the big catch-up post (not ketchup, totally different.)

[krickets]

→ Feeling okay this morning. I should have set my alarm to get up on time so I could make up some hours at work. Fooey.

→ I wanted to review the first two episodes of Pushing Daisies and Friday Night Lights, but that's like... four? whole episodes, and I'm way too lazy for that, so here's a brief bit of... squee, if you will.

If you think about it, these shows fall on opposite ends of the spectrum. One is high fantasy, very fairy-tale like, and one is very grim and reality-based. (Even moreso than regular dramas, if you watch it, you know what I mean.) But what they have in common is that both of them are gloriously executed. I don't think there is a night on TV right now that surpasses Wednesday in terms of the awesomeness and quality that comprises these two shows. They make me happy. They make me feel. Basically what I'm saying is... Yay! Pushing Daisies and Friday Night Lights! For fitting as much awesome as humanly possible into one hour of TV. Thank you, Thank you.

→ zelda_zee called my attention to this meta by xparrot which is about different fannish types and how we're all getting something different out of the shows that we watch. I thought it was very interesting and insightful. I think I'm a little bit of both types suggested. I think I weigh in on the intellectual side, but there's a good chunk of the emotional fanning going on over here too. Obviously I have favorite characters (though not with every show, several of my shows I simply love everyone!) but I tend not to have OTPs. I tend to multi-ship my favorite characters.

Actually, this reminds me of a post that chloris67 made the other day about OTCs (or favorite characters) and multi-shipping but then simply having one OT3 (Jawyercita, Kara/Leoben/Sam...) it's pretty unrelated to the fannish types discussion, but here's a link. Because it's interesting!

→ I finished reading Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (the first of the novels that True Blood is based on) and have started the second.

I joined the Sam/Sookie community on livejournal (sam_sookie, I believe) because it's the only "Sam-centered" community I could find so far. (I like Sam/Tara as well, like I said, multi-shipper here.) I noticed that a lot of long-time readers are displeased with the way Sam is portrayed in the show. Obviously, I disagree. The majority seems think he's being made out to be pretty creepy, whereas he isn't in the book. But I didn't find him creepy even before reading the books, so I feel like maybe many long-time readers are just very close and protective of their characters? I feel that they've fleshed him out really well (because the books are 1st person, Sookie's POV) and that the showrunners are simply trying to misdirect the audience into thinking Sam could possibly be the bad guy. I'm sure that the intention is that when they find out his true nature and true intentions, they'll understand his prior behavior better. (I commented in more detail over here.)

→ I'm having woes about Supernatural. I quit the show and I'm perfectly happy with that. But it seems I can't escape it either way. I guess over the summer I'd forgotten how many of you (my flisters) watch and review that show. And, I'm not going to lie it's a bit overwhelming. (And yet underwhelming at the same time... if that makes sense.)

There are several varied and numerous reasons why I've given up that show for good, and I think I might make a giant post of reasons, maybe later today. (This post is getting too long.) But my point in bringing it up now, is that it does put this huge divide between me and my flist. At least when I hated the fuck out of that show last year I could still discuss and hate it with you. Now, A) I'm not watching so true discussion isn't an option and B) Everything about it infuriates me. I mean, we're talking Mrs. White, flames on the side of my face, breathing breath, heaving breaths, type hate. So yeah. DIVIDE. It's huge and un-ignorable, and frustrating. And I'm no longer making coherent thoughts. Ignore me.

Comments

[akzseinga.livejournal.com]

Ah! True Blood! I started watching it few days ago and it's simply brilliant. I don't know why I like this show so much but I do. Sam and Tara are definitely my favourite but I find the rest of them really interesting. And i kind of ship Sookie/Bill. He's hot.

Need an icon!

[crickets.livejournal.com]

Aw, I like Sookie/Bill too! (What I absolutely don't understand, is fandom's seeming obsession with Eric. Even after reading book one.) Yeah Sam and Tara are my two favorite characters, by far. (See icon, hehe.)

