the wonders we've seen
I've been thinking a lot about Farscape fandom lately. (Mostly as a contrast to Call the Midwife fandom, which is...a very long story that you can see some of, if you care to, by poking around on mine and 
gabolange's Tumblrs, and also on her journal. But as someone who has been around that fandom for a while confirmed to me yesterday, it really is the Stepford fandom.)
But anyway, my experience of trying to enter Stepford/twilight zone fandom, and sort of falling on my face a bit, because the floor isn't where you think it is, has made me think of Farscape, and what a tremendous fandom that was to join. I was late to it--the show had finished--and I was never in the thick of things like so many people were. The fandoms that brought me my lifelong friends were mostly not that one, though of course I know for many people their Farscape crew was what my BSG crew became to me.
But that didn't matter, and that's the brilliant thing. Even a bit on the fringes and late to the party, there was still that recognition of that--thing--that on one hand is true of all fandoms when they grab your heart but was somehow so much more true of Farscape. I'm never going to love anything ever again like I love this. Maybe it's because Farscape is so weird and uneven, and so many people back right out the door, that when it clicks, when it becomes your One True Show, that kindred spirit thing is strong. Back then, someone would discover it and post their first OMG Farscape!!! post. Some friend who was already into the show would see it and call in the puppy pile, and suddenly all these people were flailing about in your comments, showing you where the good fic was, and welcoming you to the fold.
And the fic. God. No other fandom I've known has had such a high proportion of astonishingly brilliant fic. Sure, there was also plenty of bad and mediocre fic, but there was SO. MUCH. good fic. So many amazing writers pushing the envelope at every opportunity, pushing it even further than the show itself, which is saying something.
For me it came at exactly a moment in my life that I needed to fall down that particular wormhole. And maybe if I'd found it at another time it would have been a little different (though I can't imagine any version of me not adoring it). But I'm never going to love anything ever again like I loved that. And I loved it alongside some really amazing people who felt the same way.
Crossposted from DW, where there are
comments. Comment here or there.
gabolange's Tumblrs, and also on her journal. But as someone who has been around that fandom for a while confirmed to me yesterday, it really is the Stepford fandom.)
But anyway, my experience of trying to enter Stepford/twilight zone fandom, and sort of falling on my face a bit, because the floor isn't where you think it is, has made me think of Farscape, and what a tremendous fandom that was to join. I was late to it--the show had finished--and I was never in the thick of things like so many people were. The fandoms that brought me my lifelong friends were mostly not that one, though of course I know for many people their Farscape crew was what my BSG crew became to me.
But that didn't matter, and that's the brilliant thing. Even a bit on the fringes and late to the party, there was still that recognition of that--thing--that on one hand is true of all fandoms when they grab your heart but was somehow so much more true of Farscape. I'm never going to love anything ever again like I love this. Maybe it's because Farscape is so weird and uneven, and so many people back right out the door, that when it clicks, when it becomes your One True Show, that kindred spirit thing is strong. Back then, someone would discover it and post their first OMG Farscape!!! post. Some friend who was already into the show would see it and call in the puppy pile, and suddenly all these people were flailing about in your comments, showing you where the good fic was, and welcoming you to the fold.
And the fic. God. No other fandom I've known has had such a high proportion of astonishingly brilliant fic. Sure, there was also plenty of bad and mediocre fic, but there was SO. MUCH. good fic. So many amazing writers pushing the envelope at every opportunity, pushing it even further than the show itself, which is saying something.
For me it came at exactly a moment in my life that I needed to fall down that particular wormhole. And maybe if I'd found it at another time it would have been a little different (though I can't imagine any version of me not adoring it). But I'm never going to love anything ever again like I loved that. And I loved it alongside some really amazing people who felt the same way.
Crossposted from DW, where there are
comments. Comment here or there.