Louie Stowell
@louiestowell.bsky.social
Writer/illustrator of the LOKI: A Bad God's Guide books, Writer of Otherland & The Dragon in the Library. https://louiestowell.com. No terfs. Many fluctuating fandoms incluing BtVS + Doctor Who. This feed isn't for kids.
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Louie Stowell
@louiestowell.bsky.social
· Mar 30
The Louie Stowell Newsletter | Substack
News, books and nonsense. Click to read The Louie Stowell Newsletter, a Substack publication.
louiestowell.substack.com
I have a newsletter! If you'd like to keep up to date on my books, events, news, book-themed activities for kids and occasional Doctor Who and other fandom thoughts, sign up here! louiestowell.substack.com #KidLitUK
Reposted by Louie Stowell
Draft guidance (up for consultation) is here
consult.education.gov.uk
February 12, 2026 at 4:18 PM
Draft guidance (up for consultation) is here
Reposted by Louie Stowell
So, it looks like the new DfE guidance on trans students in schools incorporates recommendations from the Cass report. Suffice to say that is an *incredibly awful* decision.
Here's a thread with my analysis of Cass on social transition from back in 2024.
Here's a thread with my analysis of Cass on social transition from back in 2024.
In Chapter 12, Cass considers social transition.
As per §12.2, this might include haircuts, clothing, name change, and pronoun usage.
As per §12.2, this might include haircuts, clothing, name change, and pronoun usage.
February 12, 2026 at 3:56 PM
So, it looks like the new DfE guidance on trans students in schools incorporates recommendations from the Cass report. Suffice to say that is an *incredibly awful* decision.
Here's a thread with my analysis of Cass on social transition from back in 2024.
Here's a thread with my analysis of Cass on social transition from back in 2024.
Reposted by Louie Stowell
This draft guidance reproduces Cass insisting that clinicians must be involved in decisions about *social transition* which actually should be none of their damn business
They take the line that this "non-directive" intervention should force things to be "keeping options open and flexible"...
They take the line that this "non-directive" intervention should force things to be "keeping options open and flexible"...
February 12, 2026 at 4:25 PM
This draft guidance reproduces Cass insisting that clinicians must be involved in decisions about *social transition* which actually should be none of their damn business
They take the line that this "non-directive" intervention should force things to be "keeping options open and flexible"...
They take the line that this "non-directive" intervention should force things to be "keeping options open and flexible"...
Reposted by Louie Stowell
If you were trying to come up with more harmful guidance towards trans and non-binary young people you would be hard pressed to find it. The fact it is backed by Cass shows how wrong it is.
We are already seeing an increase in suicide rates among trans young people.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
We are already seeing an increase in suicide rates among trans young people.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
'Vast majority' of parents should be involved if children question gender, schools told
School leaders welcome the
www.bbc.co.uk
February 12, 2026 at 5:42 PM
If you were trying to come up with more harmful guidance towards trans and non-binary young people you would be hard pressed to find it. The fact it is backed by Cass shows how wrong it is.
We are already seeing an increase in suicide rates among trans young people.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
We are already seeing an increase in suicide rates among trans young people.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Louie Stowell
somehow there's an update... and it's not a great look. it shouldn't be the case that the admin react when there's an outcry then just don't change whatever system they've got in place anyway.
![Tamer Nahed 𓂆🇵🇸
@Tamer_Alnoaizy
The Bluesky platform has truly become a strange and deeply frustrating experience for me. At 3 a.m., I received an email on my official address from them explaining that what happened was merely a technical error, and that my account had been closed due to a platform glitch after the tweet spread very widely and created significant pressure on their system.
I was genuinely happy when I read the message. I thought the issue had finally been resolved and that I would regain access to my account normally. But the moment I logged in, I was shocked to find that my account had been suspended again.
It was extremely painful… like a door that opened for a brief moment only to be shut harshly once more. Honestly, I no longer feel any desire to use this platform. It feels like there is no real freedom of expression, and that our voices are only allowed to exist as long as they don’t disturb anyone.
