Looking for recs with unlikeable or deeply flawed women lead characters
Oct. 12th, 2025 12:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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My partner mentioned to me a while back that Eleanor Shellstrop from 'The Good Place' is one of the few lead women characters sey've seen who are awful in the selfish and mean way she is; usually they tend to be catty or bitchy (I've not yet finished S2, no spoilers please).
I was wondering what other lead women or girl characters come to mind that fit this dynamic? Hyacinth Bucket from 'Keeping Up Appearances' is the first to come to mind, a stunning performance of deep denial and heavy class pretentions (not sure if this was called something else in the US or other countries). Or on a darker note, Jill from the horror comedy 'Nighty Night' https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395404/ who is unashamedly vile.
Granted I've mostly been watching stuff with male leads recently, but I was wondering who else there is that fits this unlikeable or deeply flawed niche?
I was wondering what other lead women or girl characters come to mind that fit this dynamic? Hyacinth Bucket from 'Keeping Up Appearances' is the first to come to mind, a stunning performance of deep denial and heavy class pretentions (not sure if this was called something else in the US or other countries). Or on a darker note, Jill from the horror comedy 'Nighty Night' https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395404/ who is unashamedly vile.
Granted I've mostly been watching stuff with male leads recently, but I was wondering who else there is that fits this unlikeable or deeply flawed niche?
Do-Not-Match Option - LIMITED Yuletide edition
Oct. 11th, 2025 03:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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Tag set housekeeping
Thank you for all the tag set issues you’ve let us know about so far! Please continue to check the tag set and let us know of further corrections we should make. Please tell us about these corrections before 9am UTC, Monday 13 October, so we can fix them before sign-ups.
Some exchange moderators also offer participants the option to say "Please do not match me up with [ExampleUserName] or [ExampleUserName2]. I don't want to receive a gift from them or create for them." This feature makes it easier, for example, to offer a fandom requested by six different people including someone you'd prefer to avoid, and have peace of mind that you can still avoid that person.
A Do-Not-Match option is difficult to offer flexibly in Yuletide because of the large number of participants and the large number of people who have only one possible creator or recipient. However, we see a Do-Not-Match option as a valuable tool to reduce friction and make everyone happier, so we intend to offer a limited version of this feature in Yuletide, on a trial basis. Please note that this is not an absolute guarantee you won’t receive a story from one of the people you list.
After we run the matching process, we will check all matches against our master Do-Not-Match list. We will take the following actions:
We will not take the following actions:
Any three AO3 accounts you would prefer to avoid matching to. This can be for any reason, serious or unserious. Do not tell us the reason, please. If the reason is harassment or similar, we recommend reaching out to the Policy & Abuse team separately. You may only give specific names, rather than a description like "anyone who mostly wants porn".
Can't I just block people I don't want to match to?
No. Adding other users to your block list stops them from giving you a treat (see item AO3-6502 on this news post). It also stops them from being able to comment on your work. However, it does not affect challenge matching. A person you have blocked can be assigned to create for you, and you can be assigned to create for them.
Wait, am I allowed to block people in Yuletide?
Yes. Feel free to use the blocking feature to improve your AO3 experience. However, blocking someone and also matching to them could lead to unhappiness for both of you - so please consider using all the tools at your disposal to avoid matching to people you have blocked. This could mean choosing not to offer a fandom if you suspect it has been requested by a person you wish to avoid, or it could mean using the Do-Not-Match option for people you have blocked.
What other AO3 tools exist to manage my gift experience?
If you wish, you can choose to receive gifts only from assigned writers in a gift exchange or people who have claimed your prompts in a prompt meme. This is sometimes described as turning treats on and off. If you created your account after February 2022, please review this setting in your AO3 account preferences. If you select the setting "Allow anyone to gift me works", you can receive treats. If you do not select this setting, only an assigned author can give you a gift in Yuletide.
Will this be a feature of Yuletide going forward?
Maybe, maybe not. It will depend on how well it works out this year!
Schedule, Rules, & Collection | Contact Mods | Tag Set | Community DW | Community LJ | Discord | Pinch hits on Dreamwidth
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- We've removed Mouthwashing (Video Game) as that was approved in error. Sorry for getting your hopes up, nominator!
- 烏は主を選ばない | Karasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai | Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master (Anime): It’s come to our attention that Nazukihiko and Wakamiya are the same person, so we’re merging those characters.
