By Gemma Jacob

And so it ends. Jonathan has himself a new girlfriend and finally appears to be over Sophie. Elisabeth is back to auditioning for the school play and seems a lot happier than she has in a while. Sophie and Vivian now have a great friendship that will endure long past high school. Gabe and Jodie have themselves a happy and cohesive family unit and are raising a wonderful daughter together. And Vivian and Aster are completely in love and secure in their relationship and ready to face anything, “…whatever comes.”

We have seen all of ABM’s characters become, or at least start to become, the people they need to be. We know that even though we may not see how their stories unfold, we are sure that they will be okay. I am sure that we all have ideas about where the lives of our favourite characters will lead. After the series finale I know there will be those Team Sophie fans still hoping for a happy ever after for her and Vivian. I still choose to ignore that particular camp; we all know how the writers chose to close the series.

ABM has ended. Four years on I am incredibly glad that I chose to click on that link that has brought me to where I am today. Forever I will continue to want my ABM. I cannot remember the words of everyone on set as one by one it was announced it was a series wrap for them. I know there were moments of laughter and heartfelt gratitude. I know there were big hugs. I know that Nicole Pacent should be given an award of some kind – preferably an Oscar – just so I can hear another speech like the one she gave (and they better not start playing the music on her). But I cannot remember the exact words. However, I do not think it is one of life’s moments that will need perfect recollection.  The smiles, the tears, they will be remembered, as will the show.

I know that some people are wondering what will fill the void ABM has left. I know there are many worthy webseries out there that tell great stories and have great characters and fantastic teams behind them. I am sure that the path ABM has created will help many more shows develop and find their audience. ABM’s fans will find some way to fill their time. I am not going to stop watching webseries because ABM has ended, but I am not out there looking for a replacement because I know there isn’t one. A show like ABM, like West Wing and like Six Feet Under and like Frasier, where every single part of it comes together to create these moments of genius on our screen, they don’t happen too often. It will take me a very long time before (if ever) I lose my heart to another show the way I did to ABM.

I have no doubt that we will see the ABM cast and crew behind many wonderful projects in the future. Even throughout their time with ABM they have been involved in other amazing shows that we may not otherwise have been aware of had it not been for their involvement. We will continue to see Tina Cesa Ward and Susan Miller revolutionise the webseries format. Nicole Pacent will have her own successful Hollywood franchise. Rachael Hip-Flores will be the toast of the West End as she treads the boards at the Old Vic. I know these moments, and many other moments of success for all of those involved with the show, will come. In years to come, perhaps we will see them team up again. Who amongst us that grew up watching Roseanne doesn’t love the Johnny Galecki and Sara Gilbert re-team in Big Bang Theory? Perhaps there will be a new incarnation of Vivian and Aster somewhere down the line.

I will have those moments of unabashed joy when Aster finally got her head on right and realised Vivian was the love of her life. I will remember those bleary eyed mornings when I would roll out of bed at 5am because I had to know what happens next. I will have the friendships I have made because of the people I have come to know because of this little show that could.

For us ABM fans, we will still always have ABM. That is the beauty of the webseries format. Whenever we feel lost in new surroundings we can turn to Vivian during her first days in Westchester. When we are worried about how people may react, we can smile at Aunt Jodie and realise it may not be so bad. When our emotions get the best of us and we act impetuously and think there is no way back, we find Aster’s example and know there is always a way back home. Because, as Susan Miller said, “High school still lives in all of us.” For all of these moments and more, we will always have our show.

Thank you ABM.

By Gemma Jacob

I have gotten used to seeing the ‘Anyone But Me’ titles come up on my screen. Written by Susan Miller and Tina Cesa Ward. Directed by Tina Cesa Ward. It is hard to watch it knowing that this would be the last episode. It is made even harder because unlike the ending of so many other shows, I know how much I have changed because of this show. And a big part of me isn’t ready for it to be over. Even having seen the show being filmed and knowing pretty much how it ends, I am still not quite prepared. However, knowing how much work has gone into the series finale, and because I simply have to have my ABM, I press play once more and prepare to find out how it ends.

