New fans?

[CailinBlair]

Alright so...I've got a few questions about new Trek fans. I don't really have a huge problem with people that are new to Trek but treat it with respect, but the new fans who do the slash pairings, and support the SpockXUhura, etc. annoy me. Well, mainly the people who watched Trek after watching the movie just because it is now an "it thing" to watch Trek. I am a new fan, however I did not start watching the series because of the movie. A friend sat me down to watch a few episodes of TOS right around the time that the movie came out.
So my questions...Should all new fans be lumped into the same category? What does "Trekkie" mean exactly? Like...when does someone gain the ability to truely call themselves a trekkie? Also, what do you think about the new movie fans and that the movie brought in -so many- new fans?​

 

[JustKate]

I say great. Eventually, they'll either move on to something else or they'll find a niche in our multilayered Trek world. All I ask is that the new fans try to hold back on negativity about the older incarnations of Trek, at least in my "hearing" (so to speak).

But other that that, to me, it doesn't matter if IX is the first Trek you ever saw or the last in a long line of Trek productions. Welcome to the party!

 

[Crusher Disciple]

Well, it's not like it's the first time we've had slash pairings in Trek.

And Spock/ Uhura is a reality now, and I think Saldana and Quinto were convincing as a couple.

 

[JarodRussell]

Those so called Trekkies and Trekkers appear to me like they are or want to be part of some kind of pseudo Scientology for the poor, with annual meetings and a strong superimposed "we"-"us"-"ours"-feeling. "Yeah, you like Trek, you are one of US now... let the party begin... I am sooo happy for you you like it... be enlightened by the sheer grandness of Trek..." What the hell.

 

[trampledamage]

Who cares when they first started watching, or if they're only watching Trek because it's the current trend. They're watching, and possibly enjoying, Trek - that's the important part.

As for Spock/Uhura shipping - as Crusher Disciple points out, we've had slash for as long as there's been Trek, and I gotta say, I'll take Spock/Uhura over Spock/Kirk any day


Trekkie's just an easy term for a Trek fan. Use it, don't use it - there's no entrance exam.

 

[M'Sharak]

Should all new fans be lumped into the same category?​

I think that anyone attempting to do such a thing is likely to find those people resistant to being so lumped.

What does "Trekkie" mean exactly? Like...when does someone gain the ability to truely call themselves a trekkie?

Beats me. I still don't call myself a Trekkie; I'm just a fan of the shows.

Also, what do you think about the new movie fans and that the movie brought in -so many- new fans?

I think it's great that there are new fans. I'll figure out what I think about them one by one, same as I do with everyone else.

 

[davejames]

I know there are a lot of non-fans who really loved the new movie (which is perfectly fine)... but I don't know if that's enough to really call them "Trekkies."

Trekkies to me are people who love to get in long debates about episodes and starship designs, the history of Starfleet and the Federation, and all the other minutue behind the franchise -- in short, the hardcore Trek fans.

I mean, my parents have seen nearly every movie and series, but I doubt they'd call themselves "Trekkies." They couldn't care less about all that other stuff.

 

[Etched]

I actually think its great. I've seen a lot of comments online from people who had never given much thought to Trek but after seeing the movie have rented the boxsets and have fallen in love with TOS and the later incarnations. Its a good thing for the franchise as a whole IMO.

As for the whole shipping thing? Well people will ship characters in any and every fandom, its just the way of things and Trek invented slash with the original K/S pairing so the newbies are just carrying on a long standing Trekkie tradition.

 

[Alrik]

Beats me. I still don't call myself a Trekkie; I'm just a fan of the shows.

I'm pretty much in that camp too. I have probably seen every episode ever produced, and seen every movie at least once in the theater, and then anywhere from a few more times at home, to uncountable. My son has followed in my foot steps and often asks specific questions that I am usually able to answer off of the top of my head, regardless of which series he is asking about. But I've never really felt like 'Trekkie' or 'Trekker' really fits. I just consider myself a life long loyal Star Trek fan.
​

 

[Tribbles]

CailinBlair, I understand being protective of a fandom, but are you perhaps feeling insecure about your own standing in the Trek community and projecting it onto those you see as "lesser" Trek fans? Regardless of the way you got into it, you're also a new fan, correct? I watched the movie first, loved it, and have since become enamored with TOS. Though slash is not my thing, I love Spock and Uhura as a couple. I'm not sure how that's disrespectful to the franchise, especially since it's canon in the new movie.

People who are just into Trek for the eye candy will move on quickly enough, and then you won't have to worry about it anymore. Until then, yay for all the buzz being generated.

 

[DevilEyes]

TOS Kirk and Spock were one of the first, if not the original, slash pairing.

I am not into slash, but I have shipped Spock and Uhura long before the movie came out. In fact, since I saw "Mantrap" and "Charlie X" and wondered why such an interesting and fun pairing was dropped for the tedious "Chapel hopelessly luuuvs Spock" plot (well, actually, I had a few ideas why). The movie pretty much made my dreams come true.

