meta eating its own tail

[aria]

I have hazy recollections of the internet going ballistic when Supernatural did its episodes about Supernatural the book series; people who didn't really want the show to out them as fans or shippers, people who didn't want Sam and Dean to tap at the fourth wall and go, "Dude, stop it, we're brothers." And it is a really weird narrative choice, isn't it? It's lampshading something that the casual viewer doesn't know/care about anyway, and you're not going to make your fans love you more by holding up a mirror and saying, Actually, you're Becky! Mostly, though, I think it's giving me niggling frustration because, while I actually do like weird meta in small doses and bits of the first Chuck episode had me breathless with laughter, I am so over the hapless socially inept fan as a character type.

I'm actually one of the most socially awkward people I know, and I'm still perfectly capable of carrying on normal conversation and understanding interpersonal boundaries. (To be fair, there is a good reason I don't try to interact with actors I like, but if I was forced by circumstance into a situation where I'd have to, I wouldn't start touching them, ffs.) I've been to a handful of cons, and at every one I've hung out with intelligent articulate people who happen to have the same weird encyclopedic knowledge of fiction because of their awesome hobby. I don't know, maybe the fan as a person who is as baseline functional and ordinary as everyone else isn't -- good comedy, or something, but if you know your audience is a bunch of nerds? don't do a caricature of nerds! We passed absurd about four exits ago.

There will be Crowley soon. There will be Crowley soon.

Oh, and it's also worth mentioning that I have yet to watch a Trickster episode I don't love with all my heart. That's where you can stick your meta and absurdity and tapping gently on the fourth wall.

This PSA has been brought to you by Preaching To The Choir, and also by Wow I Love Me All The Angels And Demons On This Show.

Comments

[feverbeats]

I am just sort of frothing with rage at how much I hate this show.

Not because they're mocking fangirls! There are some fucking fangirls of exactly that stripe, and by some, I mean a large percentage of SPN fandom, so I think that's perfectly fair. But my fucking Christ, what a waste of airtime. SO META. THEY ARE JUST JACKING THEMSELVES OFF AT THAT POINT IN THE SHOW. "What are the fans doing?? OMG LET'S TROLL THEM. THAT'S A TV SHOW, RIGHT?"

Wow I hate SPN.

It just kind of vomits all over the fourth wall.

This comment bright to you by G&tea I am drinking, but 100% true nonetheless.

[aria]

Ehh, I dunno, no matter how true it might be of some of SPN fandom, it's still a stupid thing to do that reflects well on exactly nobody. But yeah, the meta generally is pretty awful, and the two times when the Chuck-and-Becky stuff actually further the plot, those bits could've easily come from other characters and been a lot less stupid.

I like your glowing hatred at SPN! It keeps me grounded while I am still enjoying it despite its many, MANY flaws.

[anekdot]

I have this problem with Supernatural where my only exposure to it has been the occasional Castiel-related Youtube clip, so in my mind it's a situational comedy about two brothers who can't find throat lozenges and a socially awkward angel. I guess the show is about how they go on road trips and have hilarious French farce-esque misunderstandings, rite??? Also somewhere John Constantine is wondering why someone would steal his trenchcoat.

[aria]

about two brothers who can't find throat lozenges and a socially awkward angel.

Congratulations, I just screamed with laughter for roughly thirty seconds. THE SHOW YOU DESCRIBE IS A SHOW I WOULD FUCKING WATCH. And eventually the socially awkward angel finds those brothers some lozenges! And takes one himself, too, this is getting ridiculous.

[anekdot]

The thing I don't get is that I'm pretty sure they're all capable of talking in semi-normal human voices as evidenced by that one time Jensen Ackles was in that Batman movie I totally didn't watch to procrastinate. It's like they just all independently decided that what they really needed to bring to their role was "chain smoking."

It's just unfortunate because now that I've read, like, every single issue of Hellblazer in existence, I could totally go for a gritty Sarcastic Douchebags Fight Monsters show... that didn't suck.

[anekdot]

(as an unrelated aside this movie is basically, like, "what if we made an animated feature film about Jason Todd's daddy issues," and then cast Captain Pike as Batman, Dean as Jason Todd, Neil Patrick Harris as Nightwing, and Lucius Malfoy/Admiral Zhao as Ra's Al Ghul.)

[gehayi]

Castiel was BASED on John Constantine, which makes me think that the comic book version should appear at some point and snark at the socially awkward angel and the brothers in need of lozenges. Especially since Constantine does not LIKE angels. Or demons. Or much of anyone, really. (I am fairly certain that the comic book version of Constantine has FEELINGS about Keanu Reeves playing him, and that those FEELINGS are largely unprintable.)

[anekdot]

Hahaha, yeah, no, I knew that. It is kind of hilarious how much the Supernatural people have cribbed off of other media. :P

[surexit]

Yeah, the hapless socially inept fan just... it's too easy. I haven't seen the episode, but it's such a fucking stereotype. I mean, it's a stereotype because it's a bit true, in that I have met/seen some fannish people who make me a bit, "uh... personal hygiene. personal boundaries," kind of thing, but that's true in lots of parts of life.

[aria]

Yeah, I think my complaint is less "But that representation is NOT AT ALL TRUE," and more "But we don't NEED this again, and what the hell are you trying to say anyway?" Sigh.

[innocentsmith]

Becky-the-fangirl is probably the character most in need of reclaiming by fanfic, in any fandom EVER. And indeed, there are some awesome fics out there, in which she saves Sam and Dean and Chuck and the universe, and/or just acts like an actual fangirl with mad research skills and leftover embarrassment from how badly she lost it over Sam and Dean being real. But I definitely don't think well of the writers/producers for shaming the hell out of their audience like that.

I have occasionally contemplated writing a "Dogma"-esque SPN fic where Becky shows up to rescue Sam and Dean, having moved onto Doctor Who fandom, inherited Chuck's gift of prophecy, and incidentally given birth to the messiah. (Who is a little girl. So there.) But I never got as far as coming up with an actual plot, so.

[aria]

Oh god, I may need all the fic in which Becky acts like an actual fangirl with mad research skills. THIS WOULD MAKE UP FOR SO MUCH.

fdklsfdkds I love that idea! I hope that one day you will come up with an actual plot, because there's a fic that's crying out to be written. :D

[innocentsmith]

I can totally provide links to at least a few really awesome Becky stories, whenever you have your "bring on the fic!" moment. :)

[rusty_halo]

Aww, I love when SPN goes meta. But then I interpreted Becky as a lot more of an affectionate shoutout than a disdainful mockery.

Anyway, here's a really fun essay about reclaiming Becky. :)

[aria]

She was almost certainly meant as an affectionate shoutout! But I don't think they pulled it off a fraction as well as they might have. :/

On the other hand, I love that essay! I still think it's a -- not a stretch, because all the arguments are perfectly well backed up, but perhaps a really optimistic reading? -- but it's still pretty great. And ahaha, now I am down a rabbit hole of academic ramblings on SPN. Whee!

PS: your icon made me shriek with laughter. Sometimes we ALL need Castiel to raise us from TV Tropes.