I normally leave my comments about Rachael Hip-Flores and Nicole Pacent’s performances until the end of my reviews, but this time I simply cannot write another word without saying how much I will miss them as Vivian and Aster. Their portrayals of their respective characters are one of this show’s greatest selling points. The performances are honest and real and heartbreaking and at times frustratingly good. The tender moments between them in this episode, from the first shot until the final frame are exquisite. If they ever needed a show reel all they had to do was play this episode and they would have any part they wanted. They are pure magic on screen together and my heart is thankful that I will no longer send it on the rollercoaster that is VivSter, and yet it aches that I will not get to see such beautiful moments except in repeat viewings of ABM.

We have seen a change in all of the characters, but I think in Aunt Jodie most of all. She has gone from a single woman living alone, to the mother figure of a teenager who has struggled with moving to a new town, making new friends, and of course an often tumultuous relationship with her girlfriend. It has not always been easy for Aunt Jodie, but we have seen how she has learnt to be a parent and friend to Vivian, and a partner to Gabe. If any of ABM’s characters were to get a spin-off (VivSter excluded), I would actually want it to be Aunt Jodie – with Barbara Pitts playing her of course. There is so much about her that we did not get to know, why she made the decision to take Gabe and Vivian in, what her life is outside of the house, and we never got to see her make pancakes.

Alright, I have already commented on Rachael Hip-Flores’ performance, and I know that I am unrelenting in my praise of her, and yes I may even be the slightest bit biased. However, every single word of adulation is absolutely deserved – and this episode proves that. I will not miss having my heart ripped out every time I see her cry, those tears I can certainly live without. I will absolutely miss seeing the wonderful performances that these scripts and the direction given illicit from her. She is exceptional, in every possible way. She is going to need a sturdy mantelpiece in the years to come for the awards she is sure to collect.

There are no words for the final scenes in Battery Park. I cannot fault it at all; I do not even have enough words to say how wonderful it is. Every single moment of those scenes felt as though every part of the universe was working in harmony to bring us this scene. Being there when it was filmed I know that whoever controls the airspace above Battery Park certainly wasn’t working with the ABM team, I cannot begin to imagine the work it took to edit the noise out. I am forever grateful for Tina Cesa Ward’s post-production abilities because we are able to hear every word that she and Susan Miller wrote. And those performances. Heartbreaking. What we have delivered to us is pure perfection.

Everyone has said that they did not want this show to end, but we have largely accepted it (well not me, but for the most part). The finale has been met with the warmth and support from fans that has characterised ABM’s too short run. There have been many posts about how sad it is that the show is over and there has been justified praise about how it has ended. Of course, there have also been people who did not like the ending. The storyline that brought Vivian’s mother into the forefront that we will never get to see played out being foremost amongst most criticisms I have heard of the show. However, I do not think it was a story that was ever supposed to be told. We leave Vivian and Aster where we found them four years ago, uncertain of what the future will hold but knowing that whatever it is, together they can face it.

It would not have mattered if Tina and Susan had spun off on a weird tangent in which alien beings landed on earth threatening to enslave the human race, Vivian and Aster could face anything. That was the point. We were never going to get the ending we wanted, because the fans never wanted an ending. What we wanted was to know that these characters we have grown to love over the years were going to be okay. Gabe and Jodie will carry on raising Vivian in the loving home they created, and even if nothing developed between them they would become the very best of friends. Elisabeth is going to go on to Broadway stardom, or at least be the star of the school play. Jonathan is over the superstar that is Sophie and will probably end up on a Varsity football team. Sophie will continue to find her own happiness, and on her own terms. I actually imagine her going on to save the world in some way. And Vivian and Aster, they will get their happily ever after.

As much as we all have our own idea about how we would have played it out, what they have given us in equal measure is a finale that is beautifully written, shot, and acted; the trifecta of brilliance that ABM has never failed to deliver. In the end, even without some of us realising it, Susan and Tina gave us exactly what we needed, an ending which fitted our beloved characters and this story perfectly.

By Gemma Jacob

When I found out that Anyone But Me was ending, after of course the wailing and the levelling of forests that I am certain occurred to accommodate the amount of tissues I used to mop up my tears, I made a decision. I have seen so many of my favourite shows end. Often I have had to wait weeks, sometimes months, to watch that final episode. Here I was, knowing that I would once again have to see the end of a show I had grown to love. However, this time, maybe I did not just have to be a member of the audience.

