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Fandom Thoughts
You know, Stargate Atlantis is a bit of an unique fandom for me.
Queer as Folk was the first fandom I ever was really into, and I spent months watching and rewatching episodes. I was slow to the fandom, I actually resisted joining. I'd be sitting in our dorm room with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
raxhel reading her fanfic, and I'd think "Why is she reading that stuff?" I discovered vids first, and totally fell in love. I'd spend hours scouring the internet looking for vids, and even more time watching them. I eventually started reading fics (about 4-6 months in) and got wrapped up in LJ. In QaF though, the show was always what I was there for, first and foremost.
With Harry Potter, well I *really* resisted that fandom. I'd hear about how big and crazy, and mean, and did I mention crazy? that fandom was, and even though I loved the books, I just wasn't going to go there. I'd read the books though (often), and that was enough. Then I moved to China without a computer, and no internet, so I had to rely on fics thatraxhel had saved on her computer. That's how I got into that fandom. HP was my shortest fandom ever. I lasted I think about 5 months before I was flammed and remembered why I had avoided that fandom in the first place. I had discovered Stargate by that point anyways.
Stargate I watched all at once (or, well it took us months since we were watching SG-1 and then SG-1 and SGA), and for the most part, I've only seen most of the episodes once. It makes it hard to vid in SGA because unlike QaF I haven't seen all the eps a million times, and couldn't tell you the exact second when character X said Y to character Z. The other thing that makes it really confusing is that I read a lot in this fandom. In fact in some ways I'm more into the fandom than I am into the show. Which means as I'm vidding I think I should *so* use that scene! And then realize that that was actually just in fanon and isn't actually canon.
Another result of this is, I sometimes forget what the characters really look like. Forexample, in fanfic people go on and on (and *on*) about how pudgy Rodney is. I know this was exaggerated in canon by having scene of Rodney being totally out of breath when running, or pulling out a powerbar, but there is so a difference between being fat and being out of shape. David Hewlett isn't fat. Like at all. Sure Joe is skinny, but that doesn't make Rodney fat in compairison, it makes him broad. I mean I was just rewatching rising and saw Rodney and Carson walking side by side and they had very similar body types.
Another person whom I'm always a bit surprised to see in the show is John. He's not as attractive as fic makes him out to be. I mean in fic he's always described as super handsom, or totally hot, or extremely attractive. And while I can't deny that John isn't hard on the eyes, I just don't find him that hot.
Queer as Folk was the first fandom I ever was really into, and I spent months watching and rewatching episodes. I was slow to the fandom, I actually resisted joining. I'd be sitting in our dorm room with
raxhel reading her fanfic, and I'd think "Why is she reading that stuff?" I discovered vids first, and totally fell in love. I'd spend hours scouring the internet looking for vids, and even more time watching them. I eventually started reading fics (about 4-6 months in) and got wrapped up in LJ. In QaF though, the show was always what I was there for, first and foremost.With Harry Potter, well I *really* resisted that fandom. I'd hear about how big and crazy, and mean, and did I mention crazy? that fandom was, and even though I loved the books, I just wasn't going to go there. I'd read the books though (often), and that was enough. Then I moved to China without a computer, and no internet, so I had to rely on fics that
raxhel had saved on her computer. That's how I got into that fandom. HP was my shortest fandom ever. I lasted I think about 5 months before I was flammed and remembered why I had avoided that fandom in the first place. I had discovered Stargate by that point anyways.Stargate I watched all at once (or, well it took us months since we were watching SG-1 and then SG-1 and SGA), and for the most part, I've only seen most of the episodes once. It makes it hard to vid in SGA because unlike QaF I haven't seen all the eps a million times, and couldn't tell you the exact second when character X said Y to character Z. The other thing that makes it really confusing is that I read a lot in this fandom. In fact in some ways I'm more into the fandom than I am into the show. Which means as I'm vidding I think I should *so* use that scene! And then realize that that was actually just in fanon and isn't actually canon.
Another result of this is, I sometimes forget what the characters really look like. Forexample, in fanfic people go on and on (and *on*) about how pudgy Rodney is. I know this was exaggerated in canon by having scene of Rodney being totally out of breath when running, or pulling out a powerbar, but there is so a difference between being fat and being out of shape. David Hewlett isn't fat. Like at all. Sure Joe is skinny, but that doesn't make Rodney fat in compairison, it makes him broad. I mean I was just rewatching rising and saw Rodney and Carson walking side by side and they had very similar body types.
Another person whom I'm always a bit surprised to see in the show is John. He's not as attractive as fic makes him out to be. I mean in fic he's always described as super handsom, or totally hot, or extremely attractive. And while I can't deny that John isn't hard on the eyes, I just don't find him that hot.
