Ship Tease: Recent Episodes
Jennifer Proffitt & Heather Waters
Friends and romance fanatics Jennifer Proffitt & Heather Waters may not get each other to join their latest shipping obsession, but they're still gonna try. New episodes Tuesdays.
In this Very Special Episode of Ship Tease, Jennifer and Heather are straight-up gushing about Wild Cards and why shippers who love Castle, Bones, and The X-Files gotta watch it. This charming, trope-tastic crime dramedy follows a con artist with a heart of gold, Max Mitchell, and a grumpy-but-honorable demoted detective named Cole Ellis who are forced to work together to solve cases for various plot-related reasons. But it's no mystery to shippers that the real trick to solving any of life's dilemmas can be found in the chemistry between Max and Ellis.
Show notes:
- Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKW-9ORTvC4
- Link to Showrunner’s comments/posts about “when will they” and his plan for their relationship:
- ShipRecced post: https://shiprecced.com/max-and-ellis-wild-cards/
Heather and Jennifer return forMr. & Mrs. Smith, Part 2 to give you the verdict on whether the show lived up to our shipping expectations. Donald Glover and Maya Erskine star as John and Jane Smith, two spies posing as a married couple for their mission, but is the chemistry enough to carry a full 8-episode season? What could the future hold of a potential season 2? Heather and Jennifer share their opinion on how the show handled the Mr. and Mrs. Smith dynamic and let viewers know if they should ship it or skip it.
Show notes & recommendations discussed in the episode:
- Watch the trailer, here.
- Already caught up on the show and looking for more recommendations? Here’s what Heather and Jennifer suggest as your next read or watch:
- Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver (book)
- The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter (book)
- The Bourne Identity (movie)
- The Spy Who Dumped Me (movie)
- FUBAR (TV series)
- Reacher (TV series)
If you’re a romantic suspense fan, you are probably holding your breath just like we are that the new Mr. and Mrs. Smith TV series will live up to our shipping expectations. The series, which premieres February 2 on Amazon Prime, is a reimagining of the movie starring Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie. Donald Glover and Maya Erskine star as John and Jane Smith, two spies posing as a married couple for their mission who are maybe, just maybe, stumbling into real feelings for each other. Ahead of the show’s first 8 episodes, hosts Jennifer and Heather discussed their first impressions of the trailer. They share their hopes and fears for the series, and, of course, their predictions about whether they’re going to “ship it or skip it.”
Show notes & couples discussed in the episode (by timestamp):
- Watch the trailers we’re discussing here:
- Mr. and Mrs. Smith’s “Teaser” trailer
- The “full-length trailer” for Mr. and Mrs. Smith
- Is the new Mr. and Mrs. Smith series based on a past movie or show? Here’s what we found:
- Alfred Hitchcock made exactly one (1) comedy, and it was the 1941 film Mr. and Mrs. Smith – zero relationship to the Pitt/Jolie movie or this new show from what we can tell, though
- Maria Bello and Scott Bakula starred in a short-lived 1996 TV show called Mr. and Mrs Smith that seems to be more of the template for this new series
- In the 2005 action romance movie we all know and love, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt play a husband and wife whose marriage is on the rocks until they each learn that the other is a spy at a competing agency. Who knew attempted assassinations could save a marriage? Seriously, that’s the plot.
See you in part 2 of this episode, where we’ll chat about our reactions to the full 8-episode season of the new Mr. and Mrs. Smith!
Heather and Jennifer pay their respects to 5 more iconic ships in the conclusion to a two-part roundup of their favorite fantasy romances. Stay tuned for send-ups to the classic pairing of Buttercup and Westley in The Princess Bride, enemies-to-lovers greats Geralt and Yennefer in The Witcher, K-drama royalty Kim Shin and Eun Tak in Guardian: The Great and Lonely God (aka Goblin), and more.
Couples & gifs discussed in the episode (by timestamp):
- 01:37 - Couple #6: Frank/Karen in The Punisher
- 11:05 - Couple #7: Geralt/Yennefer in The Witcher TV series
- 11:15 - “Same scene, VERY different fonts” gifset of Geralt/Yennefer and Arwen/Aragorn
- 16:15 - Couple #8: Kim Shin/Ji Eun-tak in Guardian: The Great and Lonely God (aka Goblin)
- 21:41 - Couple #9: Tristan/Yvaine in Stardust
- 27:42 - Couple #10 - Buttercup/Westley in The Princess Bride
- 29:58 - Honorable Mentions:
- Quentin/Elliott in The Magicians
- Tim/Mary in About Time
- R/Julie in Warm Bodies
- Penelope/Johnny in Penelope
- Zoya/Nikolai and Wylan/Jesper in Shadow & Bone
- Jon/Sansa and Arya/Gendry in Game of Thrones
- Joyce/Hopper in Stranger Things
- Lucy/Lockwood from Lockwood & Co.
What’s not to like about a good fantasy romance? There are life-or-death stakes, heightened emotions, and–above all–MAGIC. In part 1 of this 2-part recommendation roundup, Jennifer and Heather discuss 5 of their all-time favorite fantasy ships, with 5 more to follow in the next episode. Come for legendary couples like Aragorn and Arwen from the Lord of the Rings films and stay for new faves like Kaz and Inej from Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow & Bone universe, Lan and Nynaeve from the Wheel of Time TV show, and Jude and Cardan from the Cruel Prince book trilogy.