- Nominator of Luca (The History of Sound) - it looks like the Wikipedia page for this movie incorrectly listed Luca as the name of Lionel's lover in Rome; according to IMDB and the original stories this movie is based on, it's Vincent (who was also nominated), so we're deleting Luca.
Thank you for all the tag set issues you’ve let us know about so far! Please continue to check the tag set and let us know of further corrections we should make. Please tell us about these corrections before 9am UTC, Monday 13 October, so we can fix them before sign-ups.
Limited Do-Not-Match option
Most of the time, the person assigned to create for you in an AO3-based gift exchange, and the person assigned to receive a gift from you, are determined by the tags you select in the sign-up form.Some exchange moderators also offer participants the option to say "Please do not match me up with [ExampleUserName] or [ExampleUserName2]. I don't want to receive a gift from them or create for them." This feature makes it easier, for example, to offer a fandom requested by six different people including someone you'd prefer to avoid, and have peace of mind that you can still avoid that person.
A Do-Not-Match option is difficult to offer flexibly in Yuletide because of the large number of participants and the large number of people who have only one possible creator or recipient. However, we see a Do-Not-Match option as a valuable tool to reduce friction and make everyone happier, so we intend to offer a limited version of this feature in Yuletide, on a trial basis. Please note that this is not an absolute guarantee you won’t receive a story from one of the people you list.
How it will work
When you sign up on AO3, the sign-up form will also link out to a Google form where you can list the AO3 names of up to 3 people you do not want to match to and can tell us if you want to avoid writing for a person, receiving an assigned gift from a person, or both. We will also ask for those people's AO3 ID numbers, which you can find on their AO3 profiles, and for the email associated with your AO3 name. We will not ask for the reason you wish to avoid a person.After we run the matching process, we will check all matches against our master Do-Not-Match list. We will take the following actions:
- If your assigned recipient or creator is someone you asked to avoid, we will attempt to match you to someone else.
- If your only possible recipient is someone you asked to avoid, we will email you to recommend you expand your offers. However, we will leave the match in place if you do not respond in the first 24 hours following the close of sign-ups.
- If your only possible creator is someone you asked to avoid, we will send out your requests with initial pinch hits.
- If you are the only possible recipient for a creator you asked to avoid, we will leave the match in place, but will prioritize your requests for double-assignment to two creators. [Because of how matching works, there will always be Yuletide participants who start out with two assigned creators; generally we try to choose them at random.]
We will not take the following actions:
- We will not ask a creator to drop out or expand their offers if their only possible recipient is someone who would prefer to avoid them.
- We will not inform a participant that someone else has asked not to match to them. [This information will be restricted only to the core Yuletide mods, Isis, Morbane, and pendrecarc, and will not be shared with the larger pool of Yuletide assistants.]
- We will not review treats for unwanted matches. Putting someone on your Do-Not-Match list will not prevent them from creating a treat for you (but please see FAQs below for other tools to achieve this).
- We will not prevent someone on your Do-Not-Match list from claiming you as a pinch hit. We will check our master Do-Not-Match list when assigning pinch hits, so if the first person to claim you is a person you prefer to avoid, we will leave a short amount of time to see if another claim comes in. But we will not hold your pinch hit indefinitely or tell the first creator they aren't allowed to claim you.
- We will not ask you why you wish to avoid a particular match.
FAQs (foreseeable/anticipated questions)
Who am I allowed to put on my Do-Not-Match list?Any three AO3 accounts you would prefer to avoid matching to. This can be for any reason, serious or unserious. Do not tell us the reason, please. If the reason is harassment or similar, we recommend reaching out to the Policy & Abuse team separately. You may only give specific names, rather than a description like "anyone who mostly wants porn".
Can't I just block people I don't want to match to?
No. Adding other users to your block list stops them from giving you a treat (see item AO3-6502 on this news post). It also stops them from being able to comment on your work. However, it does not affect challenge matching. A person you have blocked can be assigned to create for you, and you can be assigned to create for them.
Wait, am I allowed to block people in Yuletide?
Yes. Feel free to use the blocking feature to improve your AO3 experience. However, blocking someone and also matching to them could lead to unhappiness for both of you - so please consider using all the tools at your disposal to avoid matching to people you have blocked. This could mean choosing not to offer a fandom if you suspect it has been requested by a person you wish to avoid, or it could mean using the Do-Not-Match option for people you have blocked.
What other AO3 tools exist to manage my gift experience?