The one thing that really turns me off is Jason. I'm slightly baffled at the portrayal of his sexploits. I get that his character is a bit of a manwhore, even in the book. But um, why so over the top HBO? It's a bit ridiculous!

But, as I was telling dayln03, as long as the things I like about a show outweigh the things I don't like about a show, it's a lot easier to ignore the bad stuff and focus on the good. If the scales tip in the other direction, I'm as good as gone.

[quiet-rebel.livejournal.com]

Hm...I'm interested in seeing your SPN post, just because I'm curious. Every week, I go back and forth on that show.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

I think I'm literally going to have to sit down with a notepad and make a list of things I want to touch on in that post because A) I don't want to forget anything and B) I want to have some semblance of structure and forethought.

It'll be a long list, anyway... *sigh*

[lostashleigh.livejournal.com]

Glad you're ok hon! *HUGS*

*Squeeees with you in regards to Pushing Daisies*

I should probably look into checking out Friday Night Lights, although I have a mountain of shows I already watch. ;)

I'm sorry feel so much hate for SPN. It sucks BIGTIME that you now hate a show you once had so much love for. And I'm sorry we (your flisters) are making it worse for you, oops! :( But that said I do love what the show's doing this season and unfortunately we'll have to agree to disagree. *HUUUUUUGGGSS You*

[crickets.livejournal.com]

Well part of it is just that I really can't stand the show. Literally just thinking of it pisses me off. So when fifty people post about it Thursday night through Friday... I kind of fall into that "ugh, shut UP about it already" level of frustration.

But the other part of that is feeling a complete disconnect from a big majority of my flist. I mean, some people don't post all week and then the only post they make is their SPN review posts and other SPN-centric posts. So that's also frustrating, but more on a "I now have nothing to talk about with half of these people" level.

ETA. And I don't think that's to say I have nothing in common with those people. I know there are plenty of other fandoms and non-fandom-things I share with most of my flist, but there are often times when people only talk about one particular fandom or another, and not so much about the other stuff.

[lostashleigh.livejournal.com]

Aaaawwww. :(

*HUUUUUUGGGGSSS*

[nyoka.livejournal.com]

>> Loved that fannish types meta. I'm definitely a little bit of both types too, I think.

>> Sorry you can't escape SPN and it's divided you from a portion of your flist. I'd love to read your meta on it. Even though I'm still watching and enjoying certain aspects, I'm sure I can totally relate and empathize with your reasons for not watching anymore. I have many issues with the show, but never feel comfortable discussing it because of the potential to be flamed or accused of being wanky. LJ fangirls are frakking scary. So mostly I just talk about the things I enjoy and keep the rest to myself. LJ fangirls don't really welcome dissent, which is something that has always irked me.

At least we have True Blood and BSG in common still! :D

[crickets.livejournal.com]

You know, with that meta, I feel that for me it varies by fandom in some ways. I'm much more meta-y with some than others. Maybe the nature of the show itself plays a part? (Or maybe I'm missing the point?) I dunno, but that was definitely an interesting read!

Yeah see, I think what you said about some people on livejournal not appreciating discussion of dislikes about a show, SPN in particular? Considering any non-positive discussion wank, or whatnot? That may come down to the whole different fannish types deal.

I've never really played those games on my journal. I pretty much call them like I see them, and if people disagree, I'm fine with that. (One of the things I really identified with in that meta was enjoying talking to people who have different opinions than me.)

Of course, I won't go into a Supernatural (or any show) community and start talking about all the things I hate about it. But I'm pretty okay doing that in my own journal. And I'm pretty sure that my flist knows me well enough to know that about me. (And hopefully none of them secretly hate me for it, or anything. That'd be really sad!)

Yay for True Blood and BSG! We have other fandoms in common though, too! (Many of them canceled... sadly.)