Couples, gifs & parody accounts discussed in the episode (by timestamp):
- 09:20 - Ship #1: Lan/Nynaeve from The Wheel of Time TV series
- 21:00 - Ship #2: Jude/Cardan from Holly Black’s The Cruel Prince book series
- 31:00 - Twitter follow recommendation: The Incorrect Cruel Prince account, @IncorrectCruelP
- 33:30 - Ship #3: Sophie/Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle (book & movie)
- 42:00 - Ship #4 - Kaz/Inej from Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow & Bone universe (books & show)
- 50:00 - Couple #5 - Aragorn/Arwen from the Lord of the Rings movies
- 56:20 - Aragorn gets the Girl: Aragorn and Arwen Reunion scene gifset via Morales-Stacey on Tumblr
Netflix’s supernatural thriller Lockwood & Co. delivered on every level, from its riveting ghost stories to its delicious main couple, Lucy Carlyle and Anthony Lockwood (aka Locklyle). In a world where ghosts are real and only teenagers can exorcise them, paranormal investigators Lucy and Lockwood are an unstoppable force through the first (and ultimately only) season. Given its unmistakable X-Files vibes, Jennifer knew Heather would get into the spirit of the show–and indeed she did, watching it all before this recommendation episode was even recorded. Join them as they relive some of Locklyle’s best moments.
Gifs discussed in the episode (by timestamp):
- 34:17 - Ruby Stokes and Cameron Chapman’s chemistry read gifset via elysianrey on tumblr
- 43:48 - Lucy’s possessed and Lockwood’s in love gifset via starwarsrebels on tumblr
- 47:52 - Nice pajamas / Nice towel gifset via pearlcaddy on tumblr
- 52:06 - “Where’s his slap?” gifset via psychecreations on tumblr
Recommendations for more Locklyle:
- The Lockwood & Co. book series by Jonathan Stroud
Anyone can enjoy Netflix’s madcap adventure series Outer Banks. For shippers, though, the slow-burn friends-to-lovers relationship between JJ Maybank and Kiara Carrera is something to savor. Heather waited a few seasons to pitch this couple to Jenn, but now the time has finally come to talk about Jiara. Because, let’s face it: That “no Pogue-on-Pogue macking” rule was made to be broken. And if you love Joey and Pacey in Dawson’s Creek, you may just find yourself hooked on JJ/Kiara too.
Show notes and gifs mentioned in the episode (by timestamp):
- 12:14 - TV Guide’s spot-on review of Outer Banks season 1
- 16:30 - Jiara high-fives and hugs gifset via livelovecaliforniadaydreams on tumblr
- 33:54 - Kie hugging JJ in the hot tub gifset via jiarasource on tumblr
- 50:13 - JJ and Kiara almost kissing gifset via erinchristmaselvis on tumblr
- 59:00 - Jiara fan work recommendations:
- “spinning in circles (hoping one day i face you)” fic by wolfchester
- “Hold Me While You Wait” vid by TeamHodgins
- “About Love” vid by tilltheworldendsx3
Shipping always involves risk. You may be invested in a will-they-or-won’t-they where the creator ultimately chooses not to go the romance route. Or maybe the creator WAS planning to pay off the relationship, but didn’t get to finish the story on their own terms. Jennifer and Heather know the pain of shipping pairings in these situations, and they have compiled a list of 10 TV couples who deserved a better ending to their story. Buckle up for rants about Criminal Minds, How I Met Your Mother, Veronica Mars, and more!
Show notes & couples discussed in the episode (by timestamp):
- 18:30 - Couple #1: Barney and Robin, How I Met Your Mother
- 30:26 - Couple #2: Veronica and Logan, Veronica Mars
- 35:15 - Major warnings for Veronica Mars character deaths
- 40:29 - Couple #3: Derek and Penelope, Criminal Minds
- 47:58 - Couple #4: Kara and Lee, Battlestar Galactica
- 50:38 - Major warnings for Battlestar Galactica character deaths
- 57:00 - Couple #5: Mike and Ginny, Pitch
- 01:01:35 - Hulu's cruel Pitch teaser
- 01:06:36 - Couple #6: A tie between Bellamy and Clarke & Clarke and Lexa, The 100
- 01:08:45 - Bellarke’s first reunion hug gifset via nina-zcnik.tumblr.com
- 01:09:57 - Major warnings for The 100 character deaths
- 01:17:25 - Couple #7: Quentin and Eliot, The Magicians
- 01:20:55 - Major warnings for The Magicians character deaths
- 01:26:15 - Couple #8: Ichabod and Abbie, Sleepy Hollow
- 01:27:43 - Major warnings for Sleepy Hollow character deaths
- 01:31:02 - Honorable Mention #1 - Karen and Frank, The Punisher
- 01:31:47 - Honorable Mention #2 - Helen and Max, New Amsterdam
- 01:35:45 - Honorable Mention #3 - Maura and Eyk, 1899
- 01:37:37 - Honorable Mention #4 - Norma and Alex, Bates Motel
- 01:39:18 - Honorable Mention #5 - Booth and Bones, Bones
We would love to hear from you! Drop us a line at our email address (shipteasepodcast@gmail.com) or on Twitter (at @ShipTeasePod) about the ships you believe deserved better and we may read your note in a future episode of the podcast.
Slow-burn romances (where two characters take their sweet time getting together) are catnip to shippers who enjoy a buildup of anticipation before collecting their endgame. Jennifer and Heather discuss their love for the trope and share their top 10 favorite slow-burn ships, including Nancy/Ace from Nancy Drew, Tim/Lucy (aka Chenford) from The Rookie, Janine/Gregory from Abbott Elementary, Pacey/Joey from Dawson’s Creek, and many more.
