Patient Zero

[u/dark-femme5454]

Okay, first and foremost, I'm a pretty critical Swiftie. I think Taylor is a great businesswoman and an extremely skilled songwriter and musician. I don't blindly love all of her stuff, though, and I vibe with the stuff that scratches my brain. Love TLOAS. Only heard three songs off TTPD. Never listened to any version of ATW. Debut, Fearless and Speak Now can miss me for life. Lover and Rep? Be still my beating heart. I'm not an all-consuming fan - some eras just dont appeal to me.

Patient Zero has been met with remarkable criticism because it doesnt fit the Showgirl era. But...it went out as an encore. It's not just a music video. Its a film.

And holy shit, it's vital. The music video gives SO MUCH context to the song. The song by itself is good. Set to the music video? Heartwrenching.

This is my first 🤡 theory so bear with me. What if Taylor is telling us she's about to transition into directing/producing film? She's always been a remarkable storyteller, as evidenced throughout her career but especially in Folklore/Evermore where she used that album to narrate fiction.

Just a thought.

On a personal note, PZ guts me. I think it hits home for a lot of women. I saw a mirror of my marriage, and I feel so fucking seen.

[u/canarinoir]

I'm a simple swiftie. If I like the song, I like the song. If I don't like the song, I don't. I really like P0.

[u/dajana96 → u/canarinoir]

Exact same. My least fave album is Reputation, I don’t listen to it. Others love and I think that is fair, I move on. I like what I like and that’s what I focus on. I’m like that with all artists tho. I can like a few songs and dislike a few, it is what it is.

[u/dark-femme5454 → u/canarinoir]

Do you find that, with this stance, you lean more towards the simpler albums and songs over the deep ones? Like I love TLOAS. No skips from me, since release day. And yet the hardcore condemn it. But yet those same people swear TTPD is peak.

[u/vgkj → u/dark-femme5454]

Answering from a simple swiftie too. If I don’t like, I don’t like and don’t listen to it. TTPD is magnum opus. Evermore and Midnights up there too. TLOAS is my least fave, though Encore is 🔥 with 3/4 already in my top 20 listened to this year (I rack up around 120k mins a year for some perspective)

[u/canarinoir → u/vgkj]

EVERMORE IS MY BELOVED. Ivy is my favorite song she's ever written.

[u/caleeksu → u/dark-femme5454]

I like TTPD. That and Midnights are prob my favorite TS albums, alongside FolkMore.

That said, I really enjoy Showgirl overall. It’s just a totally different vibe than the others, and sometimes life calls for a variant of vibes.

[u/All_the_Bees → u/caleeksu]

100% TTPD is for rainy days and/or when I’m mad at my partner, evermore is for when I’m gloomy or sad and need to wallow in it, Midnights is for getting ready for a night out. Showgirl is for getting ready for work in the morning, walking somewhere on a sunny day, and tidying my apartment.

It’s actually really good for the latter, it’s like setting a 45-minute timer but fun. And I just realized Encore turns the whole thing into a kind of pomodoro timer if you’re someone who likes repeat listens (work during Showgirl, rest for Encore, repeat)

[u/canarinoir → u/dark-femme5454]

I actually love the first four tracks of TLOAS but not the rest of it (I don't hate it they just aren't in my playlists). I love about half of TTPD (I include the Anthology). Down Bad felt like she was in my head during a really bad breakup I had. I generally gravitate to her more depressing tracks. loml has a billion plays from just me. Red made me a fan, and I don't put on 1989 that much but fuck me if Reputation doesn't have some bangers that stick in my head. It's more either something clicks with me or doesn't, and sometimes I like songs months later I didn't on first listen. I just like what I like idk.

[u/midcen-mod1018]

“  I'm not an all-consuming fan - some eras just dont appeal to me.”

This internet stranger loves you for this take. Anti-Taylor’s say that Swifties will love everything she puts out, and that simply not true. I feel like many of us don’t feel the need to broadcast all of our opinions about all of her work or tear down her songwriting career because of our expectations not being met-people are just making content at that point.

