The Truth Will Be Revealed
I'm at home watching the Battlestar Galactica marathon, waiting for the final episode of my favorite series ever to air. For the record, I didn't just take the day off to watch Battlestar (and hopefully get my laundry done), I have five vacation days to use before April 14th. I've been reading people's posts about what Battlestar means to them, why they love certain characters, and what their favorite episodes are. My plan is to do a post in the near future as I love this show and why it rises above all others I have watched and loved. But, I feel I should say something before the finale airs to commemorate the occasion.
For those who knew me when Buffy was still on The WB, then UPN, you know I was big into the fandom if not big in the fandom. I mostly kept to The Board That Shall Not Be Named, but posted a lot there. I obsessed over the series. Learned about the existence of fanfic and how good it could be. Came to understand the serious business of shipping. Went to my first convention and had my first Julie Caitlin Brown experience. And when the show ended, I thought that what I perceived as a big involvement in fandom was coming to end. Another show couldn't possibly be as near and dear to me as Buffy was. Heh.
I was still learning to mauever my way through the blogging world when Battlestar Galactica premiered and stuck to 'talking' to my friends. I didn't watch the mini series. I refused to watch the mini series. I was a fan of the original series and I was also one of those fans that was not happy to learn about the changes that were made for the reimagining. Promotional materials of a former Victoria's Secret model in a tight red dress further did not inspire confidence.
I had met
divahag at a local bookstore. It wasn't long after we met that she started telling me about BSG (the first season had aired in England) and how she was sure I'd like it. I was dubious, but trusted her opinion and caved, watching a truncated version of the mini on NBC before Season 1 debuted on SciFi. I liked it, but wasn't enamored with it or a certain viper pilot. My love for the series, for Lee, for Lee and Laura, wouldn't bloom until 'Bastille Day'.
I never foresaw my involvement in fandom evolving beyond my involvement in the Buffy fandom. I'd post my thoughts, have some interesting discussions, and, hopefully, find some good fic, which was hard given I didn't ship the main ships. I can't pinpoint when Battlestar Galactica became my One True Show. It's definitely because I feel it's part of my life. And not in the sad, disdainful way that SciFi seems to view it's shows and the genre becoming part of people's lives. I look at my friends list, compiled of so many people I met because of BSG. So many smart, funny, interesting people and so many of whom I consider friends. Would I have ventured to Seattle, San Francisco, and Atlanta without them? And the painfully shy person I was would not now feel so comfortable reaching out to strangers or having a conversation with an actor that appears on my TV screen each week.
There are so many other things I've done I never thought I would do. Making an icon seemed implausible to me, let alone co-creating a vid or writing fic. And starting a fansite for an actor? I would have laughed had anyone suggested that to me five years ago. I'd have laughed harder if you said his publicist would have a conversation with me.
I love BSG not just for the series or the actors or that it makes me think. I love it because, while it might seem silly to some, it's made me a better person. It's through my love of this show and fandom that I've pushed myself to do things I never thought I would do. It's made me smarter, braver, more confidant and more creative. I've learned more about life and lives outside my part of the world and that the world is both bigger and smaller than I believed.
Will I love another series? Will I be part of another fandom? I'd answer yes to both. I'll always need something current to analyze to death. Will there be fanfic that doesn't involve a character played by Jamie Bamber? Possibly not. Will I ever start another fansite for an actor? Oh, hell no. Battlestar Galactica has been a unique experience for me, one that can never be duplicated. And even if Ron Moore kills Lee Adama and the rest of huamnity off tonight, I'll still love this show, it just means too damn much to me.
ETA: First BSG post made on the tiny computer. :)
For those who knew me when Buffy was still on The WB, then UPN, you know I was big into the fandom if not big in the fandom. I mostly kept to The Board That Shall Not Be Named, but posted a lot there. I obsessed over the series. Learned about the existence of fanfic and how good it could be. Came to understand the serious business of shipping. Went to my first convention and had my first Julie Caitlin Brown experience. And when the show ended, I thought that what I perceived as a big involvement in fandom was coming to end. Another show couldn't possibly be as near and dear to me as Buffy was. Heh.
I was still learning to mauever my way through the blogging world when Battlestar Galactica premiered and stuck to 'talking' to my friends. I didn't watch the mini series. I refused to watch the mini series. I was a fan of the original series and I was also one of those fans that was not happy to learn about the changes that were made for the reimagining. Promotional materials of a former Victoria's Secret model in a tight red dress further did not inspire confidence.
I had met
I never foresaw my involvement in fandom evolving beyond my involvement in the Buffy fandom. I'd post my thoughts, have some interesting discussions, and, hopefully, find some good fic, which was hard given I didn't ship the main ships. I can't pinpoint when Battlestar Galactica became my One True Show. It's definitely because I feel it's part of my life. And not in the sad, disdainful way that SciFi seems to view it's shows and the genre becoming part of people's lives. I look at my friends list, compiled of so many people I met because of BSG. So many smart, funny, interesting people and so many of whom I consider friends. Would I have ventured to Seattle, San Francisco, and Atlanta without them? And the painfully shy person I was would not now feel so comfortable reaching out to strangers or having a conversation with an actor that appears on my TV screen each week.
There are so many other things I've done I never thought I would do. Making an icon seemed implausible to me, let alone co-creating a vid or writing fic. And starting a fansite for an actor? I would have laughed had anyone suggested that to me five years ago. I'd have laughed harder if you said his publicist would have a conversation with me.
I love BSG not just for the series or the actors or that it makes me think. I love it because, while it might seem silly to some, it's made me a better person. It's through my love of this show and fandom that I've pushed myself to do things I never thought I would do. It's made me smarter, braver, more confidant and more creative. I've learned more about life and lives outside my part of the world and that the world is both bigger and smaller than I believed.
Will I love another series? Will I be part of another fandom? I'd answer yes to both. I'll always need something current to analyze to death. Will there be fanfic that doesn't involve a character played by Jamie Bamber? Possibly not. Will I ever start another fansite for an actor? Oh, hell no. Battlestar Galactica has been a unique experience for me, one that can never be duplicated. And even if Ron Moore kills Lee Adama and the rest of huamnity off tonight, I'll still love this show, it just means too damn much to me.
ETA: First BSG post made on the tiny computer. :)
::hugs::
Your post is pretty much exactly what my post would say. Did Buffy, didn't think I'd love anything as much again, refused to watch the mini, but somehow got hooked during S1 and the rest, as they say, is history. I am just as sad to be losing the thread that holds us all together as I am to be losing this amazing journey on screen. Now, I'm not going to say another word or I am going to start crying again. (Why in god's name I had to get my frakkin' period today of all days is anyone's guess.)
I have no intention of losing the thread! I'm coating it with superglue. ;)
::hands you some Advil::
And the advil is MUCH appreciated...and needed, right about now. The girl child is home from school and she's lobbying for My Little Pony instead of BSG which means I'll have to switch to Hulu/headphones for the rest of s4.5 since they're on the dvr for the telly she wants to watch.
But, even if the finale turns out even worse than Black Market, the show still did so many great things and more importantly, introduced me to so many people and inspired great things and turned me into a vidder, which I'd...never go back to not being one now.
Also, I may be twisted, but even though I don't expect it to happen, I kind of honestly want RDM to kill off every last one of them. Apparently that mutiny bloodthirst never quite wore off...
In the event that happens, it will REALLY suck to be him ;)
So like, to take Baltar for an example, since I have no spoilers about this and cannot therefore accidentally spoil you! I'm fine if his new religion's veracity never really gets addressed, or gets addressed in broad terms, but I do fear that his views of things and his being a "flood" will get categorically confirmed. So like, I'm even okay with Six genuinely turning out to be an Angel of God (because dude, that's hilarious; apparently angels frak and torment you!) but I worry about the little things that make me look crazy, like whether his skeezy cult will turn out to have the "Only Right Idea." And such.
So for me I think it's like negative build-up? Even though, really, it's silly. Because I also know even if they decide to say that Baltar is actually the saviour of EVERYTHING EVER and then everyone except Adama and Baltar die, and they sit around for the last half hour of the show being emo and self-righteous and self-congratulatory at each other while Baltar talks about how it's really a good thing everyone's dead and Adama EATS THE ENTIRE SHIP WITH HIS MANPAIN (before brushing his teeth a few times) and then Baltar breaks down because he suddenly realises there's no one left to have sex with except Adama - I will still love this show.
So honestly, I should chill. *sigh* BUT WILL I? Probably not. ;)
Beautiful stuff. I'm so happy that so many people have been so positively affected by this show and the fandom. I'm loving reading everyone's "my fandom story" posts. And you're right, our paths are somewhat similar, just with different shows up until BSG.
First BSG post made on the tiny computer
Don't laugh, but I expected it to be written in tiny font! :)
And I'll take this chance to say thank you for all the amazing work you do running the Jamie community - you're a star!