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HOLLYWOOD VERSUS HEAVEN (You Know Who Is Going to Win, Right?)

Posted by cassandratiphonie on September 13, 2017
Posted in: Revelation 12, Television. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

You know, it’s amazing how Man thinks he’s got control over history.

Man thinks he’s in control of his own destiny, instead of realizing that there are larger powers at work and that we humans are actually in the middle of a major cosmic battle between Good and Evil.

This goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden, when Eve, tempted to “be like God” decided to listen to the Serpent’s subtle suggestion and eat the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge.

We know the rest of the story. Man’s fall; Man’s Salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross; and ultimately, the Infernal Enemy’s defeat and we living for an eternity in the everlasting glorious, loving presence of God…

Now, I wrote all that to say this—on Tuesday (September 12th), I published an announcement of the AT&T Audience Network’s premiere of the documentary “The Sign”.

Not shocking at all, there has not been much press on this program on the net.

However, today, I find a blurb from one of the higher-ups at the network about the show airing on Thursday, September 14 at 8 pm EST that confirmed the concerns I had in regards to the upcoming documentary—that the discussion within was going to prove disingenuous.

Here’s the blurb in question, from Christopher Long, head of AT&T Audience Network:

“Our team never ceases to amaze me when investigating controversial issues. This one just happens to be the end of the world,” said Christopher Long, head of AT&T AUDIENCE Network. “This documentary hits home. It will shift viewers from a place of fear to a focus on saving the world.”

Did you catch the gist of the last sentence?

Or actually both of them?

The first is that we who are watching for heavenly signs are fearful, paranoid or worse.

The second is that no matter what God has spelled out in end-time prophecy—no matter how He has revealed His ultimate plan—Man has a way to alter the course of his own destiny. That Man can somehow escape what’s coming. What God ordained must take place since the Beginning.

Oh, there will be great trouble coming soon. The world will be in utter shambles as the time of the Enemy draws to a close. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords will have His reign on Earth for a thousand years. There will come a day (only the Father knows) where there will be a New Heavens and a New Earth.

Hate to say it, Mr. Long, but MAN AIN’T SAVING THIS WORLD when God Himself has plans to make a new one!

The very thought that the creation has any sort of authority over the Creator, my friends, is tantamount to blasphemy and straight from the pits of Hell.

After all, didn’t that very notion get the Adversary into the stew he’s in now?

But, pride goes before the fall…

Yeah, that quote from Christopher Long has left a bad taste in my mouth.

Sorry, Scottie Clarke, it seems indeed that this documentary is going to turn out to be a “hit piece” after all. My educated guess is that the filmmakers are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Just saying.

But what do you expect from Hollywood?

I mean, Fox’s “detective show” “Lucifer” is going into its third season!

This quote was taken from an article I found on www.4-traders.com  entitled “AT&T: AUDIENCE Network Premieres Documentary Film ‘The Sign’ on Sept. 14 at 8 PM”. You can find it here ­http://www.4-traders.com/AT-T-14324/news/AT-T-AUDIENCE-Network-Premieres-Documentary-Film-The-Sign-on-Sept-14-at-8-P-m-25075108/

PREMIERE OF “THE SIGN” – AT&T AUDIENCE NETWORK

Posted by cassandratiphonie on September 13, 2017
Posted in: Revelation 12, Television. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

thesignlogo

Well, right in time– secular television will feature a documentary devoted to the eschatological discussion that has been raging all this year…

…Indeed, there have been more biblically prophetic sign THIS year than perhaps any other in history, and it’s good to know that there is being attention called to the matters of the End Times…

Unless, of course, the whole piece is going to have the slant of, “Oh, look at these crazy Christians!”

“The Sign”, a 90-minute documentary by director Josh Turnbow, will air 9/14/2017 – Thursday night at 8 pm EST on AT&T Audience Network (by no coincidence Channel 239!), featuring interviews from many in the field and study of eschatology (or End Times Biblical Prophecy). Included in the line-up of Who’s Who of Who Know Their Bibles is YouTuber Scott Clarke– whose devout diligence has led to the discovery of the Revelation 12 Sign– and features Michael Rood of YouTube’s “A Rood Awakening” channel as well as Rex Bear, Pastor Paul Begley and Mike Kerr.

In a brief trailer released for the documentary of this past weekend, I also recognized the face of Amir Tsarfati, a Messianic Jew who was raised in Jerusalem and has held worldwide seminars on biblical prophecy since 1999. It will be interesting to hear what he has to say, since he has indeed disregarded the verity of the Revelation 12 Sign as a whole all year.

The content (and context) has been kept pretty close to the vest by AT&T Audience, so I don’t know much more than some of the documentary was shot on location in Israel.

The real shame here is that some of the most diligent, hardest working good servants of God like the writers and researchers of Unsealed.org were seemingly not contacted for interviews by the filmmakers.

For those in the know, it may be interesting to see the subject of biblical prophecy being seriously discussed in the open forum of cable television (even though this is an exclusive on only Direct TV and U-Verse) with a sense of genuine earnest. I only wish that the documentary would have been distributed to a channel like the History Channel so that a wider audience– regardless of their provider– would be able to view the program,

If the topic is handled correctly, it should be an eye-opener and spark of divine inspiration to those Christians who have not yet heard about or apprehended the overall feeling that we are indeed living in the Last Days. (Difficult as it is to believe, there are those who are completely oblivious– for whatever reason– to discern “the signs of the times”.