New York and I are no longer strangers to each other, and thankfully I am also not a stranger to the cast and crew of ABM. So, I posed the scenario of my happening to be in NY when they filmed the finale to Susan Miller, and when I asked if I could maybe be on set…there was a resounding yes. I am surprised I didn’t start to pack my bags there and then. Soon enough though, that day in February came and I was on the subway up to the Upper Westside, for not only my first time on a proper set, but my first time on an ABM shoot.

I had been warned not to knock on the door in case they were shooting. The last thing I wanted was my first impression to be the person that ruined the take. As I entered Susan Miller’s apartment I was met with the face of a half dozen strangers and I slowly begun to realise the magnitude that production involved. Furniture had been moved. Lights had been set up. A camera was pointed waiting to shoot. Endless wires were strewn across the floor as people said things into walky-talkies.

I am still amazed that I was not stopped as an intruder on the set because I so obviously didn’t know where I was going. I searched helplessly for a familiar face. And then, there at the back of the room I found it, ABM’s production assistant and all round most awesome of crew members, Meredith King! Then of course I saw Rachael Hip-Flores, who may have been eating string cheese, it’s a strong possibility she was; and to my left Nicole Pacent having her make-up done. And then I heard a familiar voice, Susan. Finally the presence of this strange British person on set could be explained. “Of course you’re here!” To Nicole it made perfect sense, the SuperFan had come to watch the series finale.

For the next three days I was given unparalleled access to the ABM set. I was allowed to watch them film their scenes, I tried to run lines with Rachael and I realised why the words need to be exact each and every time. I saw how much work goes into setting up even the shortest of scenes. I could see the wheels turning in Tina’s mind as she watched the scenes and made subtle suggestions to allow the actors to give even more to the scene. I understood just how much work every single person involved in ABM puts into those 10 minute episodes we see. I was reminded that Rachael is a bottomless pit where string cheese and juice boxes are concerned.

I not only got to finally meet Nicole Pacent, but also Jessy Hodges and Barbara Pitts, and I got to say hello again to old ABM friends, Mitchell S. Adams and Alexis Slade. I got to meet members of the crew too, some who had worked on ABM on previous seasons and others for whom this was also their first shoot. Julia who was in charge of wardrobe, Emily who made everyone look even more gorgeous, Rowena (a fellow Brit) who made sure everyone was saying the right words, and Michael – the longest serving crew member (apart from Susan and Tina of course). And Allison, and Krista, and Tony, and Jason, and so many others. All of them so important in bringing ABM to us.

I have a new found understanding and continued respect for all of the ABM team. They are true professionals when it comes to their craft. When “Action!” was called I don’t believe I have ever been as still as I was on set, a few times I didn’t even dare breathe. Shooting in New York is hard, especially when you are on location. Once you get over the cold – and even on a sunny NY day it can be plenty cold, to the point I found myself actually listening to Rachael’s advice and kicking my feet, there are many other issues you have to face. People pay no attention to a ‘Closed for production’ sign, and even when you are trying to direct them through the scene they seem intent on making your life difficult. Helicopters have no idea that you are trying to shoot a scene below them so happily fly across your set. I certainly felt for Tina when I realised how much more work would have to be put in during post-production.

Part of me wishes that I could tell you what happens during the series finale. I could actually type the whole script out for you, but they know where I live and I have no doubt Susan would hire someone to kill me, or at the very least try and get her dog Henree to attack me, despite her being completely lovely (Susan and the dog). Plus, I made a promise not to divulge anything. The other part of me knows that everyone ABM fan trusts Susan and Tina to do what is true to the characters, so whatever the series finale holds (and trust me it’s good) I know they will not be disappointed.

For four years ABM has brought us the very best. I know now what it takes to bring us that. So when you watch the season finale later on today think about all the hard work that has gone into every moment on your screen. These people are the very best at what they do, and I count myself lucky to have been able to see their genius at work. I hope you consider yourself just as fortunate to see their work on screen.

By Gemma Jacob

Special thanks to everyone from all over the world who found the time to say ‘Thank You’ to everyone at ABM.

I need to take a few more than three words, and since I’m Editor-in-Chief, I’m going to let myself do just that.