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ARGH, agreed. I just don't see it.
...except in Conversion, when buggified!Sheppard was kind of hot to me.
And agreed about the Rodney-is-pudgy thing. It is really annoying.
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OMG YES! I was totally hot for Bug!Sheppard :P
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Yay!
...wait. Are you being sarcastic? OMG PARANOIA.
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Hot or not?
I have the opposite reaction. It may come from not being quite the Joe/John fangirl as seems to be the norm, but I'm always surprised at how attractive he really is when I see. Well, John, at least. Joe always looks like the hot mess of the week.
Re: Hot or not?
Like in my mind, Rodney is chubbier than he really is. Probably because people go on and on about it in fics. But his face is also really different. David has a really changeable face. Sometimes it's soft and young, other times it's hard and angry, sometimes it's crooked and cute... and sometime he looks like Stephen Harper, and if that's not enough to make me never want to find him attractive again, I don't know what is. :S
The fact that I can get over those moments and find him attractive says something about that changeable face.
Re: Hot or not?
I was thinking about your comments on DH today while I was watching a video about his movie on Amazon. I hope he knows how lucky he is because he's got an amazing fan following for doing, well...a whole lot of nothing. All things considered, he's sort of a second rate actor to most Americans who haven't seen his Canadian work and he's got these amazing fans who think he's hot and sexy and funny and brilliant and really do wonders for him personally and professionally. He really won the fan lottery.
Re: Hot or not?
No! Don't stop! I love this :)
You're right. I just went and bought "A Dog's Breakfast" today (and season 3! :). We are pretty great to him, especially when you consider that he doesn't do a lot for his fans. I mean, I'm pretty sure that he appreciates us, but he doesn't go to as many cons as some of the others do. I haven't met him, but I don't think I've heard of anyone saying he's as up close and personal with his fans as some of the other actors. Like Amanda Tapping, she has this amazing reputation of being the nicest person to fans ever.
I do think he appreciates us though, which goes a long way with fans. And I think he understands us a bit more than some of the other actors (*cough*Joe*hack*). He comes across as a big geek himself, so we love him :)
He really won the fan lottery.
I think Sci Fi actors in general are lucky, because the fans are pretty darn loyal. I remember listening to an interview with Kavin Smith (I think) where he was talking about that. How you can have a minor role in a sci fi, but people remember it, and will remember you.
Re: Hot or not?
Really? This is what I get for not really paying attention to con chatter. I sort of assumed he was the ultimate in up close and personal with fans, given how much people love him. Maybe you're right -- maybe it's that "he's one of us" mentality.
Oh, Joe. He really has a stick up his ass when it comes to being a sci-fi actor, doesn't he? What gets me is that he has no compunction about sharing that opinion. Every time he's doing commentary, he has to mention something he's unhappy with or some other sci-fi related hangup he has. I get it, Joe: you want to be a "real" actor. And I don't quite get why he isn't -- he's certainly attractive enough to be a leading man and I've seen worse actors with major roles. He just seems like a sort of unhappy guy.
Re: Hot or not?
Hmm, I've never actually listened to the commentaries...
I sort of assumed he was the ultimate in up close and personal with fans, given how much people love him. Maybe you're right -- maybe it's that "he's one of us" mentality.
I don't listen to con chatter that much either, so I could be completely wrong about this. I think he enjoys cons when he's there, or at least makes it look like he does. And I've listened to some of his pannels and they were a lot of fun, it's just... Before he started pimping A Dog's Breakfast like a $2 whore, I don't remember him going to all that many cons. And after seeing someone like Teryl Rothery at a con, someone who obviously adores her fans as much as they adore her, or hearing stories about Amanda Tapping, who will stay way past schedule signing autographs to make sure everyone gets one....
I've never heard anyone *complain* about David, I just haven't heard anything putting him above and beyond, other than having him geek out with the fans.
Oh, Joe. He really has a stick up his ass when it comes to being a sci-fi actor, doesn't he? What gets me is that he has no compunction about sharing that opinion.
Oh my *god* yes. He... I just don't really know what's up with him.
He obviously took this job, because, hello? A *job*. And while I don't think he hates the *show* I don't think it's his ideal role. Alsohe totally doesn't understand his fans. At. All.