It may even hold the interests of undecided or unbelieving viewers and allow them to look into these matters that we have already delved deeply into; after all, it is written that we should “look into a matter”!

Scott Clarke posted on Unsealed.org earlier this week that he didn’t get the feeling that the documentary was going to be a “hit piece” and feels that Josh Turnbow is going to present the subject matter with the awe and reverence it deserves.

I am looking forward to watching this on Thursday night.

Leave me your comments once you’ve viewed the documentary and tell me what you think!

For more information on “The Sign”, airing Thursday, 9/14/2017, please visit– http://www.therevelationsign.com

And for the trailer, check it out here– https://youtu.be/dBNGTJ8Ir1o

 

My List of Anointed YouTubers

Posted by cassandratiphonie on September 7, 2017
Posted in: Revelation 12. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

youtube

These are the blessed brothers I have found on YouTube in the last few months who are filled with the Holy Spirit and well-versed in the Word. These channels I regard as the best Christian content creators on YouTube, promoting study of the scriptures, seeking and revealing knowledge, and glorifying God in their presentations.

(In no particular order):

Robert Breaker – of whom I first heard of the Revelation 12 Sign.

Scott Clarke – who has done the most extensive study of the Rev 12 Sign.

Zeus Mossbender – humor and heavenly insight.

Parable of the Vineyard – heartfelt, earnest teaching.

God’s Roadmap to the End – extensive scriptural studies.

HamrickCE – straight shooting biblical knowledge.

Barry Scarborough – faith and not works-based ministry.

Alan Horvath – whose Aramaic-language studies are excellent.

These YouTubers are well-founded in Scripture and so love the Word of God that they do not monetize their channels.

I highly recommend these channels for study, encouragement and fellowship.

For deep biblical study, I would recommend the impeccable Dr. Chuck Missler.

For biblical subjects done with a more unusual style, try Trey Smith.

JD Farag ministers from Hawaii and presents his Middle East Prophecy Updates,discussing how current news articles impact and illustrate biblical prophecy coming to pass.

Steve Cioccolanti teaches from the pulpit in Australia and has some interesting takes on bible scripture.

Seek these YouTubers out now because YouTube’s recent policies to police “extremistic content” may make these videos difficult to find. It’s amazing (but not surprising) that Christian views would be considered “extreme”. Indeed, some “Truther” channels have already expressed their suspicion and consternation regarding the alleged censoring of their channels, demonetizing and sometimes deletion of their content as the “editing algorithms” flags their content as too controversial, provocative or even dangerous.

I have a distinct feeling that in a not too distant future, Christian content will become almost impossible to access.

I hope that this list will be helpful, if you should be searching to and fro for the Word of God.

Some Very Honorable Mentions:

Soldiers of Christ Community Church

LastTrumpetBlast

Jerry Toney

Think About It

MillionforChrist

Remember, when searching for videos on YouTube regarding faith or faith-based content, to discern all by the Spirit (Ruah) and to “search out a matter” yourself.

Some warning signs that a YouTuber may not be speaking with a scriptural basis is—

They do not quote the Bible, or reference the Scriptures during their presentation,

They monetize their video. A LOT.

They initially sensationalize current events—any current event—and attempt to tie anything and everything to biblical prophecy.

They post multiple videos daily pertaining to dreams and prophetic visions they’ve had for the day; and the details of these dreams and visions do not coincide with biblical teachings.

They are constantly asking for monetary donations for their “ministries”.

I hope this has been a blessing to you, brothers and sisters.

If there is any YouTuber I haven’t mentioned here that you may know of who are a true brother / sister in Christ, please let me know in the comments below!

Postscript: Paul, the creator of the Zeus Mossbender channel, has been recently hospitalized. Please extend your best wishes and prayers of comfort and healing to this great brother in Christ.

 

 

 

 

Signed, Sealed and Delivered!

Posted by cassandratiphonie on September 7, 2017
Posted in: Revelation 12. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

pen writing

Do you know that you’ve already been redeemed by The Messiah?

If you believe—in your heart—and confess—with your mouth—that Yeshua died for the sin of the world and rose on the third day, snatching the victory from Death and Hell and then ascended to the Throne to sit at His Father’s right hand in eternal majesty and glory?

Do you believe in the power, the righteousness and the love of Jeshua?

If so, you are sealed on the forehead, marked for consecration by God Himself. You are delivered from wrath and judgment and the second death, which is eternal separation from God.

But did you know you are “Signed”?

Wait, hear me out.

If you haven’t heard the buzz by now about the GREAT SIGN of Revelation 12, let me give you the backstory.

It seems that about every two millennia there’s a great sign in the Shamayim (the Heavens); it’s like God’s billboard.

About 2000 years ago, a great star appeared in the night skies over Bethlehem to herald the birth of the Messiah; the King of Kings from the line of David, the Lion of Judah.

Two thousand years before that, there appeared a great sign that marked the birth of Abraham (then Avram). According to the book of Jasher, a very large star came from the east and ran in the Shamaym, swallowing up 4 stars from the four sides of the Heavens. The rest of the story is how Abraham was hunted by the tyrannical Babylonian king Nimrod, who desperately wanted to slay the infant his astrologers had deemed special in God’s sight, after witnessing the celestial event.

Sounds very familiar, right? King Herod also sought One born under a great star in the Heavens, and He too, had to be spirited away to safety.

So, I believe it’s safe to say that God announces some of His biggest plans with a great sign in the Heavens.