I didn’t have ABM as I was growing up, I wish I had, and I am grateful so many have, and will. Just because I am no longer a teenager does not mean that I have not found my voice in this show. I saw myself in so many of the characters, I think we all did. I have learnt so much about who I am from ABM, and I believe I am continuing to become the person I am supposed to be. I cannot say whether that it is because I have had ABM in my life, but I know that it certainly hasn’t hurt. Watching the show has helped me to challenge stereotypes, it has altered my perspective on life, I see things differently now.

Running this site has been a joy, even staying up late to meet a deadline; I have pushed myself to be better. Some days I may have even succeeded. I look at my life now and I wonder how different things would be if I had not come across this show. There are so many people in my life now who would not be there, and I know I am going to be friends with them for a very long time to come. That is one of the many legacies of this show.

So, to the cast and crew of ABM, I wish I could truly articulate the gratitude I feel. I hope over the years this site has gone some ways to express the sentiment where I have been unable to find the words. I still cannot find them, so instead I shall borrow some, “Whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine…”

Thank you ABM.

By Gemma Jacob

How could we possibly have a list of the greatest moments of Anyone But Me and not include those moments between the central couple, Vivian and Aster, or as we have affectionately dubbed them – Vivster? Their often turbulent romance has taken ABM fans around the world on a rollercoaster ride of emotions; never quite sure what the next hairpin turn would leave us.

Vivian’s tendency to bottle up her emotions, Aster’s propensity to do anything but bottle up her emotions, often drove them apart. However, something always brought them back together. In Aster, Vivian knew she had someone who was completely devoted to her. For Aster, Vivian was that one person who would never let her down. And both of them were completely and utterly in love, even if at times they needed reminding.

There are so many great Vivian and Aster moments when they are apart, but when they are together – even when they are fighting, the story and the performances reach another level. There can be no denying that any list of greatest moments, not just ABM but in any scripted drama, would be remiss to not recognise Vivster. There are many more moments that could have been put on this list, many more kissing moments, the scene in Dr. Glass’ waiting room, Aster persuading Vivian to stay just a little bit longer, but then we would be here all day. Here are just a few of the greatest Vivster moments.

1. My Girlfriend Sign (S1.3)

Who doesn’t want to be rescued at least once by the love of their life? Okay, perhaps Aster didn’t clutch Vivian from the jaws of death, but anyone who has been stuck waiting for an unknown time to get to the place they most want to be knows the pain Vivian is feeling the moment her train is cancelled. Without reservation Aster jumps into the car and goes to fetch her beloved. The gesture is old school chivalry and its delivery, beginning with the text and then the ‘My Girlfriend’ sign, is perfection.

2. Preaching to the choir (S1.4)

I know that many would list the scene that proceeded this moment as one of VivSter’s greatest moments, and it is. It is the one of the many moments when Aster and Vivian shut themselves away and only they exist. However, I would find few who would disagree that it is this scene in which many people fell head over heels for Aster. If you had not been swept up by her chivalrous actions, seeing Aster all dressed up certainly made your heart stop. Indeed Vivian, we were part of the choir Aster was preaching too as well.

3. The Note (S1.6)

Many of Vivster’s problems occur when they forget why it is they are together, they’re in love. As simple as that may seem to those of us looking at them from the outside, sometimes it is the hardest thing to realise when there are so many other things in your headspace. Three simple words, “I’m with you.” At the time they were the clarity Aster needed when she and Vivian were taking those first tentative steps. When Aster reads the words again they remind her that no matter how far Vivian may be, she is always with her. And thanks to a short train ride Aster can show up in Vivian’s doorway with a flower, and that is enough to bring back Vivian’s smile. Sometimes it is the little things.

4. The Train Station Fight (S1.7 and S1.8)

Aster: Obviously you’re not here to convince me to stay. (Long pause) Nice. Wow! That’s just great.
Vivian: You can’t expect things to be how they were for us in the city. It’s a different world here.
Aster: No. It’s not that different. You’ve the same choices you’re just choosing differently.
Vivian: No I’m not. I just need time to figure this out. Why can’t you see that?
Aster: Because it sucks seeing it from the outside Vivian. And that’s what I am now, an outsider.
Vivian: No, you’re not. You’ll never be.
Aster: Just admit things have changed. You’ve changed.
Vivian: Look at me. I love you, that’s still the same.
Aster: Then why are you letting me leave?