Show notes & couples discussed in the episode (by timestamp):
- 15:04 - Couple #1: Janine and Gregory, Abbott Elementary
- 17:40 - Janine/Gregory sexy dance gifsets
- ABBOTT ELEMENTARY 📚 2.10 Holiday Hookah via mcbride.tumblr.com
- Dancefloor gifset via thejackalhasarrived.tumblr.com
- 20:36 - Couple #2: Mindy and Danny, The Mindy Project
- 25:34 - Couple #3: Nancy and Ace, Nancy Drew
- 32:57 - Couple #4: Lucy and Tim (aka Chenford), The Rookie
- 38:15 - Couple #5: Anna and Shtolman, Anna the Detective
- 39:14 - Clarification! Detective Anna season 1 is available on both YouTube and Amazon Prime for free with ads. Season 2 is available for free with ads on YouTube or for purchase on Amazon Prime.
- 42:20 - Couple #6: Mulder and Scully, The X-Files
- 44:39 - Couple #7: Phyrne and Jack, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries
- 51:42 - Couple #8: Pacey and Joey, Dawson’s Creek
- 58:00 - Couple #9: Harry and Sally, When Harry Met Sally
- 01:02:15 - Couple #10: Josh and Donna, The West Wing
- 01:08:22 - Honorable Mentions
- Sydney & Vaughn, Alias
- JJ & Kiara, Outer Banks
- Kara & Lee, Battlestar Galactica
- Jude & Cardan, The Cruel Prince series by Holly Black
- Sal & Kulti, Kulti by Mariana Zapata
We would love to hear from you! Drop us a line at our email address (shipteasepodcast@gmail.com) or on Twitter (at @ShipTeasePod) about your favorite slow-burn couples and we may read your note in a future episode of the podcast.
It’s the moment of truth: How many of the TV show & book recommendations from Season 3 did Jenn and Heather actually take? Do they now share a few more OTPs, or nah? Find out in this Ship Tease bonus episode.
If you'd like us to discuss your favorite ship next season, follow us on Twitter at @ShipTeasePod.
Ships discussed in the episode (by timestamp):
01:50 - Eternals' Makkari and Druig
07:50 - Nancy Drew's Nancy and Ace
23:53 - Wheel of Time's Lan and Nynaeve
33:20 - Starstruck's Jessie and Tom
41:25 - Stephen and Grace in Paladin's Grace by T. Kingfisher
57:21 - Upload's Nathan and Nora
01:06:13 - Abbot Elementary's Janine and Gregory
01:13:32 - Bridgerton's Anthony and Kate
01:20:24 - The Cleaning Lady's Thony and Arman
01:23:38 - Bonus update from Season 2: Anna and Shtolman from Detective Anna
You can listen to our full thoughts on these couples in their individual episodes.
Everyone on the internet seems to have an opinion about Netflix’s sensational Bridgerton series, and Heather and Jennifer are no exception. The show’s much-discussed Season 2 features Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma’s slow-burn romance, but with some pretty big departures from the book that inspired it, Julia Quinn’s The Viscount Who Loved Me. In a special episode of the pod, Jennifer and Heather discuss what they loved and hated about the book-to-screen adaptation, because–shocker!—they don’t exactly see eye-to-eye…
Gifs mentioned in the episode by timestamp:
- 33:24 - Jenn recommends a TikTok by author Nisha Sharma about why it was important for Bridgerton to give Kate a choice in marrying Anthony in Regency England.
- 42:27 - Heather was wrong: Benedict will NOT be the hero of season 3–it’s going to be Colin and Penelope’s season after all...
- Anthony/Kate gifs worth watching on a loop:
- Pride & Prejudice and Emma parallels via yennefer-nazyalensky.tumblr.com
- Kanthony bickering via everylastlinex.tumblr.com
- Angsty Anthony via brettsiexcasey.tumblr.com
- Kate & Anthony’s super sexy first love scene via thatonekimgirl.tumblr.com
- Irresistible Jonny Bailey via everylastlinex.tumblr.com
- Fan videos you’ll love:
- “War of hearts | Kate and Anthony” by Juli Grisel
- “Kate and Anthony | Dancing On My Own” by TeamHodgins
Fans of surprisingly sexy crime dramas like Good Girls and Good Behavior shouldn’t miss Fox’s under-the-radar series The Cleaning Lady. Starring Elodie Yung (a.k.a. Elektra in Daredevil) as Thony, a mom who will risk everything to save her gravely ill son, and the criminally handsome Adan Canto as a mob boss named Arman, The Cleaning Lady really shouldn’t be romantic. So why can’t Heather stop wishing for Thony and Arman to leave their lovers and rule the criminal underworld together? And does she stand any chance of getting Jenn to give the show (and the Armony ship) a go?
Gifs referenced in the episode by timestamp:
- 11:02 - Armony scenes from the pilot via mymostimaginaryfriend.tumblr.com
- 38:55 - Thony and Arman being codependent gif set via whatarush.tumblr.com
- 49:51 - Thony confessing she stole her son’s medical files gifs via nat111love.tumblr.com.tumblr
- 52:09 - Arman and Thony almost kissing scene via nat111love.tumblr.com.tumblr
Abbott Elementary had the buzziest debut for a comedy in recent memory, winning viewers over with its charming documentary-style depiction of staff working at an elementary school in Philadelphia. But what captured our attention was the obvious chemistry between two teachers, bubbly Janine and a stoic new substitute teacher named Gregory. Jennifer educates Heather on their appeal and why she should head back to school for this grumpy/sunshine duo.
Gifsets and videos referenced in this episode by timestamp:
- 14:30 - Gif #1: Jim/Pam and Janine/Gregory parallels
- 23:50 - Gif #2 - “I don’t want someone to wait to get to it” highlights from episode 2.
