General fandom thinky thoughts
Feb. 18th, 2009 12:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
linden_jayWhen I first ventured into fandom, it was through LOTR (FPS and RPS), and Harry Potter. I was never very big in either of them, since I never produced anything, betaed anything, or, to the best of my knowledge, commented on anything. God, that's so embarrassing. It's even more embarrassing that I never commented on anything because I was too shy. It's the lamest reason I can ever think of, but even though I have always been delighted to get feedback that is simple as 'thank you' or 'i liked this', I couldn't ever leave just that. It was either big, long comments, or nothing, and I was too shy to leave the big ones. Anyway--digression is digressing.
LOTR was the fandom I was in most, and by the time I got to it, it was kind of a closed canon. Books were done, and Return of the King had been released. Really, the only chance for new canon was the extended edition. And it was big, when it was big, and eventually a lot of people drifted away from it, me included. But the canon was done, so it felt... I guess it felt more natural to me when we eventually slipped away.
The next two shows that I got into and have been involved in on a fandom level were Supernatural and Heroes. I wasn't in on them right from the starting gate, but it was pretty darned close. Both times, it was over the summer, following first season. And oh, the fannish love, and the squee and the shiny newness, and it was all so new and different to me, since I'd come in super late with my last fandom, when it was already through the initial everything.
So this is also the first time I've discovered fandom malaise. Seen what happens when people become distressed with canon, or don't like the show direction, or aren't happy with stuff that's happened and things aren't happy and shiny anymore, and sometimes, it makes my little Pollyanna self sad. And yet, I get it. I really do.
I didn't know fandom from a big hole in the head when I was watching The West Wing, but I was a die hard fan for the first four seasons, and I made it through five episodes of season five, and I was just completely out of there so fast because it was no longer my show. But it feels weird when you're still sitting in the room and it's like... just about everyone else has hauled ass out of there, and you're sitting at your desk going... um... I still like it!
So... I don't know. I guess I'm curious what other people think about this whole thing. Being left behind in a fandom (or feeling like you are) that you still like, but other people have moved away from, either because of new shiny, or some type of issue with the canon direction.
Are you the type who grits your teeth and hangs on like hell, maybe because you still like it, maybe because you're hoping it turns itself around, or maybe because they've got you so bad that you can't quit no matter how badly you'd like to bail? Are you the type who goes oh HELL no, fuck this noise, there's shiny everywhere, and moves on to something new when the old canon disappoints... or maybe doesn't even need the dissatisfaction to go looking for something new, just as long as there's some OOH SHINY to catch your magpie mind?
For me, I tend to fade out when something's over and done, unless something comes along that makes it impossible for me to continue watching a show... and it has to be pretty seriously serious, because I hang on like all hell. With The West Wing as an example, without Sorkin at the helm, it was no longer my show, and they were no longer my characters, and I couldn't stick it out. Where with Supernatural, say, I don't know if I'm as sucked in as I was that first summer I watched all twenty two episodes on Youtube of all things--and I want some credit for that, because it was not easy to watch on that tiny little screen--but I still love the boys, and I'm still in. I'm in for the duration, no matter how many times Kripke makes me squick out of my chair.
So, yes. My thoughts on fangirl(boy) migratory patterns. Yours?
(Oh, yes, and totally unrelated, because I know someone on this flist was asking--I've updated my![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jay_bean journal, and posted a tummy picture from about a month ago. The link is here if you wanted to see my nineteen-week twin tummy)
LOTR was the fandom I was in most, and by the time I got to it, it was kind of a closed canon. Books were done, and Return of the King had been released. Really, the only chance for new canon was the extended edition. And it was big, when it was big, and eventually a lot of people drifted away from it, me included. But the canon was done, so it felt... I guess it felt more natural to me when we eventually slipped away.
The next two shows that I got into and have been involved in on a fandom level were Supernatural and Heroes. I wasn't in on them right from the starting gate, but it was pretty darned close. Both times, it was over the summer, following first season. And oh, the fannish love, and the squee and the shiny newness, and it was all so new and different to me, since I'd come in super late with my last fandom, when it was already through the initial everything.