This is when we start to see serious cracks in Vivster’s relationship. We have known that things are less than perfect between the two of them, Vivian’s tendency to take on everyone’s problems without seeking help for her own and Aster’s tendency to over-react, have not helped either of them thus far. However, it is after Jonathan’s party that we see them have problems that are greater than those posed by the distance or what could be chalked up to teenage emotions.

Aster does not expect Vivian to shout their relationship from the rooftops, but she does not expect her girlfriend to shy away when she tries to hold her hand either. She is proud of who she is, who they are, and does not feel Vivian should hide that. Vivian is still trying to adjust to her new life in Westchester, she does not know how people will react to their relationship, and without Aster there to support her you can understand her concern.  As Aster walks away you are begging Vivian to stop her, but part of you is also sat on that bench with Vivian thinking that maybe it is better to let her go. One of too many heartbreaking moments on the Vivster rollercoaster.

5. Book Culture (S1.10)

Vivian: You just so completely own me.

Perfection. That is what the scenes filmed in Book Culture are, perfection. Perfect lighting. Performing framing. Perfect acting. Perfect dialogue. Perfect pacing. Complete and utter perfection. It is no secret why during many of the award show montages for which ABM has received recognition that these scenes from the S1 finale feature heavily. From that first upward glance when Vivian and Aster both see each other, the grand Hollywood kiss, the intimacy of their conversation as they recollect their first meeting, to the pleas for them not to be over. Every single moment scripted, performed, and recorded perfectly.

6. The Wedding (S2.1)

Aster: I promise to be yours, and to be myself.
Vivian: I promise to grow up with you.
Aster: I promise not to skip school so I can graduate and get a job and take care of you. Or anyway, graduate.

I cannot recall exactly how long I was waiting for the S2 premiere of ABM, but I remember it feeling like a lifetime. At the end of S1 Vivian and Aster were happy, they’d realised a 30min train ride was not a million miles away, and Vivian had taken an important step in not denying her relationship with Aster. What would S2 hold for us eager fans? The answer, a wedding! Okay, it was an imagined wedding but in the absence of a prom episode (which I am devastated we will never get to see), the wedding was just as good. The vows were beautiful and fitted Vivian and Aster perfectly; I still like to think that no matter how old you are you can still promise someone to grow up with them. Whilst the wedding scenario was a moment of fantasy, it speaks to a very real issue facing many LGBT people in the US and around the world, that of marriage equality. That is one of ABM’s greatest strengths, it can address important current social issues without getting on a soapbox. This moment should also be noted as being the one time Vivian cries because she’s happy!

7. Something they don’t have (S2.5)

Aster: It’s high school, people break up and get back together all the time.
Vivian: Not us.
Aster: Because we have something they don’t have.
Vivian: Really, what’s that?
Aster: Love.

There are few moments in ABM when Aster allows herself to be honest about her feelings. Of course, there are times when she is unabashedly romantic, a few of them are on this list, but it is in this simple exchange in the middle of S2 when she and Vivian are talking that we can’t help but smile at Aster’s answer. If ever an ABM fan wonders what it is that makes this couple different or what will bring them back together no matter what either of them do it is the very simple truth that they love each other. Yes that is often the tumultuous love that engulfs many in their teenage years, but theirs is a deeper love. It is the love of Arthurian legend and Shakespearean sonnets, there is nothing but a happily ever after for these two – regardless of how many heartbreaks and season finales they have to get through!

8. The Season 2 Finale (S2.10)

The beauty of the final scene of S2 is that despite there being no words exchanged, it is still one of the most powerful ABM scenes. Again, when Vivian cries, only the hardest heart strings would not feel even the smallest of tugs. The complete and utter betrayal on her face when she walks in on Aster with Jamie, and Aster’s icy stance as she watches her girlfriend fall apart in front of her eyes without a hint of remorse is simply heartbreaking. Those few feet between them is the greatest distance they have ever had to overcome. How could they ever come back from this moment?

9. Pancakes (S1.7 and S3.5)

Vivian: You have to go. Because Aunt Jodie is going to be here any minute and she’s probably packing pancakes.

