15 April 2015-21 April 2015 Part 2
Notices
If you have meta to submit or rec, please comment to this post or to the screened Submissions Post. If you'd like to give us blanket permission to link your meta please comment to the Blanket Permissions Post. If you have feedback or questions, check out our FAQ, Contact the Mods, or PM/email. If you'd like to volunteer to link-find or mod, please comment to the Volunteers Post.
Hugo Awards
Black Gate Withdraws from Hugo Consideration: John ONeill (blog) - "Since the nomination for Black Gate was for the entire site, which produces over 120 articles per month by a team of over 40 volunteers, I did not decline the nomination, although personally I shared many of the Matthew’s concerns. However, over the last two weeks I’ve had the opportunity to hear from many of our bloggers, and by and large they share many of those concerns as well."
topic:hugoawards
Hugo Story Withdrawn: Annie Bellet (blog) - "I have withdrawn my story "Goodnight Stars" from consideration in this year’s Hugo Awards."
topic:hugoawards
a statement on my hugo nomination: Marko Kloos (blog) - "I have officially withdrawn my acceptance of the Best Novel nomination for "Lines of Departure" at this year’s Hugo Awards."
topic:hugoawards
The Latest Hugo Conspiracy Nonsense Involving Me: John Scalzi (blog) - "In the wake of one of John C. Wright’s Hugo-nominated stories being disqualified for the ballot because it was previously published on his Web site, howls of bitter indignancy have arisen from the Puppy quarters, on the basis that Old Man’s War, a book I serialized here on Whatever in 2002, qualified for the Hugo ballot in 2006 (it did not win)."
topic:hugoawards
More on the Sad Puppies Hugo Nominations: Deidre Saoirse Moen (blog) - "This is a multi-purpose post about the Sad Puppies (et al) Hugo Nominations and award slates"
topic:hugoawards
WHY I WON’T BE A PRESENTER AT THE HUGO AWARDS THIS YEAR: Connie Willis (blog) - "But then Vox Day and his followers made it impossible for me to remain silent , keep calm, and carry on. Not content with just using dirty tricks to get on the ballot, they’re now demanding they win, too, or they’ll destroy the Hugos altogether."
topic:hugoawards
Freeping the Hugo Awards: Susan Grigsby (blog) - "Grab your popcorn and meet me below the fold for the sad and rabid story of the puppies."
topic:hugoawards
Untitled: David Gerrold (Facebook) - "But here's the real question -- and although I doubt I'm going to get an honest answer here, I'm going to ask it anyway -- in the long lead-up to all of this, did anybody in the group think about methodology?"
topic:hugoawards
Vox Day’s involvement in the Sad Puppies slate: Naomi Kritzer (blog) - "Quite a bit of the coverage has conflated the "Sad Puppy" slate (put up by SF author Brad Torgersen) with the "Rabid Puppy" slate (put up by honest-to-God neo-fascist Theodore Beale, who writes as Vox Day)."
topic:hugoawards
Right-Wind Trolls Hijack SciFi Oscars: Arthur Chu (blog) - "How did a guy who once said men want to beat "fags" with tire irons nab six prestigious nominations? It’s ugly in the SciFi fiction world."
topic:hugoawards
On Laura Mixon-Gould’s Hugo Nomination for Best Fanwriter: RCRuiz (blog) - "I’m saying this not because she’s the only non-SP on the list, but because she put herself at risk when she didn’t need to."
topic:hugoawards
Som e comments on the Hugos and other SF awards: Eric Flint (blog) - "It’s also been brought to my attention that Breitbart’s very well-trafficked web site-never famous for the accuracy of its so-called "reporting"-has me listed as one of the supposedly downtrodden conservative and/or libertarian authors oppressed by the SF establishment."
topic:hugoawards
Guided by the Beauty of Their Weapons: An Analysis of Theodore Beale and his Supporters: Philip Sandifer (blog) - "One note that is probably worth making before we begin - I am writing this with the assumption of a basically sympathetic audience who have heard bits of the disturbing story, but who aren’t clear on the whole picture. It’s meant to be persuasive to people who are, broadly speaking, left-leaning (or at least not far-right) fans of intelligent and literary science fiction, and who are not generally of the opinion that there was ever anything badly wrong with the Hugo Awards."
topic:hugoawards
Why I Am Voting No Award In The Best Fan Writer Category:Abigail Nussbaum (blog) - "It's been six days since this year's Hugo nominations were announced, and in fandom time that feels like an eternity."
topic:hugoawards
Inside Amy Schumer
Season 3 of ‘Inside Amy Schumer’ claws the eyes out of the male gaze: Audra Schroeder (blog) - "The sketch is so funny, you almost forget Schumer’s critiquing a very real, persistent issue. This is the magic of Inside Amy Schumer."
fandom:insideamyschumer
iZombie
NOC Recaps iZombie: What About the Zombies of Color?: Connie (blog) - "Then we’ll get into the question of the week: Why don’t Zombies of Color have obvious zombie markers like the Caucasian characters do?"
fandom:izombie, topic:race
Can You Spare a Brain? iZombie From Panel to Screen: Christa Seeley (blog) - "Angel and Christa decided to undergo a little experiment when the CW premiered iZombie a few weeks ago. Christa had already read the majority of the comic series by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred before watching the show. Angel on the other hand watched the first two episodes of the show first and then read the first Volume of the comic. Let’s see how that affected their consumption of both versions."
fandom:izombie, fandom:comics, topic:adaptations
iZombie, Season 1, Episode 5: Flight From the Living Dead: Sparky (blog) - "So that was Izombie’s first attempt at LGBT inclusion"
fandom:izombie, warning:spoilers
James Bond
Bond Girl: Re-Watching and Re-Evaluating Goldfinger: Zina Hutton (blog) - "With the James Bond film franchise passing its fiftieth anniversary, there’s no doubt that the franchise has its fair share of iconic moments, images, lines and characters - and none are more so than those from Goldfinger."
