Sci-Fi TV Fans

[Guest RushNY]

Looking at the thread on Farscape i wasn't sure about whether to post there but anywhere,I have a question why are fans of Sci-Fi shows no matter what the show more vocal and protective of "their"shows than other fans,I mean who will get people who will tape every show,buy everything to do with a particular show and become very vocal over a shows merits or not as the case may be.

Its not a criticism but its something that has interested me i mean i like various tv shows/books/music but i dont think i would ever become a fanatical fan of one particular thing ,I dunno maybe its just me but i'd like to hear from anyone who could try and explain it.

[duke37]

OK. I'm really well qualified to answer this one. :7

 

First Ruxh not all SF shows earn the kind of fantacism that you have noted. I can cite you countless examples of shows (mostly that tried to cater to that market) that failed to get anyhing but a yawn by fans.

 

It usually not a good idea to generalize about people even in a comparably small niche like SF fandom. Despite that here goes: Some of the charecteristics that fans of these show hold in common but not universally are: idealism, somewhat socially maladapted or shy, a good imagination and interest in the idea of something different than whatever it is they face in their daily lives. Usually fans of these shows are very intelligent. A definite unifying charecteristic is a passion for something. It may not be something you or I would consider important but it is a real passion to a fan.

 

Now particular elements of shows speak to different kinds of fans. The thing that Xena fans go for are not exactly the kind of thing that Farscape fans appreciate. Of course to an outsider they probably look the same. Xena fans can be preteen girls that like the image of female empowerment,or teen boys with a fixation on cheesy action,or humor fans who appreciate the tongue-in-cheek camp of the scripts, or people (men and woman) who think Lucy Lawless looks hot in her Xena outfit. While a Farscape fan might go for the eye candy of the cast(the guy who plays Crichton is way hot BTW),or really enjoy the Brit TV style special effects, but most of the fans have gotten hooked on the intricate plotline and good stories of the show. These fans might be or do some of the same things but start for very different reasons.

 

Really the fan reaction is not that different from that of the average Survivor fan. I think we have had a couple of threads about that show here as well. grin. True most Survivor fans are not going to wear a tshirt or go to a convention but then again most SF fans don't go to the lengths of the stereotypical fan boy image either. They might be really crazy about the show but are content to just watch or yack about it with their friends down at the local bookstore. Comparitively few (Thank God) go to the lengths of the young lady in the trial in Texas who showed up for jury duty wearing a Starfleet (Star Trek) uniform claiming to be a LT. in Starfleet. Yeah I know she is pretty nuts but as a fellow fan on some level I wanna give her a high five.

 

Dont underestimate how appealing it is to be part of a community that is devoted to something you like and offers activities you enjoy. I have been at SF cons and seen literally dozens of grown men dressed up like stormtroopers from the Star Wars movies and they were having the time of their life.

 

Hmm a community of people devoted to an esoteric activity that society in general doesn't get and the people involved really enjoy. Hmmm. Sound familiar?

 

Jeff

[+ deej]

It's not just SciFi, Rush. I posted almost the same question not long ago about "Survivor" and I know people who are as wrapped up in "Friends" as any SciFi fan.

[Rick Munroe]

I can't explain it but I did get a major hardon when ordering the new Dark Shadows DVD boxed sets on amazon...something that didn't happen when I ordered the Gumby, Woody Allen & Judy Garland Show collections.

 

Yes, you can be a sci-fi nerd and a stud at the same time. Go figure.