I've been finding this reaction from fans a bit funny, too. Yeah maybe they feel it's OTT, but this actually exists in reality. How is it OTT if it's real?
I've seen it outside of fandom as well. People have an odd tendency to put blinders on - not seeing things that lie outside of their experience. And they don't want to be reminded of it - or see it. They just want to be entertained. Keep the nasty out of my face, please.
I've seen some knock-down drag-out flame wars regarding misogyny, chauvnism, and racism online - in other fandoms. Supernatural is amongst the worste - a show that I enjoy, but I avoid the fandom like the plague. Doctor Who also has some of this - (god forbid there be a female Doctor Who).
And, I remember very heated debates regarding Alice Walker's novel Temple of My Familar which dealt with the mutilated gentilia issue.
I think Whedon may be deliberating commenting on it - because he is in two industries that are known for their chauvinism and misogyny towards women - film and comics. Both are old boy clubs. And he also has condemned the recent spat of torture porn horror flicks that exploit women and condone torture of women. Not to mention youtube videos of women being beaten and killed and stoned. We live in a frightening world.
This is a fascinating point that reinforces my belief of how Spike and Angel are going to be very central to the story later in the season.
The only question right now is how. I'm thinking Harmony is the key. Both are central to both Harmony and Buffy's arcs. Angel took Harmony in more than once. He gave her the benefit of the doubt in S5 Angel. Knowing full well she'd betray him. And Spike and Harmony have a conversation about Buffy in Harm's Way - where Harmony asks Spike why he didn't go after Buffy. Then he realizes half-way through his explaination and her response that she's upset he doesn't care about her that way - so he, in a soulful moment, states - something to make her feel better - that having someone hate you - is careing in a way. She responds to this gleefully - partly because she's a vampire and vampire's would get off on that.
Those four characters are linked in the story. Amy and Warren are linked to Willow. Dracula is linked to Xander. Harmony is linked to Buffy - partly because Harmony is representive of who Buffy used to be. The pretty cheerleader with the lollipop who only thought about shopping and great shoes. And was running for homecoming queen. The valley girl. The dumb blond joke - who gets killed in all those slasher flicks and every guy makes fun of. Whedon purposely turned those dumb petite blonds - Darla, Buffy, and Harmony - all with those cutsy girl names - and turned them deadly. Darla is the one who turns Angel into a vampire. Harmony betrays Angel with Adam, and gets her own reality series where she bites guys nightly. And Buffy is a vampire slayer. They are the opposite of the dumb blond joke.
And Harmony much like Darla is who Buffy might have been if she hadn't been a slayer and if she'd become a vampire. They are in some respects mirror reflections.
The next few issues should be interesting.
I don't believe Angel or Spike is Twilight, like Xander, they'd have to go through a serious personality change. No, I think Whedon has something else planned. Not sure what, but I think it is tied to the whole vampires are cool, slayers evil media blitz that Harmony is creating.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2009-02-09 03:30 am (UTC)I've seen it outside of fandom as well. People have an odd tendency to put blinders on - not seeing things that lie outside of their experience. And they don't want to be reminded of it - or see it. They just want to be entertained.
Keep the nasty out of my face, please.
I've seen some knock-down drag-out flame wars regarding misogyny, chauvnism, and racism online - in other fandoms. Supernatural is amongst the worste - a show that I enjoy, but I avoid the fandom like the plague. Doctor Who also has some of this - (god forbid there be a female Doctor Who).
And, I remember very heated debates regarding Alice Walker's novel Temple of My Familar which dealt with the mutilated gentilia issue.
I think Whedon may be deliberating commenting on it - because he is in two industries that are known for their chauvinism and misogyny towards women - film and comics. Both are old boy clubs. And he also has condemned the recent spat of torture porn horror flicks that exploit women and condone torture of women. Not to mention youtube videos of women being beaten and killed and stoned. We live in a frightening world.
This is a fascinating point that reinforces my belief of how Spike and Angel are going to be very central to the story later in the season.
The only question right now is how. I'm thinking Harmony is the key. Both are central to both Harmony and Buffy's arcs.
Angel took Harmony in more than once. He gave her the benefit of the doubt in S5 Angel. Knowing full well she'd betray him.
And Spike and Harmony have a conversation about Buffy in Harm's Way - where Harmony asks Spike why he didn't go after Buffy. Then he realizes half-way through his explaination and her response that she's upset he doesn't care about her that way - so he, in a soulful moment, states - something to make her feel better - that having someone hate you - is careing in a way. She responds to this gleefully - partly because she's a vampire and vampire's would get off on that.
Those four characters are linked in the story. Amy and Warren are linked to Willow. Dracula is linked to Xander. Harmony is linked to Buffy - partly because Harmony is representive of who Buffy used to be. The pretty cheerleader with the lollipop who only thought about shopping and great shoes. And was running for homecoming queen. The valley girl. The dumb blond joke - who gets killed in all those slasher flicks and every guy makes fun of. Whedon purposely turned those dumb petite blonds - Darla, Buffy, and Harmony - all with those cutsy girl names - and turned them deadly. Darla is the one who turns Angel into a vampire. Harmony betrays Angel with Adam, and gets her own reality series where she bites guys nightly. And Buffy is a vampire slayer. They are the opposite of the dumb blond joke.
And Harmony much like Darla is who Buffy might have been if she hadn't been a slayer and if she'd become a vampire.
They are in some respects mirror reflections.
The next few issues should be interesting.
I don't believe Angel or Spike is Twilight, like Xander, they'd have to go through a serious personality change. No, I think Whedon has something else planned. Not sure what, but I think it is tied to the whole vampires are cool, slayers evil media blitz that Harmony is creating.