fandom:jamesbond
The World Is Not Enough: The Transgressive Villainesses Of James Bond: ladybusiness (DW) - "The irony of being a queer intersectional feminist who is also a massive James Bond fan who will be seeing Spectre in IMAX on opening weekend is not lost on me"
fandom:jamesbond
Joss Whedon
We Don’t Need the Shadow Men: Joss Whedon’s Dishwater Feminism Can Sit Down Now: Megan Purdy (blog) - "Even Joss Whedon, nice guy that he is, gets criticized by feminists. This is why: "It never occurred to me that championing equality for women was going to be controversial." Naive or disingenuous? You can decide that for yourself. But Whedon’s brand of polite, liberal feminism is a problem."
topic:feminism, fandom:josswhedon
Jupiter Ascending
"Okay we have to have a talk…": aiffe (blog) - "Lana Wachowski, co-writer and co-director of Jupiter Ascending, does indeed bring the female gaze, but she is not 13. She is 49."
fandom:jupiterascending
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter: starlady (DW) - "The movie is based on the urban legend surrounding the suicide of Konishi Takako in Minnesota in 2001."
fandom:kumikothetreasurehunter
Labyrinth
Movies that Shaped Me: Labyrinth: Lela Gwenn (blog) - "On June 27th, 1986, I had been seven years old for exactly nine days when my parents took me to see Labyrinth in the theater."
fandom:labyrinth
LadyStar
How to Fight Like a Girl, Part 3: LadyStar and Fighting for Love: Theodore Jefferson (blog) - "It is far too easy for authors and readers alike to describe a teenage girl with a boyfriend or even a candidate for a boyfriend as "boy crazy." The equivalent concept of "girl crazy" for boy characters is rare to the point of absurdity."
fandom:ladystar
Last Man on Earth
The Last Man on Earth, Season One, Episode Eleven: Moved to Tampa: Renee (blog) - "Well, considering that this started off as a dystopian with one man, the characters are adding up fast."
fandom:lastmanonearth, warning:spoilers
Legend of Zelda
Gossip Stone: Does the Ocarina’s Power Rival the Triforce?: Andrew Kiser (blog) - "Link’s arsenal is made up of many powerful items that he uses throughout his quests, however, one item in particular holds a magical power that goes far beyond the abilities of just causing damage or solving puzzles."
fandom:legendofzelda
Gossip Stone: What Real-Life Cultural Settings Could Be Emulated in a Future Zelda Game?: John Lett (blog) - "Should Zelda should take bigger influence from the rest of the world and different ages, like it has in quite small sections of the existing games?"
fandom:legendofzelda
Leverage
Untitled: gyzym (Tumblr) - "one of my favorite things to think about in terms of the future of the leverage ot3 is how they deal with the inevitable copycats that must crop up"
fandom:leverage
Untitled: gyzym (Tumblr) - "Do you have a headcanon for when Parker and Hardison manage to fully seduce Eliot into the OT3? Like what finally makes him take the leap to being in a romantic relationship with them?"
fandom:leverage, topic:relationships
Life Is Strange
Anyone else could have saved her: Life is Strange gave my personal tragedy a score: Laura Dale (blog) - "I think that video game creators need to treat difficult subject material with a greater degree of responsibility that creators in any other medium."
fandom:gaming, warning:suicide
Man From Uncle
The Round Table - Who Will Bridge The Gap?: glennagir (LJ) - "I don't know if I have a question, but I'm interested in what other people think about this. Will it change the fandom to have writers coming in who see the 60's from their perspective? How will we fare, the older, original fans?"
fandom:manfromuncle, topic:fandom
Marvel Cinematic Universe
How strong is Loki in the MCU?:beccaelizabeth (DW) - "I’m just wondering because at that strength it seems like if he so much as slaps a human they’re going to get very very very dead. Like, one punch, no waiting, pulp."
fandom:mcu
Avengers and Physics: beccaelizabeth (DW) - "The shot to take out the helicarrier engine wasn't aimed straight into the whizzy rotors, it curved way the hell around and had to account for air currents, and then hit where the debris could do the damage and stop the thing. Hell of a lot of understanding of weak spots, to get that right."
fandom:mcu
The epic inefficiency of secret police:beccaelizabeth (DW) - "Because there’s a whole big difference between an interaction where you start with a problem, take it to the police, and end with less problem, and one where you start with no problem, the police roll up, and your day is messed up."
fandom:mcu
Untitled: beccaelizabeth (DW) - "I like the lines around Phil’s eyes, and I like how Clint has an expression with his whole face cause it’s interesting shapes now."
fandom:mcu
The utter inefficiency of secrecy:beccaelizabeth (DW) - "Most of all, there’s no feedback possible. Dude at the top says an order, everyone else either jumps or doesn’t jump."
fandom:mcu
You're going to break me but you do it with style: sperrywink (DW) - "I am still consumed by trying to tease out his characterization and relationship with Steve."
fandom:mcu
MCU Loki Discussion Part One: fail_fandomanon (DW) - "It was tacky. It was unnecessary to compare Loki to Hitler to get across that he was a Bad Guy (and really, it felt like it was minimizing Hitler's atrocities). It was a pretty America rah rah moment. It was cheesy as fuck. It was emotionally exploitative."
fandom:mcu
MCU Loki Discussion Part Two: fail_fandomanon (DW) - "You're basing your interpretation of a character based on the writing in Movie X. Based on this, you interpret Character Y to be Z.
