An Open Note To Fandoms Everywhere

------I'm on my soapbox to audiences in general, here, so if you're the sort of fan who takes things personally, don't read any further. I warned you.------

Stop criticizing Ryan Murphy. You would never have had Glee in your life at all if it weren't for him. You might never have heard Lea Michele sing or seen Harry Shum Jr. dance. There would be no Klaine to fangirl over. You think he's "ruining" the show? It's his show. (God forbid someone tell you how to run your pet project.) You think he's neglecting cast members? Glee is only one hour long, with one of the largest ensemble casts on television. (That means, each week, something's gotta give. And I think the storylines alternate nicely.) You think there's no realism or continuity? The show is a satirical musical comedy revolving around teenagers. (Know what you're walking into.) There is no freaking way to please ALL of you. I am proud to be a Glee fan. But I am embarrassed to be a part of the fandom. Leave him alone. I am grateful to Ryan Murphy.

Stop criticizing Andrew Marlowe. This is a man who thinks about things thoroughly. He has a master plan that's been there since day one. So stop nagging him to get Caskett together, to make them kiss, or give you more subtext. It will happen when it happens, exactly the way it's supposed to. It will be worth the wait, and you will still squee. Feel like your emotions are being toyed with? Newsflash. That's good drama. I'll admit, I've been guilty of complaining about AM in the past, mostly about underdeveloping the supporting characters. But I'm going to do my damnedest to stop, because we fans have to remember what the show is about. It's about Richard Castle, Katherine Beckett, and homicides. So just let the man keep doing what he does - and if you're so impatient that it causes you to jump ship? Go ahead. It'll be more fun without your negativity. I am grateful to Andrew Marlowe.

Stop criticizing Amy Sherman-Palladino. Gilmore Girls ended in 2007, and I'm still seeing ASP hate. Why? For six years, she put 100% of herself into that world, Stars Hollow, and she shared it with the rest of us - yet people are still bitching her out for leaving before the last season. Every artist deserves respect. ASP is an artist who had creative differences with the network. If she felt they were severe enough to walk away from her own creation - which I know from experience is painful - then you know what? We should all look up to her. She put her integrity above someone else's regulations. (For God's sake, go listen to "Defying Gravity.") And by the way...as I rewatch season seven, all these years later with a refreshed mind? I realize that the writing didn't suffer under David Rosenthal - probably because none of the writers changed. So here's an idea. Give it up. I am grateful to Amy Sherman-Palladino. 

Stop criticizing Joss Whedon. I understand how the Whedonverse fandom works. It operates like a massive religion. Joss is its god, but the moment he makes you wait just a little longer for a payoff, the worship becomes bitching and griping. Fans start tearing out their hair via blogs and forums. When they really have nothing better to do, Whedonites will sometimes pick another fandom and go for the throat. (This isn't ALL Whedonites, of course, but it sure is a lot of them.) Just consider something for a second. Father Joss is a freaking genius, yes? Of course he is. Well, genius takes time. You need patience if you're going to navigate the Whedonverse. It's not his fault if his projects take years to finish - it just means he cares that much. He has more artistic integrity than anyone I know. And when he kills off his characters? That's not to kill you. That's good storytelling. I am grateful to Joss Whedon. 

Stop criticizing George Lucas. Yes, I am defending one of the richest men in the biz. Here's why: people can't seem to shut up about his edits to the Star Wars films. Can we just get off this guy's back? He built a freaking empire, in 1977, and it's still a phenomenon today - how many people can say they've done that? Can you? When the apocalypse rains over the earth, two things will be left standing: cockroaches and Star Wars. People actually religiously classify themselves as Jedi. Frankly, with a brilliant imagination like that, George Lucas deserves to be filthy stinking rich. So who cares if he wants to go back and digitally enhance his own work? Who cares if he adds things? Who cares if he utilizes technology that wasn't available back then? It was probably in his vision all along. He could go back and add a Wampa to every scene for all I care. I am grateful to George Lucas.

Here's the moral of the story...

Stop throwing your negativity at showrunners. You think you can do a better job? Then go do it. Be bigger, be better. Create the next international phenomenon and set the ratings on fire. I dare you. I wish you luck. I bet you $50 you just keep sitting there at your computer.

Until then, stop being ungrateful. Stop criticizing. Just be entertained by entertainment. Otherwise, go read a book.

NOH8. End transmission.

EDIT 8/12/2020: I wrote this post like 8 years ago. I no longer agree with most of it. Holding showrunners accountable for their toxic bullshit is good and we should absolutely do it. Every single one of these people has something to answer for, from carelessly harmful writing, to using marginalized people/causes as props, to taking credit that isn’t theirs, to being a gross sexual harasser. This post was some naive “don’t pop my fluffy Happyland bubble with your pesky legitimate conscientious consumerism” shit. Was going to delete, but would rather see my growth/learn from my cringe. Only editing because somebody found it again this week.