ranting

[eretria]

Yes. The fandom - mainly SGA - rant that was mentioned earlier today.

It's long-ish. It's very direct. I could understand if I step on toes with this, so, read with the caveat of "this is my opinion and you don't have to agree"




I've been reading some of the meta and episode reviews last night and I've been having pretty much the same reaction others on the flist seem to be having:
If you (the reviewer) hate the show that much, why do you keep watching? Why are you staying with the show if you consider it so stupid it makes your brain hurt? When you consider all the actors terminally bad and not worth their money?

I like my show, and while, yes, some of the decisions they in the past made were dubious, I could (mostly) see where they were coming from. The constant vile snarking was what made me leave the Alias fandom in the end, by the way. I couldn't stand the negativity, because while it had still been fun in the beginning of season three, by the middle of season three, the snark was no longer loving, but malicious. And when everyone around me is only seeing negative things, then, blimey, it's time to find another fandom where maybe people actually care about the show still.

But I'm glad enough people are still seeing the shiny and the good and the loveable in SGA.

I mean, let's be serious her, the show isn't going to win an award for most innovative and best writing. But that's not what this is about, and everything TPTB leave out on the show or do wrong, gives the writers in fandom a chance to pounce on and make it better. Why the hell are you complaining, people? If the show were outrageously bad, then I'd understand, but it's not. It's still a good show. We all new it was a little on the shallow side when we jumped on board. Are you now complaining because it isn't deep enough? Please.

Plus, if this were a perfect show, you wouldn't have anything to write about anymore.

Constant negativity makes me twitch as much as the next person, and worse, it's making me hostile.

For heaven's sake, stop watching if you can't find one positive thing about the show anymore.

*breathes*

Cheer up, people. Remember that we're in this to enjoy ourselves.

Comments

[rhienelleth.livejournal.com]

ITA, completely. I don't understand why people insist on watching shows they no longer love, in fact seem to hate, and then proceed to pour all that negativity into every post about the show. I got to the point on Alias where I stopped reading other people's ep reviews, for the most part.

Besides, the flaws are part of my love for SGA. :) I snuggle SGA.

[eretria.livejournal.com]

I got to the point on Alias where I stopped reading other people's ep reviews, for the most part.

Lucky you for doing that and not leaving the fandom. I quit the show because I was so fed up with the fan reactions. Well, that and the complete butchering of Sark's character.

I snuggle SGA.

And we all should. It's so ... snuggly. :o)

[amireal.livejournal.com]

Hrmm.

I do my OMG AS IT GOES running commentary with the squee..

But then later I often do something deeper and usually it's "but this is what bothered me" and it's not about negativity, but about what piqued the writer in me and kept nudging.

i.e. the Elizabeth plotline in the premier. It just. BOTHERED me. But it didn't take away from the squee. I just later sat down and took apart why it bothered me.

I like thinking about it on mulitple levels.

Later I plan on posting about why I think Ronon was probably enlisted very young and why I am so utterly amused by how the earthers (and teyla) seem to be unable to fight Micheal's logic.

[eretria.livejournal.com]

See, this doesn't bother me at all. In fact, it would bother me if all we did was squee. Criticism is a healthy part of everyday life and of fandom as well.

I merely meant those who can't find one positive thing about the fandom anymore - that's what bothers me deeply. It's almost as though negativity is the new black. Well, sod it, I'm wearing bright blue here. :o)
And, yes, the Elizabeth plotline in the premiere was pretty screwed. In fact, I think I was one of the few people who didn't like the premiere much. There were enough lovely moments there, but overall, I wasn't all a-squee. But that's all right, just like you finding things that pique the writer on you and finding things that bother you later. You're not supposed to love every single episode as a fan - it's what makes us fans and not mere consumers.

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

I agree. There's been some frustratingly clumsy writing, and some questionable stuff going on, but if it's all bad and the actors suck and you're all offended and such--why watch?

SGA is what it is--a Stargate show, and like you said, it's never going to be hugely profound and deep. (and when it tries to be, it usually hurts itself. *g*) It's action/adventure, with writers and directors who like to blow things up and who try to tell a good, entertaining story. And often succeed.

Plus, a pretty, utterly charming cast.

I understand the need for those who are disappointed to vent, but you know...it's supposed to be fun, right?

[eretria.livejournal.com]

*hugs you to her bosom*

Exactly.

SGA is what it is--a Stargate show

And there we have it. Plus, you know, it's not Joss Whedon who's writing the show, so we had better not expect too much of an emotional conclusion of the episodes (no matter how much I crave for it). This is boys - as you say - blowing things up and having fun and being boys. I think they still think their main audience is male.

Plus, a pretty, utterly charming cast.

Who makes up for what the writers don't manage to get right with subtle acting. And I'm good with that. It's ambiguous. It gives me something to sink my teeth in as a writer.

it's supposed to be fun, right?

Word. WORD.

[lunasky.livejournal.com]

And you know, I was justing thinking I should check out people's episode meta this morning. :)

There's a fine line between funny snark and vicious snark...I see it all the time while compiling the Veronica Mars Meta list but it is there. When you're no longer amused by the bumps and quirks of your show, it's time to move on.

SGA or SG1 certainly won't win any awards for realistic sci-fi, but to be honest, I kinda like that. It keeps it lighter than it could be and lets fandom explore all the possible dark aspects. That's part of the fun.

[eretria.livejournal.com]

When you're no longer amused by the bumps and quirks of your show, it's time to move on.

So very, very true. I wonder what it is that makes people stick with the show and spread the negativity instead, though. There has to be a reason, right?

