If Fans Were Acquiescent

[suarezguy]

Since you like the term "nerd rage" let me introduce you to another fan phenomenon: "hate watching"!!!

You will find some folks around here (not a lot, but some) who absolutely hate a show (DSC is the current one), loudly and constantly post about how terrible it is, yet they never stop watching. I'm not talking about fans who watch and criticize things. We all do that. I'm talking about "fans" that take delight in not only attack the show, but the viewers as well (usually something along the lines of we're not intelligent or sophisticated enough to see how bad it is, that kind of stuff).

Back when I was an Enterprise moderator, there was a poster who went on a rant every week about how awful it was, in a very insulting, condescending way. Not only did he keep watching, but I found out he was actually illegally downloading the episodes in order to watch them early!

Oddly enough, even those viewers probably do help a show in terms of (downloading aside) maintaining its viewership and financial success and Enterprise eventually failed probably because it couldn't even keep enough of them, even they eventually got burned out on it.

With Enterprise the producers and fans did very much seem to want the fans to be very acquiescent, as I recall it was pretty common for the fans and producers to ask dissatisfied to still keep watching it because it would get better eventually, the other shows weren't great from the start, so all the fans should keep watching it, it can/will get good by the third season. Astonishing when you think about it, the idea that fans should be expected to watch something for over two seasons just out of hope it will improve.

Edit:

It's not just STAR TREK. Any high-profile, geek-friendly project, and particularly those based on some beloved old property, is going to incite heated debate, nit-picking, second-guessing, and hand-wringing . . . sometimes before a single frame of film has been shot. By now the Powers That Be probably realize that this just comes with the territory these days--and don't take it too seriously.

It's just white noise at this point.

"The 'fans" are in an uproar over the casting! And the title, and the director, and that leaked sketch of the Pez Dispenser . . . ."

Interestingly enough, Batman fans pretty much ranged from acceptance to enthusiasm for every bit of news about Nolan's Batman films, probably because they strongly disliked the latter two if not all four of the previous Batman films (and OTOH liked Nolan's past works).

 

[The Wormhole]

As "nerd rage" has never influenced anything in the franchise, a hypothetical lack of it wouldn't result in anything different.

 

[uniderth]

As "nerd rage" has never influenced anything in the franchise, a hypothetical lack of it wouldn't result in anything different.

To be fair though, when Enterprise started I was part of an End Enterprise campaign. And four years later Enterprise was ended. Soooo.....

 

[Greg Cox]

Interestingly enough, Batman fans pretty much ranged from acceptance to enthusiasm for every bit of news about Nolan's Batman films, probably because they strongly disliked the latter two if not all four of the previous Batman films (and OTOH liked Nolan's past works).

I seem to recall some anxiety over Heath Ledger being cast as the Joker.

"They cast a gay cowboy as the Joker! WTF?"

 

[TribbleFeeder]

Since you like the term "nerd rage" let me introduce you to another fan phenomenon: "hate watching"!!!

“Hate watching” ...wow. That sounds like a very time consuming way to get angry.

 

[Spot261]

Oh you'd be surprised how people indulge their own frustrations as a hobby!

 

[Lord Garth]

They usually present some half-baked twisted logic about why they do this. Usually this is unconvincing, then they just stop trying and say something like "I watch whatever I want and post whatever I want." That's certainly their right, but it doesn't make for good dialogue.

Since this is the first time I've ever permanently posted in a forum of The Current Series, you've given me spoilers for what's ahead.

 

[Push The Button]

I'm talking about "fans" that take delight in not only attack the show, but the viewers as well (usually something along the lines of we're not intelligent or sophisticated enough to see how bad it is, that kind of stuff).

I can’t tell you how many movies, TV shows, bands, you name it, that I have really enjoyed, only to be told by some know-it-all how awful the thing really was, and “WTF is wrong with you, I can’t believe you actually like that s*€t..”

The older I get, the less I want to interact with other people.

 

[CorporalClegg]

“Hate watching” ...wow. That sounds like a very time consuming way to get angry.

