Fandom's reactions, redux

[dreamer_easy]

SPOILERS: Torchwood: Children of Earth

On YouTube, good clear video of the SDCC Torchwood panel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okHUPvNW768
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vnNT3GXPTQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TPLgMNChGM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5FRyXKRuf4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPLyS7N6jMk

Lemme try and transcribe a couple of RTD's responses:

Fan: Mr Davies: I know that there's been a lot of unintentional drama going on, but some of your comments about the Internet fandom I know have kind of confused and hurt some of us, and especially at saveiantojones.com, we were really hoping not to be thought of as, as maybe - some of the decisions that people have made that maybe were out of line. And I was hoping you could clarify maybe your feelings on the Internet fandom.

RTD: Yes, absolutely. There are no statements that are criticial. If so, they've been wilfully misread. I was very nice about it. Or I might have been misreported. What I've seen - that's simply a misreading of what I've said. Which is fine if you want to take things that way, because frankly sometimes people always will want to take things that way. I'm immensely sorry if people are sad, but I'm not changing my mind [cheers] and some people were vicious and need to learn a lesson, but we're talking about very few people there. I've got to say - I've got to to be blunt about this: there was a campaign to send packets of coffee to BBC Wales, because Ianto was the coffee boy, to bring him back to life. BBC Wales has actually received nine packets of coffee. [audience laughter] And I'm not taking the mickey there - that's how small the problem is, and in an arena like this, it gets exaggerated, and it gets put at the top of the agenda, as though those nine people, literally nine packets of coffee, are the whole of fandom, as though they represent all of you, and I do not think that's the case. [applause] So I'm immensely polite and I'm immensely respectful at all times. And I absolutely don't mind if some of you disagree with me, but sometimes, within every fandom, there are some people that need policing within fandom itself, because we get a bad name from them. That's a fact.

The questioner sounds nervous as hell. So would I be! I think she deserves kudos for having the courage to ask, and also for keeping it respectful - phrasing her concerns as questions, as opportunities for RTD to address them, not as accusations or insults. This helps set the tone: Russell's response is also respectful.

Later on:

RTD: From the BBC's point of view the fan reaction has been magnificent, the general public's reaction has been magnificent. I know there's some people who are very upset and very angry that Ianto's died, who might be genuinely swearing never to watch again, in which case obviously I thank them for watching so far and wish them good luck in the future. [something I can't hear that cracked Barrowman up!] [audience laughter] But seriously that doesn't affect the BBC at all. The BBC are astounded by the success of it.

Fandom's overentitlement is sometimes the equivalent of kids chucking a wobbly in the supermarket because they want a lolly and mum's ignoring them. But I think it's also partly an honest misunderstanding of how TV works - something like the mistaken beliefs new writers have about publishing. In both cases the misunderstanding boils down to we are important so therefore they owe us. We're not, and they don't. This is not a two-way transaction. If you can accept that, then your bewilderment, hurt, and indignation will vanish, because you'll understand that you're not being treated unfairly, that you're not being disrespected. This is a crucial and liberating realisation for a hopeful writer; maybe it could ease a lot of fandom's pain.

Plus! Tons and tons of great photos of both panels by griggharris.

ETA: This sane discussion suggests that even amongst devoted campaigners for Ianto's return, the vicious ones are just as unrepresentative as RTD suggests. "Show love, not anger." Now that's fandom.