After all, He made the Heavens, right? And neither Man not the Devil can alter the Cosmic Clockwork.

If you stop to look up on a starlit night, you can’t help but wonder why. WHY all this great, glittering expanse? Why the shapes of the constellations?

Well, I’m glad you asked.

For those who rebuke the ecliptic constellations as nothing more than the infernal instruments of astrology, let me say this: God made those constellations. And He mentions some of them by name in the oldest book in the Bible—The Book of Job:

“Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzoroth in his season? Or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?”

In other words, YHWH made the Heavens. And he can do with them as He pleases.

Indeed, the Mazzaroth- in Hebrew—means “constellation”. And by watching the procession of the shapes made by the stars through the night sky, the ancient people determined planting seasons and navigated both by sea and land. The stars were not to be worshipped (the Devil actually warped ancient astronomy into “astrology” with the vain notion that the stars determined personal fate and fortune, and not that they actually “speak” of Yeshua, Redemption of Man, and Eternal Glory).

He gave us a head’s up in the first book of the Bible—Genesis—

“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for SIGNS, and for seasons (moedim), and for days and years…”

 Yes. SIGNS. As in, something to witness with the eyes and discern its meaning,

Now, to get back to the Revelation 12 Sign.

Let me remind you of the verse—

“And there appeared a great wonder in Heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered…”

 According to the Hebrew Mazzaroth, Virgo is the first of the 12 ecliptic constellations (meaning those that the sun travels through throughout the year). These constellations are identical to our modern zodiac. (Note: For more, I suggest the book, “The Gospel in the Stars”). Virgo, holds a stalk of wheat in one hand and a branch in the other. Indeed, the star that indicates her hand is named Spica, which means “The Branch”. (This plant of harvest represents the Seed of Woman. In other words, the “Virgin Birth”, since women do not possess seed).

Have I lost you yet? Hold on, there’s more…. (so much info, and so little times, my friends…)

In September and October of every year, the sun remains at her shoulder—“clothing” her.

The moon pirouettes past the feet of Virgo. Quite often, actually.

Above her head in the Heavens is the constellation Leo—the nine-starred luminary lion and last constellation of the Mazzaroth.

Wait, nine stars, right? Well, there’s one special day when three “wandering stars” (as they were called long ago) will line up in conjunction with the Lion. These wanderers are Mercury, Mars and Venus, and they will complete the crown of twelve stars on the Virgin’s head.

But wait, there’s more!

The Virgin is pregnant.

Yes. Jupiter entered the “womb” of Virgo in late November / early December 2016; where the King Planet has been slowly moving in retrograde motion for months…

…And will do so, like a human fetus, until Jupiter is :born” after nine months, exiting between the leg of Virgo…

…On September 23, 2017.

revelation 12 sign

The sign is extraordinary. Two thousand years ago, John of Patmos wrote what Yeshua had revealed to him so that we would know it when it occurred and more importantly, know that He who revealed it is The Lord.

This sign is unique— it has NEVER. HAPPENED. BEFORE.

Thanks to astronomy computer software like Stellarium and websites like The Sky Live, this Great Wonder was discovered approximately 6 years ago; predominant prophecy studies were pioneered by Scott Clarke – known from his YouTube videos on the topic.

I said this Great Sign has never occurred before, right?

Utilizing the astronomy software, many (including myself) have “traveled back in time” for six thousand years to determine if this celestial event has ever occurred. And I can tell you with certainty that all the key components detailed within the first verse of Revelation Chapter 12 have not appeared in the Shamayim for 6000 years.

Those key components being the locations of the sun at the shoulder of Virgo; the moon under the “feet: of the constellation. The “crown” having it’s full twelve stars. And of course, Jupiter is not in the womb for the average gestation period of a human infant.

(That was a long night, and a lot of coffee, my friends).

Moreover, those who have the software have also looked ahead a millennia—and do you know what? The configuration of heavenly bodies does not occur at all.

THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EVENT.

And it occurs in 17 days.

On the Feast of Trumpets.

An appointed time (moedim) on God’s calendar.

September 23, 2017.

As believers, we are signed, sealed and will be delivered directly to the throne room of God.

Amen!

 

 

 

 

OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS

Posted by cassandratiphonie on September 4, 2017
Posted in: Revelation 12. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

eclipse

Before the prophet Jonah journeyed to Ninevah to proclaim God’s impending judgment, there was a solar eclipse that passed over the ancient city as a harbinger. Well documented, the Bur-Sagale eclipse occurred on June 15, 763 BC.

It frightened the citizenry of Ninevah so badly that when Jonah arrived and proclaimed God’s will for them to repent of face sudden destruction, they immediately begged for forgiveness and mercy and were spared from His wrath.

The Great American Eclipse which occurred on August 21st, 2017 is indeed a sign from God that it’s time to repent.

And seeing that this celestial event occurred over only the continental US, I would say the dire message is exclusively for our nation.

However, by monitoring the news stories of the eclipse, it’s apparent that repentance was the farthest from people’s minds; rather, they caroused at festivals across the county to celebrate the eclipse in some bizarre form of sun worship.

The eclipse made landfall at Salem, Oregon (named after Jerusalem), traversed six other cities named Salem along its 12 state stretch and concluded its transcontinental journey over Charleston, South Carolina. (Note the numbers here – 7. 12.)

How about this number?

From the 33rd state to the 33rd parallel.

More on the significance of this number later.

Indeed, as the sun went dark over Salem Oregon, the sun set over Jerusalem.