However, some parts of Movie X's writing you find to be so dumb and cliche it can't possibly have been the genuine opinions of Character Y."
fandom:mcu
The Messengers
The Messengers, Season One, Episode One: Awakening: Renee (blog) - "The pilot had a myriad of characters and locations, making it sometimes hard to follow"
fandom:themessengers, warning:spoilers
Monty Python
"Normal is a Social Construct (and hella lame) - Michel Foucault and the Quest for the Holy Grail": schadenfeudessa (blog) - "But does this cult classic also teach us about the power of discourse and the rules that control that power?"
fandom:montypython
Mulan
Live-Action Mulan Sparks Whitewashing Concerns: Sam Maggs (blog) - "Hollywood doesn’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to casting actors of color for characters of color; though you’d think the days of "Italians playing Native Americans" had been left in the past, all you have to do is look at any anime adaptation, including the tragic Avatar: The Last Airbender, to see the problems we’re still having with diverse casting."
fandom:disney, topic:whitewashing, topic:race
Olympus
Olympus, Season 1, Episode 3: Ring of the Magi: Sparky (blog) - "This show does not intrigue me much. The acting is generally terrible, the CGI and settings so cheap that it beggars belief and the plot line is less than fascinating."
fandom:olympus, warning:spoilers
Once Upon a Time
Once Upon a Time, Season 4, Episode 18: Heart of Gold: Sparky (blog) - "Gold’s evil heart attack is not something I’m running with - link disease and disability to morality only ever leads to unpleasant places."
fandom:onceuponatime
Once Upon a Time, Season 4, Episode 19: Sympathy for the De Ville: Sparky (blog) - "Can I say again that I totally agree with Emma’s horror at the atrocious and appalling act her parents committed - especially since they’re STILL JUSTIFYING IT - but I still can’t agree with the focus of her anger - constantly going on about how her parents lied."
fandom:onceuponatime, warning:spoilers
The Originals
The Originals, Season Two, Episode Seventeen: Exquisite Corpse: Renee (blog) - "Even for The Originals that was a whole lot of angst. It was so bad that at times it felt like I was watching a teenage soap opera."
fandom:theoriginals
The Originals, Season Two, Episode Eighteen: Night Has a Thousand Eyes: Renee (blog) - "It seems that The Originals made a whiny liar out of me this episode."
fandom:theoriginals, warning:spoilers
Orphan Black
Ravings of an Orphan Black Fan: Carrie S. (blog) - "Orphan Black is the kind of show that makes me want to go door-to-door preaching the Gospel of Tatiana Maslany. It makes me feel frantic with anxiety, gleeful, weepy, excited, and triumphant. It makes me laugh so hard I fall off the couch and it makes my heart grow three sizes."
fandom:orphanblack
The Robots of Orphan Black: Noah Berlatsky (journal) - "Throughout pop-culture history, clones and robots have served similar purposes, exploring anxieties about class and labor."
fandom:orphanblack
What ‘Orphan Black’ Says About Women (Good Things - It Says Good Things): Noah Berlatsky (journal) - "Canadian sci-fi television show Orphan Black picks up where Joanna Russ left off, and it runs with the same feminist multiplicity."
fandom:orphanblack
Orphan Black Puts the Greater Good Above Its Clones: "The Weight of This Combination": Natalie Zutter (blog) - "But now, with the start of Orphan Black season 3, the Clone Club must work with Dyad to protect Project Leda from those who would wipe it out completely."
fandom:orphanblack, warning:spoilers
Orphan Black: "The Weight of This Combination" Review: stinekey (blog) - "If the episode titles are any indication, this year we’re going to spend a lot of time playing with themes of war and military."
fandom:orphanblack, warning:spoilers
Orphan Black Season Three, Episode One: The Weight of This Combination: Renee (blog) - "Once again, I have to say a hail to Tatiana Maslany."
fandom:orphanblack, warning:spoilers
Orphan Black: Philip Sandifer (blog) - "It’s better binged than serialized, I suspect. Certainly I found my desire to watch another episode to be quite intense following the cliffhanger, and relatively middling twenty-four hours later."
fandom:orphanblack
Outlander
Outlander Episode 10: By The Pricking Of My Thumbs: Redheadedgirl (blog) - Summary of the episode followed by discussion of it
fandom:outlander, warning:spoilers
Pacific Rim
Pacific Rim and Lessons in Positive Masculinity: Dr. Nerdlove (blog) - "After last week’s discussion about reclaiming what it means to be a man from the restrictions of toxic masculinity, it’s time to look at a movie that gives not just one but multiple examples of how to be a better man. And that movie is Pacific Rim."
fandom:pacificrim
The Returned
The Returned, Season 2, Episode 6: Lucy: Sparky (blog) - "As the show deviates from the French original I’m getting much more intrigued to see where they’re going - because we have a lot of new directions here."
fandom:thereturned, warning:spoilers
Romeo and Juliet
Alike in Dignity: Feuding Houses in Romeo and Juliet: Jo Walton (blog) - "People always talk about Romeo and Juliet as if it’s a romance, as if it’s a great passionate play, the greatest love story of all time. Seen that way, I’ve always found it a little disappointing."
fandom:shakespeare
Salem
Salem: One Thing the Show Gets Right: aelarsen (blog) - "The Salem Witch Trials are one of the great historical puzzles. What led a group of mostly teenaged girls to accuse their neighbors of having bewitched them? The problem is a remarkably complex one, and one worth looking at."
fandom:salem, topic:history
Salem, Season 2, Episode 2: Blood Kiss: Sparky (blog) - "Tituba and Mary are still awful together - I actually think Mary trying to pretend that she and her "dark sister" have had similar experiences and face similar oppression is far worse than when they snarl at each other."
fandom:salem, warning:spoilers
Sherlock - 221B Con and fallout
Sherlock 221b Con Wank: anonymous (fail_fandom anon wiki entry) - This is a summary of sorts of the situation and participants. It’s definitely biased, but it’s the easiest place to get a general idea of what’s going on without wading in too deep.
topic:fandom, topic:conventions, topic:harassment
on fandom, bullying, and respectful spaces: traumachu (Tumblr) - "The issues I am trying to address are larger than one group of bloggers, but a pattern of bullying has arisen within the fandom and this particular group of bloggers and their admirers and followers are at the root of it."