[the poster uploaded two screenshots, one of an email telling him that bluesky reviewed their decision and restored his account. the second screenshot shows his account has been suspended again]
11:42 AM · Feb 12, 2026
https://twitter.com/Tamer_Alnoaizy/status/2021912820057509913](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2l6seozmjsqc4kfukjejat77/bafkreibhacmj4yhhfaq5jd7bgungrpahz2xzavabcsxgghwrvxh2onhnom@jpeg)
February 12, 2026 at 2:02 PM
somehow there's an update... and it's not a great look. it shouldn't be the case that the admin react when there's an outcry then just don't change whatever system they've got in place anyway.
Reposted by Louie Stowell
palestinian journalist posting on twitter that his bluesky account was immediately taken down purely because he was in gaza. all palestinian accounts are assumed to be spam.
![Tamer Nahed 𓂆🇵🇸
@Tamer_Alnoaizy
BlueSky is one of the worst platforms I have ever dealt with. Within seconds of creating a second account, after my first one was shut down just two days after it was created, my account was closed again. This happened despite the fact that I hadn’t posted anything or followed anyone. I was only in the process of adding a profile photo, yet I received an email claiming that my account was “spam” and that it was “causing harm.” What kind of logic is this?
The painful truth is that the account was shut down the moment it became clear it was created from inside Gaza. It seems we are no longer allowed to write or speak about what is happening to us here. They are not afraid of content itself, but of our voices and the reality we carry with us.
Millions are spent to silence these voices and to erase the truth. I am exhausted by this platform and by how our photos and videos, which document real suffering, are treated as “violations of community standards,” as if pain itself has become a crime.
What is happening is not simple moderation or policy enforcement. It is an attempt to erase our existence and bury the truth. And honestly, this is shameful and unbearably painful.
[the original poster has included two screenshots showing the email from bluesky admin informing him that his account has been taken down for being 'spammy, inauthentic or disruptive to users'. it's the standard boilerplate you get when they take moderation action.]
2:45 PM · Feb 10, 2026
https://twitter.com/Tamer_Alnoaizy/status/2021234178461704409](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:2l6seozmjsqc4kfukjejat77/bafkreiga45xjdal6lfcqt2zmambaymeoelxafbrlt7fi2nmoahpbqj3cja@jpeg)
February 11, 2026 at 5:26 PM
palestinian journalist posting on twitter that his bluesky account was immediately taken down purely because he was in gaza. all palestinian accounts are assumed to be spam.
Reposted by Louie Stowell
Because there wasn't enough computing power back in 2007/2008 to render a weekly cg-animated show with reflective shiny surfaces, Star Wars: The Clone Wars' animation models were given a matte, painterly texture, complete with visible brush strokes, that became the show's trademark visual style.
![The kind of "eureka" moment we had was when Andrew Harrison, the original designer, made the suggestion we take off specular highlights, which are the way the light reflects of surfaces in 3-D. [That way we] keep the integrity of the paint, and the characters would marry better with the painted background.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:5l4ffkowbyiezvh5ye3tqrft/bafkreicoqnvugjxvxp2o3owwz5cmtczduunz5j22nucfk4k7fyf4z3j7ma@jpeg)
February 12, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Because there wasn't enough computing power back in 2007/2008 to render a weekly cg-animated show with reflective shiny surfaces, Star Wars: The Clone Wars' animation models were given a matte, painterly texture, complete with visible brush strokes, that became the show's trademark visual style.
Reposted by Louie Stowell
I believe they came up with the idea for Blink because DT’s availability for filming was constrained.
February 12, 2026 at 2:03 PM
I believe they came up with the idea for Blink because DT’s availability for filming was constrained.
Reposted by Louie Stowell
Last of the Summer Wine - lead actor Michael Bates had a better offer with "It Aint Half Hot Mum" so was replaced with Brian Wilde
MASH - replacing both Frank Burns (annoying Dr) and Henry Blake (Commander). Got lucky both times!
MASH - replacing both Frank Burns (annoying Dr) and Henry Blake (Commander). Got lucky both times!
February 12, 2026 at 1:40 PM
Last of the Summer Wine - lead actor Michael Bates had a better offer with "It Aint Half Hot Mum" so was replaced with Brian Wilde
MASH - replacing both Frank Burns (annoying Dr) and Henry Blake (Commander). Got lucky both times!
MASH - replacing both Frank Burns (annoying Dr) and Henry Blake (Commander). Got lucky both times!
Reposted by Louie Stowell
Jaws is probably the biggest one for me. The mechanical shark didn’t work for huge swathes of shooting so they had to imply its presence in other ways and, inadvertently or otherwise, turn it into a largely unseen adversary.