August 21st was also the 1st of Elul on the Hebrew calendar—an incredibly sacred month. It is the month of repentance, of atonement, of making oneself humble and contrite before God before His Day of Judgment. Elul translated from Hebrew in the Song of Solomon (6:3) means “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine”. The month of Elul is earnest because it precedes the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah (The Feast of Trumpets) and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

In Israel, starting on the 1st Day of Elul, the shofar will sound to announce the commencement of this Holy Month; and so, the shofar will sound with a single blast from this day – Rosh Hodesh—until the day before Rosh Hashanah.

But to get back to the Eclipse. I believe God has hit the button on His stopwatch.

And Time is ticking.

There are 33 days until the Revelation 12 sign. September 23, 2017 has been highly anticipated as the date of the Rapture, and frankly, I believe there is a very, very, VERY high probability that we are indeed being taken home that day, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the Trumpet of God. To be with the Lord forever and ever (amen).

We Watchmen (and Watchwomen) have little time left to get the message out that Yeshua loves all who come to Him, and will be returning for his Church very soon.

You see, the eclipse occurred while the sun and new moon were in conjunction with the King Star Regulus in the constellation Leo. The Cosmic Big Cat is the symbol of the Lion of Judah—Yeshua HaMashiach Himself.

The significance of this is that while we were gazing at the Eclipse—especially those in the region of totality—the Heavens revealed the King to all eyes—the eclipsed sun at the front feet of Leo.(An added bonus—Regulus has long been thought to be the Bethlehem Star, which heralded the birth of Yeshua).

This very same constellation of Leo will – 33 days after the eclipse—be part of the “Great Wonder in Heaven” in Revelation 12—when its nine brightest stars are joined by 3 “wandering stars” (namely, Mars, Mercury and Venus to form the “crown of 12 stars” on the head of the Woman (Virgo).

So, the eclipse is a cause of celebration—but not as the secular world would revel. It is great, for we who hold fast to the Blessed Hope know that our Savior is returning very soon—as He promised.  And these celestial events are announcing His approach.

As if the awe-inspiring beauty of the Heaven isn’t enough, let’s talk numbers.

As fore-mentioned, the Eclipse began its trek across the US from the 33rd state to the 33rd parallel.

For 33 years, David ruled the entirety of Israel.

33 as the age of Yeshua when He was crucified.

33 were the number of miracles He performed during His ministry on Earth.

Matthew uses the term “Kingdom if Heaven” 33 times.

The 33rd time Noah’s name is mentioned in the Scriptures, the Heavenly Father makes a covenant with him, bestowing the Rainbow as a sign of His promise.

Yes. 33 is the number of God’s promise.

God. Never. Does. Anything. By. Coincidence.

In Genesis, He explains that He’s created these celestial bodies for us to have knowledge.

“Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years…” (“seasons” being “moedim” in Hebrew, meaning, “appointed times”).

These signs have demonstrated His intentions since the beginning.

His promised redemption and salvation for His children and people.

His imposed judgment on unbelievers.

So, we believers looked up on August 21st, with reverence and awe, because He made this all possible.

He made the moon’s elliptical orbit; made the sun 400 times larger and 400 times the distance from the moon, so that a solar eclipse could even be possible (The Earth is the only planet in our solar system that can even have such an occurrence!)

And as knowledge has increased in these End Times, He has revealed the meaning of these events in the Heavens to His children.

Come to Him. Talk to Him. God is a loving God. He will answer you.

His Son Yeshua has already done the work. He has redeemed you. All you have to do is accept Him.

 

 

Why I Stopped Watching Fear The Walking Dead

Posted by cassandratiphonie on September 18, 2016
Posted in: Creative Writing, Fear The Walking Dead, Television, Writing for Television. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Oh, it pains me to write this, it really does; but I have not watched Fear the Walking Dead since its return in August.

Yes! Me; The Champion of the show since Season One, Episode One! Me; The one who was giving people grief on Twitter to have patience and let the show develop before judging it as “boring” or “not having enough walkers to make it interesting”! To be honest, I haven’t had the interest or the unction to continue as an avid audience member.

I know, it’s shocking to me, too.

ftwd-boat

Sinking ship?

And for the passed few weeks, I’ve wondered why I’m not setting the carpet on fire on Sunday nights, running to turn on the TV and tune in.

The elusive “why” hit me just now, as I was mulling my malaise towards the series over my second cup of coffee.

It’s characterization– or the lack thereof– that has made me so antipathetic toward this show.

Fear the Walking Dead’s characters HAVE NO CHARACTER!

Wait. Hear me out.

I understand that the show has no source material to draw upon like its predecessor; but that’s no excuse. With as popular a genre as zombie fiction is, there’s more than enough material out there to siphon from.

In Season One, the story was gripping in its realism with what I like to call the “small touches of 21st Century Tropes”– the YouTube video of the walker attacking the EMS worker; police shootings of walkers causing civil unrest for being mistaken instances of “excessive force”; missing children posters gradually appearing near the playground at the onset of the outbreak. These drew the viewer into the story with that sense of “What If?” realistic circumstances…

…And then they got to the boat. Once they got the cast onto the Abigail, I believe it was all bets off.

What could have really played as a “Twelve Angry Men” dramatic scenario with a ragtag group of perfect strangers in the confines of a vessel out to sea surrounded by unknown threats fizzled. I believe there could have been more tension on board– especially between Strand, Maddie and Salazar, who have the Type A personality traits of the cast.