topic:fandom, topic:conventions, topic:harassment
What Happened at 221b Con 2015: The Gender Politics of Fandom Panel and the Aftermath: thegreenirene (Tumblr) - "First, I would like to say that, as some of you have no doubt noticed, this is a new blog. I have created the blog because I’m afraid of opening myself to being a target of doxxing or bullying if I post about this on my main blog, which is easily linked to my A03 and other fandom spaces that are still safe for me and that I’d like to keep that way."
topic:fandom, topic:conventions, topic:harassment
Untitled: enjoy-ass (Tumblr) - "some people’s "preferences" are illegal and should not be tolerated."
topic:fandom, topic:fanworks
Untitled: lesbianghouls (Tumblr) - "someone made a creep writing rape for fun cry!! so bad!!! let’s just forget how their glorification and promotion of pedophilia and rape make survivors feel which guess what!! goes beyond simply crying, this is some sick bullshit #end the pedophilia and rape glorification"
topic:fanworks, topic:kink
In which I finally talk about the TJLC panel at Sherlock Seattle: emmagrant01 (Tumblr) - "Considering some of the events of 221b Con last weekend, I’ve decided to talk publicly about something I previously thought I never would: the TJLC panel at Sherlock Seattle last January."
topic:fandom, topic:conventions, topic:harassment
Bullying and Kinkshaming and 221b Con: Enough is Enough: roane (Tumblr) - "So by now you may be wondering, "wow, why is roane so exercised about not kink shaming and online harassment and why is she tagging so many posts ’#end the bullying’?" Or maybe you know why."
topic:fandom, topic:conventions, topic:harassment
Sherlock Holmes
Could Sherlock Holmes Be Successful as a CPA?: Bryce Sanders (blog) - "The character of Sherlock Holmes has an enduring legacy, with each successive generation producing their own "Holmes" for stage, TV, print, and film. But could he do your job? Would Holmes be a successful addition to your accounting practice?"
fandom:acdsherlock
Canon Discussion: The Beryl Coronet: scfrankles (LJ) - "This week we’re having a look at The Beryl Coronet. I’ve typed up a few thoughts to get the discussion going-please leave your own ideas in the comments!"
fandom:acdsherlock
A Song of Ice and Fire
Top Characters #17 Samwell Tarly: MrFadedGlory (blog) - "Sam Tarly is on a Journey. Certainly, by the end of the existing five books of A Song of Ice and Fire Sam has undergone a huge physical journey, but we have also witnessed a metaphorical journey and a journey of character development."
fandom:asoiaf
The Worst Man in Westeros: Walder Frey: Jim McGeehin (blog) - "He is held in special contempt both by the characters in the story as well as outside viewers not simply for his betrayal of his king, but by how much he profits from it, and his unsavory nature."
fandom:asoiaf
Stargate Universe
Stargate Universe, Switching Bodies, and Consent: MadameAce (blog) - "Stargate Universe’s first season is the franchise at its worst-and that can best be seen in how the show utilizes alien technology."
fandom:stargate, warning:rape
Supernatural
Supernatural, Season 10, Episode 18: Book of the Damned: Sparky (blog) - "Another Charlie episode! This always leaves me slightly leery."
fandom:supernatural, warning:spoilers
Stream of Consciousness, Episode 10.18: gaelicspirit (LJ) - "The brotherhood on display in the last few episodes has been fantastic -- very Kripke-era, IMO -- but recently even the sub-plots and other characters have engaged me. And seeing the possibilities come together -- with only five episodes left -- is exciting."
fandom:supernatural
SPN 10.18 Book of the Damned: blackcat 333-99 (LJ) - "Words cannot express how thrilled I am with this week's episode, and the insight into Sam's mind and heart we got."
fandom:supernatural
Tolkien
We need to talk about Peter Jackson’s obsession with orcs: Ed Power (blog) - "Whatever your opinion of Jackson's juggernaut, though, there is one indisputable weakness baked into his cinematic interpretation of Middle-earth. He is obsessed with orcs, those stock swords and sorcery nasties with terminally bad skin and the deportment of '80s football hooligans hopped up on Special Brew."
fandom:jrrtolkien, topic:adaptations
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Stuff You Should Be Watching: The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Redheadedgirl and Brynhild (blog) - Two essays on the show, one favorable and one not.
fandom:unbreakablekimmyschmidt
The Vampire Diaries
Vampire Diaries, Season 6, Episode 18: I Could Never Love Like That: Sparky (blog) - "Vampire Diaries broken, inconsistent morality has now actually become hilarious to me."
fandom:thevampirediaries, warning:spoilers
X-Men
Today in Imperfect Representation: One of the Original X-Men Just Came Out as Gay: Carolyn Cox (blog) - "Brian Michael Bendis’ All-New X-Men #40 won’t be released until tomorrow, but leaked pages uploaded to Tumblr show that this issue contains a huge reveal for one of the original mutants."
fandom:x-men, fandom:marvelcomics, topic:lgbt, warning:spoilers
’All New X-Men’ Reveals Longtime X-Man As Gay: Andrew Wheeler (blog) - "It’s a big moment, and one that could potentially increase gay visibility in the Marvel Universe in a significant way, but there are complications to the story that make it hard to read as an unambiguous victory for LGBTQ representation."
fandom:x-men, fandom:marvelcomics, topic:lgbt, warning:spoilers
Our Future’s No Utopia But It’s Better Than The Past; There Is An X in "Sexuality" [Spoilers]: MJ Feuerborn (blog) - "As often happens just before a notable change in Marvel status quo, several pages were leaked online from this upcoming Wednesday’s All-New X-Men #40, in which an original member of Marvel’s mutant team the X-Men is outed to us as gay by a teammate."
fandom:x-men, fandom:marvelcomics, topic:lgbt, warning:spoilers
If you have meta to submit or rec, please comment to this post or to the screened Submissions Post. If you'd like to give us blanket permission to link your meta please comment to the Blanket Permissions Post. If you have feedback or questions, check out our FAQ, Contact the Mods, or PM/email. If you'd like to volunteer to link-find or mod, please comment to the Volunteers Post.