- 28:56 - Gif #3 - Gregory after convo with his dad
- 38:15: Editor’s Note: Abbott Elementary is returning for Season 2!
Perfect for fans of The Office and The Good Place, the Amazon Prime TV series Upload features a perfect mix of laugh-out-loud comedy, scathing satire, and surprisingly sweet romance. Heather’s prepared to use Jennifer’s fondness for comedies to get her invested in the relationship between Nathan, an app developer starting his afterlife in a virtual heaven called Lakeview, and Nora, the “angel” who is charged with helping him adapt to his strange new reality. Could Nathan and Nora be the next Jim and Pam?
Trigger warning: References to suicide
Gif sets and videos referenced in the episode, by timestamp:
- 19:58 - Gif #1: Nathan dances with his niece via Tumblr
- 35:47 - Gif #2 - Nora dancing via Tumblr
- Correction: My bad, this may not be the “Uptown Funk” scene after all. But it’s still cute!!!
- 40:58 - Gif #3 - Nora checks Nathan’s “responsiveness” via Tumblr
- 45:44 - Gif #4 - Nathan and Nora under the stars via Tumblr
- 55:10 - Fanvid recommendation via YouTube
The fantasy romance novel Paladin’s Grace by T. Kingfisher blew Jennifer away when she first read it, and now she recommends it to everyone…except for Heather, apparently! Paladin’s Grace introduces us to Stephen, a paladin who’s struggling to find a new purpose until the day a tempting woman runs into his arms and shakes up his world. Can a fake makeout solve all their problems? Survey says: Yes!
Trigger warnings: View a list of trigger warnings for the Saint of Steel series via BookTriggerWarnings.com or on T. Kingfisher’s website via redwombatstudio.com
Articles and shows referenced in the episode, by timestamp:
- 00:00 - Learn more about Paladin’s Grace by T. Kingfisher on Goodreads or the author’s website.
- 52:00 - The K-drama Heather refers to here is technically titled Guardian: The Great and Lonely God, but really is most commonly known as Goblin.
When Jessie met Tom, she thought he was an average guy, but after a one-night stand, Jessie realizes he’s a leading man of Hollywood. With these Notting Hill vibes, Heather is sure she can persuade Jennifer to cast Starstruck’s Jessie and Tom as her new favorite rom-com pairing. The biggest obstacle is Jennifer’s aversion to the celebrity trope in romance novels. Does this charming British television series have a shot of winning her over?
Gifsets, videos, and interviews mentioned by timestamp:
- 22:50 - The morning after gifset via holly-mckenzie.tumblr.com
- 31:00 - “You do know I’m an adult man, don’t you?” gifset via loisfreakinglane.tumblr.com
- 31:00 - Commentary on the “You know I’m an adult man” scene via TikTok
- Cute moments from Season 1 gifset via miithridatism.tumblr.com (lots of spoilers for season 1, obviously!)
- 44:00 - Fun interviews with Rose Matafeo in “Rose Matafeo is Weirder Than You Think” (via The Cut) and “Starstruck Creator Wrote the Romantic Comedy She Wanted to See” (via W Magazine)
It’s the end of the world as we know it, but Lanaeve shippers are doing just fine. Jennifer is ALL IN on Amazon Prime’s TV adaptation of Robert Jordan’s epic fantasy series Wheel of Time. While the show’s plot focuses on discovering the Dragon Reborn, Jennifer only has eyes for Warder Lan Mandragoran and his reluctant ally, Nynaeve al’Meara. She feels confident she can win Heather over with this frenemies-to-lovers pairing, especially since their meet-cute involves a sexy sword fight!
Videos and gifsets mentioned in the episode (by timestamp):
- 42:06: “Love at first knife fight” by christophernolan.tumblr.com
- 48:02: Lan and Nynaeve Episode 3 highlights by wheeloftimecentral.tumblr.com/
- 51:05: Nynaeve X Lan Mandragoran Fan video by Wild Love
- 72:48: “What did you think I was” by christophernolan.tumblr.com
- 77:23: Lan holding Nynaeve’s hand dragging Nynaeve to safety by wisdomnynaeve.tumblr.com
- 83:55: Nynaeve’s Powers by SETclips
- 86:55: Mulan meme by bi-avendha.tumblr.com
Nancy’s steadily growing feelings for her friend and fellow amateur detective Ace has been one of the best parts of the CW’s Nancy Drew TV series. Can Heather use some of Nancy and Ace’s top moments to convince Jenn to pick up where she left off with the show and join the ranks of Nace Nation?
Gifs mentioned in the episode (by timestamp):
- 39:08 - nace + touch gifset via nacesource.tumblr.com
- 45:53 - Ace and Nancy lock eyes in front of George gifset via chris-hargreeves.tumblr.com (season 3 spoilers)
- 65:33 - Nancy dreaming about Ace gifset via hangman-page.tumblr.com (season 3 spoilers)
Fan video recommendations:
- Nancy & Ace • Lookalike (+2x18) by witchdaughter
- nancy & ace | agape by Kaitie M (season 2 spoilers)
- Nancy & Ace | New York by TeamHodgins (season 3 spoilers)
- Nancy & Ace | For Me, It’s You by Team Hodgins (season 3 finale spoilers)
When Jenn walked into the theater to see Marvel’s The Eternals, she fully expected to be rooting for one couple, but when she walked out, she was committed to the scene-stealing Druig and Makkari instead. Now she’s going to do everything in her power to talk Heather into joining her on the Good Ship Drukkari…unless she already has?!
