I just don’t understand why you guys still watch the show if you hate it so much. I’ve never seen so much negativity in a forum about a show that we all still watch
I despise questions/arguments like this. I have had to rationalize and explain it so many times that I think my words are becoming nonsensical. We watch because we’re allowed to; it is as simple as that. Because I was so invested in this show that I volunteered to run a forum site and co-host a podcast about it. Because critical analysis of media isn’t just praising a show and saying how great it is; it’s dissecting the piece of media and reflecting on how it holds up a mirror to culture. It’s because I can use OUAT and their increasingly disturbing misogynistic, racist, homophobic, ageist, classist, narrative to point out the flaws in our society and how women are treated, how men are treated, how minorities are treated, ect. Enjoying a show doesn’t mean you get to ignore all the flaws and messages/morals.
I watch because I’m allowed to. I analyze it because I’m allowed to. I point out the flaws because I’m allowed to. You do not need a positive reason to watch a TV show or to reflect on media.
I also really resent the implication that we’re “haters.” We’re not. We’re disappointed. We’re allowed to be.
You’ve never seen so much negativity? Please. We’re one of the most level headed forum sites for this show, largely because of the rules Daniel put into place and that I and Matt enforce with an iron fist. This site does have a pro-SF bent, but that’s just because everywhere else was so anti-SF that this place felt like a refugee camp. We don’t allow ship wars; we don’t allow name calling; we don’t allow anything lewd or crude. We don’t allow actual fighting. I have been on forum sites that do that–sites that have a free for all with flame wars and actual honest to god boldface capital letter screaming matches. Also, how much time do you spend in the OUAT fandom? Cause it’s nothing but negativity. A veritable cesspool of stupid. Everyone is fighting with each other out there in the wilds of Tumblr and Twiter. Matt and I manage to keep it mostly locked out there and not bring it in here.
I really and truly resent the implication that because we’re disillusioned, disappointed or even angry with the show, we’re not allowed to watch or discuss or analyze. Not how critical analysis works or how the human mind should ever work.