Hugo Awards
Black Gate Withdraws from Hugo Consideration: John ONeill (blog) - "Since the nomination for Black Gate was for the entire site, which produces over 120 articles per month by a team of over 40 volunteers, I did not decline the nomination, although personally I shared many of the Matthew’s concerns. However, over the last two weeks I’ve had the opportunity to hear from many of our bloggers, and by and large they share many of those concerns as well."
topic:hugoawards
Hugo Story Withdrawn: Annie Bellet (blog) - "I have withdrawn my story "Goodnight Stars" from consideration in this year’s Hugo Awards."
topic:hugoawards
a statement on my hugo nomination: Marko Kloos (blog) - "I have officially withdrawn my acceptance of the Best Novel nomination for "Lines of Departure" at this year’s Hugo Awards."
topic:hugoawards
The Latest Hugo Conspiracy Nonsense Involving Me: John Scalzi (blog) - "In the wake of one of John C. Wright’s Hugo-nominated stories being disqualified for the ballot because it was previously published on his Web site, howls of bitter indignancy have arisen from the Puppy quarters, on the basis that Old Man’s War, a book I serialized here on Whatever in 2002, qualified for the Hugo ballot in 2006 (it did not win)."
topic:hugoawards
More on the Sad Puppies Hugo Nominations: Deidre Saoirse Moen (blog) - "This is a multi-purpose post about the Sad Puppies (et al) Hugo Nominations and award slates"
topic:hugoawards
WHY I WON’T BE A PRESENTER AT THE HUGO AWARDS THIS YEAR: Connie Willis (blog) - "But then Vox Day and his followers made it impossible for me to remain silent , keep calm, and carry on. Not content with just using dirty tricks to get on the ballot, they’re now demanding they win, too, or they’ll destroy the Hugos altogether."
topic:hugoawards
Freeping the Hugo Awards: Susan Grigsby (blog) - "Grab your popcorn and meet me below the fold for the sad and rabid story of the puppies."
topic:hugoawards
Untitled: David Gerrold (Facebook) - "But here's the real question -- and although I doubt I'm going to get an honest answer here, I'm going to ask it anyway -- in the long lead-up to all of this, did anybody in the group think about methodology?"
topic:hugoawards
Vox Day’s involvement in the Sad Puppies slate: Naomi Kritzer (blog) - "Quite a bit of the coverage has conflated the "Sad Puppy" slate (put up by SF author Brad Torgersen) with the "Rabid Puppy" slate (put up by honest-to-God neo-fascist Theodore Beale, who writes as Vox Day)."
topic:hugoawards
Right-Wind Trolls Hijack SciFi Oscars: Arthur Chu (blog) - "How did a guy who once said men want to beat "fags" with tire irons nab six prestigious nominations? It’s ugly in the SciFi fiction world."
topic:hugoawards
On Laura Mixon-Gould’s Hugo Nomination for Best Fanwriter: RCRuiz (blog) - "I’m saying this not because she’s the only non-SP on the list, but because she put herself at risk when she didn’t need to."
topic:hugoawards
Som e comments on the Hugos and other SF awards: Eric Flint (blog) - "It’s also been brought to my attention that Breitbart’s very well-trafficked web site-never famous for the accuracy of its so-called "reporting"-has me listed as one of the supposedly downtrodden conservative and/or libertarian authors oppressed by the SF establishment."
topic:hugoawards
Guided by the Beauty of Their Weapons: An Analysis of Theodore Beale and his Supporters: Philip Sandifer (blog) - "One note that is probably worth making before we begin - I am writing this with the assumption of a basically sympathetic audience who have heard bits of the disturbing story, but who aren’t clear on the whole picture. It’s meant to be persuasive to people who are, broadly speaking, left-leaning (or at least not far-right) fans of intelligent and literary science fiction, and who are not generally of the opinion that there was ever anything badly wrong with the Hugo Awards."
topic:hugoawards
Why I Am Voting No Award In The Best Fan Writer Category:Abigail Nussbaum (blog) - "It's been six days since this year's Hugo nominations were announced, and in fandom time that feels like an eternity."
topic:hugoawards
Inside Amy Schumer
Season 3 of ‘Inside Amy Schumer’ claws the eyes out of the male gaze: Audra Schroeder (blog) - "The sketch is so funny, you almost forget Schumer’s critiquing a very real, persistent issue. This is the magic of Inside Amy Schumer."
fandom:insideamyschumer
iZombie
NOC Recaps iZombie: What About the Zombies of Color?: Connie (blog) - "Then we’ll get into the question of the week: Why don’t Zombies of Color have obvious zombie markers like the Caucasian characters do?"
fandom:izombie, topic:race
Can You Spare a Brain? iZombie From Panel to Screen: Christa Seeley (blog) - "Angel and Christa decided to undergo a little experiment when the CW premiered iZombie a few weeks ago. Christa had already read the majority of the comic series by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred before watching the show. Angel on the other hand watched the first two episodes of the show first and then read the first Volume of the comic. Let’s see how that affected their consumption of both versions."
fandom:izombie, fandom:comics, topic:adaptations
iZombie, Season 1, Episode 5: Flight From the Living Dead: Sparky (blog) - "So that was Izombie’s first attempt at LGBT inclusion"
fandom:izombie, warning:spoilers
James Bond
Bond Girl: Re-Watching and Re-Evaluating Goldfinger: Zina Hutton (blog) - "With the James Bond film franchise passing its fiftieth anniversary, there’s no doubt that the franchise has its fair share of iconic moments, images, lines and characters - and none are more so than those from Goldfinger."