[gigglemonster.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're feeling better today. You can to into work tomorrrrrrow
Hahaha I love your Pushing Daisies/FNL reviews! So true! Yay! :)

That meta was really interesting. I think I'm for sure on the emotional side. I don't really have OTP's either and I'm totally down with the multi-shipping of course. But I still think I fall more on the emotional side just because I'd much rather squee than meta. I think that kinda goes back to that post I made a little while ago where I thought I was dumb but it's really just my personality! lol

Oooh Sam/Sookie community huh? I just might have to join! I can't wait to read the books! From what you told me Sam is even like more awesome and more adorable than in the show! Also, I don't think he can be the bad guy. Even if the show is trying to like imply that he's kinda creepy and maybe he could be the killer, I just don't think he is. there's no way! SAM! Ahh!

Why am I rambling? I'll just get on msn or somethin haha

[crickets.livejournal.com]

I'm going in to work tomorrow whether I want to or not. And I'm hoping to make up lots of hours next week. (Though probably won't be able to make them all up. Unfortunately. I missed last Friday and this Thursday so that makes 12 hours. I think the most I'll be able to make up is 10. Fooey!) At least I just paid all my bills!

Yeah I think you're more of an emotional fan too. And, you're right, this is exactly like that post of yours. What everyone was saying in the comments. Just part of your personality and not a reflection on your intelligence.

Aw, Sam. Love him. ;)

[anoel.livejournal.com]

Totally agree about PD and FNL. They just have amazing characters that you can really connect to and strongly defined worlds, both beautiful in their own way.

Yeah, the SPN posts can get overwhelming. I'm just glad I'm liking the show more this season so I don't feel as really?? as I did the past two seasons (early S2 aside). I feel that way towards Lost though so I know how you feel there. One of the negatives of being in fandom unfortunately.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

Gosh, I love those shows. And that's a good way of putting it. Strongly defined worlds. That they are, indeed.

Eek, and see I'm one who's still watching Lost. Even though I don't always have nice things to say - we have issues, me and Lost. Subscriptions, even. (And I don't really think I do that many episode reviews/squee-posts either.) But yeah, I guess it's just one of those things.

[gypsy-sally.livejournal.com]

I agree with you about Sam. I love him. I read the books LONG ago, or some of them, anyway, and I don't see that they've strayed too far off on characterization. I really enjoy the actor they have gotten to play him. Two thumbs up. In fact, I do believe he and Lafayette may be my two fave characters, although I'm quite fannish about Rene and Hoyt as well.

I like Sookie/Bill, both as a unit and separately. We'll see if they can manage to stay in my good graces. ;)

I'm not a big Eric fan, either. He just doesn't do much for me. Maybe the show will change that, who knows?

YAY PUSHING DAISIES AND FNL!!! I could not agree with you more. Both shows do so spectacularly well at portraying what they portray. *loves shows*

re: Supernatural. This is why I put show reviews/squee/meta behind cuts. I do not want to lose friends over show disputes. That would be silly.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

I feel like some of the people resent his relationship with Tara. That was a point that was said to be out of character. And I'm wondering if that may not be because they ship him with Sookie? I dunno. I mean, I can do both. I'm easy that way. And when you look at Sam, sleeping with Tara with 'no strings' attached. And when you juxtapose that up against Jason's wacky sexploits, there isn't anything "creepy" or "strange" or even "immoral" about Sam and Tara. Not in the least. Haha.

See, knowing that you've read the books and that Eric doesn't do anything for you at all makes me feel so much better. First, I don't really like the guy they cast. And secondly, I felt the same disdain for him that Sookie did in the first books. She was sickened at his methods, at the way the fangbangers worshiped at his feet, and his attempt to intimidate her into having her at his beck and call when he wanted to use her for her "disability."

So yeah, so far I'm not impressed. (And as I recall he was literally only in 3 scenes in the book - so how much of him are we really going to see this season?)

