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The Fandoms-as-Relationships Meme
Aug. 23rd, 2011 11:02 amThe one who seduced you, screwed you over, broke your heart in a million pieces, and laughed about it. LOST. I stuck with you, LOST, until the bitter end, except the end really was bitter. Those last two seasons, man, you just threw away everything you'd been doing and fucked it all up, and I've never been able to forgive you for that, never. Take all these characters I cared about and all these mysteries that were unfathomable and distill them down to some high school fantasy of soulmates? Fuck you.
The old flame you don't see very often any more but whom you still really enjoy getting together with for a few drinks and maybe a pleasant nostalgic romp. Harry Potter. I loved (and still love) these books, and I've seen all the movies, but I really don't dabble in the fandom any more. When I do revisit it, I like it! It's fun! It's sweet! It reminds me why I loved it so much! But it no longer captures my imagination the way it once did, even though I'll always have a soft spot for it.
The mysterious dark one whom you used to sit up with talking until 3 AM at weird coffee houses and with whom you were quite smitten until you realized s/he really was fucking crazy: Iron Man. I was all in love at first! It was a grand affair! And then the second film came out and yeah, that sucked. My heart was broken and my hopes dashed. To the degree movies can do that kind of thing.
The one you spent a whole weekend in bed with and who drank up all your liquor and whom you'd still really like to get with again, although you're relieved s/he doesn't actually live in town: The Sopranos. I knew it was a dangerous thing when I started with this show, and I knew it was even more dangerous when I continued. It's a good thing it ended when it did, because I'm not sure how much more of it I could have taken, but I'll stop and reminisce and watch when I run across it. I'm glad it's over. Glad it's over. Glad it's over.
The steady: Cowboy Bebop. My old flame! My favorite! I know you inside out, I love you to pieces. There's nothing about you I don't love, no episode I don't know by heart, backward and forward, up and down. You're the one I'm so proud to introduce to other people, and the one I'll declare my love for from the rooftops for all eternity. I can't quit you, baby.
The alluring stranger whom you've flirted with at parties but have never gotten really serious with: Mad Men. I love what I've seen of it in passing, but the timing's never been right. And then I missed too much and didn't want to start watching from the middle, and and and. But yeah, it's on my list of things to look out for.
The one you hang out with and have vague fantasies about maybe having a thing with, but ultimately you're just good buddies: The Dragon Age franchise. The games are great, but I'm not much of a gamer. The characters are great, but there's always just this little bit lacking. The stories are great, but there's an underlying level of ponderousness to them. The world-building is great, no buts about it. This is the one I want to love a lot more than I actually do, even though I flirt with adoring it all the time.
The one your friends keep introducing you to and who seems like a hell of a cool person except it's never really gone anywhere: Firefly. On some level I want to watch and like this show, but I can't do it. I've tried a number of times, and it just doesn't ever grab me the way they promise it will.
The one who's slept with all your friends, and you keep looking at them and thinking, "How the hell did they land all these cool people?" Doctor Who. Let me tell you, I knew the Doctor a long time ago and thought he was pretty fun, but I've rarely seen this level of mania associated with something so inherently goofy. I must be missing something.
The one who gave you the best damned summer of your life and against whom you measure all other potential partners: Battlestar Galactica. I know, I know, I'm a sucker for the human (ha) tragedy, but the complexity and level of characterization and intensity and ultimate integrity of the storytelling has kind of ruined almost all other drama-based television for me. I can't even explain how good it is to people who haven't seen it and I don't like when things are forced on me, so I'll never force this or any other show on anyone else, but I have to say, this is the show LOST could have been if it had only paid attention to itself.
The one you recently met at a party and would like to get to know better: How I Met Your Mother. It took me a while, and sitcoms have never really been my thing, but I adore this show. Late to the party, I know. I'm not a hundred percent invested in the characters, but I see how easily that could happen.
The old flame that you wouldn't totally object to hooking up with again for a one night romp if only they'd clean up a bit: Baccano! I kind of want more! But there was more, and it wasn't as good. But it was still better than almost everything else! But I don't know where they'd go with it. I mean, I know where the light novels take it, but if they were to make more of it into a show? Sure, I'd watch. But only if they leave characters like Graham Specter out of it.
Your hot new flame: Breaking Bad. I've been on a roll with it, mainlining the first three seasons and I'm almost to S4, then I can catch up and be current. I'm not sure it's going to be The One (I already have a The One), but it's gripping and unnerving and fantastic and disturbing, and the acting is so good and I just believe it. Also, my hot new flame comes with an expiration date, and that's smart.