So this is also the first time I've discovered fandom malaise. Seen what happens when people become distressed with canon, or don't like the show direction, or aren't happy with stuff that's happened and things aren't happy and shiny anymore, and sometimes, it makes my little Pollyanna self sad. And yet, I get it. I really do.
I didn't know fandom from a big hole in the head when I was watching The West Wing, but I was a die hard fan for the first four seasons, and I made it through five episodes of season five, and I was just completely out of there so fast because it was no longer my show. But it feels weird when you're still sitting in the room and it's like... just about everyone else has hauled ass out of there, and you're sitting at your desk going... um... I still like it!
So... I don't know. I guess I'm curious what other people think about this whole thing. Being left behind in a fandom (or feeling like you are) that you still like, but other people have moved away from, either because of new shiny, or some type of issue with the canon direction.
Are you the type who grits your teeth and hangs on like hell, maybe because you still like it, maybe because you're hoping it turns itself around, or maybe because they've got you so bad that you can't quit no matter how badly you'd like to bail? Are you the type who goes oh HELL no, fuck this noise, there's shiny everywhere, and moves on to something new when the old canon disappoints... or maybe doesn't even need the dissatisfaction to go looking for something new, just as long as there's some OOH SHINY to catch your magpie mind?
For me, I tend to fade out when something's over and done, unless something comes along that makes it impossible for me to continue watching a show... and it has to be pretty seriously serious, because I hang on like all hell. With The West Wing as an example, without Sorkin at the helm, it was no longer my show, and they were no longer my characters, and I couldn't stick it out. Where with Supernatural, say, I don't know if I'm as sucked in as I was that first summer I watched all twenty two episodes on Youtube of all things--and I want some credit for that, because it was not easy to watch on that tiny little screen--but I still love the boys, and I'm still in. I'm in for the duration, no matter how many times Kripke makes me squick out of my chair.
So, yes. My thoughts on fangirl(boy) migratory patterns. Yours?
(Oh, yes, and totally unrelated, because I know someone on this flist was asking--I've updated my
jay_bean journal, and posted a tummy picture from about a month ago. The link is here if you wanted to see my nineteen-week twin tummy)
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no subject
Date: 2009-02-18 08:49 am (UTC)*g*
*loveshugsloves*
no subject
Date: 2009-02-18 08:58 am (UTC)SPN is extra fun for me because it's filmed in Vancouver, where I lived for six years, and tons of it is filmed not just at my university, but in my actual theatre department. It's like I get to watch a show I really like, AND play 'spot the landmark', both at the same time.
*loves bunches*
no subject
Date: 2009-02-18 11:42 am (UTC)For me it's weird to be in dead / dying communities because hockey will never stop.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-19 05:59 pm (UTC)And yes. Hockey will never stop. Even though the namesake of my journal has now retired *draws hearts around my Trevor*
no subject
Date: 2009-02-18 06:10 pm (UTC)Hi, I'm Jassy, and I resemble that remark. *g*
Seriously, a lot of people have moved away from Viggorli fandom, but I'm still there because it's what I enjoy. It doesn't matter to me whether it turns itself around or not because it's still the fandom that inspires me.
I'm a fan of other things, like Torchwood, but I don't participate much in that fandom, just like I was a fan of Buffy but didn't participate in that fandom either. I think it's easier for me to walk away from a show when I'm just a fan, like I have with Prison Break this year and Heroes to some extent. It's harder when you're part of a fandom because then you're not only walking away from the show but also from friends who still like it and probably feel hurt because you don't share that interest anymore.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-19 06:04 pm (UTC)Yeah, I can really get resembling that remark. I've always been very multi-pairing, but there are some that just settle in and are like, okay, I'm here, just TRY getting rid of me. I can write just about anyone together in LOTRiPS, and I can read anyone written together, if it's written well, of course, but my secret little flag waving OTP is Harry/Karl. Always has been, and it just makes me extra happy in my brain when something shows up that's them.
It's hard though, isn't it, when you're still there and other people have moved on, for whatever reason, and you're just not into what they're into. And yet it's like... you've got to go where the inspiration is! But it's hard not to pout a little when it happens.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-22 03:23 pm (UTC)There's been a bit of drift since those days. *shakes head*
Fandoms change and friends drift away, but some stay and some other interests come up.
I think that's what it comes down to. I still love my dead gay show, but I love the friends I made more.