 

[Rackon]

Alright so...I've got a few questions about new Trek fans. I don't really have a huge problem with people that are new to Trek but treat it with respect, but the new fans who do the slash pairings, and support the SpockXUhura, etc. annoy me. Well, mainly the people who watched Trek after watching the movie just because it is now an "it thing" to watch Trek. I am a new fan, however I did not start watching the series because of the movie. A friend sat me down to watch a few episodes of TOS right around the time that the movie came out.​

So my questions...Should all new fans be lumped into the same category? What does "Trekkie" mean exactly? Like...when does someone gain the ability to truely call themselves a trekkie? Also, what do you think about the new movie fans and that the movie brought in -so many- new fans?​

Huh?

Honey, you're overthinking this Trek thang way too much!

Kirk/Spock slash has probably been around longer than you've been alive.

Spock/Uhurua shippers have probably been around longer than you've been alive.

As a 40 year Trek fan, my reaction to Spock/Uhura was YES! More please.

Don't lump fans together, they get crabby.


Trekkies may be Trekkers or not, or rabid fans, or whatever. Some of them go to conventions and speak Klingon, some don't. We have casual fans and rabid fans and fans that are devoted to starship engineering and fans who only care about how hot Kirk and Spock and Bones are and fans who love the miniskirts on Uhura.

Trekkies or Trekkers. Take your pick. I seem to vaguely recall that some Trekkies got annoyed at the apellation and adopted the more dignified term "Trekkers". It's too much trouble to sort out the evolution for me. Just know that there are millions of Trek fans around the world, and all degrees of devotion. Don't try to figure it all out. It's a big tent - there's room for everyone.

I'm happy new fans and non-fans alike are enjoying Star Trek TOS, TOS movies and XI.

Anyway...welcome to Trek!

 

[LeahBoBo]

Adding my two cents...I'm a long time fan of TOS. I'm not into slash and never shipped anyone, but I do now. Spock and Uhura works for me.

 

[soot]

If you've been a fan less than 90 days, you can't call yourself a Trekkie. If you do Feklar will come to your house, eat all your Doritos, use all your hot water, and leave a bunch of hair clogging up your bathtub.

 

[npsf3000]

For those who just come for the fad (though i doubt there are that many), take their money and smile

 

[Therin of Andor]

I don't really have a huge problem with people that are new to Trek but treat it with respect

You assume that all "old" fans treat ST with respect?

but the new fans who do the slash pairings, and support the SpockXUhura, etc. annoy me.

Slash fandom is hardly new. Kirk/Spock pairings have been a part of ST fanfic since the early 70s.

What does "Trekkie" mean exactly?

A fan of Star Trek? One who perhaps goes a bit further than people who simply watch it.
​

 

[davejames]

TOS Kirk and Spock were one of the first, if not the original, slash pairing.

I am not into slash, but I have shipped Spock and Uhura long before the movie came out. In fact, since I saw "Mantrap" and "Charlie X" and wondered why such an interesting and fun pairing was dropped for the tedious "Chapel hopelessly luuuvs Spock" plot (well, actually, I had a few ideas why). The movie pretty much made my dreams come true.

As much as I liked the Spock/Uhura thing in the new movie, I can't say I was really dying to see that explored on TOS.

The original Uhura always seemed (no fault of the actress) to be way too girly and vacuous for someone like Spock.

This new, more intellectual Uhura seems to be a much better match. And they both enjoy putting down Kirk, so they have that in common too.

 

[JustKate]

As much as I liked the Spock/Uhura thing in the new movie, I can't say I was really dying to see that explored on TOS.

The original Uhura always seemed (no fault of the actress) to be way too girly and vacuous for someone like Spock.

This new, more intellectual Uhura seems to be a much better match. And they both enjoy putting down Kirk, so they have that in common too.

Oh, I completely disagree with your assessment of the original Uhura, Davejames - you might want to rewatch some TOS if you haven't recently. The original Uhura came across as an intelligent professional with a great deal of personal dignity. Mind you, this was mostly because of Nichelle Nichols, not the way the character was written, but it was definitely there, and that's in spite of some "girly" lines. I don't think you're giving her nearly enough credit.

I like the new Uhura, too, but I don't think we would have had a new Uhura if the original hadn't managed to be a compelling character.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

^ I recently rewatched a TOS episode ...of course i can't remember which one at the moment, where Kirk was snapping at Uhura to make contact with someone on the planet (it might have been Operation: Annihilate), and she had been trying and couldnt make contact. She looked at him with steely eyes and told him in no uncertain terms that she had tried and couldnt. Major balls in that moment. She was no girly girl!

And she was definitely the same Uhura that told Spock that she was serving on the Enterprise (as in the NuTrek movie).

 

[diftorhehsmusma]

i am a new fan, but have long been exposed to trekkie stuff. i can understand wanting people to be respectful, but i think that word is a bit misplaced. getting overly interested in fiction is not about respect, it's about fun. actually what turned me off to the whole trek thing for the longest time was the thought that someone might want to argue with me about little tech details or uniform design or what one character meant by some line from 1986.
but i enjoy the characters and how they interact with each other, the creativity behind it all. i also appreciate that it's fiction, and keeping such a thing totally internally consistent is almost impossible.
i hope many new fans will adopt a similar attitude, and we can have fun with it.