Today's
metafandom linked to a post by
sistermagpie titled
A Nerd Fallacy (
on LJ):
Basically, it sometimes seem to work like this: If you've got two characters and one of them has more qualities that map more closely onto the "nerd" stereotype, that's the character more people will identify with, and sometimes he'll then be characterized more like the fan. Then in subtle or not so subtle ways, he'll be seen as superior. A character with more in common with the jock stereotype--even in small ways--might not be disliked, but he'll be inferior in the way all those cool people in high school and athletes are supposed to be. I don't know if it's as simple as believing that if you have gifts like athletic ability, classic good looks or social success they must be paid for by a lack of brain power and imagination and even sometimes compassion.
Boy howdy, does this ever sound familiar. XP
Now, I certainly have not written my characters as True and Real as I possibly could; hell I don't know what I'm doing with them, a good two-thirds of the time. But I have to assume, I have to believe, that a story you write can only become truer and realer when you allow characters to be as complicated and as multi-faceted as they can be (while still flowing from canon).
Of course, we all have a different interpretations of what that might look like, and you may end up hating mine and I may end up hating yours. *shrug*
Fannish5: Name five characters who should have their own spin-offs.
1)
Willow Rosenberg, Buffy the Vampire Slayer - I remember debating with a friend in university who felt either Willow or Xander would make a better spin-off character than Faith. I didn't agree about Xander--he's better in a supporting role--but I liked the idea of a Willow spin-off, though I argued television wasn't ready for a lesbian superhero. Now, I mostly think, "We'll never be ready, so why not have the lesbian superhero?"
I'd love a show about Willow making amends and confronting her darker side. It might've been interesting for her to lose her powers, for whatever reason, then fight to regain them. She could keep fighting demons, maybe take on a student. Maybe Willow the Witch could have done a better job representing Wicca, or at least delineating Willow's "magick" from actual Wicca. Maybe she'd still be dating Kennedy, maybe someone new.
2)
Faith, Buffy, Angel - I still think Faith would make an excellent spin-off and I'm sad we got Dollhouse instead. I see Faith the Vampire Slayer as the bastard love-child of Angel and Buffy, much the way Faith the character was the bastard love-child of Angel and Buffy. I'd want darkness and redemption, the struggle against madness and violence. I'd want Faith learning to live in the world, relearning innocence. Now that I think about it, Faith would have similarities with another show about a female killer-turned-hero, Xena.
3)
Sam Seaborn, The West Wing - I wanted the Seaborn for America story, with Will Bailey as Sam's campaign manager. Or perhaps instead of a national campaign, we're just talking about Will getting Sam elected as congressman or senator in California. Sam would marry Elsie Snuffin, though of course there'd still be plenty of slash between him and Will. The old Bartlet senior staff would guest-star. Basically, I want Sorkin and Wells (yes, Wells) to write fanfic for me and have the actors play it out. :D
4)
Kira Nerys, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - Well, if you consider the tie-in novels canon, then we've already got a spin-off of DS9. While I've read some of the books, I'm not particularly fond of the Commander character (I forget his name--Vaughn, I think). I don't mind Ro Laren and having other new characters, but I just... couldn't care less about Vaughn. I don't mind a new human character, just not one so stereotypical. I'd prefer Kira to stay at centre-stage, have old characters revolve around her, and bring in new characters much more slowly.
5)
Nikki Wood, Buffy the Vampire Slayer - I hadn't planned to name another Buffyverse character, but honestly, how could I not? Nikki's story deserves to be told. (I haven't read the comics or the tie-in novels so I don't know how much is there. But anyway, I want live-action.) I want New York City, the politics, the financial crisis, the racial tension, the Blackout of 1977. I want little Robin and old Crowley and Nikki, in their neighbourhood, with their family, on their streets, riding their subways. I'm never going to finish that Toby Ziegler/Nikki Wood story, so here I am, futilely wishing someone would write it for me. (Not Joss, though. I'm not sure he could do a fair job on the race stuff.)
I prefer
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