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feliciakwHere's a topic for discussion:
Most everyone I know in the SPN fandom can easily point to whether or not she is a Sam girl or a Dean girl. Being one or the other does not mean that you dislike the other brother, but you are definitely partial to one over the other.
My question is why? And does your preference for the character translate into a preference for the actor who plays him? Or did you like the actor first, and that determined which character you'd prefer?
And if we want to complicate things, what if you're a John girl? The presence of the character of John Winchester is most certainly an influencing factor of the characters of the two leads. But most of what we know of John in early S1 is filtered through the perceptions of Sam and Dean. JDM himself only appeared in a handful of episodes. John is an interesting character, to be sure, but he's secondary to Sam and Dean as the leads. So I ask: Why John?
I was introduced to--and viewed S1, S2, and the first half of S3--of the show independent of any influence from or activity in the fandom. I developed my likes and drew my own conclusions independent of any influence of any fans or groups of fans. I would call![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
izhilzha and float past her my observations and theories and worries and flails, but she did not spoil me for anything or point me in one direction or the other. Neither did I read much fic--and none until I hit "The Benders," because up until that point, the show didn't need fic; the show is fic. I make a habit not to read fic for a show until I have formed my own opinions and drawn my own conclusions regarding what the creators are presenting me as a viewer.
I cannot pinpoint the moment at which I became a Dean girl. Nor can I pinpoint the moment at which I became a Jensen fan. But the two do go hand in hand to a certain extent.
I've always been partial to the "sidekick" characters. There have been exceptions, particularly when I was younger, but as an adult, I gravitate toward the sidekick of the duo, the supporting character, the second billing. And while it can easily be argued that Sam and Dean are equal in importance, the very fact that they are always referred to as "Sam and Dean" rather than "Dean and Sam" should tell you who the "main" character is and who the "sidekick" is. Also, look at whose actor gets top billing: Sam's. Sam was the character they focussed on casting first. Sam is the character, it turns out, upon which the continuing story arc focuses. So it would seem that I was pre-disposed to be a Dean girl.
But it's not really that easy. Since the team dynamic actually is extremely balanced, and since they're good foils for each other, it might have gone either way. (But I kind of doubt it.) Then at some point, I clued in to what a great actor Dean's actor was. And as his older sibling traits came out (I can relate to him on an older sibling basis), and his character developed, that pretty much cinched it.
Now, several people have said to me, "Oh, you just like him because he's cute." Actually . . . no. Yes, he's very good looking. Good looking to the point of being too "perfect." Which really doesn't do anything for me, in and of itself, as a general rule. But he can act. He's got talent, and when I started researching this guy named Jensen Ackles (research being a sure sign that I'm interested, possibly gone), I liked what I read about him as a person. So yeah, he's got gorgeous bone structure and amazing eyes and a masculine bearing that is to die for . . . but he's also more talented than maybe any one person has a right to be, and seems to be a good person from a strong family background to boot. Winners all around! \o/
Talent and passion can go a long way toward making someone attractive to me, while being attractive, but having no motivation or drive . . . really isn't a good way to keep me interested.
Plus, Jensen is closer to my age than Jared is, and while Jared is in his late(ish) 20s now, he was twenty-two when I first saw him. Barely legal. And while I could crush on him now, I would have felt rather weird crushing on him then.
So, to bring this babbling post to a close. Why am I a Dean girl? On one level, I was predisposed. On another level, I can relate to the character from a sibling POV. Related to that, I loved the development they gave the character. But the key, I think, was my attraction to the talent and passion of the actor portraying the character.
And if Dean's fatal flaw is his sense of self-worth (or lack thereof), my flaw (hopefully not fatal) is that I will probably forgive him anything. Well, almost.
Most everyone I know in the SPN fandom can easily point to whether or not she is a Sam girl or a Dean girl. Being one or the other does not mean that you dislike the other brother, but you are definitely partial to one over the other.
My question is why? And does your preference for the character translate into a preference for the actor who plays him? Or did you like the actor first, and that determined which character you'd prefer?
And if we want to complicate things, what if you're a John girl? The presence of the character of John Winchester is most certainly an influencing factor of the characters of the two leads. But most of what we know of John in early S1 is filtered through the perceptions of Sam and Dean. JDM himself only appeared in a handful of episodes. John is an interesting character, to be sure, but he's secondary to Sam and Dean as the leads. So I ask: Why John?
I was introduced to--and viewed S1, S2, and the first half of S3--of the show independent of any influence from or activity in the fandom. I developed my likes and drew my own conclusions independent of any influence of any fans or groups of fans. I would call
izhilzha and float past her my observations and theories and worries and flails, but she did not spoil me for anything or point me in one direction or the other. Neither did I read much fic--and none until I hit "The Benders," because up until that point, the show didn't need fic; the show is fic. I make a habit not to read fic for a show until I have formed my own opinions and drawn my own conclusions regarding what the creators are presenting me as a viewer. I cannot pinpoint the moment at which I became a Dean girl. Nor can I pinpoint the moment at which I became a Jensen fan. But the two do go hand in hand to a certain extent.
I've always been partial to the "sidekick" characters. There have been exceptions, particularly when I was younger, but as an adult, I gravitate toward the sidekick of the duo, the supporting character, the second billing. And while it can easily be argued that Sam and Dean are equal in importance, the very fact that they are always referred to as "Sam and Dean" rather than "Dean and Sam" should tell you who the "main" character is and who the "sidekick" is. Also, look at whose actor gets top billing: Sam's. Sam was the character they focussed on casting first. Sam is the character, it turns out, upon which the continuing story arc focuses. So it would seem that I was pre-disposed to be a Dean girl.
