Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Fandoms...Got one?

So..I'm a nerd. My name is Shelley and I am a fan.

Last year around the end of May, Husband-Man was out of town for business and M and I were looking for a series to watch on Netflix to keep us entertained.

We landed on Doctor Who. Our lives changed.

No kidding, we watched 7 seasons of this show (each season is anywhere from 12-15 episodes) in less than three weeks. Husband-Man would call and we would be impatient with him because it meant we had to stop watching. We were junkies. I'm only a little ashamed to admit this.

For those of you who haven't watched it I'll try to explain it a bit.

The Doctor is the main character. He is an alien from a planet named Gallifrey. He looks like a human but isn't. He has two hearts instead of one and is very old. The Doctor, when mortally injured, can regenerate and change his body and appearance.

This is why you will often hear people refer to Number 9 or 10 as their favorite Doctor. At the time of this writing there have been eleven Doctors (with eleven different actors portraying him since the early 1960s) and we were just introduced to the twelfth in an episode that aired on Christmas Day. We've only seen number twelve for total of maybe 5 minutes, probably less, so we have no idea what he is going to be like and personally, I AM EXCITED to find out.

The Doctor travels in a spaceship called The TARDIS.

TARDIS = Time And Relative Dimension In Space.

The TARDIS has been The Doctor's constant companion through the 50 years the show has been on. The TARDIS is sentient but has no way of communicating with him other than to take him to the places she decides he needs to go. The TARDIS looks like a Police Public Call Box and is blue. You've likely seen pictures of it.

The Doctor also travels with companions. He meets people in his travels and decides to take them with him on adventures. He's had many companions in the run of the show and people have favorite companions the same way they have favorite Doctors. Each new companion teaches The Doctor something even as he is doing the same for them. The companion in the show functions as an audience surrogate. We, the audience, are in the role of companion on The Doctors travels.

I can tell you that M and I have watched the series from The Ninth Doctor through the Eleventh and that we each have our favorite. I love Number Nine. M loves Number Ten. My favorite companion is a tie between Donna Noble and Rose Tyler. I identify with both of them. I see myself in them.

So...go watch Doctor Who and I'm happy to engage in a discussion with you about the nuances and theories. I love doing that.

Moving on...

I'm also addicted to a few other shows, books and things that are considered nerd-ish.

Game Of Thrones anyone? Tyrion, Khaleesi, Jamie and Brienne are my favorites. I can do without Jon Snow (at least for now) and his brooding. I don't find that interesting. But boy is this new season getting good. Eh? (looking for some discussion here as well...bring it on.)

Harry Potter...I met Harry when I was in my early twenties and I was forced to read him by my MIL. She liked him and thought I would as well so she gave me her books and waited. I read them all and then waited two weeks for the fifth book to come out, curled up in a corner in the fetal position. Worst wait of my life. I've since gotten better at dealing with the wait between books and seasons of the series I love. I blame J. K. Rowling for this.

Harry meant a lot to me and was technically my first fandom. I escaped to Hogwarts with him every time I read his stories. His journey from abuse resonated with me. His family hated him because they didn't and wouldn't try to understand him. Been there. Sadly I have no magical powers. But Harry made me feel like I did. Every time we kicked Voldythingy's butt it was a kick in the butt to anyone who ever doubted me. Powerful stuff there.

Harry was my number one love. Harry is my homeboy. Harry, Ron and Hermione kept me company and fed my imagination in ways that only opened me to more and more and more.

It blows my mind that there are people in the world who see only darkness and the devil in Harry's story and to those people I can only suggest reading the story. Understand the real depth of the Christianity that runs through it. Harry was always a path to God for me. The core of Harry's story is that love is the greatest power in the universe. I'm pretty sure that was Christ's message as well.

*Climbs down from high horse*

Husband-Man and I were chatting about this the other day and he thinks my passion for my fandoms is hilarious. I cosplay. I throw premier and season finale parties for Doctor Who. I debate theories on what is going to happen, what could happen, what I want to see happen. I find joy in other people who think the same way. They are my people. We are one.

(Shout out to my FB groups Fifty Shades of Geek and The Doctor and The TARDIS - Group)

The best thing about fandoms is that they accept anyone. Anyone at all can love The Doctor or harry or Game of Thrones. Anyone can find meaning, anyone can relate, anyone can fantasize. Fandoms don't discriminate. Your crazy is our crazy. Your love is our love. As long as you keep it civil and play well with others you are welcome. Joffreys, Daleks and Voldythingys, need not apply.

Do you have a fandom?

The Walking Dead?

Doctor Who?

Twilight?

Harry Potter?

Game Of Thrones?

Where do you dream of going? Who do you walk with? Who have you learned from?

Share in the comments. Let's discuss.

Don't forget to be social. You can find me on Facebook here and follow me on Twitter @InANutShelley. You can also find me on Instagram as InANutShelley. Can't wait to hear from you.

Smooches,
Shelley




3 comments:

Unknown said...

My favorite....definitely most definitely ....is Twilight...opens a WHOLE new world for me as and actually makes me feel as I go there...kind of like and escape... a fix....to get high on when a new movie comes out...lol! and feel like I fit right into the Cullen family! lol in Bella's world! Those characters are real to me...its amazing worse than a soap opera!!! lol just another twilight junkie I guess...but anywhoo....looking forward to the continuing series from Edward's perspective...yeah!! Stephanie Myers ....THANK YOU!!! You are the best!! and for brining my imagination to life!! lol... there's my random blog response.... Tonya Walker...:)

Unknown said...

Dr Who, Harry Potter, Naruto, Star Trek Fandoms can a get a whoot whoot? Love this blog!

Anonymous said...

I found this very enjoyable to read! I too have an affinity for Dr. Who, Harry Potter, and a few others (Supernatural and a few animes). I am very excited to see where Capaldi goes with his incarnation of the Doctor. I just finished Dexter, and while I wouldn't say that I am in the Dexter Fandom, I enjoyed it quite a bit... the ending though was rough.