fandom:jamesbond
The World Is Not Enough: The Transgressive Villainesses Of James Bond: ladybusiness (DW) - "The irony of being a queer intersectional feminist who is also a massive James Bond fan who will be seeing Spectre in IMAX on opening weekend is not lost on me"
fandom:jamesbond
Joss Whedon
We Don’t Need the Shadow Men: Joss Whedon’s Dishwater Feminism Can Sit Down Now: Megan Purdy (blog) - "Even Joss Whedon, nice guy that he is, gets criticized by feminists. This is why: "It never occurred to me that championing equality for women was going to be controversial." Naive or disingenuous? You can decide that for yourself. But Whedon’s brand of polite, liberal feminism is a problem."
topic:feminism, fandom:josswhedon
Jupiter Ascending
"Okay we have to have a talk…": aiffe (blog) - "Lana Wachowski, co-writer and co-director of Jupiter Ascending, does indeed bring the female gaze, but she is not 13. She is 49."
fandom:jupiterascending
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter: starlady (DW) - "The movie is based on the urban legend surrounding the suicide of Konishi Takako in Minnesota in 2001."
fandom:kumikothetreasurehunter
Labyrinth
Movies that Shaped Me: Labyrinth: Lela Gwenn (blog) - "On June 27th, 1986, I had been seven years old for exactly nine days when my parents took me to see Labyrinth in the theater."
fandom:labyrinth
LadyStar
How to Fight Like a Girl, Part 3: LadyStar and Fighting for Love: Theodore Jefferson (blog) - "It is far too easy for authors and readers alike to describe a teenage girl with a boyfriend or even a candidate for a boyfriend as "boy crazy." The equivalent concept of "girl crazy" for boy characters is rare to the point of absurdity."
fandom:ladystar
Last Man on Earth
The Last Man on Earth, Season One, Episode Eleven: Moved to Tampa: Renee (blog) - "Well, considering that this started off as a dystopian with one man, the characters are adding up fast."
fandom:lastmanonearth, warning:spoilers
Legend of Zelda
Gossip Stone: Does the Ocarina’s Power Rival the Triforce?: Andrew Kiser (blog) - "Link’s arsenal is made up of many powerful items that he uses throughout his quests, however, one item in particular holds a magical power that goes far beyond the abilities of just causing damage or solving puzzles."
fandom:legendofzelda
Gossip Stone: What Real-Life Cultural Settings Could Be Emulated in a Future Zelda Game?: John Lett (blog) - "Should Zelda should take bigger influence from the rest of the world and different ages, like it has in quite small sections of the existing games?"
fandom:legendofzelda
Leverage
Untitled: gyzym (Tumblr) - "one of my favorite things to think about in terms of the future of the leverage ot3 is how they deal with the inevitable copycats that must crop up"
fandom:leverage
Untitled: gyzym (Tumblr) - "Do you have a headcanon for when Parker and Hardison manage to fully seduce Eliot into the OT3? Like what finally makes him take the leap to being in a romantic relationship with them?"
fandom:leverage, topic:relationships
Life Is Strange
Anyone else could have saved her: Life is Strange gave my personal tragedy a score: Laura Dale (blog) - "I think that video game creators need to treat difficult subject material with a greater degree of responsibility that creators in any other medium."
fandom:gaming, warning:suicide
Man From Uncle
The Round Table - Who Will Bridge The Gap?: glennagir (LJ) - "I don't know if I have a question, but I'm interested in what other people think about this. Will it change the fandom to have writers coming in who see the 60's from their perspective? How will we fare, the older, original fans?"
fandom:manfromuncle, topic:fandom
Marvel Cinematic Universe
How strong is Loki in the MCU?:beccaelizabeth (DW) - "I’m just wondering because at that strength it seems like if he so much as slaps a human they’re going to get very very very dead. Like, one punch, no waiting, pulp."
fandom:mcu
Avengers and Physics: beccaelizabeth (DW) - "The shot to take out the helicarrier engine wasn't aimed straight into the whizzy rotors, it curved way the hell around and had to account for air currents, and then hit where the debris could do the damage and stop the thing. Hell of a lot of understanding of weak spots, to get that right."
fandom:mcu
The epic inefficiency of secret police:beccaelizabeth (DW) - "Because there’s a whole big difference between an interaction where you start with a problem, take it to the police, and end with less problem, and one where you start with no problem, the police roll up, and your day is messed up."
fandom:mcu
Untitled: beccaelizabeth (DW) - "I like the lines around Phil’s eyes, and I like how Clint has an expression with his whole face cause it’s interesting shapes now."
fandom:mcu
The utter inefficiency of secrecy:beccaelizabeth (DW) - "Most of all, there’s no feedback possible. Dude at the top says an order, everyone else either jumps or doesn’t jump."
fandom:mcu
You're going to break me but you do it with style: sperrywink (DW) - "I am still consumed by trying to tease out his characterization and relationship with Steve."
fandom:mcu
MCU Loki Discussion Part One: fail_fandomanon (DW) - "It was tacky. It was unnecessary to compare Loki to Hitler to get across that he was a Bad Guy (and really, it felt like it was minimizing Hitler's atrocities). It was a pretty America rah rah moment. It was cheesy as fuck. It was emotionally exploitative."
fandom:mcu
MCU Loki Discussion Part Two: fail_fandomanon (DW) - "You're basing your interpretation of a character based on the writing in Movie X. Based on this, you interpret Character Y to be Z.
