non-existent Teyla and Ronon

[tielan]

I don't read very much in the broader fandom, but I'm coming across certain patterns in the fanfic in the sga_santa challenge, and I'm rather terrified by what they're implying about fic across fandom

Comments

[saeva]

Personally, I don't think it's even that inherent in the show. John's obvious focus, yes, absolutely, and the show is definitely balanced towards exploring Rodney -- in context of other characters. But this season especially and the majority of the episodes over all seasons in my opinion is really balanced over things like John and Ronon's friendship, the connection between John and Teyla and their obvious concern for each other, John and Elizabeth's struggles at leadership (.... it really is the John show) and they've begun to highlight Lorne and Keller this season a lot too.

When you consider that the show still considers itself primarily an action-adventure show, with dramatic and comedic elements, this really makes sense and it's why I continue watching the show despite a disinterest in the heavy Sheppard&McKay elements from the third season. I was saying all last season that they just needed to hit their stride and I think that, in the fourth season, they really have. What people have chosen to ignore is exactly that: what they've chosen to ignore.

But now you know why I never talk to you about SGA fic because, god, even OT4 fic, which is supposedly inherently team-oriented, is like this. It's just like how people chose not to see Teal'c in SG-1 (and, hey, we all have characters we prefer, myself included, which is why you choose premises that highlight those characters) and I've decided not to dwell too heavily on the why. Mostly because I suspect it'll be a lot like the argument for ignoring female characters, i.e. 'Well, they're all so stereotypical and uninteresting!' *rolls eyes*

[tielan]

I was saying all last season that they just needed to hit their stride and I think that, in the fourth season, they really have. What people have chosen to ignore is exactly that: what they've chosen to ignore.

They're certainly doing better than they were in S3 in terms of using characters. Now if they switch the focus even further along to Teyla and Ronon and what they bring to the expedition in S5, then I think they can bring a whole new element to the show and grow out of the habit of infantilising the aliens.