This takes me back to my original thought about how characterization has been handled on both The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead. Let’s examine the subtle and not-so-subtle nuances, shall we?

On The Walking Dead, we know Michonne is a badass with an eclectic appreciation for the arts. Remember the multi colored cat statue she just had to go back for, or the house where she removed the tarps from the hanging paintings, to peruse the artwork? We know she has a silly side and a penchant for Crazy Cheese.

Or how about Andrea’s  moral dilemma of taking the mermaid necklace from the mall to give to her sister, Amy? We found out three things in that scene very subtly; A) Andrea was tentative about taking the necklace without paying for it B) Rick realizing that on any other day, it would be considered larceny to simply take the necklace, but now in the Zombie Apocalypse, all societal norms have been cast aside and condoned Andrea’s taking it for her sister; and C) Andrea has a sister who really, really likes– and at one time collected– all things mermaid-related.

Or how about Carl? Growing up in the Zombie Apocalypse must suck. This kid has had to learn to shoot efficiently to survive while still being a kid enough to enjoy chocolate pudding and read comic books.

We could go on to discuss at great length Daryl’s relationship with his brother Merle, his dysfunctional childhood, and finding a sense of family in Rick’s group.

These nuances, these sprinklings of humanity are what Fear the Walking Dead sorely lacks.

We do know a few things; Daniel Salazar has a dark, sordid past. So does Strand. And that Travis is a pretty good mechanic in a pinch.

But do we care about these characters? About what happens to them? No, not really.

It’s disappointing, because I really was intrigued by Nick in Season One. I was like, “Wow, what an interesting angle; a junkie in the Zombie Apocalypse. Someone who’s wily and streetwise, manipulative and self-destructive. It’ll be interesting to see how he redeems himself and others during this ultimate test of endurance and struggle to survive…”

…And then, it seemed the writers simply FORGOT that Nick was a junkie. Gone were the withdrawals, the trawling for a fix. Not only that, but it seems that lately, they’ve tried to morph him more into Murphy from Z Nation. They’ve made him into the Walker King.

And can we talk about Maddie? You know what– never mind. Maddie spent most of Season Two berating Strand about what to do and where to go with HIS OWN BOAT after he was gracious enough to let her and her family come along to escape L.A.

So, there’s a two-fold problem here– not enough characterization and not enough likability. I know I wouldn’t want to be trapped anywhere with any one of these characters. Okay, maybe Travis. But that is it. I think that’s because Cliff Curtis is doing an incredible job portraying the Every Man character the best he can despite the material he’s been given and well, Travis for some odd reason reminds me of Chief Brody from Jaws. Just saying. He’s got a “Roy Scheider circa 1975” vibe going.

The other day when discussing the show, I couldn’t remember Ophelia’s name. I literally blanked on it. I’ve never done that with The Walking Dead. Even with minor characters.

And therein lies the problem. That’s HUGE. Not to remember a name of a character that has been there since Season One.

I remember Carol’s husband’s name. Ed was a piece of trash. Shane pummeled said piece-of-trash how many seasons ago? And how many episodes was Ed in?

That’s what I’m saying, folks. Characterization. Believe-ability. In Ed’s case it wasn’t likability– because he was a wife-beating, belligerent scumbag– but it was the sympathy for Carol and Sophie and giving the nod to Shane meting out an appropriate punishment that made him memorable.

If you’re wondering why I haven’t touched on the metamorphosis of Carol as a character– THAT is for an entirely different article. Actually, I would write about that in an entire chapter of a book!

As viewers, we were told that we were going to witness how a “21st Century Family Unit” was going to weather the storm and survive the Zombie Apocalypse.

But, by the Season Two mid-season finale, the family had been split up– Madison and Alicia escaped with Strand, Travis decides to stay behind with a gone-off-the-deep-end Chris, and Nick– who ventured off on a solo adventure in the wilds of Mexico, covered in entrails, masquerading as King of the Walkers …

That was the mid-season finale. And frankly, I wasn’t intrigued enough to watch what happened next upon its return. It wasn’t as gut-wrenching or emotional to provoke a “OMG, I can’t wait to see what happens next!” reaction. In fact, after Daniel Salazar’s apparent fiery demise, it was almost anti-climatic.

Now, I’m not going to merely bash the show without offering some thoughts of how to resolve this glaring problem with the writing, so here it is: MAKE US CARE ABOUT THESE CHARACTERS. Let us be able to identify with them more. You don’t have to show us the skeletons in their closets; just let us in on what makes them tick.

So far, they haven’t really had to struggle for food or water. Hell, they’ve been on a YACHT for a whole season. Alicia is a privileged, spoiled brat who appears freshly styled and caked with cosmetics; Chris is an emo-turned-psychopath. Madison is a bossy shrew. And Ophelia is underused and uninteresting. Have I missed anything?

Evidently not, because its viewership has been steadily on the decline since its return from Mid-Season Break. I’m not the only one who has opted out. Fear the Walking Dead has gone from premiering with 7.61 million viewers in 2015 to only 2.99 million viewers (September 4th, 2016’s episode). They’ve got to step up their game. The numbers should be a startling eye-opener to AMC that something is very wrong.

Some have speculated that it’s because there is no definitive “villain” on the show, but I don’t think that is necessarily the case. The problem goes much deeper than the introduction of a “discount Governor” or “Dime Store Neagan” could resolve. Again, if we don’t care about these characters, we won’t root for them as they struggle against whatever or whoever the obstacle is.