Who would have thought that this breakfast food staple would make it as one of the greatest moments of ABM, but it has. Perhaps the only thing Aunt Jodie can actually make for breakfast, it always signalled that everything was okay in the world of Vivster.

10. The Series Finale

Just wait…

By Gemma Jacob

A few weeks ago we launched the ‘Thank You ABM’ Project. We have loved receiving your signs! There have been some really creative submissions, and we would like to thank everyone who has taken part so far. Even the simplest of signs have been welcomed messages in our inbox. The Project was not created to test your artistic ability, but simply to be a channel for the thousands of Anyone But Me fans around the world to say thank you to ABM for all that they have done over the past three seasons.

We are aware that everyone gets busy, and so we have decided to extend the submission date for the ‘Thank You ABM’ signs to give fans that may have not been able to get their signs together yet a chance to make them and send them to us. You can do anything. Write it in lotion on your arm. Write it on your mirror after the hot water has steamed it up. Write it in icing across a cake. The possibilities are endless.

However you choose to write it, please make sure you get the signs to us by Sunday 18^th March at the latest. That way we can guarantee that they will be included in the update before the series finale airs on Tuesday 20^th March. Send them to us at info@anyonebutmefans.com or tweet them to us @ABMFans with the #ThankYouABM hashtag. Let us know your name and where in the world you’re from too so that we can see just what a global reach ABM has had.

ABM has touched so many people’s lives. I know that I am not the only person who has had their life changed by the show. Sometimes we forget to say the words. I hope you take the time to be a part of this project.

Remember, we are not asking for a work of art or a lengthy essay about why you love ABM, all we need is a sign with three simple words, which will show ABM just how much they have meant to you: Thank You ABM.

By Gemma Jacob

In ‘The Princess Bride’ the grandson protests when his grandfather gets to the kissing parts, exclaiming, “They’re kissing again. Do we have to read the kissing parts?” In a story of death-defying feats, epic acts of bravery and courage, and the most despicable acts, the kissing parts are perhaps the moments some would choose to skip. When told right however they can help create the story.

The story almost prematurely ends with the grandfather closing the book because there is another one of those “kissing parts”. However, rather than protesting the grandson knows that sometimes kissing, is part of the story. We end the story with the words, “Since the invention of the kiss there have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind. The End.”

Anyone But Me is full of great kisses, principally between Vivian and Aster, but each of the kisses – whomever the protagonists, help propel the tales of our favourite characters without the need for words. There were so many to choose from, and I am sure many could create their own ABM list, but here are three kisses that could certainly leave all the others behind.

1. Elisabeth and Archibald – The Season 1 Finale

What made this kiss one of the great moments of ABM was that we were waiting so long for it to happen. Who didn’t feel the nervousness of Archibald as he gave a shout out over the radio for The Seagull as Elisabeth sat next to him? Who didn’t love their geeky moments – Arch’s dancing and Elisabeth slamming herself into his locker room door? Finally, when he skipped class to go to the city in order to find her, and trust me – it’s not easy; once the numbers, stop trying to navigate Manhattan is no simple task. However, in a serendipitous moment, Elisabeth’s Prince Charming shows up just as she is feeling at her worst, ready to sweep her in a truly Hollywood kiss.

2. Vivian and Sophie – The Season 2 Finale

Now, I am not the biggest fan of this kiss. In fact it could be one of my least favourite moments of ABM, but that is not to say that it is not a great moment. It is the moment that every Sophian fan had waited two seasons for. For Vivian, here was her childhood crush standing opposite her, playing out one of Chekhov’s great works. For Sophie, there was her best friend, the one who had been with her through everything she’d experienced over the last few months, and her girlfriend goading her to kiss her. Some would say it was inevitable. I would say it is a horrible moment that left me screaming at my screen. Whatever it was, it changed the entire dynamic of the show and divided the fans into two very clear camps – Team Vivster and Team Sophian. It took the characters and the story where it needed to go, and it depicted the issues of fidelity and betrayal in a poignant and realistic way.