Videos mentioned in the episode (by timestamp):
- 22:30: TikTok video: Every Time Druig calls Makkari "Beautiful Makkari" (source: koodruig)
- 37:45: Fan video: "Druig and Makkari: rewrite the stars | drukkari ♥ eternals edit" (source:
manikas-whims) - 44:11: TikTok video: Barry Keoghan and Lauren Ridloff leaning into the fandom (source: jstoobs)
It’s the moment of truth: How many of the TV show & book recommendations from Season 2 did Jenn and Heather actually take? Do they now share a few more OTPs, or nah? Find out in this Ship Tease bonus episode.
Fandoms and Relationships discussed in the episode (by time stamp)
- 02:40 - Recommendation #1: Simon/Daphne in Netflix's historical drama series Bridgerton
- 07:35 - Recommendation #2: Lara Jean/Peter K. in Jenny Han's YA book trilogy To All the Boys I've Loved Before
- 17:25 - Recommendation #3: Nick/Jess in Fox's comedy seriesNew Girl
- 21:40 - Jenn's New Girl shipper guide
- 21:55 - Recommendation #4: Se-ri/Jeong-hyeok in Netflix's Korean drama Crash Landing on You
- 27:55 - Recommendation #5: Callum/Rayla in Netflix's animated series Dragon Prince
- 32:30 - Recommendation #6: Anne/Gilbert in Netflix's YA drama Anne with an E
- 37:30 - Recommendation #7: Wanda/Vision in the Disney+ superhero drama WandaVision
- 46:20 - Recommendation #8: Nikolai/Zoya in Leigh Bardugo's Nikolai duology, part of the YA fantasy Shadow & Bone universe
- 54:05 - Recommendation #9: Emily/Simon in Jen Deluca's contemporary romance novel Well Met
- 59:50 - Recommendation #10: Georgia/Joe in Netflix's mother-daughter drama series Ginny and Georgia
- 70:00 - Recommendation #11: Beth/Rip in Paramount Network's contemporary western drama Yellowstone
- 71:30 - Recommendation #12: Ben/Devi AND Paxton/Devi in Netflix's teen dramedy Never Have I Ever
- 76:15 - Recommendation #13: Guzmán/Nadia in the Spanish-language teen soap Elite
- 83:30 - Recommendation #14: Dick/Kory in HBO Max's gritty superhero drama Titans
- 92:30 -Surprise discussion of Normal People and Connell/Marianne
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We’ll see you soon for Season 3!
DC’s Titans is the best superhero show you’re not watching. Why? Because Dick Grayson (aliases: Robin & Nightwing) and Kory Anders (a.k.a. Starfire) light up the screen in every scene they share. Jennifer’s hoping their undeniable chemistry will work its magic on Heather too…
Gifs discussed in the episode (by time stamp)
- 11:02 - The dark and gritty “Power/Rangers [Bootleg]” short film Heather has watched (too) many times
- 13:30 - Jon & Sansa / Starfire & Nightwing parallels photo
- 37:24 - “We’ll figure it out together” gif set
- 42:57 - Kory and Dick being ridiculously sexy in gif form
- Jenn’s fan vid recommendation: “Titans | Dick & Kory (Robin & Starfire) | Stay with Me”
- 53:12 - Dick trying to “play it cool” with Kory gif set + meta from @Disckkorydiscord on tumblr
Even if a Spanish teen soap/murder mystery doesn’t sound like your usual type of television show, Netflix’s Elite may just win you over with Guzmán and Nadia’s love-hate relationship. Heather and guest host Jen Wattley came to love the pair for their similarities to Logan and Veronica of Veronica Mars, but they are willing to bet that it’s Guznadia’s hurt-comfort scenes that will lure Jennifer into the fandom...
Gifs discussed in the episode (by timestamp):
- 37:06 - Top Season 1 Guznadia moments gif set
- 56:40 - Guzmán and Nadia’s almost-kiss gif set
- 59:20 - Guzmán acting like a “dork in love” gif set
- 65:00 - Nadia’s sexy dream gif set
- 72:12 - Soft Nadia/Guzman gif set
Bonus content:
- “From nOTP to OTP in 4 Steps: The Evolution of Elite’s Nadia/Guzman” via ShipRecced
- Elite Season 1 trailer via YouTube
Never Have Jennifer and Heather Ever … loved a love triangle—until they saw Netflix’s Never Have I Ever and totally fell for Devi’s chemistry with both Ben and Paxton. They each make a case for why they favor one boy over the other for Devi in this coming-of-age dramedy.
Photos and gifs discussed in the episode (by timestamp):
- 36:45 - (Ben/Devi) - How Ben looks at Devi (“Devi exists”) https://montygreen.tumblr.com/post/618866210451456000/insp-devi-edition-x
- 54:45 & 01:01:40 - (Paxton/Devi) - Paxton to the rescue (“You keep having to rescue me at parties.”) https://bellamyblak.tumblr.com/post/616930907964768256/you-keep-having-to-rescue-me-at-parties1x03
- 01:05:10 - (Ben/Devi) - Ben as a good friend (“Ben + understanding Devi”) https://bartonclinton.tumblr.com/post/619204763232485376/ben-understanding-devi-encouraging-her-to
- 01:09:42 - (Paxton/Devi) - Paxton and Devi connect in Season 1, Episode 8 / Kiss in his car https://livelovecaliforniadreams.tumblr.com/post/616751681287372800
- 01:15:00 (Paxton/Devi) - Voicemail parallel https://bellamyblak.tumblr.com/post/617196119409197056/102-110
- Bonus Ben/Devi fanvid to “Sucker”: https://youtu.be/j3J5qZCHxio
You wouldn’t guess it from the first few episodes, but Kevin Costner’s Montana-set TV show Yellowstone features an unexpectedly delightful love story. Heather makes a case for why Jennifer simply must meet Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, whose second-chance romance just gets better and better.