But it's not really that easy. Since the team dynamic actually is extremely balanced, and since they're good foils for each other, it might have gone either way. (But I kind of doubt it.) Then at some point, I clued in to what a great actor Dean's actor was. And as his older sibling traits came out (I can relate to him on an older sibling basis), and his character developed, that pretty much cinched it.
Now, several people have said to me, "Oh, you just like him because he's cute." Actually . . . no. Yes, he's very good looking. Good looking to the point of being too "perfect." Which really doesn't do anything for me, in and of itself, as a general rule. But he can act. He's got talent, and when I started researching this guy named Jensen Ackles (research being a sure sign that I'm interested, possibly gone), I liked what I read about him as a person. So yeah, he's got gorgeous bone structure and amazing eyes and a masculine bearing that is to die for . . . but he's also more talented than maybe any one person has a right to be, and seems to be a good person from a strong family background to boot. Winners all around! \o/
Talent and passion can go a long way toward making someone attractive to me, while being attractive, but having no motivation or drive . . . really isn't a good way to keep me interested.
Plus, Jensen is closer to my age than Jared is, and while Jared is in his late(ish) 20s now, he was twenty-two when I first saw him. Barely legal. And while I could crush on him now, I would have felt rather weird crushing on him then.
So, to bring this babbling post to a close. Why am I a Dean girl? On one level, I was predisposed. On another level, I can relate to the character from a sibling POV. Related to that, I loved the development they gave the character. But the key, I think, was my attraction to the talent and passion of the actor portraying the character.
And if Dean's fatal flaw is his sense of self-worth (or lack thereof), my flaw (hopefully not fatal) is that I will probably forgive him anything. Well, almost.
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Date: 2009-05-26 01:03 am (UTC)Season one Sam was so lanky and tall and boyish. His look alone made me want to feed him cookies. I loved the shaggy hair, that slightly scruffy appearance. He just plain looked adorable. So his look, his attitude, and maybe the Mom in me just wanted to cuddle the kid.
John though...I think I might have loved him even before I saw him. Yes, we see him through the boys eyes at first. It is a skewed version of John, their filters don't let us see the true man. But he made these two boys the men they become and that endeared me to him right away.
They are honest, respectful, seem to treat women (at least not witches/demons or Bela who was her own kind of evil) with a deference that we don't see very often. They do have manners. They are a bit rough around the edges, but I can't seem them hitting girls or raping women. They care. About each other. And about other people. They are selfless. These are things they were taught. By JOHN.
So I loved John because of the boys he raised. Before I even MET HIM. Because John must have done something right. Despite how many things he may have done wrong he raised two boys. Single handidly. In a situation that most people would have crumbled under. Wife dead. Not just dead but dead because of a supernatural something. Terrified for his kids, teaching them the only way he knew to be safe. Learning about hunting, making sure his boys knew how to protect themselves. Saving people. Hunting things. These were his gifts to Sam and Dean. I don't think it was easy for any of them.
Obviously, it was the right choice. Jumping the Shark showed us that. Adam did not benefit from John's tutelege, he lived a mostly normal life and because he was not prepared, because he could not protect himself. He was killed.
Yeah, John has made me angry enough to want to slap the shit out of him on more than one occassion. But no matter what, I feel the choices he made, wrong or right, were made for the right reasons. To make sure his kids had a chance.
So I loved John as a father. Which is the very same reason that some people hate him.
That is part of my love affair with a dead guy. :)
Plus, I love dark, smokey bad boys. We must also not underestimate the power of JDM's gravely, growly voice.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-26 08:54 am (UTC)It wasn't fandom influence (because back at 2005 i didn't even know what fandom is), it was fair game to be hooked on one character or the other but on the same time it wasn't fair game because from the beginning (even when Jensen said he didn't find Dean yet) i knew i'm a Dean girl because there's no other so much interesting character in modern television played by such talented man. You can consider me a talent bitch if you want because the way Dean was written (or could be played by other actor) didn't have a chance for me to become Dean girl. it was all in Jensen's hands and he hooked me right there and right then (Pilot to be exact, i just didn't know at the time i was hooked).
I will probably forgive him anything. Well, almost.
Same here and i think it's a sign of well played character when instead of being frustrated about something said character did you look for an answer of why he did it and the effort to answer it is a first step in excusing him :)
no subject
Date: 2009-05-26 03:23 pm (UTC)I just happened to watch one night - and the ep was Asylum. Well, I always "pick" some cute guy to key in on when I'm watching a show for the first time. Then as I continue watching, I will switch over to the character that intrigues/amuses me.
I am a huge h/c fan - so my first show allowed me to see "my" character get shot through a wall -- great beginning.
I will say I had a slight predisposition to not follow Sam as I watched him on Gilmore Girls -- and since he was SOOO young on that show - it felt creepy to crush over him.
It very soon occurred to me that "my" character was very interesting and the actor was amazing. Sam grew on me as the actor developed. JP has come a long way and has really brought some great development to his character.
So I was a very shallow viewer in the very beginning. But that's usually how I start all new shows - especially if I don't know the actor very well from previous gigs.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 08:46 pm (UTC)(edited because typing is hard)
no subject
Date: 2009-05-27 11:56 pm (UTC)And Jensen rocks. He Rocks Hard!