Review: System Failure (Geek Actually #1.12) by Cecilia Tan

System Failure by Cecilia Tan is the 12th episode of the weekly serial Geek Actually! I have loved consuming this serial week after week and I can barely handle the fact that there is only one episode left for this season. However, this episode was a big disappointment, my review will contain some major spoilers so don’t read on if you don’t want to be spoiled.

 

System Failure (Geek Actually #1.12) by Cecelia Tan

Category: Adult, Contemporary, Mature
Purchase: SerialBox

Thank you to everyone who pointed out that a trigger warning would be appreciated in this episode. We are truly grateful for your feedback and will be inserting warnings.

~Please be aware this episode contains scenes depicting sexual assault and harassment that some readers may find triggering~

Meet your new best girlfriends. Michelle is a hard-nosed Science Fiction editor who is used to things going her way; Taneesha is a talented video game programmer who is used to being the odd (wo)man out. Aditi is a fantasy writer on the verge of her big break; Christina is a rebel on the sidelines of Hollywood. And Elli is a fan – of anything and everything that keeps are from “proper adulting.” Together they are Rebel Scum (at least in their shared group chat), and best friends through thick and thin. They might live far apart but through the power of the internet and a shared love of all things geek, they are ready to face the world side by side.

This is the 12th episode in the first season of Geek Actually, a 13-episode serial from Serial Box Publishing. This episode was written by Cecilia Tan.

 

Review – Major Spoilers:

[book rating=2/5]

Well this episode was a major fail, or a System Failure. Ugh this was painful to read and it is the next to last episode, so really disappointing to feel so icky after this episode. This is definitely my least favorite episode. I have to say why, so beware of spoilers to come. My disappointment is mostly because this episode contains issues I don’t want to read about, and especially without warning. The goodreads description has been updated to state this episode contains triggering content.

First of all, there is so much shit happening in this episode. Also, the format was very very different than other episodes. It jumped back and forth between characters POVs way more frequently than ones in the past. Which definitely threw me a little bit. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find one part of it entertaining and it really hurts this series as an overall for something so critical to be thrown at us readers in the penultimate episode. It’s a train wreck.

Michelle goes to another BDSM party this time as a dom, and ends up making a serious mistake and hurting her sub. She is then trashed online for it, and everyone is upset with her and the party host. She is too new to take on the level of play she executes and the whole thing was cringe worthy.

I understand that sexual assault happens every single day. These things have been explored, but this was too much for me to handle, especially when I wasn’t prepared at all. I can’t say that the episode handled it well or poorly because I could barely focus on the words.

To top off the episode, after a very drug filled night, Christina wakes up to Vivi fucking a dude in their bed right next to her. WHAT THE FUCK! I am so sick of gay characters cheating, of any character cheating actually. It is my least favorite thing to read other than sexual or physical assault and this episode had all 3! Also, and this is just a personal pet peeve, but I am so tired of gay characters cheating with the opposite sex. Like why is it always a fucking dude that ruins the f/f relationship. UGH, I am so tired of this. Yes, it would be different if the character made any previous statements about being bisexual, but that doesn’t even matter because in this case, Christina clearly thought they were more committed than Vivi did.

This episode left me really conflicted and upset. There is so much aftermath to deal with for the final episode that I just am so disappointed with the turn of these events.