[siluria]

I'm still trying to decide if I like True Blood... I've watched all the eps so far but most of the characters are annoying me to the point where I feel an AK47 would make a good impression. Yet I keep DL'ing the next episode just to see what happens :)

And SPN - I understand your woes. I quit for good after the third ep of S3. I've resigned myself to not watching it ever again, but it just feels my entire flist is obsessed. Why couldn't they be obsessed in S1 when I was? S2 harshed my squee so much that I could barely watch it, and S3 I knew would ruin S1 for me so I stopped. At least it doesn't take long to browse my flist at this time of the week :)

[crickets.livejournal.com]

Yeah it's hard to put my finger on exactly why I like the show. Except that I do. Haha. I really like Tara and Sam, actually. As for the rest of it (barring Jason) i'm intrigued and entertained. So that's enough for me right now. I'm really having fun watching it anyway!

Yeah I was pretty much done at the onset of season three but my optimism got the better of my common sense. I should have been quitting back then right beside you. And yeah, it does feel like my entire flist is obsessed from time to time. At least on Thursday night/Friday. Sheesh!

[ageless-aislynn.livejournal.com]

Oh, you're just exactly where I was when I quit SPN. A great deal of my flist is still very active and involved in it but I just tend to skip the posts where the latest ep or whatever is all that's being discussed ('cause what could I really say but "Uh, sorry, didn't see it," right? ;) ). I just keep an eye out for the posts that either have something else in them that I can respond to: "And that's my review of this week's ep. In other news, I just got a new puppy! Here are some pics..." ;)

Sad to say, I have lost touch with some of the ones whom we only had SPN in common and they talk about nothing other than the show and they either don't watch or don't like any of my fandoms that I post about. But the ones with whom I was more of a friend friend than just a fandom buddy type, then we still talk about the personal stuff ("Oh yay, you got a puppy!" ;) ). And you'll no doubt end up picking up new flisters from the fandoms that you ARE enjoying/active in.

So it ends up kinda being like life in general: you'll have some friends you're really close to and then all of the sudden, they've drifted away and you'll have others who will stay around for a while even through fandom changes and all of that. ;)

So I guess what I'm trying to say (and being verrrrrry wordy about it ;) ) is to not let it stress you out. When a show stops being fun for you, you have to let it go. It's really sad that that means letting go of some people as well, but if you only had that one thing in common, then eventually that was probably bound to happen anyway. :( But the ones who care about you and whom you care about them, then they'll still be around. ;)

I'm a-gonna check out those fannish discussions as soon as I'm done here (hope they're not f-locked, guess I should check that first... *checks* Nope, they're not, yay!).

Anyway, I've been thinking about you this week, hoping you were feeling better and things were going okay. *fingers crossed* ;) *hugs* ♥!

[crickets.livejournal.com]

Ugh I don't know how to deal with it. You know... I hate the sound of velcro, it gives me chills and makes me shudder and if you fiddle with velco around me I'll probably get really pissed off at you. It's like nails on a chalkboard. And that's kind of how I feel about Supernatural right now.

I liked your point about people you're more of a friendfriend of than just a fandomfriend. I suppose that's true. Although you never really want to think of people in those terms. But I suppose it is true in many cases.

I mean, Ais, you've been in fandom longer than me (LotR, right?) and so I'm sure you've gone through this many times over, but for me it's kind of a new deal. Before LVI I was never a big participant in one particular fandom or another. I was a member of a movie chat group and I wrote a little bit of fanfic (Dawson'sCreek). Beyond that I simply bounced around and had no real "home." If I stopped liking something, then no big deal because it wasn't a collective thing. It was individual.

Of course, there's never been a situation in which I've gone from loving to loathing a show like I have with SPN. Any fading interest in the past was just that... fading. Not a full stop. Shows end or your interest/activity gradually slows down, or both! By the time you're "over it" the fandomfriends you bonded with over said fandom have probably already moved on, or maybe together you've moved on to talking about other things and become more friendfriends. But with SPN that is not the case at all.

(And someone else said, they feel like their flist is obsessed because so many people talk about it. Like if I suddenly decided Pushing Daisies was the worst thing on earth? No big deal because the fandom, and the percentage of my flist that actually talks about it, is microscopically small in comparison to SPN.)

Anyway, I'm trying not to stress about it. But I'm actually finding it difficult not to be annoyed by it. That velcro man, UGH!