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54 Days left and I am a little bothered. I am bothered because today like most days I witnessed various friends of mine on twitter have actual arguments about Torchwood. It's one thing to have an opinion and even have a open discussion about it, but it's another entirely when something about fictional characters brings about hate between real people.

You guys, can't we all just get along? Is a TV show with fictional characters really worth making enemies over? I think we're missing the point. Torchwood is about entertainment, about telling a story and hoping people will like it. What it's not about is getting so involved in something that at the end of the day doesn't effect the real world that you find a reason to hate people for their opinions. Don't get me wrong I'm all for harmless joking jabs between fans about character outcomes or silly plot points or whatever it is the you have to say. One of my closest friends is pro Gwack and as most of you know I'm team Janto but guess what?  We don't have to agree on what we like in a tv show to get along! Even if that TV show is one of my favorite things it's not worth all this drama.

I once had someone block me on twitter because they found out I like Matt Smith. Now that's not as bad as it gets I've seen some harsh words exchanged and really out of line comments but the fact that liking an actor could deter someone from even considering me as a friend is a big example of what's wrong in some fandoms. And for the record I am not just talking about the Ianto fans and anyone that knows me knows I want Ianto back as much as anyone but I also don't wish RTD dead because he killed him. Y'know, killed  a fictional character. At what point did we lose the big picture? Sure GLD was out of a job but he's doing fine past Torchwood and characters get killed off all the time.

This is not the point. The point is I wish people weren't so committed to this show that they let it stand in the way of other parts of their lives. You guys know by now I am a huge Torchwood fan, that I adore John Barrowman but liking either of those things is not a prerequisite for being my friend and I don't judge people who entirely disagree.

And one more thing, for those inside and outside the fandom, I wish people would stop generalizing. Yes there are fans who take things too far, but there are also perfectly sane fans, who can take issue with part of a show without being unreasonable about it. So to say things about "the crazy Ianto fans" is unfair in my eyes. You can care about something without being inappropriate about it and many people are. And for those fans who spend all their time complaining about Torchwood and how it used to be good and how they would watch it IF (see my blog on conditional fans) there is a simple solution, if you don't like it, don't watch it. The show will go on with the fans that still want to watch it and new ones it picks up. It's...just...a...show. If it's causing you this much grief, just step away.

I'm really not trying to offend anyone with this or make generalizations of my own, you can care about something and not take it to a bad place. I care a lot about this show but GDL isn't dead and if Jack and Gwen get married and have babies John and Scott's relationship will withstand. This isn't real life, it's not worth the drama and certainly not worth any hate. I hope you can all just enjoy it for what it is and accept that others may have different opinions than you and that's fine. My friend said something really smart in response to my twitter rant about this before, she said:

An underlying THEME of Torchwood is creatures should co-exist, intermingle, get along! NOT to mention, it's FICTION

Let's all try to remember that ok? Torchwood fans as a whole are wonderful people and being here in this fandom, I've seen things I never dreamt I'd see. Loved people I never would have known if I'd just stayed where I was. ...sorry that was bad, couldn't resist. Anyway rant over how do you feel about all of this? Have you had conflicts that have effected your life because of Torchwood? Do you think I am out of line? xx

<3Dana

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5/15/2011 01:32:27 pm

Agreed.
I have experienced the same thing with Charlie Sheen fans lately. People who are absolutely rabid fans (which is fine) hurled vicious comments at Warner Brothers, CBS, Chuck Lorre all in the name of "love of Charlie".
I wrote to some fans, and expressed my views about what Charlie the person "might" be going through personally. I was frequently subjected to harsh attacks accusing me of wishing Charlie ill and wanting him to fail. Neither was true.
I expressed a desire for him to seek help for an obvious problem with anger (evident), and drugs &/or alcohol (confirmed by CS himself). For this I was vilified.
I am on Twitter to exchange ideas, make an occasional joke, pick up a few new friends and LEARN.
I try not to judge or hurl hurtful insults (kind jabs are acceptable - today @ReallyVirtual made a Debbie Does Dallas joke with an Abbotabad twist, which I actually appreciated).
Sadly, some people do not see there is a HUGE difference between a person and an actor. Sometimes they blur reality and fiction. And there is a problem there.
An actor is paid money to portray a character who may or may NOT be anything like the actual person.
And the longer an actor portrays a character, the more apt some fans are to confuse the two. This is especially true in episodic t.v. When fans see a character daily (soaps) or weekly, they feel a personal connection to ... well, someone. But an actor is NOT the character they portray. Not Totally.
And before someone screams "REALITY T.V.", may I suggest you take a course in editing? Mother Teresa could have been made to look cranky with proper editing and special effects... I'm just sayin'...
And while it's fine to be a fan of anyone, when defense of a fictional character leads to attacks on people with opposing viewpoints, that shows a disconnect. To argue a POINT is fine, to attack a person for not being you, for not having your life's experiences, for not seeing things exactly the way you do? That is to close yourself off to education, to learning, to the joy that is exploration and understanding.
Wars break out because people cannot or will not compromise. Because they close themselves off to opposing viewpoints.
Shows like Torchwood and Dr. Who are joyous and show creatures trying to co-exist regardless of differences.
If you count yourself a fan of these shows, please, in 2011, open yourself up to others, listen, think and then respond.
Honor the shows you enjoy, and embrace their values.
Thank you for "listening".