If you wish, you can choose to receive gifts only from assigned writers in a gift exchange or people who have claimed your prompts in a prompt meme. This is sometimes described as turning treats on and off. If you created your account after February 2022, please review this setting in your AO3 account preferences. If you select the setting "Allow anyone to gift me works", you can receive treats. If you do not select this setting, only an assigned author can give you a gift in Yuletide.
Will this be a feature of Yuletide going forward?
Maybe, maybe not. It will depend on how well it works out this year!
Please either sign in to comment, or include a name with your anonymous comments, including replies to others' comments. Unsigned comments will stay screened.
HLH_Shortcuts sign-up deadline is 11:59pm Central Time Saturday night
Oct. 11th, 2025 12:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
If you're planning to sign up for
hlh_shortcuts '25, you have ~10 hours from when I'm writing this. I got my sign-up in this morning.
At this time, the sign-ups summary and requests list show 15 players, with 15 requests and 14 offers for the main TV series, 4 and 5 for The Raven, and 8 and 5 for the movies. (If you're into the comics, novels, cartoon, or other subsidiary properties, just say so; someone else is likely to be, too.)
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
At this time, the sign-ups summary and requests list show 15 players, with 15 requests and 14 offers for the main TV series, 4 and 5 for The Raven, and 8 and 5 for the movies. (If you're into the comics, novels, cartoon, or other subsidiary properties, just say so; someone else is likely to be, too.)
Saturday mishmash, with the second half largely food-related
Oct. 11th, 2025 02:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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We finished season 1 of Silo a couple nights ago. (I've been intermittently earwormed with its OP theme music, which is fortunately a good piece, but I still would rather not have it [or anything else] stuck in my head.) That was a very solid season finale. Now to decide if we want to immediately go to season 2 or watch something else first/alongside. (Can anyone tell me, without spoilers, a] how much of the book[s] season 1 covers, and/or b] if the show is finished or if a third season is expected/hoped for?)
I went along for the drive when
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Tomorrow evening will probably be when we throw together a Thanksgiving dinner of ham*, cranberry sauce, and some mix of roasted veggies. I consulted How to Cook Everything on the matter of the ham, and it gives an oven temperature and an estimated cook time and basically says "heat until hot, then eat", and it doesn't get much simpler than that.
*The most token little ham! I'm not actually sure how much I'll like it, as ham was never my thing growing up, so we didn't want a huge one to swamp us with leftovers. We'll see! I know it's possible for me to enjoy ham, as we've been to a couple of group meals where I did. (I can think of one here and one in Toronto, so the hams in question were cooked by two very different friends.)
HLH_Shortcuts 2025 "Dear Author" letter
Oct. 11th, 2025 10:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Dear
hlh_shortcuts author,
Thank you for sharing your Highlander love and creativity this year!
TLDR: My personal tip-top favorites are: gen; PG-13 and below; first through third seasons; Duncan, Tessa, Richie, Darius; Duncan/Tessa; choosing the hard right over the easy wrong; choosing to care and to hope; the power of friendship; history, whether as setting or reference; grief and bereavement; fighting the good fight; and the immortality fantasy as hyperbole/metaphor for real life. I also enjoy many other things, so it's fine if none of these click for you!
No need to read on unless you really want to. This post is long. :-D
( Likes, dislikes, crossovers & character-specific prompts )
Again, thank you! Whatever you love best in HL, celebrate that, and I'm sure to enjoy it.
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Thank you for sharing your Highlander love and creativity this year!
TLDR: My personal tip-top favorites are: gen; PG-13 and below; first through third seasons; Duncan, Tessa, Richie, Darius; Duncan/Tessa; choosing the hard right over the easy wrong; choosing to care and to hope; the power of friendship; history, whether as setting or reference; grief and bereavement; fighting the good fight; and the immortality fantasy as hyperbole/metaphor for real life. I also enjoy many other things, so it's fine if none of these click for you!
No need to read on unless you really want to. This post is long. :-D
( Likes, dislikes, crossovers & character-specific prompts )
Again, thank you! Whatever you love best in HL, celebrate that, and I'm sure to enjoy it.
SGA: Antarctic Drift by smilebackwards
Oct. 12th, 2025 02:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters/Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Carson Beckett, Radek Zelenka, Jack O'Neill, Janet Fraiser
Rating: Mature
Length: 3592
Content Notes: no AO3 warnings apply
Creator Links: smilebackwards on AO3
Themes: Uncommon settings, Action/adventure, First time, Complete AU, Fusion
Summary: Atlantis Prime is the best Jaeger ever built. Of course it is, Rodney built it himself. Too bad he can’t find anyone Drift compatible to pilot it with him.
