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.