3. Aster and Jamie – The Season 2 Finale

If the Sophian kiss was not enough to get you up out of your seat at the end the S2 Finale, the Miller/Ward Tag Team wanted to make sure they had you standing with your jaw on the ground. What happens between Vivian and Aster after Aster kisses Jamie is a completely different entry (and one which will be dealt with, don’t worry), but the kiss itself needs to be recognised. This was the moment when every positive step Aster had made with Vivian, through learning to trust and open up and to talk things through with Dr. Glass, was promptly thrown out the window. Aster was hell bent on destruction when she pushed Jamie up against the wall and kissed her and you could hear the heart of thousands of Vivster fans break around the world.

4. Vivian and Aster – The Season 1 Finale

How could we not put this kiss on the list? For those wondering, the other kiss in this episode that hasn’t been mentioned on this list will be featured later. Every ABM season seems to end with a kiss, and whilst some of those kisses (look directly above this entry for those kisses) are still difficult for some to watch, the S1 Finale kiss is universally accepted as one of ABM’s greatest moments. No matter which team you support, you cannot deny the importance of this moment for not only Vivian and Aster’s relationship, but also for them as individuals. Aster has, for a moment at least, stopped being the stubborn wronged teenager, and accepted that whatever issues Vivian has – and it’s not just the distance; she is willing to do what is necessary to be with Aster; even if that means very uncharacteristically sneaking off from a school field trip to the New York Times. Vivian, for her part, stops being afraid of her feelings and does what the girl she loves needs her to do – show it. Though we know that Vivian now has issues to face because of this kiss, namely which of her classmates saw the kiss, it was the perfect end to a season in which our emotions were taken on an emotional rollercoaster. In this moment, Vivian and Aster are young, are together and very much in love.

By Gemma Jacob

As we all learnt last September, the decision was made to bring Anyone But Me to a decided end, rather than let it fade away like so many other webseries. A script was written. The cast were called together from their respective coasts. The crew was assembled. And a few weeks ago ABM went into production one last time to film the ABM series finale.

Recently the series finale air date of Tuesday 20^th March was announced on Tubefilter. With just over two weeks to go I am sure Tina Cesa Ward is busy in the editing suite going through each take making sure she picks the most perfect of shots. I know for certain that whatever the final product is, it will not disappoint.

As we face the final curtain, I am torn. Part of me cannot wait to see the series finale because I know how much work it took to bring it to the screen, and I know for a fact that it is, as always, damn good. However, the other part of me is wishing that the 20^th of March won’t come, because I know after that date there will be no new ABM. That’s a hole in my viewing, and my life, that I don’t think will ever be filled.

For now I will re-watch the three wonderful seasons of ABM in preparation for the series finale. Come the 20^th of March I will be fully immersed once again in the world of Vivian, and Aster, and Sophie, and Elisabeth, and Jonathan, and Aunt Jodie, and Gabe…eagerly shouting, “I want my ABM!”

Remember, your sign doesn’t have to be a work of art, three little words from you to them. That’s all we need.

Send them to us at info@AnyoneButMeFans.com or tweet them to us @ABMFans.

The Non-Teenage Moments

By Gemma Jacob

There is understandably much praise given to the young cast members of ABM. They often feature amongst the list of nominees in various awards and deserve the recognition for their portrayals. Whilst it may not be the immediate focus of many of ABM’s younger audience, the relationships with and between the older characters adds an insightful, and often amusing, perspective.

We could all see the change in Aster once she started seeing Dr Glass and had an adult figure in her life that she respected and could open up to. Vivian is a credit to her father, Gabe, and the trust he has for his daughter is an example to many parents. And where would any of them be without Aunt Jodie’s constant endearing attempts to be cool?

Here are some of the very best moments in which the non-teenage characters have shined:

1. Gabe’s (non)reaction to Vivian and Aster’s goodbye kiss

There is one scene often cited as being the moment people knew that ABM would be something different, and that is the moment Gabe does not react to Vivian and Aster’s goodbye kiss. Unlike so many other shows involving a parent-LGBTQ child relationship, Vivian’s sexuality is not an issue with Gabe. After Vivian kisses Aster goodbye and gets in the truck the only concern Gabe has is how hard this move will be on his daughter, not that the person she will miss the most is her girlfriend.

I am sure that for many, this was the first positive portrayal of a relationship between a parent and their gay child they had seen. So often the media portrays this as a difficult relationship with the parent unable to accept their child’s sexuality or the child unable to be honest about whom they are; because ABM chooses to be different this scene remains the first of many perfect ABM moments.