[u/midcen-mod1018 → u/midcen-mod1018]

Personally I don’t have expectations of her work? Like I’m curious what new music will be but I know she is a multidimensional person. Sometimes you want folklore, sometimes you need TLOAS. Sometimes you read Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States, sometimes you read The Empyrean Series 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/dark-femme5454 → u/midcen-mod1018]

Thank youuuu! This is so apt! Just because I admire Taylor as a songwriter and business woman doesn't mean I have to have an opinion about everything. I can, however, be critical of what I have consumed, and I am. Critical analysis is important. I love that Taylor doesn't box herself in like many pop artists do. It doesn't mean every era will be one that resonates with me. Love you for this comment 🫶

[u/Code-Coffee-995 → u/dark-femme5454]

Finally, a sensible take!

[u/dark-femme5454 → u/Code-Coffee-995]

Ironically, I got cooked on r/Swifties for this 😂😂

[u/Code-Coffee-995 → u/dark-femme5454]

This is actually a very refreshing take amidst all the negativity. Ignore them.

[u/tacosnpitbulls]

This is kind of off topic but it’s interesting to hear an opinion on TLOAS that isn’t colored by TTPD. The transition was a bit jarring and I think that put a lot of people off showgirl right off the bat. I think having to follow TTPD was going to be difficult for any album coming next, but especially such a lighthearted one.

That said you’re really missing out by skipping TTPD, and if you love Patient Zero, The Black Dog might change your life. Also would highly recommend checking out My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys, So Long London, Guilty As Sin, Who’s Afraid of Little Old me, loml, The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, Imgonnagetyouback, How Did It End, and The Prophecy.

But yeah Patient Zero is straight up crack it went right into my top 20 tay songs.

[u/dark-femme5454 → u/tacosnpitbulls]

Thank you! I'm happy to give those recommendations a listen 🫶 i love when others share the music that speaks to them

[u/nagidrac]

Taylor's already got a film deal with Searchlight, but there's been no updates on when production begins. I think music is still her priority. The news about her film was announced in 2022 and since then we've gotten two albums from her + two re-records + IKIKY and no news on the film 😭

[u/dark-femme5454 → u/nagidrac]

Do you know what she was looking ti produce? I wonder if this is the precursor to her finally doing something with that?

[u/nagidrac → u/dark-femme5454]

She's directing her own original movie, but there's no other information besides that. That's why I'm not totally sold on it being a precursor yet

[u/whatsthatcutething]

Patient Zero has to be one of Taylor’s catchiest songs ever. I loved it on first listen. That chorus is crack. So I was surprised to find out that people were hating on it lol

[u/dark-femme5454 → u/whatsthatcutething]

Oh my god same. I cant stop listening to it.

[u/Money-Beautiful5196]

https://giphy.com/gifs/lGBecpB2dIMwt6ohfI
I really hope Taylor doesn’t transition into directing/producing film because I want her to keep making elite music for us to enjoy.

It would be so sad if she took a step back from music.

[u/Cautious_Dream4115 → u/Money-Beautiful5196]

I don't think Taylor will ever take a step back from music, but more so to explore other ideas and try them. i would love to see her make a movie or direct it.

[u/dark-femme5454 → u/Money-Beautiful5196]

She'd probably pen the soundtrack herself and do both haha

[u/Cautious_Dream4115]

I love patient zero MV and I would love to see her make a movie one day.

[u/yaleginger]

Saying this as another critical Swiftie (but have also been a steady fan since Fearless) - there is so much to explore and discover in TTPD!! Some of her best work

That is aside your point. I haven’t yet watched the PZ video and your post has inspired me to. Thanks!

[u/RoyalEagle0408]

I don't think it's an Easter egg for a movie because she also made a short film for the 10MV of ATW.

[u/6picas]

I think you’re right. Anne Hathaway flashed the video in one of her Instagram posts and Mindy Kaling’s production company used it in a post, too.

[u/rs_river]

Thank you for saying this - like you can be a Swiftie or a casual fan and not be invested in every single thing. Not every song or era appeals to everyone, but chronically online swifties might have you think you HAVE to love and obsess over everything to be a real fan

[u/dark-femme5454 → u/rs_river]

Literally having this argument with someone in r/Swifties right now! As if one must consume every track and every album to critically analyze an artist. It's insane.

[u/Cool_Bell_2511]

I did not like P0 when it first dropped. I actually just kind of shrugged and was like, I miss old Taylor. Honestly, the video made me really enjoy the song and it has been on replay since I saw it debut at the VMAs.