That's part of the fun.

Preach it, sister.

[few.livejournal.com]

I wonder what it is that makes people stick with the show and spread the negativity instead, though.

Speaking generally...

I'd say it's a combination of nostalgia and hoping the show in question will return to whatever it was you liked about it to begin with. At least, that's why I kept watching several shows after I started being let down more often than not. Through harsh experience I've learned to judge at what point I should abandon a show entirely, but there can still be a long period of conflict between what I expect based on previous seasons and what the show has begun to provide.

I don't know about "spreading negativity", though; in the cases where I was in that situation after joining LJ, I'd post complaints, yes, but not trying to "spread" anything--sometimes complaining in and of itself can make (some) people feel better, and although I wouldn't have done the same on a mailing list back in the day, on LJ, well.... I see my journal as a place to say whatever I want, and assume people will skip over what they don't find interesting. I don't know anything about the SGA case specifically, of course, but is it possible that some of what you're seeing is just people venting in their own "space", rather than an attempt to bring others down with them?

Just a thought.... I know it can be hard seeing people suddenly start being critical (in the negative sense) of a love you used to share with them.

[ttrin.livejournal.com]

If you (the reviewer) hate the show that much, why do you keep watching?
Maybe they, like me, are hoping that the series gets back its drive and fun it had up until about 3/4 of season 1, before it went downhill? That's at least what keeps me watching and hoping. To no avail, at the moment.

I'd never write a long review about it because it's not worth the time *shrugs* In the end, it's all a matter of taste. Which leads to the most basic of LJ/comm rules: Don't like it - don't read it. It makes life a lot less annoying that way.

[kodiak-bear.livejournal.com]

Here's a sweeping 'I agree with all of you thank God someone said it'.

It's one thing to point out issues with a show; areas you believe were written wrong, poorly, etc, or to discuss things that might have been better, etc. But when you trash *everything* from the cast to the writers, then why on earth are you *still* watching?

When I left JAG fandom it was from the complete lack of love for the show anymore. The writers had gone way off of what I wanted to see and even the fact that I liked the two main cast members, I couldn't stomach the *show* so I just left instead of hanging on, watching, and trashing it. What's the point of that?

That was the only fandom I'd had that I felt completely bolloxed up to the point where I had to leave, but I stopped watching the and reading the message boards.

Well, I take it back, I disliked a good half of season 7 and most of season 8 SG-1, but again, I didn't go into the episode threads, the character threads and bash away. I just didn't watch those episodes.

[lillyjk.livejournal.com]

WORD! personally, I loved the episode. one of my favorite things about SGA is that the characters aren't perfect and do, indeed, fuck up.

[munchkinofdoom.livejournal.com]

Hokey dokey. Where to start... ?

Thank you! I have only got into one discussion on this subject, so far, as I seem to be so far off the beaten track concerning SGA fandom at this precise moment. I have only managed to have some sort of agreement over these first 2 episodes (not to mention 2nd season) with one person! And that turned out to be a middle-aged Brit, in line with my middle-aged ockerism... *g*

Knew I should have waited for you to allow your thoughts to percolate.

I don't expect my shows to be shiny. I am not looking for Arthurian heroes. I want conflict, ambiguity, questions! I have been well trained from my days in Blake's 7 fandom. Now, that is a show that would probably have this current crop of SGA fans hiding, quaking, under their beds. And B7 fandom wasn't much nicer... *g*

ts5000 and I watched Misbegotten yesterday afternoon, howling at the screen, screaming 'he can't eat Carson, he's still in the credits!' or 'You idiots!!!' and having a wonderful time. This is not a show that I can watch quietly, happily, and then go off and make tea. This show, when it pulls all its stops out, is a rollercoaster ride with no map, and the possibility of poor workmanship landing you off a huge drop - and I love it.

I will take its flaws, its moral ambiguity, its lack of visible consequences (although methinks Carson is finally noticing the consequences of his actions) and its occasional tendancy to fall into colonial jingoism. Why? Because it forces a reaction. Whether is it squeeing over Ronon almost going through Rodney in order to confront John about accepting help from strange alien Michaels, to screaming 'idiot' at Carson, to wanting to thump Elizabeth, it is still a reaction, and I love every moment of it.

I don't want sanitised television.

Now I shall hand your soapbox back to you... *g*

[enname.livejournal.com]

You probably already know what I think on the matter, and I keep seeing people who agree all over the place ... but come on people it is Stargate not Tolstoy. I am not expecting Anna Karenina to leap onto the screen, nor do I want it to actually. What I do want is enthusiasm, a whole bunch of silliness (I tell you it is a whole branch of sci fi), some plot and a damn good jab at something deeper even if it never quite gets there. Plus you know, characters.

It makes me reflect, on occasion, about deeper matters, but that is something I do on my own and they have no need to commentate on. The fact that I can feed off it and expand in my mind is more than most shows allow me. Or even make me want to try and live in the 'verse.

Preaching to the choir about how crap it is, will not change the format or how the writers write. After all if wishes were fishes I'd own the pacific, so deal or move on. Learn to love the moments where it is good and laugh at those that are bad - oh and remember that it is only a television show. World peace does not hang on a thread because they rush a storyline through and take short cuts. Really.

[eretria.livejournal.com]

World peace does not hang on a thread because they rush a storyline through and take short cuts. Really.

I love you. So, so, so much.

[fatuorum.livejournal.com]

Word. I wonder how much of it is because of fans being spoiled by fandom, always getting what they want. When the on-screen stuff doesn't meet that kind of expectations - which is nigh impossible anyway - it all goes downhill.