Photos/Gifs discussed in the episode (by time stamp):
- Where to stream Yellowstone Seasons 1-3 via Good Housekeeping
- 36:33 - Beth and Rip Season 2 promotional photos via tumblr
- 47:30 - Forehead kisses gif set via tumblr
- 53:00 - "Resurrection Day" gif set via tumblr
- Heather's list of Yellowstone's Top Beth/Rip lines so far
- Paramount Network's "Top 3 Beth and Rip Dates" video on YouTube
Guest host Saimah Haque joins Heather and Jennifer this week to pitch them on a show! Netflix's Ginny and Georgia offers a little bit of crime, a little bit of mother-daughter bonding, and a whole lot of shipping potential for single mother Georgia. However, it’s small-town restaurant owner, Joe, that catches Saimah’s eye the most!
Gifs discussed in the episode (by timestamp):
- All of Ginny’s Suitors: Joe, Zion & Paul
- 16:00 - Ginny and Joe's condiments/horse-named-Milkshake exchanges
- 20:00 - Joe pours coffee for Georgia
- 21:00 - Joe in a suit
Everybody loves a ren faire! Or at least, that’s what Jennifer is counting on this week with her recommendation of Jen Deluca’s rom-com novel Well Met. She’s totally smitten with the romance between renaissance faire organizer Simon and first-time volunteer Emily, who plays the saucy tavern wench to his dashing pirate. Can Jennifer convince Heather to join her in crowning these two shipworthy?
Photos discussed in the episode (by timestamp):
- 17:44: Well Metcover
In celebration of Netflix’s Shadow and Bone TV series, Jennifer and Heather dive into the inspiration behind it all: Leigh Bardugo’s popular Grishaverse books. Plus, Heather does her best to convince Jennifer to get on board with the Nikolai/Zoya relationship, which develops later on in this epic fantasy story.
Gifs and photos discussed in the episode (by timestamps)
- 33:30 - Gif set of Nikola/Zoya excerpts
- 51:48 - Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith meme
- 53:40 - Sujaya Dasgupta as Zoya Nazyalensky in Shadow & Bone
Extra credit reading & viewing:
- Shadow and Bone season 1 trailer (via YouTube)
- Heather’s picks for 5 Grishaverse Couples Worthy of Obsession in Netflix’s Shadow & Bone (via ShipRecced)
- The Grishaverse books in reading order (via LeighBardugo.com)
Heather has been disappointed by Marvel in the past, so Jennifer knew she had her work cut out for her to convince her to watch WandaVision on Disney+. Let’s see how this goes…
Gifs discussed in the episode (by timestamp)
- 38:27: “I just feel you” gif set
- 39:49:Infinity War improvised scene
- 55:20: WandaVision Episode 3 gif set
Additional reading:
- Jennifer Proffitt’s 2014 article about Tom Hiddleston
- The Black Widow/Hawkeye LiveJournal community Heather used to co-moderate is still alive and kicking.
- Need a refresher? Here’s every scene between Wanda and Vision in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a timeline for Wanda and Vision, prior to WandaVision.
- Wanda and Vision’s opening scene in Avengers: Infinity War.
- How WandaVision changed the MCU forever
L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables may be a children’s book series, but we all know that Anne/Gilbert (a.k.a. Shirbert) is one of the greatest ships OF ALL TIME. The Anne with an E television adaptation understands this perfectly, as Jennifer’s about to find out...
Gifs discussed in the episode (by timestamp):
- 13:45 - Anne/Gilbert Season 3 heart eyes
- 44:42 - The (in)famous Slate Scene
- 50:40 - Shirbert dancing gif set
Fan vid recs:
- “Agape” by Team Hodgins
- “23” by blueoverme
- “Surrender” by Somewhere Else
- “Together again” by Juli Grisel
- “Life Mate” by nightwatch
Fanfic recs:
- “one equal temper of heroic hearts” by arbitrarily
- “i carry my old delicious burdens (wherever i go)” by thylionheart
Animated series are a hard sell for Heather. However, Jennifer is confident the magic, drama, and world-building of Netflix’s The Dragon Prince—not to mention the coming-of-age romance between human prince Callum and elf assassin Rayla—will be enough of a temptation to get her to try the show.
Gifs and videos discussed in the episode (by timestamp):
- 31:24 Fan video Heather watched previously
- 49:56 The unrequited love dynamic Jennifer loves
There’s magic to be found in these gifs:
- Other couples to enjoy onDragon Prince
- Rayllum kiss
A perfect mix of romance, drama, action, and comedy, the popular K-drama Crash Landing on You is Heather’s latest television addiction. She’ll never know peace if she can’t manage to tempt Jennifer and guest co-host Titi to try the show and meet star-crossed lovers Yoon Se-ri and Captain Ri Jeong Hyeok.