It's always fun listening to interview with him, where he's like "I always thought that sci fi fans were freaks and losers, and now since my job depends on them, I can at least appreciate those qualities a bit more" (totally paraphrased there :P)
Another thing that gets me about Joe is he doesn't really seem to realize that SGA is an ensamble cast. Did you see him during the Spacies? They entire cast was given an award and he said something like "Well, I'll accept it, since I *am* the main character/hero of the show." Self inflated much? And sure he's got more of the limelight than say, Teyla, but next to Rodney? At the very least John and Rodney are equals (this may be my Rodney bias shining through but); maybe Rodney has more screen time.
From what I know about Joe, I've come to a conclusion, as a person he's a great guy; he'd make a great next door neighbour or something, but as a fan favourite actor? Not so much.
And I don't quite get why he isn't -- he's certainly attractive enough to be a leading man and I've seen worse actors with major roles. He just seems like a sort of unhappy guy.
Oh god, *please* don't let Joe turn into another Michael Shanks, please, please *please*.
Re: Hot or not?
You have no idea how much this cracked me up. For the win, seriously.
Here I go again with the SG-1 cluelessness: was Shanks an unhappy dude? Was that what all the dying was about? (And on a side note, I hate it when genre actors become unhappy with and then leave their shows for better and brighter. How was that sci-fi movie with the badly CGIed snake, Shanks? Was that all you thought it'd be? Oy.)
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Yeah, he felt that Daniels character wasn't getting enough... attention? or something thing like that, so he decided to leave.
I don't follow him all that closely, but apparently he's kind of a drama queen and needs attention.
And on a side note, I hate it when genre actors become unhappy with and then leave their shows for better and brighter.
Yeah, when you sign onto a show, especially as a main character, you have certain obligations. Often losing a main character will kill a show. I know that my first fandom, Queer as Folk had to end because one (well really two) of the main characters wouldn't sign up for the next season. In that case they weren't just putting ratings in jeopardy, they actually put a bunch of people out of a job, just because they wanted "something new" *rolls eyes*
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Yeah, for the couple SGA vids I made I had to go back through my DVDs episode by episode because I was pretty clueless about matching up prime TeamShep or McShep moments with the corresponding episode/scene. Whereas with QAF, it was so easy. Even now, all the best B/J moments are effortlessly linked with their episode number in my mind.
The other thing that makes it really confusing is that I read a lot in this fandom. In fact in some ways I'm more into the fandom than I am into the show.
Right there with you. If fandom didn't exist with all its awesome fics and vids and stuff, I'd never have given SGA a chance in the first place, and I certainly wouldn't think much about it between the seasons or even episodes that air.
David Hewlett isn't fat. Like at all. Sure Joe is skinny, but that doesn't make Rodney fat in compairison, it makes him broad.
I completely agree, and judging by the stills for S4, DH looks to be in pretty darn awesome shape for the upcoming season.
And while I can't deny that John isn't hard on the eyes, I just don't find him that hot.
Hmmm, well, when the character gets super angry (like he does with Rodney in 401 where his voice alternates between threatening whispers and commanding yells), I think he borders on an acceptable level of hotness, but most of the time, he's so adorkable, it's kind of hard to see him as the ultra-hot hero he's supposed to be.
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And isn't that weird? I could totally remember all the main events and remember what episode number it occurred in, but SGA which has helpfully *named* episodes that give you a clue what the ep was about? Nope, can't really remember.
I know that part of the reason is because I obsessed over the source material way more for QaF, but I wonder if it's also because the moments in QaF were way more obvious? I mean, it's a lot harder to forget scenes like the "I want you safe. I want you around for a long time" than it is to remember things like where McKay and Sheppard both gave little thumbs up. When you're making a shipper vid and the ship isn't canon the moments are a lot more subtle.
if fandom didn't exist with all its awesome fics and vids and stuff, I'd never have given SGA a chance in the first place
I actually did watch the show before I discovered the fandom, but I don't know if I would have remained as obsessed with the show if I had remained a Carson/Rodney shipper (which I was determined to do at the beginning, none of that McShep stuff for me, no way :P). This fandom has totally swept me off my feet.
QaF did, but it was more "Wow. Fandom" and discovering that all this existed. SGA blew me over because of the *talent*. I mean this fandom is so *big* and so far so *good*. I hardly ever read bad fic in this fandom, whereas in QaF I kind of *had* to because there just wasn't enough good fic out there. SGA always seems to have exactly what I want to read (or constantly surprises me by providing me with what I never *knew* I always wanted to read :P) and that keeps me totally interested in the show.
most of the time, he's so adorkable, it's kind of hard to see him as the ultra-hot hero he's supposed to be.
Hmmm... I'm actually more attracted to the man when he's being adorkable than when he's being super angry. Although I think that has more to do with Sheppard's character that Joe himself, since I found him really hot in Thought Crimes. I think I'm just weird :P