I’m not saying that we should know what Alicia’s favorite color is (though, in a purely psychological character-study sense, it might have embellished in the scene when they were rummaging through the luggage from the doomed Flight 462 to show some preference for color or style). It would have added to the “teenager” aspect of her character and maybe sparked some telling dialog between her and her estranged brother, Nick.

We see that Maddie’s a heavy drinker. Have her mention what her favorite beverage of choice is. Maybe mention that she used to raid her dad’s liquor when she was Alicia’s age. We get the feeling of her being unconventional and on the cusp of being inducted into the Hall of Badassery, but we’ve got no backstory to base our intuitions upon.

We’re fast approaching the conclusion of Season Two and have not gotten to truly acquaint the main characters to appreciate their personal plights.

I’m not going to be crass enough to suggest that there needs to be a change of command at the helm of this ship, but perhaps AMC would do best to find another showrunner who may correct the course and steer this vessel into better waters.

That being said, AMC has greenlit the show for Season 3 to air in April of 2017.

If you’re a fan of the show, what’s your take? How do you feel the show could be improved? Do you feel there’s a need for improvement at all? I’d love to know your thoughts!

 

 

 

 

Writer’s Challenge #1 – Describing Music

Posted by cassandratiphonie on May 22, 2016
Posted in: Creative Writing, Writing for Television. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

 

music symbols

It’s funny how writing always manages to challenge me.

It’s funnier how I always manage to challenge myself.

The main character in my novel “Stranded in Paradise” just happens to be a rock star.

Being a creative person myself– knowing the passion of creativity and the rush one gets during the whole creative process– it’s easy to describe his élan and gusto as he’s composing and playing his music…

…What’s not so easy is describing the music.

Think about that for a moment.  How do you describe sound without it actually being present?

It’s like that scene from “Mask” where the blind girl is telling Eric Stoltz that she correlates color to flavor. It’s inconceivable. One of those, “You have to be there” sort of things.

Of course– unless one is audibly-challenged– one knows what music sounds like.  A heavy metal guitar riff is easily discernible from a Hip-Hop bass line boom or the nasal strains of an accordion playing a polka.

I’ve had a blast writing lyrics for this character who is the front man for his band that has enjoyed a 20-year stint in the limelight. I’ve had to liken his style to several existent bands (i.e.; well, he’s a little of this group, but his singing style is mostly this artist, but he wails on the guitar like that guy…)

So, it seems, while writing a book based on the trials and tribulations attributed to “selling one’s soul to Rock and Roll”, I’ve stumbled upon the literary equivalent of the quintessential philosophical question, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”

How do you describe music?

I’m wondering what literary challenges are out there, plaguing writers like myself.  I want to know if you’ve overcome them, and if so, how…

Fellow writers, let’s discuss!

 

 

MISSED FORTUNE or WHO’S GOT MY FORTUNE COOKIE?!

Posted by cassandratiphonie on May 18, 2016
Posted in: Creative Writing. Tagged: , , , , , . 2 Comments

fortune cookie

…So, I’m eating some Chinese Takeout the other day…

(You should see me wield chopsticks, by the way.  I must say, I am quite adept at them.  If you’d like to learn, just look me up.  I could teach you how to use them in less than a minute, I guarantee you…)

…Anywoo, I’d finished my meal, which consisted of a lovely Mu Shu Shrimp… (a newfound taste-sensation, on my part…  Lovin’ it…)

…And so, as one would, after enjoying Chinese takeout, I cracked open my fortune cookie, and read the fortune printed on that little strip of paper…

Here’s what it said:

“YOU AND YOUR WIFE WILL BE HAPPY IN YOUR LIFE TOGETHER.”

You could have seen the questions marks and exclamation points shoot out of my forehead, if you were there.

I mean, it was like, “?!?”

Now, at the risk of offending the sensibilities of the overly-sensitive Politically Correct, let me now declare:  “I am not now, nor shall I be in the future, married to another woman…”

(…Oh, for Pete’s sake, here comes the PC cop-out disclaimer…  “Not that there’s anything wrong with that… I’m just saying it doesn’t float my boat…”)

So, I began to ponder several things at the same time– difficult when burping the odiferous cabbage of which Mu Shu consists…

  1. A)  Was this a joke like “Candid Camera”?  Was someone going to step from behind a partition, chuckling, and instruct me to wave to a hidden camera?
  2. B)  Was this the portentous prediction of some dreadful future dating experience so horrid that I’d actually swear off of men and  “pitch for the other team”?
  3. C) Or– the more obvious explaination– that I’d just gotten the wrong fortune.  Someone’s else fortune.

I called back the restaurant and requested another fortune cookie; I explained to the man who answered the phone that there must have been some mix-up.

He was abrupt and curt.  “No mix-up,” he said.  “You don’t get another fortune cookie, lady.”  And he hung up, but not before I could hear him sigh, “Jeezy Moe,” before the phone was placed back down in the cradle.

I was not satisfied.

I wanted my fortune.  MY fortune.  And I wanted the fortune I had to go to its rightful owner.

I picked up the phone and dialed the restaurant’s number again (Oh, I know it by heart, believe you me).

This time, another person answered.  Female.

I plead my case, “Hi, this is Cassie.  Ah, I just called there about a mix-up with–”

“You got the wrong order?” she asked.

“Oh, no.  I got the right order.  And the Mu Shu was absolutely delish, it really was… but there’s seems to be a mix-up with the fortune cookie.  I got the wrong one.”

“What?”

