The Great Blake's 7 Fannish Outrage Game!

[aeshna_uk]

There has, of late, been a fair amount of fannish wailing and rending of garments over certain developments in Torchwood: Children of Earth, protests that certain things Should Not Be Done on TV shows where people might have some sort of emotional investment in the characters. Things that, frankly, I have absolutely no problem with whatsoever! But then I thought that, actually, that might have something to do with my early exposure to genre shows, back in the days when spoilers meant reading the Radio Times (which we didn't get). I can remember being upset when Adric died (hey, I was 11!), and then there was the great and glorious (see previous age disclaimer) Blake's 7....

So, here's a fun game! Imagine, if you will, that the same level of fannish entitlement computer and internet access existed back in the days when B7 was first airing. What online reactions and campaigns could we expect to see to each character death? Each replacement character? The destruction of familiar sets? Separations? Solo stories? Random blondes? Never mind the way it all ended! I'll admit to having only hazy memories of much of it, but I know there are folks out there who are much more familiar with it than I am.

Thoughts, rants, wails, rended garments (any of which may, or may not, bear a passing resemblance to certain more recent fannish storms), etc in comments, please. Go on, you know you want to. ;)

(Please feel free to pass on.... :))

Comments

[eledonecirrhosa.livejournal.com]

protests that certain things Should Not Be Done on TV shows where people might have some sort of emotional investment in the characters

Um, so they only want big, emotionally impactful plots in shows where the characters are blanded out bits of cardboard that no-one CARES if they live or die???

Offhand, I think B7 would have had these fannish campaigns:
- bring back the original Travis
- and the counter campaign, No don't - the new one is fine.
- bring back Blake
- and the counter campaign, No don't - the new guy is fine.
- bring back the Liberator
- and the counter campaign, No don't - the new ship is fine.

Repeat ad nauseam for Cally, Jenna, the whole crew, etc.

[aeshna_uk]

Um, so they only want big, emotionally impactful plots in shows where the characters are blanded out bits of cardboard that no-one CARES if they live or die???

That does seem to be the argument - or at least that there should be the Untouchable Few and the Redshirts, of which only the latter category may die, so as to prevent any emotional trauma. Or, you know, drama. But it rather takes all the interest out of a show if you have a guaranteed outcome every time. It's not as if you do in real life, after all!

B7 got through characters at a fairly amazing rate and was all the stronger for it - it's a lot more involving when there are no guarantees! :)