However, some parts of Movie X's writing you find to be so dumb and cliche it can't possibly have been the genuine opinions of Character Y."
fandom:mcu
The Messengers
The Messengers, Season One, Episode One: Awakening: Renee (blog) - "The pilot had a myriad of characters and locations, making it sometimes hard to follow"
fandom:themessengers, warning:spoilers
Monty Python
"Normal is a Social Construct (and hella lame) - Michel Foucault and the Quest for the Holy Grail": schadenfeudessa (blog) - "But does this cult classic also teach us about the power of discourse and the rules that control that power?"
fandom:montypython
Mulan
Live-Action Mulan Sparks Whitewashing Concerns: Sam Maggs (blog) - "Hollywood doesn’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to casting actors of color for characters of color; though you’d think the days of "Italians playing Native Americans" had been left in the past, all you have to do is look at any anime adaptation, including the tragic Avatar: The Last Airbender, to see the problems we’re still having with diverse casting."
fandom:disney, topic:whitewashing, topic:race
Olympus
Olympus, Season 1, Episode 3: Ring of the Magi: Sparky (blog) - "This show does not intrigue me much. The acting is generally terrible, the CGI and settings so cheap that it beggars belief and the plot line is less than fascinating."
fandom:olympus, warning:spoilers
Once Upon a Time
Once Upon a Time, Season 4, Episode 18: Heart of Gold: Sparky (blog) - "Gold’s evil heart attack is not something I’m running with - link disease and disability to morality only ever leads to unpleasant places."
fandom:onceuponatime
Once Upon a Time, Season 4, Episode 19: Sympathy for the De Ville: Sparky (blog) - "Can I say again that I totally agree with Emma’s horror at the atrocious and appalling act her parents committed - especially since they’re STILL JUSTIFYING IT - but I still can’t agree with the focus of her anger - constantly going on about how her parents lied."
fandom:onceuponatime, warning:spoilers
The Originals
The Originals, Season Two, Episode Seventeen: Exquisite Corpse: Renee (blog) - "Even for The Originals that was a whole lot of angst. It was so bad that at times it felt like I was watching a teenage soap opera."
fandom:theoriginals
The Originals, Season Two, Episode Eighteen: Night Has a Thousand Eyes: Renee (blog) - "It seems that The Originals made a whiny liar out of me this episode."
fandom:theoriginals, warning:spoilers
Orphan Black
Ravings of an Orphan Black Fan: Carrie S. (blog) - "Orphan Black is the kind of show that makes me want to go door-to-door preaching the Gospel of Tatiana Maslany. It makes me feel frantic with anxiety, gleeful, weepy, excited, and triumphant. It makes me laugh so hard I fall off the couch and it makes my heart grow three sizes."
fandom:orphanblack
The Robots of Orphan Black: Noah Berlatsky (journal) - "Throughout pop-culture history, clones and robots have served similar purposes, exploring anxieties about class and labor."
fandom:orphanblack
What ‘Orphan Black’ Says About Women (Good Things - It Says Good Things): Noah Berlatsky (journal) - "Canadian sci-fi television show Orphan Black picks up where Joanna Russ left off, and it runs with the same feminist multiplicity."
fandom:orphanblack
Orphan Black Puts the Greater Good Above Its Clones: "The Weight of This Combination": Natalie Zutter (blog) - "But now, with the start of Orphan Black season 3, the Clone Club must work with Dyad to protect Project Leda from those who would wipe it out completely."
fandom:orphanblack, warning:spoilers
Orphan Black: "The Weight of This Combination" Review: stinekey (blog) - "If the episode titles are any indication, this year we’re going to spend a lot of time playing with themes of war and military."
fandom:orphanblack, warning:spoilers
Orphan Black Season Three, Episode One: The Weight of This Combination: Renee (blog) - "Once again, I have to say a hail to Tatiana Maslany."
fandom:orphanblack, warning:spoilers
Orphan Black: Philip Sandifer (blog) - "It’s better binged than serialized, I suspect. Certainly I found my desire to watch another episode to be quite intense following the cliffhanger, and relatively middling twenty-four hours later."
fandom:orphanblack
Outlander
Outlander Episode 10: By The Pricking Of My Thumbs: Redheadedgirl (blog) - Summary of the episode followed by discussion of it
fandom:outlander, warning:spoilers
Pacific Rim
Pacific Rim and Lessons in Positive Masculinity: Dr. Nerdlove (blog) - "After last week’s discussion about reclaiming what it means to be a man from the restrictions of toxic masculinity, it’s time to look at a movie that gives not just one but multiple examples of how to be a better man. And that movie is Pacific Rim."
fandom:pacificrim
The Returned
The Returned, Season 2, Episode 6: Lucy: Sparky (blog) - "As the show deviates from the French original I’m getting much more intrigued to see where they’re going - because we have a lot of new directions here."
fandom:thereturned, warning:spoilers
Romeo and Juliet
Alike in Dignity: Feuding Houses in Romeo and Juliet: Jo Walton (blog) - "People always talk about Romeo and Juliet as if it’s a romance, as if it’s a great passionate play, the greatest love story of all time. Seen that way, I’ve always found it a little disappointing."
fandom:shakespeare
Salem
Salem: One Thing the Show Gets Right: aelarsen (blog) - "The Salem Witch Trials are one of the great historical puzzles. What led a group of mostly teenaged girls to accuse their neighbors of having bewitched them? The problem is a remarkably complex one, and one worth looking at."
fandom:salem, topic:history
Salem, Season 2, Episode 2: Blood Kiss: Sparky (blog) - "Tituba and Mary are still awful together - I actually think Mary trying to pretend that she and her "dark sister" have had similar experiences and face similar oppression is far worse than when they snarl at each other."
fandom:salem, warning:spoilers
Sherlock - 221B Con and fallout
Sherlock 221b Con Wank: anonymous (fail_fandom anon wiki entry) - This is a summary of sorts of the situation and participants. It’s definitely biased, but it’s the easiest place to get a general idea of what’s going on without wading in too deep.
topic:fandom, topic:conventions, topic:harassment
on fandom, bullying, and respectful spaces: traumachu (Tumblr) - "The issues I am trying to address are larger than one group of bloggers, but a pattern of bullying has arisen within the fandom and this particular group of bloggers and their admirers and followers are at the root of it."