2. Aunt Jodie’s reaction to Vivian coming out

For any parent (and let’s face it, that’s what Aunt Jodie is to Vivian), having your child come out to you is going to be overwhelming, especially if it is completely unexpected. Aunt Jodie’s innocence when Vivian tells her that she and Aster are more than just friends is characteristic of their entire relationship. She has strived to be the person that Vivian can come to, no matter what is on her mind, and it is her own failing in being that person which she is most upset about. Aunt Jodie is hurt that Vivian has kept such an obviously big part of who she is hidden, and when Vivian asks her if she’s okay she gives the most honest answer she can, “No. But I will be.”

When you take the decision to come out to your friends and family, this is the reaction you allow yourself to realistically hope for. Of course you want the acceptance that Gabe gives his daughter, but people are usually more realistic about things, and the reality is that not everyone is okay with something different. You know that it can be hard thing to accept, and you are willing to give people time, and you hope that eventually they will learn to accept you. For anyone in a similar situation, whether they are the Aunt Jodie or the Vivian, this moment should be played over and over again. This is not a world where everything is easy all the time, far from it, but the belief that they will be better again, that is part of what makes the stories of ABM so important, and relevant.

3. Aunt Jodie’s P-Flag video

Who can ever forget Aunt Jodie’s, “Hello P-Flag!” moment? If we were ever worried that Aunt Jodie wasn’t handling the fact that her niece was gay well, then this moment erased all of our fears. In a way only Aunt Jodie could, she gave us one of the lighter, and still touching, moments of S3. Her reaching out to a community that she did not know she was a part of, not only to offer other kids and adults who are going through similar situations support, but also as a possible way to find someone new for Vivian, is simply priceless.

When Vivian asks her not to make her, her cause it is because she does not want her sexuality everything her aunt sees in her. She appreciates the support, and we love Aunt Jodie because she wants to help and be there for her niece, but she doesn’t want anything to change between them. So much has already changed for Vivian, and sometimes we need that constant presence of someone we know that cares about us, to see us as they always have. As always, Aunt Jodie is everything Vivian needs her to be.

4. Dr. Glass coming out and going into labour

Dr Glass has always been one of the more approachable older characters in ABM. Not being a parental figure, Aster feels happy to open up to her during their therapy sessions and talks openly with her about her fears about her relationships – not just with Vivian, but with her family. Dr Glass, as with all good listeners, gives the person talking the time to realise that they already know the answers to all of their own questions. However, in S2 she does not have the luxury of waiting for Vivian and Aster to realise that she is going into labour and has to cut their therapy session short in one of the most direct coming outs in ABM.

Dr Glass nonchalantly tells Vivian and Aster, “Now you’ve got to scram because my wife is coming to pick me up and we’re going to meet Charlie.” As viewers, we are as happy and surprised at the revelation, and it makes us love Dr Glass even more. It is not that we are pleased that Dr Glass has a wife, although that is part of it, but more so that she has not felt the need to use that fact in her therapy sessions with Aster in order for her to appear more relatable. This moment shows us that coming out can be on your own terms, and it does not have to be dramatic. It can simply be a statement of fact that comes as a wonderful surprise. And for once, an episode ending in a shocked Vivian and Aster is a very good thing.

By Gemma Jacob

Even though Anyone But Me has not released a new episode since last summer, the medium of the webseries has meant that our favourite characters and storylines are never too far. And, it seems, ABM is never too far from the minds of those handing out the awards either. 2012 has already seen our much loved ABM receive some always deserved accolades. First was an award for Best Web Drama from TV.com, voted for by the public. And just this last week, the International Academy of Web Television (IAWTV) awarded Susan Miller and Tina Cesa Ward Best Writing (Drama) and Rachael Hip-Flores Best Female Performance (Drama).

That the show is still being recognised speaks volumes for the high regard the industry and as always the fans, have for ABM. It is fitting that the year in which we will see the finale of a show that has earned fans around the world starts off with everyone acknowledging what we all know, that it is superbly written and extremely well acted.

We’d like to say congratulations to all of the TV.Com and IAWTV Award winners, and especially the ABM team. If you missed the broadcast then you can catch the IAWTV Awards online: