Television!
I'm not sure why I still watch House. I don't particularly like anyone on it anymore except for Thirteen. (Does she even have a real name?)
OH WAIT. That's right. I watch it for the epic gay. After this episode I still feel exactly the same way I felt at the end of last season - House/Wilson is being set up and is the only logical conclusion. I'm not saying I really believe they'll go there. I'm just saying that narratively they should. Between Amber's death and the great House/Wilson rift and the h/c potential (that I think might be realized in the next couple of weeks) it was pretty much like watching fan fiction that was filmed and put on my television. I remember all through the finale just thinking "am I really watching this?" I was! It can't possibly just be my slash goggles. (Though those are apparently out of control, idk. I think I've been talking about fandom too much to the other people in my grad program). I just don't see other options! Which is distressing because when it doesn't happen I'm going to be so disappointed.
++++
Oh, Supernatural. From what I can tell, everybody either loved this episode or hated it and most people loved it. My reaction was more middle of the road. I'm hyper sensitive to SPN's treatment of women, and this episode didn't do anything on any level to alleviate that discomfort. And if Sam is really sleeping with Ruby? ICK. I would be all about Sam sleeping with a demon if we established that the original inhabitant of the body is dead, but until that is established even the insinuation squicks me *hard.*
Other than that, I think it was solid. I *loved* the beginning sequence with Dean digging out of the grave. I loved the the reunions with Bobby and Sam and the Impala. I loved Sam's no-nonsense control of his powers and I like that he's working with Ruby. I'm not sure how I feel about the new actress playing her yet. I liked the attitude Katie Cassidy brought to the character and I feel like that's missing, but I feel like it's missing in the writing itself, not just in the acting. Maybe she'll grow on me.
Angels! Congrats, SPN fandom, now you can have canonical wingfic. I am neither for nor against this angel development; I am waiting to see where it goes. On the one hand, Sam is a demon and Dean is chosen by God! HOW'S THAT FOR CONFLICT? And yeah, after years of demons, it's about time the other side showed up. Also: Castiel provides a new and excellent option for non-wincestuous Dean slash. Thanks, Kripke. Just what I always wanted! (No, really. Just what I always wanted. Somebody get on that?) On the other hand, some of what I always loved about Dean was that he wasn't special. He wasn't Chosen. He just did what the fuck he had to do because he chose it. (Well, sort of. Chose to continue, anyway.) Also, I'm SUPER picky about religion plot lines. They're very difficult to do well and almost always make me twitchy unless they're handled in a very particular way. I'm always looking for a very delicate balance of irreverence and respect and it just . . . doesn't usually happen. And I'm not sure I trust SPN with it, but we'll see how they do.
It was definitely a successful premier in that I feel engaged again - more so than I have in awhile. So okay, SPN. Show me what you've got.
++++
Also, I've been watching Entourage through Netflix for the past couple of weeks. I'm only a little over half way through season 2, but I'm pretty sure I'm spoiled for everything because I have read every fic on the internet. I enjoy the show even though I feel like the characters are assholes a lot of the time. Vincent Chase is a hotass. Like, really, I find Adrian Grenier attractive anyway, but I find him alarmingly attractive in this role because Vince is such a stellar example of a guy I would want to punch in the face if I had to spend a sustained amount of time with him. Why is he so endearing? It's completely distressing. Ari is good times, though. I've read too much fic, however. I keep being depressed by the heteronormativity in the show. This is what happens when you are introduced to a canon through fic. Possibly it is also what happens when you are ruined by bandom.
Also, how is there not more fic for this fandom? How is there not an EPIC following. This show is EVERYTHING FANDOM LOVES.
The other strange thing is my reaction to the fic. I love it. I have *devoured* it. Which is odd because obviously the blatant and indisputable OTP is Eric/Vince, but codependent BFF ships (especially codependent *childhood* BFF ships) are normally so deeply not my thing. I think it's just that it's so impossible to argue with it maybe? Like, no one person should be *everything* to another person, especially if one of those people is Pete Wentz Brian Kinney examples from any number of ships I have used this argument with before Vincent Chase, but since Eric and Vince are so determined to be everything to each other canonically, well, what are you gonna do? Whatever, I love it in a completely uncharacteristic way. (I can also get behind Eric/Ari. There are approximately two fics with this pairing in existence. I would also support Sloan/Mandy, but I'm pretty sure this fandom has preduced zero (0) femslash). This may just be in large part because right now all I want out of my fannish experience is many, many epic first time fics about queer celebrities. I don't know? It's something of a paradigm shift because I remember not that long ago when all I wanted out of my fannish experience was science fiction and I would never have even had the time of day for a fandom that didn't have canonical vampires and/or aliens.
++++
Hello, hello everybody! How are you? I'm starting to get some kind of balance between school and what passes for a social life here. (Very different from in New Orleans). Sometimes I still feel like I have no time to do anything except read and the work load continues to be crazy intense, but I think I'm starting to get it under control. Or at least I'm starting to figure out what I need to be doing and when. I've been taking a bit of a break from bandom recently, which has less to do with bandom than it does with the fact that when I get super stressed I tend to step away from whatever my primary fandom currently is because said primary fandom starts to feel like an obligation and something I have to "keep up" with. Then it gets lumped in with things I "should" be doing and then it's not as good of an avoidance method/coping mechanism/distraction as fandoms that I just kind of have a passing fascination with are. Also, I now read a lot about politics all of the time and spend much of what little free time I have having rage blackouts. So yeah, hi, I'm neurotic. I know! Isn't that new and different? Anyway, I have no idea what my fannish participation will look like in the near future, but I'm hoping I can balance that too. I don't like feeling out of the loop.
OH WAIT. That's right. I watch it for the epic gay. After this episode I still feel exactly the same way I felt at the end of last season - House/Wilson is being set up and is the only logical conclusion. I'm not saying I really believe they'll go there. I'm just saying that narratively they should. Between Amber's death and the great House/Wilson rift and the h/c potential (that I think might be realized in the next couple of weeks) it was pretty much like watching fan fiction that was filmed and put on my television. I remember all through the finale just thinking "am I really watching this?" I was! It can't possibly just be my slash goggles. (Though those are apparently out of control, idk. I think I've been talking about fandom too much to the other people in my grad program). I just don't see other options! Which is distressing because when it doesn't happen I'm going to be so disappointed.
++++
Oh, Supernatural. From what I can tell, everybody either loved this episode or hated it and most people loved it. My reaction was more middle of the road. I'm hyper sensitive to SPN's treatment of women, and this episode didn't do anything on any level to alleviate that discomfort. And if Sam is really sleeping with Ruby? ICK. I would be all about Sam sleeping with a demon if we established that the original inhabitant of the body is dead, but until that is established even the insinuation squicks me *hard.*
Other than that, I think it was solid. I *loved* the beginning sequence with Dean digging out of the grave. I loved the the reunions with Bobby and Sam and the Impala. I loved Sam's no-nonsense control of his powers and I like that he's working with Ruby. I'm not sure how I feel about the new actress playing her yet. I liked the attitude Katie Cassidy brought to the character and I feel like that's missing, but I feel like it's missing in the writing itself, not just in the acting. Maybe she'll grow on me.
Angels! Congrats, SPN fandom, now you can have canonical wingfic. I am neither for nor against this angel development; I am waiting to see where it goes. On the one hand, Sam is a demon and Dean is chosen by God! HOW'S THAT FOR CONFLICT? And yeah, after years of demons, it's about time the other side showed up. Also: Castiel provides a new and excellent option for non-wincestuous Dean slash. Thanks, Kripke. Just what I always wanted! (No, really. Just what I always wanted. Somebody get on that?) On the other hand, some of what I always loved about Dean was that he wasn't special. He wasn't Chosen. He just did what the fuck he had to do because he chose it. (Well, sort of. Chose to continue, anyway.) Also, I'm SUPER picky about religion plot lines. They're very difficult to do well and almost always make me twitchy unless they're handled in a very particular way. I'm always looking for a very delicate balance of irreverence and respect and it just . . . doesn't usually happen. And I'm not sure I trust SPN with it, but we'll see how they do.
It was definitely a successful premier in that I feel engaged again - more so than I have in awhile. So okay, SPN. Show me what you've got.
++++
Also, I've been watching Entourage through Netflix for the past couple of weeks. I'm only a little over half way through season 2, but I'm pretty sure I'm spoiled for everything because I have read every fic on the internet. I enjoy the show even though I feel like the characters are assholes a lot of the time. Vincent Chase is a hotass. Like, really, I find Adrian Grenier attractive anyway, but I find him alarmingly attractive in this role because Vince is such a stellar example of a guy I would want to punch in the face if I had to spend a sustained amount of time with him. Why is he so endearing? It's completely distressing. Ari is good times, though. I've read too much fic, however. I keep being depressed by the heteronormativity in the show. This is what happens when you are introduced to a canon through fic. Possibly it is also what happens when you are ruined by bandom.
Also, how is there not more fic for this fandom? How is there not an EPIC following. This show is EVERYTHING FANDOM LOVES.
The other strange thing is my reaction to the fic. I love it. I have *devoured* it. Which is odd because obviously the blatant and indisputable OTP is Eric/Vince, but codependent BFF ships (especially codependent *childhood* BFF ships) are normally so deeply not my thing. I think it's just that it's so impossible to argue with it maybe? Like, no one person should be *everything* to another person, especially if one of those people is Pete Wentz Brian Kinney examples from any number of ships I have used this argument with before Vincent Chase, but since Eric and Vince are so determined to be everything to each other canonically, well, what are you gonna do? Whatever, I love it in a completely uncharacteristic way. (I can also get behind Eric/Ari. There are approximately two fics with this pairing in existence. I would also support Sloan/Mandy, but I'm pretty sure this fandom has preduced zero (0) femslash). This may just be in large part because right now all I want out of my fannish experience is many, many epic first time fics about queer celebrities. I don't know? It's something of a paradigm shift because I remember not that long ago when all I wanted out of my fannish experience was science fiction and I would never have even had the time of day for a fandom that didn't have canonical vampires and/or aliens.
++++
Hello, hello everybody! How are you? I'm starting to get some kind of balance between school and what passes for a social life here. (Very different from in New Orleans). Sometimes I still feel like I have no time to do anything except read and the work load continues to be crazy intense, but I think I'm starting to get it under control. Or at least I'm starting to figure out what I need to be doing and when. I've been taking a bit of a break from bandom recently, which has less to do with bandom than it does with the fact that when I get super stressed I tend to step away from whatever my primary fandom currently is because said primary fandom starts to feel like an obligation and something I have to "keep up" with. Then it gets lumped in with things I "should" be doing and then it's not as good of an avoidance method/coping mechanism/distraction as fandoms that I just kind of have a passing fascination with are. Also, I now read a lot about politics all of the time and spend much of what little free time I have having rage blackouts. So yeah, hi, I'm neurotic. I know! Isn't that new and different? Anyway, I have no idea what my fannish participation will look like in the near future, but I'm hoping I can balance that too. I don't like feeling out of the loop.