The real point of fandom

[kellinator]

Many if not most of you out there are involved in some sort of fandom. And I'm sure if I polled you on the purpose of fandom, I'd get a variety of answers. To share a common interest. To critique the material involved. To predict plot developments. To write lots and lots of slash.

But no. I have figured it out.

The purpose of fandom is to give fans a place to bitch about the characters they don't like, that no one likes, that were a lousy idea in the first place, that only exist so fans will be able to unite in their hatred.

Consider:

• The Homicide fandom bitches about Falsone. (Remember the "I Hate Falsone" webpage?)
• The Law and Order fandom bitches about Serena.
• The Law and Order: SVU fandom bitches about Casey.
• The Smallville fandom bitches about Lana.
• The Lord of the Rings fandom bitches about Arwen.
• The Star Trek: TNG fandom bitches about Wesley Crusher.
• The X-Files fandom bitches about Chris Carter. (No, he's not fictional... but that just goes to show you, truth is stranger than fiction.)

Comments

[sophocles.livejournal.com]

Bitches about Falsone? He was my favorite character. Hell, aside from Munch he's the only character I remember by name.

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

Falsone, your favorite character?!

*shudders*

By divine decree of the Kellinator, take yourself out back and give yourself fifty lashes with a wet noodle.

[sophocles.livejournal.com]

divine decree? *raises eyebrow*

Fandom

[scarcrest.livejournal.com]

And all the Trekkers bitch about Berman.

(Almost tossed in the refrain from "Walk on the Wild Side," decided I wasn't sure how many "doo-de-doos" would be kosher, so I didn't.)

They do?

[satia.livejournal.com]

What do they bitch about exactly? I mean . . . ummm . . . nope. Don't get it. What am I missing, aside from the obvious?

Re: They do?

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

Mainly we just complain about how stupid we think that character is and how we think they're ruining the show.

[renaissancekat.livejournal.com]

Duuuude. Wesley Crusher was totally, like, hot on TNG!!! Don't be hatin' on the Crusher!

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm not... but Wesley Crusher jokes are legion. ;)

[polychromatic22.livejournal.com]

plus wil wheaton himself is awfully cool.

[gladstone.livejournal.com]

That's the point of fandom? Really?

Clearly, fandom is retarded.

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

That's why I said "many if not most," instead of "all." ;)

[gmslegion.livejournal.com]

I'd say it's an almost equal split between fandom hating a character and hating a producer or two. There were Lois & Clark fans who hated Eugenie Ross-Leming & Brad Buckner, Doctor Who fans who hated JN-T, and honestly, the only reason I know the name of anyone who produces Star Trek is because so many people hate Rick Berman.

You see something similar in comics, with people hating Geoff Johns or Chuck Dixon or whoever. I've seen people go nuts over Grant Morrison "ruining" Xorn by revealing he was Magneto the whole time.

[chicating.livejournal.com]

I can't believe Falsone would be anyone's favorite. And I'm not looking to rumble. The others are so much more complicated though...with a possible Russert exception. I kind of hate her, though not enough to have a page of "57 things to hate about Megan Russert." I have laughed at the Falsone hate page, though.
Buffy fans hate Marti Noxon.(I don't, but some do)
Most of us hate the character of Riley Finn, whom I described as the Falsone of Buffy fandom. He kind of messed up an ensemble, too, actually. And there are many episodes more focused on him than they should be.

[notgruntled.livejournal.com]

• Buffy fandom bitches about Mari Noxon, Riley, and Dawn.

Bitching about the details is one of the highest forms of fandom flattery; it says that the world of the show (movie, whatever) is real enough to the fan that the parts that don't ring true -- or the characters who do ring true, but are just plain annoying -- get a reaction.

Marti Noxon (Buffy lead writer, later executive producer) has said in interviews that while it hurt a little to be called out by name on the 'Net, 99% of TV writers producers don't get that attention not because they do a better job, but because viewers don't care who's behind the words.

[caffron.livejournal.com]

I can't believe it: no mention of Star Wars and Jar-Jar! Perhaps the largest fandom's annoyance...

[chicating.livejournal.com]

Dear Lord, how could I forget Dawnie? I don't like her either.

[not-hothead-yet.livejournal.com]

there's nothing to bitch about on Malcolm in the Middle.

gotcha