topic:fandom, topic:conventions, topic:harassment
What Happened at 221b Con 2015: The Gender Politics of Fandom Panel and the Aftermath: thegreenirene (Tumblr) - "First, I would like to say that, as some of you have no doubt noticed, this is a new blog. I have created the blog because I’m afraid of opening myself to being a target of doxxing or bullying if I post about this on my main blog, which is easily linked to my A03 and other fandom spaces that are still safe for me and that I’d like to keep that way."
topic:fandom, topic:conventions, topic:harassment
Untitled: enjoy-ass (Tumblr) - "some people’s "preferences" are illegal and should not be tolerated."
topic:fandom, topic:fanworks
Untitled: lesbianghouls (Tumblr) - "someone made a creep writing rape for fun cry!! so bad!!! let’s just forget how their glorification and promotion of pedophilia and rape make survivors feel which guess what!! goes beyond simply crying, this is some sick bullshit #end the pedophilia and rape glorification"
topic:fanworks, topic:kink
In which I finally talk about the TJLC panel at Sherlock Seattle: emmagrant01 (Tumblr) - "Considering some of the events of 221b Con last weekend, I’ve decided to talk publicly about something I previously thought I never would: the TJLC panel at Sherlock Seattle last January."
topic:fandom, topic:conventions, topic:harassment
Bullying and Kinkshaming and 221b Con: Enough is Enough: roane (Tumblr) - "So by now you may be wondering, "wow, why is roane so exercised about not kink shaming and online harassment and why is she tagging so many posts ’#end the bullying’?" Or maybe you know why."
topic:fandom, topic:conventions, topic:harassment
Sherlock Holmes
Could Sherlock Holmes Be Successful as a CPA?: Bryce Sanders (blog) - "The character of Sherlock Holmes has an enduring legacy, with each successive generation producing their own "Holmes" for stage, TV, print, and film. But could he do your job? Would Holmes be a successful addition to your accounting practice?"
fandom:acdsherlock
Canon Discussion: The Beryl Coronet: scfrankles (LJ) - "This week we’re having a look at The Beryl Coronet. I’ve typed up a few thoughts to get the discussion going-please leave your own ideas in the comments!"
fandom:acdsherlock
A Song of Ice and Fire
Top Characters #17 Samwell Tarly: MrFadedGlory (blog) - "Sam Tarly is on a Journey. Certainly, by the end of the existing five books of A Song of Ice and Fire Sam has undergone a huge physical journey, but we have also witnessed a metaphorical journey and a journey of character development."
fandom:asoiaf
The Worst Man in Westeros: Walder Frey: Jim McGeehin (blog) - "He is held in special contempt both by the characters in the story as well as outside viewers not simply for his betrayal of his king, but by how much he profits from it, and his unsavory nature."
fandom:asoiaf
Stargate Universe
Stargate Universe, Switching Bodies, and Consent: MadameAce (blog) - "Stargate Universe’s first season is the franchise at its worst-and that can best be seen in how the show utilizes alien technology."
fandom:stargate, warning:rape
Supernatural
Supernatural, Season 10, Episode 18: Book of the Damned: Sparky (blog) - "Another Charlie episode! This always leaves me slightly leery."
fandom:supernatural, warning:spoilers
Stream of Consciousness, Episode 10.18: gaelicspirit (LJ) - "The brotherhood on display in the last few episodes has been fantastic -- very Kripke-era, IMO -- but recently even the sub-plots and other characters have engaged me. And seeing the possibilities come together -- with only five episodes left -- is exciting."
fandom:supernatural
SPN 10.18 Book of the Damned: blackcat 333-99 (LJ) - "Words cannot express how thrilled I am with this week's episode, and the insight into Sam's mind and heart we got."
fandom:supernatural
Tolkien
We need to talk about Peter Jackson’s obsession with orcs: Ed Power (blog) - "Whatever your opinion of Jackson's juggernaut, though, there is one indisputable weakness baked into his cinematic interpretation of Middle-earth. He is obsessed with orcs, those stock swords and sorcery nasties with terminally bad skin and the deportment of '80s football hooligans hopped up on Special Brew."
fandom:jrrtolkien, topic:adaptations
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Stuff You Should Be Watching: The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Redheadedgirl and Brynhild (blog) - Two essays on the show, one favorable and one not.
fandom:unbreakablekimmyschmidt
The Vampire Diaries
Vampire Diaries, Season 6, Episode 18: I Could Never Love Like That: Sparky (blog) - "Vampire Diaries broken, inconsistent morality has now actually become hilarious to me."
fandom:thevampirediaries, warning:spoilers
X-Men
Today in Imperfect Representation: One of the Original X-Men Just Came Out as Gay: Carolyn Cox (blog) - "Brian Michael Bendis’ All-New X-Men #40 won’t be released until tomorrow, but leaked pages uploaded to Tumblr show that this issue contains a huge reveal for one of the original mutants."
fandom:x-men, fandom:marvelcomics, topic:lgbt, warning:spoilers
’All New X-Men’ Reveals Longtime X-Man As Gay: Andrew Wheeler (blog) - "It’s a big moment, and one that could potentially increase gay visibility in the Marvel Universe in a significant way, but there are complications to the story that make it hard to read as an unambiguous victory for LGBTQ representation."
fandom:x-men, fandom:marvelcomics, topic:lgbt, warning:spoilers
Our Future’s No Utopia But It’s Better Than The Past; There Is An X in "Sexuality" [Spoilers]: MJ Feuerborn (blog) - "As often happens just before a notable change in Marvel status quo, several pages were leaked online from this upcoming Wednesday’s All-New X-Men #40, in which an original member of Marvel’s mutant team the X-Men is outed to us as gay by a teammate."
fandom:x-men, fandom:marvelcomics, topic:lgbt, warning:spoilers