February 12, 2026 at 1:41 PM
Jaws is probably the biggest one for me. The mechanical shark didn’t work for huge swathes of shooting so they had to imply its presence in other ways and, inadvertently or otherwise, turn it into a largely unseen adversary.
Reposted by Louie Stowell
Alllll of 'Staged'
February 12, 2026 at 1:42 PM
Alllll of 'Staged'
Reposted by Louie Stowell
Game Of Thrones scripts for the first series were way too short so they added relatively straightforward dialogue scenes, normally between just two actors, which ended up contributing to the deepening of characters and becoming a signature of the show.
February 12, 2026 at 1:27 PM
Game Of Thrones scripts for the first series were way too short so they added relatively straightforward dialogue scenes, normally between just two actors, which ended up contributing to the deepening of characters and becoming a signature of the show.
Reposted by Louie Stowell
It’s Always Sunny being forced by the network to bring in Danny Devito or face cancellation after their first season turned out pretty well.
February 12, 2026 at 1:24 PM
It’s Always Sunny being forced by the network to bring in Danny Devito or face cancellation after their first season turned out pretty well.
Reposted by Louie Stowell
This can be seen as a mixed bag due to where it ended up but a lot of the best of X-Files came as the result of Gillian Anderson's pregnancy, which led to the Scully abduction arc which had a huge impact on the mythology for the rest of the show's run (GREAT in the early years, less so later).
February 12, 2026 at 1:26 PM
This can be seen as a mixed bag due to where it ended up but a lot of the best of X-Files came as the result of Gillian Anderson's pregnancy, which led to the Scully abduction arc which had a huge impact on the mythology for the rest of the show's run (GREAT in the early years, less so later).
Reposted by Louie Stowell
The 4th series of Blake’s 7. The cast and crew allegedly only finding out on the continuity announcement at the end of s3 leading to that final ending
February 12, 2026 at 1:20 PM
The 4th series of Blake’s 7. The cast and crew allegedly only finding out on the continuity announcement at the end of s3 leading to that final ending
Reposted by Louie Stowell
I think Industry has had to grapple with losing two of the core characters in successive seasons. Idk if season 4 is better for losing Rob but it has definitely forced them into more adventurous territory
There are some terrible plot choices made due to external production factors eg actors wanting to leave. But can anyone think of one where it's turned out brilliantly -a "necessity is the mother of invention" type situation?
February 12, 2026 at 1:21 PM
I think Industry has had to grapple with losing two of the core characters in successive seasons. Idk if season 4 is better for losing Rob but it has definitely forced them into more adventurous territory
Reposted by Louie Stowell
Terry Farrel leaving DS9 sucked but they did really well spinning that into introducing Ezri, and Worfs plot tol
February 12, 2026 at 1:21 PM
Terry Farrel leaving DS9 sucked but they did really well spinning that into introducing Ezri, and Worfs plot tol
Reposted by Louie Stowell
The Brothers. Colin Baker's character was introduced halfway through season four as a one-off. But another member of the cast was being a dick so they wrote him out and brought Colin's character back as a regular. He was hugely popular and became the focus of the show in its later seasons.
February 12, 2026 at 1:21 PM
The Brothers. Colin Baker's character was introduced halfway through season four as a one-off. But another member of the cast was being a dick so they wrote him out and brought Colin's character back as a regular. He was hugely popular and became the focus of the show in its later seasons.
Reposted by Louie Stowell
Yes — Mark Hamill getting cast as The Joker because he was begging to be on the show RIGHT when Tim Curry got fired is a classic example, as documented in my 2017 oral history of Batman: The Animated Series:
archive.is/uFoOU
archive.is/uFoOU
![BT: Everybody who came in to audition for the Joker was doing, basically, [Adam West–era Joker actor] Cesar Romero. They weren’t treating the character seriously. All of the actors that we tested were all doing these really silly and bizarre voices. None of it had any serious threat to it at all. Tim Curry actually came in and gave us something really close to what we wanted. It was funny and weird but also definitely had some menace to it. So we hired Tim. He did about three episodes for us. And then Alan Burnett came to me after we did the third one, and we listened to the assembled tracks, and he said, “I think we have to replace Tim.”
AR: He just couldn’t wrap his head around Tim’s performance. And the truth of it is, I never would have recast Tim.