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Time_Hound
5/15/2011 01:37:40 pm

Hey Dana!

Well ranted! All I have to say, is, amen.
All I ask is, that if anyone has a disagreement with me, take it up with me. There is greater harm in taking it to twitter (for example)and not discussing it with the person that one is mad at. So please, people, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but we don't have to shove it down everyone else's throat.

My rant is over -- any complaints? Take it up with my manager! (sorry couldn't resist!!)

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5/15/2011 02:48:26 pm

I agree, and I've addressed this issue on Twitter and on my blog several times before. The main condition I have is if the reactions from fans treat women fairly- that is why I started role-playing and writing about Gwen since so many of the responses of the show out there on the internet made me unsettled. Fans' comments often became about saying some characters were more important than others, or they say if the writers just got rid of some of the characters or added some back, the show would be better.

While I thought the show has been great at balancing the roles of women, different identities and diverse characters, many of the fan responses seem to reduce the possibilities for debate, their way or the highway. I hope that when new Torchwood is aired, that the fans won't take it as an opportunity to attack the situations or characters they don't like about it. Overall there's been too much hate around the fandom about one thing or another, though I've also had many positive experiences with Torchwood-related activities.

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Snowebunny
5/15/2011 02:49:58 pm

Dana, I agree with you about 100%. But I think the vast, vast majority of fans are moderate and not extremists, to borrow a few political terms. It's just that the extremists are the loudest. One can think whatever one wants, but taking it out on the actors is IMHO completely out of line (as I've heard happened after CoE). As is wishing someone dead.

And in other news (sorry, can't help myself), my country Finland just won the ice hockey world championship! We beat Sweden 6-1!

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KM1967
5/15/2011 04:20:39 pm

I absolute agree with your "rant" (well I could have done without the thought about a Jack/Gwen marriage - ewwww), but otherwise it's just what I'm thinking and I couldn't have said it better! :)

And I have to say, I really enjoy your blogs, they help over the long waiting time till TW MD finally starts on TV - thank you!

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Aresnz
5/15/2011 07:44:06 pm

You've made some great points and I agree with you. The Torchwood fandom..fans can really get into it. It's a TV show with characters, not real life. People forget about that.

Your blogs are fun to read. Keep up the good work.

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Jac
5/15/2011 09:00:42 pm

Brilliant as usual, Dana. This "kill RTD" talk is ridiculous. There are many people I want dead... but not HIM! lol One more thing. No more GWACK marriage talk please. Coz aside from almost losing my lunch, what would happen to dear sweet Rhys?

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Tammy a.k.a SOUL1essHarpy
5/16/2011 12:04:14 am

Oh, Dana, I LOVE YOU! *Giggle* I know you saw me 'winding up' a few of the die-hard "Must have Ianto or no watcho" (their words not mine) fans the other day. I can't help it... I'm just such a bitch! *grin*

And wishing death to RTD for what amounts to a bad plot choice? Seriously, people? Get a frickin grip!

I have no problem being someone's friend even if we don't agree,(cuz how boring is agreeing all the time?) however when 85 of 90 tweets are 'Save Ianto'...I gotta cut ya loose. My twitter feed need not be clogged with incessant Ianto tweets. (Unless of course it's how hot he is or how goood his arse looks in jeans...*ahem*) but I digress...

All the tweets now are utterly useless, if not for next series (god, i hope there is one) because production has already wrapped, correct?

I am annoyed when I and other 'normal' fans get lumped into the 'crazy' Ianto-fangirl group. Yea, I'm crazy and yea, I'm a HUGE fan of Ianto...I am NOT a whacked-out fangirl!

Thanks again for awesome topic!

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Sanelaz
5/16/2011 12:44:50 am

Hi Dana! I just have to say I agree with you 100 percent. I think both sides Ned to steP back and take a deep breath. We all have different opinions and that's the fun part, if we all had the same one life would be pretty boring. Hating people just because they have different opinions is silly. I would never hate someone because they like gwen or gwack, just because i dont like it doesnt meen the entire fandom has to. We should all be able to have ratioal discussions. I miss Ianto and would be jumping for joy if he came back, but I've moved on, he is a fictional character. Torchwood is RTD's show, he can do with it what ever he wants.

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