You have no idea. Even at 80wpm, 10,000 words takes a few hours.

 

[Gavin70]

"They cast a gay cowboy as the Joker! WTF?"

Damn it! Now that you've said that I really want to see a performance of the Joker as a gay cowboy.

 

[CorporalClegg]

You mean to say 89 Napier wasn't a gay cowboy?

 

[Gavin70]

You mean to say 89 Napier wasn't a gay cowboy?

More art critic than cowboy, I'd say.

 

[johnnybear]

It would've ended in 1968 with the finale of Season Two if not for the fans.

Although people moan about the third season I'd rather have it than not! The Enterprise Incident, Day of The Dove, The Tholian Web, All Our Yesterdays, Ellan of Troyius, none of which would be here today if not for that letter writing campaign!

 

[SpyOne]

While the occasional "fan service" episodes tend to be weak ones, I am not aware of any decision made to please fans that wound up making the show worse.
And I am not aware of any decision that made one of the shows worse that got reversed because the fans asked for it.

So I guess I am supposed to speculate how many bad decisions were killed in anticipation of fan outrage? Not many. Not provoking fan outrage has not been a top priority for anyone making a Star Trek show for a very long time.

Though I suppose it's worth noting that in its final season, when the network no longer held the threat of cancellation over the producers and they were more free to make the show fans had been clamoring for, Voyager got better.
So it's pretty clear what the source of the problems was.

 

[TribbleFeeder]

I think it’s important to make the distinction between actual true fans and ratings.

 

[1001001]

While the occasional "fan service" episodes tend to be weak ones, I am not aware of any decision made to please fans that wound up making the show worse.

It technically didn't make the show any worse, but the "valentine" to ENT fans ending up enraging quite a few of them!



A nod to the die hards now and again, especially if subtle, is most appreciated. But the more anyone tries to "please us", I think the worse it gets.

Partially because we are a diverse group who cannot agree on anything. Partially because we love to complain, no matter what. And partially because I don't think that's a good way to create movies and television. You're trying to hit a moving target, rather than producing what comes organically.

I don't know if any of that makes sense...

 

[Nyotarules]

It technically didn't make the show any worse, but the "valentine" to ENT fans ending up enraging quite a few of them!



A nod to the die hards now and again, especially if subtle, is most appreciated. But the more anyone tries to "please us", I think the worse it gets.

Partially because we are a diverse group who cannot agree on anything. Partially because we love to complain, no matter what. And partially because I don't think that's a good way to create movies and television. You're trying to hit a moving target, rather than producing what comes organically.

I don't know if any of that makes sense...

And all the Star Trek fans said 'Amen ...er Live long and Prosper'!

 

[suarezguy]

While the occasional "fan service" episodes tend to be weak ones, I am not aware of any decision made to please fans that wound up making the show worse.

A nod to the die hards now and again, especially if subtle, is most appreciated. But the more anyone tries to "please us", I think the worse it gets.

I think there was awareness that the Borg were well-received and so following them up, let alone having them capture and take over Picard and have that as the season cliffhanger, probably would also be popular (and then a lot of awareness that having the Borg in the later film sequel First Contact could be really appreciated). Worf and Klingons generally were popular so giving him an arc of saving the empire would be expected to be appreciated by the fans; Klingon Worf being in the crew at all seems like pretty strongly reaching out to and rewarding longtime fans (and he quickly became a strong if not one of the best characters).

 

[JirinPanthosa]

It'd never have gotten a second TV show. Fans judging and complaining is only the second half of the blade, the same thing that makes them judge and complain is the same thing that makes them love it, obsess over it, dress up as it, design games around pretending it.

The judging and complaining is just the other half of the coin. No judging and complaining, not even any TNG. Probably not more than one or two movies even. Turnabout Intruder airs, show is canceled, that's all that Trek ever is. A fond memory from the 60s.

 

[Paradise City]

A multigenerational franchise that captured the mass imagination is going to generate a several factions of often warring fans. I see the same thing is sport. You only hate the thing you truly love.

And what's wrong with all that? I like a good argument.