Gifs discussed in the episode:
- 15:10 - Captain Ri and Se-ri taking care of each other
- 22:24 - RiRi serving looks in The Umbrella Scene
- 27:59 - A master class in chemistry (a.k.a RiRi in the parking garage)
- 44:54: Mutual pining at the clambake
- 57:30: Heather’s point of no return: Jeong Hyeok holding a candle at the market
Extra credit reading (and viewing):
- 6 Signs Crash Landing on You Is Destined to Be Your Ultimate Favorite via ShipRecced
- Fan video rec: “Se-ri & Jeong Hyeok || Wait” by emma b. Videos
- Post-series fic recs: "One Year Later" by cloverleafsky and "The hill of yearning" by rightfullymine
- A compelling theory about how CLOY was supposed to end...maybe, possibly
- How to pronounce Yoon Se-ri and Ri Jeong Hyeok
Nick Miller is the grumpy bartender we all wish we had in our lives and his romance with the simply adorkable Jess Day in New Girl is the dose of happiness we all need. While Heather loves the pairing, she’s never finished the show to see how they get their happy ending, and it’s about time.
Extra credit reading:
- Jenn’s Shipper’s Guide to Watching New Girlfor the Nick/Jess Romance
- Nick and Jess relationship recap (source: New Girl)
- Fan video: The Story of Nick and Jess (source: jessxnight)
- Gif set: New Girl but its 2020 (source: millerday)
- Gif set: I just want a weird wonderful life with you. (source: jakesjohnson)
- Bonus roommates-to-lovers book rec: The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
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Sure, you have totally fallen for Lara Jean Song Covey and Peter Kavinsky in the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before movies, but have you read the books by Jenny Han that started it all? Jennifer never has, despite loving the movies, and it’s time for Heather to prove that while the books aren’t necessarily better, they’re equally delightful—and required reading!
- The post-canon Lara Jean/Peter K fanfic you need in your life: “i knew from the first time, i’d stay for a long time” by gracelessheartlines
- Heather’s love letter to the first movie: Top 10 Underrated Covinsky Scenes in To All the Boys via ShipRecced
Despite anticipating Bridgerton for months, Jennifer still hasn’t finished watching it because of a controversial scene that carried over from Julia Quinn’s historical romance novel The Duke and I. Are Simon and Daphne’s best moments enough to overcome her hesitations about the wildly popular Netflix series?
Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of sexual assault and an abusive parent.
Continue reading the latest on dit:
- Vanity Fair on How Bridgerton Handles the Book’s Wildly Controversial Scene
- Pop Sugar’s take: I Wanted to Root for Bridgerton’s Daphne and Simon, but Their Romance Is Pretty Toxic
- Revisiting Simon's impassioned speech to Queen Charlotte about his feelings for Daphne
- Fact-checking Heather & Jenn’s (tenuous) grasp on history:
- Regency era
- Queen Charlotte
- George IV, The Prince Regent
No matter how many swoon-worthy romances they consume, Heather and Jennifer always want more. Greedy shippers that they are, they have even dared to put their 2021 wish list out into the universe...
It's a very happy new year for us with these upcoming book adaptations coming to our screens:
- Bridgerton trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpv7ayf_tyE
- The Hating Game news: https://variety.com/2020/film/global/austin-stowell-lucy-hale-mister-smith-the-hating-game-1234826960/
- Shadow & Bone news: https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/tv-news-roundup-netflix-shadow-and-bone-1203356620/
- One we forgot to mention: To All the Boys 3, a.k.a. Always and Forever, Lara Jean!! https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/movies-tv/a30879135/netflix-to-all-the-boys-three-always-and-forever-lara-jean/
If there’s one thing Jennifer and Heather can agree on, it’s that escaping into fiction has never been more necessary than in 2020. Luckily, they managed to find plenty of ships to love. In this special episode, they each weigh in on their top 5 couples of the year.
There’s no question that 2020 has been a garbage fire, but here are 10 fictional couples that brought us joy...
- Jenn’s Top 5:
-
5 Jackson/Sloane in Holidate
-
4: Maelyn/Andrew in the novel In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
-
3: Joe/Nicky in Old Guard
-
2: Viv/Jackson in Sex Education
-
1: January/Gus in the novel Beach Read by Emily Henry
-
- Heather’s Top 5:
-
5: Ellery/Reed from the Ellery Hathaway Mystery novel series by Joanna Schaffhausen
-
4: Jack/Mel in Virgin River
-
3: Nadia/Guzman in Elite
-
2: Rip/Beth from Yellowstone
-
1: Lucy/Tim from The Rookie
-
It’s the moment of truth: How many of the TV show & book recommendations from Season 1 did Jenn and Heather actually take? Do they now share a few more OTPs, or nah?
And because we can never stop recommending:
- Heather gushed about how a couple in Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore had her searching out fan fiction to get their happy ending. Luckily (after we recorded), she found out a long-awaited sequel is coming that will give her a canon happily ever after... hopefully.
- Feel-good fall vibes can be found with Hallmark's October Kiss.
Normal People follows young lovers Connell and Marianne from their secret high school romance to navigating love and life in university. But since this is an established couple, does Jennifer have any hope of convincing Heather to falling for this Hulu show, based on the book by Sally Rooney?
Already lost in the Marianne and Connell solar system?
- Get hooked on this Instagram account devoted to Connell’s Chain.
- Read an excerpt from Sally Rooney’s Normal Peopleto get a taste of book-Marianne and book-Connell.
- Take a peek at all the secret glances between Marianne and Connell in this gifset by joyfuls or the easy intimacy they find in infamous Episode 2 in this gifset by gregory-peck.
Hulu’s sweet new show Love, Victor is essentially fanfic come to life, but that’s only one reason Heather’s feeling good about her odds of convincing Jennifer to give the teen rom-com a try. (Mostly it’s because Victor/Benji are completely irresistible.)
Spoiler warning: Heather and Jennifer discuss some mild (very mild!) spoilers for the first couple episodes of Love, Victor.Not quite ready to go steady with Love, Victor? Let these links woo you...