John Sheppard was one of the best Jaeger pilots the program had, until he lost his partner in a Kaiju attack off the coast of Alaska. He’s not eager to go back, but the right Drift partner might just convince him.
Reccer's Notes: There are very few Stargate Atlantis AUs set in the Pacific Rim universe, and this is an excellent one. It's in two parts, a Fanvid trailer and then the story. Rodney (with Zelenka) has repaired and re-engineered the jaeger Atlantis Prime but can't find a partner to pilot it. John's a traumatised ex-jaeger-pilot who, after Holland's death, is reluctant to return to the fray. There's romance too, as part of them becoming drift-compatible. The trailer vid is cleverly done and works well with the story - both are very much recommended.
Fanwork Links: Antarctic Drift
and the Fanvid is here
(the works are locked to AO3)
Characters/Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Carson Beckett, Radek Zelenka, Jack O'Neill, Janet Fraiser
Rating: Mature
Length: 3592
Content Notes: no AO3 warnings apply
Creator Links: smilebackwards on AO3
Themes: Uncommon settings, Action/adventure, First time, Complete AU, Fusion
Summary: Atlantis Prime is the best Jaeger ever built. Of course it is, Rodney built it himself. Too bad he can’t find anyone Drift compatible to pilot it with him.
John Sheppard was one of the best Jaeger pilots the program had, until he lost his partner in a Kaiju attack off the coast of Alaska. He’s not eager to go back, but the right Drift partner might just convince him.
Reccer's Notes: There are very few Stargate Atlantis AUs set in the Pacific Rim universe, and this is an excellent one. It's in two parts, a Fanvid trailer and then the story. Rodney (with Zelenka) has repaired and re-engineered the jaeger Atlantis Prime but can't find a partner to pilot it. John's a traumatised ex-jaeger-pilot who, after Holland's death, is reluctant to return to the fray. There's romance too, as part of them becoming drift-compatible. The trailer vid is cleverly done and works well with the story - both are very much recommended.
Fanwork Links: Antarctic Drift
and the Fanvid is here
(the works are locked to AO3)
The crownless again shall be king by gvalesdraws (SFW)
Oct. 12th, 2025 01:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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Fandom: Tolkien: Lord of the Rings
Characters/Pairing/Other Subject: Aragorn
Content Notes/Warnings: none
Medium: digital art
Artist on DW/LJ: n/a
Artist Website/Gallery: gvalesdraws on tumblr
Why this piece is awesome: The palette is mostly subtle earth colours for Strider, and the design is gorgeous, the bulk being a portrait of Aragorn as Strider, but the reflection in his raised sword is white and gold, showing Aragorn crowned as king.
Link: The crownless again shall be king
Characters/Pairing/Other Subject: Aragorn
Content Notes/Warnings: none
Medium: digital art
Artist on DW/LJ: n/a
Artist Website/Gallery: gvalesdraws on tumblr
Why this piece is awesome: The palette is mostly subtle earth colours for Strider, and the design is gorgeous, the bulk being a portrait of Aragorn as Strider, but the reflection in his raised sword is white and gold, showing Aragorn crowned as king.
Link: The crownless again shall be king
Sale Promotion: Cozy the Day Away (Oct 11-12)
Oct. 11th, 2025 07:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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Cozy the Day Away, a flash sale for Cozy Fantasy books, is running again for two days this weekend, Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th October.
This time, there are more than 150 books in the sale, with many new authors (and new titles from authors who were in previous sales.)
The sale includes ebooks, paperbacks, audiobooks and bundles.
A strong focus on diversity: LGBTQIA+, neurodiversity, global majority/PoC characters, mental and physical disabilities, all represented.
A wide variety of genres, including romantasy, cozy mysteries, paranormal and urban fantasy and action/adventure.
Many ebooks are 99p/99c (or even free) and there are steep discounts on other formats.
Find out more and access the list of books (only visible this weekend) at https://cozyfantasysale.promisepress.org/
This time, there are more than 150 books in the sale, with many new authors (and new titles from authors who were in previous sales.)
The sale includes ebooks, paperbacks, audiobooks and bundles.
A strong focus on diversity: LGBTQIA+, neurodiversity, global majority/PoC characters, mental and physical disabilities, all represented.
A wide variety of genres, including romantasy, cozy mysteries, paranormal and urban fantasy and action/adventure.
Many ebooks are 99p/99c (or even free) and there are steep discounts on other formats.
Find out more and access the list of books (only visible this weekend) at https://cozyfantasysale.promisepress.org/