BT: I didn’t want to do it because we had already recorded a bunch of episodes with him and I knew we would have to rerecord them in post, which I knew was going to be a nightmare. But it didn’t take much for him to convince me, because I was kind of leaning that way myself. It’s not that Tim was doing anything bad, it just wasn’t quite what we wanted.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:474ldquxwzrlcvjhhbbk2wte/bafkreicp7nlfegzs6i2hjxdk5qwnt7wcnszrm4ojuo7o7sghjenzgrn724@jpeg)
![MH: I got a call saying, “They want you to come in and audition for the Joker.” And I said, “Oh, gosh, that’s a little too high-profile for my liking. Not only has it been done with Cesar Romero, but it’s been done by Jack Nicholson. What can I bring to the table that hasn’t been done before?” I said, “I’d rather play Two-Face or Clayface or someone who hasn’t been done.” The reason I went in was because I was absolutely certain that they would be unable to cast me as the Joker simply because, public-relations-wise, the idea of the guy who played Luke Skywalker — this icon of heroism, this virtuous character — playing this icon of villainy? Comic-book fans are notoriously demanding. They’re very opinionated and not shy about letting you know how they feel. I thought it would be a PR disaster that they would not be able to withstand. It gave me a great confidence, since I didn’t think there was any shot at all of me getting the part, so I had that performance anxiety removed.
PD: I remember listening to his audition, and when he did the laugh, I said, “That’s it. That’s just it.” The laugh was cruel, it was funny, there was an undercurrent of terrible sadness to it. It was a laugh from a destroyed soul.
MH: I had done Mozart in Amadeus in the first national tour, and then they transferred me over to Broadway, and one of the things that is relevant to my audition [for the Joker] is that Mozart had this sort of ghastly laugh that threw everybody. I played with that laugh a lot. I’d do a little Dwight Frye, I’d do a little Sydney Greenstreet. I love all those old Warner Bros. movies, so I was just slipping people in. Sometimes I’d get notes like, “It was a little too ‘Jerry Lewis at the matinee’. Reel it back.” I’m telling you this because, in retrospect, after getting the part, I asked Andrea Romano, “How did I get it? What was the process? How did you know that you wanted me?” And she said, “The laugh.” I didn’t want to get pigeonholed into a specific laugh. With the…](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:474ldquxwzrlcvjhhbbk2wte/bafkreihpixqca4m27sihmd2hfhimpnfxajk43vpzhozrncbjllbwofuzxa@jpeg)
February 12, 2026 at 1:22 PM
Yes — Mark Hamill getting cast as The Joker because he was begging to be on the show RIGHT when Tim Curry got fired is a classic example, as documented in my 2017 oral history of Batman: The Animated Series:
archive.is/uFoOU
archive.is/uFoOU
Reposted by Louie Stowell
Babylon 5 series two? The loss of Michael O'Hare?
February 12, 2026 at 1:19 PM
Babylon 5 series two? The loss of Michael O'Hare?
Reposted by Louie Stowell
The guard in The Prisoner being a surreal weather balloon, after the robot they had built fell into the sea.
February 12, 2026 at 1:18 PM
The guard in The Prisoner being a surreal weather balloon, after the robot they had built fell into the sea.
Reposted by Louie Stowell
Blake's Seven managed pretty well without Blake, when Gareth Thomas left.
February 12, 2026 at 1:16 PM
Blake's Seven managed pretty well without Blake, when Gareth Thomas left.
Reposted by Louie Stowell
although there they didn't necessarily have to do what they did - they *could* have done a more straight recast and got someone in who looked similar, would have played the role in the same way hartnell had.
February 12, 2026 at 1:15 PM
although there they didn't necessarily have to do what they did - they *could* have done a more straight recast and got someone in who looked similar, would have played the role in the same way hartnell had.
Reposted by Louie Stowell
It’s not a plot point exactly but the recasting of Donna in Twin Peaks Fire Walk With Me works so well - for me it’s like this is Donna as Laura sees her, younger acting and more painfully naive
February 12, 2026 at 1:15 PM
It’s not a plot point exactly but the recasting of Donna in Twin Peaks Fire Walk With Me works so well - for me it’s like this is Donna as Laura sees her, younger acting and more painfully naive
That is some greek myth shit right there
February 12, 2026 at 1:12 PM
That is some greek myth shit right there