possum there the whole time. I imagine something similar happened to Tokoyami.

E: I hate thaaaattt.

M: So, I think that once again, Lawsuit Watch is pretty clear cut.  

E: It’s almost not fair, because it’s the same lawsuits that have been in effect since episode 3. Like, are they allowed to carry over, or is it only new offenses? I guess now everyone can sue Eraserhead for letting the kids fight.

M: That’s what I was going to say. Up until this point, it was just neglect. Now Eraserhead has explicitly sanctioned breaking the law!

E: Well, hopefully he has tenure.

M: Is All-Might an adjunct?

E: He’s like a visiting professor.

M: Okay, I’m ready for the title of the next one.

E: Season 3, Episode 6 is called “Roaring Upheaval”

M: Who has a sound quirk? Doesn’t somebody scream?

E: Present Mic?

M: Shoot, that is who I was thinking of.

E: Oh, oh, Jiro, I guess. We haven’t seen her and her earphones at all yet.

M: That doesn’t feel roar-y enough. Obvious prediction one: Deku is going to fight Dark Shadow and he’s going to end up having to Delaware Smash Tokoyami the same place that Kota punched him, if you know what I mean. It’s the only way to distract Dark Shadow. Also he’ll be down another arm.

E:

creds to Madelyn

M: Prediction two: Aizawa is going to team up with Kirishima, Mineta, and Tsu. The effin’ dream team.

E: ( ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉)

M: Prediction three: Bakugo is going to do some stupid s#!t. I don’t know what, but he’s overdue like a full season to do something really stupid.

E:

M: Prediction four: Lizard Cloud will actually end up joining the heroes.

E:  

M: Prediction five: no one will alert UA about this. Everyone will survive but it will lead to a ballot initiative to repeal the stupid law saying kids can’t use their powers when they’re in danger.

E:

–

Hey everyone! As I mentioned up top, sorry it’s been awhile. Between my school ending and our trip to Japan, it’s been busy at both sides of Talk This! HQ. We’re gonna start getting back on our game with this blog, so look forward to that starting this week. As always, you can watch along with us: Boys Over Flowers is on Netflix and the My Hero Academia dub is on Hulu.

Next time! Bakugo may or may not do some stupid bleep, and Woo-bin snaps Jun-pyo’s arm like Deku’s probably.