At some level it's just the genre as well. Romance is an escapist genre where by definition you know you have a happy ending going into the story, etc. It's like how in cis het romances the woman is never on her period, has always just shaved, etc... Its meant to be escapist, not realistic.

I think this is an interesting take, but really it's just ep2 then right? Like ep 1 doesn't have penetrative sex at all. I do think that there is heavily implied prep happening off screen but I've read the books so maybe I'm filling in from there.

I do take issue with the non-athletes still having incredibly athletic bodies. I understand when showing professional athletes that it's realistic, but they missed an opportunity with Kips character.

He went home alone, canon in the books. I think this is just a case of a show using a better location for filming and people reading into it.

a Feist hat trick ... 🤭

The assumption that there is no lube unless it is specifically shown on screen is wild. Surely we can expect audiences to have a bit of media literacy without having things spoonfed to them.

I think only Ep3 (Kip and Scott) was a stucky fic. But it 100% was.

But wooden usually means poor acting, and he is exactly the way I would imagine the character to act. it's just that you have to look close to figure it out.

I think his character is very reserved and it takes a while to realize that is who he is. But the micro expressions on his face are genius level..Shane is a kid who does not let himself go and is always 100% in control of everything about his life.

this is not shade at all but I think it's fascinating seeing people react

there is valid criticism to make, but this ain't it.

Re: HS, I don't need a show about young teens to feature explicit sex (and they have sex in the show it's just not shown on screen).

And HR is only "wooden" if you are used to being spoonfed plot and not watching facial expressions and acting

hmmmm... I think it's more so in the books (and later on in the story). A lot of early Ilya is a bit of a facade.