The one who stole your significant other: The fucking Bourne trilogy. My significant other brakes for it every. Single. Time. Owns it, watches it. Every. Single. Time. Bourne's not even my thing, and I know the dialog backward and forward. Give me back my sweetheart, Jason Bourne, once you've stopped saving the day with nothing but duct tape and a matchstick!
The old flame you don't see very often any more but whom you still really enjoy getting together with for a few drinks and maybe a pleasant nostalgic romp. Harry Potter. I loved (and still love) these books, and I've seen all the movies, but I really don't dabble in the fandom any more. When I do revisit it, I like it! It's fun! It's sweet! It reminds me why I loved it so much! But it no longer captures my imagination the way it once did, even though I'll always have a soft spot for it.
The mysterious dark one whom you used to sit up with talking until 3 AM at weird coffee houses and with whom you were quite smitten until you realized s/he really was fucking crazy: Iron Man. I was all in love at first! It was a grand affair! And then the second film came out and yeah, that sucked. My heart was broken and my hopes dashed. To the degree movies can do that kind of thing.
The one you spent a whole weekend in bed with and who drank up all your liquor and whom you'd still really like to get with again, although you're relieved s/he doesn't actually live in town: The Sopranos. I knew it was a dangerous thing when I started with this show, and I knew it was even more dangerous when I continued. It's a good thing it ended when it did, because I'm not sure how much more of it I could have taken, but I'll stop and reminisce and watch when I run across it. I'm glad it's over. Glad it's over. Glad it's over.
The steady: Cowboy Bebop. My old flame! My favorite! I know you inside out, I love you to pieces. There's nothing about you I don't love, no episode I don't know by heart, backward and forward, up and down. You're the one I'm so proud to introduce to other people, and the one I'll declare my love for from the rooftops for all eternity. I can't quit you, baby.
The alluring stranger whom you've flirted with at parties but have never gotten really serious with: Mad Men. I love what I've seen of it in passing, but the timing's never been right. And then I missed too much and didn't want to start watching from the middle, and and and. But yeah, it's on my list of things to look out for.
The one you hang out with and have vague fantasies about maybe having a thing with, but ultimately you're just good buddies: The Dragon Age franchise. The games are great, but I'm not much of a gamer. The characters are great, but there's always just this little bit lacking. The stories are great, but there's an underlying level of ponderousness to them. The world-building is great, no buts about it. This is the one I want to love a lot more than I actually do, even though I flirt with adoring it all the time.
The one your friends keep introducing you to and who seems like a hell of a cool person except it's never really gone anywhere: Firefly. On some level I want to watch and like this show, but I can't do it. I've tried a number of times, and it just doesn't ever grab me the way they promise it will.
The one who's slept with all your friends, and you keep looking at them and thinking, "How the hell did they land all these cool people?" Doctor Who. Let me tell you, I knew the Doctor a long time ago and thought he was pretty fun, but I've rarely seen this level of mania associated with something so inherently goofy. I must be missing something.
The one who gave you the best damned summer of your life and against whom you measure all other potential partners: Battlestar Galactica. I know, I know, I'm a sucker for the human (ha) tragedy, but the complexity and level of characterization and intensity and ultimate integrity of the storytelling has kind of ruined almost all other drama-based television for me. I can't even explain how good it is to people who haven't seen it and I don't like when things are forced on me, so I'll never force this or any other show on anyone else, but I have to say, this is the show LOST could have been if it had only paid attention to itself.
The one you recently met at a party and would like to get to know better: How I Met Your Mother. It took me a while, and sitcoms have never really been my thing, but I adore this show. Late to the party, I know. I'm not a hundred percent invested in the characters, but I see how easily that could happen.
The old flame that you wouldn't totally object to hooking up with again for a one night romp if only they'd clean up a bit: Baccano! I kind of want more! But there was more, and it wasn't as good. But it was still better than almost everything else! But I don't know where they'd go with it. I mean, I know where the light novels take it, but if they were to make more of it into a show? Sure, I'd watch. But only if they leave characters like Graham Specter out of it.
Your hot new flame: Breaking Bad. I've been on a roll with it, mainlining the first three seasons and I'm almost to S4, then I can catch up and be current. I'm not sure it's going to be The One (I already have a The One), but it's gripping and unnerving and fantastic and disturbing, and the acting is so good and I just believe it. Also, my hot new flame comes with an expiration date, and that's smart.
The one who stole your significant other: The fucking Bourne trilogy. My significant other brakes for it every. Single. Time. Owns it, watches it. Every. Single. Time. Bourne's not even my thing, and I know the dialog backward and forward. Give me back my sweetheart, Jason Bourne, once you've stopped saving the day with nothing but duct tape and a matchstick!