“I got the wrong fortune.  It’s not mine.  Look, I can read it to you… It says, quote…”

“…Can I put you on hold, please?”

“…Ah… yeah…”

The male manager came back on the line after a few seconds.  He must have been agitated from the Lunch Hour rush.

“You can’t get another fortune cookie,” he said.

“But, it’s not mine!” I said.  “Now, I could drop by after work to get my fortune cookie.  When do you close?”

I must have had a bad connection, because all I got for a reply was a dial tone.

Over the afternoon I called the restaurant three more times.

The manager was quite rude by the third phone call.  “You call here no more!” he shrieked before slamming down the phone.

…Well, what was I to do?  Here I was, stuck with a fortune I couldn’t use.  It didn’t pertain to me at all…  And neither would those lucky lotto numbers printed on the back of the tiny slip of paper…

Hey!  I want my lotto numbers!  Somebody out there has MY lucky lotto numbers… and if they win…  Hey!  THAT’LL BE MY MONEY!

I decided immediately to take action.

I looked at the wrapper for the fortune cookie and got the information for the manufacturer.

I GOOGLED THEM.

I got some nervous woman in Walla, Walla, Washington to answer the phone.

Strangely, she did not sound Asian at all.  Nor did it seem that she’d gleaned any ancient knowledge whatsoever, to be in the business of dispensing people’s life-altering fortunes…

“Is there a superior there or someone in charge of the Fortunes Department that I may speak with, please?”  I asked.  I was trying to keep my voice low.  My superiors were within earshot and I was on the clock, neglecting my daily duties and running up the company’s phone bill by calling coast-to-coast during prime hours.

“Yes ma’am,” the woman droned and then the line clicked.  There was a moment of unbearable Muzak– I think it was a schmaltzy rendition of Steve Miller’s “Dream Weaver”…

The guy said his name but I didn’t catch it the first time.   It definitely sounded American though.  Like “Bob” or “Pete” or “Doug”…

I introduced myself and my dilemma:  “Hi, sir, my name is Cassandra and I’ve enjoyed fortune cookies for many, many years.  Now, sir, I don’t know if all the wonderful fortune cookies I’ve had throughout the years came from your company, but, may I say I’ve never had a problem with them up until today…”

“What seems to be the problem?” Bob or Peter or Doug asked amicably.

“I’ve seemed to have gotten someone else’s fortune.  I mean, it’s not mine.  And I’d really like to have my fortune.  It’s just the principle of the matter, really.”

Well, this must have been the first time this problem’s arisen, because Bob or Pete or Doug stammered a few seconds, struck incredulous.

“I know, right?” I lilted into the phone, to empathize with his incredulity.

“Ah… well… ma’am… this… this is highly irregular,” he stammered into the phone.  “What did it say?  Was it something explicit or–?”

“Oh, no, sir!  Nothing offensive.  It’s just not mine.  It says that, quote, ’You and Your WIFE will be happy in your life together.’”

There was a pause over the line.

“Well,” he said, “I see where you could have a problem with that.”

“Yaa-ahh!” I replied.  (At that point, I was trying to pretend I was busy for my boss who’d just walked by my cubicle by quickly opening a manila folder and pretending to jot down some important information…)

“I just want to make sure that this fortune is forwarded to its intended owner and that I get the one that’s designated for me…” I told him earnestly.

“Of course!” he said with enthusiasm.  “Why don’t you FedEx overnight us that fortune and we’ll make sure it goes right back to Distribution and we’ll have yours out to you by the next business day!”

…You don’t want to know how much I paid to ship it off to Walla Walla.

And I still haven’t gotten my fortune in the mail yet.

I have a mind to call them back and give them a piece of my mind.

Or, better yet, I’ll contact the Better Business Bureau.

 

GLENN’S ALIVE — BUT FOR HOW LONG?

Posted by cassandratiphonie on February 29, 2016
Posted in: Television, Writing for Television. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
Glenn and Oscar the Grouch 2

“Between me and Scott Gimple, you got a solid, my friend.”

SPOILER ALERT: (Seriously, if you haven’t heard about this… I can’t even…)

Am I overjoyed that Glenn Rhee is alive on AMC’s “The Walking Dead”? Absolutely. However there is, after a week of doing a Happy Dance, one teeny, tiny, little wee oversight I have to call attention to in the midst of his incredible return from sure death…

When Nicholas (played impeccably by actor Michael Traynor) shot himself in the head after thanking Glenn for giving him a shot at being a decent human being (and not such an massive putz), his lifeless body fell on Glenn’s and they both plunged into what can only be called a Walker Mosh Pit of Death.

We thought we saw Glenn having his guts ripped out and devoured before his dying eyes.

As we well know now, it was Nicholas he was witnessing getting eaten.

Now, despite being a raving fan of the show, this is where I have to call bullsh*t.

Now, hold on. Hear me out.

It took a while for my brain to process the error in continuity that my emotional involvement would have me otherwise ignore.

When Glenn and Nicholas fell from atop the dumpster, their torsos fell AWAY from it. In other words, their prone positions on the ground amid the surrounding horde in the high, wide angle shot that we all saw while writhing on our couches in horror was BACKWARDS. How could Glenn be lying on his back with his head closest to the dumpster, when he fell away from it?

Absorb that for a minute. Let it marinate.

May I present for your perusal Exhibit A:

And then with Season 6 Episode 9 “No Way Out”, Glenn once again proves to be as non-perishable as a Hostess Twinkie. Surely he should have been mowed down at the breached wall outside Alexandria, surrounded by a herd of walkers that were closing in for the smorgasbord– especially by Sasha’s “spray and pray” technique of firing automatic weaponry.

