I'm prejudiced, because we once had a flamewar in statements with people from an SPN-themed spanking fic comm who, three weeks after someone posted a statement that was mildly critical, BOMBED our community to yell at us for being big meanie haters who hate fanfic and freedom and probably also pie. So. I don't snark fic, because I don't read fic, but people snark other people's makeup on LJ, too. :d NO HOBBY IS SAFE.
As for TWOP, although it sucks now that the original owners left it, it was never dedicated to uncritical snark. I don't watch a lot of TV, but I used to read that site obsessively, and it introduced me to shows I never would have watched and got me to watch a few of them later - having a point-by-point recap is helpful for someone like me who fails badly at following a TV show without knowing who the people are and where they fit.
When a show was awful - later seasons of Charmed, where the longtime recapper remembered the rules of the show better than the writers - they gave it hell. When a show was good, or passable, they gave it a much more critical reading, with humor. I don't recall that site ever "bashing" shows uncritically.
As for RaceFail, the PSA that wistfuljane posted is helpful. This is not about wanting more representation for POC in SF TV (although that is a concern, and I don't think "hey, they're aliens" changes that too much) and more about wanting for fandom to be a safe place for POC, including not having massive orgasms of fail every time race and media is discussed. Which is good. At the very least, without reading any RaceFail links at all, know that verb_noire (new website coming super soon), the small press that was started at least in part to reaction to this, has as its focus publishing works that deal with POC and GLBT characters in a central role - not the gay best friend or the Black sidekick, but central characters whose story is the focus. And I think that's intensely valuable.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2009-03-11 02:55 pm (UTC)I'm prejudiced, because we once had a flamewar in
As for TWOP, although it sucks now that the original owners left it, it was never dedicated to uncritical snark. I don't watch a lot of TV, but I used to read that site obsessively, and it introduced me to shows I never would have watched and got me to watch a few of them later - having a point-by-point recap is helpful for someone like me who fails badly at following a TV show without knowing who the people are and where they fit.
When a show was awful - later seasons of Charmed, where the longtime recapper remembered the rules of the show better than the writers - they gave it hell. When a show was good, or passable, they gave it a much more critical reading, with humor. I don't recall that site ever "bashing" shows uncritically.
As for RaceFail, the PSA that