- 4 Victor/Benji-Related Reasons to Watch Love, Victor(via ShipRecced)
- Pore over the details of the oft-mentioned Coffee Shop AU (via Fanlore)
- Feast your eyes on some pretty tumblr gifs:
- That hair flip tho
- Something’s brewing between them, all right
- Victor’s got it baaaaad—can you blame him?
- Add these fanvids to your YouTube queue:
- “Benji + victor | I won’t mind.” by Forwood4Life
- “Victor + Benji | Call me maybe” by TheVickylove90
- “Victor & Benji | Teenage Dream” by littlewonders.
Jennifer describes Beach Read by Emily Henry as a nearly perfect read, but does that oversell it to Heather when she tries to convince her to fall for the rivals-next-door, Gus and January?
If you need more to go on (or if you’re already obsessed with Beach Read too), check out these links:
- Read an excerpt from Beach Read to sample January and Gus’s chemistry (via betches.com)
- See how delicious the book looks paired with a cup of tea & a tiny chocolate cake (via Instagram)
- Discover more about Emily Henry’s follow-up novelwith a peek at the cover and an excerpt of People We Meet on Vacation (a rom-com described as The Vacationers meets When Harry Met Sally) before it’s released on May 11, 2021
Finally, a book rec! Heather’s crazy about the opposites-attract romance between city girl Calla and hot-shot pilot Jonah in K.A. Tucker’s Simple Wild series. Can she entice Jenn into a binge-read of her own?
If you enjoyed this episode, go Wild with these bonus links:
- Learn more about the book and read an excerpt on author K.A. Tucker's website
- Get a feel for the book’s aesthetic with these pretty Tumblr gifsets:
- "Six other pilots available and I had to be the one to get you"
- "You're not alone"
- "A forever kind of thing"
- "Unmistakably attracted to the yeti"
Jennifer has gone on a saga to watch the Russian supernatural mystery period drama, Anna the Detective, and wants Heather to join her. The problem is… Jennifer's already tried once before to get Heather to watch and couldn’t get her to commit to watching the show for the romance between Anna and Shtolman. Does she have a ghost of a chance this time?
Continue watching to see the magic that is Anna and Shtolman:
- YouTube fan video #1: Анна и Штольман - Там нет меня (Анна-детективъ) by Winter Sun
- YouTube fan video #2: Анна и Штольман Adagio by татьяна васильева
Yes, okay, maybe it’s morally questionable to ship a (fictional) hitman and a thief. It sure is fun, though! Obviously, Heather needed to introduce Jenn to the wonders of Letty and Javier from TNT’s Good Behavior. Obviously.
If you want to be released for Good Behavior,explore the content we mentioned in the podcast:
- “Nitesky” by hurleybird (via YouTube)
- New York Times review: With ‘Good Behavior,’ Lady Mary Takes a Lowlife Turn
Jennifer knows it’s a risk to recommend that Heather ship a couple who get together early on in the show’s run, but what if they’re really, really cute? Because that’s exactly the case with Mae and George in Netflix’s comedy series Feel Good.
- If you think you Feel Good now, watch the series trailer and check out the gifs mentioned in our conversation:
- Feel Good series 1 trailer (via YouTube)
- Gifset: “Failed version of both.” (via tumblr)
- Gifset: “I’ve never seen Macbeth.” (via tumblr)
- Gifset: “Tell me something Canadian.” (via tumblr)
Heather has no doubt that Dr. Max Goodwin and Dr. Helen Sharp (a.k.a. Sharpwin) will eventually give into the ~vibes~ between them in NBC’s medical drama New Amsterdam. But can she persuade Jennifer to hop aboard this (admittedly quite complicated) slow-burn ship?
Ready to make your first appointment at New Amsterdam? 10 out of 10 doctors recommend starting here...
- 11 Things the Sharpwin Fandom Taught Me AboutNew Amsterdam’s Max/Helen
- YouTube fan vid #1: “Max & Helen || Hunger” by marts (Note: contains Season 2 spoilers)
- Tumblr gifset: Out-of-context Max and Helen moments that illustrate their adorableness
- YouTube fan vid #2: “Max & Helen | better” by stayXsound
As we’ve established, Heather has a well-documented weakness for Gillian Anderson. Can Jennifer tempt her to try the Netflix series Sex Education by making a case for the romance between Anderson’s Jean and her love interest? If not, Jennifer has a second ship in her back pocket.
Want to get an A in our class? Here’s your extra credit assignment for Sex Education:
- "jean & jakob | sex education" by Hannah Campbell (via YouTube)
- "Jackson & Viv: Light me up" by Jovana90x (via YouTube)
- Jackson & Viv gifset (via Tumblr)
Mulder and Scully are an ICONIC duo—and Heather’s all-time favorite OTP. Will Jenn take her recommendation and finally, for the love of MSR, try watching The X-Files again?
Gifsets Heather alludes to in the episode:
- Squeeze: https://chloedeckr.tumblr.com/post/181123047802
- Season 1 MSR: https://lukesdanes.tumblr.com/post/189765914616/mulder-and-scully-in-the-x-files-season-1
Want to experience The X-Files alongside Jenn? Check out her “Shipper Track” homework assignment.
Already sold on MSR? Read “21 Times Mulder/Scully Ruined Me for All Other TV Romances” and “How to Say ‘I Love You’ in X-Files”
Do you remember the first moment you started shipping a couple for the very first time—and we mean the very first? Hosts Jennifer Proffitt and Heather Waters introduce 'Ship Tease,' a new podcast where every week they take turns recommending television, books, and movies based purely on the romance potential. Get to know the hosts and learn about their first ships!