With that being said, Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you Exhibit B:

https://youtu.be/EH3JSY-DNIs

I wouldn’t be exaggerating here if I said Glenn Rhee has got to be the luckiest dude in the Zombie Apocalypse. Ever.

But how long with Glenn’s luck last?

Especially with the ominous rumblings of the long-anticipated and equally dreaded arrival of Neagan this season?

I’m not saying that I want Glenn to die. Far from; I love the humanity and the sense of long-suffering hope that his character embodies on the show. However, knowing the upcoming storyline as I do (and I’m trying to be as spoiler free as I can here…) I know that there is an impending event that may very well seal his fate. And so far this season, Scott M. Gimple has been drawing directly from the source material of Robert Kirkman’s graphic novel–

–Okay. Here’s the DISCLAIMER for those not familiar with the comic book.

AHEAD THERE WILL BE MAJOR SPOILERS. MAJOR, JARRING, LIFE-CHANGING SPOILERS.

In the comic, Neagan seals Glenn’s fate. Suddenly. Violently. Mercilessly.

If Gimple does follow the storyline, it will render a blow to Steve Yuen fans everywhere. But– and we’ve seen Scott Gimple do this before– if he deviates from the source material, I dare say that the Nefarious Neagan’s prey will be none other than Daryl Dixon.

…And I hear millions of frantic females screaming in unison, right now.

Daryl RPG’ed Neagan’s biker gang. He’s lost his crossbow to Dwight. And, most importantly, he had a chance to go on a road trip with Rick in last week’s episode, “The Next World”. (Remember what I said about characters having “a moment” with Rick usually doesn’t bode well…)

More on the prediction that Daryl’s days are numbered coming soon…

What do you think? Leave your comments below. Let’s discuss!

 

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Is Glenn Really Dead?

Posted by cassandratiphonie on November 2, 2015
Posted in: Television, Writing for Television. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
glenn rhee

Glenn, NOOOO!!!

OMG. MAJOR SPOILERS ALERT!!! (Seriously, if you did not watch October 25th’s episode yet, read no further!)

Last week’s episode of The Walking Dead was entitled “Thank You”; and the irony is that I, like millions of other TWD fans have Scott M. Gimple to thank for the major cardiac event brought on by Glenn’s apparent, heart-wrenching demise.

And like millions of other TWD fans, I looked to host of The Talking Dead Chris Hardwick for consolation after such a harrowing experience of possibly witnessing the disenbowelment of one of the most disarming and honorable characters since Season One.

I mean, it’s been SIX YEARS we’ve known Glenn Rhee, right? He’s FAMILY, for crying out loud!! (And that’s what I was doing, by the way. CRYING OUT LOUD. Shrieking his name and “NOOOOOoooo!!” in horror and disbelief).

 But as I was watching The Talking Dead, I gradually realized A) Steve Yuen was not a guest– as many actors whose characters have met a gruesome end always end up on the couch after the episode– and B) oddly and mysteriously enough, Glenn’s horrific end was absent from the “In memoriam” segment of the show.

…So, still traumatized and in shock, I began to think. And think. And THINK…

GLENN IS NOT DEAD.

Oh, I know what you’re saying. “You’re in denial. You just can’t come to grips with one of the main characters being killed off in such an unnecessary and ridiculous way.”

Am I dismayed at the fact that it was the cowardly act of Nicholas shooting himself in the head, only to have his lifeless body fall on Glenn and they both ended up butt first in a Walker “Mosh Pit of Death”? Absolutely. Especially after Glenn had went out of his way to spare Nicholas’ life, and to give a chance to show that he could actually be an Alexandrian with testicular fortitude.

Would I have preferred if Glenn died an epic heroic death like saving orphans from a burning building? Well, no, not really. He would still die. And his character– though he’s experienced trauma and death and destruction, is still as grounded and sensible and sensitive as humanly possible, in light of the whole “zombie apocalypse” thing.

I just don’t want to think that someone who is as inherently decent as Glenn can be gone. And i know what you’re thinking. That it’s naive to have “the feels” in this harsh world, and that it was Glenn’s downfall to be decent and not cold-hearted. If he were more like Rick’s arc right now, he would have let Nicholas’ weakness be on Nicholas, and not suffered such a horrible end.

But let’s get back to Chris Hardwick for a second. Was it me, or did he look just as gutted as we all felt when the camera faded in from black at the beginning of last week’s Talking Dead? The same look of “Holy Crap, did that really just happen?”

And obviously the fan outcry had reached such a feverish pitch that showrunner Scott Gimple himself released an ambiguous-at-best statement regarding the status of Glenn:

Dear fans of The Walking Dead, this is a hard story to tell, and when we were planning to tell it, we knew our friends over at Talking Dead would be talking to you about it, and knowing you’d talking and feeling and commiserating, I knew we should say something about it, lest our silence say something we didn’t mean to say or not say so I will say this. In some way, we will see Glenn, some version of Glenn or parts of Glenn again, either in flashback, or current story, to help complete the story.

 PARTS OF GLENN?!?!

Perish the thought!!! I mean, the statement made me cringe. Then wince, then flinch. Then weep uncontrollably. It’s taken this whole week to rationalize the statement. To get to that level of acceptance.

But I can’t help but have hope.

I’m hoping Glenn is still alive. Hope is a good thing to have, right?